Dead Empress Backwater crocs cosmetics [s]

Pack RE! Welcome to any DEB members, but a tag to @Modesto @Vayko and @Vanadis who said they were interested
Late afternoon, Overcast (following a large rain storm), 51F/11C
Dead Empress Backwater, a spring storm has destroyed one of your main caches.
Probably about 3 rounds?

For fucks sakes. Viorel had spent the afternoon being uncharacteristically lazy and having a nap, and at that point the sun had been flitting in and out of scattered clouds. He had enjoying snoozing in the warm air, until he had been unhappily woken up by that stupid bird. Not only that, but a couple hours after that an isolated rainstorm had swept through the area of the creek and the Backwater. It hadn’t lasted long, half an hour at most, but it had rained so hard that the leader had ducked away into the thicker foliage for coverage.

Only reappearing once the worst of the storm had swept through the area, leaving the ground soaked and semi flooded in areas, Viorel made his way through the now almost swampy area. He had planned on heading back to check that everyone was alright, and hadn’t been caught too by surprise by the storm when he say it. The main cache, the one that he and the others made extra sure was brimming as much as possible. Except it wasn’t a cache any longer, the storm and flooding had absolutely destroyed it. Nearly half a foot of still water hung on top, the majority of their food washed away, and what wasn’t now hung bloated and disgusting in the sticky mud. Fuck. One afternoon with an extra nap and this happens.

Viorel grit his teeth, there was no saving this. They would need to find a new area for a cache, somewhere with higher ground, dig it out, and have an impromptu hunting trip to refill it. Sighing in exasperation, he stared for just a few moments before raising his head and calling for anyone who was nearby. They had work to do.

Vanadis hadn't had any intention of seeking cover, but once the rain started soaking though her pelt, she figured she'd have to. Finding respite beneath a budding tree, she waited for the rain to pass. It hadn't taken long, but it wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her afternoon.

Once the clouds emptied and she was able to move freely, Vana went off in search of Viorel, wondering how he had weathered the storm, thus, she wasn't far off when his voice touched her ears. She frowned as she made her way to him through the waterlogged mess of muck and soil.

It didn't take her long to realize what had caused this impromptu 'meeting', noting the ruined cache, and the ankle-deep water that had settled over it. All of their hard work, wasted. Great. Vayko was going to be thrilled to hear it. For a moment, she could do nothing else but stare at the place that should have held their food, processing their loss, and wondering what this would mean for them. "Please, tell me that I've lost my mind, and this isn't actually our main cache." Her tone had lost it's playful hue, leaving only disbelief and exasperation behind.

It was certainly unexpected the way that thunderstorm had crept up on them. It had forced Sharlee to take cover under and uprooted tree from sometime in the past. It had been raining so hard that she wasn't in any particular mood to get pelted to death. Thank goodness that it hadn't lasted long. Sharlee was thankful for that since she hadn't wanted to stay huddled up under the tree for the rest if the afternoon. 

Once she was sure the storm had passed she pulled herself out of the little crevice she'd been tucked into. Shook the dirt off her coat and stretched her legs. Though there was plenty to do she thought she should go and check to see how the rest of the pack had faired. Her grandmother was on her mind, since they'd found her Sharlee could tell that something wasn't right and this caused her worry. 

The tawny Valle had been on her way to find her grandmother when she heard Viorel's call. It sounded urgent so she hurried to find him. It wasn't only him that she found but Vanadis as well. The urgent thing was the cache that they were standing around or what used to be. "I'm afraid not," she said to Vanadis's comment that she'd heard just as she arrived. Sharlee tried lifting a foot out of the water to shake it off a little. "Do you think the food is ruined? Though I suppose we have to find it all to be sure." Thus wasn't going to be a fun task. More importantly they would have to hunt night and day to replace it all if it was. 

The rains fell and she slept. The rains fell harder and so Modesto slept harder, curled safely and comfortably within the den she had made for herself out of an old fox den and some serious digging. It was far different from the densite she had for herself at the Estuary, fitted with pelts, shells and other collections she had obtained over the years.

She awoke to a sudden flood of water. At first just trinkling in barely until finally a flash of rain water came pouring into the den. Jumping up by the sudden unpleasantness, she curses her new backwater home with a hiss. Perhaps a quaint little forestry of plentiful foliage and water, this place had its downfalls. Here rabbits, groundhog and beaver seemed plentiful. Deer travels in to graze on the sweet grass. A predominant flat land with backwater overflowing from which it was named, flooding seemed like it was going to be an issue from time to time.

Then a howl of her nephew was given and the woman was prompt, the type of wolf to want to have her paws in on everything of import. She came to him, with Sharlee and preggo #2 already there, and cursed at the sight. "Oh for Hell's sake!" She spats out with a snarl at the added mess of this day.

