Thicket of Secrets one thing nothing can destroy

For @Nina, @Aideen, @Miccah and @Raela only.
Backdated to Mar 11th, mid afternoon.

There was so much to be happy about, to be overjoyed about. It was such a stark contrast from not so long ago, and yet it all felt so natural and, dare he think it?, everlasting. It was difficult to place himself back into the mindset of near hopelessness that he had found himself swallowed by before. Sometimes, he still thought about it; about those that were lost, specifically how they would now have no home upon the Crest to return to should they ever manage it. Yet with the future so bright, those moments did not last long as he found himself able to take those thoughts in and then expel them as easily as the air around him. He was able to let go.

There was one piece of the past that he would readily carry with him into the future, however. The last Nina had seen of him, he had been a shamed mess. For so many reasons, it was important that he meet with her swiftly to mark the death of that part of him. Gent wanted her to know that things were alright, that his pack was recovering, and most crucially that they had moved. If Nina ever had any reason to trek her way to him alone, as she had when heralding Daniel's death, the last thing he wanted was her putting herself through the journey just to find the timbers abandoned.

Thus, a week exactly since the founding of their pack, with the borders secured, rivals chased away, dens established and @Moraxia healing well, the alpha pair relented temporary charge to @Ainashi and took the day to visit Secret Woodlands. It was as soon as he felt comfortable, and while he would have preferred not leaving the fledgling tribe without them both at all, he knew that the later Raela advanced in her pregnancy, the less he would be willing to take her from their home. Now, on this day, felt like perfect timing.

They arrived when the sun was at its highest in the sky, bold against the deep blue and baring down mercilessly against what was left of the snow. A beautiful day that had made the trip easy and promised to last long enough for their journey back home. His tail swayed behind him in a slow and easy wag, and as they slowed before the marked borders of the thicket domain, he nudged his mate's cheek affectionately before lifting his muzzle and calling out for Nina specifically.

They had been moving around so much lately. First it had been the discovery of their new home, and then the move, and now they were to meet with the Queen of the Woodlands once more. It was funny now, that parts of their new land mirrored this place – the dense trees and bushes were just as thick near the springs. Hopefully, it would not be the only common ground the two packs had to stand on. Raela was still a bit unsure of the thicket matriarch, but she supposed caution would serve anyone well when it came to politics. The smaller woman was nothing but kind with new people, until circumstances changed.  

She wasn't all that worried, though. If anything she felt compelled to join Gent on this trip; if only for the fact that she too regretted that those they'd lost wouldn't know where everyone had gone even if they found their way home. If they could prevent that elsewhere, perhaps it would equal things out, in some small way. The Woodlands had been the only pack thus far to have something resembling friendly relations with them, despite their harboring of Ash. Criminal or not he was dangerous, and hardly sounded like the kind of wolf she would want to spend any time with. Thankfully he was but a piece of the Woodlands pack, and held no power. Their relations were with Nina, foremost; leader to leader. Raela only wished that the foreign Queen could keep the man in check; to avoid what had happened with the traitors. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind the concern nagged away. Perhaps it was easier to control one's sibling than to keep tabs on several subordinates – but who was she to assume family meant intimacy? For now the thoughts were stuffed down and hidden, but the Notch matriarch kept her wits about her as always, and stuck close to her mate. Gent had always meant protection, and there was no wolf she wanted to be at her side more. She melted into his affectionate touch with a soft, closed smile. His joy was infectious; for what on earth was sweeter than seeing your love happy? They had so much to be glad for now. She paused at his side, rubbing her head gently across his neck and turning her expectant golden eyes toward the thickets. It had been a long time since they had come to this place, and now they appeared before the Woodlands as not only mates, but future parents, as her scent would undoubtedly reveal. That was, if everything went smoothly, of course. 

            

Aideen's shift into leadership had gone more than smoothly. Nina had expected it to go so, as most of the members had stuck with Secret Woodlands for quite some time and Aideen had been with the pack since around the time she had founded it. The Hervok was happy for the woman that seemed to be blooming. With pups on the way, the future of the Woodland could not have been more secure. With this in mind, Nina knew she could rest easy. The golden brown aging woman still pulled her weight fairly but the weight of the pack was no longer put on her shoulders and her stress levels were greatly reduced. Along with her aging body, Nina knew it was only a matter of time before she was no longer able to do the things that she needed to do to keep things in order. In the end, she had made the correct choice. The graying woman spent most of her time collecting herbs where she could find them, aiding in Aideen's collections. It was, after all, what she had specialized in at a young age, and what she preferred to stick with.

