Blackbeak Bluff Calling the wild things

Open to everyone, especially lone wolves! Also, @Kinvara! Z is on the move! :D

He had done it. He had left the Grotto. The days leading up to it had been full of nerves and worries, but now that it was a done deal, Zaavier felt better. His worries had been soothed, although he still wouldn't know if the pack would be successful. A hard, determined expression showed up on his handsome features then. He would do it, and he would do it well.

An ocean wind swept through the air, playing through his fur. He huffed and breathed in the salty breeze. He gazed around at the Bluff he was now on. Beach grasses swayed in the wind and the air was misty with spray from the angery waves clashing against the rocks down below. The ocean's roar blocked out most other sound, although he could hear the screeching cries of seagulls above his head.

From behind, Zaavier looked like a very regal creature. His fur waved in the breeze, and his tail was held high. He was not under command anymore. He was his own master, and he had wolves to lead. Zaav raised his large head and let loose a howl, calling for Kinvara, and any lone wolves nearby. If he could pick up more followers along the way, that would be great. His tail swayed to and fro as he waited, gazing off into the wild waters. He still didn't enjoy the coast as much as others, but this was nice right here.

just a cameo, any loners feel free to skip over her!

Kinvara followed at the howl, finding Zaavier's lanky form rather quickly and retaining her usual silence. Kin fell into step with him, padding almost silently by his side. She didn't need to know what they were doing, it was obvious that they were on the search for other loners like theirselves, recruits for the pack. 

The wind ruffled her amber pelt, gazing out to the sea by Zaavier's side. She enjoyed the vista briefly before turning and scanning the tree side for any sign of others, hoping to spot someone to join them. So far the wind was not in their favor, blowing away from them so that she couldn't tell who might be coming.

Whoever wants to join, feel free to hop in at any time! I'm going to continue the thread ;)

Zaavier smiled as the amber pelted Kinvara strode up to him. He began to reach out to touch her shoulder, but stopped, remembering her tension last time. He would respect that. He gave her a smile as she joined him in her stroll along the bluff. "Are you excited? I've never felt so alive. I want this to happen, you know?" He spoke freely.

He continued to walk until they reached the end of the bluff. He scaled around, wanting to stay away from the sany beaches, but close enough to see the ocean. He gave a chuff of relief when he saw a stretch of forest inland. He didn't know it yet, but that was the beginings of Horizon Ridge. They were closer than he expected to the new land, and before he knew it, he would probably be there. 

Zaavier had taken the ocean route because it was easier that heading over the mountains. He felt it would save precious time to. "We should probably rest an find food once we reach that forest over there," he told her, nodding towards the Ridge. It looked promising, despite the rugged and rocky cliffs that he could faintly see mingled in the trees.

Zaavier spoke, drawing her attention to him. He was smiling, looking very excited for their trek, practically beaming at the red woman. "I tink I know. I wouldn't be coming if I didn't." Kinvara mused in her thick accent, smiling to let him know she was only teasing.

The forest stretched to her left, thickening and disappearing up a rocky mountain ridge in the distance. The ocean was to their right though it would no longer be in view once they entered the forest. Kinvara found herself happy that they would be taken the ocean route, given that the mountains would have been harder to bypass.

"Sounds like a plan." Kinvara followed after his lead, glancing at the forest curiously.

After leaving behind the small family, Thea had picked up her search for her sisters. She had yet to come across any scent trail or pawprints, searching relentlessly for several days before hopelessness settled into her heart. It was simply no use, Thea would never find her sisters in such a vast land with no trail to follow. Something in her told her to give up but without them, she had no purpose or so it felt. Thea had no one to keep her company, none who would mourn her if she were to die. 

The wind brought her the small of others, two to be exact. A man and a woman. Siblings perhaps, or lovers? Maybe just friends? The thick forest thinned, allowing her to hide behind one of the tree trunks as she peered out at them. An extremely tall male, with a brownish red agouti coat and wiry muscles. A female whom looked like some odd overgrown coyote but smelt of wolf, her coat was an amber brown and even from here Thea could see that her eyes were a blood red. The two made an exceptionally odd looking pair but Thea knew better than to judge based on appearances. 

Thea hung back for now, deciding against greeting them. They might be just as unfriendly as the last group had been.

