Heartleaf Creek Are We There Yet?

@Alarick Backdated to 1/17.

Avella was feeling pretty good as she traveled back to the willows with Alarick. She'd brought another wolf into their group and given a wolf a home. She hoped that when they returned home that everything would go well. She already had decided she would call everyone to come and meet Alarick when they got back.

Their journey would take a few days but they were traveling at a quick pace. She just hoped that Scully wasn't worried about her since she'd been gone longer than she'd planned. It was worth it though. Once they arrived in the Willows they could take a few days to rest. She would help her newest recruit learn the land if he wanted her to.

Most importantly now that Alarick had joined her it was time for a longer journey. Avella had planned to visit the neighboring packs to let them know of her presence in Willow Ridge. She didn't want to start off on a van foot with either of them so it was best to go and introduce herself. She would of course have to discuss her plans with Scully before she left.

She smiled over at Alarick as she came to a stop. "We're not far from the willows now. We should reach it sometime tomorrow. I thought this would be a good place to rest maybe we could hunt something before. You up for that?" She was feeling a little peckish and while she usually didn't stop much to eat on her journey's it wasn't just her this time.

(This post was last modified: Jan 29, 2022, 04:16 AM by Avella.)

It was a pleasant change of pace to be traveling with someone else again, with a goal and destination in mind. Upon leaving the blissful berry fields, they had turned south, wandering through some areas that Al was vaguely familiar with, and others he had not yet explored. Having someone else there to guide him through it though, was a big difference from before. It helped also, that his possible future leader was rather kindly and agreeable.

If the others were even half as nice, Al did not doubt he would grow fond of them, too, rather quickly. Hopefully, that feeling would be reciprocated, for if there was one thing he was worried about, it was exactly that. Back home he had not ever worried about being liked or respected. That had just seemed to come, by default. Here, Alarick would have to earn it - but that was something he was more than willing to take on.

The other broke the silence between them by informing him that they were only about a day away, and she believed this to be a good spot to rest and perhaps hunt. ”I believe that is a good idea,” Al agreed with a nod. ”I could.. use a break, and maybe a hunt.” Winter on his own had not been easy, and though he was by no means starving or weak, he was certainly not in top form, either. This length and speed of this journey had been harder than it should have, and Al was most definitely looking forward to the opportunity for better rest when they arrived at the willows. After that, to begin working on all of the other tasks ahead.

Avella was eager to get back home and to see Scully. It was still hard being away from him for so long even though they'd been together for over a year now. She'd missed him so much after she'd gotten lost from the willows when she was a pup. The masked woman supposed that maybe there was still some residual fear that they would somehow be separated again and not ever see each other. At this point in her life she wasn't sure what she would do without her brother.

It was her eagerness that had set a quicker pace. Had she not had Alarick with her she might have kept going but she had to take him into consideration. Maybe he was tired and needed a rest or maybe he was hungry. She had to think of his needs too because that was what a good leader did, that was what she wanted to be...a good leader. Once they reached a place she thought would provide them a good place to rest and maybe some food she stopped.

At which point she brought the thought up to her companion which he agreed to. "Perfect. It looks like over there might be a good place to take shelter for the night," she said indicating a small grouping of bushes. She thought that they would keep the wind off of them. "We can check that out and then scare up some dinner. I'm thinking rabbit might be on the menu tonight. There are plenty of trails around here."

With all of these good things happening, Al recalled that he had another promise to keep, too. One he had made months ago, to the closest friend he had at present. Levi was still out there waiting for a visit, and that was something Alarick would certainly do, when the weather changed. He could share this good news with Levi and hear about the good things which had hopefully happened for the other, too.

His companion at the present gestured to a group of bushes that she thought could be their shelter for the night. After that, they could probably track down a rabbit. There had indeed been a fair number of trails around to this point.  ”That sounds like a plan,” Al agreed with a nod, venturing toward the shelter, first.

It would at least be better than nothing and perhaps act as something of a windbreak. Not being alone, would help, too. Studying the area, a flicker of movement ahead, and slightly to his right, caught his attention. A fair distance ahead was a snowshoe hare, visible only because of its sporadic movement as it was digging at something in the snow, with its back turned to them at present. Wordlessly he inclined his head, looking briefly to Avella, before pointing with his nose toward it in case she had yet to spot it.

