Horizon Ridge Hello World

I believe i read somewhere that our joining was OOC..so i'm just writing a post normally. If I need to edit it to be a joining one please let me know. Thanks.

Thistle Cloud stood at the edge of the borders looking around. The sea rushed forward it's white loamy waves touching her footpaws, just to rush back out again. She had gotten the love of the sea from her mother SpottedFawn. How she missed her mother, the femme who she looked exactly alike except she carried a larger build. It had hurt deeply to leave her mother and father and two brothers behind, but she was determined to make her own place in the world, find her own pack.

Her mother was a homebody, a sweet natured wolf with a sweet face and a soft heart. She was a master healer, and caretaker and Thistle loved her deeply. Her mother had been saddened as she had watched her daughter leave, but she had known it was what she needed to do. When Thistle Cloud though of the abuse her mother had been dealt at the paws of her first mate it made her ill. Her mother had been abused, ravaged, beaten, nearly killed yet she still came out sweet as she could be with a gentle heart. yes it was safe to say that Thistle missed her mother and it made her belly ache with longing.

She sighed and did something she and her mother had always done she began to comb the beach for shells and rocks and pretty little baubles. Her herbs were hidden, as soon as she had her own den she would move them into it but for now yes for now she would keep them hidden.

Because she was still in heat, Pied had largely kept to herself the past few days. When she did venture away from the den, she made sure to avoid others, particularly males. After several days of this, however, she felt a little lonely and restless. Carefully, she picked her way down to the beach, feeling safest out in the open. Should anyone approach her or behave in an untoward way, they would be very visible to other members of the pack. The Gamma also wouldn't hesitate to raise her voice if needed.

The only other wolf on the beach was a stranger and, when Pied tilted her muzzle into the air to grab its scent, she realized it was a female. Reassured, she began to trot slowly toward the other she-wolf. She stopped well short of her, however, unwilling to get too near the water. Just looking at the nearby ocean sent a little shiver through her body, making her ribs and other old injuries ache anew.

"Hey there!" she called over the sound of the pounding surf. "You must be new?" She kept her head and tail lifted, certain of her superiority in rank, yet Pied's face was open and friendly as she waited for the unfamiliar female to respond.

Thistle Cloud turned at the other voice and wagged her tail in greeting. She moved a few lengths closer to the other wolf. Upon getting near dryer ground she dropped into a submissive position.

"Hello! I am new, my name is Thistle Cloud, you can call me Thistle if you would prefer? You are? Thistle Cloud's tail thumped once and then twice to show her openness to speak with the other. She did however make sure to keep her eyes averted and he body lower, her mother had taught her this gesture before she had left.

Thistle tilted her head and waited calmly for the other to speak to her. She had not had a chance to gather any baubles or items.

The sandy-colored stranger turned to face her, quickly introducing herself and requesting the Gamma's name even as she dropped into a submissive posture. If she noticed the fact that Pied was in heat, she gave no indication. Pied felt a measure of relief, as it was somewhat awkward knowing she brought a sensual scent wherever she went, like she was carrying around a giant, "Hey there, I'm fertile!" sign with an arrow pointing at her.

"Nice to meet you, Thistle. I'm Pied, the Gamma here." She waved her tail, then stopped when she realized it would be fanning around the smell. "What are you up to?" she wondered in a friendly tone a moment later, hoping to keep the conversation focused on the newcomer.

Thistle Cloud could tell the other was in heat, though she kept it to herself. That was a natural part of a female and she knew she would have to go through it once she was old enough as well. Probably pretty soon actually her birthday was only a little bit away. She smiled and listened as the other spoke.

"Nice to meet you Pied. A gamma that was good the first wolf she met other than to join was a high ranking wolf. It made her feel special in a way. Thistle Cloud smiled and said quietly, "I am beach combing as my mother called it. She learned it from an old friend I think a few years ago. You just look for sea shells and baubles to decorate your den or use. For instance i can find a pretty shell and use it for in my fur, or for on the ground or to hold ground up herbs, seaweed can be found while beach combing and you can use that for all kinds of things too!" Thistle Cloud was getting really exciting talking a bit about herbs and different things. She had to force her self to calm the excitement that wanted to bubble out from her chest.

