Sanguine Cove Flashback

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

Anyone welcome! RE: Moonshadow, your personal cache has been raided by a hungry coyote!

The day was pleasant and things were looking up for the aging, inky woman. Her best friend had returned home, even if his mate had come with. The pups were getting bigger with each passing day, filling the cove with endless laughter. Her own two boys had stuck around. Aleister had recovered and was doing much better. A pained smile adorned her greying maw as she thought about everything, mostly about her last serious conversation with Nash. The ebony mother knew Chan had wanted to leave once again, but it seemed like Nash wanted to go with him. She wanted her children to be happy and if that meant it wasnt in the cove then so be it. She would be lying to herself if she said it didnt make her sad. But true to Moonshadow fashion, she wouldnt ever let anyone know as to not impede on their happiness. So she would smile and wish them the best when they chose to leave and would tell them she loved them. Her mercury pools began to mist as her thoughts roamed free. Her large paws walked towards a small cache the Eastfall woman kept. She put most of her hunts into the main caches, but every once and a while she was able to catch her favorite - martens. A tasty snack would help lift her spirits...or so she thought.

Her hackles instantly stood up all across her body as the scent assaulted her nose. A growl tore through her usually soft spoken maw. The scent of a coyote clung to the air all around the cache that brought flash backs of the times that ultimately drove them from their home. Her pace quickened as she reached her cache. It was completely ransacked, nothing edible was left. Her silver dusted tail curled over her back and lashed with anger. This was her home, and she'd be dammed if coyotes were going to interfere again.

Word Count: 000

The trail of a coyote was the first real problem Jet had come across in his time residing at the cove. Much of his time had been spent doing some combination of hunting for himself or patrolling, with some time thrown in here or there to work on the pelts Chan had shown him. One coyote wasn’t much to worry about for a grown wolf, he thought, let alone a pack of them, he knew that there were still pups around that could be a potential target - even if he’d yet to actually meet them.

It was concerning that one had been brazen enough to wander into their territory, and Jethro had moved quickly to follow it. He paused occasionally to check for scents or prints, to be sure he was still on the correct path. It didn’t take long before it brought him to a particularly unpleasant scene. A rather angry-looking Moonshadow was just ahead, and as he grew closer, Jet was able to determine the reason for her feelings.

The elder wolf was someone he’d seen much of and had it not been for the present situation, Jet might’ve tried to turn about and head off in a different direction. There was something about her that made him uncomfortable in a way he hadn’t experienced before, and he wasn’t so sure she cared all that much for him, anyway - even if that thought was probably baseless, as most had been to this point. But for something like this, personal feelings and doubts would be set aside.

Jet didn’t bother to disguise his approach, a look of irritation and disgust manifesting on his countenance as he got a closer look. Nothing but inedible scraps and offal were left. ”Damned thing,” he uttered with a loathsome huff. ”Was hopin’ I’d find it before it did somethin’ like this. You… uh, want an extra set of paws, to go track it down?” That was what he thought would be best to do. If they didn't kill it, at least make sure it'd left pack territory far behind, but it seemed better to ask the elder wolf, first. Perhaps he could offer to help refill the cache, too.

-hopefully you don't mind if I hop in this

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

@Jethero yes its totally fine! Im so sorry about the wait on this! :(

Her anger blinded her from hearing the newest inky cove member approach. She paced around the raided cache with her back to the young male. She leapt and spun around her tail still curled over her back as his voice reached her ears. Mercury orbs softened at the realization of who had arrived. Her body language softened and relaxed, when her companion was perceived as a friendly and not a threat. The boy stated he had hoped to catch the coyote before it had the opportunity to do something like that then asked if she would like some help finding the vermin. Heat rose in her cheeks as embarrassment washed over her. Clearing her throat the greying she wolf shook out her pelt before looking to her packmate once more. "I'm sorry for that display..." she trailed off for a brief moment. "Some help would be greatly appreciated, thank ya." She managed a sheepish smile before turning her attention towards tracking the mangie mutt.

Word Count: 000

-I could say the same about the wait :s

It didn’t seem like she’d heard him, not at first. Not until he had spoken, anyway. At that, Moonshadow whipped around to face him, indignation very much present and prevalent upon her features and in her posturing. For that, Jethro could not blame her. Not one iota. But it was evident he’d caught her off guard, and so he opted to slow, keeping a more respectful distance between them.

What did come as a surprise though, was the softening of features, and then an apology to go along with it. That was not something Jet was accustomed to witnessing. ”All good. Don’t blame you, for bein’ mad. With uh.. pups around, I just hope.. this is the worst it does,” Jet spoke, the last part becoming more of a murmur. The last thing he wanted was to find out someone had been hurt, or worse.

