Harlyn was quiet as she stood like a sentinel on the borders of her home. It had been days since the mountain lion had infiltrated her home and attacked her mate, and yet the druid could not help but feel a bit on edge as she stared out across the fields that spread out before her. The pack had been put on alert, the border strengthened and patrolled even more fervently. But still, worry claimed her. Worry for her family, for her mate, and for the little ones she was quite certain were now growing inside of her.
The thought had come suddenly, and just as suddenly, it warmed the tension that had been building as her thoughts had darkened. Harlyn closed her eyes with a soft smile and began to hum quietly to herself. Truth be told, she felt absolutely terrible. Her appetite was gone, her body ached constantly and she had spent most of her night dry heaving all over her beloved mother earth. But, it was those awful things that made her so happy for they told of the most incredible blessing she'd ever known.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you..." the druid murmured softly, tilting her muzzle into the wind happily. She took in a deep breath before setting her gaze once again upon the landscape, her thoughts again sweeping here away, but down a happier path this time.
With the information that a cougar had done the damage to Mordecai, Root has been hesitant to spent time on the borders unless she needs to head in that direction. There has been no calls from the edges of the pack that would require her to investigate, no new wolves, or threads for that matter, but she still visited them at least once a day. She pays more attention to the expanse of land that opens up into the Hollow to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. If a scent has weakened, she leaves a mark, but it has rarely occurred with how much the others tend to do just as much work as she does.
When she approaches, finding Haryln’s scent fresh in the area doesn’t surprise her. The leader is expected to protect their borders just as much as everyone else and she hasn’t really picked up on Mordecai’s back on the border. Perhaps he still isn’t quite up to it but she doesn’t place blame on him. She isn’t sure she’d be anymore willing to get back to it after a run in with a cougar, a creature that very easily take her life.
Root does not hear Harlyn’s hushed words as she approaches, looking past her at the fields of their front yard. “Harlyn,” she coos quietly, bumping her nose to her rump as she steps up. Her posture softens, submitting to the female, before she makes herself comfortable nearby.
The breath she'd taken did nothing to warn her that another wolf was approaching. Fortunately, her present thoughts of puppies and family had eased her into a state of relaxation and so she didn't start as badly as she might have had she still had vengeful cougars at the forefront of her mind. Harlyn turned gently at the sound of someone calling her name and the touch upon her fur, surprised, but settling into an easy smile as she recognized one of their newer recruits.
"Hello there," Harlyn greeted her warmly, "How are you settling in?" Root had been with them for a bit over a week, so it seemed a good time to ask.
Harlyn didn’t withdraw from her greeting and she stores away the affection as a positive response, at least. Her tail swishes back and forth a few times as she steps up to the other, putting a short distance as she stands side by side to look out over their front yard. The invisible line of their borders isn’t much to protect them from something that doesn’t adhere to their law, something that takes multiple wolves to bring down, makes her feel a little unsteady. Why the Alpha is out on the border alone, Root wants to question, but she shakes the thought away.
“Good, I think,” she tells her with a smile. “I met Mordecai.” It had only been a few days ago but she expects to hear the male had told his mate—something she didn’t realize isn’t official—of their short time together. “And Ilya. I'm glad to be here.”
Root hopes she’s acclimating well. The hollow doesn’t quite feel like home but it would be some time before that really settled into her bones. The pain of her missing her family weighs heavily in her heart, leaving little room opening up for others. Perhaps making it easy to blurt out her first question: "Where was the attack?"
Harlyn was pleased to hear that she was settling in well, and even more so when she went on to explain those of the pack she had thus far met - Mordecai first amongst them. She dipped her muzzle with a smile to show her approval before her gaze moved out towards the meadow yet again.
The alpha's face twisted in a small frown as her mind went back to the cougar at Root's bidding. Her gaze moved again as though she could spy from where she was the spot near the borders where she had found her injured mate. "A few miles to the East of here, just beyond our borders," she replied, "Did he tell you what happened?" She was wondering specifically if she knew about the coyote the cat had been chasing, intent on filling her in should she be unaware.
Root watches the woman’s face change and her own eyes narrow slightly before she realizes what she’s done. It doesn’t change the curiosity, though, so she doesn’t apologize and back out of it. She remains stoic, turning only when Harlyn’s gaze turns back outside of the pack. The girl can’t see that far out and even if she were to go out there, she doubt she’d be able to find the spot. A blanket of snow to wash away the crime, doting it’s innocence once more.
