Ouroboros Spine So It Begins

@Nishu Inte. A jounery to reach Ouroboros Spine and find Mara as well as gain some healing information.

Rain steps from the mountains of the Sunspire and onto the plains of the Kinta Flatlands. Across whitefish River, she seeks out the dark trees of the Neverwinter Forest that will be her guide to Ouroboros Spine. All they had to do was follow the tree line and they'd reach the Spine. It probably would have been best to work their way in a circle around the Teekon Wilds, but she is eager to see Mara. Flicking an ear back she hopes that Nishu has followed her. 

Taking a deep breath, Rain is happy to be out and about the territories again. She will miss her pack as always, but staying in one place for too long starts to make her restless. A warm breeze rustles her silver fur. She scowls at the sign of spring. Already she misses the cutting cold of winter, but it will be several months before it's icy touch kisses the Teekon Wilds again. She is sure her pack is rather greatful for the break in the weather. It will mean more prey for them, but Rain had enjoyed the difficulty of hunting in winter.

Naturally Nishu was following Rain. As her Knight it was up to him to keep her safe from harm. Over the winter he has been training himself in order to keep his strength growing but it was clear that gaining more strength had a limit. Nishu was already phyiscally strong, training was simply a form a maintenance now. In truth that was the only thing he could count on when he goes into territory he doesn't know.

He was more focused on knowing this surroundings than to ask question about their trip. As a Knight he had to trust her decision so he never bothered asking. Rain was leading the way and Nishu was right behind her. He was being very cautious for Rain's sake, like that she didn't have anything to worry about. He was far from relaxing, more like he was the one worrying alot. Nishu was aware that there are enemies but he didn't know where they could be or which territory they were at. This gave him a reason to be highly on guard.

There was one thing that calmed him down a bit, and that was seeing Rain be happy. He didn't want Rain to notice that he worries about her safety so if she ever turned around to look at him. He would show off his confident smile.

Glancing over her shoulder, Rain sees that Nishu had followed her.  He flashes her one of his confident smiles and she cant help smiling back. She then swivels her head forward again and immediately trots off towards Neverwinter Forest. Her only worry is the possibility of running into Ankyra Sound. She hasn't set foot outside the Sunspire for a while and they had not bothered to come to the mountains thankfully, but that doesn't mean that they couldn't be lurking just beyond the territory even though their own territory lies to the far north. 

It isn't long before they reach the roaring river, it's banks overflowing from the snow that had melted. Rain pins her ears back turning to Nishu. "How can we cross? It may be too dangerous to try with the river so full," she tells him. Looking past the river, she gazes longingly towards Ouroboros Spine. They had to find a way across. The only thing she could think of was going past Blacktail Deer Plateau where the river was at it's smallest point and ended in Ravensblood Forest. That would take them longer to get to Ouroboros. They would have to stop at Blacktail Deer Plateau for a report as well as Stravenger Bay before heading to Ouroboros. Rain couldn't see any way around that option though.

They approached a river which would appear to have grown fat from the melted snow. He analyzed the length and width before Rain asked him how they would cross the river. Clearly she was worried that it may be too dangerous to swim across it. But Nishu saw it more like a challenge. He had some of his training done in rivers, they weren't for trying to swim faster against the current but more like a way to strengthen stamina. He doubt that he could swim against the current but their goal was to just get across.

Without hesitation he steped ahead into the river. After getting his paws wet it was easy to notice that walking across wasn't possible. He turned around towards Rain. "We'll swim across, As long as we go straight and keep our heads above water we should end up on the other side just a little bit down the river. There doesn't seem to be any rocks to worry about. I'll go first to test out the current, stay here until I reach the other side." With that said he turned around and took a look up the river before marching in deeper.