Edit: Tagging @Alkiva! Let's assume that she's already briefly met Kinvara, and that she was late to find them when they started traveling and is meeting up with them now. :)

Zaavier gave a chuckle as he listened to Kinvara's snarky response. He knew she meant it as a joke. He eyed the treeline to the left, then shifted his gaze to the ocean. It crashed against the shore with angery roars and it's depths looked dark and unforgiving. The cries of the gulls seemed to enhance the ocean's eeriness. A faint shiver ran down his spine. Nope, he did not like the coast.

Kin agreed with his plan of stopping at Horizon Ridge and he gave her a smile. The large, lanky brute turned and angled their trail towards the rocky woods. They would stop and hunt there, then move on as soon as possible. Their trek would probably be like this the whole time. Stop in the middle of the day, rest for an hour or two, hunt, and then travel the rest of the night. It was easier to travel at night or early in the morning, that way less suspicious wolves were out. 

An intriguing scent found it's way to the boy's nostrils and he breathed it in. It was a new scent, and wolf's scent to be exact. He paused mid step to turn his head, looking around everywhere, but he couldn't see anyone. "Do you smell that?" He said towards Kinvara, excited. Maybe he'd have the chance to recruit yet another follower. He needed those. Zaav glanced around once more before opening his mouth again. "Hello?"

The wind shifted in their direction, allowing the she-wolf to smell the scent of another loner. This one appeared to be hiding in the nearby forest, similar to the way Kinvara had first approached Zaavier herself. Moving closer to the forest, guessing that Zaavier's rather large form might intimidate this newcome whom smelt like a girl -- and a young one at that; Kinvara began to approach. 

"I do smell it. Who tere?" Kinvara called out, moving ever closer to the forest. She soon came across a strange looking wolf, coated in thick fluffy white fur that was marked with pale brown over the top half of her body. "I won't hurt you." Kinvara assured, sending the young female a smile.

Though she hated leaving Kinvara alone with Zaavier, Alkiva was less inclined to simply allow herself to be seen as a straggler or a useless travel companion, and had excused herself to hunt, promising to follow their trails to find them later with something to eat. She needed to get away from Kinvara, mostly, though Alkiva had been nothing but pleasant to the fiery female, and in fact she found very little to dislike about Kinvara apart from the fact that she was a female and she had a pre-existing relationship with Zaavier. Perhaps they weren't anything more than friends and companions, but Alkiva worried for the worst...Thus the reason why she had politely excused herself from their company to hunt. 

She tracked them down, a large female hare hanging from her mouth, not too far from the shoreline in the wooded area. She caught the scent of yet another female wolf and picked up the pace, bristling somewhat, though she'd calmed herself before the finally came upon her alpha-to-be and Kinvara. Her azure gaze swept toward the stranger, a fey female with distinct looks, but she quickly turned her gaze to Zaavier to read his reaction. If he was attracted to her, Alkiva would know. 

She set the hare down at Zaavier's feet. "Good hunting around here," She said gently, before she reached up to touch his chin by way of greeting, and cast a nod and a smile to Kinvara. She then looked to the newcomer, waiting for either an introduction, or for the female to turn and leave.

The amber woman began to move towards Thea after comments from both the pair, the teen shrinking back slightly as the red woman began to approach. Thea was concerned briefly that the red woman would attack, before reassuring words met her ears. Thea perked up slightly, sending the red eyed woman a smile. 

A white woman appeared and Thea had to stop herself from crying out in shock at seeing Paikea and launching herself at the woman. It was thankful that she did so considering as the woman got closer for it was not Paikea. It was just a white furred woman whom seemed to not like her if the way she glanced from the male to Thea were any indicator. Perhaps this male was her mate and she was territorial. 

"Um hi." Thea greeted shyly. "I'm Thea."

Zaavier hung back, letting Kinvara do her thing. She seemed to be opening up a lot more since she started hanging around him, and Zaavier was glad to see it. A smile lingered on his lips as he watched Kinvara interact with the hiding wolf.

Soon, Alkivia aproached and Zaavier turned his head to greet her, nudging her shoulder in genuine happiness to see her. she dropped her catch at his feet and Zaavier's stomach rumbled. "Thank you Alkiva, we all needed this!" He told her, suddenly very grateful she was with them. His tail wagged as he realized he was surounded in ladies. He hadn't realized it, but he had no other male followers to come along with him. He chuckled softly to himself as he thought of it, but soon turned his attention back to Kinvara and the new wolf. It was a girl. Great.

