Wolf RPG

Thoughts weighed heavy in the northerner’s mind.

Issorartuyok traveled with @Heda, seeking to find a scent from the group of wolves that had journeyed from the glacier. Tuuluuwaq was among them. Ensio had gone, as well. The northerner worried that they had met danger. If Rivenwood had been attacked, there could be no telling what awaited the party. It was this that caused him to tread with care.

Heda’s sister would be their next search. He wished to take the girl to her homeland. He wanted to be sure that survivors were tended to, that the search party from the glacier was safe. Once they had done this, the man would journey with Heda to find her sister Druid. He had given her his word.

For the time being, Issorartuyok lifted his head and called to @Tuuluuwaq or @Ensio, hoping one of them would answer.

Their claim on Emberwood was getting stronger by the day, strong enough that Fig felt more comfortable leaving the territory for a while to explore the areas that surrounded them. They'd come to the forest from the North, and with mountains to the West, he was left to wonder what lied to the East and South. It was East he went that day to see what there was to see.

He'd wondered all along about what other packs might be in the area, so it was with that question in the back of his mind that he wandered through the frosted ferns. It came to the forefront when he caught the scent of others. Or perhaps it was just one other that carried the scent of many? Curious, he began to follow the trail, pausing once when he heard the call. It wasn't for him, but he carried on anyway until he found the man. Fixing a neutral but friendly posture, he approached until he was near enough to be heard without crowding him.

"Hey there," Fig called, offering a friendly smile, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He glanced around, looking to see if the companions he'd summoned would appear before turning back again.

A dark stranger with apple green eyes approached them. He arrived with neutral posture and a friendly smile. Issorartuyok drew his head up and peered at the individual with a small nod of his head. He moved to stand protectively beside Heda. The man could not offer his trust so easily. If her home had been attacked, there was no telling what kinds of dangers dwelled in the lands around it.

Greetings, I am called Issorartuyok. We are traveling in search of Rivenwood wolves. One in particular – a young girl named Druid.

The northerner glanced toward Heda with a small nod. He would hold himself true to his word. They would not return home until they had found her sister. Issorartuyok knew how important family was. He would not have been able to rest if he had tried to push Heda back to the glacier.

Figment didn't spot the other wolf until a moment after he spoke, but he offered her a smile as well. She was younger than the other, to be sure, though he could exactly place her age. His thoughts went to Meerkat and he tried to compare the two. How old had his sister been when she looked like this girl? He gave up on that line of thought quickly, knowing he wouldn't remember well enough and that it mattered very little anyway.

His brilliant green eyes turned back to the male as he spoke. There was nothing in his tone that suggested Figment was unwelcome, so the Redhawk settled a bit more, though he did somewhat worry he might have to pronounce that mouthful of a name at some point in the conversation. He spoke of Rivenwood wolves and a girl named Druid--both unfamiliar to him. Fig gave a sympathetic half-smile, half-frown.

"Ah, I unfortunately can't help you with that," Figment replied, "My family and I are new to this area. We are settling in Emberwood, a forest just West of here. This is actually my first time out to get to know the neighbors. I don't know of Rivenwood, or of the girl you're looking for."

heda was in no state and without the training to be any sort of mediator.
she waited quietly beside issorartuyok. the stranger was speaking.
heda returned the man's smile but her ears splayed when he revealed he didn't know rivenwood — or her sister.
the girl felt her heart sink into her stomach. but she would force herself to remain strong.

The dark wolf stated that he was new to the territory, that his people were not familiar with the village that had been attacked. Issorartuyok felt swelling disappointment, but he knew well enough that it was not the stranger’s fault. His worries were primarily for Heda. The northerner wanted only to provide her with comfort and the knowledge that her family was safe.

Ah, I understand, he stated with a solemn nod. I hope the best for your family and your settlement. The northerner knew that he would not rest easy without warning the young man of what dangers existed in the area.

The wolves of Rivenwood suffered a terrible attack. I do not know you and yours, but I feel it only right that you are aware of the danger. Issorartuyok did not know if the attackers would turn their fangs on other wolves or if Rivenwood had been their sole target. He did not believe that his uncertainty was worth the risk.

They both seemed disappointed by his words. There was little Fig could do to help the matter, but he still felt sorry for it. The girl said nothing, but the man spoke again. Fig turned his attention to him, his alarm slowly rising. They had apparently decided to move into a rough neighborhood. That was unfortunate.

”Attacked? By who? And for what reason? Do you know?” Fig asked, his concern evident. His mind spun with the possibilities, but he held his imagination in check. For all he knew, it was a border dispute—nothing he and his family would run into since they had no close neighbors.

Questions could only be expected. The northerner stared solemnly at the dark stranger. He wished that he could offer more information, more that would be beneficial to a family that sought to settle there. Their own village had sought to move away from the troubles of the taiga. Diseased herds and violent neighbors did not make a warm welcome.

I do not know their purpose. They are called Ursus. I cannot think of a reason that the Ursus village should attack Rivenwood. We have lived close to Rivenwood and we know they are honorable.

It was only right to warn them.

To the north, we found herds dying from a terrible illness. It is possible that Ursus believed they would be victorious, that they knew there would be weaker wolves. Issorartuyok could not have said with certainty. He wondered how the dark-furred stranger would take to such news.

Fig cataloged the names of these packs in his head. It wasn't good news, but he wasn't certain if it meant that he and his family ought to change their plans. It didn't seem there was any reason for Ursus to have done what they did to Rivenwood, but Figment was still hopeful there had been one, and it was not a mistake that he and his could make.

He went on then, sharing more dire news. Illness, dying herds, the strong taking advantage of the weak. These were not the things he'd been hoping, or even expecting, to hear. "Thank you for letting me know," Fig replied after a moment of thought, "Not the sort of news one wants to hear, but that doesn't mean  we don't need to hear it." He glanced between Issorartuyok and the young girl, sympathy in his eyes.

"What will you do?" Fig asked, curious. They had clearly lived near enough to this to be affected by it all. Perhaps they had an example to follow.

The northerner bowed his head. The dark stranger was appreciative of the information, no matter how daunting. At least he could prepare his family for the potential. Issorartuyok thought to tell him of the summit in the west but did not. A question had been asked for him, instead. It felt just as daunting as the news he had shared.

We will continue until we know the girl’s family is safe. Then, our village moves to the west. Across the mountains. Issorartuyok would not abandon his word to Heda. It didn’t make sense to try to pull her away when her home had been attacked, when they only had word from Tuuluuwaq on the safety of its members. We expect children in the spring. We cannot risk the danger to the families.

Turned out, they did have a plan, though Figment wasn't certain it was one his family would adopt. They had barely begun to settle in Emberwood. He hated the idea of packing up and leaving when they'd just started. But at the same token, perhaps that made it easier to walk away.

Still, no matter how dire the news, the talk of children was like the sun peeking through the clouds. He smiled a little, but it slipped away in the next moment. "Well, you've given me something to think about," Fig replied with a small nod, "Thank you for sharing that news. I wish you and your family the best of luck. If I come across your.. Druid, I'll let her know you were seeking her, and of your plans."

With that, they parted ways.