Wolf RPG

@Wraen

Ever since Chanel's adventurous spirit had torn her away from her parents and the far far mountains, she had wandered, somewhat aimlessly, from place to place. She had yet to find a location that felt like it could be home- she would stay in a location for perhaps a week or two, but soon she would move on, still in search of a home. She had encountered mild conflicts, and yet, as was her nature, she avoided trouble as much as possible. Therefore the journey to the land where she was now had not especially roughed her up.
However, with the consistent travel and the need to hunt for herself without a family to assist her, she had noticed her weight loss. She wasn't starving, no where near that- but each time she checked her reflection in a lake, she noticed her skin sticking more tightly to her bones in a way she had never seen before. She had grown up spoiled and had always had a comfortable amount of weight on her. And though her weight was probably completely normal for wolves who weren't as coddled as her, to Chanel, it was a sign of struggle. 
At present, she was walking slowly through the land, until her nose caught scent of a wolf. No- not just one- it was the scents of several, all mixed together. Her fur spiked up for a moment in nervousness, wondering if she was about to be ambushed, wondering if the pack was aggressive to trespassers. However, a thought struck her as she considered her situation. I'm losing weight rapidly... I wonder if these individuals are friendly or not... is it worth it? To try and talk to them? Being a member of a group probably means less struggle for me. That would give me a place to call home as well... So, she contemplated for a moment. Then, after some hesitation, she threw her head back and let a howl break the cold, silent air, in hopes of meeting a kind and welcoming stranger.

It was two weeks now and still Wraen had no information about, what had happened to the Asterism Grove wolves that had been left inside the valley. She refused to believe that all of them had perished there, there was hope - however little - that miraculously all of them were fine and that soon all the stress and worry she felt now would seem like a bad dream in a matter of days. 

The hardest thing about it all was that there were several leader duties to fulfill in the meanwhile. Kids required attention, hunting was more strenous than usual and she feared the moment, when they all would have exhausted the resources, not to mention anticipation for the next "great" surprise Mother Nature had in the making. So, no wonder, that, when she heard a summoning howl of a wolf she did not recognize, she arrived to meet the stranger, feeling curious, but looking very tired. 

It was a yearling of a exquisite beauty, a fairy-like creature in the world that had seemed so glum and grayscale recently. She smiled at her politely and introduced herself: "You have come close to the Firebirds' domain. I am Wraen - leader of the group - who may be you and what is your business here?"

The first thing Chanel noticed about the approaching stranger was a set of uniquely green eyes. The second thing that stood out was the women's rather tired expression. In fact Chanel would have described her as looking drained. Upon seeing her clear exhaustion, Chanel wondered whether she should have bothered her at all- she didn't want to be another issue for this wolf who already looked so burdened.

But when the wolf introduced herself as Wraen, leader of the Firebirds, Chanel was thankful that she didn't seem to have aggressive intentions. In fact the girl wore a polite smile which Chanel noticed and appreciated. And firebirds... what an exciting name. She was immediately intrigued. "Good afternoon," she started politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Wraen. My name is Chanel. I've been living the life of a nomad for a few months now... I happened to come across your land." She struggled to find her next words to explain her reason for howling. She didn't want to seem demanding... and suddenly she felt nervous in the presence of the older girl, her gaze flitting towards the ground. "My apologies for calling you... you look abit busy. I just hadn't talked to another wolf in a long while... Honestly I don't have particular business here..." She admitted with caution. She flashed Wraen a polite yet awkward smile in an attempt to appear friendly, though she generally still looked nervous.

Wraen had not realized that she needed a little bit of sunshine in her life, until she found herself smiling and feeling better just by listening to the young wolf. As all yearlings before her Chanel had heard the call of adventure, felt the allure of life elsewhere and set out in the world. It was not that long ago, when Sovereign herself had been that bright-eyed youth, bidding farewell to her parents. Therefore she was more positively inclined towards the girl and did not wish to see her off so soon.

"I am mistress of my own time and it's all yours for the time being," Wraen attempted to clear the uneasiness. "What is that you seek - a home or a company?" she asked.

Chanel felt her prior worry slip away as Wraen assured that she wasn't bothered by giving Chanel her time of day. Her tight shoulders relaxed in the presence of the surprisingly kind woman.

"Thank you so much for offering your time. Right now I feel aimless. I thought when I left home I could find a home for myself quickly. But anytime I tried to settle somewhere, it didn't feel right. And... I felt lonely," She admitted awkwardly. "I think I got used to living with company. So I don't feel at home on my own..." She trailed off for a moment as her mind wandered, before speaking up again: "I suppose I am in search of both." 

