Blackfeather Woods across the hallowed ground

set after this for @Amun <3
other tags are for reference but also please feel free to join!

The trip did not feel so long when she had company by her side. A few breaks were taken as necessary but things went smoothly otherwise. Crows and ravens seemed keen to call out welcomes (or perhaps warnings) to the Morta and her newfound companion. She mainly ignored them with a dismissive flick of her ear as she cast her silver gaze to Amun. A gentle look was given in hopes to soothe any worries he might have. She was committed to giving him the best now should he still wish to stay with them.

As they neared the borders she let out a soft call for @Maegi and @Tundra, signaling her return and the fact that she had company. Good company. Her tail swished behind her as she aimed to brush against Amun again now that they were within Blackfeather's woods.

Home. She softly mused with a rather fond look in her eyes. It may not look like much to an outsider but there was plenty she wanted to show him. Although she needed to know and asked once more for good measure. Amun, stay?

There were meadows, prairies, forests. They had set off toward towering mountains, but were nowhere near them when they entered Blackfeather Woods. Anxiety crept through Amun's ragged body while black birds crowed at them from the trees. There was a darkness about it all that kept him on edge, especially as markers denoting the pack borders grew stronger as they ventured forth. Jakoul's calm gazes let him breathe, but he couldn't help remembering the last time he had tried to fit in with a pack. He had been lucky to survive that.

As Jakoul called her fellow packmates, Amun sounded his own voice at the tail end of it to confirm his presence. There was a beauty to their harmony; he smiled at her as they finished the song.

When she asked if he wanted to stay, he looked around him. The light seemed dimmer here than outside of the Woods, but the sun still seeped through the canopy. Once the ravens and crows had settled, the sounds of other wildlife stirring in the twisting branches became dominant. "In my old home," he started, "there was only one tree." He chuckled.

"Please let me stay," he rolled over to expose his belly, wiggling rather goofily as he looked up at his new, crow-like mentor.

She did not require such an extensive show of submission. Her nose aimed to trail along his chest briefly before she pulled away. Amun home. She announced with a brief raise of her tail before it settled down again. Jakoul, Morta. Lead Blackfeather. The raven woman could not recall if she had exactly told him that. Although she co-led here, this was his home (now at least) as much as it was hers.

Come, come. She motioned carefully for him to raise from his spot on the ground. There was plenty for him to see. Perhaps she could start with the more colorful redgrove in hopes it would show him that the woods weren't entirely drab.

Amun wiggled when he felt Jakoul's nose against him. She explained in her brief manner of speaking that she was one of the leadership ranks. She called it a Morta, and he nodded on the ground in response. Jakoul motioned him to rise, and he flopped over sloppily, tail wagging behind him in little flits.

Amun was home.

The thought made a soft, almost unsure smile cross his face. The grey boy now followed close by his Morta's side, sniffing the air excitedly as they moved. The trees smelled of pine, willow, oak, and a mess of others. He was certain for a moment he caught a glimpse of tiny wolf tracks, a sure sign of pups.

As Jakoul led him, Amun asked, "How big is this place?" The trees seemed never-ending, but they had come from a meadow. What was on the other side?

Jakoul's call brought her from @Abraxas's side, with whom she had been silently walking and observing the flora of Blackfeather Woods. She bade him farewell and headed that way at a quick hobble, ears shifting forward in curiosity as she spotted the agouti male at her side. Maegi gave him a polite nod and then turned to the Morta, the unblemished corner of her mouth curving slightly in a Mona Lisa smile.

You brought someone home, she remarked rhetorically, tail swinging slowly behind her. Is he here to stay?

Her eyes shifted toward the young man, observing him for a brief moment. A little unkempt, but otherwise an average looking wolf by any standards; his scent gave no clues to where he could have come from (at least not that she recognized). I'm Maegi, the Nona said. I'm in charge of this forest, along with Jakoul and a woman named Tundra. She paused, looking a little wry. Are you here to stay?