He reach the point where he wasn't able to walk along the bottom. That's where the flow began to carry him down river. But as planned he continued forward with his head above water, giving the appearence that he was moving diagonally. Of course the current was stronger in the center but afterwards it slowed down. Nishu kept calm and managed to reach the other side without any problems. There was just a bit of distance from the point straight across. The river wasn't that wide but it still made a difference. It would take atleast a dozen seconds to walk the extra distance. The only real danger would be to not pay attention to branches moving down river. 

Once he was out of the water. He shook his coat and then turned to look at Rain. If he didn't have problems, she shouldn't have any either right?

Rain had watched Nishu with nervousness as he crossed the river. She had worried that the current would drag him under and drown him, but he made it safely to the other side, though a bit further down. Now he looks back at her expectantly. Rain places a paw in the river, jerking back as the iciness of the water soaks her fur. This will be a cold swim. She watches the water passing by and takes a deep breath, holding it slightly before letting the air out of her lungs. She then wades into the river until the water touches her chest, looking to Nishu for reassurance. Instead of slowly making her way into the current, Rain closes her eyes and jumps. Fear slightly grips her heart as the water pulls her body. She uses the small adrenaline rush to paddle quickly to the other side. She ends up a little past Nishu and feels relief with her paws on solid ground again. 

Trotting up to Nishu Rain says, Excellent thinking, though I would have rather not swam. Let's get going." She turns and trots away from the river. To the right, steam rises from the Firestone hotsprings.  She smiles at the memory of when they had last been there. Seeking out the neverwinter trees, she sees the line of them not too far ahead. It won't take them too much longer to reach Ouroboros Spine. She would guess that they would reach the boundaries by sun high. 

Nishu watched Rain intensely, In this kind of situation she was a bit on her own. Going first was the best way to encourage someone. He believed that Rain was fully capable but he saw that she wasn't quite confident. She managed to pull through without panicing. He didn't see the point in worrying, all they wanted to do was cross a river. Swimming across it was his decision with no hesitation at all. He was proud that Rain followed him and happy that she made it. He smiled as he watched Rain rejoin him, until she complained that she prefered not to swim. Now he felt that he made a small mistake.

"My apologies, maybe I should have looked for a drier way to cross." He said with his head down. The plan went too perfect to be perfect. This decision was his mistake, He should have consider her wishes before making the move. There was no going back now. Perhaps he could have done better. He'll have to make it for it later.

Then it was back to marching to the first desination with Nishu returning to his over protective worrying. He had to be prepared for any kind of ambush. It was up to him to deal with those so Rain could continue being safe.

Guilt at complaining had nipped at her when Nishu had mentioned that maybe he should have found a drier way around the river. Rain shouldn't have complained and just been happy that he found a quick way across. She flicks an ear while thinking that she'll keep her complaints to herself next time. She focuses back on her surroundings, looking to the right where the forest stands as they trot next to it. The dark shadows send a slight chill down her spine. Looking ahead, she keeps her nose slightly above the ground, searching for the boarder scent of Ouroboros. 

It isn't long before the boarder scent tickles her nose. Rain signals for Nishu to stop stating, "We're here." She gazes into the territory for a moment before letting out a howl to summon @Mara. Though she came here first to see her friend, Rain keeps in mind that she is also here on two separate missions. Swiviling her head to look at Nishu, she tells him, "Mara is no threat, but I can't say anything for the rest of her pack. She's the only one I know here. We will have to be on our guard in case someone else answers my call."

It was funny how different areas can be sometimes. Compared to the mountains, he found this area to be rather calm and not very threatening. It was a bit dark but that wasn't nothing that he worried about. He was more interested in what could be hiding in there. It appears that they've reached their first stop without a single problem. Of course even if Rain tells him to be on guard he wouldn't let his guard down to a pack he doesn't know, including this Mara character she speaks of. This order was just telling him not to make the first move. That's what Nishu understood so he decided to sit down and listen carefully while keeping an eye open.

