Drooping Willows It only slows you down

Vague starter is vague while I've got the muse for @Craw

Morganna had crept back in, several hours before sunrise, careful to try and not wake @Craw or @Wraith, settling herself nearby but not forcing her way into the non-existent groove between them as she had taken to doing recently. Despite her whirling mind she slipped off to sleep before her chin hit the ground. When she finally awoke, the sun was high in the sky, her dawn border patrol well and truly missed. She would have kicked herself if she hadn't so desperately needed that little extra stolen sleep, but she was the last to leave the den.

Peach eyes squinted as she finally took her leave, wishing that someone had thought to wake her sooner. She set out towards the borders trying to think where Craw was most likely to be at... Hell almost noon. On a whim she headed north, thinking at the very worst she could check the banks of the Swift River to see if they might direct their course one way or another if they did decide it was time to leave (although in her heart she knew it was what she needed and she had told her brother with certainty that she was leaving). @Skoll was a worry, that brother of hers. What on earth was she going to do?

Gonna set this after his talk with @Wraith.

Perhaps this was a natural conclusion to immediate matters, the force of evolution in action. What once had just been Willow Ridge the Second had, by the end of their conversation and during the night, become the possibility of so much more, especially if he could convince her to settle much further north. To be at least a little closer would placate the man who still dreamed of stone-cold vengeance, and perhaps this was the natural way forwards. He would have a stronghold of his own as a starting point, which was far superior than trying to determine who was useful and loyal in someone else's pack.

Wherever he and Morganna claimed, and whoever they took with them, it would be theirs in equal measure, and he would finally stop being someone else's bitch.

It smelled like progress.

Morganna would find his scent trail (mixed with Wraith's, initially, though then at some point the two wolves had split off) leading off into the eastern part of the willows where he sat, on top of a small, earthy ridge overlooking a circular stretch of short, young grass. He was seeing birth and new life wherever he went, now. Mulling over the fruitful conversation with Wraith, Craw was deep in contemplation, though his ears scanned idly at his surroundings to avoid any nasty surprises.

(This post was last modified: May 02, 2016, 02:37 PM by Craw.)

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Although Morganna's steps were naturally light (owing to her slight frame and wanderers heart), she took extra care with her steps once she noticed Wraith's trail break away from Craw's, a devious smile crossing her face despite the weight of what she was about to request? inform him of. This way and that, he rarely moved without a purpose and when warm eyes finally fell on his back she was pleasantly surprised with the easy way he sat. No doubt he was on guard (he always was), but rarely was she ever presented with a such a tempting target. She wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by.

The ground was clear on the short stretch of earth between them, the fresh shoots may prove just as slippery as loose leaves but if she compensated with short blunt nails the soft earth should offer her enough traction to not land flat on her face if she missed her mark. There was no wind to give her away (not yet). Yes, maybe blowing off some steam first would put him in a better mood...

A friendly, familiar growl was offered in warning as she made her move. Muscles tensed as she sprung forward, closing the distance between them in three quick bounds. The force of her charge aimed with her chest at his shoulder, jaws parted in a playful manner hoping to rake through the thick fur around his neck. If she missed, she would be taking out most of the new growth with her.

At least it wouldn't be entirely undesirable; he could claim, afterwards, that he had technically succeeded in avoiding a nasty surprise. Not having anticipated being outright snuck-up-on, Craw's swirling thoughts consumed his consciousness just a little too completely, and his ears missed the subtle sounds of her paws against the dirt, the tiny crackles and signs that young grass was being stepped on. It wasn't until she deigned to give him warning, the soft growl cutting right through his obliviousness and snapping his ear in her direction, did he have any idea what was happening - and by then it was too late.

Speed had always been one of the few things she had over him, and though his instincts knew what was coming, they weren't quick enough to move his body more than a turn of the head towards his attacker and a sudden tension in his muscles. She did not miss; by the time she crashed into him, Craw had fully caught up with what was happening, and while he could have tried to counter it decided that it was easier to just absorb the impact and roll with it. Her momentum pushed him down, her teeth playing at his thick ruff as he fell back onto his side, twisting underneath her so he was at least on his back - and, so as to give a little back, snapped his own jaws harmlessly against the fur of her cheek and at the base of her ear, his own excited growl in his throat. If she hadn't been heavily pregnant, he would have kicked out at her stomach and lower quarters to make it harder for her, but... she was lucky that he cared about her so damn much.

Sorry for the PP let me know if you'd like anything changed <3

He was going easy on her (for once), and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to milk the opportunity for all she was worth knowing this could very well be their last tussle until the rolling, kicking, stretching, ache causing little creatures were out of her. With forearms stretched either side of his face she dropped her chest into his own, taking his nips in order to try and wriggle her own nose under his jaw to try and poke at his chin or throat with her nose, Ha-ha I got you! implied in her playful growl. She had no doubt she would pay dearly for this at some point, but today was not that day.