Wraen wished that she could say something positive about her home, but the pressing need for more food to feed them overshadowed all of the great qualities of the Firebirds. The tight-knit family, the friendly and resourceful individuals and relaxed attitude to people, who came and went. Not to mention the fact that in the months she had run with this group, Wraen had felt more at home than anywhere else.

"We can offer both," she told the girl. "But I have to warn you beforehand - times are hard and tough for all of us. I can't guarantee you an easy life here," she added. "What are you good at? What is your past experience?"

When Wraen stated that the Firebirds could offer both- a home and company- Chanel felt her heart leap, though she wouldn't let it show. She hadn't even met the members of the pack. She didn't even know that'd she get along with them or consider it a home. But momentarily her optimism took control, her high hopes making her heart beat faster. She could dream of a new home that was comfortable, secure, full of friends... 

But then Wraen's next words unsettled her. Hard and tough. Chanel was only oblivious to some degree- therefore, she was already aware that she had had an easy childhood. She was probably the closest thing to utterly spoiled a wolf could get. And these past few months of travel and subsistence hunting was among the most challenging things the yearling had experienced. Suddenly she wondered if her rather mediocre abilities were enough for her to even be worthy of membership. And yet, she didn't want to be withheld from joining... In her mind she cursed her parents for raising her in such a cushioned method, from an age where she didn't know any better. And then she cursed herself, for never bothering to work hard on her own when she was old enough.

When Wraen asked her about her abilities, her stomach dropped. She debated whether to be honest and look like a fool, or lie as if she had any ability of expertise. "I want to be honest with you," She began very carefully, after a rather obvious hesitation. "The way I was raised did not provide me with proper education. I can't tell you that I'm a master of anything... But I have been hunting and traveling on my own for several months now. I am capable. And even though I am not fantastic yet, I can promise you I want to learn. I will be dedicated and I am willing to work hard." The words flowed out of her lips, and hearing herself say them, she wondered if she even meant it as much as she thought she did. She said she was willing to work hard, but did she even know what hard work felt like? Was she willing to commit herself to something she might've barely experienced? But still she continued: "And for what it's worth. I am good with people and I try to be polite, so I think I could care well for eldery or the young. If there is a need." She added on. She wondered how pathetic she sounded, making excuses for her lack of experience, and tacking on her one somewhat notable ability in social skill. It was rather pathetic. But she didn't want to have to lie to the woman who had already been so kind, so instead she prayed that her promise of dedication would be enough.

Wraen had not expected a fantastic and lengthy resume from a yearling - Chanel did not need to worry. Her honesty was appreciated, because the Sovereign would have been more skeptical, if she had boasted with skills and achievements that weren't her own or true at all. The girl did not seem to be discouraged by the prospects of a difficult life, though it could be written off to her lack of experience in the world. But that she would learn with time and, if Firebirds did not turn out to be the place her heart desired to be, then Wraen would not be the one to deter her from leaving.

"As a matter of fact we have both elders and a lot of childr... adolescents that would benefit from a company of a young and eager packmate," she replied. "You do not have to worry about not having a particular calling - I myself started that way, when I was your age," she reassured. "Good hunters are appreciated and we need some, who can help at patrolling too. At the moment our sergeant at arms Niamh and her son are the only two warriors there," she explained. "And over time you might find, what you enjoy doing particularly and we can help you as much as possible," she finished.

It was as if every time Chanel became anxious, Wraen said just the right words to ease her tension. So the pack did have individuals that Chanel could help care for. Perfect. And the pack was in need of good hunters and warriors. Just by thinking about these tasks, Chanel felt they didn't match her well. She was not one who liked to get her paws dirty... But who knows? Maybe through practice she would find a love for them. She was still young and didn't fully know who she was yet, especially after living a sheltered childhood. And Wraen said over time she would find which skills she enjoyed, just as Wraen had at her age. Chanel felt impressed that a wolf who had initially been aimless just like her could rise to become a pack leader. And finally Wraen commented that they could help her as much as possible. "Thank you so much Miss Wraen. Then I'd love to help you as much as possible as well. If you'll have me." Chanel proposed.

"Very well, I assign you as a Comrade within Firebirds' ranks," Wraen made Chanel's acceptance official and beckoned her to follow to the heart of the metaphorical birdhouse. The forest was quiet, the Sovereign stopped to listen for anyone that could be around, but none were in the immediate vicinity. Perhaps, they had gone off hunting somewhere. Now that food was sparse, it was not unusual for pack members to disperse in a larger territory than usual. 

