Porcupine Island unsettled

Strange things had been happening with the water, lately. At first, a month or so ago, he hadn’t paid much attention to it. But as the days and weeks had gone on, the true extent of the issue had become more apparent. While the lake he and some of his new friends and acquaintances had chosen to reside nearby still held water, it was far less full than it had been a mere month or so ago.

Jet did not think he’d seen anything like this, before. Based on preliminary investigation, the problem appeared to have spread beyond just this region, though. Smaller streams, rivers, or ponds had all dried up. And it had him worried. More than he’d been for quite a while. He couldn't help but wonder, too, if the Cove had been affected. Would such a thing even impact them, way up there, in the mountains?

Jethro didn't want to entertain the idea that this might be fate's way of smothering out his agenda and plan, but he couldn't help wondering. Why did this have to happen now, of all times?  

If there was any upside to it, though, it was that getting to the islands had been a heck of a lot easier than it would’ve been, otherwise. While there certainly was not much to be had out here, the rocky islands did make for a halfway decent resting place. Somewhere he could explore and think pretty much undisturbed.

For now, at least.

-AW for anyone in the area

Chan had several hints as to Jethro's proximity, but had until now been unable to catch his scent for himself. He'd encouraged the women to reside close to Turtleback as they struggled to ride out the unexpected drought. @Flair had sought seclusion in Kingsfall as their children grew inside of her, keeping the Eastfall on his paws more often than he otherwise would be as he traveled between her and @Finley to ensure both pregnancies were going as well as could be hoped in their undesirable situation.

He'd come to the shore to refill one of the shells he'd been using to collect water. He could only transport meager amounts at a time, and awkwardly, but it was certainly better than the nothing that had taken over every tributary. He dropped the empty carapace to the ground and went to the water, bending down to quench his thirst before taking better stock of his surroundings. That was when he noticed the familiar cologne in the wind, and spied a dark shape stalking the island's shore, closer than it ever had been before.

Chan smiled and barked loudly, announcing his presence before stepping into the lake and beginning the swim that would take him to his friend.

A loud call, echoing across the depleted lake’s surface alerted Jethro to the presence of someone else. Someone familiar, and despite the distance, he couldn’t help the smile that was almost instinctively fixed to his countenance the moment he turned about. He had been wondering when he’d see Chan, again.

And he had been looking forward to it a great deal, as well. He had questions, undoubtedly. Some were more significant than others, but even those paled in comparison to the joy he felt at simply seeing a good friend and mentor again.

Chan, it appeared, had already taken the initiative and set into the water, beginning the still not insignificant swim towards the islands. That left Jet with little else to do aside from sauntering back down the rocky shoreline to sit and eagerly await the arrival of the other.

It still took time to cross the swath of water the sun had yet to steal from the great lake, but was nowhere near the feat it would have been just months ago. He pulled himself from the water as his paws began to scrape silt and when he reached dry land he gave himself a great big shake to fling the excess water from his fur. All in all, the experience had been refreshing, even if it left him panting.

"Been hopin' to find you," was his way of greeting Jethro, eyes pinching with happiness. If he believed in such things, he would've thought it fate that they had both made their way to the lowlands. Not his own, but @Finely's.

"How've ya been?"

Despite the lower water levels, it did still take Chan a fair amount of time to make the swim. A good sign, as it was already concerning enough that the water had depleted this far. Though he found it difficult to imagine, Jet was not sure what he’d do if somehow the water ran out, here. Die, probably, that cynical voice he hadn’t heard for quite some time proposed.

Chan made his way up the mucky, rocky island shore just then, though, looking thoroughly drenched, tired, but happy and probably refreshed. ”Same. S’good, to see ya again,” Jet echoed the sentiment, rising to greet the other and offer a respectful bow of his head.

And then, a smile offered with the singular inquiry. ”Despite the way of things, better than ever. Bein’ out here, doing this, it feels good.” Especially now, after meeting Finley. Someone that he hoped to actually help, in the future. There was more than just hope in his goal, now, that there was a genuine need for it, to some level.

”You?” He inquired quizically. Jet had half expected the other man to have been more than a week’s worth of travel away by the time he’d first caught on to Chan’s presence, here. To see him still lingering about was puzzling.

