Secret Falls Narrow streets of cobblestone

Where others might feel cheated, or disappointed at the lack of unity among the wolves that lived in the pack she had joined, Eek only saw opportunity. While it was true that she was no spring chicken she still had a few good years in her yet. While Iopah inched closer to the edge of the perch, childless with spring well and truly in swing, the dark woman beneath her worked to quietly prove that if push came to shove, she could surely do it better. Regardless of Koda's arrogance, she couldn't see the old man shaking Eirian from his throne now that he seemed so cozy in his placement. Even if he did, it hardly mattered. She could certainly find a way to make sure he never saw the end of winter.

Nose poked through the damp undergrowth that hugged the banks of the secret falls, seeking out devils bite, quailbush or sweetgrass. Anything that might give her momentary escape, from the depressive atmosphere hanging over the trees that lay as broken as the members of the pack that called it home, a little legitimacy. She would very much loathe to be accused of slacking off.

Hey! Still being vague about Zeta being part of BTP yet or not, as her joining thread isn't finished yet. Hope you don't mind me hopping in here! ^_^

---

The grey two year old skulked quietly around the falls, the scent of red cedar and fresh water hanging lightly in the air. Eying her distorted reflection in the water beneath her nose, she tried to catch sight of her green eyes through the ripples in an attempt to keep her mind off of Zane's absence. While it wasn't uncommon for him to wander off without consult, he was rarely gone for hours on end without letting her know. Just.. unusual. She assured herself that he would be back sooner or later, getting a meal for them or something. She pulled her gaze from the water forthwith then, decidedly finished with pacing and waiting idly for her brother. This was silly. She should go for a walk! She turned tail and began trotting. 

She thought then of the other reason she liked to stay near the falls. Besides the obvious tranquility that emanated from the waters, they always seemed so difficult to find again, no matter how well she tried to remember the landscape. Sneaky buggers. She moved gracefully, tail bobbing in rhythm to her pace. Once in a while she couldn't help herself to drop her snout to the forest floor and see if there was any trace of her brother's ventures, but she found nothing. It was just.. weird. Wait. What if.. what if when Zane came back, he would expect to find her, then go out and find her/ She paused her gait and shook her head, smiling to herself. They could be playing tag til dark if that was the case; she should stay put. Zeta turned another 180 and headed back for the falls, thankful she had not gotten too far so that they did not trick her mind again. 

This time, her nose did not have to drift to the ground to catch a scent that was coming from near the falls. Her ears pricked forward softly, curious if it was Zane.. maybe even their father.. mother? Maeve? No. Her nose twitched curiously as she tried to decipher its owner before she saw her, though it was to no avail; definitely a stranger. The grey-pelted female slowed when she saw the black female nose deep in the ground by the falls. "Oh, hi!" she voiced over the gentle whir of the falls, her tail giving a friendly wag. The smaller female smelled of Broken Timber Pines, though she was sure that had not made acquaintances yet.

---

the rabbit

Adopt my twin!

The sound of the roaring water and her own absorption in the scents that passed under her nose made her an easy target, the chipper Oh, hi! met with a rapidly raised head, tendril of some waterside creeper or other draped across her head like a leafy lopsided crown. Wide eyes, so pale it was difficult to distinguish where the grey of her irises ended and the whites of her eyes began, darted to the young grey wolf, her nose wriggled to take in the scent. One of them, her rump took up a steady wave to compensate for the tuft of bone and fur that sat where a long plush tail should, the movement so second nature now she almost forgot that she lacked the appendage at all. "Oh hello!" she answered back with far more enthusiasm than she truly felt. The more years a wolf had under their belt the less interest she held in them to be sure, and with a lack of interest came a lack of tolerance.

She had a job to do, she reminded herself. This was all only a means to an end.

Her bright smile never faltered, nor the shaking of her rump. "How are you finding it here?" she finally questioned, "You usually have another one with you don't you?" While her social skill may have been lacking, her power of observation could not be faulted.

   

 

<3

 
A flicker of concern made its way onto Zeta’s expression when she realized that she may have startled the dark female – a difficult thing to differentiate with the wolf’s incredibly pale eyes. It had not been her intent and she subconsciously dropped her head to assure that she did not have an air of intimidation. Ha – like the gray-scaled girl could ever exude anything other than innocence and naivety. The longer she had time to study her company, the more she realized there was to see. Not an ordinary looking femme, that was for sure. Was she.. missing a tail!? She avoided craning her neck and moving her position so that she could see better, but it certainly seemed like something was missing from her non-verbal cues. Her curiosity would have gotten the best of her if she had not spoken to her then.
 
