But you could hide beside me

All pack members are welcome with a preference on @Lugh @Bane @Florence @Luz @Senka @Vera @Cessair@Inali as Rae has not met them yet. 

Weather:
Thunder sleet, (Or that's how I'm interpreting it xD) 
24 ° F, -4 ° C
Late afternoon

Joy was a freshly raided cache – or at least it was for Raela. And rest, she mused, licking her dirtied muzzle. Food and rest. In the time that had followed her joining Black Thorn Downs, this was the female's daily routine. She would try to get something to eat before passing out in the snow or whatever crevice she could crawl into; resting her weary limbs before the next patrol. Raiding the caches without giving anything back made her feel terrible, though. She tried to take only what she needed before re-burying what she hadn't eaten. In truth, she was no hunter, especially not in her current state, and she was sure that she had more need of the food than most of the others (not that she had met many to confirm this). Having a safe place to stay had already done loads for her mental state in a short time. Her nervousness was beginning to ebb, and the level-headed girl had shown her first signs of returning. Her body, however, would need more time. Her flesh still ached to the bone, and her paws would not support her weight without protest. It was, however, much lighter travel than she had been doing for the past eight months, and it was because of this and the food safely stored around the territory that Rae's aches and pains were just beginning to lessen. Her coat was still shabby, her physique still lacking in muscle and fat.  The she-wolf made her way over a lightly used trail, scenting unmet pack mates all the way. For the time being, she was avoiding greeting new faces on anything other than search parties. And even then, they weren't true greetings. She kept mostly to herself and concentrated on the task at hand. She was poor in appearance, and knew it. On top of that, strangers made the fae nervous, and she wasn't about to go rushing into any more uncomfortable situations just yet. Her thoughts drifted again to the caches, suggesting that she should at least do a sweep of the area for any recent kills. But, instead of carrion, her nose picked up the scent of an impending storm. Fantastic. The wolf's fur bristled in annoyance. Sighing, Raela relinquished the thought of scavenging for now. With an irritated flick of her tail, the woman managed to saunter off the beaten path. She paved her own way, glancing around for a half decent shelter.  Within minutes a rumble of thunder served to remind the tawny girl that time was running out. Looking up, she could plainly see how dark the sky had become. Thunder? In the middle of winter? Rae had never seen anything like it. Faint flashes of light glittered through the clouds; lightning. She grunted, hurrying her steady walk into a stuttering trot. She wasn't even sure where in the territory she was at this point. Pellets of ice began to trickle down, causing quite a bit of background noise in the denser woods. Ears held back with displeasure as the sleet pelted her face, the girl made for a small spruce tree with its lower branches completely covered in snow. The sunken boughs would create good insulation from the pesky frozen droplets if she could just clear an entrance. Pulling her body hastily through some blackberry bushes and no doubt loosing some fur, she dove into the snowbank, digging away the powder as fast as she could manage. With a loud crackling boom and corresponding flash from the sky, the wolf disappeared into her makeshift shelter. Once safely inside, she set about excavating the space further. Snow was shoved away haphazardly, clearing enough room for two wolves, or three uncomfortably. Satisfied with her work, Raela curled protectively into a ball; wrapping her tail over her face. Should any other members be caught off guard by the storm, she would not hesitate to share her little den with them; despite her reservations. The storm continued outside, sending brilliant flashes of light through the entrance. The cacophonous cracks and bangs of thunder would not allow her to sleep, so instead she settled for quiet, sleepy, contemplation, and the occasional upward glance. Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2015, 08:07 PM by Raela.)

            

Speech. 

The storm had caught her unawares. She had been uneasy leaving the territory earlier in the day for some reason, but she pushed back the feeling to go off on a search of her own. Minka had tripled the patrols, so most of the wolves in the pack, including Inali, were doing their job by keeping the borders strong. They had already lost their royal charges, but they wouldn't lose any more pack members to unforeseen dangers. They would be ready. The search for Kova and Noble continued. Inali refused to think of the worst. She had to be optimistic. Not only for herself, but her two best friends. Pouring her energy into finding their children was Inali's main task now and Inali had set out that morning to try and find some more clues.

She wanted to speak to Minka about the possibility of enlisting @Naia's help. Combining her knowledge and the River scout's knowledge of territories, they could cover much ground faster. It was somethig to stew over for sure.