Vanadis was the first to arrive, and normally Vayko would have greeted her with some borderline over the top physical affection. But even in his hormone, like-you-a lot brain he knew this was not the time for twitterpating. He couldn’t even bring her to answer the question before Sharlee arrived hot on her heels and had the words for him. Finally, he sighed, ”I would think from the looks of things it is all ruined.” What wasn’t washed away was bloated and stuck amongst the muck and the wreckage.

Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth he cursed under his breath, ”Fuck. What the fuck.” And then he opened his eyes, rolled his shoulders and set his mind onto a mental to-do list. It seemed his sentiment was echoed by his Aunt Modesto who had arrived just as he was muttering his own cusses. Looking towards the women gathered around him he felt his spirits crush a little bit. They had worked so hard for this, and now, with Vanadis’ belly just beginning to swell they were set back.

Finally, after the short silence he had his marching orders, ”We need to grab anything we think that might be salvageable and get it out of the water. Our best move would be to get a new location that’s more elevated to prevent this from happening in the future, then we’ll need to hunt something. I think vayko has been tracking the herds so hopefully he will have an idea of what is closest.” He looked to the other members for their opinions now, he was sure this was the best plan of action, but was open to other ideas.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko certainly did not need any more stress in his life at the moment. He had been on the other side of the territory, just beyond the border tracking a herd. He had been on his way back when the chaos had hit, and he had instantly made a break, arriving late to the party with a distressed look. The cache. One look and he could tell that it was toasted. “Fucking hell.” What kind of lucky did they had? Even the water was turning against them! They were wolves of the sea. They were supposed to be good with water.

He arrived just in time to hear Viorel’s words and he nodded. “Closest herd’s scent passed our southern border about half a day ago by my estimate.” He confirmed. It would be a bit of a journey, but they had to replace this food somehow, especially with pups on the way. Fucking hell he did not need this stress in his life right now. Vayko was convinced this had to be some kind of punishment from the universe for Viorel's looseness this past Spring. It had to be because he had never heard of such foul luck before in his life!

She felt distant, nodding at Sharlee's answer without really hearing it because her brain was busy deciding whether or not it wanted to work up a solution, or throw itself a pity party. Thus far, nothing in the Backwater had gone according to plan, and she was beginning to think that perhaps she'd made a wrong turn somewhere, or had done something to displease the gods because how else could one be so unlucky?

Pale eyes swung to Viorel as he rolled his shoulders, dawned his crown, and came up with set of orders. They had no choice but to pick themselves up and move on, so it was with a heavy heart that she began moving through the flood waters in an attempt to salvage anything she could, not that it seemed like there would be much.

"I'll go with the hunting party whenever they set out."

It was not a scene she wanted to be greeted with as she stood there along side Vanadis and Viorel. It was bad but the question was how bad? After she'd spoken Sharlee'd had a chance to really look around at the mrss that had once been their cache. Now it was just a lot of gross things. Even if they could save some of it she wasn't sure she would want to actually eat it.

Her Aunt Modesto and Vayko arrived moments later expressing the thought they were sure to all he thinking. There was only one thing they could do. Create and new Cache somewhere safer and hunt more food to fill it ad quickly as possible. Thankfully Viorel didn't let this little set back keep him from thinking straight he seemed to have a plan which they would hopefully be able to execute quickly. 

Her brother didn't disappoint either as he had the information needed. "I'll go with the hunting party and also help with making the new caches," she offered.

Vayko was quick on the scene with a solution about the closest herds and for that Viorel was thankful. It sounded like the closest herd was farther than the leader would have necessarily liked, but the fact that they knew where they were was a blessing. Vayko would lead Vanadis and Sharlee on a hunt, which seemed reasonable but the leader worried about his pregnant girlfriend potentially getting hurt.

This didn’t really have any other choices. And, he knew that he couldn’t go with them, both leaders couldn’t leave on a potentially multi-day hunting trip especially given their current disaster. With a worried glance towards the cream woman at his side, he took a moment before his logic got the best of him and he nodded.

Even glancing around at the wreckage he knew that nothing was going to be able to be saved. Looking towards his aunt he grimaced, ”Alright, Aunt Modesto and I will stay here and move the cache and if we have time try to catch something small.” Then looking back at the other three, who he knew could hunt well together, he had seen it he said his usual pre-hunting words, ”Everyone be careful, please” That last word had been directed towards Vanadis, but he meant it towards everyone else as well.

Nodding towards the hunters Viorel moved out of the water, waiting for his aunt to catch up before moving out of the flooding scene in search of higher ground.

A game plan was in order, at least that much was so and Vayko came in just enough time to confirm with Viorel, bringing good news of knowing the nearest herd's whereabouts. Vanadis and Sharlee spoke up on behalf of joining the hunt and likely so others not present could join in. Modesto knew her presence would be needed here, finding a far more suitable place for a cache. Viorel knew it to be so, as he spoke that they together would work towards building a new cache for the pack.

"I know some good places for fishing, make for some meals before they return from the hunt." She spoke as she trudged through the waters after Viorel. They had their work cut out for them for sure.