Moonspear Fattening Up.

@Sialuk @Alaric tagging for visibility of course <3 Settlement will be completed if uninterrupted before Nov. 16th

The temperatures beginning to fall, Chunk was quickly growing drowsy. He had built a sufficient amount of girth, and now a den was necessary.

In front of him was a mountain. Tall, a daring challenge - but it smelt of prey, and he was sure that few would be willing to climb for the sake of bothering him. Large, careful paws carrying him forward, he began his climb.

As he rose the scent of wolf grew stronger, yet he did not find himself bothered. Wolves were not an issue so long as they knew their place, and when the spring arrived it would be handy to have them around. He raised his nose, searching for handy scents as he went along.

Soft ground and a crevice in a rock. It was all he needed. Once found his claws were put to work immediately.

Bear. 

Here. 

In Moonspear.

No no no no!

His heart raced. His thought, unyielding - you did this, you did this - but he stole through the heart of the mountain as careful as a pika on the rocks. He sure as well was one in the eyes of the grizzly. The musky smell wove up the easier slope, so Nashua picked a more challenging track, in hopes he might keep the higher ground. Eventually, the stench drifted up from a point below him. Gingerly, he peeked over the edge.

His form was undeniable. How could this be anything but the bear he'd helped at the lake? The mass of fur fought the rock, claws sharp against stone and flashing names in the sunlight. Nicte. Tikaani. Kinusi Treepie Nayati -

Nashua pulled his face back into the safety of the unseen, heart quicker than anything before. He should have known! He'd led him straight here, hasn't he? He should have turned away and told his parents, Sialuk, Alaric - !

But he hadn't. And what now?

He was already here.

He could run and find someone - but what if one of the others came upon him while he was gone? They had a little a chance as he against the brute - and he would dash them to pieces.

If it happened, let it be him.

The boy's shaking voice pierced the still air - bear! - shouting for his parents, his Sage, his Emprex, for anyone but the children to come.

also tagging @Killdeer @Moonshadow @Bridget !

A call sounded out - one that sounded nearly familiar. The bear paused his actions, head lifting to search for the source. When nothing was spotted, he returned to his dig.

It was expected, the scent of wolf was strong, but that did not mean he would not attempt to stay. After all, he recognized it from the small canine at the lake.

He knew very well that the tolerance of one would not equate to the whole however. If conflict were to arise, he would move on. Going into the winter wounded would not be ideal.

Bridget heard the call and came running, panic thrumming behind her usual crisis calm. If someone was injured then she would be there; that was her first priority. She assumed the call was the announcement of an attack.

Instead, she arrived to nothing. It took her a moment to internalize the scene, but when she did, it took all of effort not to break into a smile at the release of tension. Was that all!

Hey, it’s alright. What’s going on? She saw the bear, a ways off, but it seemed to be slowing down for winter. As long as they made sure to steer clear of it as it foraged, Bridget didn’t see the harm, as it would sleep most of the winter through. Still, her voice was serious, prepared to hear the younger wolf out.

He recognized Bridget by way of unfamiliarity. She was new here, not one who had raised him, and this brought an odd comfort, a lowering of guard.

And she was so easy in her approach! Nashua glanced back at the bear, ear skewed in mild uncertainty. Er, he stammered. Had he been wrong that bears like this were a threat to them? Nashua knew he would be fine with the beast if it was anywhere outside of Moonspear. He'd tried to teach it to fish, after all! But here, in their home - !

With a last glance at the sizeable beast, Nashua scampered to the older wolf, leaning up to her ear when he reached her, it's a bear, he whispered, just in case she hadn't seen it, shouldn't we do something?

His son's call was clear and concise, one word ringing out above the trees: Bear. Of course, Killdeer was there without a second thought.

The burly piebald man skidded to a halt alongside Bridget and Nashua, staring down upon the lumbering mass of dark flesh before them. He frowned, cocking his head, then turned to his packmates with a slow shake of his head.

He didn't trust the bear here—not even to winter.

We have to chase it off, Killdeer reckoned, and called again for @Sialuk and @Alaric — in case his summons for more wolves frightened the bear away by that initial holler.

Alaric heard two calls. He had been a little too far away to reach the first before the 2nd sounded, but he arrived to a grave scene.

Green eyes fell on the bear below amd he sighed. Bears were troublesome and annoying and also very dangerous. Part of him lit up at the thought of the adrenaline such a chase would entail, but it was not just him and there was youngling in attendance.

Alright. Bears hate loud noise and it's close to winter it's probably looking for hibernation. So this time. I don't think it will be too difficult to chase away. We'll try to stay to it's sides and backs. No one aim to strike unless it does. Merely chase. Keep your distance. Growl, bark snap retreat just keep doing so. Nashua you can help, but stay close to an adult and don't dart forward on your own. Understand?

He took a breath. If someone has a better idea voice it now. Otherwise.

The dark woman was just walking the borders when her ears pricked at the sound of her babes howl. Instantly her mind thought the worst as she sprinted in his direction.

As she approached; an unfamiliar scent hit her nose as she came closer it came into view and she ran to her son’s side. Now seeing the other pack members her anxiety eased as she seen the others. 

Her eyes now watching the bear closely as she listened in on what the others spoke

Howls sounded nearby. His digging was paused, large eyes searching for the silhouettes of canidae in the trees.

He was quickly growing cautious, though not yet fearful. His size alone tended to keep other's at bay, but it also made him quite the target.

Large paws thumped on the ground as he turned from the half-dug den. Head lifting, nostrils flaring to take in the scents of his surroundings, he let out a call of his own. A gruff, deep sound that echoed through the mountain.

