Wolf RPG

Since the den incident, Fennec hadn't been going out of her way to necessarily avoid @Bronco, but she had certainly been going out of her way to meet every wolf that was not him.  Who knows why, the girl was a mystery.  (More like open book - he'd triggered her still-kicking abandonment issues something FIERCE).  She'd taken a while to rest up her digging instruments and then decided to go at it again, only this time she hid the project from Bronco as best she could.  

She didn't want his help, not now.  She'd felt the earth crumble, had known it was going to fall, and with how loud it seemed after the fact she knew she'd have been able to get out.  Jury's out on whether or not that fact was true, but she wasn't about to risk him, not when she was more than capable of risking her own blind ass just fine.  She could feel what he couldn't, and during her whole excavation, she hadn't slipped up once.  He's in there an hour and collapses the whole damn thing on his head.

She didn't care that the anger still came from panic; she lived it, and she held onto it, and she was going to turn it into a better fucking den than he could have ever dug out.  If he and Meerkat found another place to stay in the meantime?  Fine.  (No, it really wouldn't be).  

It took her days of searching to find the right spot.  Eventually her search led her to the falls themselves... and next to them, a rock ledge.  She felt along the length and breadth of it, climbing her way carefully up the rocks one bit at a time until she could pace along it.  The stone was more cliff than rock, and if it didn't dip too steeply into the ground too quickly, would make a perfect roof that would have no chance of caving in.  There wasn't much room for a garden, not like her last spot, but she could improvise.

She had already dug out a tunnel and was working on the internals now.  The rock ledge had ended up slanting down, but right now that just meant her entrance also slanted, dipping down at an incline before hollowing out into a small (at the moment) space, not even big enough for her to turn around in yet.  Fortunately the ledge outside would prevent rainwater from flowing down the tunnel and drenching her, but she planned on lining the ramp with moss to compensate, just in case.  She wasn't interested in waking up damp any night this winter.

Leta had heard the sound of digging, and followed it with interest. She wanted to meet more of the pack, and now that it was claimed she felt it was as good a time as any since her time was not spent marking the borders and whatnot. It was with a skip in her step that Leta went toward what she had heard, but when she arrived there was no one outside. A cursory sniff made it clear that this was a wolf, and a wolf she had not yet met. 

Hellooo in there!! Leta cheerily greeted, tail waving a bit. She did not want to intrude and so did not just burst into the den, but instead asked, Uhm, want any help? A little shyly, but earnest. Realizing belatedly the other was working, it occurred to her they might not want company then. Or help.

Someone was coming.  Fennec scrambled to get out of the den and hopefully hide her involvement, but by the time she poked her nose out, Leta was already standing right there.  No!  Fennec replied with a hefty amount of force to it, more than was probably necessary.  It's fine, I was just finishing up.   She added a little more sedately, then made her way out and sat down.

Who're you?  She'd been meeting quite a few of her new packmates but this one was entirely unfamiliar.  She was starting to realize, over the past week, just how big Firefly Glen actually was compared to her home pack.  Seemed she was still meeting a new wolf every day.

Leta blanched and wilted both at the force of the others voice, stepping backward and flattening her ears atop her head. Instinctively, her eyes averted, but when the other moved Leta's eyes turned back to them as they explained. It hadn't sounded that way, but Leta had no reason to not believe this other she-wolf who would hopefully be willing to befriend her. Leta had... no girlfriends. Surrounded by boys, the only girls she was close to was her mother and her aunt—who had died. So, her roster had opened up for at the very least one (though she hoped for a bunch). 

I'm Leta! she introduced with a wave of her tail. Who are you? She inquired, recovering the single step she had taken away by taking a tentative one in Fennec's direction. The girl had eyes like she had never seen, and fascinated by them Leta could only stare for the moment.

Fennec couldn't see the girl's reaction to know that she'd bothered her.  And she definitely couldn't tell from the tone of voice she used to greet her.

Leta?  Fennec.  Fennec shook her head, then smirked.  You know, you remind me a lot of a cousin of mine.  She had the exact same friendliness Sugar Glider usually put out.  Were you looking for something out here?

Leta smiled when Fennec did, unaware that Fennec could not see. The others comment about her reminding her of someone she was related to brought a curious look to her, and Leta laughed, a little nervously. A cousin you get along with, I hope, with a smile on her own features. As for the question, Leta admitted, well, I had heard you working and I was looking to meet some of my packmates. So I figured, might as well help if you wanted any, and also meet you, too, with a wave of her tail. 

You den-building?? I haven't made one for myself, yet, she admitted. Since Winter was coming right along... it probably wouldn't hurt to do that.

Fennec huffed.  I don't think I had a choice,  she replied, remembering Sugar Glider's eager accompaniment and conversation.  She'd been helpful to the point of annoying, but it hadn't been the worst thing.  Yeah.  Last time I had help it didn't exactly go well.  But thanks?  She shrugged, then took a few steps out and sat down.

You've got some time, but yeah.  Figured I'd get a place before snow hit.  She remembered last year and how biting the cold was without a place to stay out of it.

I've never made one before, she admitted. She slept in her parents whelping den and then the rendezvous site had been all set up, too. And here, she slept in the great outdoors. What should I avoid doing, when it comes to denbuilding? Or is it just a thing where, it might go right... or, it might go wrong? She asked, grinning a little bit. 

That's smart, she said in answer, thinking, well, I should probably get on that too... Hopefully, denbuilding was just one of those instinctual things.

Fennec didn't know what Bronco had missed, but she assumed he'd gone quicker than she would have.  You couldn't just power your way through.  You have to pay attention to the ground and make sure it is stable.  Don't take too much or the top won't hold.  That was all she'd really say on that.  It was easier to talk about in terms of what she was doing with this one anyway.

That's why I'm using the rock here.  It makes a better roof, no danger.  Just means I had to go a little deeper.  Which was worth it.  If you don't have stone, just keep the top nice and thick.  Especially if anyone would be walking over.

She'd never figured she'd be giving den advice, but after making 2 now, she was starting to get a groove on it.  Besides, it was one of few tasks that didn't require eyes.  She could feel and dig just as well in the dark.

She talked the girl through a few more aspects of den-digging, then made herself scarce.  She hoped word wouldn't get back to Bronco, though it was likely stupid to think she could get away with this for long.  Eventually he was bound to come snooping.