The thunder and falling ice seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a good thing she had been already making her way back to the territory. The scout quickened her pace to a fast jog as she refused to get caught in the storm and make her alphas not only worry for their children but their second in command as well. The storm was getting stronger and rougher now, but at least the she wolf was nestled into pack territory. All she had to find was safe shelter to wait out the storm. Her blue orbs caught the sight of a small spruce tree and as she moved through the familiar bushes of her home, it seemed someone had made quick work to build a makeshift den. Hopefully they wouldn't mind if she squeezed in. Wiggling into the entrance, the small woman silently eyed the larger newcomer. She had seen the weak woman around, but had never voiced a greeting. It was time to rectify that. After all, what better way to wait out a storm than making a new friend? She moved beside the woman, her blue orbs soft and warm. Opening her maw, Inali spoke. I don't believe we've met before. My name is Inali, second and scout of the Downs." Inali wasn't a dominant woman, only when circumstances called for it and she had to rise to her rank. Right now, it was just a title to introduce herself by. Hopefully this woman wasn't in a dark mood or this would be a tense wait.

 

Cessair woke with a start.  Though she was within pack territory and her surroundings looked peaceful, she sensed danger and found herself questioning whether she wasn't  experiencing one of her old nightmares.  A rumbling of thunder informed her that she was not.  That must have been what woke her up.  Relieved that she wasn't being threatened by a stranger or relapsing into nightmares, the fawn-colored wolf curled back up to resume her nap.  Her eyes shot back open when she recalled the implications of thunder.  Flashes of lightning became visible in the distance as she pulled herself up onto her paws.  Thunder and lightning in winter?  Maybe she was in a nightmare, after all.  Cessair ducked out from the space between blackberry bushes in which she had been napping and began trotting down the nearest trail in search of better shelter as the freezing sleet began to fall.

The precipitation wasn't the kind that could soak through Cessair's still-patchy coat, but the pellets of ice pelting her were more than a little unpleasant, and she worried that much exposure to this weather would make her fall ill.  Illness was the last thing any wolf needed right now.  It would make Cessair's slow recovery from starvation even slower.  It would make her use up even more of her pack's precious resources.  It would prevent her and any wolf that may catch the ailment from her unable to help in the search for the royal children.  Cessair quickened her pace.

A spruce tree with low-hanging branches appeared around a corner.  The she-wolf saw it as an opportunity to dig out a quick den and approached the tree to find that another wolf had already done just that.  Not wanting to risk the storm any longer, Cessair plunged inside.  The space was quite cramped, filled already with two unfamiliar packmates.  She lowered her head and tail as much as space allowed and considered backing out of the den to let the two wait out the storm a little more comfortably.  But she didn't know if she would be able to find another suitable shelter, and she needed to meet more of her packmates anyway.  She stammered out an introduction.  “S-sorry.  I'm Cessair.  Is it okay if I take shelter in here with you?”  Even though she felt terribly awkward, Cessair hoped she would be permitted to stay.  The warmth of three bodies stuffed into a small space was far more appealing than the freezing storm outside.

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

As predicted, her hiding spot did not go unnoticed for long. Just minutes after she had settled in, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of jogging pawsteps. Orange ears pricked forward, anticipating the diminutive wolf's entry into the little den. Her eyes met a smaller female, and a pair of striking blue eyes. The woman's friendly expression and scent managed to calm Raela's instinctively tense muscles. This was a pack mate. Somewhere in the back of her mind she too recognized the slender wolf from a search mission or two. She had seemed to be very close with the leaders. As she moved inside, Raela shuffled sideways in an attempt to provide her with more room, averting her eyes in submission. She was the newest addition, after all. The other female seemed very comfortable with the whole situation, wasting no time in laying down beside her and voicing a friendly introduction. The second... she felt the need to lower her head close to the ground with respect. Her time with her own brutal family had trained her to show submission; often and immediately, especially with the higher-ups. Inali's warm candor could not reverse years of abuse, though she was truly thankful for it. While her head was down, it suddenly occurred to the girl just how dirty her muzzle was, along with how shabby she obviously must look. Rae brushed a paw over her nose, trying to dislodge the last bits of soil still clinging to her whiskers. ”Hi, I'm Raela.” She paused a moment, glancing up at @Inali . ”Um, ...lowest.” She disliked the rank, but it was the truth. All new members had to start somewhere, and it was not as if she hadn't been lowest before. An awkward silence passed, and she considered mentioning the crazy weather, but another set of footsteps met her eardrums. She turned just in time to be face-to-face with another new pack mate. Interestingly, this female had a very similarly shaggy and malnourished appearance to her lighter coat. Her immediate display of submission both puzzled and comforted Raela; surely this wolf was higher ranked than she. The poor thing seemed very uncomfortable, and almost ashamed at barging in on such an occupied space. Her nervous stammering had Raela nodding her head and pressing further into the snowy walls. ”Of course,” she responded gently, dipping her muzzle and hoping that it would make the stranger feel less unwelcome. Even if it was a bit snug, she didn't want anyone forced back out into the storm. ”I'm Raela.” The ruddy girl tucked her paws beneath her chest tightly, giving her a humorous block-like appearance. Another bright flash and roar of thunder brought her head to attention; restless golden eyes filling with light. After a moment, her focus returned to @Cessair and Inali. The skinny wolf's ears slid down the sides of her head as she spoke again, watching the pellets fall. ”I've never seen anything like this before. I thought thunder and lightning only happened in the warmer months.” Hopefully her simple dialogue would be enough to get everyone talking and feeling a little less nervous, and to be frank, she was incredibly puzzled by the current atmospheric conditions. Any insight or experience they could offer would be perfectly welcome.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2015, 03:06 AM by Raela.)