Jethro appeared as he claimed, standing before Chan a seemingly reinvigorated wolf. He was happy to see it, especially given 'the way of things' as his company phrased it. It was good to know that the drought had not put everyone's plans on hold.

"Glad to hear it," he commended before answering.

"Well enough, been wonderin' after the Cove though. How long have you been away, do you know how the lake is holding?"

It was his biggest concern, that any of the packs had been left without proper access to water but especially, of course, the one that housed his family.

Well enough, the other responded. For the most part, he looked it, all things considered, though the subsequent portion of his answer indicated some worry. A righteous one, at that, considering Chan had family there. Jet would’ve found himself concerned if the man hadn’t had some worry, but the fact that he chose to express it spoke to the depths of their trust and relationship.

Or at least, that was what Jethro wanted to think. Maybe that was totally wrong. It came as something of a disappointment, though, that he couldn’t say or do anything to assuage the other’s worries. ”Wish I could tell ya, but we left before the whole drought thing really got going.”

While Jet did not have anything close to the same bonds that Chan had, with anyone left at the Cove, he didn’t want to see anything bad happen to them. Let alone any of Chan’s family. ”But I did tell Oksana where we were goin’, and her and Al’ both to find us if they ever needed help with anything. Haven’t seen anyone, so.. would like to think they’re alright.” He was fairly optimistic about that, actually, given how drastically different and tucked away from the rest of the lore the cove had seemed. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to venture back there at some point, though, especially if this continued on.

Shame, Chan thought to himself. He didn't say as much however, not wanting Jethro to feel any of that disappointment was toward him. The younger wolf at least assured him that he hadn't crossed any SOS-signaling Cove scouts about, and he was indeed thankful for the information. His head bobbed to nod.

"Hopefully the altitude's been keeping them safe," he mused aloud, mismatched gaze casting toward the range in the distance briefly as he spoke of it. If only he could have gotten Finley and Flair to the range before all this hit...

"Us, huh? Thought I smelled Siyet on ya. Heard you've met Ms. Finley as well, yes?"

(This post was last modified: Sep 20, 2022, 02:33 AM by Chan.)

Hopefully, Chan expressed, the altitude of the Cove’s home had been keeping them safe, echoing the dark one’s earlier thoughts. ”Hope so, too,” Jet echoed. Surely the lake there would remain mostly unaffected. This drought couldn’t possibly claim all of that water, he thought. But then again, when he’d first seen this lake, he’d never have thought it could disappear so quickly, either.

Us, the elder again commented, referencing Siyet and noting that he’d heard from Finley, too.

”Yah, Si’s around somewhere. I.. did meet Finley too, a kinda tough spot she’s in. But I'm hopin' I can help.” Jethro confirmed, with a nod. Her situation was troubling, and still perplexed, as well as angered him, thinking about it. However, he didn't wish to speculate or theorize behind her back. Not verbally, or with anyone else, at least.

Instead, he'd venture elsewhere. ”Here I was thinkin’ you’d be way away from here by now. I.. hope it's nothin' bad that's kept you around?” Chan’s aspirations, from what he recalled, had involved wandering quite a distance, making it a surprise to see him here, of all places. Chan's presence here could probably be attributed to the drought, at least in part. But was there anything else there, anything he could maybe help with?

I'm hopin' I can help, Jethro said, and Chan's grin spread wide as his tail beat the air behind him. That was what he'd been hoping for, and it seemed to be falling into place without his assistance. He wished dearly that it continued to work out, that Finley was able to have a healthy, happy litter under the protection of the pack Jet envisioned. Like all wolves, they both deserved that happiness.

"Good," was his sole comment, before following the transition his companion had executed.

"Mostly just the lack of water, not gonna set out when I've no idea when I'll next find a drink," he answered, eyes sweeping their surroundings once more in contemplation of the lack of rain. It should only be a few weeks of this maximum, right? Of course, even if it was...

Something in him didn't want to say it, especially when it was still relatively early in the scheme of things. Something could go wrong, they could be words he would one day need to retract. Yet if Jethro was going to be hanging around, wouldn't he discover for himself quickly what Chan had started?

"... Flair and I are expecting, too."