Willow Ridge I'm coming home

This is a continued thread with El following the trek home. Also this is for anyone with time that would like to greet the newest WR member and her 'gift' to the pack.
@Angier @Elettra @Xetor @Sorya @Rowan @Taima @Skoll @Titan @Morganna @Quil @Octavius @Greer @Castiel @Deacon

RE: The sky is dark with storm clouds. Setting: Afternoon — 50° F/10° C ; Pack Boarders Amber orbs took a hesitant glance upwards toward the heavens as a looming shadow engulfed both the Ashrelle woman's slender frame and that of the Archer matriarch who marched only a few strides ahead of her towards the drooping willows that marked the den site of the Willow Ridge pack and evidently her new home. Massive storm clouds were starting to roll in from the west and held with them the threat of not only rain, but blinding flashes of lightning and ear deafening drums of thunder while they began to replace the once clear blue skies with various shades of grey. Her once perked ears now laid flat against the back of her skull while her sauntered pace picked up into more of a brisk walk as a thunderous boom echoed behind them to announce that the storm was on its way like a king being escorted by the blares of a trumpet brigade. 'At least we are close enough to seek shelter if the sky does decide to open up soon.' the young woman thought to herself as she shifted her hold on the ankles that were clenched between her mighty jaws in order to sufficiently drag the rear end of the carcass the remaining distance to the cache, the other end being dragged by the nape of the neck within the queens jaws. As they neared the invisible line that separated pack from outsider, the piebald woman couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness clench within the pit of her stomach. This was finally it, she had finally found a place to call home after so many years of wandering the world alone and it was here among the forest of weeping willow trees; who's branches bent down to tickle the faces of its occupants should they walk through them. This place felt like home already, but there was something bigger at stake here. A real test that awaited to be passed or failed. It was the pack members themselves that made up this test and decided her final grade. Would they deem her worthy of the title of packmate, consider her family or would she just become another member that simply existed among them? 'Come on Enoki, they can't be that bad.' She thought silently, beating herself over the head for letting her confidence waver enough to question things already. Obviously she was worth something if the alpha female herself saw something in her and liked it enough to recruit the young woman. Elettra didn't come off as the type to just allow any wolf into her ranks for she was a strong ruler and would want nothing less in her members. With that, Enoki paused her steps for a moment to shake out her fur and any uncertainty with it, letting the hairs fall back into place before she briskly caught up with the other woman and straightened herself out confidently with tail lowered respectfully behind her while they strode into pack territory, carcass dragging beneath their bellies. Her first of many tithes to be given to the pack. To home.

Khalliysgraphy @DA & CathleenTarawhiti @DA - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Sep 24, 2014, 09:25 PM by Enoki.)

Titan had familiarized himself with a good portion of the territory by now. However he was still interested in what herbs could naturally be found within the Drooping Willows. Though more specifically he wanted to see what was found within the pack's territory. The dark lad had a general idea of what he might find. Things like mushrooms, various grainy plants, and woody bushes. Though he was more interested in medicinal herbs.

As he looked over a small plant that had a smell which reminded him of the cloy scents of medicinal plants, Titan noted its little green berries. He didn't have a word for what they looked like, though to humans one might say they looked like little green pineapples.

The dark wolf had noticed them growing on one of the more worn paths that the willow wolves used. He had noticed it because all the other plants had song since died on this path after being stepped on, but this one plant seemed to grow fine there. Wondering whether the plant might be useful, the dark lad made sure to remind himself to tell someone about them later. Though the idea of a new herb made him question how wolves tested plants they thought might be useful, or deadly.

The shift in the air gave him pause as Titan brought his head up to look at the sky. It was getting dark again. He hated storms, and hated being caught outside in them. Lightning and thunder usually freaked him out enough so that he made himself take lavender hyssop just to keep himself calm. Noting that he had plenty of time to reach the den before the storm hit, the dark Thorben moved towards a pair of the strange plants on the path. He was very tempted to take a little taste of one.

