Willow Ridge We need a new foundation

the stars don’t shine they burn

Deluge Archer-Lyall

There was only one place where willows grew in the shadow of the mountain, so this had to be it right? As Deluge padded between the trees, snow crunching more audibly than she otherwise might like underfoot, she paused to consider. On her way here she had caught scent of more than ample prey, and the few wolves she had encountered seemed few and far between. She probably should have swung by her Grandpa Ren’s old stomping grounds north of the lagoon to see if she could find the old grizzly den, but there would be plenty of time for that yet.

Maybe, if she headed a bit more towards the side of the mountain, she’d be able to find the medicinal den her Nonna’s mum had used? She wondered if anything would be left after all this time…

(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2023, 12:57 AM by Hagar.)

The masked woman had just returned from a rather successful hunt. The rabbit hung from her mouth as she carried it to the cache she'd finally finished preparing. With things looking up for her plans she wanted to ensure things would be ready. Avella didn't want to let the doubts at the back of her mind keep her from accomplishing her goals.

However, as she dropped her prize on the ground before starting to bury it the scent of a stranger caught her attention. Obviously she was curious as to what they were up to so she searched them out her rabbit forgotten in the moment. When the scent became stinger she found the oddly colored wolf. "Excuse me, can I help you with something?" She asked.

the stars don’t shine they burn

Deluge Archer-Lyall

Gosh they were a chatty bunch around here weren’t they? She only acknowledged the question with a flick of her ear, her nose dropping to the snow to sniff at the base of a tree, lifting slightly and then taking a few steps more to a partially buried rock, or at least, that was what she assumed was under that particular mound of snow.

Deluge had considered ignoring the question all together but it did make her curious, so she turned to face the other wolf side on, her eyes squinting in a familiar manner (to any who had known her Nonna) and her muzzle crinkled, exposing the edge of a tooth, as if she had just chewed on something incredibly bitter. “Don’cher lot ever get exhausted tryin ter be so fuckin’ polite all th’ time? Who am I to yer? An’ what makes yer think I’d want help?” She snorted air out her frozen snout in a very unladylike manner, but now she had asked the question, she was interested in sticking around to see what the answer was.

It was curious the way the other wolf was sniffing around. It was very clear that she was looking for something and not in the way Clover had been. This bothered the Archer very much. Despite that she didn't want to lose the chance to gain a new member to her soon to be pack so she remained polite. That decision was put into serious question when the stranger seemed to ignore her. Why she never, Archers didn't get ignored and she wasn't going to be either especially not in her homeland.

Perhaps it shouldn't have been much of a surprise when she was finally acknowledged. The words out of this wolf's mouth clearly showed her age and didn't help her any in the slightest. "I suggest you fix your tone," she growled since the girl didn't seem to like politeness. That was fine with the masked woman. "State your business or leave." That was the only warning thus girl would get and Avella hoped she made the right decision.

the stars don’t shine they burn

Deluge Archer-Lyall

The girl smirked when the woman spoke, a snicker leaving her lips as her own tail arched high in response to the tone. “Why would I? Yer don’t own th’ place.” She felt like there was more to it from the way the other woman had reacted, but she wasn’t going to dwell on it now, there would be time for contemplation later. As of right now, a stranger had as much claim to the land as one that was born here, and neither had the numbers to back them up if they wanted to claim otherwise.

Beneath her skin began to itch in a familiar way, and she couldn’t help but continue to taunt, puffing out her chest and tucking her chin as she moved in close to attempt a shove on the other wolf. “Why don’cher try an’ show me out then?”

It was easy to pick up on both tension and words as Scully approached his sister and... someone that looked a touch familiar. Didn't matter - she moved to shove Avella, whose anger had been already been felt. The older Archer didn't need to think twice. He launched himself the remaining distance, looking to slam his own shoulder into her with as much force as he would a wolf larger than himself.

Hopefully, he had multiple factors going in his favor, from the wind blowing in his face to her youthfulness - but he'd certainly been wrong before. Regardless of a hit or miss, he would answer for his sibling;

"Actually we do, y'mouthy little twit."

