Wild Rye Fields Coyote Ugly

For mama @Jessie || Early afternoon - Overcast ; 60°f

All seemed to be calm within the Rye once more now that a small break from the heat was given to the inhabitants of the lore. The 'yotes, though, not so much. Still their disgusting odor stung her nose with every breath she dared take, but unfortunately there was nothing she alone, nor the others, could do about the surge in coyote numbers and their increased hostility. Treks beyond their boarders were limited as a precaution, but that only helped the problem to some degree. The wolves of the Rye still needed food and food didn't waltz right up to their front door with a ribbon tied to its neck while holding a note that read 'eat me' or anything like that. If only they were that lucky.

Warm amber irises scoured the sea of golden rye from atop the outpost, speckled haunches lowering themselves to take up a more comfortable seated position while she watched a small cluster of caribou lazily cross the tundra below. The thought of following them to track their migratory pattern for the summer briefly crossed her mind until motion behind the small meandering herd caught her eye. Surprise, surprise a small band of 'yotes were tailing the caribou and internally Sphinx groaned before rising to descend from the tall hill. So much for that idea.

Maybe a quick boarder patrol would suffice instead.

With the arrival of Adelayde's children, the new members that had joined recently, and the return of her daughter, Jessie felt a bit better about the status of Wild Rye Fields. With the growth in numbers, it was easier to feel more secure about the future of the pack. That being said, there was still one problem that readily made itself apparent with every patrol and attempt to cross the border - the coyotes. Not only were they competing with one another for prey and this only annoyed Jessie more. Spring and summer was a time that she preferred her pack to be more comfortable, especially in terms of their caches. The aging monochrome woman was patrolling the borders, the stench of coyotes overwhelming her nose - so much thaat she did not notice her daughter scent being blown in her direction. Emerald eyes shifted to look in front of her and a small smile formed on the mother's lips. Her youngest daughter looked so much like Drestig. Jessie's tail wagged behind her as she increased her pace to catch up with the other woman, a bark leaving her maw to get Sphinx's attention.

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So it seemed the speckled female wasn't the only one with patrolling on their mind. A bark from behind had Sphinx halting in her tracks to glance over her shoulder at whom had called out, the inky lining of her lips erasing the sour expression it formerly had to exchange it for a small smile once her mother managed to reach her flank. "Hey, mother." She spoke fondly while reaching out to brush the top of her muzzle through the monochrome fur that cloaked the aging matriarch's shoulder.

"They're at it again." Sphinx commented vaguely while tossing a final glance in the direction the caribu herd she spotted earlier had been heading, knowing well the woman beside her would catch on to the coyote reference as lithe limbs continued to follow the marked outline of the Rye. In truth, patrolling the borders; since she couldnt leave to scout out the surrounding areas to become reacquainted with the landscape granted the infestation problem, was the Avalon's method of coping with the grief and guilt that went hand in hand after being informed of what occured during her absence.

Keep moving. Any moment her paws stood still her mind was flooded with an array of what if scenarios that just couldn't be answered. Thus Sphinx kept herself in motion doing anything and everything that would allow her mind to stay clear and in that current moment. Only daring to stop once she felt an ache in her paws and a heaviness in her eyes.

The dark girl was quick to come to a stop after that and Jessie's approach was quick to follow. The two's embrace was long overdue, just as any of her interactions were with her children. There was something reassuring about her second daughter coming home having left. Maybe it was because of how she felt about her mothering skills towards Percy and having failed her as a parent. Perhaps, for her second litter she had not done as bad. Of course, she would have to do better now that Drestig was gone. Parenting would be all on her now. At Sphinx's statement, the Rye Queen turned to gaze out passed their borders, lips pulled back in digust, wrinkling her muzzle. "It's awful," she offered. The monochrome woman felt like she was being suffocated within her own home, feeling like she could not leave the comfort of her own borders without being jumped by the vermin - who seemed to be moving around in their own little groups. Grey ears flicked forward, emerald eyes intent on the open fields in front of them. When she spoke, her voice was firmer, "Something has to be done."

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It was no surprise that her mother held similar sentiments in regards to the infestation problem that plagued their lands as the duo traced the outer walls of their home with each stride through the open fields. A dark tufted ear rotating off to the side to catch the firmer tone of voice the monochrome woman used when speaking her thoughts. Sphinx couldn't agree more that indeed something needed to be done, but what could they truly do about the situation? Chasing them off only did so much and often times they chased back to force the Rye wolves back into their dens which left the young Avalon's skin crawling in disgust. How was it that they, the top predators, were being beat by the likes of them?

A small rumble of frustration sounded in Sphinx's chest and for a moment her tail lashed like a whip behind her to display the very agitation she felt. "I agree, but what can we do?" She didn't know the answer, but one thing she firmly remembered growing up was that her parents always seemed to have an answer or method to solve whatever problem they faced. Unfortunately, she only had her mother's guidance now, but in turn that made the speckled yearling cherish the older woman's wisdom that much more.