Thistle proved to be a bubbly personality, which Pied enjoyed. She listened as the other female excitedly explained the art of beach-combing. She'd done it herself a number of times, particularly back in Flightless Falcons, but she hadn't done much of it here. Now she was too anxious to get close enough to the water to collect much of anything, though there was always the possibility of finding some items further up the sands, especially when the tide went out.

"That's cool. How exactly do you use shells in your fur?" she inquired. "Do you think they could make playthings for pups? I'm hoping to have a litter in a couple of months." Her lips twisted into a little smile. Pied had a feeling that pups would dominate her every conversation for the next several months.

Thistle was a very happy wolf, she had a very happy personality always had. Thistle Cloud feared and revered the water at the same time. She knew the sea could be dangerous, but so could just walking in the woods. There was danger everywhere you just needed to be vigilant and watchful.

Thistle Cloud tilted her head and answered her softly, "Well I've never done it myself, but my mother said she used to see it in others they would tie it some how or stick it in gooey fur. Apparently there was this wolf that she knew that wore blood around, and he could stick stuff to it. " The next question took Thistle by surprise and she had to stop and think before she answered. "Well I'm not entirely sure about that, I imagine you could turn it into something for them to chew on and you could maybe tie things in the seaweed for them to play with perhaps fill some shells with pebbles and tie it to the seaweed a nice noise maker for puppies. I bet your excited puppies are always nice." Thistle had never been around many puppies but she had been around a few and loved those she had been around and her mother had taught her what she had known about puppies.

Pied listened without interruption as Thistle spoke, though she mouthed, Gooey fur? in bewilderment. The mention of wearing a coat of blood made her think of Lecter, who she'd only met a few times back in Bon Dye. Evidently, the shaman now lived in the same pack as Jinx. The Gamma's thoughts wandered to him only a moment before snapping back to Thistle's lilting voice.

"That might break their teeth, though," Pied thought aloud, "or the shell itself will break and they could swallow the pieces." She made a hmmm sound low in her throat. "I like the idea of making little noisemakers, though. What if we found a clamshell, filled it with pebbles, then fastened it together to make a sort of rattle?"

When Thistle asked if she was excited, a glowing smile broke out over the Gamma's face. "You have no idea. I've always wanted to be a mother. My dream is finally coming true." Her tail waved and she beamed, the words reigniting her excitement on the whole matter and making her heart beat happily in her chest.

Thistle chuckled at the mouthed words, she hadn't really known what her mother had meant either, but she had figured it out as she grew older. If she had known the other was speaking of the Lecter that her mother would mention ever so often in a type of awe inspiring fear she would have told her it was the same one. Her mother having been formerly a member of Shearwater bay, though Thistle did not know that anyone from that former pack was here.

Thistle nodded in agreement, she hadn't thought of the broken pieces though she should have. "That would probably work, I am not sure how you could keep it fastened though unless you wound seaweed around it.

Thistle smiled again at the other's obvious happiness "That's wonderful. I'm still to young to have pups, though in a few short days I will hit my second birthday. My mother always loved pups, she had 3 of us and then I had two older brothers, but they are no more. She wagged her tail, "I'm so glad that your dreams are coming true, for what are we really without dreams. Is the future father as excited as you?

"I actually think that might work," Pied responded lightly. "We could wrap some wet seaweed around it, which would shrink when it dried, I believe. It could work as an extra layer of protection between the shell and tiny teeth," she added.

"Then you'll likely go into season sometime this spring," the Gamma observed companionably. "I'm nearly two myself. When is your birthday? Mine's at the end of the month." Pied paused, allowing Thistle a moment to answer, then asked, "Do you hope to start a family of your own? And, yes, my mate—his name's Kisu—is as excited as I am."

