Turtleback Lake better things are on the way

Claiming thread of Driftwood Surge. Dated for February 1, late morning. 
This will be a pack howl and will only have one round; I will be archiving this once everyone has posted. Once it's completed feel free to start posting pack threads (marking borders, establishing caches, etc etc.) <3 
* also, don't worry about matching this length, I got very carried away ;-;
@Lilya @Lekalta @Aytigin @Reid @Andre @Lavender @Lilliana @Oksana @Risaela @Matheo

Lat/Long:  (70.49557, 49.92188)
Description: At the base of the mountain, where the lush forest surrounding Turtleback meets stone, lies the headwaters of Driftwood Surge. A cascading rush of water cuts through the forest, lined with towering cedars and over-sized boulders scattered haphazardly along the shore. There are a few calmer bends in the river, lined with pebble beaches opposite piles of driftwood, surrounded by a sea of evergreens. The ground is uneven as it shifts from mountain to forest; the beginning of the river is lined with towering rocks while the most eastern shores are more level and lush with foliage. 

The further he went from Hearthwood the lighter his steps felt, and the weight that had made a home between his shoulder blades began to slip away. After the death of his friend Lachesis had done everything in his power to ensure that the river pack survived, for he did not want to be the reason for its demise. The pack had dwindled multiple times, for they had a habit of accepting wolves with itchy paws, but they continued to snap back and preserver. Having five unexpected puppies the previous spring had helped their numbers, as the cubs seemed to attract members to them, but it had also been a struggle. But they managed, just as they always did.

It was after Kisla’s untimely death that things had begun to grow sour. With her death they had lost not one but two wolves, as Lekalta had disappeared for months after luring the cougar away. Tension grew between the pack, for all the members were grieving in their own way as they struggled to accept the fate of their matriarch. But they pulled through that, too.

Unfortunately, things did not go back to normal. Instead they seemed to grow worse.

Despite all that had happened it pained him to leave Inna behind, but he was worried she would bring her demons to Driftwood and poison their surroundings once more. He wanted to trust her, more than anything, for he had been in her life since birth but he couldn’t. And Lachesis was beginning to wonder if that would ever change... even if she did attempt to earn that trust back. When she had approached him about taking Oksana with them he complied, for the child had never wronged the pack. Part of him worried that she would end up like her mother, but he hoped that the distance between them would help Oksana become her own wolf as he felt as though Inna suffocated her.

Travelling with five energetic (and curious) cubs had prolonged their adventure west but Lachesis didn’t mind. It gave him a chance to say goodbye to the towering cedars he had called home for many moons. At least now they were closer to the comforting shores of Turtleback. A soft smile cracked across his pale features at the thought.

He had gone ahead of the group to scout the forest that engulfed Driftwood, for he wanted to ensure that there was no strays lurking about. XIX did not worry about the others being able to find him, as they would be able to track his scent and they were in the company of three wolves who had visited the river prior to the move. Even Riseala, who was due back from her adventure to the golden fields of Wild Rye, was shown the Surge to ensure she was happy with the new river. He hoped this move would help her and her brother the most, as the Kingswood held nothing but painful memories for the orphaned siblings.

The sound of rushing water greeted him as the ground began to shift from snow covered grass to snow covered stone. His pace quickened, along with his heart beat, as he headed for the cliff. It was the perfect place for the river wolves to meet, as it would give them the best view of their new home. He hoped they would be happy—it was all he wanted for his pack; his family.

Once he reached the cliff Lachesis paused, his chartreuse gaze sweeping over the rushing glacier water below. His smile widened, his features softening as his tail arched high over his back. Home. He turned toward the trees he had just exited from, his tail swaying in silent excitement as he waited for the rest to catch up. Without hesitation he tossed his chin to the grey sky, a song tumbling off his tongue.

This place was theirs now; a fresh start for the weary pack.

Welcome home! 

(This post was last modified: Feb 01, 2018, 02:19 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

Leaving her mother behind amongst the cedars had been the hardest thing that the little Crow had to do. Even though her mother and her had been through some really rough times she still loved her more than anyone else. Every moment of the journey to their new home she'd wanted to turn back and tell her mother that it was a bad idea for them to he separated. Oksana knew that Inna would just send her back so she'd kept moving through the forest wondering what her life would be like now with her father gone and her mother still in Hearthwood.

She knew she would still have Reid with her because he promised he would never leave her. Her uncle Lach too but she had become conflicted about how she felt about him after her mother had told her what Ayti had said. Still even after that Inna had ask Lachesis to take care of her so she had to trust that her mother had made the right decision.

It was with her head and tail down that she entered the place that would now be their new home. For the second time she looked upon the land and hoped that it would be everything that Lachesis was hoping for. Maybe it would be that for her too but just then she couldn't see it. Her chest tightened and tears threatened to fall down her cheeks as she once again saw her mother's shrinking figure as she ran away through the cedars. She hoped that one day she would see her mother again but for now she had to make the best of things.

As Lachesis voice rang through their new home she raised her dark muzzle into the air and added her own sad song to his. It was a tune of loss and new beginnings, it was what she felt then as she was unable to keep the sad note from her voice.

Please see Sharlee's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

Lilliana had been excited. They were leaving the kingswood behind. While it might have been the place of her birth she had explored every nook and cranny. She didn't want to disappoint her parents, she didn't want to wander too far from the borders, but day by day she had found herself wanting more.

Her sighs had ceased the day it was dropped that they would be leaving. She missed out on scouting out their new home, so easily distracted tracing day old bobcat tracks through the snow, but that didn't matter to her! It would just make their new home a surprise when they finally made it.