She was looping in from a spot in the territory where a particular fresh batch of wild ginger was growing. It would serve Aideen well during her pregnancy should she have any nausea, she knew from experience. The woman had just dropped off her herbs when a call from the borders caught her attention, the voice particularly familiar to her. She raised her voice in response, allowing him the knowledge that she was on her way. She made haste in the direction that Gent called for her and Nina made sure to navigate as quickly as her limbs would allow. Now that the cold was gone, her aches and pains were not as severe but they were still there, a reminder of her age. Luckily, Gent was nearby and it seemed that he had brought his companion with him, someone Nina was not as familiar with. She felt slightly less at ease with this meeting than she would have if it were just Gent, but she was assuming things were looking up for the other man considering that his counterpart was home.

When she arrived on the scene, what immediately struck her was the differing scent of pregnancy in the air. Her nose twitched slightly and Nina distinguished it away from the pack. It was, indeed, Raela. She met them with a kind smile, her voice calm, "It's good to see the two of you again...I suppose a congratulations is in order?" She pointed glanced at the other woman's uterus before glancing up at the other woman's gaze. The part of her that was a healer kicked back in and she felt compelled to ask, "Have you had any unusual symptoms? Are you feeling adequate now?" Nina knew that a trip could put a strain on a mother and while it was not her place to offer such resources to the other woman, she definitely knew where they could find them if they needed any. And if they truly did need something, she was sure Aideen wouldn't mind, and she highly doubted Miccah would question her, even now. Patiently, Nina waited for an answer and perhaps, an explanation as to why they had come.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

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

Just like Nina, her former student was busying herself gathering herbs. Now that the temperature was slowly beginning to climb, more and more sprouts were poking through the snow all around the thickets, reaching for the bits of sunlight that made its way through the thickening canopy. Aideen was as eager as the plants, rushing to refill her depleted stores as quickly as possible. It would take some time yet, before most of the medicines were ready for harvest, but she could at least note the locations of the new sprouts, committing them to her mental map of the Thicket. So far her pregnancy hadn't interfered much with her work, the perfume of fresh herbs was as familiar to her as her own scent, so while she'd noticed an oversensitivity towards other smells, the plants that made up such a big part of her life could continue to do so, unhindered. At least that was what she thought until she entered her infirmary to deposit her small loot from the morning round. The stark odor of medicines accumulated over more than a year, some still stored, carefully dried, was immediately overpowering. The petite woman dropped her herbs, gagging as she backed out of the small cave, head bowed to try and combat the urge to vomit. A series of slow, deep breaths in the fresh air helped steady her stomach, head shaking lightly as she raised it back to a horizontal position; Well, this is no good! She had no intention of spending her gestation idly, spring was way too important to let pass by like that. She would have to ask Nina for ideas to a remedy that might help her overcome the sensitivity; Maybe she can help clean out this place as well… Just as her thoughts fell on the golden woman, an unfamiliar voice rose on the distance, calling for the former queen's presence. Aideen's ears perked, her head tilting as she wondered who it might be to use Nina's name specifically when howling at the border. A lighter voice answered from much closer by, turning the leader's rusty ears, a faint smile curving her lips; Perhaps her mentor had been out in the same errand as herself. Now however, they would both be preoccupied by other matters, since Aideen had no intention of leaving the matriarch alone with whatever stranger had sought her out. With her new position, not only was it the fox-like girls right to stop by, it was her duty, to ensure that all was as it should be. Whoever had come might simply be a friend looking to catch up with the former queen, or it could be something more sinister, whatever the case may be, Aideen wouldn't feel safe before she'd seen for herself. So she set off on swift feet, reaching the visitors only moments after the matriarch, confidently stepping up to the elder woman's side, holding herself high; Not in a threatening manner, but enough to show off her authority. Nina was already greeting the strangers though, and it seemed clear enough that they were both known and welcome. Copper eyes swept over the two wolves before her, nostrils quivering as she took in their scent, a pack-smell she was not familiar with. The smaller was female, and noticeably pregnant to the medic's trained nose – after all it was a smell she was quite familiar with; About as far along as me probably… Aideen smiled at the thought, her gaze shifting to the large male across from Nina. He bore a striking resemblance to her mate, though lighter in a way, while his black fur was as unmarred as her husband's, it held a peculiar, bluish glow in the noon sunlight, different from @Miccah's, which was more of a deep brown in bright light. This stranger's eyes were lighter too, a striking, pale ice-blue, looking almost white against his dark fur. While she had never personally met him before, the description as well as Nina's tone made it quite easy to guess who their unexpected visitor was. "You must be Gent." Aideen addressed the dark man, a friendly smile now on her face; "A pleasure to finally meet you, and you mate I presume?" Her attention shifted to the agouti woman, expression warm; "I hope your journey here wasn't too long." She motioned lightly with her muzzle towards the woman's belly, even in the early stages, too much strain wasn't good for a pregnant wolf. She saw only joyful glow on the stranger's face and couldn't help but smile back, feeling her own heart swell with that same bliss. "I'm Aideen Athesila." Word count: 773 Thoughts ”Speech”

