Ravensblood Forest homeward bound

no rush as we are still wrapping up the other thread <3

As the morning sun filtered through the sequoias, the captain set out with one goal in mind. With Murkwood's roster expanding, it was high time they found somewhere more permanent to settle with space large enough to house both members and any supplies they had acquired. After all, no crew was complete without their ship.

A fresh layer of snow muffled any bird chorus, casting the forest into an eerie quiet that even Nox found unsettling as he walked with @Emris along the trail that led to the lone willow tree. Tiny icicles had begun to form on his whiskers where his breath plumed white from the cold, and he rid them with a quick shake of his head.

"Seen any place worth investigatin'?" he turned to her with a wave of his tail.

Emris padded alongside him, her thick coat bristling faintly against the crisp air. The eerie stillness of the snow-cloaked forest didn’t seem to bother her much, though her lilac eyes flicked now and then to the shadows cast by the towering sequoias. The quiet had a way of stretching too thin, making her ears twitch at every small crack of ice or distant rustle.

“A few,” she replied, her breath visible in the cold as she glanced at Nox. “Further south, where the trees thin out. Big clearing by the edge of a frozen stream. Wouldn’t be too hard t’ make somethin’ of it.”

Her gaze shifted ahead to the trail, the lone willow coming into view through the frost-heavy air.

She gave him a sideways glance. “Big clearings make for easy settin’... but they also make y’ easier t’ spot.”

He too was hyper-aware of every sound, the crunch of their paws in the new snow especially loud in the quiet forest. As unearthly as it was, there came a sense of peace as the captain's ears swivelled to catch her response and he was content to enjoy her company as they explored. 

"Harder to defend too," he mused, considering her suggestion carefully. The river would be a useful landmark to have near and offered the promise of good fishing spots this far from the ocean, but Nox was less than thrilled to settle for an exposed patch of woods. 

"The mountains here act as a funnel for landlubbers makin' for the coast this way. We'd need someplace with a view." A small ridge perhaps, that overlooked a clearing? He met her gaze with a thoughtful frown, seeking her opinion.

Emris nodded slowly, her ears twitching as she mulled over his words. “Y’re right,” she said, her voice carrying easily in the still air. “A river’s good for fishin’, but it’s no good if y’ can’t see trouble comin’. Up high sounds smarter.”

She glanced ahead, her lilac eyes scanning the snow-laden forest for anything that might match his description. The faintest hint of a smile tugged at her lips as she added, “Plus, high ground’s got its advantages. Can’t think of many who’d wanna climb uphill just to pick a fight.”

Her gaze flicked back to him, catching the thoughtful frown that lingered on his face. “What about there?” she asked, nodding toward a slope rising gently in the distance, the tree line thinning at its peak.

“Not much of a climb, but enough to see clear ‘cross the valley. Reckon it’s worth a look.” She stepped ahead, her paws crunching softly in the snow, her pace measured as she waited for his answer.

The captain's eyes traced Emris' nod, the hint of a grin playing on his lips. "Aye, y've got a point," his tail flicked, pleased to see they were both on the same page. "Would certainly give us the upper hand." They'd be a fool to underestimate the lengths some would go to insight violence, but high ground would be an advantageous place to start. Better to see trouble before it saw them.

Following her gaze to the distant rise, he scanned for shadows that may indicate a slight dip or indentation but found it too difficult to tell from here. "Looks like a good place to start," he started towards the slope before glancing back to Emris with a determined look in his eyes. "Can't tell much from down 'ere, but perhaps we'll find somethin' worth our time."

Emris returned his look with a small nod, her lilac eyes glinting faintly in the morning light. “Only one way to find out,” she replied, stepping after him with a steady stride. The air was still sharp, her breath curling in soft plumes as she followed the captain’s lead, her paws crunching through the snow.

She glanced toward the slope as they drew closer, her keen eyes scanning the rise for anything promising. “If it’s got cover, even better,” she added. “Trees up top could hide us from pryin’ eyes while givin’ us a good view of the valley.”

Her ears twitched as the faint rustle of snow-laden branches caught her attention, but the forest remained quiet. Falling into step beside him, she cast him a sidelong glance, a faint grin tugging at her lips. She even went as far as to give him a shoulder.

“Guess we’ll see if y’r pickin’ matches y’r talk, Captain.”

Forging a path through untouched snow was no easy task for a wolf of his stature. Clumps of cold white clung to his belly and each step felt heavier than before. He almost wished Emris would go on ahead, gaze flicking jealously behind to see the woman's effortless strides, but Nox was not one to give up so easily.

Breath heavy with the effort, he threw his head back with a laugh. "Put a lot o' pressure on me, that has. I'll be shakin' in me boots if there's nothing to show for this hike." Underneath his playful tone, there remained an undercurrent of self-doubt. There were others that called this forest home too - bears, mountain cats - you name it. Not only did this camp have to shelter them from their own kind, but also from the prying eyes of far more tenacious predators.

They reached a point where the trees began to thin and the ground sloped more sharply upwards. "This is about as high ground as yer gonna get," the captain paused to catch his breath, "whaddaya say we split up? Scout sideways and call if we find anything."

Emris paused at the rise, her breath visible in the cold as she turned to glance back at him, the faintest flicker of amusement touching her lilac eyes. “Shakin’ in y’r boots already, are ya?” she teased lightly, though there was no bite to her words.

The captain had fought his way through the snow without complaint, and that earned him some credit in her book.

Her gaze swept across the slope, sharp and assessing. The thinning trees meant more visibility, but it also meant fewer places to hide, something to keep in mind. She gave a short nod at his suggestion, her tail stirring faintly behind her.

“I’ll head east, y’ take west. If I find somethin’ worth shoutin’ about, you’ll hear me.”

She turned to move, her broad paws breaking a clean trail as she picked her way sideways across the incline. “Don’t go tumblin’ off now, Captain,” she called over her shoulder, her voice carrying easily. "Dare say I might miss ya!"

Her tease brought forth a hearty laugh from the captain. Emris was good fun, even if she did appear a little standoffish at first. The more time they spent together, the more he began to appreciate her support and opinions. "Oh ay, I'll be keepin' an ear out," he confirmed, already beginning to move towards where the trees cast long shadows from the morning sun.

Ears swivelling to catch her final words. "Like me that much, do ya?" Throwing his head back in a last chuckle, it wasn't long before Nox disappeared from sight and the real hunt could begin.

Some trekking later brought the dark-furred pirate to a concave section of the rise, where an old landslide had revealed the exposed rock and deposited a minefield of boulders in his path. "Rats." This would make things tricky, but he pressed on. Skirting the rockfield, Nox picked his way downwards; maybe Emris was having better luck.