Swift River On the Wings of a Wish...

OOC: SR wolves welcome... :) Post Prompt for Howling.. But also gonna bug the SR wolves! And hopefully get an explore for the Den! XD

The run in with Raigos' illness had made Vlarindara more than a little worried about what would happen if other pack members happened to get into trouble..or become ill. She knew Midnight Plateu didn't have any wolves who happened to know much of herb lore.. aside from the young Adonia.... But her second best bet was asking the Swift River pack to see if they had any wolves who might know more than either herself or the younger female of the mountain pack. She had gotten permission from the two leaders of her pack to travel to the east to seek help from the other pack of wolves.. the largest family in all of Relic Lore. The white female knew the trip would take her days..if not longer to reach the lands of the family pack of wolves... With any luck.. she could return to the pack with more knowledge about plant lore and herbs...It would certainly make up for her absense.

The trip took her over a week to finally make it to the Swift River pack lands, and she felt a sense of jubilation when she hit the first of the scent markers for the pack, she backed a few steps outside of them and settled onto her haunches. It was hard to decide just WHAT to do with herself now that she was here. The trip had left her hungrier than she'd been in some time.. but it was something she was used to and could deal with.. but she had to choose.. did she hunt up something to eat.. or call to the wolves of the pack? If she hunted..it would technically be on their hunting grounds...and might be considered a tresspasser even if she wasn't on the marked territory. A soft inhallation of breath before she straightened up and let the sound leave her throat in a soft, warbling call that echoed across the forested area the pack called their home. She let the note hang in the air for a time before her breath ran out and she let it end in a soft taper. A second inhallation and warbling call, a gentle request to meet, for permission to enter the territoy...A third long call followed the second before it to tapered to a silence. Once it was done, the white female returned to her haunches and waited quietly, hoping that if a wolf or two came to investiate the questioning call.. they wouldn't attack her on sight.. but she did her best NOT to cross the boundaries.

(This post was last modified: Mar 24, 2011, 04:01 AM by Vlarindara.)

<blockquote>Having been nearby when the call rang out, Marsh felt himself in a fortunate position to attend to whoever required company. The owner was easily identified as foreign, both to the pack and the wolf himself, but because she had called, Marsh was not predisposed to think the worst. Her message had carried her desire for permission, after all, and any wolf with the sense to be polite and respectful on another pack's territory was all right in Marsh's book.

With no immediate task to delay him, it took no longer than a minute for him to arrive at the borders, faintly recalling being in a similar situation himself just a few weeks ago. However, any thoughts that she was here to join was quickly cast doubt on, for the white wolf had the smell of pack on her that was only diminished because of the time it must have taken to journey here. Curiosity kindled, Marsh approached the sitting female directly, making no lie of his intentions. As his tail curled over his back, he circled her slightly in order to best inhale her scent before returning to her front, bringing their faces fairly close as he studied her. Huffing, he nodded his head sharply and then lifted it, demanding her reason for being so close to Swift River lands.</blockquote>

Vlarindara sat still while Marsh trotted around her, carefully not making any move towards him, though her ears did lay along her neck, but not aggressively. When he stopped and silently requested answers, the white female dipped her head in respect before lifting it. "My apologies for interrupting anything you might..have been doing." Amber eyes lifted to the wolf, inspecting his coat pattern and idly wondering why he might be so silent.. and what rank he might be. She could smell the pack of Swift River on his coat and knew it was no simple loner traveling through their lands...A gentle smile curved the lips of the white female, her rightmost ear curling forward to listen to the world around them a moment, before it settled back against the thick fur of her neck. She was... a bit larger than the other wolf and hoped if her polite request was met with anger or attack..that she could escape without too much injury..

"I...suppose I should introduce myself...Vlarindara Windrunner.. I'm from a pack to the west..." Oh.. how was this supposed to go? She never spoke to pack wolves.. not generally.. usually she avoided them rather than seeking them out! Her mind decided that this brown wolf wasn't the alpha of the Swift River pack.. The alpha was said to be larger.. nearly her size.. though the coloring.. she wasn't sure of. "I came to see if any of your wolves happened to know a bit about herb-lore or medicine?" She hoped that instead of simply being turned away.. she would be admitted to speak with the two alphas of the pack.. who might know a wolf she could go to if this..Marsh was unsure of any who might know. At the very least she could bring back numbers and information to Borden and Jaysyek..

(This post was last modified: Mar 24, 2011, 06:29 PM by Vlarindara.)

<blockquote>Her respect and understanding of the situation was pleasing, though Marsh was still bemused as to what could have tempted her out here. Her apology was unnecessary and he duly ignored it; it was his duty to respond to her, and anything else would have been the interruption. Her soft friendliness was vaguely off-putting, as if she were too gentle to be the kind of wolf Marsh felt truly comfortable around. He hazarded a guess that she was the talking kind. As it turned out, he wasn't too wrong, though she seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the situation.

