Cedarwood Forest maybe we should talk

June 21st 2016
@Neha Sunny 76F/24C

It had taken nearly a week for Draven to build up the courage to make his way down the mountain to see Neha. Namid had given him the permission and even the directions, asking that he find out how she was doing so she could hear some news. Still he had lost sleep laying awake at night tossing and turning, stomach filled with butterflies at even the thought of making the trip. He had made excuse after excuse to himself about why each day wasn't the right time to travel to Grizzly Hollow until he had run out of excuses.

Still  he had been within the forest for almost a full day just trying to work up the nerve to call for her. What if she didn't want to see him? What would he even say to her? Why had he even come? He missed her sure but lots of people missed their friends when they were gone so why had he felt the need to make the trip just to check on her? Again the butterflies returned at the thought of seeing her pale agouti face within the forest, the same forest his older siblings had travelled to so long ago. It was a story that Karina had told him and it made his heart ache thinking of all the opportunities he had missed out on after his mother's death.

Strengthened by the memory of Kova and the sister he had never met playing within these very woods with their allies he raised his muzzle and called for her.

There had been plenty to keep Neha busy (and entertained) ever since setting up camp in these woods. There were puppies to play with, wolves her own age to befriend, and many new faces and names to memorize. The plant life here, she noted, was different than that found back home. Which in her eyes, was a good thing. Day after day, she took her time in sorting through the local flora, identifying those with medicinal properties. Which would alleviate ailments such as toothaches, bleeding and pain, and which would do more harm than good. Her Uncle had stressed the importance of knowing the differences between the two varieties. The wolf that Neha had transformed into, busy with her studies, nose often buried deep in plants, was a far cry from the typical, social butterfly everyone was used to seeing. But that didn't mean that part of her personality had vanished. The teenager was just taking a different route in life, now. As she approached adulthood, her priorities were beginning to shift. There was a role she needed...no, wanted to take on. To do for a living. And to obtain it, she could not just sail through life being a boisterous, carefree spirit. Neha was in a nutshell, figuring out how to balance responsibility and pleasure.

Even with her cherished family far away on the other side of the mountain, amidst all her business in studying, the young wolf found her thoughts wandering to them often. To her parents and the lives they had surely welcomed into the world by now. How many were there? Did she have brothers? Or sisters? Were they healthy and thriving? She often thought of Cernan, who while he had his share of troubles, was nothing short of a fantastic brother. She was sure that he would make for a fine role model for his younger siblings. Yet, she still missed his company terribly. Just as much, was Nathaniel. The loyal pack guardian, who had so willingly, so many times, put his neck on the line for the first generation Vuesain children. She looked forward to seeing how the benevolent male was faring when she returned. To her own surprise, she found that she missed Draven in particular. The dark boy had been fully integrated into the pack, even if his start had been rocky. He had been her first patient, along with Namid's guidance of course. True to her outgoing nature, Neha wanted the wayward wolf to feel as welcome as possible in his new home, and not an outcast. She hoped he was adjusting well.

When the howl carried through the air, requesting specifically for her presence, Neha had been in the midst of some meticulous sorting. She had claimed a den for both herself, and her steadily growing herb collection. Her residence of choice was nontraditional, but certainly practical in the form of tree with two individual hollow chambers carved into the trunk. One for storing her herbs, the other for her personal space. Situated not far from the borders, the location gave her the appropriate space in which to work without interruption. It was here that she was laying, by her tree, sifting through the assortment of fresh herbs spread neatly between her paws. "...Let's see....Ergot...Hawthorn...Salmonberry..." She muttered softly, nosing each plant in turn. "...Still missing that Goldenrod though..." Her lips pursed thoughtfully. Then she heard the howl coming from the borders. It was for her! Sitting up with a puzzled look on her face, she wondered who would be calling for her. Could it be someone from home checking in? If so, it was most likely her brother. Shifting the collected piles of gathered herbs back into their place in the den, Neha abandoned her studies for the day to answer the call. Leisurely, she strode closer to the borders, peering curiously through and between the Cedar trees, half expecting to see the agouti figure of her brother awaiting her. But instead, the shape that stood waiting, was not her brother at all. It was Draven! There was no missing that dark coat of his and his sharp green eyes. The surprise that had swept over her face was quickly replaced by a warm smile, and a greeting to match. "Draven! This...this is unexpected!" She chirped happily, quickening her pace to close the gap between them, tail high and actively wagging. "What brings you all the way out here?" She inquired pleasantly, sneaking a look to the leg he had injured prior before eagerly trying to meet his eyes. He must've been back at full health to have made it over the mountain.