"We are a family pack - all wolves you'll meet here are related to one another. Blackthorns make up the most of the group with me and our Sergeant at Arms Niamh being distant relatives through a different family line," she explained and did not delve in genealogy of the pack any further. "We have three Honored members - Finley and Elwood, who are older, but very experienced and wise wolves. They are matriarch and the patriarch of the Blackthorns. And there is Eljay - he is their son, healer and... the good heart of the pack," she told.

"There is Niamh, who is our head guardian and warrior and who is in charge of watching the borders and training and commanding new mercenaries. Currently - it's her son Bronco only - but I have great hopes for Pox and Crow. They are this season's cubs, but show a good promise," Wraen said, though she toyed with the idea that all (with exception of the two elders) should undergo a basic training. Defences were important. 

"Weejay, Avery, Fennec and Sugar Glider are our girl band - you will have a chance to meet them as well and get to know them better," she paused and gave Chanel time to rumminate all the new information she had been given now.

Finally the moment she had dreamed of- she was part of a pack. It was the first step to proving she could be a successful individual without the help- or control- of her family. She wanted to just leap with joy, but of course she wouldn't. "Thank you so much." Chanel responded, trying to keep her tone civilized, trying not to show her bubbling excitement. The yearling stepped with a neat pace behind Wraen as she was lead.

Wraen began to explain the names and positions of different members of the pack, and though Chanel listened intently, she knew that the wealth of information would be gone from her mind by the next day. She also mentioned that everyone was related, which made Chanel realize she may end up as quite the outlier within the community. She couldn't help but wonder how kindly she'd be welcomed into a familial pack like this- but she tried not to worry about it and shooed the thought away. Oh, and a girl band? Yesss. She was glad there were a lot of girls here; hopefully it would be easy for her to make friends. These months of loneliness while traveling weren't good for her, she felt that she needed some girl time and gossip to ease her soul. Chanel wondered if the girls here had personalities that matched hers well- or if they were more of the strong and silent warrior type. She would just have to find out over the next few weeks, she supposed. She took a moment to gather her thoughts after Wraen finished, before speaking up: "Miss Wraen. I really appreciate all the information! It sounds absolutely lovely here." Of Course Chanel had exaggerated a bit, as Wraen had mentioned the hardships the pack was going through. But she wasn't going to comment on that, and it did sound admittedly nice.

Wraen would not have minded, if Chanel had in fact skipped in joy and yelled from the roof-tops. She enjoyed amusement dearly, and recently it had been absent from her life entirely. Even though the new recruit kept her emotions in check, the sovereign could feel the good vibe radiating from her. As if she had her own pocket-size sun with her. As she led the girl through the copse, she stole glances at her now and then and smile never left her lips. 

The sovereign did not expect the girl to remember all of the names right away, but she would be familiar with their bearers once introduced personally. "We will see, where you can settle down and have a rest," she offered next, thinking about a place, where the girl could stay, until she found somewhere else more to her liking. The Nest was her first choice, it had stayed abandoned ever since the puppies had moved to the Roost and Wildfire had died. "This way," she beckoned and asked. "Tell me more, please, about the pack you come from."

Chanel could see the empty nest nearby. Though she figured the location, she followed neatly behind Wraen as she was told, though her gaze rested ahead. When the woman asked of her origins, she tilted her head as her eyes went upward in thought. 

"My origin is not exactly a pack. It was more of a familial unit," she paused, considering that sometimes a pack was just that- a family. But she had never thought of her situation as a pack growing up, and so she would not change her mindset now. "Unlike many, I was an only child. Therefore my parents had the resources for us to be comfortable." Because comfortable is exactly how a rich, spoiled girl like her would describe her origins humbly. "They weren't warriors. They grew up comfortably too, and so they did not have many technical skills to pass on to me. Which is why I don't have particularly much to offer. They believed I would be living in the same nook in which they grew up." Where they never had to fight the elements for survival, or encounter struggle with enemy wolves. She thought, just to herself. 

"But I couldn't stay there forever. Life becomes a bore without excitement, and my only thrill was to hear stories of warriors, stories of travelers." She paused for a moment in thought. Yes, life was easy there. Many a wolf who had experienced real struggle might call her a fool for leaving such a peaceful and comfortable situation, to head straight to a region full of drama, and more recently, famine. But she was young, naive- she longed for adventure even if she was unprepared for the emotional and physical toll of it. "So I left. That's really all I have to say about them." She did not elaborate further, and her ears twitched as she waited expectantly for a response.