A pack to the west? He hadn't come across any new territories in his recent journeying, though to be fair he had made a point of coming directly to Indru upon returning to Relic Lore. Perhaps new land had been claimed. Curious, he examined her scent again, but found little familiar... aside from the faint lingering of a young female that he did recognise. That small, black yearling he had hunted with, by chance? Glad for the inadvertent good news, his mood improved just slightly, extending a little more silent friendliness than he had before.

Though aware that he was probably expected to 'introduce himself', Marsh couldn't help but focus on the latter part of her speech, that which apparently detailed her reason for coming all this distance. Herb-lore and medicines? Marsh couldn't claim any knowledge on the matter; the closest he had come to munching on plants for any particular outcome was when he needed to clear his stomach, and that was just grass. Surely that could not be what she meant?

The bemusement on his face surely answered her question as to his expertise in the matter, but he swiftly composed himself. Whilst he could not recall any wolf with such knowledge from his birth pack, he was sure that their immediate rivals would have been a fountain of wisdom on the matter. As such, he supposed he should not assume that the other members of his pack were as equally ignorant as he. Though a few questions had lodged in place over her motivations, he would give this Vlarindara the benefit of the doubt. Shaking his head to show that he personally knew no such thing, Marsh took a few steps back and re-orientated himself so that his message would be better heard by those in Swift River. Angling his muzzle upwards, his ears fell back and he sang his brief, deep howl. <i>Does anybody know anything about plants?</i> he asked, the message included alongside the more general request for company and announcement of a visitor, and he idly wondered what this white stranger would do if no such expert was located.</blockquote><i>We could keep posting for a bit 'til someone shows up, I guess? :3 It'd probably force him to say something while they were waiting!</i>

OOCHeheh Sure! :D

The silence was a bit deafening, but Vlarindara accepted it in turn, and when he showed no signs of aggression, but no signs of letting her into the lands she settled into a sphinx like position, crossing her forepaws over each other. Amber eyes watched as he lifted the question to the winds, over-large ears perking and swiveling to decrypt the interesting missive. She hoped that perhaps one of the wolves knew of the plants and herbs she wished to learn about.. If not, she would travel further east...to Midnight Plateu. While no wolves had known of the foliage when Borden had been there.. perhaps new ones had joined the pack since his departure that might. Then again, if she couldn't find any wolves who might know of such things, she would simply have to travel back home and begin experimenting.

She watched the silent male curiously, but took his odd silence to heart, curling her plumed tail about her legs to keep it out of the way. A yawn left her to open her maw, feeling that deep pop before she shook herself and returned to watching the male. It was..strange to be silent so long, yet.. curiously relaxing despite everything. Though after a time, she began to notice the scars on his face and hide and began wondering if some attack or another left him without voice..though his hearing was in perfect shape, it seemed. The white female warred with herself, to talk and fill the silence, or simply enjoy the silence as she often did whilst on patrols. No..she would wait a spell..best not irritate the male.. he might decide she was a threat and run her off.. then were would she be? Or, he might grow nervous with her silence and begin talking..or something.. She never knew with other wolves..Vlarindara ran her tongue over both sides of her muzzle before her ears flopped backwards, laying flat against her neck. She had half a mind to lay down and take a snooze..but that was even more rude.

<blockquote>Now came the waiting game. Content as Marsh was to stand guard and watch over the newcomer until a more knowledgeable wolf arrived (they wouldn't leave him in the lurch, would they?), he was still curious about <i>why</i> she had asked, and, perhaps to a greater extent, about this pack to which she belonged.

To Marsh's surprised satisfaction, she abandoned words, though he realised with an irritated pang that this wouldn't much solve the first problem. Nor, as she had sat and made herself comfortable (her deliberate actions almost making her appear <i>feline</i>, though that was a foolhardy concept and he brushed it off) was there any easy way of investigating this pack she belonged to; though the more base facts were evident in the scent that hung on her pelt, her time apart from the lands had dampened their potency. Perhaps...

Considering how relatively brief his departure from Relic Lore had been, it wasn't outlandish to think that it had sprung up sometime since then. Perhaps it had even been after his admittance into Swift River. That could explain why he could not read her so well.

Choosing not to mimic her relaxed posture, Marsh remained on his feet, determined to learn all he could. Perhaps he could tell something of it to Indru, if his leader was not already aware of this potential rival. Permitting himself authority, thanks to their location, he did not afford her the luxury of much personal space; treading lightly around her, tail high but posture non-hostile, he lowered his nose to her as part of his general inspections. Having completed his circle, bearing information anew, his eyes returned to her face and the first curiosity was revived. Inclining his head slightly, he perked his ears and watched her attentively. Just why did she need these plants, anyway? If she did not understand, then he may be forced to revert to less fluid forms of communication, but such was the way with those with strange motives and actions.</blockquote>

Vlarindara had remained passive while he had been wandering around her, including sniffing her pelt before chuckling softly once he returned and asked the silent request. When his eyes watched her face, amber met grey before Amber turned away in submission. "I am a bit interested in herbal remedies.. A..my yearling brother took ill a few months ago after falling in the river. I found Elecampene root after asking quite a few wolves I knew for help.. but I couldn't find anyone who knew more about herbs.. We did find the root. However..I'd like to learn more if I can so I could help wolves that might get ill." The white female smiled softly before her ears fell back over her beck and rested there lightly... She was tempted to tell him about the pack, but wasn't sure how.. open Borden and Jaysyek wanted to be about such things. "You've nothing to fear from my pack...We're not large enough to do damage if we wanted to...but..there is plenty of land to the west." She smiled, her expression gentle as she thumped her tail lightly along the ground.

