Grizzly Hollow shines like this

I think @Jynx wanted in on this? But otherwise open to GH wolves :3
Partly Cloudy, 18 ° F, -8 ° C . Takes place the evening immediately after this thread.

Oula's breath hissed through clenched teeth as she trudged along. Now that the heady rush of battle had worn off, everything fucking hurt. The back of her neck, once a luxuriously thick mane of silver fur, was now clumped and matted, crossed with torn skin and crusted blood. Her back thigh, the very one that had been plagued and subsequently rid of mange months prior, sported an unappealing gash that slowly seeped. She supposed she was fortunate enough that the deranged woman had attacked her not far from home, as the prospect of sleeping out in the middle of nowhere stinking of fresh blood did not appeal to her.

The sun had begun to sink towards the horizon just as Oula crossed the intangible line of scent that separated Grizzly Hollow from the rest of the world, the stars just beginning to prick their way through the navy blanket of the sky. For the first time that day Oula's tired tread finally stopped, the cream and grey lady coming to a stand and letting her head droop tiredly. Her pink tongue flapped at the air as she caught her breath, and once her lungs were satiated with enough she tipped her head back. She coaxed a reedy, breathless howl from her ribcage, letting the pack know she had returned for the evening.

(This post was last modified: Feb 08, 2016, 04:29 AM by Oula.)

@Rook or @Veho are welcome to make an appearance as well!

 

Reach for the stars

Jynx had just risen from a well deserved rest in the communal den, to take her turn at the night shift watching over her home. While everything for the most part, had been peaceful in Grizzly Hollow, she knew better than to let her guard down. Willow Ridge was still alive and well, remaining a distant but always ever constant threat. Rook had returned too, but without Quil, sadly. She had not seen much of the mismatched eyed man, but allowed him his peace. He likely needed time to catch up and reinforce his bonds with those to whom he was closest to.

Jynx meanwhile, had no such bonds. Not with anyone here in this pack. While she was fond of Yvly, appreciating her hard work which she observed from a distance, she did not know the subordinate well enough to call a friend. Rook had his own problems, and Veho, she had distanced herself from after feeling sidelined. Russet ears fell back against her skull in thought. Was it her upbringing as an only child, by a false father, that had made her socially inept in some way? Or had others picked up on the fact that there was something...different about her and excluded her because of it? Pursing her lips, she shook her head. Who cared. She was the young woman she was because of her harsh start in life, and now here she was, leading a pack. My, how her world had been turned around in this past year. Glinting yellow eyes narrowing at the snow beneath her paws, she firmly reminded herself that this was all only temporary. Her position as leader, and likely, even her time in this pack. It was all a matter of timing.

When the cry rang out from the borders, Jynx knew that this was not just another loner seeking acceptance into the pack. This was one of their own. Oula. But why was she back so late? The grey scale woman was strong, that much she knew. She had to be, since she had volunteered to train as a guardian. Judging by the tone in her cry, something wasn't quite right. Proceeding towards the borders where her pack mate waited, Jynx pushed her body into a hurried trot. The sight that greeted her confirmed her suspicions and made her stomach clench. There Oula stood, her silky fur disheveled and matted with blood that seeped from a fresh wound along her neck and thigh. Ears flattening as she drew near, Jynx instinctively growled at the offensive stench of Willow Ridge. Looking her over, Oula appeared stable, but she was in need of medical attention. Locking serious yellow eyes with her own, she ground out a single question between clenched teeth. "Who did this?"

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

@Jynx

The crunch of snow in her direction caused Oula to try to cast off as much as the tired slant in her spine as she could, tucking her flapping tongue back between clenched teeth. Her leader's arrival with a growl was much more the type of greeting Oula was accustomed to, Oula lowering her neck towards the russet and ash female. Wacipi's question was met with a throaty rumble as she recalled the insolent female she'd run into earlier that day. "I came across a wolf while hunting in the marsh.  I said nothing to her, but she knew what pack I was in, or at least guessed correctly. She seemed to think she owned the place." Oula said with a snuff and her proud nose upturned, holding clear disdain to the she-wolf that had bested her.

"She never gave her name, though she was screaming something about the Willows when I got away." Oula said looking to Wacipi, not knowing if those words meant anything in particular or if it was just the gibberish of a madwoman.

"I don't think she'll be getting much use out of her paw with how I left it, though." Oula said with a satisfied smile, straightening up before wincing as the damaged skin of her nape tugged with the movement. As much as she tried to brush it off she really didn't come out any better from that encounter.

 

Reach for the stars

The hardened expression written over her face softened only slightly, likely out of concern for Oula's injuries. She saw no need to summon Veho yet. She was more concerned with getting the facts straight. Scouring the silver and gray subordinates body for any further injuries, she listened intently to the tale and how this scuffle had unfolded. "Hrmph. Sounds like someone was itching for a fight. What foolishness." 

Was her comment. Outside of pack territory on neutral grounds, no wolf had bragging rights over any scrap of land. Regardless of their status. Pack wolf or loner. Alpha or Omega. "Typical. I suspected she might have been from the Willows, since her stench still lingers on you." She turned partway, slowly, as a gesture for Oula to follow her further back into the familiarity of home. "I don't know the exact relations between the Willow wolves and our pack members. Only that they are to be perceived as a threat. Veho and Rook in particular, once mentioned a bristling encounter with one of their own." All the other details had been kept from her, for at the time, she had been just another subordinate, and therefore, the matter was not of her immediate concern. "Still...the wretch got what she had coming to her." She paused after a short walk, still well away from the heart of the forest, but within earshot of anyone else who might be out on business. Sparing her a glance, Jynx raised one brow. "Shall I call for Veho, so he might at least look at your injuries?" She didn't doubt that Oula could care for herself, but while she was in charge, she did not want one of her own falling to a surprise infection. 

