Dead Empress Backwater Change of Scenery

Backdated to 5/27 @Viorel Kateri has come for a visit and is calling for Vi however any DEB wolves are welcome to greet her. Special mention to @Archer. She is at the border and hasn't crossed.

Two days had passed since she'd made the decision that could end up working out for her or not. Kateri decided that she understood the risk she was taking but knew that she had to get away. She needed some time away from the pack, the cove, and even her family. So she'd done what she'd been considering for awhile. She crossed the borders and made her way down the mountain. At first her plan had only gone as far as crossing the borders. Where to go after that she had no idea.

Later as she made her way through the forest a plan formed and her path changed. She was heading to the backwater. Maybe she could see Archer and Clover might teach her some more about healing. Two weeks hadn't been enough before. She knew she had friends there so it seemed a logical place to go. Some time there might even allow time for her to figure things out.

So it was two days later and she was standing at the border of the backwater. She hesitated a moment worry crossing her features before she finally found resolve. With that came the courage to call into the territory for the leader, a friend of her fathers, Viorel.

(This post was last modified: Jun 10, 2022, 12:59 AM by Kateri.)

Archer Valle

Archer had been looking forward to summer, but now he found himself missing the chill of winter. At least then they'd had water. Now he was thirsty all the time, and he decided being thirsty was worse than being hungry. If he was hungry he could chew on old bones. Nothing helped when he was thirsty.

He was currently lounging on the old backwater shoreline, staring and the cracked riverbed and mourning the days when he could dunk under the cool water and try catching fish. He'd give anything to have another fishing lesson with @Viorel and show him how good he'd gotten. By the time water returned, he'd have to start all over practicing.

If the water ever returned.

A familiar voice called out over the trees and Archer sat up, ears pricking and wondering if he'd heard correctly. But why would she be down here? He jumped to his feet and raced through the territory, slowing to a more dignified speed as he drew near. "Kat!" he called, pleased, and padded up to give her a friendly bump of noses. "What are you doing all the way down here? Are you okay?"

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

The leader had been taking an uncharacteristic break from spending time with the smallest of his children. Not that he was truly taking a break, he had been outside of the territory, trying to track the herds futility. The majority of the large herds had left the area due to the drought, leaving behind only small family groups. This would keep them going for now, but Viorel was worried what they would do when even those moved on.

The salt and pepper man’s head shot up in surprise from where he had been hiding amongst the tall grass. He recognized the young voice as Kateri, but he had not been expecting any kind of visit from the Cove, certainly not from their recent yearlings. He abandoned his tracking without a second thought and began to make his way back towards where he had been summoned.

Coming up behind the dark girl he caught the tail end of his son’s question. Grinning in a friendly manner he came up to the side, forming a weird kind of semicircle with the two yearlings. Plopping his rump upon the haylike grass he offered, ”We weren’t expecting you, I hope you traveled okay?” She had come down by herself, he had expected to see one of the older wolves by her side. He hoped that everything was alright atop the mountain.

The journey down to the backwater had gone better this time. She didn't feel as tired as she remembered feeling before. Kateri knew it was because her leg was doing much better than it had been the first time. It was easy for her to find her way even though the landscape looked much different.

The Slayer was a little nervous about coming to the Backwater. She knew she'd be a welcome sight but she worried she wouldn't be able to stay. She knew they didn't have any water so she worried she wouldn't be able to stay because of that.

She waited at the border for her call to be answered. It wasn't long and it was Archer that came. Her tail wagged happily behind her. "Hi Archer," she said greeting him with a wide smile. She was just about to answer his questions when she heard Viorel behind her with questions of his own.

"I am well and my journey went better than the last time," she told, "I wanted to visit and I was hoping that maybe I could stay a little while and that Archer and I could study together like we talked about. If that's okay?"

Archer Valle

Archer was of course extremely pleased to see Kateri, and when his Da showed up he was as friendly as usual. Archer knew the daughter of their neighbor would of course be welcome, but it was a relief to see his Da so relaxed. He posed his own question and the youngest Valle boy turned his attention fully back to Kateri. He hoped everything was well in the Cove.

When she asked to stay his ears pricked and he looked hopefully at his father, tail wagging. "She can stay, right?" he asked. He knew they had a journey to collect water and he was already caring for their guest and her young, but Kateri was a friend, and she was clearly up to the journey to Bramble Falls. "We did promise to study together." he glanced back at Kat. "I'm taking care of a woman who stumbled into the territory to have her pups. She speaks a weird language, but I've learned a lot, if you want to meet her." He didn't ask for her help - technically taking care of her was a punishment, even if he didn't think of it that way, and he didn't want Da to think he was trying to shove his responsibilities onto someone else.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

The leader was pleased to hear that the travel had been well for the yearling, and that her leg was doing better. He also couldn’t help but chuckle at seeing how eager his son was to have Kateri stay with them, it wasn’t that long ago that Viorel was that age. In fact, he usually had multiple girlfriends from different packs on the go at once until he had been mysteriously dropped here. He wondered if this was more than just a trip for learning.