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

His heart raced pathetically in his chest as he waited, anxiety practically eating him alive in anticipation. What if she wasn't happy to see him? What if he was imposing on one of her lessons or on her pack and she told him to get lost? Luckily he didn't have long to dwell in his negative thoughts before the fawn pelted yearling came into views between the impressive boughs of the Cedarwood, clearly confident in her surroundings. The sight of her warm smile and happy demeanor slowing down his heart from its frantic speed to something just slightly above average. It had been silly of him to worry that she might not be happy to see him, they were friends right?

His face broke out into a beaming grin in response to her and his dark tail beat against the air around them, his joy written plainly across every aspect of his body language. Moving forward he ached to press his muzzle against her neck in greeting but he restrained himself, chastising himself for even having the thought. They're just friends. He reminded himself, briefly wondering why he even had to remind himself of the fact.Her question caused him to falter for a second and his smile turned some sort of bashful grin and he answered, "Oh um... your mom wanted an update on how your lessons are going with your uncle and how you're doing." Not a lie technically but this had been what her mother had told him to do after he requested the journey himself. Blushing beneath his dark pelt he looked down towards the dirt at his paws, "And... I missed you."

It was refreshing to see a familiar, friendly face. While it was true she may have been busy, and having a good time, Neha still missed her family back home. With Draven's arrival came a whole flood of emotions and questions. The touch of his muzzle to her neck caused her normally calm heart to stir, ears pinning back unexpectedly. But the gesture was just friendly, only a greeting. Reaching out, she pressed her cool black nose to his shoulder in return, sifting through the scents in his fur to ensure he was well. Maybe it was a new habit forming, a maternal one. Neha already took after her mother so much as it was. Pulling away to give him his space again, she listened to him speak. "Oh she does, does she? Well it's...going quite well..." She began, ready to add more when his last words registered, making her pause. 

He had missed her? Well, that was flattering. And heart warming. This time, it was her turn to be afflicted with shyness. The Vuesain daughter was normally not at all bashful in the least, but what Draven had said left her speechless, and a warmth coming to her cheeks. However, she quickly shook it off, or at least tried to as she stepped around to stand at his left side. "Oh that's really nice of you Draven..." She began, trying her best not to let her voice sound shaky. "I missed you too. I don't know the other wolves here as well as I do you, or the others back in the Cove." She admitted. Feeling it best to change the subject to avoid any more awkwardness, she switched back to his previous inquiry. "It's been real nice here. Veho, my Uncle is a great guy, but he's really busy. I only see him sporadically. But I've been learning a lot. The plant life here is quite different than that back home."

Unbeknownst to her, her black friend had also taken an interest in the medical arts. Wouldn't that be something, once she found out. Naturally proud of her accomplishments thus far, as she gazed back into the maze which was the forest, a thought crossed her mind. Looking at him again with a somewhat eager grin, she extended her offer. "Hey, my personal medical den is not too far from these borders. And I'm sure Veho wouldn't mind if I showed you around a little bit." Draven was her friend after all. Surely her Uncle would have no qualms in trusting a wolf Neha thought of so nicely. "What do ya say, wanna come with me and check it out?" She offered, her previous bout of shyness gone, her body posture inviting as she readied herself to lead him to her little nook in the woods.

(This post was last modified: Aug 13, 2016, 06:40 PM by Neha.)

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Feeling the return of his physical gesture made his heart skip a beat and his breathing hitched for just a second. When they pulled away he could only hope that she hadn't noticed. Still her teasing tone made him smile and he nodded when she returned his comment about her mother questioning. Technically Namid had requested that when he visited that he inquire how Neha was doing with her lessons and her visit. He had only left out the part that she had said that after he asked if he could come down here.