She seemed kind enough to inquire about her well-being, though when she mentioned her brother, she faltered in her non-verbal cues of happiness. “Oh, uh. It’s been great! Everyone is really nice here,” she started, nodding and smiling. “My brother is just,” she looked behind her momentarily, as if though he might appear through the trees to save her coming up with an excuse for his absence. When he didn’t appear in that second, she continued, “Out.. hunting maybe. He didn’t say,” she said, unable to hide the damper that fact had on her mood. She met her company’s eyes, realizing the bummer she was being and attempted to change the subject for the better. “I don’t think we’ve met? My name’s Zeta Argyris, but I guess you sorta already know that,” she said, realizing the dark girl had already indicated an understanding of the twins.

the rabbit

Adopt my twin!

Everyone is really nice here, There was an edge to Eek's answering grin, don't lie for my sake dear. They were fragmented, fragile, and Koda's return had done little to stabilise anything. Although the girl had come with rather a large group and perhaps that was enough to make her feel just a little more welcome, she had not noticed any of those few who had been here before going out of their way to make the transition any easier for the displaced wolves of the plateau.

As the girl went on, Eek felt her concealed hostility slipping away. This one might have been older in years, but she was just so... Optimistic. Zeta might not have been a child in the physical sense, but there was something in those wide mismatched green eyes, her washed out silver coat... Eek didn't have to force her smile anymore.

It was quick to slip away however, as the girls true purpose for being out here was realised. Instead concern touched the corners of her eyes and mouth. "Brothers are curious creatures," better off dead, "but I'm sure he'll be back soon, clueless to any distress he may have caused. Don't worry yourself just yet." she attempted to reassure the girl as her name was offered more formally. "I'm Eek," she replied, soft smile returning to her face. "Tell me @Zeta, do you know much of plants?"

The black female gave her a look when she spoke about the kindness of the Pine wolves, one that she couldn't quite identify. Did she say something wrong? Though her expression was quickly lost and it soothed any worries that the beryl-limed girl had away with her smile. The femme had a discerning air about her, but Zeta assured herself that it was simply her book's cover, and nothing to judge her over. Some wolves just had tougher outsides, it didn't mean anything about their insides! In fact, Zane was one who liked to play the tough guy, a stark contrast to his life-loving sister. In turn, the only side she ever cared about was his insistent goal of always protecting and providing for her. He was a perfect example! And so she would always provide others, like this woman, all the chances in the world to prove her right!

The tail-less wolf -- an alarming sight that Z was fighting not to look at -- showed genuine concern for her missing brother. That subtle gesture in itself would have been enough to earn her way as a paranymph, but she even continued on to console the grey-pelted girl. She was so right. It was much too early to be worrying about anything. She nodded in convinced agreeance. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being silly. He's probably just being a boy," she ticked her head to side as she rolled her eyes, smiling.

Eek? That was a different name. But the girl stubbornly pressed on, insisting that she not afford this kind femme any undo judgement. She probably had enough problems with mean wolves asking and bothering her -- Zeta would be her friend! Eek inquired about Zeta's knowledge of plants, which was entirely nothing other than the most basic of things. Her head tilted a dramatic angle to the side as she looked curiously on. "Plants? Oh gosh, I know, like, nothing. My brother always just kept me away from strange berries. I used to see our healer use herbs on sick or hurt, but I never really learned anything. I know pineapple weed is good for you! And smells good," she said happily, before taking a breath to continue. "And I know nightshade is bad for you.. but I should know more. I've just never had to know, I guess," she said trailing off, embarrassment colouring her demeanour.

the rabbit

Adopt my twin!

Eek's easy smile only grew as the girl went on and on. Surely all this innocence couldn't be genuine? Or perhaps it was. Maybe, just maybe @Zeta had been so sheltered from the cruel realities of this world that she genuinely believed good people still existed and that her brother would actually come back for her. Were Eek less amused she might have given the girl a lesson on just how terrible the world could be, but there was a large part of her that just wanted to sit back and enjoy the show. Some lessons were more entertaining when learned the hard way.

She chuckled at the girl's comments on plants, nodding along with her descriptions, "Oh but theres more to it than that, even plants that are good for you can be bad in the wrong dosage. Arnica," she pointed to the bright yellow blooms, stalks placed in a folded length of fresh bark, "is great for cuts and bruises but don't let the sap get in your mouth or you'll shit out all your blood and die. Wolfsbane? Will help with slow blood but it will also take your breath away, and devil's bite might take away the pain or you could wind up vomiting so much you wish you were dead. Your brother did well to warn you to steer clear. Not even those who proclaim themselves healers can be certain of what the plants might do."