The father shot his son a sly glance, then looked back towards Kateri, ”Of course she can stay, for as long as her parents said she was allowed.” He had no idea that she had snuck out, how could he? At the mention of the strange woman and her kids Viorel felt a little conflicted. It would be Vayko’s call ultimately if they could stay or leave, but he felt badly about sending children away. How would a mother provide in this drought all by herself? Wouldn’t they just be condemning the pups?

Still, he would keep that all internal, no need to bring that burden upon the teens before him. Instead he changed the subject, ”And I’m sure Clover wouldn’t mind an extra student for a little while. I would say Vanadis too but she’s wrapped up with the triplets these days.” And even before then, his mate was always more of a herbalist than a healer, she didn’t like the patients that much, only the medicine. Besides, if she were too busy healing they wouldn’t be sneaking away at night.

Kateri knew that it didn't matter how much she wanted to stay. It was all up to Viorel and whether he would let her especially in this time of drought. Still she was hopeful that she would be allowed to stay because of the friendship between her father and the backwater leader. Her mismatched gaze went to Archer as he too asked if she could stay. He went on to affirm what she'd said but then he spoke of a woman and her pups. "I would like that Archer and maybe you can tell me some of what you've learned?" She thought it could be part of their studies.

Her gaze returned to Viorel when he spoke again but then dropped to the ground in front of her. "They don't exactly know that I'm here," she admitted, "I'm honestly not sure they know that I'm not in the cove." They'd both been so busy with the new pups she doubted her absence had been noticed. It had only made it that much easier to slip away.

She lifted her head to look the leader in the eyes once more when he spoke of Clover. "I would like the chance to show her how much better I'm doing as well as learn from her. Maybe if it's okay I could help with the little ones if Vanadis is okay with that. I'd like to help were I can." She certainly hadn't come to stay for free.

Archer Valle

Archer's tail began to wag the moment his father agreed to let Kateri stay, especially with the prospect of renewing their studies. He hoped she would want to spend time with him outside of study too, now that they would have the time for it. He thought of all the places he could take her. She'd visited before, of course, with the exchange, but that had been so long ago and he wanted nothing more than to give her a new tour and show her how much had changed since she'd last been by.

His plans were interrupted when she admitted her family didn't know she was here. Archer gave her a quizzical look. "They don't?" he said. "Why not?" He wasn't any less excited to see her and hoped his da wouldn't send her home as a result, but it was strange that she wouldn't have received their blessing to come for a visit - especially an extended one.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

If Kateri responds saying she wants join, feel free to pp Viorel marking her with the pack scent and welcoming her in if we want to wrap up this round <3

Salt and pepper ears flicked backwards momentarily in surprise, as yellow gaze instinctively glanced towards the mountain. The last thing he wanted was for her parents to be up there worrying about her, or worse thinking that the Backwater had whisked her away somehow. Looking back towards Kateri he questioned, ”Kateri, are you here to ask to join the Backwater? You are a welcome member if that is what you’re asking, but you know I’ll have to send a scout back to let your parents know you’re safe.” He would be worried sick of one of his teens disappeared without a word, he couldn’t knowingly inflict that same torture on their friends from the mountain.

If it weren’t for having such a young litter of his own maybe the Valle man would have finally made the journey himself. He was in no rush to go up there - so high up there - but also knew the longer he went without making a trip the more rude it would appear. If all was well, maybe Viorel would make his way up there in the fall before the snows came. Or maybe during the exchange he would do a full round trip. Oh well, this was all hypothetical, the leader waited for the girl to respond.

Kateri couldn't lie so when her parents were brought up she had to tell the truth. She just hoped that her admittance wouldn't mean that she would be sent away. She couldn't go back to the cove at least not yet. Not while she felt like she no longer belonged there. She had a lot to work out in her mind. The short time it had taken her to get down the mountain hadn't been enough.

Archer was clearly surprised by the fact she hadn't told her parents she was leaving or where she was going. She didn't think it had mattered that much since they both seemed so caught up with the puppies. "I didn't say anything to them," she told Archer in answer to his question, "They are both really busy with the new pups I didn't want to bother them."

Her mismatched gaze turned to Viorel when he spoke offering her a place within the pack. He was going to let her stay. She also should have expected that he would have to tell her parents. She gave his question some thought before nodding her head. "Yes, I'd like to join the backwater and I understand that you'll have to tell them. I'm Okay with that so they don't worry." A moment later she was being marked with the pack scent and accepted into the pack. It was time for her to make a new life. She smiled at Archer, now they would have much more time together.

Fade