Dragoncrest Cliffs tidal waves don't beg forgiveness

@Kendra

It snows less and less each day, reducing the amount on the ground, but the days are still cold to keep it all from melting into a slushy mess. The most ground she can find is near the lake. Portia has already begun to reconstruct her garden to keep them healthy for the spring and summer months and by next winter, they will be prepared. Their unfortunate timing put them in quite a bind for a while but there is fertility in the air and promise they will once more be at their best. Thuringwethil turns from the work there and travels closer to the cliffs.

She follows the outline of the coast along the rocky barrier. Peeking over sends your stomach to the floor as it all drops down into the ocean. Other than the secluded beach further south, there isn’t any consistent sand for miles. Her feet move easily through the light snow as the ocean guards her from one side.

Kendra was very keen to start a garden with Portia. She had made a garden at her time in Blackfeather and kind of missed tending to it. Yet, even her garden hadn't survived after the death of her brother. It was a sad thing. But here she could make a new start and she was quite eager to learn from the wise speckled woman. She might have found that knowledge herself but the speckled woman could teach her far more.

Kendra was also doing far better in the health department. She was no longer malnourished thanks to the help of Eske. Kendra was certain she really found a friend in the female. Today however Kendra was curious where those peaks lead to. She followed the trail of scents, which was rather tricky on the steep cliffs. Yet, Kendra never feared death so as she continued there was no fear of falling off.

The dark colored girl noticed that up ahead trotting towards her was the Heda. The girl still wasn't sure what to think of the female, so she always showed more of her submissive side. Kendra laid down on the ground as the female approached.

It doesn’t register as much at first when Kendra comes into view but she shakes her head and soon she materializes into an actual shape and features. Soon, she notes it is one of the newest members of Drageda that has made it to the other side. She’d gained weight and filled out—the plentiful winter had definitely given them the benefit—and is often found helping Portia. She’d become a rather good addition and Thuringwethil was thankful to give the starving girl a chance.

When she is close enough, the girl lowering down to the ground, Thuringwethil nods her head once before signaling to her the chance to relax. “It is good to see you out. You’re looking great,” she says with a little smile tickling the corner of her lips. Her tail swishes once above her spine and her ears cup forward, at attention. “How are you feeling?”

Kendra noticed the nod and was quick to push herself into a sitting position. The leading female seemed quite friendly this time around. Kendra wondered if that was because she proved herself? Perhaps she should treat this female just like her father. He wanted hardworking members in his pack perhaps Thuringwethil was the same. "Thank you. I wanted to explore more now I felt more fit. Eske is helping me," she explained, slowly relaxing more around the female.

Kendra shrugged. "I feel alright. The regular meals helped with that. But if you talk about a feeling, then I must admit that I perhaps feel a bit lost." Kendra always had been a curious one. She had always felt lost, ever since her twin brother died. She was alone and even though she technically was not alone with her pack mates surrounding her. It was just a piece of something missing. Kendra wished he was here with her. Still her friendship with Eske soothed some of it. "But, I have been since the death of my twin brother. Perhaps I shall always feel that way," she explained. "When spring comes I can deal with it better."

Thuringwethil offers a smile when she announces she's feeling better. The weather hit them hard not long after they'd joined and she can't help but feel Kendra may not have survived if she'd turned them away a few weeks ago. She's been more than happy to help where she can in exchange for the support and for that, she can only hope the girl will make a great addition. Unfortunately, she can't say the same for her brother whom she hasn't seen much or noticed his work around their claim. It won't last long if he doesn't take the initiative but the worry she may lose Kendra in the process isn't lost on her.

She's just about to ask about her lost feeling when the girl goes on to explain further. "I'm sorry about your brother," she responds with a droop of her ears and flicker of her tail. It's another familial connection Thuringwethil doesn't have and can't relate to and she sighs, then takes a step closer to bump her shoulder. "We are here for you now, even if we can't fill that hole you're missing." She retreats the step back to give her space before she points with her nose for her to follow. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Kendra smiled at the friendly bump against her shoulder. It was a kind gesture and she took comfort from it. She had been abandoned by many yet she had the feeling that wouldn't happen here. Perhaps this would become a true family to her. "I know. I think it needs to slowly close and eventually I will have peace with it," she responded to the other.