<blockquote>Yearling brother? That was out of sorts, for Marsh could find little to no traces of blood relatives on her, but then, perhaps they had been separated for a long time? A few months may have been long enough, but then, her story didn't seem to imply his death. Oh, it was so hard to tell - the words just ended up rolling into themselves and becoming one long noise - and who cared, anyway? Her brother meant nothing to him. The fact that she was seeking plants-with-benefits was interesting in a freaky kinda way, because if a wolf was weak enough to fall ill in the first place then... well, that was natural selection. You didn't get far in life coddling creatures who weren't destined to survive.

The second set of information she offered was of considerably greater interest, in a matter-of-fact way. So, the pack wasn't a rival, huh? From the scent she brought with her, Marsh judged that the size of her group was roughly equivalent to Swift River's, and - wait, now that he thought about it... did he recognise another scent?

Ha! It was that bizarre angry wolf that did little but infuriate and amuse Marsh in equal measure. Talk about good timing - hadn't he just been talking about natural selection? If ever there was a candidate for a Darwin Award, it was that creature. So, he hadn't been wrong in sensing a pack on the boy's pelt after all, though the notion seemed laughable. That was the type of wolf her leaders accepted? Well then, it was certainly no threat at all. Everything processed in a matter of moments, Marsh's only initial response to her reassurance was to lightly snort, thoroughly believing her words. There was room, yes, and he had no doubts about Indru's capabilities.

There was no point in talking about Swift River; she was right here, she could just inhale and see for herself. As such, his thoughts returned to the first topic - the topic he was still waiting on backup for - and he returned to the front of Vlarindara and sat in front of her, watching her neutral, calm face intently. He rolled his muzzle in a small circle, trying to signify a turning-back of time and topics. Damn it all to a verbose hell, he was going to have to exercise his poor tongue, wasn't he?

<b>"Whhhuh,"</b> he began softly, desperately maintaining his patience, privately afraid of the same kind of ridicule and reaction that he had received last time, <b>"whhhhy bbb- <i>ccc</i>-uh, caaare?"</b> A weak link was a weak link, after all, and what was a pack if not a chain?</blockquote>

OOC: Gah! -flails- Took me forever to figure out how she'd react to him! XD!

When he came to sit in front of her again, Vlarindara assumed it would be to ask another silent question... one that she'd have to..attempt to infer before answering. She was shocked when he spoke.. or rather attempted to speak, amber eyes blinking once before she focused on his words. Words that she assumed meant 'Why care?' More..or less. At least, that's what the white female thought it meant. "Why? ...I was ill when I was a yearling... It was because wolves cared.. because they had a medic that I was able to grow up and find my own pack. Now I wish to do the same to others who might find themselves in my position." Vlarindara was eternally grateful to the wolves that cared for her though she knew that she would never run into them again.. the chances of that were... well, slim to none. Less than.

<blockquote>Her answer gave Marsh pause. It wasn't in his nature to care for those who were too weak, for, in his experience, they became more of a burden than they were worth because of it. Then again, an order was an order, and it was not impossible to believe that there were selfless or overly compassionate creatures amongst his kind. He had often seen it in parents with ill children, although even there he had taken a while to understand; it may have been many years ago now, but he could still remember his own siblings being left behind as stragglers or mercifully put to rest when they proved too slow or too damaged. Perhaps it was just in his family's nose to know when a cause was a lost one. It wasn't hard to tell if something was wrong with a newborn, and he had seen mothers kill such creatures without a second thought.

Though, if he considered it, he had not witnessed such cold action for a few years. Either wolfkind was changing around him, or he had fallen deeper and deeper into sympathetic and talkative company.

This contemplation most likely showed on his face, and he felt no reason to hide it. So, it was going to be a never ending cycle, was it? But then, she was healthy enough right now, so was it worth putting the effort in early on? Corinna was pregnant, that he knew, and he very much doubted that she had the mettle to break the neck of a pup with poor prospects. Would it be beneficial for him to embark on the same journey of knowledge that this Vlarindara was?

Huffing to acknowledge his comprehension and acceptance, Marsh settled for a new tact, having pulled from his thoughtful reverie and returning his focus to the present. Casting a glance behind his shoulder, he was forced to accept that there appeared to be no wolves in Swift River with the necessary knowledge, and offered Vlarindara a silent apology with a wolfish shrug. Still, his curiosity remained, but he likely had little to learn from a wolf who was also seeking a teacher.</blockquote>