The sound of rushing water greeted her first, then her fathers howl, followed by a more mournful sound that left the girl huffing. If Oksana was gonna bring her storm cloud with her, she should have stayed behind with her miserable mother. Doing her best to battle the roll of mismatched eyes she added her own triumphant song to the mix. This was exciting! Everything was going to be great! How many new adventures were there to be had?

Travel back from the Fields had been easier than getting there. For one, she had @Mako with her the entire way this time, and she knew exactly where she was going. For two, she would get to keep her new friend, and she couldn’t help the excited bounce in her step. This was all completely wonderful, and she was thrilled to have so many of her loved ones to share it with. It didn’t even feel like she was leaving anything important behind, either - she had everything she could ever need right there in the Surge.

They got there just in time, with Risaela pushing a little harder to try and make sure they didn’t miss this much. The two had hardly had time to rest when they approached the place that would house their new pack before Lachesis began to howl, followed by Lil Lil and Oksana. Tail waving in excitement, Ris bounced up to press her nose against Mako’s muzzle before stepping aside and adding her own bell-like chime to the mix. There was no sorrow in her voice - only song and joy and belonging that she had missed for so long.

Yeah... this place would be good for them. She could feel it.

(This post was last modified: Feb 02, 2018, 04:02 AM by Risaela.)

She had never been this excited before. While she had been fond of the Kingswood and the river that cut through the trees, Lavender also understood why they needed to leave. The adults had been so mopey, bickering amongst each other with sullen expressions on their faces. There had been a change in her father, too. He was no longer the carefree man that Lavender adored so much—he had grown quiet and reserved. This, she realized, was due to the immense amount of plotting going on inside his head. She hadn’t realized how long he had been planning the move for. She just wanted him to be happy—along with the rest of the pack. And Hearthwood did not do that for them, not anymore.

She paraded through the trees, her steps quick and precise as she followed her packmates south-west, toward the mountains. The little Stark knew exactly where they were going, as she had been present when they had discovered the surging mountain river. She could not wait to explore all the nooks and crannies in their new home. Perhaps that was why she was so excited… every day, at least for a few weeks (or months), would be a new adventure to her.

Her father’s call rang up through the trees, followed by the pitiful sound of Oksana and her twin. A frown threatened to grace her pale features. She was confused as to why the girl had not remained with her mother but Lavender knew better than to question it. Eventually, once they were settled, she would pull her father away and question him, but not now. She had much more important things to worry about.

Risaela’s voice joined the group, earning a wide smile from the girl. She had returned! Unable to contain her excitement the little Stark threw her nose to the sky and joined the song. They were home!

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

Mako had never expected when the little girl stumbled down into the cave he'd been resting in that in a few short days he would be not only joining her pack, but joining them in their relocation. He hadn't had the chance to meet the wolves who would become his new packmates, and upon joining the small gathering on the clifftop let his eyes carefully linger on the wolves gathered there. While he was open and lively when in the company of Risaela alone, he found himself drawing inward around these new and unknown wolves. He let Rissy take the lead, and loosened up a little when she nudged his muzzle. Mako hesitated -- for only a second -- before lending his voice to the chorus.

'cause darling you're nothing but brave

Lilya had not truly realized the weight the cedars had had on her until they’d begun their move to the new home. She was not sure if her sadness had been associated with the good memories they also left behind, or the bodies of those who had already been lost… Lachesis had promised her the place was beautiful and would be the perfect place to raise a litter… she was more than aware that the season for pups was fast approaching… it made her nervous, worried she’d lose more just as she had lost Laddeus… that she’d taint their new home with a bitter sorrow that she felt.

Leaving Kisla and Laddeus behind had been the only part of the journey that had been difficult… knowing their bodies would be trapped in the grief of the cedars while those whom loved them moved to another land to escape such pain. She crept up beside her love as he gazed out, watching their new home. She had not seen him this happy in such a long time… this was going to be good for them. She turned shortly after he did and raised her maw, letting out a howl to echo with that of her husband’s, proclaiming their new home to be theirs.

He had silently followed along. The image of @Inna being left alone in the forest made his stomach churn. He had promised to come check on her the moment things were settled. Just because she could not come with them did not mean he no longer considered her a friend. The dark Baranski held a special place in the healer's heart. But for the moment being his focus had to be on this.

The large male was drawn out of his thoughts by the rallying of voices. Despite his internal struggles, a smile broke onto the male's face. It was only right to send out his own call. He had followed everyone here after all. So his head tipped back as his deep voice gave a quick but meaningful howl.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.

In the backdrop of the gathering, Anastasia moved at a rather glacial pace. She only concerned herself with the movements of those around her as she was simply delighted to have the company. Even if no really knew her... it was hard to put herself out there (she continually chastised herself for feeling that it was too hard to make friends as she had always been a social butterfly) but it was far easier to place blame on strangers than to fault herself entirely.At least by following their movements she had begun to feel a little lighter, a little more at ease but sticking to the back of the pack and watching for any straggling kids was her priority. No one had asked her to but it was the easiest job and it didn't put her in the spotlight. There was no need to bustle up to XIX and distract him, so as they rounded their scouted territory her blue eyes locked curiously over each tree's outline and rock committing them to memory. Only when she became too excited to see more did she raise her head back and sound off with her pack mates.Welcome back, Ana.

i'd love more threads, so message me if you'd like one!
looking for friends, potential love interests and role-inspired threads!