Satisfied with her little attempted ambush she was ready to relent, pushing up and trying to make her escape, leaving him enough room to right his stance, tail waving in good humour, regardless of any retaliation that might come her way (even if it landed her on her ass). "Yer should have woken me. The pack'll fall apart if I act like the other one," sarcasm was thick on her tongue, a lop sided smirk betraying just how amusing it would be to stick around and watch had circumstances been different.

(This post was last modified: May 05, 2016, 03:16 PM by Morganna.)

unf I'm sorry. Back to normal Crawg obsessions for me now I've forced myself to catch up on other things :P <3

She dominated him, largely because he let it, but let it he did. Growling with his own half-hearted resistance as Morganna assaulted him, nose jabbing him in the chin and throat and neck, he did very little to actually try and get her off, content to just wriggle underneath her. His teeth found an ear and chewed gently on it, but by then she was pushing off him, deep, quiet laughter in his chest as he snapped after her, twisting eagerly about to get on all fours again. Upright, he surged towards her, though not with a mind to retaliate but just greet her with weighty enthusiasm, bumping his head along her neck and shoulder with an aggressiveness she had fired up, head coming to rest comfortably between her shoulder blades. He just liked the feel of her, her warmth and heavily pregnant scent, and that was totally apart from all the other political things he was looking forward to from this encounter.

"You looked so peaceful," he smirked, the excuse for leaving her asleep more of a tease than anything, for he wasn't exactly the sort to really give a crap about that if he'd really wanted to wake her up. "And the pack's rotting no matter what we do. But it doesn't matter. I spoke to Wraith." Lifting his head from her body, he came about to face her, planting a lick on her cheek on the way, and didn't say more on the matter; from his satisfied manner, she could insinuate what had come of that discussion. Wraith's allegiance to Craw, Morganna and his children were above all else, and it was not exactly a secret. He turned his head slightly as he looked at her, an ear twitched forward, a questioning gesture - for she had had someone to talk to, as well.

As @Craw's head rested between Morganna's shoulders her own head dipped to snap playfully at the air around his legs. If he had gone so far as to talk to @Wraith she could only assume that after a night to sleep on it, they were both on the same page. The casual kiss, the easy way he moved. There was nothing to worry her here anymore. No more maybes.

Her own head hung lower with the uncertainty of the later events of the previous night. "@Skoll was as predictable as ever. He's heartbroken. Again." Her accompanying snort conveyed just how much faith she ever held in his choice of mates. "I told him we're leavin', he might come to yer, might not. He ran off in the end," Never mind she had gone so far as to suggest he disappear. "Seems ter think yer wouldn't let him near me," she added with a smirk, wondering if he would find it as amusing as she. Of all the wolves likely to think any man would dictate the company she kept, she was almost certain her own brother would know better.

"I mentioned ter Capable a few days back that I was beginnin' ter think I should just leave. She seemed interested in comin' along if I did..." Hell who was she kidding, she had grown fond of the other woman and her gruff ways. She didn't want to leave her here to contend with Nicolo on her own. If she felt an outsider now she would well and truly be thrust out into the wilderness if they left her behind.

There was no effort made to hide the smirk at hearing of poor Skoll's torment. Had Morganna confessed their original intentions to chase his bitch out, or just reported her absence? It didn't matter either way, but Craw wished he'd been able to see her brother's face, hear his lamentation.

He might come to you, she said then, and the smirk disappeared for a moment, replaced by a heartbeat of incomprehension. He looked at her again, a little more stern in his manner, the implication behind that hardly assuaged by the news that he'd run off, or her jest. His smile did return at that, though only partly in entertainment at the joke, for the idea of keeping Skoll around was so repulsively laughable. He would not make any attempts to control Morganna (not yet, anyway) but if Skoll really thought he'd be coming along... It was ridiculous. Craw almost wanted him to ask for it, just to witness it.

Fortunately, his partner's topic switched to other, related matters, before Craw could say something about Skoll which might have proven divisive. Capable? He glanced out at the trees as he considered it, though it would be a lie to say that it hadn't already crossed his mind. "Yes, I could abide by that. Wraith mentioned Greer, too. Did you know your brother was planning on leaving the willows?"

It was barely a flicker when she mentioned Skoll seeking him out but she didn't need to be a mindreader to know he wasn't impressed. "I made no promises, I told him it was upter you. It wouldn't kill 'im ter be pulled inter line fer once in his life, whether or not we have ter deal with the fallout," Hell, perhaps her mother would consider it a parting gift if Skoll managed to learn a little humility, but something told her he wasn't going to seek Craw out. Not after the way he had run.

At least Capable was a wolf they could agree on, when he went on to mention Greer leaving she offered him a sidelong glance, brow raising in question. "I didn' think yer were old enough ter be losin' yer memory yet," she smirked and moved to shove him with a shoulder. "Better be gentler with yer, don't want ter accidentally break anythin'." Her smirk had quickly widened into something much more humorous, waiting for him to cotton on to her taunt. I already told you that... She didn't expect such a blow (verbal or otherwise) to come without retaliation and so she braced herself, tail waving and all but inviting the fallout. Her pregnant state had been leaving her with few outlets to blow off extra steam.