Suddenly the scent of wolf and fresh kill brought his nose up from the ground. He glanced forward to see a she wolf traveling up the path. She was coming from the border, but it was a she wolf whom Titan didn't really know. Though he didn't know many of the willow wolves in the first place being so new himself.

He craned his head to the side to get a better view of the woman dragging a carcass down the path. He was betting that she was bringing it to a cache, but the weight of the creature was slowing her down. To him it looked as if she had no problem lifting the weight with her taut body, but that the carcass itself was awkward to carry. Noting her interesting coat color as he padded forward to greet her, Titan tested the air for the scent of the pack on her. Then he gave her a lopsided grin.

"Miss? Do you need help with that?" He asked in a charming manner allowing his tail to wag a little with friendliness. His dark blue eyes averted her gaze out of simple wolf courtesy before they fell upon the carcass. He was a tad bit hungry, but the dark boy wouldn't tell her that.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2014, 02:38 PM by Titan.)

Posting both my boys :)

He was actually doing a border patrol which wasn't exactly a task Xetor was practiced at. Although he was doing this job more and more to make himself useful. The young Archer was beginning to become a jack of all trades much like the alpha male Angier was. He could fish, hunt earth bound prey, heal, and after a surprising growth spurt during his journey to the Lore; Xetor was now large enough to be an intimidating guard against strangers.

Or at least he thought of himself as larger. Though he wasn't quite the largest in the pack.

Two scents came to the young man's nose as he spritzed his odor along the line of trees that made up one border. Xetor was quite familiar with the members of his auntie's pack, but these two wolf scents were quite new. The information on their smells piqued his interest as Xetor be-lined for the pair. The scent of carcass also came to his nose, but he ignored it having already hunted for himself earlier. Instead he focused on the distinctly male and female scents that floated past his keen nose. One scent, the males, he had come across earlier near the medicinal den. Three piles of herbs had been laid at the den's mouth but the wolf had not been there when Xetor had arrived.

He's the same guy who dropped off those stacks of herbs from the meadow. His scent had been strange before though. El and Angier's scents were there in acceptance of him, but the boy also had other wolf smells on him... He could have dispersed from a nearby pack? He wondered quietly debating on whether to be suspicious of the male or to be friendly.

The females scent however only told him that she had come to them as a loner and was accepted by Elettra. He had nothing else to base an opinion of her at the moment and decided to take a neutral stance when it came to chatting with them.

Arriving at the scene just int time to hear a question uttered by the dark male, Tor narrowed his eyes at the pair. The woman certainly didn't seem to need any help. She wasn't breathing heavily or pausing to rest at all. Just trying to be nice I guess. he thought snidely while gazing towards the freakishly large black wolf. Feeling a little bit intimidated by this guys size, Tor felt himself pause before greeting the pair of wolves. His grayish amber eyes slid over the dark forms of both noting their differences.

The she wolf had a coat of black and white which he thought to be quite unique. Though unique was his nice way of describing that fur. Then he spotted those amber eyes she held. She truly was different which made him want to interact with her more.

Xetor's eyes slid to the large brute measuring his physique closely. The male had a dense black coat with gray misted guard hairs. Something that might have been familiar to the Archer line had the misted guard hairs been touched with rust or brown instead of gray. The males body type also suggested that he come from different stock, as well as his thicker facial features. Tor's gaze slid over Titan's dark blue orbs. He couldn't help but admire the pool-like quality of the strangers eyes.

Looking over their body language for friendliness, Xetor finally decided to insert himself into the situation. He stepped forward, head and tail raised to make sure they knew of his status before clearing his throat.

"Friend...Should you be doing something other than bothering a lady doing her job?"Tor spoke with a neutral tone to the taller male while pinning him with a hard stare. He wanted this guy to be lower than him despite the height disadvantage Xetor had compared to the dark male.