The acceptance of his offer did prompt the dark one to start forth again with a nod toward the elder who.. even offered a small smile. Out of courtesy, it was an expression Jet mirrored to a small extent. ”Yah. You bet. Let’s go find it.” He wasn’t related to anyone here by blood, and not sure of his relationship with most individuals, but the group had offered him a home. For as long as he could remain, Jet wanted to protect it, and them.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

Again sorry for the wait!

Her silver dusted ears flicked back to catch what her dark companion stated. Despite it being a murmur, she agreed with him. She was not about to allow the smaller canine kind to take anymore from her or her family. Before she could say anything more, Jethro agreed to accompany her in finding the mangy mutt. The dark duo began to track the coyote's scent following it towards the borders, giving the aging woman a sense of relief. Quickly it was short lived as the trail turned once more towards the heart of the territory. "I do not like that its comfortable enough to hang around." Moon spoke the irritation clear in her voice. Moon was a kind soul, but she also had a fierce need to protect her family and was not afraid to do so against any and all threats.

Word Count: 000

Things turned to business after that, and it seemed that tracking down this coyote was a shared priority and goal. What continued to concern him though, was that the trail seemed to lead further into the pack’s territory, instead of back out again. Moonshadow also echoed that concern, irritation present and clear in her tone. Jethro tended to agree with that, but just then, something occurred to him that he hadn’t thought about for a while, and that he couldn’t even be sure where real.

Conversations he’d overheard from a long time ago, the memories of which had become hazy over time, but his packmate was right. It seemed incredibly odd that a single coyote would be willing to invade the territory of a pack unless something was wrong with it. ”Yeah. You.. don't think it could be, uh.. diseased, do you?” Jethro tried to recall the specifics of that illness. Erratic behavior, bouts of anger, foaming at the mouth - all without any known way to cure the ailments. It was one of the few things that he could recall frightening the otherwise brutal and selfish adult pricks he’d grown up with. So maybe there was truth to it.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2022, 02:43 PM by Jethro.)

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

They followed its trail deeper into the territory while Jethro voiced his concern about it possibly being diseased. That consideration hadn't even crossed her mind and caused her to physically stop. Anger gave way to more concern in her gaze as she looked to him. "I hadn't thought 'bout that." She knew of the disease he spoke of but also didn't know the name of it. She resumed searching for its trail, whether it was diseased or not they needed to find it. "We'll have to be extra careful if it's not behavin' normally." She wasn't sure what their strategy would be if they found the mange mutt but they would have to consider simply chasing it out. Though she wouldn't want to simply chase it out for a fear of it returning.

Word Count: 133

The thought of their target potentially being diseased seemed enough to cause a momentary pause in their stride. Jet slowed as the other did, pausing beside her. The thought was troublesome, but they could still take care to study the coyote’s behavior from a distance before deciding on a course of action.

”This might sound.. ah, stupid - but, if it is sick.. we could maybe try to chase it over the nearest cliff? Let gravity do the work for us.” He recalled the rather unconventional tactic he and Nori had used once during their hunt on the way here, quite a while ago. Maybe that was something they could employ. It might not be quite as satisfying, on a primal level, as killing it themselves, but it could be much easier - and safer.  

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

The ebony Eastfall woman racked her brain as they walked trying to think of a safe solution for dealing with a potentially diseased coyote. Her inky companion timidly offered a solution, calling it stupid before sharing it at all. Let gravity do the work for them. Silver dusted audits stood atop her head as she visualized the scenario. "That's an ingenious idea @Jethro!" She complimented him with a sparkle in her eye. It was so simple yet so effective! They weren't going to be eating it or using its pelt for anything so it didnt matter if it fell somewhere unreachable. Moon's silver dusted banner waved behind her as some of her anger dissapated, though her determination didnt waver in the slightest. "Lets go get it" she said her voice lowered as the scent just became stronger. They were closing in.

Word Count: 141

Apparently, the idea not only did not sound stupid to the elder wolf, quite the opposite. Instead, she labeled it ingenious, and appeared quite impressed by the idea. Which, it really was, despite how out of the ordinary it was. Jet permitted himself a wry grin, at the compliment, but shook his head slightly, unwilling to take credit for an idea that was not his. ”Thank ya. But it was.. actually Nori’s idea, something she thought of when we were makin’ our way here, originally.” Moonshadow’s granddaughter, and his first friend, deserved the praise for that thought, wherever she was.

The thought of using the same tactic also seemed to energize the elder Eastfall, and a bit of her irritation seemed to fade. ”If it works as well as it did last time, it won’t know what hit it,” he murmured in agreement, separating off from his companion a bit, as the scent grew stronger so that they could flank the coyote and approach from different angles.