@Jynx

Oula shifted slightly, giving her bloodied shoulder an inconspicuous sniff and feeling slightly appalled that the woman's odor still clung to her fur, but none-the-less trying to commit the remnants of the scent to memory. If she ever ran into one of the Willow wolves again, she would at least know who they were. It had unnerved Oula that the female had known what pack she owed her alliance to without knowing hers. If Grizzly Hollow was not such the little, unknown pack she had first thought it to be, she would be on better footing to know who her potential enemies were.

Oula trotted along in her leader's wake, listening closely as Wacipi imparted what little she knew of the pack's relations. Her short tail swished in a flush of excited agitation. Part of her didn't want trouble, but if any of them tried to make a move on Grizzly Hollow again she would happily crush a few more paws. A low growl rumbled in Oula's throat, "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them, then."

As they came to a stop Oula considered Wacipi's offer to call for the healer. She hesitated, a little bit proud-blooded and wanting to say she could just sleep it off and not invite undue fuss over what was just a flesh wound. But who knew how filthy that Willow cur's mouth was, she would be really sorry if her wounds got infected and she was holed up in the den over it. "Perhaps that would be best," She sighed.

@Veho you are up!

 

Reach for the stars

Sharing a look with her pack mate, Jynx waited until @Oula had agreed. It would be unwise to have her go unchecked with those wounds. A quick once over by their medic couldn't hurt. Besides, with @Veho as her partner at the top, he needed to know about the incident that had transpired between one of their own, and the Willows wolf. "I am sure you will be fine. But Veho and the rest of the pack need to be aware that one of the Ridge wolves is out looking for trouble."

The huff that ended her sentence stated that it was unlikely this injured wolf would be up and about anytime soon. But whenever she was, and was foolish enough to go looking for a fight again, the Hollow wolves would be prepared. Sitting down on her haunches, Jynx tipped her head back and let out a low, short summons for @Veho.  The note in her voice was far from urgent, but it was serious enough that he should try and find them as quickly as time would allow. As she waited for her partner to arrive, she couldn't help but wonder how he would react to @Oula's bloodstained frame. But at least she was not in any immediate danger.

Having not been called for a medical reason for quite some time, the man did not make the assumption that was the reason Wacipi would call him now. In fact, he really hadn’t the faintest idea, but patrolling the border could wait. Turning from the tree he’d just marked, the large male adjusted his course to the sound of the howl. His was an easy lope, with no particular hurry, but with no time wasted as long strides covered the length of his forest easily until he came upon the woman who called them – and Oula, as well.

There was blood. Everywhere.

“What happened?” he demanded to know, drawing up quickly next to their subordinate. It didn’t seem to be critical – if it was, @Jynx would have called him with much more urgency. Still, that any member of Grizzly Hollow had been injured set an angry howl between his ears as he began a prompt inspection of the pale woman, looking for anything that might be critical. Drawing back, he cast an eye over the other alpha. She didn’t look to be harmed, but one could never be certain. “Have you been injured as well? Who’s done this?”

VEHO MACIEO

& all I see is him and me forever and forever

@Jynx

Oula waited patiently as Wacipi sent up a call for the resident healer, sitting down in the snow alongside the russet woman. The relief that flooded her tired, aching limbs as she sat was palpable. Since noon she had been constantly on the move, and only now had she finally gotten the chance to rest. She wondered if perhaps it wasn't the best idea to have sat down, it would make it much more difficult to rise again. She was cold, and tired, and hungry, but despite heavy eyelids and aching muscles she kept her posture alert and so rigid she might as well have been a sculpture. In some time Veho finally arrived, questions spilling from his lips.

"I was out hunting in the south, and some wolf of the willows had decided she owned the marsh. I believe the woman was unhinged, and when I stood my ground she attacked me." Oula reported, lips wrinkled in distaste for the brutish she-wolf. As Veho fluttered around her in his inspection, her eyes followed him but the rest of her remained still.

 

"She just gave me a few scratches, is all," She said, minimizing the damage. She'd certainly seen worse, in any case.

Reach for the stars

Veho was quick to answer her request for his presence, for which she was thankful. His reaction, she noted, was similar to her own when she had intercepted @Oula. He had good reason to be upset...they all did. Jynx simply narrowed her gold eyes slightly, out of annoyance towards the fact that a rival wolf had dared to harm a hair on her subordinate. Oula could speak for herself, and so she calmly sat by her side attentively, to let the silver toned female give her version of the story.

When she was finished with the summary, Jynx cleared her throat before speaking. "You don't need to worry about me." She dipped her muzzle in a reassuring gesture. "I happened to be close by when I smelled the blood. I was naturally concerned." Her voice was smooth but stiff, barely containing the anger she felt towards the Ridge wolf who had done this. It was clear Jynx was trying hard to restrain herself. "I thought it wise to summon you here at once, concerning the altercation. And to at least give her wounds a look over, although Oula has assured me she will be alright." Veho was the medic after all, and Jynx would be taking no chances with the risk of infection. Not at this time of year, deep in Winter.