Thistle Cloud wagged her tail hard. She was glad her idea was liked by the other female. She enjoyed coming up with new ways to use things that the world gave them. Her mother had been very good at coming up with different ways to utilize what the world and nature gave them. She had actually seen her mother one time take a rock in her mouth push a herb against another and crush it and store the crushed herb then in a sea shell. She had been awe stricken.

Thistle smiled and said quietly, "My birthday is the tenth of march. I know nothing of going into season other than what my mother had told me. I hope I don't go crazy or something. Her naivety showed through at this moment as well as her vulnerability. She wagged her tail again and said quietly, "Oh yes I would love my own family, but I think I would need a mate first for that. I am glad that you're mate is as excited as you. My father always loved puppies too.

A chuckle bubbled to Pied's lips at Thistle's comment. "Oh, you will," she quipped, then paused and added, "but only a little. If you have any questions, you're more than welcome to ask. I'm literally going through it right now and I wouldn't mind sharing my experience, woman-to-woman." She punctuated this offer with a soft smile.

"Ah, yeah, I suppose you'll need a male to procreate," she agreed with another chuckle. "There's a few eligible bachelors here, not the least of which is the Alpha male himself." Her eyes seemed to brighten, as she suddenly wondered whether Akhlut and Thistle Cloud might make a good pair. She was always trying to play matchmaker for him, it seemed. "There's Kerberos and Kennedy too," she added.

ooc: I have her in a forbidden love affair with Crete from BDP, but there would certainly be some drama if the alpha male wanted her for himself and crete got her first lmao...i giggled as i imagined this, I'm just terrible lol I blame the pregnancy hormones.

Thistle Cloud was momentarily struck scared, she didn't want to go crazy and hurt someone or herself. She sighed softly, "Thank goodness it's only a little bit, i've seen some crazy wolves and their kinda scary!" She made sure to nod her head and make an exaggerated creepy face. "Oh thank you so much. Does it hurt? Any of it at all? and do the males really attack you? My mother told me in her older home the males just went crazy with lust and took whoever they wanted that really doesn't happen does it? She was a little scared again as she thought about that scenario.

Thistle frowned as the names were listed and said quietly, "I have yet to meet any of them, except the alpha when he accepted me and that was all..(I am going to assume here that the alpha met her in a joining even though they do not thread). are they nice?

Ooh, that's interesting! Do you two have any threads together I can stalk? :D

And I forgot Pied's still in heat during this thread, whoops. *fixes*

Pied's eyes widened as Thistle fired off several questions, some of which made her want to laugh. Keeping a straight face, she answered them to the best of her knowledge, in the order they'd been asked. "Going into heat doesn't hurt, though mating can be a little uncomfortable at times. Just communicate with the male when the time comes, though, and that'll make things better. And, no, I certainly haven't been attacked, though my scent definitely draws attention. Both Kisu and myself just make it clear we don't want any other males near me," she said, thinking of Kerberos, "and I've been keeping to myself to avoid temptation on both ends." Little did she know that some of the males in the pack were also steering clear for the same reason.

In response to Thistle's next question, Pied nodded. "Akhlut's sort of hard to read sometimes but his heart's definitely in the right place. Kennedy's very soft-spoken and mild-mannered, especially for such a large male. I don't know Kerberos that well but he seems like a decent man. Really, any of them would probably make good mates. And I'd be happy to introduce you to any or all three of them, once my cycle's finished."

As a matter of fact we do have a thread, their initial meeting thread it's still in the works, but here it is Explore it Right. I hope it's interesting this will be my first time with a forbidden love affair.

Thistle Cloud listened with wide eyed innocence as Pied spoke to her about heat. Her mother had tried to talk to her about it, but it had always been uncomfortable with two brothers around picking at you about it. Thistle Frowned and said quietly "what do i just be like yea i don't like that don't do that. Wont that make for an uncomfortable scenario? Thistle Cloud wasn't sure if she would be able to tell a male something that personally, how could she say oh you're hurting me while you're trying to procreate, please be more careful. She shook her head bewildered but appreciative of the information she was given. "That's good that you are respected and the other males leave you alone. I think if any male would of went after my mom, my daddy would have ripped them apart literally. He is a gentle male but when it comes to my mom nothing is too good for her and no harm would befall her, she has already had too much. Thistle reflected a moment on some of the abuse her mother had suffered and it made her sad.