Now that Alarick had joined her he was now her responsibility which meant that she had to make sure he was taken care of. She was new to this whole leader thing but she wanted to be the best she could be. Part of that was making sure they had a good place to sleep that night and food in their bellies. The shelter hadn't been hard to find. Granted it wasn't a cave or anything like that but the small group of bushes provided a little alcove they could both fit into. She thought it would keep the wind off of them and between the two of them they could share their warmth.

When she explained her thoughts on the evening Alarick thought it sounded like a good plan. "Then all we need is something to eat before turning in." She turned her attention to finding out which trail they'd come across was the freshest. It was as if the ancestors heard what she said because they didn't have to search far for their meal.

Alarick soon indicated to her that there was something of interest not far way. When she looked in the direction that he'd indicated she saw the Hare. The masked woman nodded to indicate that she'd seen the creature digging in the snow. It was the perfect opportunity that she didn't want to miss out on. They needed a plan, "You go one way, I go the other," she offered in as quiet of a whisper as she thought he would hear.

Vultures are circling something out of sight. Hunt Opportunity! +5 Health

For a few brief moments after spotting the rabbit, his gaze was also drawn upward by the presence of vultures, lingering just above them. Were the scavengers hear for what little scraps that he and Avella were going to leave, after their hunt? Or was there something else out there, which had drawn their attention? Alarick was curious, but these were questions he would consider later.

He did not need his distraction to be the reason the two of them lost the rabbit before them, now. The whisper of a voice from his companion brought his gaze back to her, comprehending her message if not the exact words. With a nod to display his comprehension, Alarick started to venture away at an angle, taking care not to move too quickly, or to let his paws crunch too loudly in the snow - or on anything else buried within it.

Once he felt he had gotten close enough, he paused behind the concealment of a tree, tipping his head only slightly to peer around to make sure the rabbit was still in place. Once he confirmed that it was, Alarick sought to make eye contact with Avella to be sure she was ready, too.

Avella caught Alarick's gaze look up to the sky causing hers to follow. High above them vultures were circling. That was curious to her since she hadn't detected anything that might be of interest to them. The Hare she and her companion were hunting was still alive, though she hoped that would last too much longer. Unless there was something else they were unaware of? That could be figured out later when they didn't have dinner to catch.

She dropped her gaze back to the last place she'd seen the Hare hoping that it was still there, it was and it hadn't noticed them. A whisper was sent Alarick's way in regards to their plan. She received a nod to confirm that he had heard her. So they were on the same page, that was good. They couldn't afford any mistakes. They hadn't had to go far for this meal and she hoped to keep it that way.

Alarick moved first, quickly and quietly off in one direction. Avella's white paws carried her as quietly as possible across the snow. She tried to keep her movements small but fast so as to not alert their prey. She found a tree to hide behind just as her companion had done. Peering out she spotted him quickly and saw he was looking to her, she gave a quick nod as the signal that she was ready when he was.

His potential soon-to-be leader took her place on the other side of the rabbit, concealing herself behind a tree as well. The moment they made eye contact, Alarick received a nod of confirmation - she was ready. After offering one in return, he took a quick moment to plan a path before setting himself into motion, launching into a run that would angle himself toward the target.

The rabbit took only moments to lock onto his presence and perceive him as a threat, darting away quickly - seeming almost to glide atop the snow that heavier creatures like he and Avella sunk into. But, as he hoped - and as he had done with Levi - he had set the rabbit into motion and angled it toward his companion. It seemed more respectful for her to be the one to actually make the catch and kill, if she was to be his leader.

This hunt was shaping up to be a good one. With her on one side and Alarick on the other she felt they had a really good chance. There were still plenty of things that could go wrong but this plan of action was the best scenario that she saw. Part of her felt like she had a lot riding on this hunt too. Alarick hadn't completely agreed to join her and the rest of the group. What if the hunt didn't go well because she messed up and that caused him to change his mind. Avella mentally shook those thoughts from.her head, it wasn't the time.

Instead she focused on her companion and what he was doing. She'd given him her signal that she was in position and ready to go. She didn't think it was a full moment later he was on the move racing after the Hare. It immediately knew what was up and started running for its life. Avella didn't jump put immediately. She could see that Alarick was chasing it right toward her. She waited till the Hare was nearly upon her to the point that all she'd have to do was leap out. This was crucial because if she did at the wrong time they could lose their dinner.

She'd decided on the place in the snow that once the Hare reached it she would move. So when it did she leapt out of her hiding place and landed right on it. Her jaws closed around its neck and within a minute or two their prey had gone limp in her grasp.