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+--- Thread: Redhawk Caldera i can feel your halo (/showthread.php?tid=46026)
i can feel your halo - Meerkat - January 06, 2021
She spent the day alternating between crying and sleeping fitfully. Whenever she woke, she curled closer to @Bronco, clinging to him as if he were a buoy in a stormy sea. When Towhee stopped by to check on all of them, she let go of him just to latch onto her mother. She cried a bit against the Sovereign's neck, then calmed down enough to relay the story in full. After telling her mother—and not to mention her late night talk with Fennec—she wouldn't say she felt better, though Meerkat felt slightly steadier in a way.
As another dusk fell, her thoughts turned toward the glen and she knew she must go back there soon, even though the thought made her insides twist. As much as she needed her family's support, she knew the glen needed her now more than ever. Meerkat hadn't been able to do much during the attack but she could help her pack mates navigate the aftermath. Although she was struggling herself, she thought maybe she would find some closure and healing in helping others cope with their mutual grief.
Before she went, she wanted to have a proper conversation with Bronco. They needed to catch up after all that had happened. That included telling him about Toad, much as she dreaded breaking the news. He was already hurting, the last thing he deserved was more tragedy. Meerkat exhaled softly as she regarded him where he slept, refusing to wake him. She would let him rest, wait him out, and hopefully be able to head out by tomorrow, while the weather was still calm.
RE: i can feel your halo - Hunt - January 07, 2021
There was something within the valley that lured the beasts. Even Hunt, found themselves arising from the winter slumber and moving themselves forward to this distant land. There he could smell brothers and sisters from all over, but yet come across any within. Slowly did he follow a trial, and yet all he picked up as wolves.
A disgruntled snort, an annoyance to the canines that thought they ruled everything. He detested them, especially with their numbers can grow quite annoying, and breed faster then the furless two-leggers. No forest was guarded enough for Hunt, as even the smell of the Redhawk was strong, he cared not.
Passing through they could clearly smell them all, yet only the distant smell of another bear. However cloggy as their nose was, Hunt rose to his legs and peered about. There was a mighty roar from the beast, a calling to any brothers that may be within the wolf infested land.
Disgusting.
A disgruntled snort, an annoyance to the canines that thought they ruled everything. He detested them, especially with their numbers can grow quite annoying, and breed faster then the furless two-leggers. No forest was guarded enough for Hunt, as even the smell of the Redhawk was strong, he cared not.
Passing through they could clearly smell them all, yet only the distant smell of another bear. However cloggy as their nose was, Hunt rose to his legs and peered about. There was a mighty roar from the beast, a calling to any brothers that may be within the wolf infested land.
Disgusting.
RE: i can feel your halo - Fennec - January 07, 2021
Actually... yep! why not :D
The thought of 'what else could go wrong' wasn't one Fennec tended to have, but when she heard the bear roar, she wondered if maybe she'd accidently put a curse on herself. Her blood ran cold, but now more than ever, she was one of few able-bodied wolves here. And fuck was she ever testing that fact.
She heard the bear... and circled round, loosing a howl of her own on the side she knew the borders lay. Perhaps it was a dumb play for a blind wolf to challenge a bear to a race, but in the other direction lay a whole lot of collateral damage that Fennec wasn't willing to risk.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Niamh - January 07, 2021
A bear.
It chilled Niamh to hear Fennec's call, and she halted, her breath forming small puffs of haze on the air. The amount of natural delay from Fennec's howl informed her roughly where her step-daughter was, and she hoped Fennec had the sense to stay away from the densite. Niamh was miles within the pack's claimed territory and as such, the bear's roar hadn't travelled to her, but a wolf's voice was made to carry. "What in the bloody hell-" She murmured to herself. First a cougar at their borders, and now a bear was trespassing? How was a bear even awake, with such foul weather promising to wreak havoc for at least another week? She could feel the oncoming storm in her bones; she could only imagine how disoriented the bear would be, having gone off its hibernation schedule. And a disoriented bear could be twice as dangerous as one fat and healthy from a summer's worth of feasting on fresh salmon.
As much as Niamh wanted to howl back, she would not risk luring the bear into their packlands. She had no idea where exactly the bear was- but it was out of earshot, so chances were good if Fennec had picked up on its presence, it would be somewhere in her area, and far enough away from the densite. She willed for Fennec to stay out of reach- to avoid engaging it, and to run rather than attacking it, but she couldn't risk calling out. Not when she chose instead to guard the densite she attended, which she hoped would remain hidden within the sprawling miles of the Caldera's plateau. Even the battle-scarred Sergeant-at-Arms knew when not to pick a fight. She could only hope that the bear wouldn't find the location, which she couldn't bear to leave unattended.