Nevertheless, Zaavier offered a friendly smile towards the newcomer and left Alkavia's side to greet her. She introduced herself as Thea and the lanky brute nodded. "Hello Thea," He said. "I'm Zaavier and this is Kinvara and Alkiva," He said, nodding to both of the girls in turn. "What brings you around these parts?" He inquired. she seemed timid and a bit lost, and Zaavier would do everything he could to help her, including recruit her if it helped the cause. His ears pricked and his tail wagged once more to show he was friendly.

Kinvara stepped back a bit, cocking a brow at the way Alkiva's eyes flicked possessively between the two. The amber woman didn't like the way Alkiva acted as if the woman already had a claim to their leader, as if they were mates. That hadn't stopped her from developing a crush on the wolfess whom she now approached given that they were both subordinates and needed to let Zaav take over as leader.

Kinvara dipped her head to the teenager as Zaavier introduced her, smiling encouragingly. Glancing at Alkiva as she was mentioned, her smile turned a bit shy before she looked away and refocused on the task at hand.

Thea grew a bit more nervous as the amber woman moved back and the tall male moved forward. It wasn't anything to do with Zaavier, it was just that she didn't have much experience around males and was naturally worried about making a fool of herself in front of the small group.

"Oh, well see, um I was looking for my sisters but I came across this group, a family really, and they were kinda rude except for the mom. Anyways I asked them if they had seen my sisters but they hadn't and the dad told me to get lost so I did. I mean I'm not lost really, uh.." Thea rambled a bit, stopping when she realized what she was doing.

With a sigh she tried to start again. "I was looking for my sisters and I have no idea where they are so now I'm alone." Thea stated it matter-of-factly though secretly she was a bit saddened by her lonely state.

Gave Alkiva time to post, but we need to keep this thread moving! @Alkiva, I hope you don't mind.

Zaavier listened to Thea's story carefully, noting her hesitations and pain-filled eyes. He frowned, knowing exactly how she felt. Having lost Laika -- even though she was a cousin, not a sibling -- he had gone through many hardships. The only diference Thea had in her situation was that she still had hope to find her sisters. They were alive, Laika was dead... or so he thought. 

"I'm really sorry to hear that Thea. Me and my bunch," he shot his girls a teasing look as he said that, "We are working to build a pack. Would you like to join us? If you do, I promise I will make time to search for your sisters with you. I think I know how you feel, having lost a significant one myself." He explained to her, hoping she decided to go along with them.

Thea didn't have any reason to be nervous as it turned out for this bunch was much nicer than the last had been. The nodded as Zaavier spoke, listening intently. Truly she didn't believe she would ever find her sisters, there was no trail to follow and no way of knowing where they had gone. At the most she could hope that they were alive and happy somewhere. 

Still, at the thought of having a place to go, people to join, Thea perked up slightly with curiosity. The mention of trying to find her sisters left her in shock, surprised that someone who had just met her would be willing to help her.

"I'm in!" The teen beamed, lower body wriggling in happiness at the sudden turn of events.

I gave Thea permission to skip over btw :P just making a post cause I'm sure this will wrap up soon?

The girl, Thea, agreed to come with them and Kinvara grinned a bit, happy to have another member join them. The amber woman was sorry to hear about the girl's sisters but she couldn't particularly sympathize given she had no family of her own. Hopefully this ragtag group here would become her family over time.

"Excellent," Kinvara beamed, turning to Alkiva to gouge her reaction since she had seemed particularly peeved by the teen's presence though she seemed a bit young for Zaavier. The girl didn't appear to yet be sexually mature, perhaps close to it and was quite childish in nature. Thea didn't seem like a threat to Alkiva's imaginary claim on Zaavier.

Yes, we'll wrap it up now! Thanks for the thread everyone! <3

She began to get quite excited as she continued to listen to what he had said. Once it fully registered in her brain, her lower body began wriggling with happiness. She agreed and Kinvara beamed with happiness. With a grin to both girls, Zaavier gave a little celebratory bark. 

"Let's head out then! I'm glad you decided to join us," With that, he gave Thea a swish of his tail, inviting her to travel beside them as they continued on their march to freedom.