"It wouldn't be smart of them to try something hostile. Just in case I'll be keeping a watchful eye for anything threatening. You can relax and focus on your own task, I'll remain close so you have nothing to worry about." He said calmly. In a way he wanted her to let him worry about threats so she could focus on her reason for being here. With that said he was on his highest guard, pretty much ready for anything to happen. He had to expect a fight even if it was unlikely just to be prepared. He was curious to see who would come, were they strong wolves. Hopefully they were worthy opponents. He wanted to know if there were more warriors he could compare his knightly with. It was just wait and see for now.

sorry for the delay!! Cara will (want) to call wolves of her own if things get out of hand, but heh -- lets just see how this goes

Galloping along the green foliage that began to cover the vast expanse of the Spine's ridges and its surroundings the pale Queen resumed her Warden duties after stopping for a quick 'bush-marking' break. As she ran across the imaginary borderline that separated her reign from the world the sound a call, a request for the devil (in Cara's ears), echoed nearby making her grit her teeth with rising anger and speed up her pace. Who was responsible for the call was truly not important to the vicious Queen -- if they were allies of her enemy, it would only take a call for them to be promtly 'dispatched'  of her lands. The real incognito here was , why there were looking for Mara and what could they want with her at the borders of the land that had exiled her.

Quickly, with her tail rising in natural dominace and her ears splaying back in mild hostility she arrived at the scene, her body bracing itself for a potential confrontation with the potential allies of her enemy. A sharp bark was emitted to announce her presence before her eyes even stopped to survey the pair of individuals she was walking towards. They smelled of a mountain pack she had once visited in her early days as an Outrider. 
"You're a little far from the Sunspire" she noted bluntly without making room for introductions. They had to know that they were not dealing with just anyone -- they were dealing with the Queen of the Spine herself, and that their intentions to visit a prosecuted wolf in their borders would not be tolerated if they did not provide a good explanation.
"What do you want with Mara" she demanded, her tail rising to its natural posture of Alpha, "I am Queen of these lands... and everything that goes here, goes through me" she barked, reserving the small, yet hugely significant detail that Mara was no longer there to answer their call anyways.

No problem about the delay! Thanks for replying :)

A high tailed, dominant female came to answer Rain's call for Mara asking what they wanted with her and that she is the Queen of this territory. Rain's ear gives a flick of worry, the hair on her spine stands on end, but she keeps herself in a calm position. "Mara is a friend of mine that I have not seen in quite some time, more than one cycle of the moon, and I had wanted to see how she was doing," Rain informs the female, her gaze slightly lowered. "Though my main reason for being here is to see how your pack fairs and if there is any news that you could offer my pack of the Sunspire. My second main objection is to ask to meet with a healer of your pack for I am in need of a teacher." Rain doesn't have much hope for cooperation from this Alpha from the way she had greeted them but continues, "I am the outrider for my pack and am willing to trade information if need be." Nodding her head to Nishu Rain introduces him as her charge. "Nishu is traveling with me as a guard and companion. We are not here as threats." Rain hopes that she can gain something from this Alpha, but will move on if asked. She hopes to see Mara as well, but Rain knows that she can always seek out Mara another time.

At first he thought Mara was the one who came but that didn't seem to be the case. An Alpha came instead. What ever was going to happen wasn't really something he would be part of. He is to stick with Rain and keep her safe. He knows better to not say anything unless he needs to, that's how it's done normally.

Nishu watched the Alpha closely. Even if it was the Alpha of a pack he should be watchful for threats. That meant watching the Alpha's eyes. When Rain introduced him he nodded then sat up straight. He was a Knight after all and he believed to be quite strong. The only problem with that in his mind is that he'll often rise his head up as high as the Alphas. But it was his way to show that Knights are rather important.

There was one thing that bothered him. Rain didn't call him a Knight but instead a guard. He didn't want the wrong idea to spread but it wasn't something he could correct right now. There were more important things talk about. He wasn't going to do anything about it but he wasn't going to drop it. He simply looked away with a slight frustration coming from him. He told him self to just let them talk for now and then maybe he could correct them saying he is a royal knight.