So she quickly scurried back into the den, which she now haunted in light of her own injuries, sneaking inside to make a quick, redundant tally of all within- Meerkat, Alyx and Bronco, just as they should be. She signalled for Meerkat's attention. -"Stay down. Stay quiet. Keep them quiet."- She indicated Bronco and Alyx, before she swiftly turned, and hunkered down on the ground within the mouth of the den just behind the line of shade that fell across its entrance, a silent guardian hoping that either the bear would pass through peacefully, or that her packmates could lead it out.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Bronco - January 07, 2021
Bronco slept, having finally been able to fall into a peaceful slumber once the effects of the herbs wore off where his dreams weren't so delirious. So when he finally began to awaken, he was more lucid than he'd been over the past couple of days, and was able to realize both where he was, and who was there with him. He licked his lips and yawned, oblivious to the fact that his mother had just hurried in, and the anxiety that racked her frame as she blocked the entrance. He knew she was there, but the only thing he found odd about that was that he hadn't figured she'd care so much. Given how much he'd learned from Alyx about how Niamh had been treating her, it surprised him somewhat to find that she'd chosen now to give them a shred of her time.
So he focused instead on Meerkat, curled up along one side of him. He felt Alyx at his flank as well, though her breathing sounded deep enough to indicate that she might be asleep. He tried to open his eyes- and could just see enough to tell light from darkness, but it pained him to fight against the swelling in his temple. He turned his head to nudge Meerkat with his muzzle. "Meerk," He grunted. His left shoulder still throbbed, so while he normally would have signed, he couldn't. "When'd you get here?" He spoke into the tense darkness.
RE: i can feel your halo - Eljay - January 08, 2021
Eljay had had his paws full caring for the wolves of Redhawk Caldera. Luckily he had Fennec to help at least. He felt overwhelmed though, and he felt unsafe knowing that a cougar had been at their borders. What of the doubtlessly upcoming children? Would they be safe here? And what if Maia wanted to move here? What if they had children? Would those be safe?
He smelled bear nearby and felt a twist in his gut. Bears didn't have to mean trouble, but they were dangerous and having one inside the territory wasn't a good sign. Hadn't it smelled the borders? Worried, Eljay set off towards the offending scent and soon laid eyes on the beast from a distance.
Eljay stood petrified as he watched it. The bear hadn't made a bad move yet, and he waited breathlessly to find out whether it would turn aggressive or simply pass through and leave them all be.
unsure if Fennec was in sight of bear so I've left it vague ^^; Eljay is at bear location but at a distance
RE: i can feel your halo - Meerkat - January 09, 2021
The quiet of the proverbial hospital wing was disrupted by a loud roar in the distance. Meerkat tensed, her blood running cold at the familiarity of that noise. Bear, she thought, her heart abruptly pounding in her chest. The bear followed me here, came a second and slightly inaner thought as her breaths came fast and shallow. Then her thoughts simply whirled into static chaos.
Then two things happened in quick succession, both of them grounding her. First, Niamh appeared in the doorway, signaling at her. Nearly at the same time, Bronco roused and asked her a question. If the roar had woken him, or perhaps his mother's arrival, he didn't seem to have registered these things consciously. Maybe he was simply too out of it to really have any bearings on his surroundings.
Putting a toe to her lips, Meerkat hunkered closer to him, after shooting Alyx a quick glance. She was still sound asleep. Good. "Shhh, Alyx is sleeping right next to you." She paused, swallowing thickly and glancing at Niamh. "I've been here a couple of days. How're you feeling?"
RE: i can feel your halo - Hunt - January 09, 2021
There was something in front of him, it was like taunting him to come to chase despite being so small and weak, so the bear thought anyway. Wolves were always pesky in a group, but by themselves they never tend to be an issue. So far Hunt had only spotted that one, and gave a wave of aggitation to the tired beast. He didn't notice any other wolf entering the scene.
And, no bear called back, and that was what mattered. Giving a huff and a growl, Hunt warned the wolf as he turned away from it. He couldn't speak their tongue unlike his other bearkin, but if they were smart enough, they would know not to continue chasing, especially as he was leaving their territory.
No bears, no use to stay.
And, no bear called back, and that was what mattered. Giving a huff and a growl, Hunt warned the wolf as he turned away from it. He couldn't speak their tongue unlike his other bearkin, but if they were smart enough, they would know not to continue chasing, especially as he was leaving their territory.
No bears, no use to stay.