            

@Cessair

Speech. 

Her brows narrowed in confusion at the obvious submission. It was nice, but the extremity of it was not necessary. Inali continued to smile at her and opened her maw. "Nice to meet you Raela. " She was going to ask what she thought of the crazy weather and how she was fitting into the Downs when she noticed another figure wiggling into their small den. The copper eyed woman seemed nervous and as Raela greeted her into the den, Inali too did the best she could to put Cessair at ease by introducing herself. Smiling and her eyes warm despite the cold of outside, she moved so Cessair could have room. It would be a tight fit but they could make it work.

 

Raela brought up a question about the unusual weather and Inali turned her attention towards the malnourished woman. She opened her maw, "Truly, its something I've never seen in my two years. Very odd indeed." She shook her head, wondering at the oddity of the storm raging outside of their little safe haven. "At least this is only temporary and winter is soon due to come to an end. Winter is my least favorite time," she continued. Silence consumed the little den, and not one for awkward silences, Inali opened her maw and spoke. "How are you guys liking your time here so far?" Her tail wanted to wag but there was no room, so she settled for an excited twinkle in her eye as she looked at each lady in turn.

(This post was last modified: Feb 26, 2015, 02:50 AM by Inali.)

Sorry this took so long!

As the thunder and lightning continued outside, Cessair was very glad indeed for the protection of the cramped little den.  Its two other occupants were quite happy to make room for her, and though there wasn't space enough for tail-wagging or other friendly cues, Cessair was quickly put at ease by their amiable expressions and the light conversation.  Inali's optimism about the coming end of winter was especially welcome.  Between her poor health, the cold, and now this odd storm, Cessair was beginning to get frustrated with winter.  Nothing good had ever come from this detestable season.  To think she had once thought the snow beautiful.

But complaining about the winter wouldn't get anything done.  She needed to learn to hunt in a group, she needed to learn to contribute to the well-being of the pack, and, most importantly, she needed to help find those lost pups.  Anything could happen to them in a storm like this.  Not willing to dwell on the thought, Cessair focused her attention on responding to Inali's question.  “I like it here very much.  I've never been in a pack before, but every wolf I've met so far has shown me nothing but kindness.”  She gave a smile to accompany her statement, for she had been sincere in saying she liked it here, but worry nevertheless pulled at the back of her mind.  There was so much she had yet to learn -- how to act in the context of a pack occupying the top of the list -- and she had been little more than an extra mouth to feed in this time of scarcity and tension.  Amazed and ever grateful was she for her packmates' kindness to her.

@Inali continued to be just as warm and welcoming if not a little confused at Raela's submissive display. It brought a smile to the battered girl's face. Moments later, Cessair was shuffling into the space between them, clearly grateful for their hospitality. Raela's side bristled a little at the contact; it was still a strange and alien sensation. The other girl's warmth was delightful against the cold, and Raela's ears fell backward with contentment. As soon as everyone was settled, Inali began to speak again in response to the woman's question. Raela held a puzzled expression as the other female shared in her confusion. She listened carefully to Inali's words; glancing out of the entrance as the small wolf spoke of winter's end. It would be a joyous occasion indeed. While Rae admired the beauty of falling snow, that snow had been falling for quite a while now. It was about time for a change.  Her next question brought the tawny girl's head around. She was enjoying it here. Before her words could take form, Cessair began to speak, practically taking the words out of Rae's mouth. ”Yeah,” she added, smiling at them both. It was so very true that the wolves here had been particularly kind and understanding. Especially @Minka and @Tokino, who'd had the generosity to accept her in the dead of winter. Poor Cessair looked as if she'd faced a very similar set of tribulations herself, and it made Raela curious as well as sympathetic. ”My old pack wasn't nearly so friendly.” The words dampened her mood some, and her eyes fell from the others'. Thinking it best not to dwell on the past at this moment, Raela looked back up, curiosity emanating from her posture. ”How long have you both been here?” There were other questions swirling in her mind, such as what was the injustice Minka spoke of? What of the pack's history? Allies? Rivals? The warmth of the two smaller wolves was making her feel comfortable enough to speak openly, and she relished in the feeling. It was like having Tolas back to speak with again. Thunder rolled and rumbled in the distance, reminding them of the reason for this little gathering.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2015, 10:45 PM by Raela.)