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Plans have changed again :p @Nina is planning on posting next then Gaela can begin a new round. <3 @Gent @Raela

The call that rang at the borders was not unfamiliar to the dark man. He had heard that same voice call for Nina's presence time and time again. Miccah could only assume who it was, and wondered if his guess was the right one. Making his way to the borders, for this was a good a time as any to match a face to the name, the king weaved through his lands with ease. His muzzle twitching, he could see he wasn't the only one who had gotten curious by the voice that had called for the Woodlands matriarch. His black banner rose as he silently broke through the thickets and made his way to the pair of women before him. Taking a moment to brush against Nina's side to announce his arrival, he moved from the golden woman to the petite healer at her side. His blue gaze ran over her form attentively, seeking any sign of fatigue or distress. This was his wife, after all, the mother of his children. But seeing that all was well, his gaze connected with hers as he briefly pressed his muzzle against hers in a quick, affectionate greeting. Finally, the dark beast turned his attention to the pack wolves before him. His gaze ran over the female, but his assessment was quick. She was clearly Gent's mate - his scent was the strongest in her fur. Over the man who's size almost rivaled his own, Miccah's blue gaze lingered. So this was the man Nina had befriended. He trusted her judgement, but Miccah was not an easy man to win over. Even with Nina's stamp of approval, the man would still tread carefully. He had his pack to think about. Nodding at the pair, Miccah finally spoke. "Miccah Athesila. It is nice to finally match a face to the name, Gent." He didn't know if Gent yet knew of the shift in power, but Miccah wasted no time in making the new information known. "speech"

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

Gent and Raela never had the opportunity to respond. Aideen was quick on the scene and while Nina could appreciate the new leader's attentiveness at the border, Nina felt a stir of annoyance in the pit of her stomach. The call that Gent had put forth was directed at her and he was considered a friend to her. If Aideen was needed, the Hervok woman would have called for them. To add to her irritation, Miccah was also quick to the scene, his bulky form maneuvering, surprisingly, effortlessly through the thickets. The former alpha was not as surprised to see the Guardian attended to the call, no matter who it was. He had been her constant shadow for quite some time now, especially with her increase in age. Her single eye turned back towards their guests, lips pressed together in a thin line as the new alphas of the Woodlands made their introductions. She remained silent until they were done until adding in her own tid-bit, "I suppose now is good as any other time to inform you that Aideen and Miccah are the new alphas of Secret Woodlands."

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

jen let me know if you want me to change anything to make room for raela speaking at any point c:

Quite quickly, the simple meetup between friends developed into something of a jamboree.

As @Nina first arrived, she was greeted with a broad smile by Gent and a brief swish of his tail. The news of @Raela's pregnancy did not need to be relayed by either of the Notch alphas it would seem, the Thicket Queen picking up on the subtle chemical cues all on her own. Her felicitation was met with a widening of the man's mirthful expression, transforming it into a beaming grin that made it clear how proud he was of this new situation he found himself in. That she thought to ask after Raela's wellbeing marked well upon Gent, and his pale gaze turned to his mate as he was just as interested in her answer; they had made the journey at an easy pace, and he had been attentive the entire way, and still he would show concern. It was far too late in their relationship for her to ever escape that now.

Yet before he could hear the answer, a third woman appeared to capture his attention. She had a vivid red coat that he had not seen before, but that was not surprising; only the once had he actually taken residence within Secret Woodlands' borders, and the occasion hadn't been to meet and greet. No, that wasn't the striking feature about her; it was that she held her head higher than Nina's. Gent's expression faded into something far more mild, only a small and courteous smile remaining as his mind raced to come up with an explanation on its own.

That Nina was aging and physically weakening was not news to him, having been able to see the deterioration in her joints himself with each visit between them. What concerned him, however, was the possibility that she had been forced from her position; and what that would herald for the relationship not just between himself and Nina, but between their packs. Yet, how could something this petite take charge over Nina's head? She greeted him with an incredible amount of warmth, her demeanor serene and softer even than Raela's.

Briefly his eyes returned to Nina's face to gauge her reaction, and the shifts within her expression hinted at her mild agitation. With this well noted, the shade king's gaze jumped back to @Aideen.