 

She paused, silver eyes meeting green and dancing from one to the other, waiting to see if her words were having an impact. "Before you go running to a healer for a scrape or a bruise, always ask yourself twice - Will I survive this on my own? and can I guarantee the same with intervention? Plants might speed the process up but they might kill you quicker than the wound. Always remember that." She had to wonder if anyone had ever told Koda the same.

The conversation had begun with an informative and casual back and forth, you know, like usual conversations. Though once Zeta began listening intently, Eek went on an on. Initially, her tail wagged curiously, genuinely intrigued with learning. Her eyes travelled to the bark at Eek's feet, her eyes bright and focused and the little flowers as they were explained. It was the black wolf's unfiltered words that caught the two year old by surprise, though she did her best to hide her bewilderment at the female's explanation. Her stark words made Zeta's ears flick back in concern, but then more came. Plants could make you what!? She had always believed them to be automagical in nature, an understanding of them left to others to figure out. She would always have her brother for guiding her that way. She knew how her brother would react to Eek speaking in this manner, and was momentarily glad his short temper was not present.

She tried to nod in understanding, fighting off her doe-eyed appearance so that Eek did not feel like she had made the girl uncomfortable. She was to be her friend, so if that meant learning about all the .. graphic facts about her work, then.. then so be it. She had to have someone to talk to about it, and Zeta would be that person if she needed it. She drew power from her projected kindness, and mustered a confident smile and another nod. She swallowed nervously, realizing it was her turn to talk. "Wow, yeah," she began, "I will," she assured Eek. How could she forget? Don't ever eat any plants ever, that was what she got from that. But that would not be enough. Show some manners! She ordered herself. "That is.. That must be a lot of stuff to remember. You must work really hard on learning everything. I don't think I could do it," she admitted, her smile genuine and honest. "Guess we're really lucky to have you, Eek!" She said pleasantly, wagging her tail again. Well, it was true! Someone had to know this stuff, and she was thankful that the female was already so knowledgeable about the dangers AND benefits of herbs. That was probably the toughest part!

the rabbit

Adopt my twin!

The younger wolf's reactions were measured with the hint of a grin on the edge of her lips. It would seem contrary to her own thoughts prior to this encounter that innocence was not given an age limit. Her relief was well concealed as the girl gave her word that she would not forget the lesson she had been given, beyond a somewhat gruff "Good," mumbled in response.

As she went on to say that it all must have been a lot to remember, a coy smile worked its way to her face. Her learning had not been without some difficulty, laced heavily with memorable moments - but where was the fun in learning only through the words of others? The lesson never stuck without her seeing the consequences first hand. "I'm sure you could if you really wanted to," she gently answered, her hips taking up their usual wave in the absence of her tail, the motion covering the sinister nature of her smirk at the latter statement.

If it was any luck at all it was hardly good. But none of these wolves knew that yet, and she was more than happy to keep it that way.

"Say, I recently found a warren just outside the borders, they seem to be a pretty lazy bunch. Would you like to help me bring some home for the leaders? I can get this stuff later."

The black wolf was a strange one, but she also had her own special kindness to her as well. Zeta, while unmistakably unnerved at times, was grateful to herself for giving the female a chance. "Really?? The two-year-old couldn't help but have her own tag mimic Eek's .. hip-wagging, moving in unison with her. They were all going to have to make friends here, she supposed, and as soon as Zane got back, she promised herself to try and convince him to make friends with her. The alphas had trusted them into Broken Timber Pines, but there were a lot more wolves in play here and it all had to start somewhere, right?

Her ears perked up at the woman's offer. An opportunity to help! Her tail wagged faster now, and her timidness slipped away. Well, a little bit anyway. She could help the alphas! Prove that her and her family were worthy of the risk they'd taken! Finally, something!

"Yes! Yes, of course I would!" She said enthusiastically, and she automatically moved forward to follow Eek through the forest. A little ball in her stomach tightened with backseat worry of the underlying nervousness that the woman gave her.. but truly she did not have any reason to feel that way. She dismissed it to her own nerves of being alone abnormally long without her brother, and just new wolves, and trotted obediently behind Eek to do her arrears duty to her pack.

the rabbit

Adopt my twin!