Secret Woodlands All That Echoes

          While it may have been twelve degrees on this partly cloudy afternoon, it was higher than most previous days (and even future days to come). A touch of a crisp breeze was in the air, but otherwise a pleasant day for any animal of the wild to meander out of their dwellings and take a stroll (or flight) through nature for the afternoon. Songbirds were robust with their melodies today, as well as several smaller woodland creatures darting from bush to bush, caught up in a game of their own tag with one another or scattering away from oncoming wanderers. The Woodland was certainly on the active side today, and Ecco D'Oliva felt enough was enough for remaining a recluse in her den. The frost of late Winter and early Spring didn't phase the Subordinate, not with her natural layers of thermal coating that had been coming in thicker once again. Malnutrition was becoming a fad of the past for the D'Oliva, as several weeks time healed her into the individual she once knew.

          While missing a majority of Woodland happenings, one major event in particular was a staple point in drawing her out from solidarity on this afternoon. Within her jaws was clutched a hunted ground fowl; Ecco did not identify what species exactly, but the feathering proved it to be a beautiful, delectable meal suited better off as a fancy snack than a meaty avian to feast upon. It was the perfect gesture in welcoming a newer member of the Secret Woodland. Ecco briefly became acquainted with his presence more so at the last gathering, and while the news of Sloane's departure was both saddening and surprising to her, as one of the original group of members to stake claim in Secret Woodland, Ecco was curious to know more about Nina's new partner in leadership.

          Her gift of offering most likely wasn't much, but it was the least Ecco could do in this instance. Weaving through the intricate maze of the Woodland itself, Ecco was following the guide of her nose more than where Koda would find his ideal place to lurk. There were several scents abound, and since Koda's leadership prompted for his own scent to be powerful in rank and territory, Ecco was often misled into dead ends or absent areas where Koda's scent lingered. Ecco could have simply raised her voice in a howl for his presence, but figured it was easier to seek his company rather than demand it (and, that would be a little on the disrespectful side for a Subordinate like her to demand a superior's presence to herself). There was a current scent trail she was on of Koda's, which gradually grew more potent as she tracked it, although it could lead her into another dead end. Ecco didn't necessarily mind, however; the day was young yet, and fresh fowl didn't spoil as bad as hare.

An easy lope carried Koda through the Woodlands, a place that was steadily becoming more and more familiar to him, though he wasn't quite at the point to call it "home" yet. Regardless, he took the time to memorize all the routes of the winding wood. It was seclusive and lonely work, and he told himself it was necessary to know the lay of the land, although somewhere deep inside he knew he was putting off the inevitable. Getting to know his packmates, or... Subordinates, really. That was the unnerving heart of the matter, the thought that he was leader of what practically amounted to strangers. Koda wasn't particularly shy, nor rude, as to avoid them forever, but needed some breathing room to think through it all himself.

A lot of responsibility lay ahead, particularly with the pups that would be steadily growing in his mate's belly. Koda suddenly stopped in his tracks, a sigh huffing from his jaws and his shoulders sloping from their usual squared rigidity. For Nina's sake, for their cubs' sake, he needed to fully step into the leader role that he had promised Nina he would. He needed to know and trust the members of Secret Woodlands, just as much as they needed to know and trust him. It still bothered him that large swathes of the past year were absent from his mind, but now was the time to make new memories.

Just as he'd made up his mind to seek out his packmates and involve himself in the daily life of the pack, pawsteps over frozen earth rang out behind him. Good timing, he thought. Koda turned, walking back along the path he'd just traversed. An avian scent hit him, mingled with that of a familiar wolf, and sure enough he ran into a little dark toned wolf with a bird nestled between her jaws. He remembered seeing her at the meeting, though he couldn't quite remember if he'd caught her name. "Good afternoon," He greeted, a small smile on his face as his tail waved level with his body.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

          With Koda instantaneously appearing in her line of tracking after his scent, Ecco came to a jarring stop; amber eyes slightly widened from her Leader's sudden presence. Ecco didn't get too much of a good observation of Koda from the previous meeting, but before her was a very large Grey Wolf cloaked in majestic silver and cream. It seemed Koda's sheer size alone further displayed his authority of Leader of the Secret Woodlands, and so in the silent language of Alpha and Omega, Ecco's petite figure bowed down to that of her superior. A light and airy greeting emerged from Koda, Ecco catching the casual sway made in his tail from behind. Ecco could see why Nina chose Koda as her mate: his sheer size seemed to express healthy genes, first impression held a similar aura to that of Nina, and while Ecco only knew the details on the surface, was bound to find similar traits within Koda that matched Nina's perfect. Ecco didn't doubt Nina's choices with anything, especially if Nina was the Leader of the pack who governed the safety and wellbeing of everyone.

          Placing the fowl at the foot of her forepaws, Ecco craned into her submissive and respected pose deeper before lifting her head to finally meet Koda at eye level. "Afternoon, Koda." Ecco replied to his greeting without a beat missed, especially since Koda's name was absorbed into her memory even though the last meeting didn't give the two of them specific time to mingle with one another as pack mates. The Subordinate's own tail swayed behind her, feeling her muscles relax some from their tensing in showing her submissive nature to her superior, but not by much. "Hope I didn't catch you at a wrong time. I was meaning to give something to you..." Ecco remarked, with a tinge of uncertainty in her voice. The uncertainty arose from pressure of making Koda feel welcomed as a family member within the Woodlands, and if Koda would approve of Ecco's caught fowl for him. It was nothing big, just a small gesture of welcome and appreciativeness. Her dark muzzle lightly dipped in gesture to the fowl at her forepaws, indicating what she brought for him.