"I would like that, Thank you Pied. Though we may have to wait for me to be out of mine, because once your out of yours I may very well be in mine. She added the last with a quick nod, it was possible though she wasn't sure when she would go into heat exactly.

What makes it "forbidden"? :o

Thistle seemed perplexed and wanted more specific information. Pied paused, pondering how to give her advice without getting too graphic. "Well, if he's going too hard or too fast, you have to tell him that. If you're not quite ready, you have to tell him that too. He won't know these things; he won't be able to read your mind and he might not even be able to see the signals right in front of his face, because he might get swept up in it. If you don't think you can say these things, then you're probably not ready to be intimate with him. Communication is key not only when it comes to mating itself but every other aspect of a romantic relationship... or any relationship, for that matter."

The Gamma didn't pick up on the innuendo in Thistle's words. In reply to the comments about her parents, she said, "My mate is very gentle most of the time too, though when it comes to keeping other males away from me, he stands his ground without a second thought." Again, she thought of the small altercation between Kisu and Kerberos. "Any good male will protect his mate and guard her honor."

The other female's comment earned a quiet laugh and a nod from her. "You might be right. That's kind of too bad, though, because it may mean you have to wait until next year to have a litter," she pointed out gently. Heat cycles only happened annually, she knew. "Although... Kisu and I fell in love and paired off pretty quickly, so I'm at least one person who won't think anything of it if you find yourself a man in what seems like the blink of an eye."

Simply because 1 she is young, 2 they are different packs that is usually taboo. And he's already in big trouble with his alpha so this could cause a large array of chaos

Thistle cocked an ear as she listened, this all sounded a bit awkward to her, but at the same time a small fire unfurled in her belly of want. She wanted that connection, she wanted puppies and love. She knew love took time usually, so she thought perhaps she would be okay with puppies and then love but then maybe not. She wouldn't really be able to decide that until the time came if it ever came for that. "yes my mother said males can be blind sometimes. She used to tell me often just like you that communication is key.

Thistle listened and she smiled softly at her gamma's speech about her mate. She was very happy that she had such a good mate. "I have not been around many males other than my two brothers and my father. So they are largely confusing to me as of yet, though I am trying very hard to learn not just about them but all other wolves in general. I've only been with my family all my life.

Thistle Cloud chuckled, "My mother and father had a quick love too. So it may very well happen to me. yes that would be too bad, but I can certainly wait if that is what is in store for me. She smiled sadly she would love to have a mate and puppies even as young as she was, but she also knew that it may not happen. "SO tell me Pied how long have you been a member of Horizon Ridge?

"Believe me, both sexes can get caught up in the moment," Pied murmured, though she did not elaborate. She remembered how she'd behaved on the beach, waving her hindquarters in Kisu's face with Kerberos bearing witness. She would've blushed if she'd been capable of such. Instead, she coughed lightly, giving Thistle an almost sheepish smile.

If Pied was old enough for a mate and puppies—and biology clearly indicated that she was—then Thistle was too. This wouldn't be her only or last chance by a long shot, though, and even if everything had lined up, it didn't mean she'd be mentally or emotionally ready to rear young. There was so much at play, though if asked, the Gamma would insist that everything would happen when it was meant to happen for Thistle.

"I came here at the end of last year," Pied answered. "Kisu and I fell for each other and we mutually decided I should relocate here. I lived on the plateau—Blacktail Deer Plateau—before coming here." The Gamma saw no need to delve any further back in time than that, so she didn't mention her history with Bon Dye. "I'm really hoping this is the last stop on life's journey; I'd love to live here the rest of my days, raising litters with Kisu. That would be my happily ever after."

She stared off into space for a moment, though Pied snapped back to attention quickly enough. "How about you? Aside from possibly starting a family of your own one day, what are your plans? And do you hope to stay on the ridge into the foreseeable future or do you think you'll move on one day?"