His question caused the corners of her ebony lips to twitch up in a soft smile, subtle and fleeting as it was. Big. She answered with a broad motion of her muzzle towards the woods. There was the lands above ground — the lands she was most familiar with — and there there was the world underneath their paws. Hidden away like a treasure for the wolves of Blackfeather. Soon enough they would be Amun's treasure too.

Silver eyes spotted Nona nearing in on the duo. The Morta could not stop her tail from swaying behind her, excitement evident upon the arrival of her dear co-leader. A question was present and Jakoul only met it with a lively look in her eyes before she gazed upon Amun once more.

Her message to their newest member was clear. "Tell her, tell her!" The joy of it all practically rolled off of her lithe form in waves.

Big.
Amun followed the black creature's gesture, squinting at the woods beyond as if that would help him to see further than the wall of trees. He could hear a crow brush through the leaves. Oh, nope, that was a wolf.

To contrast Jakoul, she was a dove, dipped in grey as an accent not unlike their tipped feathers. Amun smiled nervously - it was implied by her stance and her presence that she was a high ranking animal, but beyond that she was also quite stunning. As Maegi explained who she was, he felt weirdly lucky to have two such birds as pack leaders. He wondered if Tundra was white too, as the name suggested. 

While Jakoul wagged her tail and looked at him, waiting for the answer, Amun couldn't help but beam. He nodded in quick succession. "Yes I am staying. I'm Amun," he greeted. It was only here that he noticed the brutal scarring on the side of her face. His smile faltered with surprise, but he tried his best to renew it and ignore. It wasn't a very good job. "Uh," he stumbled,"I came from pretty far. I mean I uh, I walked a lot." Don't mention the scar don't stare at her face say something not dumb. Amun blinked.
An awkward pause.
"This place is amazing. Is it all this uh -"
A crow... crowed.
"- dark?"

Amun, she thought to herself, nodding pleasantly in response. She was much too aware of others' reactions to her face, so when he faltered, she caught it nearly right away. Her own expression diminished slightly, becoming more cold—but to his credit, he forged on, making no mention of the injury and instead engaging in small talk. Awkward small talk. . .but wasn't it all awkward?

Yes, it is, Maegi responded. There are a couple of places where the sun gets through, but they're few and far between, especially when the trees are thick and green like right now. It was a shady place made for shady wolves; she wondered if he'd fit in here. If he'd be happy.

She cocked her head slightly in query, staring at the young man. Would you like a tour, or do you need to get some rest? she asked. I—we—could show you around, if you want, she added, amending her speech slightly to include Jakoul, whom she acknowledged with a little smile.

Jakoul could not deny the relief upon Nona's arrival. She flowed with words far better than the Morta could, she could elaborate on things with Amun more. Fill in the likely numerous blanks. There were the offers to be made of course. Rest, a meal, a tour. There was no denying their trip had not exactly been short but perhaps he wished to see more before he settled down.

The choice was hers as her gaze broke away from Maegi to look to their newcomer once more. She wanted him to feel in control of his choices within his new home.

We can fade here - life be busy, tours be boring

Amun frowned.
No sun. That sucked.
Still, he was pleased to have found a place that was safe. Sunlight brought its own problems. Darkness did have an odd air of safety about it. He could always venture outside of the grounds for his sunbathing needs, after all.

When Maegi asked if he wanted a tour, his frown disappeared and he lit up with an almost absurd amount of excitement. His tail flopped about behind him. "Tour!" His voice came through louder than he'd meant it, and he bent his ears bashfully. "I mean, I'd really like that. It was a long trip but I'm ready to see everything!" He beamed at Jakoul, happy that she had been kind enough to bring him hear, whatever its darkness.

The young man's enthusiasm was catching, and Maegi found her tail moving along with his, albeit not so fervently or quickly. All right, she said, voice amiable. We'll show you around. She rolled her shoulder, working out the little kinks here and there from whatever restless sleeps she'd endured lately.

Come along, crooned the Nona, and began to pad into the forest, only increasing her pace from "turtle" when she heard pawsteps behind her. Where to go first?

Perhaps Amun would enjoy the Redgrove, so vibrant and full of color. . . She headed that way, the smile still lingering on her face.