It was in their blood, and they certainly weren't going to be so easily dissuaded from attempting to uphold the expectations passed down to them.

Remembering the many history lessons from Nonna about the landscape of the Lore, the girl found her way towards the only willow tree forest she could find by the mountain. Seiche wanted to assume this was the place where her family heritage was rooted and also where she hoped to find Deluge. This place was the most logical area to begin her search for her sister and the girl hoped she didn't have to search long.

Padding further into the willows, her black capped ears caught the sounds of voices up ahead, perking her interest. Sapphire eyes discovering that not only was she correct with starting her search in the Willows, but also her dear sister was already disturbing the peace. A dark smirk crossing her ebony lips at the thought, and it seemed her sister was outnumbered currently, though she was happy to arrive and even out the odds. Knowing her sister was able to take a hit or two, so didn't move to try to block the male's hit. Instead, she slithered over with a snarl adorning her maw to occupy the space behind his sister, showing the two barnacles they had some teeth waiting for them if they wanted to scuffle. "Oh, ye and yer army o' two huh?"

 

Avella was ready to decimate the girl she was so angry. She would show her just how much she didn't own the land. It was probably lucky for the girl that Scully had shown up when he did because Avella didn't want to mess around with all this shoving. When she saw the girl preparing to shove her she prepared herself for the hit and her retaliation. However Scully as always had her back, he shoved into her first. Avella stayed back, hackles raised, and a stance that said she was ready to pounce the moment it was needed. She continued her growl.

"You heard him. This is our land," she stated her tone deathly serious, "Now leave before you find yourself in a situation you can't get out of."

Avella wasn't a murderer and she wasn't unfair so she was going to give the girl one more chance to take her leave. If she chose not to Avella wouldn't feel responsible. They's given ner warning and they'd given her chances to do the right thing. She'd chosen to be an ignorant smart ass. As far as the Archer was concerned she deserved what she got.

As if things couldn't get any worse another mouthy little brat showed up. Avella'd had it up to her ear tips with them. If these dumb asses would have just stated why they were there this could have all been avoided but no.

The masked woman's growls grew louder before she'd finally had it and charged the newest arrival.

the stars don’t shine they burn

Deluge Archer-Lyall

She laughed when the shove came, digging claws into the snow to stop herself from sliding too far back. Deluge had spent enough time with her family at Lichenstone Loch to know how to speak her words with intent. Not that she often dolled out curses, but it seemed pretty fitting now. “Ah, so yer need a boy ter fight yer battles do yer?” She snorted for effect, “Elettra Archer must be rollin’ over in ‘er grave. May th’ spirits o’ this land rise up an’ pluck out all yer teeth!”

As if on cue, Seiche made her presence known and the girl grinned widely. “Our Nonna was born ‘n raised, ‘n lead ‘ere an’ we’re Archer’s an’ Lyalls, we ‘ave as much claim as anyone, but we’re jus’ chasin’ fairytales, yer clearly tryna live one. It’ll never be what it was.” Her last words sounded a little bitter, Morganna had always drilled into their heads that it was better to start something new, rather than try to emulate what was, it would never be close enough to the same to leave you anything but bitter. You wouldn’t be happy unless you forged your own path. It was why she had moved around so much in her younger years.

So far the only decent part of her trip had been finding that the sturgeon in the Lagoon still lived. Her feet were set if they wanted to take it further, she had teeth and she wasn’t afraid to use them. The descendants of Morganna Archer wouldn’t shy away from a fight.

Hagar followed after the scent of others, tail already wagging amicably behind him as he recognized the young girl he'd hunted with not too long ago. As he grew nearer, raised voices caused his ears to press forward with curiosity. Where they... fighting? Ducking around one last willow, he saw bared fangs and lifted hackles but unlike the quartet, Hagar did not rush to act.

He approached calmly, with his head canted to the side. There would be no action from him until it was asked of him, or in the (to him) unlikely case that someone's life was threatened.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2022, 08:03 AM by Hagar.)