They were quickly joined by others who seemed to all agree. Bridget looked at them all, a touch confused, though she quickly gathered things weren’t done quite the same way here as what she was used to.

It’ll hibernate through the winter. It won’t bother anyone, and by my guess, we’d be safer letting it be and just being careful around that den. It’ll move on with the spring. She replied, looking around. Then she shrugged.

If you want to risk it, I guess you can chase it off. But I wouldn’t. He’s gotta sleep somewhere, and better that it’s somewhere we know.

She couldn’t stop them from chasing the bear off, but if they wound up in her infirmary because of it, she was absolutely going to give them her opinion about it. She’d always held to a practice of live and let live. As long as it wasn’t taking their kills, and didn’t come near any younger members, she didn’t see the point in engaging.

posting order, since it's getting crowded!

chunk
bridget
sialuk
nashua
killdeer
alaric
moonshadow

Sialuk arrived to find several wolves gathered, and she caught on from Bridget's comments that they must be speaking of the bear who lumbered nearby. The sage wondered who had suggested they chase the bear, as doing so would likely lead to injury (or worse). Alas, she would not pry.

Leave them be, Sialuk said, agreeing with Bridget. We will make sure the others know to stay away from this place.

Everyone had different ideas. Dad and Alaric thought best to chase it off, Sialuk wanted to leave it be, and mom stayed silent, and he pressed into her midnight side, if only for the comfort of a moment.

He thought back to the day by the lake, when the beast had called him friend. And he was sure, now, that this was one and the same - and he still knew very little what to make of his words of peace. What did friend mean on the lips of a bear?

I... know this bear, Nashua confessed, gaze averting from the eyes of the adults. I saw him by the lake. He... couldn't really fish, so I taught him. He, uh, said we were friends... was it wrong for him to want to chase him off, even if Nashua knew the bear thought kindly towards him? Maybe, uh. Maybe we could talk to him and ask him to leave. Or maybe we could help him find a nicer place.

When he heard his own words, he realized how childish they sounded, but he couldn't take them back.

To his surprise, there was disagreement. He didn't feel good about the beast on their land, even if it only meant to sleep away the winter here. It was too close for comfort, in his opinion—but when Sialuk spoke, he held his tongue, eyes cutting toward Alaric—

And then to Nashua, who chimed in with a surprising development.

The bear. . .talked to you? Killdeer asked the boy, head tilting in puzzlement. And you understood it—uh, him?

He'd never heard of such a thing, and wondered if this was only the fancy of an imaginative young man. But Nashua had no reason to lie, especially in a matter like this, and he wondered at the strangeness of it. Perhaps a unique gift, instead of whimsy.

If it's safer to let him be, then I suppose we let him be, he reasoned with a shrug. Don't like it, but. . .here we are.

Alaric said nothing at first just listened. Eyes cutting from one wolf to the next. So it seemed the bite was to leave him be. And Sialuk was their leader so.

But if something happened to any of the children,  because bears woke up in spring hungry. Well.

 He ahifted amd gave a firm nod. And turned to move back towards a patrol. He'd tighten them up. And do more often especially closer to spring amd tell the kids to be mindful.

The wolves made no move. A huff was given to the interruption, and the bear turned back to his dig.

Canidae were odd; he doubted that he would ever truly understand them. He did not care to.

A home for the winter, that was all he was here for. So long as there was no reason to stay in the spring, he imagined that he would move on.

revised posting order, since a couple have gone inactive.

chunk
sialuk
nashua
killdeer
alaric

Nashua's response was... unsettling, to say the least. Sialuk wondered if perhaps the boy had a dream about a bear and was confusing reality with that. Or worse, he was losing his sense of reality all together. Killdeer seemed equally concerned, and Sialuk thought it better to let the boy's father deal with it rather than step in and say anything. She would, however, need to keep an eye on him for any behavior that might show he had a disconnect with the real world.

Nobody else objected to leaving the bear alone, and Sialuk did not wish to aggravate the bear by lingering any longer. Alaric had already moved on, and Sialuk imagined Killdeer would usher Nashua along shortly. Bridget and Moonshadow seemed to be on their way out as well. Sialuk gave an approving nod, then went about her day.

@Chunk I saw you'd like to wrap this up! I'm happy with this being my last post, if @Killdeer you want to post once more in conclusion? Feel free to power play Killdeer leading Nashua away! <3

Dad reacted like no one had ever talked to a bear before - and maybe no one ever had. I - I think so... heat swam in Nashua's cheeks and he glanced around at the other wolves but no one gave him any mind. Sialuk's face was unreadable, and Alaric and Bridget simply left. The bear carried on his merry way - and dad just shrugged, accepting Sialuk's decision without a fight.

I don't like it either, Nashua thought. He still had half a mind to reason with the bear, but he didn't want any of them to look at him like he was crazy. And though he reckoned the bear wouldn't do anything while he was plump and well fed, would he really remember they were friends when springtime came and he woke up again, thin and hungry and starving?

Is there really nothing else we can do? Nashua asked his dad, worry slipping between his words. He just needed to hear it from him, though he knew even that wouldn't still him.

He gave Nashua a gentle nudge, shoulder to shoulder, as the boy grew embarrassed. He'd have to investigate further into this unique talent of interspecies communication. Heck, maybe it would do them all some good to learn.

It's better this way, Killdeer replied, though he didn't truly believe that. He certainly wasn't going to push back against majority opinion, though. C'mon, let's go. We'll make sure that area's off-limits and keep well clear of it in the spring.

With a smile, he followed the departing wolves, glancing to Nashua in indication he should follow.

Tell me more about your big, furry friend, he chuckled, once the boy had caught him up.