While Wraen listened to Chanel, she came to a conclusion that this new recruit was the first and only person, who openly admitted that they had had an easy and comfortable life. Up until today, the Sovereign had not thought it possible. Yes, she was spared life's great tragedies and horrible stuff that happened to some people, but even with this in mind she could not say that living was any less challenging in the wilds. She had lived in nice places, but to say that they had always accommodated for all of her needs so that she could pick up Chanel's easy-going attitude and naive beliefs? No. Far from it.

This did not mean that she thought any less of the girl. You needed variety and fresh faces was just the remedy for this. "So - what I conclude - you set out in the world to be a heroine of your own story," she summed up. "What stories of travellers and warriors were you told as a child?" she asked, never missing a chance to add more tales to her vast collection.

"Yes. Exactly!" She exclaimed with some excitement, as the leader described her as 'a heroine of her own story'. She didn't want to live a simple life just because of her parents and their parents and their parents and so on. She was going to create her own path. 

Wraen inquired of the tales that Chanel had grown up listening to. For a moment she shuffled through them in her mind like pages in a book, before deciding on one to summarize. "There are epic stories. Of princes, princesses, kings, queens, their warrior knights. For example, there is one about a warrior knight called Estienne. He was in love with the princess Cateline, but she was bethrothed to the royal prince of another pack- Mortimer. She didn't love Mortimer, and she made a promise to Estienne that if he could convince her father, she would marry him instead." Suddenly Chanel realized how she had begun to go off on a tangent, already telling the story with passion; she paused awkwardly in embarassment. "...Um, sorry." She added quietly, waiting for Wraen's response, hesitating to continue telling the tale.

Aaah... the princess and knight stories. Everyone's classics, except in Wraen's childhood there was always room for a dragon as well. You could never go wrong with scaly, ill-tempered, flying reptile with belly full of fire. With few exceptions almost all wolves saw little value in the story-telling trade. Words neither fed you, nor protected you from harm. They did could not heal physical wounds, nor had any other obvious practical value. Wraen did not argue, she was well aware of all the practical aspects that made the pack run and function like a properly oiled machine. And yet her life would definitely be poorer, if she did not have this life-long hobby of hers. Especially at times, when reality was so difficult to deal with daily, escape to a more colourful world, where nothing ever could go wrong, was very welcome. Beneficial to health.

"So - did she convince him?" Wraen asked, guessing that the answer was probably negative and from there on the rest of the story would unfold. "In my experience fathers of fair maidens are usually very deeply set in their ways and are cranky old bastards in general," she added. The count of tales, where the king was unfair to his wife or unjust to his children, was overwhelming. But without conflict, there would not be the story itself.

As Wraen inquired of the rest of the story, Chanel gained more confidence and saw it as her permission to continue. She chuckled lightly at the leader's comment about the story's kings- and nodded along. "No, he didn't. Cateline's father was not easy to move. He wanted Cateline to marry Mortimer to bring peace and unite the packs, and marrying Estienne would not bring that. In fact, her father was so intimidating and powerful, that Estienne would not even ask him. He already knew the answer was no. Now, Estienne was a warrior-knight, he had been trained in defense and war all his life. He saw the king as an obstacle," Chanel paused, knowing that perhaps Wraen could predict the outcome. The story was just a tad dark, but she figured not too gruesome in detail to tell, and so she continued. 

"So he decided to remove the hurdle in the path towards his true love. As her father slept one night, Estienne snuck into his den. At first he wanted to off him physically, but the king would awaken. So he left, and the next day he spoke to his friend, Abelle. She was a medic, she understood the workings of plants and nature. He asked her about poisonous herbs, not informing her of his reason, and she taught him. He headed out to find some, and returned home. So again, that evening, he snuck back in, and found the king's cache. He slipped the herbs into the meat and left." She paused a moment for dramatic effect, and then: "He died the next day while eating, collapsing with a difficulty to breathe. The pack gathered, and Abelle discovered the herbs in the half-finished food, tracing it to Estienne. Cateline was not charmed. She loved him but she loved her father too. He hadn't listened to her request that he convince the king with words. Her father's death put her in charge- and so she banished him, telling him never to return." Chanel finished.