'So this is home.' The woman thought to herself as she continued onward along a well worn path among the willows; clearly the main path of traveling among the pack members, her amber gaze scanning over every inch of her surroundings to make mental notes of what was where to make becoming situated a little easier as the days passed. It was during this silent observation that her attention was drawn away from a separate path that branched off the main one; where it lead she didn't know, but she would find out later, and to the voice of an unknown stranger and young by the tone of it asking if she had needed help. With a quick inhale of the air as a dark silhouette could just be seen in the distance she learned from the smell that it was a yearling male bearing the familiar Ridge scent. This she knew without a doubt from spending time with the Matriarch and wondered if he was possibly one of the pups from the litter Elettra carried upon their first encounter at Fireweed Rise. He was of the right age, but upon another inhale of his scent once he grew closer she noticed a mixture of a foreign scent mingling within that of the Ridge's scent. "He must be a newer member." She thought to herself while letting her amber gaze sweep over the slowly approaching mystery wolf, noting each feature the more visible they became the closer he got. He was of a lanky build with broad shoulders and a dark hued pelt similar to hers though dusted with fine silvery guard hairs to replace the patches of white that adorned hers. The most noticeably feature was that he was tall for a yearling she realized. He had to be at least a foot taller than her and easily towered over her mere two foot five height which would make him intimidating to any wolf similar in size to her. Once the distance was closed between them she allowed herself to catch his gaze for just a split second before adverting it much the same way he did, but not after admiring the sapphire gems that made up his eyes which nestled starkly upon the black mask of his face. Lowering her head she released her hold on the carcass to properly answer his question, but it was just as she opened her mouth to speak that another voice answered, neutral in tone yet much deeper than her own light and feathery pitch. Turning her attention away from the sapphire boy, she settled her amber gaze on the form of another dark colored wolf approaching the duo which highly resembled the Archer woman she had come to befriend with the misting of rust colored guard hairs lining the black mass of fur. She almost had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't the dark queen herself, but a quick whiff of his scent and the amber orbs that adorned his facial features reassured her he was not she, but indeed was of relation to her, but to what extent she couldn't tell. With a respectful tuck of her tail underneath herself and ears flat against her skull for a moment, she watched silently as the new mystery male advanced, his body posture indicating that he held a position higher than they. "Friend...Should you be doing something other than bothering a lady doing her job?" Enoki uttered a soft chuckle at this, letting the tip of her tail sway in a friendly manor behind her, though keeping it at a low height. "He's of no bother, sir." She addressed the Archer male, letting her amber orbs greet his for a spare moment before dropping courteously. "He was only asking if he could be of service." The piebald woman knew not how long the second in command had watched them nor that he had overheard the yearling's question.

Khalliysgraphy @DA & CathleenTarawhiti @DA - Table by PuppyThief

Titan cocked his head as the older woman looked over him. He awaited her answer as she lowered her head to place the carcass down, but before she could speak another deeper voice answered. Titan's curious blue eyes switched to the dark form of another willow wolf, though for a long moment he thought it was Asriel.

Rage began to cloud his mind as Titan glared at the male, though luckily for him he thought about what to do before he growled at the man. It took his nose a few seconds to register that the other older male was not in fact the prince of the willows. The prince who had broken a promise to keep Titan's sister Malia safe, but some other relation. Truly this man looked quite like Asriel, although he bore a darker facial complexion than the once regal prince. They did both have the flecked black coat of rusts that Titan remembered Asriel having.

The realization that this male was just some look alike stranger began to dawn upon Titan; so he slowly lowered his gaze respectfully and dipped his body in response to the older man's posturing. He didn't want to cause a problem after just joining the pack.

"I am, or was looking for a healer by the name of Adelaide." He answered truthfully. Maybe this male might know where the woman the lead Elettra had told him about was settled within the territory. "She's supposed to be a healer here, and Elettra said she could teach me more." His answer was a bit broken up as Titan kept his gaze away and felt his earlier rage subside. Sparing a flick of his gaze across the other two wolves he gave them a friendly lopsided grin. "I'm a little new here and can't seem to find anyone. Sorry about troubling you and...umm... what are your names?" His eyes left them again as Titan felt embarrassment heat his pelt. He was never this meek. He hated being "the new guy around the block" and knowing absolutely nothing. He hated asking questions to get help. Usually he liked just doing things himself.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2014, 10:25 PM by Titan.)