"From the Springs," he answered her, glacial pools flickering briefly to meet Nina's eye once more as the information was revealed; not quite how he wanted to go about it, but then again Ash had probably already given her an inkling from their run in just days ago.

"We took it slow," was the encouragement he gave with a smile to Raela. Yet before he could continue the introductions, yet another soul entered the scene, this @Miccah just as rare a breed as the impish woman he stood beside; a mammoth even larger than Gent. With swift few words, it was made clear that these two were mates, and just like that he didn't feel guilty about maybe having crushed Raela anymore the size difference was remarkable to say the least. Truly the image of a princess and her dragon.

At last, Nina spoke up again, vocally confirming what was so strongly being hinted. That didn't clear too much up, though. Would it be appropriate to flat out ask? Not in a crowd, at least.

"Well then, good to meet you both as well," he nodded to them both, smile coming a bit more easily now as he felt fairly certain that the tumble of surprises was over. "I was just going to brag about a few things to Nina and catch up with how she's been doing. I suppose the news is important for you to hear now too, so..." his voice trailed as he turned his head to face his mate, making way for her to finally get her answers out without interruption as well as say what she wanted of the many changes in their lives.

The distinct sound of footsteps parted her from her mate at last, pricking her orange ears forward expectantly. The woman straightened her posture and gave her coat a quick shake; trying to calm herself for the encounter. A smile was ready for the thicket Queen, who returned it in kind. Something about the other woman made her seem more at ease this time, but perhaps it was because they had not come to question her about her brother's innocence. That certainly made things less tense. "You too," she replied warmly, her tail swishing back and forth a bit. Her smile grew nearly ear to ear, though she tried to contain it, as the older woman deduced their biggest bit of news all on her own. 

Raela somehow managed to seal her beaming muzzle with a happy chuff. "Thank you," she replied again sincerely, her head dipping toward her chest. Nina's congratulations and concerns were most welcome, but the Queen of the notch shook her head. The words however, had no chance to escape before the approach of another registered in her ears. She was a little surprised to see the little copper-colored woman step up with such a dominant stance, and for a moment her brows twitched, wanting to knit together in confusion. Politely though, she refrained. Not quite sure what was happening, Raela smiled at the new female so as not to appear rude. Nina seemed the slightest bit surprised as well, and made no move to assert herself over the petite subordinate. She stared at them a moment more, and the gears in her head began to turn. Somehow, this stranger ranked above Nina, and there was only one way for that to be possible, unless Nina had dropped in position quite a bit. 

Her mate was addressed first, and then herself. The pleasantries were all fine and dandy, but the questions burned pervasively through Raela's mind. All of a sudden that distinct scent appeared, and she observed the little woman with a hint of surprise beneath her grin. It was all beginning to make sense. @Aideen. Well at least she had a name for the little female now. She was so very friendly, and Raela's tail couldn't help but wag a little in response. It was almost infectious. Gent assured the newcomer that they had traveled carefully, and Raela nodded. Her stomach was hardly heavier than usual, but what little bit of extra cargo she did carry added strain over such a distance. Hopefully, they would be able to rest with the Woodlands wolves for a short while after this meeting. Raela had to admit to herself that her paws were beginning to nag. Nearly as strange as all of this though, was the arrival of the great black wolf. Her eyes and ears were immediately drawn to his approach; the heavy footfalls were hard to miss. She was a little taken by his eyes, but apprehensive about staring into them. Gent had blue eyes, but they were so very pale. This man's were deep and striking, and he was easily as large as Gent. Raela had thought her mate to be unique or rare in his size, but apparently not. 

He first passed across Nina's side, then moving to stand beside this “Aideen.” The behemoth seemed to regard her carefully, and a guess as to who he might have been formed in her mind. She wasn't quite comfortable beneath his gaze; it was puissant and serious. Thankfully, he seemed much more interested in Gent than her. Miccah. His last name mirrored that of Aideen; her guess was seeming more and more accurate by the second. The man's voice sounded between them, deeper than that of her co-lead. Rae's golden eyes shifted curiously to Gent, who seemed much less fazed by the events taking place before them, at least outwardly.

At last, the pieces fell into place with Nina's interjection. The new Alphas, and evidently mates. Her brows rose as she glanced between them. Miccah and Aideen were not entirely dissimilar to themselves, albeit with an even more striking dose of disparity. It was interesting, to say the least. There wasn't any mark of sadness or true anger in the older woman's voice as she revealed this, like one would expect had there been some kind of forced takeover. Perhaps it was just that Nina was getting old? Had she retired? The Notch Queen grinned at the both of them, though her gaze felt much more comfortable focusing on the little female. Could this Aideen even be capable of something like that? She had no idea, and it didn't seem right to ask. Thankfully, Gent had something to say, and Raela let him speak. She nodded in agreeance, then taking the lead from her mate as it was handed over. Her stomach flipped a little bit, predictably.