The story didn't end happily- there was no united couple. No resolved romance, and not even peace between Cateline and Mortimer's packs. She wondered for a moment what exactly the moral was. Then she spoke again: "I don't exactly know what the moral is. Maybe it's about being loyal to the pack over pursuing personal desires? Or maybe about understanding other perspectives. Estienne thought Cateline would gladly forgive his crime, without considering that she loved her father as much as she loved him." She tried to explain, though she wasn't sure if she even hit the nail on the head. But she waited expectantly for Wraen's response.

"That was impressive. In part, because I did not know it. And the ending - not, what I had imagined at all," Wraen praised Chanel, when she had finished her tale. For a little while after that the Sovereign was silent, memorizing details and muttering some phrases her packmate had used. When she was sure, she would not forget it, she turned her attention back to the girl and smiled kindly at her.

"Prepare that I will steal your company in the future too. For story-telling sessions," she told playfully, and thought suddenly of Maia and how sorely she missed the evening, where both sisters shared, what had happened during the day. "If you wish to hear about adventures - Finley is the wolf you need. She has had a very long and interesting life. In her own words - she has done ton of average things by Blackthorn standards. They - I forewarn you - have different understanding of "regular"."

She was glad to hear that Wraen had appreciated the tale she had been told as a little girl, and a smile met her lips as they walked in silence for a minute. She laughed lightly at Wraen's comment about future story sessions, and added enthusiastically, "I'll look forward to it." Then Chanel listened intently as Wraen once again told her of a fellow pack member- only this time, she tried her best to commit the name, Finley, to memory. She wondered abit what was meant by the phrase Blackthorn standards- she was unaware of the weight that name carried. "Then I'm eager to meet her, what kind of 'average things'? I'm oh-so-curious..." 

"Fighting bears, riding atop moose, taunting cougars - what sends others screaming in panic is like an invitation for a picnic to Blackthorns," Wraen chuckled. Though, come to think of it, not all were that way. Elwood was very level-headed and you would not get fire out of Eljay, even if you set him on fire. "It's a little exaggeration, of course, each member of that family is born with a different amount of wanderlust and thirst for reckless adventures, but, what makes Finley also special is that she is a great story-teller."

They had arrived at the Nest (https://imgur.com/bKBkCTr). It had an abandoned and a little sad look about it, ever since Wildfire's family had moved to the rendezvous site and no one else had taken the claim. Wraen had considered at one point to move in here, but it had felt too big for her, so she had returned to the hollow she and her sister had shared. "This is the nest. Our founder Wildfire had intended it to be a communal den - it is quite spacious inside," she told and beckoned Chanel to follow her through the den mouth. "But ever since she died, this place has stayed empty. I have not heard about any ghosts haunting this place, so I think that your stay here will be quite pleasant."

Her eyes widened in half-surprise half-amusement as she listened to Wraen's list of so-called normal events for this Blackthorn clan- and even though Wraen clarified that it was partly exaggerated, Chanel still felt eager to hear some stories from this Finley. 
The spacious cave under the tree root which seemed so sad to Wraen, to Chanel seemed curious and inviting, and she was eager to step inside and take a look around her cozy new home. Chanel couldn't restrain her slight smile as they entered. When Wraen mentioned their founder Wildfire who had passed on, she thought for a moment about whether to make a comment of condolences- but as she decided, a few too many seconds passed and her window of opportunity vanished, and so she did not comment. Instead she spoke up "It's lovely here! I simply cannot wait to settle in... Once again, thank you so much for the opportunity, and I won't let you down." She beamed charmingly at the leader with genuine gratitude, for it was the most company and home she had had in several months now.

Chanel was excited for her new home and Wraen smiled, watching her and thinking that it was a good thing after all to introduce someone new to the abandoned home. It wasn't likely that Eljay or the Blackthorns would ever wish to return here, too many painful memories, but maybe - if not them, then others. Newcomers, this year's puppies, grandchildren even. It was true in a way, what Elfie had said, about people keeping the ghosts alive. Now she believed that she had found a remedy to this. You "banished" the dead by allowing living to take over. 

It then occurred to her that it was probably best for her to leave Chanel on her own. They had spent a good deal of time talking, the girl had travelled long and far and probably needed a rest. "I will leave you here now," she told her. "If you need anything, I am always around somewhere or - you can simply call," Wraen instructed her and then went to find other packmates in order to inform them about the newcomer.

Chanel listened to her new leader and nodded respectfully when she said she would leave her alone for now. She threw her a kind and grateful smile as the woman exited the spacious den. The yearling curled up against a wall with the intent of taking a nap. But the possibilities and excitement that came with joining her first pack beyond her family filled her head with thoughts, and so her restless mind kept her awake, dreaming of the future.