"There is not much to talk about. He died. He isn't here with us anymore. I can't really dwell on his death too much. It is just strange. He has been gone for two seasons if not more. Often I want to share something with him but he isn't around anymore," she explained.

It was always going to be tough, they had a strong bond since the beginning. Maybe if she was a little more mad she would talk to him, thinking he was still living inside of her or being with her. "Helping Portia helps though, and Eske keeps me company too!," she added then, not to sound too saddened about it all.

If Thuringwethil knew what it was like to lose a sibling or a parent, perhaps she could relate better to Kendra. She could relate better to Wildfire in the loss of her parents recently but she can’t imagine the feeling to even begin any empathy. She tries, the best she can, and at least Kendra seems to have a grip on the emotion and how to handle it from here on out. She doesn’t have any words to follow up with it, hoping the girl knows the pack is there for her. She comes to a close and realizes she’s already taken part in their family with Portia and Eske. A smile forms on her features and she slowly nods her head.
 
“That is good to hear. I’m glad you’ve found some support in them,” she says. Kendra may never feel quite whole with the loss of her brother, just as Wildfire may always have a hole in her heart where dull scar tissue only exists in the Heda’s. She opens her mouth to speak a second time but she quickly snaps her jaws shut together. “I see no reason why you shouldn’t hold the title as skayona.”

Kendra's eyes widened when she was rewarded with a new title. Her tail started to wag behind her. The young female was always ambitious, and even though ranks didn't bother her too much at Blackfeather here ranks were a different thing. Eske helped her with understanding them. But here it wasn't part of status, here it was what your task was. A role in the pack. The female wanted a role to cope with the loss of her brother so naturally this rank was worth more to her. She also understood that she was now allowed to stay forever. Kendra stepped closer and gave the alpha female some respectful licks of thank you under her chin.

"Thank you," she added verbally. "Did Xan prove himself too?," she asked curiously. She knew that Xan was a bit of a recluse at times, just as she had been. But he was not a bad guy. He would do what was asked of him.

Each wolf, especially an outsider, has their own reaction to acceptance into Dragedakru. Kendra’s excitement and appreciation causes her chest to swell and she dips her nose a fraction when the girl comes to lick her chin. She remains still except for the swish of her tail above her spine. However, she brings up her friend—something that does not surprise her—and as they pull away from one another, Heda’s lips press into a frown.

“He has a little more to do,” she says, though she does not outwardly speak of her disappointment. He had been taking care of his friend but the work he’s put toward the clan has been minimal at best. “I have seen very little of him.”

Kendra had the feeling that Xan had been a bit of a recluse. She hoped that it wouldn't affect him joining officially into the pack. The girl nodded, she understood. Yet she would hate for Xan to be kicked out while she was accepted. It was quite the struggle because Xan saved her life, yet Drageda also saved her life in a matter of ways. She could only give her loyalty to one. She just hoped Xan would make it through and she wouldn't have to pick a side. "I understand. He isn't a bad wolf, he is just not good with strangers," she tried to argument. "But then by now his pack mates shouldn't be strangers anymore," she spoke against her argument as she realized that it hadn't been a very good one in the first place.

Thuringwethil isn’t surprised when Kendra defends her friend, however, she speaks about the problem at hand and her ears stiffen eagerly upon her head. She doesn’t have to argue against the girl and so instead of piling on, the woman simply nods her head. There is no use to speak negatively of him other than what she has but perhaps this can go back to him, innocently, to give him a little nudge. If she were to remove him from Drageda for being nearly able and useless, she isn’t fond of the possibility of losing Kendra. “Maybe he will come around,” is all he says before she offers a wave of her tail a second time.

Valette nodded. "I hope so. I wouldn't want to see him kicked out," she admitted. "But I understand that if he doesn't obey your rules that consequences must follow," she muttered. Kendra then realized that she should tell Eske about her promotion. Her tail started to wag. "Okay. I will leave you now Heda. Thank you for the promotion. I will keep on working hard. I do have to tell Eske about my promotion!," she excused herself from the conversation.