 "Well," she began, taking a breath and covering her nerves with a smile, "we've successfully moved from the Timbers to just northwest of the Springs." Her voice lilted higher and she waited for a breath before continuing. "We've renamed the pack “White Fir Notch.” The matriarch stopped then, looking around for their reactions while her tail swayed lazily back and forth. "And as I think you've all figured out, me and Gent are mates now, and we're expecting." Raela's face grew hot beneath her fur as she grinned; her head dipping slightly as she glanced toward her King. The mother-to-be then turned to look at Aideen warmly. "It seems you are as well?" She inquired hopefully. 

            

I believe @Miccah is up

Copper eyes swept to the guests so quickly that Aideen didn't even register Nina's slight annoyance. The golden woman was used to being in charge, having fielded calls from friends and foes for many years on her own, and no doubt she could handle herself. But in the end she had relinquished her position to the younger dame, meaning not only that she had the right to be here, but that it was her duty; The pack and all its inhabitants had become her responsibility, even Nina, and she would not take it lightly. Of course the matriarch as well as her successor had to get sued to this new way of things, hopefully it would happen without worse clashes than this. Regardless, Aideen was here to stay, at least until she knew there was no threat to her pack, and, she couldn't deny, she was curious about Gent and his mate. The visitors too seemed surprised by her appearance, as one would expect, and she caught a shift on the dark man's face right when she made her introduction. She didn't hold it against him, they were strangers to one another; For now. She much hoped to change that. He answered her questions though, and she smiled widely, shifting her gaze to the agouti woman as he did too, seeing her agreeing nod. Then a soft rustle from the thicket behind her announced the approach of yet another, and the vixen lass flicked back her ears, easily recognizing the particular sound of her large mate's skillful maneuvering of their home. Politely keeping her eyes on their guests, she smiled to herself as she heard him come closer, passing Nina first before coming to her own side. for a moment their eyes locked, muzzles touching in a private greeting, and Aideen felt that familiar tickle running through her body. Then they both looked back to Gent, Miccah giving his own introduction. The elder woman took the opportunity to inform their allies of the changes within the Woodlands, Aideen bowing her head lightly in recognition. Then it was Gent's turn to speak again, and he did a remarkable job at hiding any shock the news might have brought him. There was some hesitance though and the new queen waited politely, still smiling at both their visitors. She would have no problem backing off, now that she knew there was no danger, leaving them to chat in private, though the other leader did hint that there was news to be shared about his own pack as well, news that would be important to all of them. So she remained put, waiting. Surprisingly it was the female who took over the mantle, drawing Aideen's attention as she spoke through a smile. What she said made rusty brows lift slightly, mouth forming a small 'oh'. So the Downs had moved again, and was now White Fir Notch. She nodded her understanding, though there wasn't much explanation as to reasoning, she supposed what was most important was the new location; The Springs..? She wasn't entirely sure where they meant, but surely Nina or Miccah would know; Sounds like it's not too far though. The mateship was no surprise, at least to Aideen, and she smiled brightly in silent congratulations, before the attention was turned on herself, making the grin even wider. "You're right," She confirmed, glancing briefly up at her husband, before looking back to the other dame; "Our first, same as you..?" There was a slight note of question to the words, though she was pretty sure in her case. She felt a strong connection with the other expectant mother, their situations similar in at least a few ways. Before the conversation came to a complete stand still, Aideen quickly took on a more professional role, nodding her head at both Gent and his mate; "Thank you for letting us know, congratulations. I hope you've settled well..?" Though it might seem like a simple formality, she meant it genuinely, and left room for their answer, then moved on: "We didn't mean to impose, if you have no more important information for us, we'd be happy to leave you and Nina in private..?" Her gaze shifted, first up to Miccah, then over to Gent who had seemed the most hesitant about speaking in their company. She was satisfied now that there was no danger, sure that they would have plenty of chances to get to know both the dark man and his mate better, if he'd rather speak alone with Nina, she wanted to make it clear that there was no problem with that, they were old friends after all. As a final addition she nodded towards them both with a smile; "And of course, you are both welcome to stay and rest before traveling back home." The last thing she wanted was for the other woman to over exert herself. Word count: 816 Thoughts ”Speech”

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