RE: i can feel your halo - Fennec - January 09, 2021
She heard it and moved well away. Her hackles were up, but she made no move to approach it closer. Instead she would trail it, ensure it left the borders completely before turning away. She had no awareness of Eljay's position, only the creature. And it sounded massive.
Her dad had said that bears could rend a wolf in a single move. She only had the sound and that description to paint an image, but it was enough to lend even more caution than she usually felt. Alongside her shoulder (something she'd forgotten, honestly) she had no ground to stand on if it came to a fight. Fortunately, the bear seemed disinterested as well, and was moving on it's own the direction she'd hoped.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Bronco - January 09, 2021
skipping myself without permission 'cause why not
Meerkat shushed him, and he sheepishly nodded in apology. He didn't want to disturb Alyx, who needed all the rest she could get so that she could heal up. He could hear a bit of nervousness in Meerkat's lowered voice, though he wasn't sure why she sounded that way. He shrugged it off, figuring maybe her voice just sounded that way because she was trying to speak softly- and not a lot of his family members were accustomed to doing such a thing.
Out of consideration for his sleeping sister, he responded with a shrug, and a whisper. "Sore." He said. He couldn't believe Meerkat had been around for a couple days, and that he'd only really noticed now. Maybe he had noticed her before- but he couldn't remember it. He wasn't sure how many days had even passed since the fight, but he assumed he'd been out for most of it. It was too hard to scope out his most recent memories. "You should'n'a come with that cougar wandering around," He said. It stressed him out to think she'd been at risk like that. Someone should have warned the Glen about the threat that had come to their sister pack's borders.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Niamh - January 09, 2021
RUDE okay I'm done
She waited, lurking in the shadows and watching the small patch of open scenery she could see from where she lay. From outside the den, nothing more than silence, perhaps a whisper of wind. But then there was stirring from within and she flicked one ear back in response. She hoped Meerkat would be able to handle Alyx and Bronco- smothering them if she had to, to temporarily get them to stay hushed but she should have known that her own son would cause a commotion. Her hackles lifted suddenly and she whipped her head around, peering over her shoulder with a vicious glare, baring her teeth in a flash and hissing through her teeth to shush Bronco, but Meerkat beat her to the chase. They continued to speak, but in voices hushed enough she figured they might not be heard outside the den. She turned her head back around to continue staring out the mouth of the den, allowing those within to converse, so long as they remained quiet enough.
May as well allow them a few moments to speak anyway, she thought ruefully, before they get torn apart by the bear. Each passing second wore her patience down, bit by bit. She heard nothing- no more howls, no cries, no approaching footsteps. Never before had she ever been simultaneously so stressed and relieved to hear nothing at all.
RE: i can feel your halo - Eljay - January 10, 2021
Eljay stood and watched breathlessly. He had never seen a bear this up close. He'd heard stories of them, and maybe seen them from very, very far away. But never at a distance like this. The bear looked around as if he was waiting for something or looking for something. Eljay held onto his heart, still not breathing, as the massive creature seemed not to find what it was looking for. It hadn't spotted him so far, and it started to move away; not in Fennec's direction, but in a different direction. Eljay hesitated if he should follow it or if he should stay here. He didn't want to agitate it by following, so maybe...
Stuck in indecision, Eljay stayed in the same place, and as the bear started meandering away he let out a breath of relief. Only if it seemed to be headed towards the patient den would he have followed, but any other direction he would stand and stare, waiting, unsure, and for the first time feeling weirdly unsafe in Redhawk Caldera, a strange feeling he had never had before.
RE: i can feel your halo - Meerkat - January 10, 2021
"Sore," he reported, which made Meerkat want to pull him into a hug. That was probably counter-intuitive though. Just like when she'd been comforting Toad in those final moments of her life, one of her forepaws snaked forward to grasp at his nearer one, soon joined by the other, so she held onto it. Hopefully that would provide some comfort without adding to his aches and pains.
And hopefully it would help as she broke the bad news to him. It didn't feel appropriate to tell him while he was so woozy, though she owed him an answer to his question and she could explain it at all at once. "Bronco," she began, squeezing his paw gently, "I didn't come here for fun. Hydra sent me here because... b-because..." Meerkat paused to take a bracing breath. "A bear attacked the glen. Toad and Desdemona were killed." As the words shook loose from her, she moved forward to press her snout against Bronco's scruff, trying very hard not to start crying again.
...and failing. Although the roar hadn't sounded again, the stress of their present situation coupled with the all too fresh memories of their comrades' deaths—not to mention how horrible Bronco must be feeling now too—sent her into a paroxysm. All she could do was try to keep it down by muffling it against her brother's ruff.