Though Thistle Cloud did not know what had happened at the beach as she had not been there to bear witness. She could tell that the other had behaved in a manner she was a little embarrassed about. Though everyone acted in a manner of embarrassment at some point in their life. So she held it against no one. "I believe that.

Thistle Cloud was a little wary of puppies, though she had a kindly manner and a bit of a matriarchal one, it did not stop her from worrying. It also did not stop her from knowing her own weaknesses and knowing that in a way, being as sheltered as she had been, she was very naive in the ways of the world and she would need to remedy that.

Thistle Cloud asked a quick question, "is the plateau another pack? This is the first pack I have come across. Everyone deserves a happily ever after. Thistle cloud strongly believed that. Everyone did, look at her mother and her abuse she had deserved a happily ever after and she had gotten it.

Thistle stopped speaking momentarily to think of the question she had just been dealt. What were her plans? She did want to raise a family, but she also wished to become a better healer, learn more of the plants and herbs around her. She did not have any immediate plans to leave this area or this pack, but who was to say something wouldn't happen in her future that would change that. "Well I certainly want to learn much more about plants and herbs, my mother taught me what she could, but there is a thirst for knowledge in me that I cannot get rid of. I would also love to make new friends and I do not plan on going anywhere, but whose to say that something will not happen in the future and I will, but as of right now I do not plan on leaving here. I like it here. It reminds me much of home.

Thistle said she intended to live here a while, although she couldn't say for sure whether something might change in the near or distant future. Pied nodded. She could sympathize with that notion, as well as the similarities between the ridge and her own homeland.

"Blacktail Deer Plateau is a pack. They're not far from here. My adopted sister, Hawkeye, leads it and a few of my relatives live there," Pied shared. "There's a few other packs in these wilds too but I'm not sure of how many, exactly."

She'd grown a little stiff, so Pied spent a moment stretching out her legs and rolling her shoulders before she continued the conversation. "So you're interested in healing? You should talk to Dublin. She's our resident medical guru. She helped me when I was injured a bit ago." Then another thought stuck her, mostly because of the mention of her relatives a moment ago. "Or you could talk to my Uncle Crete; he's one of the relatives I mentioned. He recently helped me when I re-injured my foot."

Thistle cloud tilted her head and listened calmly. "I have only met this pack thus far. I figured there were probably more elsewhere, and I though perhaps i will explore around the area as i get more orientated though I am making my home here.

Thistle Cloud asked, "What does Dublin look like? I would like to talk to her. and You're uncle Crete he belongs to this other pack yes? She would like to talk to other healers it would be a nice change. She could learn and share her knowledge as well. Something good always came out of cooperating with other healers and if she needed herbs that they didn't have sometimes she could get them from another.

"She's very pretty," Pied answered, "and well-groomed." She smirked slightly. "She has pale, sandy fur with darker points. I'm sure that if you howled for her, she'd respond. And, yeah," she added. She'd just said that but perhaps Thistle had simply missed it. "Crete lives at the plateau."

Her eyes drifted to the sky and when she saw the sun hanging low there, she said, "Speaking of Dublin... I'm on a regimen of medication to help me with pain and whatnot. It's about time for me to take my afternoon dose. Plus, I'd better head back to shelter before I attract attention," she quipped conspiratorially.

"It was nice meeting you, Thistle. I'll track you down again sometime soon," the Gamma promised. Giving her pack mate a smile, the dappled she-wolf picked her way back toward the foot of the ridge and began the climb up to her lair.

Thistle dipped her head in goodbye and watched as the Gamma walked towards where ever it was she needed to go. She had enjoyed this conversation. Thistle turned her head towards the water and looked again at it's majesty and sighed a happy sigh. She was content for now and she enjoyed this feeling. She wondered how she was going to find this Dublin and Crete. Maybe she would howl for Dublin one of these days. She took one last look at the ocean and began her trek towards her sleeping spot, until she could make a den.