When she paused after his words the dark ears perked forward hopefully, mossy eyes scanning over her expression eagerly trying to read what was laying there. Much to his frustration Draven found that he could not and if there was any shake in her voice he missed it. Disappointment flooded him when he found that she missed not only him but all of the Cove because she didn't have friends here really. Friends. Again the teen silently chastised himself for getting carried away and thinking she thought anything different. Did he really feel that way, did he really want her to think of him as anything other than just friends?

Of course he did.

The realization made his mouth feel like a desert and Draven realized he hadn't been listening to a word that she had said to him. Swallowing a couple of times in an attempt to clear his head the teen looked up when there was a pause in her words and she looked at him in expectation. Panicking he nodded silently and fell into step beside her, he had no clue where they were going but he was happy to be by her side.

Without any hesitation on her part, Neha breezed past the borders at a steady lope, confident in that Draven would be right at her heels. It was not as if she were escorting a complete stranger, or worse yet, a lone wolf she knew nothing about. Should Veho, Oula or even anyone else happen to stumble upon their private little meeting, she worried not about explaining herself. The Cove and the Hollow were allies; she was certain one of her own would be welcomed here as warmly as she had been.

While she had noticed his silence, she merely chalked it up to his shy nature, or perhaps being out of his element, away from the Lake. "It's not far. In fact, it's just over there." She pointed with her ebony nose towards a sturdy, but skinny tree, whose stump broke apart into two separate openings. "This is my temporary medicinal den....I chose this location so I 'm not far from the borders, if I need to go out in search of herbs." As the pair approached, the scent of varying plants emitted from one of the entrances. "I'm making progress, but I'm afraid I still have a bit more to collect yet." She commented with a purse of her lips as she stared down into the space she knew her fruits of labor lay. So far no one had really offered her much in the way of assistance or guidance, which was fine. Neha did not mind learning by trial and error. She took what information she knew, or that Veho had given to her, and worked with it from there.

Sitting off to the side, she allowed Draven easy access to her makeshift den to investigate her progress, should he be so inclined. Reclined on her haunches, the princess took on a casual, conversational demeanor. Shifting the topic away from herself and back to life around home. "So tell me...how is Namid? Is everyone okay back home?" She pressed, ears cupped forward. Her curiosity and general concern for the well being of her family was sincere. Neha was eager to be filled in on any and all news Draven could offer her. Oh how she hated being left out of all the excitement, even if it was for a good cause.

(This post was last modified: Sep 22, 2016, 02:57 AM by Neha.)

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

The second the duo came upon the borders Draven slowed and stopped in hesitation, instinct telling him he shouldn't pass. After all he hadn't asked to come into the territory and while Neha may have been welcomed here the male certainly hadn't. He opened his mouth to speak his concerns but upon glancing upwards found the girl had breezed easily along and was yards ahead of him now. Swallowing down his nervousness in an attempt to not seem like a wimp the Lagina winced as he walked past the markers. He didn't like this, oh he didn't like this at all.

Hurrying to catch up the dark teen caught only the end of her words and her gestures but his green eyes lit up at the sight of her medicine den. Peering inside the leathery nose twitched furiously to try to silently name what he could, "This is amazing Neha, I'm just starting to learn what I can from your mom."  Backing out carefully so as to not disturb anything Draven took a seat beside the girl, close enough that their fur mingled together but their bodies didn't touch. The proximity made his head swim a little, but he found he liked it more than maybe he ought have.

Draven couldn't help but smile at her eager tone and the way her whole framed pressed for answers, "Everyone is good, your mom is good and so are both your new sisters." Suddenly he hesitated and took a deep breath, "I didn't just come here for your mom though...I um I...."Then he couldn't get the words out and just leaned forward and licked her muzzle.