RE: i can feel your halo - Fennec - January 13, 2021
making an assumption! Message me if it's wrong. Last for me in here <3
The bear kept going, and when she reached the border, Fennec stopped to wait as it disappeared from earshot. She was on edge, kept expecting it to turn, but it did not. Finally, after a long moment, Fennec lifted her muzzle and howled. It's gone.
She wouldn't return back to the den, though. Instead she began a circuit that would bring her around to another part of the borders, one where she knew there to be caverns and sheltered areas. She'd hunker down there until she was sure it wouldn't return to follow her trail; then she'd go back.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Bronco - January 14, 2021
He heard the sound of quick movement and a soft hiss, which he assumed came from his mother, though he wasn't sure why she was in such a foul mood. He ignored her. Meerkat was still holding his paw- something he only realized now that he'd felt her do before, but perhaps...Days ago, when she'd arrived. There was a little squeeze, and through that, he felt a deep and profound sadnes begin to come from her. He hadn't been too aware of it before, but when she spoke his name, his head lifted. Meerkat never sounded like that- something was wrong.
Hydra had sent her. There had been a bear, and- "No," He said softly. He shook his head. Desdemona and Toad? They couldn't be dead. "No," he reiterated, a bit more firmly. "No bear, a cougar," He said. "Alyx and Fennec are alive." He said. The two incidents were too difficult to separate- and he found only his own to be even remotely believable.
But from beyond the mouth of the den, Fennec's voice called out. It's gone. "What's gone?" he asked sluggishly, suddenly distracted yet again. Little of what Meerkat had said sunk in.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Niamh - January 14, 2021
last post from Niamh
She heard soft murmurs from Meerkat and Bronco, and when Meerkat's voice became disjunct with emotion, she flicked one ear back so she might listen in on their conversation and glean what she could from it. Two names she did not recognize, though she thought that perhaps Phox had mentioned the latter to her, before. She couldn't let herself get too distracted, though- so when Bronco began to murmur in confusion, she flicked her ear forward- just in time to catch Fennec's call. The bear was gone.
She sighed. Finally, something had gone right. "I'll be right outside," She said, speaking over Meerkat and Bronco's conversation, and moved out into the light so that she might be the first to catch sight of Fennec and ask her exactly what had happened, but still close by just in case the creature came back.
RE: i can feel your halo - Eljay - January 19, 2021
also last post
Eljay relaxed when finally the bear lumbered off. He had never been this close to a bear — even though the beast hadn't seen him — and it shook him to the core. Eljay shivered, did a quick check on Meerkat and Bronco to make sure they hadn't gotten wounded, and then he went back to the Blackthorn den. The rest of the day he felt off and on edge. Even being around the Blackthorn den wasn't quite the same. It would settle eventually, but for the coming weeks he'd be absent-minded and distracted due to the incident.
RE: i can feel your halo - Meerkat - January 19, 2021
"It's gone," someone howled and Meerkat's shoulders stopped shaking for a moment as she processed the message and tried to place the voice. Fennec, she thought, the distraction enough that her crying spell ceased for the moment. She pulled back slightly from Bronco's dampened ruff to sniffle in a wet breath.
It took her a moment to gather her strength to clarify the situation for her brother. Touching her nose gently to his cheek to help orient him, she said quietly into the space between them, "I know about the cougar attack here. There was a separate attack—a bear—at the glen." Meerkat breathed shakily for a few seconds before continuing. "I'm sorry."
She gave his paw a squeeze and fell silent for another minute before adding, "Let's not talk about this anymore right now. You need to rest. I'll be right here." They could revisit the topic when Bronco was less out of it, much as Meerkat dreaded going over it yet again. But she would do everything she could to be there for him when the reality of it finally sank in, as she knew he would be there for her. They could hold onto one another while they navigated this unprecedented tragedy.
RE: i can feel your halo - RIP Bronco - January 19, 2021
He sniffled in surprise when Meerkat's nose touched his cheek. He'd heard his mother leave the den and had been distracted momentarily enough, that he'd lost his (very short) train of thought in the process. Meerkat spoke, and her story was just as confusing, and it hurt his head to furrow his brow in thought. "Bear?" He asked. "It was a cougar." He insisted quietly. There was a ringing in his ears that made it nearly impossible for him to focus for very long on anything.
So when he felt his paw squeezed gently, and heard the word 'rest' he sighed softly, and leaned back against her, licking his lips. He had no idea how close they'd all come to facing another horrendous attack- but this time, at least, they had been left unscathed. Bronco fell back into the haze between slumber and unconsciousness, and would remember little to nothing of the conversation about the bear in the glen until a few days later.