Xetor watched as the she wolf answered for the younger male. The rusted Archer thought he had briefly caught a look of anger flit across the younger wolf's previously happy complexion as he looked towards him. However the look didn't last too long. Xetor continued to stare down at the male making sure he wouldn't try anything. He saw the anger in the young man's eyes simmer down to brief confusion then switch to an apologetic easy-going look. Tor was a tad confused by the other male's reaction of his appearance himself. It had seemed like the youth had been angry with him. As if he had known him or something.

I have no clue who he is or why he was angry with me, but he had better not do that to me again. Xetor thought slyly as he watched the male lower himself appropriately. The Archer's ears flicked at the cracking tenor of the younger males aging voice and calmed himself. He's just a yearling learning everything to learn in a new pack. No threat there. He allowed his tail to lower a bit to appear more friendly and relaxed. Though he too wondered who this Adelaide had been. He certainly didn't know her. The only healers Xetor knew of in Willow Ridge were Elettra and himself. If El promised him a teacher then... fuck. That Adelaide lady isn't around either. He mentally cursed himself. Xetor liked working by himself and having an annoying younger male around who loomed above his own height would certainly bother Tor.

"I'll uh... Look around for her." and keep him from messing around the medicinal den for a while... "So until she's found you should just keep away from the den. Elettra uses the herb den for her pups and I'm sure she doesn't want a newbie like you around them quite yet." He answered before switching his gaze onto the she wolf and raising a brow at her "gift".

"My name is Xetor Archer and a part from Angier I am the law around here. So keep to the leaders rules and I won't have a problem with you." His voice was horribly confident, so much so that he looked rather full of himself as he stood rigidly in place. Without any other adult males to challenge his authority Xetor was becoming quite the bully himself. Though one could blame the constant bullying he had received from the wolves of the empire in his recent past.

"So you caught this yourself?" He asked genuinely interested in the strange colored womans answer. By now the dark male was practically ignoring the yearling as he tried charming some friendly talk out of the ebony and ivory colored woman.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2014, 10:25 PM by Xetor.)

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Knowing that this was not going to be a quick hello and send her back on her way conversation, Enoki eased her back haunches into a sitting position to become more comfortable as the trio converse. It was the yearling male that spoke up first in response to the other man, his eyes holding anger behind them that one could not miss thought it was now ebbing away. Had something happened to cause such rage behind his gaze? She figured it was none of her business and left it alone, instead focusing on his words of a healer he was searching for by the name of Adelaide, a woman whom he was told to find by the lead woman herself if he sought to learn more in the art of medicinal healing. Enoki knew nothing when it came to healing, nor did she particularly care for it and of this mysterious Adelaide woman she knew nothing either, making itself apparent that her input on this piece of conversation was all but useless so she opted out of it, remaining silent as the older male spoke briefly of the subject with an offer to keep an eye out for her before issuing a stern warning to keep away from what it sounded like to be a multipurpose den. Even though this warning was not directed at her she too took mind of his words to avoid the medicinal den where just as Enoki had curiously wondered earlier, held Elettra's latest litter of future rulers. Xetor Archer, the beta male introduced himself as along with the name of another wolf who went by Angier and from the sounds of it no doubt was the ruling male and Elettra's mate. She would have to seek him out soon to properly introduce herself to her new king. As Xetor spoke she noted that he spoke with a voice coated thickly in confidence that alongside his body posture one would almost mistake him for being full of himself, but that was what power could do to a wolf. You give someone any form of power and if they liked it enough it could make a real jerk out of the sweetest person. The Ashrelle woman didn't know if he was truly that way, or just showing off like most males love to do around others and decided her opinion would remain neutral towards him until they got to know each other better in the future. Her opinion likewise with the still nameless yearling whom seemed meek in comparison. "It's a pleasure to meet you Xetor. I am Enoki Ashrelle, the newest member to join the pack." she stated matter-o-factually to both before offering a friendly grin of her own in response to the lopsided one the younger boy gave. And having introduced herself formally, she then allowed her attention to fall from the blue eyed boy and back to Xetor as he asked a friendly question. Dipping her head slightly in a nod she allowed the corner of her lips to fall back into the form of a smaller smile. "Yes, I had just brought down the poor doe when Elettra happened to show up in Hush Meadow." She answered him, becoming more relaxed with her audience enough to allow her posture to loosen up some and thump her tail against the dirt floor.