“Not really,” she admits with a slight shrug of her shoulder. It rolls back, forcing her into a sitting position as her gaze drifts away. “We did talk about hunting, though,” Root settles with, hoping it might lighten the situation up a little. She hadn’t intended to cause bad thoughts to cross the woman—she had plenty on her plate with the incident of her mate and running the pack almost alone. Isn’t there a beta somewhere?
“I came across a herd before I got here. I plan to go out and see if I can find them and direct them this way.” Mordecai had given her his blessing and encouragement—at least that’s how she took it—and with the notion of the looming cougar in mind, she’d set out in a day or two.
Gahhh I'm the worst sorry
Root admitted to not knowing much about what had happened to Mordecai, saying instead that they'd spoken of hunting. Harlyn considered her words. She wanted to tell the girl of how the attack had come about, to warn her to be careful of any already injured preyed that stumbled across their borders. Mordecai had been admittedly foolish to pursue the coyote without making sure there wasn't another predator about first, but she would not point blame at him for what had happened. All she could do was warn others to be wary of following in his stead.
Before she got the chance to speak, Root was filling the silence again with news of a herd she had located. Harlyn's ears perked, intrigued by the discovery. In truth, she wasn't too keen on pursuing the dark topic of conversation, so she was a bit relieved to move onto this instead.
"That is good news," she murmured,
"I hope you will be successful; we could use some large game. Do you intend to take any with you?" Harlyn wasn't sure which of her wolves would be best to take, or who would have an interest in joining her. Mordecai might have known, but Harlyn had been too distracted as of late to be certain.
Sorry for the short post. :c
Root knows she should take someone with her but she didn’t quite know anyone well enough. She’d just stumbled over Mordecai and Ilya but one couldn’t go out and the other, she isn’t sure she wants to bother too much. She’d go alone if she had to, not wanting to give up the chance to provide for the pack that she’s made her home. A move that isn’t ideal but she’ll manage and figure it out.
“I thought about it. Probably,” she says, more to settle any concern her leader may have. Root’s tail waves back and forth a few times. “It’d be easier with another set of paws.”
Harlyn couldn't help but smile at her packmate's response. She could tell the girl had likely been planning to take on this venture alone, though she knew also that this was probably the less wise route to take. Her smile faded and was replaced with a look of concern as the shadow of the cougar settled upon her mind again.
"Well, I would feel better if you didn't go alone," Harlyn replied, "I don't know that it's too safe for any of us to wander outside of the borders by ourselves with that beast still out there." Her tail thrashed a couple of times fitfully before she relaxed again. She hated the thought of anyone else getting hurt by the creature. It was a paranoia that would likely fade the further time took her away from the incident, but for now, she was worried and protective of her family.
"Mordecai came upon an injured young coyote just before the cougar attacked," she informed the epsilon after a beat, "He thinks the cougar had been hunting it and that's why it attacked, because he was pursuing its prey. I tell you this just to urge you to be careful when hunting not to drop your guard and assume you are the only predator intrigued by your prey." Mordecai had been admittedly foolish to go after the injured coyote without pausing to make sure there was nothing else about. She'd never said that to him, though, and so he'd never had the opportunity to explain whether or not he actually had been careful and that the cougar had simply hid itself too well.
Root smiles when Harlyn encourages her to go with someone else. She nods, taking the consideration seriously. She’d take a day or two to scout someone out to go with her but her certainty on the matter is up in question. Root only wants to do right by the pack and if it meant taking someone, she’d make an effort.
Mordecai hadn’t gone into detail about what happened, reserved and pushing away the topic, and she couldn’t blame him. What Harlyn goes into, however, leaves her curious. Not enough to seek out the cougar or the coyote in question but it’s enough to keep her on her toes when she steps out of bounds for the pack. Root wags her tail and nods, assuring her leader she will be careful.
“Thank you,” she finally says with a flick of her ear. “I’ll be careful.”
I suck way more
Root agreed to be careful, and though Harlan was aware that it was a cursory sentiment, she smiled gratefully nonetheless. She had little idea at that point that their troubles with the cougar were only beginning. Perhaps if she had, she'd have locked all of her family in the Hollow now rather than later. But the gods had not seen fit to share the future with her yet, so she was quiet.
"I think I should be getting back to Mordecai," the alpha said finally, leaning to touch her muzzle gently to the girl's cheek with a chuff before she turned and headed back towards the depths of the Hollow to find her mate.