Neha had no worries, unlike Draven, who might not have been so sure in crossing the borders of Grizzly Hollow. Even though this wasn't her true home, the Lake Princess still strode through the forestry with the same confidence she would have possessed, had she been on her home turf. She was amongst family here, even if the soil beneath her paws was different. There was no need she felt, to change her mannerisms too much. Seated not far from the opening to her medicinal den, she watched with humbled pride as her dark friend peered inside to overlook her growing collection. A smile flickered on her lips when he complimented her progress.

"Oh...thank you, I'm glad you think so." Her eyes shifted down to her paws, then up to slowly rest on the hollow space in the base of the tree, where her assorted herbs lay. "I really don't think it's that impressive yet. I feel like there's still more I could gather..." She trailed off thoughtfully, as if some gut instinct told her that there was a greater variety of medicinal plants out there than she realized, waiting to be discovered. "I've also been meaning to consult with my uncle. You know...just to make sure I'm on the right track." There was little uncertainty in her voice, as it was unlike Neha to be anything less than confident. Typical for a novice though, who had yet to apply any of the knowledge she had gathered to actual use. It would not be if, but when she tended to her first patient, that would test if she was truly as self assured as she came off to be. 

She had not initially been aware of just how close he had been sitting next to her, nor the way their pale and dark fur began to mingle, ever so slightly. After she had gotten over her first rush of excitement from explaining and detailing her progress regarding her studies and personal thoughts on them, did the prickly, slightly fuzzy sensation register. It was not at all unpleasant, but enough to make the Princess shift on her hindquarters just a little. A smile mirrored his own, elated with the news he delivered. Namid was doing well...the pack was doing well. And, she and Cernan now had two sisters. "Sisters..." She breathed, while wrapping the concept of being an elder sibling around her mind. "That's....wonderful. I just wish I could have been there..." She said wistfully, completely unaware that a tragedy had snuck it's way in during her mothers labor. The loss of a younger brother, whom she would never know. What he said next made her tilt her head to face him curiously, ears lifting. Uncertain of what he had meant, the feeling was swiftly replaced with renewed understanding when he reached out and licked her muzzle. Her soft brown eyes widened first in surprise as she sat still, momentarily frozen. Oh, I see now... She thought to herself. Slowly recovering, her ears had fallen back, a most bashful little look on her face. "That's...very sweet of you Draven. I...well...I have missed you..." Neha was the perfect image of a teenage girl who had received their very first kiss. But, being a Vuesain, she never stayed shy for long. Gently reaching forth, she swept her tongue over the bridge of his muzzle carefully, as if unsure of herself. Drawing back, she looked him in those green eyes hopefully. "...You don't have to go back so soon. Stay with me...just a little while more..." Now that he was back at her side again, Neha wanted their reunion to last for as long as possible, before he had to return to the mountain and the pack. She had made her offer, unable to resist the temptation of his company for at least a day or two. She dearly hoped he would accept.

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

Feel free to pp Draven going with her and fade out :)

Draven listened intently as his friend spoke, drinking in the way that her words sounded with the small amount of pride hidden within them. Smiling encouragingly at Neha he nodded, "Your mother said that you came down here to learn from him, has he been able to teach you a lot when he's not busy?" As much as the yearling wished that she could be home with him at the Cove he knew that this was more important than anything else. Besides the Lagina knew that he would have done anything for the same opportunity to learn, Namid helped him a lot but she was also busy and he did most of his out of territory searching alone.

The way those brown eyes warmed at the mention of sisters filled Draven with guilt for just a moment, his own sister forefront in his mind. After everything with his mother Ari had never forgiven him before she left and his own quest to find them had failed. Would he ever see his own sister again? Still the guilt was quickly replaced by the adrenaline that coursed through him, heart pounding in his ears the first few seconds of silence that followed his bold move. Watching Neha's ears fold back and hearing her stammer caused his own to fall back, sure that he had made the wrong decision.

Her return of affection was unexpected but certainly accepted, without hesitation he nodded, "Of course I will, but... I don't think I should sleep within the borders, we should find somewhere else to spend the night." The mossy green eyes sparkled with hope that she would agree to this. Moving closer Draven nuzzled his muzzle against her chin, unable to hold back the happy hum that accompanied the touch.