Khalliysgraphy @DA & CathleenTarawhiti @DA - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2014, 11:21 PM by Enoki.)

He was glad the adult male didn't push any questions upon him for the accidental look he had given him earlier. Though as Xetor gave Titan a harsh stare he grudgingly lowered his head further in apology. As much as he didn't like it, the youth had to be respectful. His mother had always stressed to him that respect must be given in order to earn it. Especially from Willow wolves, and now that he was one of them it was even more imperative to follow Narime's old directions.

However, now that the most tense part of the greeting was over, Titan was able to relax some. He raised his head back to a comfortable level, though he was still careful to stay lower than the older males watchful eyes. Allowing his body to stretch and ease tension also helped to calm the last bit of anger simmering over the thought of Asriel. Hmm.. I don't remember smelling him around either... the thought flahsed across the dark wolf's mind before he heard the introductions being given out.

With a quick glance to the others he smiled warmly relaxing further into a comfortable sit between Enoki and Xetor.

"My name is Titan Thorben. It's great to meet you both!" He tried to look excited though the stiffness of Xetor put off his usual good mood. Although he took careful note of the information Tor gave. Titan hadn't known that the medicine den was also the pups den. Maybe he was lucky he hadn't stayed for long after dropping off the last batch of herbs by the place.

Enoki then mentioned where she had caught her prize. "Oh... You were hunting in the meadow." Titan sighed half wondering how the rest of his family were doing back at the caverns. The secret tunnels and giant stone rooms that swelled mostly underneath the hush meadow was where he had been born, and it was where his family still lived. Although really the only wolf he worried about was @Danica since she had still been healing up when he left. She was the real reason it had taken him so long to come to a decision about leaving. The Reinier she wolf had been the only one to truly understand him, and he liked to think that she missed him as much as he missed her hanging around.

"That's impressive though, to drag it all the way back here... Maybe you really don't need any help." That charming smile returned once again as he looked approvingly at the carcass. His own mother had often dragged the largest game she could carry back inside the borders for the pack to eat in safety, but she did this mostly when he and his siblings had been very young.

That thought got the dark lad thinking about the pups of Willow Ridge. He still wanted to meet Elettra's new brood.

I goofed and accidentally put Aideen's name as the she wolf El had mentioned to Titan. It was actually Adelaide. I fixed my posts, and sorry for the problem!

Xetor felt the tension in the air dissipate as if the wind was cutting away at it and blowing it elsewhere. He was satisfied now with the younger boy's subservience and allowed his own rigid body to melt back into his usual look. A look characterized by a drooping tail and calm sideways ears. The wind blew swiftly over his rusted mane as Tor let his face begin to show a bit of warmth.

"Enoki Ashrelle is a beautiful name if I may say so. "He offered the compliment before tilting his head to observe the dark lad also offer his own name. Titan, how fitting for a wolf of his stature... Tor kept the thought to himself before giving the lad an approving nod in greeting. "It is also good to meet you. Though I would have taken you for a guardian instead of a healer." He commented quickly before turning his full attention back to Enoki. She was the one he wanted to talk with, not so much the yearling who sat around not doing anything.

She spoke of hunting in the meadow, and he nods knowing exactly which meadow she was talking about. He had gathered herbs there himself and found the place to be quite attractive to prey species like deer.

He noted the small comment added by Titan, something that he found of little interest to him. Then looked off in the direction of the hush meadow. You couldn't see the place from here, for the trees were too thick and the hills too many. However he knew exactly which direction the meadow was because he had gathered many herbs to stock both his medicine den and Elettra's with. "Yes it is truly impressive. I'm glad we have such a strong hunter with us now." Xetor commented with true interest in his voice. He did like to hunt too. "Maybe next time you'll take me with?" His question was a light one, as if he could easily take it back on a whim. Tor was willing to hunt with others as long as they were cordial and nice.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2014, 10:26 PM by Xetor.)