Walking shoulder by shoulder with her daughter brought a peace to Jessie's mind. It was so comforting to know that while some parts of her life might have been shattering, other parts remained in tact. She remembered a time in her life where there were all these unknowns and still she felt like this. Like she was never in control, when it was all she really wanted in life. That was how she felt now, like her life was spiraling out of control. There were these coyotes that never seemed to go away. Jessie just wanted her family to be able to live in peace. The mother's ears flicked at the sound of her daughter's voice. It was a valid question given that she had brought it up but the Rye Queen found herself lost to an answer. What could they do? It felt like the vermin had made their claim to the lore. Jessie certainly did not want to lose any more of her members and certainly not to the 'yotes. When she spoke again, her voice was uncharacteristically softer, "The only thing we can do. Fight and stick together. We can't risk anything, not with Adelayde's children. At this point in time, we're more fragile than ever." This caused a frown to form on her maw. It was a concerning thought but a familiar feeling to Jessie, none the less.

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When her mother spoke next, the softness of her voice wasn't quite expected after the more firm tone used only moments ago, but the words she spoke were true. When but a mere pup herself the pack had seemed so strong, immortal almost if such a thing was even possible. Now that she was older, a little wiser she saw the truth unfold before her very eyes. Her father no longer protected these lands and the likes of coyotes were on the rise taking over what never should have belonged to them. There were children amongst them that needed protection. Much like the frown that marred her mother's maw, Sphinx's ears splayed back against her head. The Rye was indeed in a fragile state and there was no ignoring it.

"I don't like it, mama." The speckled yearling confessed while pressing her shoulder into that of her mother's for comfort, voice warbling slightly like all children did when faced with something that scared them. In truth Sphinx was scared. There was a real possibility that if these surges in coyote populations continued and the pack remained as fragile as Jessie believed them to be, those that called the Rye home may not be able to call it home for very much longer.

They stayed at the borders in silence for quite a while. The last thing the mother wanted to do was cause stress to her child. A liar, she was not. The mother remained quiet, looking over the still lowlands, not a life in sight. Not only were the coyotes making it hard for the Rye wolves to travel but they were also taking their prey. It was stressful but more than anything else, Jessie was worried for those that remained in her pack. What if something happened to them and the coyotes decided - for whatever reason - that they wanted to settle down? While it was certainly not in their nature, it was also not common to see them stay in one place for so long. Hopefully, they wouldn't be sticking around for much longer. The Tainn leaned into her daughter, the two supporting one another. The physical touch was nice, something she hadn't really indulged in since Drestig's death. While she had the pack, a family, she did not feel close with them as she should, how she's always wanted to. For a moment, the monochrome woman just shut her eyes, enjoying this moment with her daughter. When Sphinx spoke, however, emerald eyes shot open, eyes readjusting to the Fields. The mother's frown deepened, eyebrows creasing together as she quietly agreed with her daughter. She swallowed hard, pressing her head against her daughter's. When she spoke, her voice was soft, "Well, we have one thing that they don't...allies." It was true and an advantage that Wild Rye Fields was lucky to have. If the Rye was not backed by the Edge and Surge wolves, Jessie was not sure where they would be.

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The hard swallow echoed in Sphinx's ears as silence continued to hang between the two monochrome wolves before Jessie spoke softly once more. The pressure of her head resting against her daughter's offered the yearling another dose of reassurance that would later be accompanied by her mother's words. She was right. The Rye had allies and luckily for them, that was a concept well beyond comprehension of any mangy coyotes. "They're too dumb to have those." Sphinx commented with the hint of a sly smirk tugging at one inky corner of her snout. Her tail giving a small swish behind her while lifting her head enough to adorn her mother's brow with a swift swipe of her tongue.

Maybe one of these days the young Avalon herself could venture to meet these allies one on one, but with the heavy presence of coyotes still lingering about, when that may happen was anyone's guess. Rounding the border's edge, soft amber eyes peered into the calm sea of gold that lay over her mother's shoulder before altering her footsteps to begin heading back inside safer ground. With the coyotes stealing any hopes of hunting there was nothing more the duo could do. "Race ya home." An attempt to steer their thoughts toward better things.

For what Jessie lacked in passion for leading her pack, she made up for in tact. Being a willing diplomate was one of the most important functions of pack life and she had sworn that she would do her best to maintain relationships as long as she breathed. Luckily, the Fields pack got along quite well with their neighbors. It was all Jessie could ask for and it was certainly reassuring for when they were facing their enemies. A small smile graced the mother's lips when Sphinx spoke. She was glad they had a similar mind-set when it came to their lesser cousins. When the pack had similar opinions, the whole junction just ran more smoothly. Mother and daughter sat together in silence, enjoying one another's company until the yearling spoke. A sly smirk formed on the monochrome Queen's lips, emerald eyes turning to stare at her daughter. She nodded in agreement, "Sure, whoever loses owes the other a hare." With that, Jessie started towards the pack den.

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{Jessie Fade}