After spending some time in the Vale, Meldresi headed south to Blackfeather Woods. She wasn't sure if Fang was there yet, but she did want to go around the perimeter of the dark forest to map out where their borders should go. Passing the Lake, she stopped right at the edge of the darkness, nose sniffing for any scent of wolf.

Without a scent to tell her if anyone had entered or exited Blackfeather, she patrolled around its edges, trying to gauge how big her pack's lands should be.

Her ears twitched at the sound of the call. Turning towards the sound, she trotted over to Fang, who was just entering the dark woods known to its avian locals as Blackfeather Woods. The priestess approached the male, keeping in the shadows to observe him. As he stood, he leaned to one side, favoring a leg it seemed. On closer inspection, it looked like he sustained an injury there from not too long ago.

Parting from the shadows, Meldresi walked over to Fang, eyes gleaming. "So you came," she said, though she wasn't surprised at all. Her attention turned back to his injured leg. "What happened? Were you attacked recently?"

Fang claimed that one of his own packmates had given him the wound. The priestess stepped closer, sniffing the wound. It was a deep wound, the flesh torn, from pulling; either from him trying to pull away, or the packmate in question pulling. It was healed a bit, but he still favored it. She clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Physical fighting between packmates is bad for the pack. It is the beginning of discontent within. I know, I have seen it many times."

Stepping back, she turned her head to look at the dark forest Fang was mentioning. "It is mysterious. I have travelled within it many times and yet I still do not know everything about it..." The forest was vast, as was the tunnels underneath it. There were dark parts of these woods she had yet to explore, but she wanted to bring her pack her as soon as she could regardless.

Fang only shrugged in response, a gesture that told her that he truly didn't care about the Sunspire anymore. Whatever had happened only served to help her gain new allies. His wound seemed to be healing fine, so she left it alone for now. "Don't strain yourself, Fang. We do not have to travel far now."

She walked into the forest, but she already knew this neck of the woods. For now she would let Fang get a small glimpse of the dark forest before asking formally if he wished to join Blackfeather.

The wolfdog felt defensive that she had mentioned being careful. True, he had just come from all the way down from the mountains. But she was a healer. It was her job to be like that. If he truly needed it, she would give him some poppy seeds to help ease whatever pain he was experiencing.

She walked to the nearest tunnel that she knew of. The winding tunnels lay everywhere underneath the woods. She hasn't explored every part yet, especially the parts without light, but from what she has seen, it could serve as the communal den of her pack. The river was downhill, so if it flooded there was a chance that it would only reach one tunnel.

Finding the hidden tunnel, she pushed the bush that covered the hole. "There's an entire tunnel system down here. I plan to have the pack's communal den in there..."

"Nothing major, mainly cave dwellers. Bats, for the most part. Some mice and rats in the higher parts of the cave. There's a river in there, so there are salamanders and insects too. Strangest of all are the glowing worms and mushrooms..." She had finally discovered what was the source of the hanging tendrils. Worms. Strange, glowing worms. The tendrils were silk, or something like it, and it hung down. For what, she wasn't certain, but they were rather beautiful.

"Come in, let me show you.." She said, slipping into the dark tunnel. It would only be dark for a few moments before a glow could be seen in the distance. Soon the glow would get brighter and brighter until it was almost as bright as a full moon inside of the cave.

"Leatherface, a large male. He's a man of few words but he's a bit....slow as well." He was the first to join her, and until she started her pack officially, he resided in the Blackfeather Woods, alone. "Keith, is coming as well." She did not need to describe the silver male to Fang, since they were already acquainted.

"I am still looking for other members, but I am getting there" She said, walking towards the tunnel where the river was flowing past. Rahzie was another she considered, but she hadn't seen the coywolf in a while, even back in Ouroboros. Maybe she left? Who knows? But she still had other potential candidates, like the injured hybrid standing nearby her.

Meldresi sighed at the way Fang described them. True, it wasn't the best group to start with, but it was better than nothing. "I do not discriminate beyond appearances. They have their benefits. There are worst people, however." She needed strength now, and that's what both of them could offer. Leatherface had his own brute power, Keith was young and swift and could be fierce when the moon was right.

She chuckled at Fang's question. What was he trying to pull? Was he trying to gain a leadership position? "For the moment, yes. Although, when the pack grows larger I would pick one of the best to be Gamma or Beta." It was a necessity, but she did not know much about how Fang operated in a leadership role. True if she had to choose now, he would be her first choice, but what did she know about him? Close to nothing.

He asked a good question. What could she offer him? He was trying to test her, it seemed, but she didn't mind. "You already have your mind set on leaving the Mountains. But, after leaving the Sunspire, you would most likely be a loner, correct?" He did not seemed to be interested in the other packs nearby, like the Creek or the Plateau, so she was simply assuming from those facts alone. "Being a pack wolf is better than a lone wolf. You have safety from predators, a higher chance of getting food. But that's what all packs could give you."

She walked closer to the river, stepping on its banks, her paws half in the dark waters. "By joining a young pack, you have a higher chance of being in the upper tier, if you are concerned with that sort of thing." She flicked the water absentmindedly with her paw, watching as something swam closer. So there was fish in here after all. "I also offer a feeling of belonging for those who join. I will keep a close eye and ear on my pack. I will make sure that we act as a group, a family. If there is any strife between others, I will make sure to deal with it. I can't abide such internal struggles."

She felt a smile flicker onto her face. Another follower! Though he was injured for the moment, he would be helpful in gaining them stability. He looked around, assessing the dark caves. "I would suggest it. It's safer down here." She moved away from the river, shaking her damp paw.

"There aren't any pelts yet, but the moss here is soft enough." After a few weeks of hunting they would have pelts for each member to sleep on, but that comfort would have to wait. "You could sleep anywhere you want in here, be my guess."

As she was moving, Fang had something else to add. She turned, listening to what he had to say. Before he could formally move in, he had to attend to some things back home. "Of course, I'll see you then." The priestess said, turning back and following another tunnel.

Meldresi felt a rush of pride. Another member! Certainly her goddess would be pleased with her progress. She was close to reaching her goal. She needed but another member..