Ocean's Breath Plateau okja? okja!

@Tytonidae

The day had been one of hard work, but Domi was content to end it with a short chase across the edge of the plateau. She'd been able to snag the fur from a particularly quick hare's bum, but there would be no real prize brought home today. It didn't much matter to her; she'd filled herself plenty. Domi was nearing the border with a bit of extra pep in her step and a noticeably decent attitude. So far, this pack that Ty had spoken of didn't seem too shabby.

It was then that she remembered her friend, and thought it wise to look for her. After all, it had been a few days since they'd last spoken, and Domi didn't like the idea of being too distant from her packmates, regardless of rank. She thought back to their last conversation and how Ty had left to mark the borders, and thought that if she was going to find her anywhere, this would probably be the best bet.

After (yet another) excursion off the plateau, Tytonidae returned to her home and took a long, much needed, much deserved snooze. She was nestled in some tall, cushy grass, snoring up a storm when she finally woke up midday because a fly kept landing on her nose and she couldn't seem to shake it. Groaning, Ty rolled to her feet, shook her coat, stretched her front, then her hind legs, and glanced around to see what the world had in store for her today.

She spotted Domi heading toward her, and Ty was glad the other girl hadn't caught her snoring, which was probably a rather unsavory sight. Ty's tail wagged from side to side, and she smiled broadly as Domi approached. "Domi!" she greeted, bumping her own snout against Domi's shoulder. "How's the rabbit hunting?" she asked, knowing that had been Domi's objective when they'd last talked.

Ah, you know I can't complain, Domi laughed, I'm working on a little cache, actually. Not much in it just yet, but I'm hoping it'll get there soon. As of then, the only things in it were a few rabbit scraps and a mouse, but she was planning on trying her hand at fishing later, should the weather permit. The end of summer always had a way of ruining her plans with the unexpected rain, and something like that was no joking matter when living so close to the coast. How's your work going? 

The border was certainly marked much more clearly than it had been at first, so there was no doubting that Ty had been "doing the darn thing" (as Domi's grandmother often said). What's been on your mind? Anything worth sharing?

"Oh, nice!" Tytonidae replied when Domi mentioned she was working on a cache for the pack. That would definitely help out, especially for wolves who weren't the greatest at hunting for themselves (ahem, Eljay... if he even decided to join them). Domi switched the topic back to how Ty's work was going, and she gave a light shrug.

"Just been doin' what I can," she replied. "I've met a lot of wolves, but only a few that actually want to commit to joining us. Building up something like this takes time, so I'm not worried. As long as we stick around and keep working at it, we'll find enough wolves to hold our claim here." Until they, Ty would continue to travel and recruit wolves, then come back and mark the borders, rest, and hunt for a day or two before repeating the process all over again.

Ty swished her tail back and forth, enjoying the light breeze that made the grass ripple like the ocean that wasn't too far away. She didn't feel the immediate need to fill the empty air with words, instead choosing to be content with the rustling of the grass and the occasional tweeting bird.

There was something about Ty that Domi had never seen before, but she liked it quite a bit! She always seemed to be optimistic about the things that went on around them, and such high spirits never went unappreciated. I think you're doing a great job, Domi offered with a whimsical lilt and a slight lift of her chin, and I'm sure that everything will come together when it's supposed to. Sometimes opportunities came at the wrong moment in life, but she had learned that with a bit of determination, even the most frustrating circumstances could prove to be blessings in disguise.

It really is a nice place you've picked out, Domi said, not wanting to interrupt Ty's apparent focus, Something this perfect has to have a catch, right? Maybe when it storms real bad, the seabirds retreat inland for a few days. Imagine having to deal with flocks of sky swimmers for that long. On one hand, no one would go hungry. On the other hand, a choir of screeching and cawing throughout the night wasn't really ideal.

Ty smiled genuinely in response. Domi seemed so optimistic, and it was nice to see that in what Ty considered her fondest recruit thus far. Domi went on to doubt that Ocean's Breath Plateau might not be perfect, but Tytonidae knew that was a very real possibility. Every place had its drawbacks, and Domi's suggestion made her laugh out loud. "Oh man, that would be, uh, interesting. Might make for some tasty avian dinners, though!" Ty smirked, wondering if the birds would be annoying enough to actually drive them out. She didn't think so, but stranger things had probably happened.

"Have you seen Clock roaming around? I'm pretty sure he's going to be joining us. Earthsea, too, but she may have wandered off." Ty was a little saddened that Earthsea hadn't decided to stay, but she wouldn't go on moping about it. Besides, it was possible she was a wanderer like Ty, so maybe she was off gathering more recruits.

O'course I have! He's one of the best hunting partners I've had, matter of fact. Clock was a cheerful young fella, sometimes being so happy that it made Domi wonder if he was as old as he'd been letting on. Earthsea on the other hand, well, she was a bit less familiar. It had been so long since they'd crossed paths that one had forgotten about the other altogether. I haven't seen too much of Earthsea, though. Maybe she had? Domi was never very good at remembering faces, after all. 

It seemed like the conversation was coming to a halt, and because she didn't want to stop talking to Ty, she began to search for a new topic. Are there any other packs around here that you know of? Getting to know your neighbors normally doesn't hurt. There was an added emphasis on the normally, 'cause even Domi knew that anyone could change in the blink of an eye.

Well that was good to know about Clock. Ty was glad that the two seemed to get along well. It was important to her that they have a strong foundation to build upon. Domi switched the conversation topic to other packs around, and Ty nodded. "I've already spoken with the wolves from Moonspear, and I chatted with another from a pack that started with a T... the name was a mouthful, but I'd recognize it if I heard it again. I also dipped down to where my father used to live, although he has since passed away." She frowned a bit at the last part, though she hadn't been close to her father in years.

"There's also a pack far north on the coast, Drageda, and I've met a wolf from there and another who was trying to get in." Poor, poor Eljay. "They seem... less welcoming, but I doubt we'll come across them too often." The strange, lingering figure of the leader had certainly made an impression on Tytonidae.

Ty had obviously been doing her part and then some, for which Domi was grateful. One wasn't always so lucky when it came to finding active leadership, so to find a pack with a dedicated Alpha and decent packmates, she thought that she might've hit the jackpot. Well, we don't have to wander anywhere we aren't welcome. I was always taught that if you wanna keep from getting caught in a storm, it's best to keep from clouds. She always made sure that she knew what she was doing; to catch Domi in any situation she didn't fully intend to be in was a rare occurrence.

Feel free to fade out / archive with your next post. :)

That seemed like sound advice, and advice that Ty was willing to take. Domi had a good head on her shoulders, and Tytonidae really did have faith that she would make a great addition to their little upstart. She nodded thoughtfully in agreement, then turned her head to the sky. There was still about half of the day left, and she would need to eat and rest again before she headed out for another excursion.

"I think I'm gonna go rustle up some grub before I take another long snooze. You wanna come with?" she asked, taking a step toward some of her favorite hunting grounds not the plateau. Domi agreed, then the two set off toward their destination.