Stavanger Bay [bwp/storm] what will you do when they come for you

This is set on July 18/19, right before/during the tornado's passing, and for all members of SB! @Thistle Cloud @Levi @Floki @Ragna @Kaylan @Atreyu (if he is going to return around now, that is)

there'll be a report of the actual damages later; I just wanted to get this up. :)

The young Beta sat and watched the darkening clouds for a while with worry upon his face, but he had been unsure of what to do. In his time as Naturalist of the Bay, he had never seen the weather this intense. His interest was piqued by the heavy lightning storms and he sat watching them in the rain on the beach for a while, a fascinated smile upon the young Naturalist's face at this great display of natural powers across the oceans, not yet considering he needed to flee or inform the pack. Not until the first time he saw it strike.

Charon's ears flattened and his body frumpled to the ground when, on the eastern side of the beach, he saw a crash of lightning remove a tree from the earth. A fire started, but it was not his priority: it was a sole tree with little around it, so he did not think the fire would spread to other places. He didn't think this fire would spread, anyway.

With a sudden burst of speed and adrenaline, the shaky Beta got to his feet and started to gallop towards Thistle Cloud's den as fast as he could. The pups were able to walk and follow simple commands now, but he was sure that Levi and Thistle needed help collecting and herding them all somewhere safe. And where were they going to go?

"LEVI! THISTLE!" Charon shouted when he entered the clearing of Thistle's den. He assumed both would be nearby, as they usually were. Charon rose his nose into the air and howled for the pack -- or what was left of it these days, as it was hardly more than their little family now -- and hoped to summon all wolves here. He looked around for Thistle Cloud and Levi and called into the den, "Pups, come out! We gotta get going!" Wherever they would head, this place just wasn't safe. Charon racked his mind for a place that was safer, with less trees, with less open spaces, with something solid like stone to protect them, while he oped Thistle and Levi were nearby to help him take the pups someplace safe. If only Atreyu was still around...

The incoming storm had put Floki on edge; for the past few hours, he had alternated between cowering in the back of the den and peering cautiously outside. Ragna was much braver than he was, and he had spent a short time lingering in the drizzle with her, but had eventually retreated once more. This wasn't the first storm that the pups had experienced -- clouds and rain often blew in from the coast -- but there was something different about this one. It seemed stronger; more relentless.

He was relieved when he heard Charon's shout, and was already anticipating the appearance of his brother when the young Beta skidded to a halt outside the homestead. Thunder rumbled behind him and his surroundings were momentarily backlit by a fork of lightning; Floki swallowed hard and steeled himself, mustering all the bravery that he could and padding on shaky legs towards Charon.

"I'm scared," he said quietly, pressing himself against his older sibling's white legs as he waited for the rest of his family to exit the den and join them. He wasn't sure where they were going, but he trusted Charon implicitly.

Ragna was soaked to the bone and chilled, but a feral excitement thrummed through her as the storm whipped wildly about. Floki had spent less time out there with here, so she thought that maybe he hadn't been able to feel what she felt. It was scary, and she flinched with every crash of lightening and roar of thunder. But she had felt that the storm was a living thing, clawing its way through the sky and descending on her home. It was an wrathful, wild thing, and she knew exactly what it was. A wolf with eagle's wings, tearing its great claws into the earth and beating its great wings to kick up winds that ripped the leaves from their branches.

It was hard to hear over the wind, but when Charon came, she went with him gladly. Like Floki, she kept close to him, understanding that her mother would be upset if she ran off. A flash of lightning had lit Floki's back as he climbed from the den, and Ragna was right on his heels, skittering towards the comfort of an adult. Now that he was here to take charge, she didn't have to be so brave anymore. She couldn't wait to tell him what she knew now, that she had found her squire.

kaylan was young, but instinct told him that something was not right. he could feel the stillness in the air. he could hear the quiet outside of the den. though he was not one talented at reading others, even he could sense the tension in his mother and in his siblings. he had followed when his brother and sister stepped out into the drizzle, taking in the wrath of nature. he did not fear storms, but he could tell that this was different. at most, he felt uncomfortable.

silently, he followed charon. he brushed shoulders against both ragna and floki, comforting, but he remained stoic. unfazed as wind and rain whipped against them. eyes watching the darkening sky.

gonna post again to keep this moving along. probably easiest if we do this in rounds and avoid post order to keep this moving :-)
 @Thistle Cloud @Levi feel free to pop in whenever you're back from absence! i assumed charon couldn't find them for now b/c i didn't want to npc your characters too much <3 (same goes for @Atreyu if you wanted )

Charon was met by three frightened children, but he could not find Thistle or Levi anywhere. "Fuck!" It had saddened him to think how little was left of their pack, but it frightened him that he was the only adult in charge of three pups now. Luckily they were old enough to walk and talk and, if needed, run, but he wasn't even sure where he would take them. Charon had hoped to leave that all up to Thistle Cloud. Now he needed to take charge.

"Hey, everything's gonna be okay," he said in hushed tones, trying to comfort his frightened siblings.

The young Naturalist turned his head to the sky and looked at the darkened skies. The lightning had struck at the eastern frays of the territory, and it looked like the darkest clouds were coming from that direction, too. "We gotta head west," Charon said, to no one in particular -- he knew his siblings would probably, hopefully, follow without thought anyway -- and he looked at the pups.

After howling to inform Levi and Thistle that he was headed west from the den with the pups, Charon nuzzled the heads of each of his siblings and said: "Alright, you gotta listen, right? Mom's out, but we gotta get to a safe place, and she'll find us there, okay? We'll all be alright." Charon didn't want to lose another of his siblings -- one had been more than enough. With a heavy heart he started to head on west, still not sure where he'd go -- somewhere sheltered, somewhere underground perhaps, a den, a cave in the cliffs, the slave pits, wherever would come across his path first, really, as the young Beta had no idea what he was doing, just that he needed to flee from the angry skies above -- and if the three pups wouldn't follow him, he'd nudge them to make sure they did.

Sorry for the delay in replying! <3

Levi had sensed the storm coming, but he hadn't known it would be this terrible. He had gone out to check on their caches when the heaviest of the storm rolled in, and so he had not heard Charon's call for him. But instinct told him to go back to the den just as the others departed. He didn't see them, unfortunately, but found their trail soon enough.

The youngest Ostrega moved forward and barked over the loud rain and thrashing wind, hoping his brother would hear. Spurring forward, he came behind his younger siblings and nudged each in turn. "It's okay guys, follow Charon. He'll lead us to safety." Levi walked behind the pups with Charon in front, and looked around in worry for their mother. Where could Thistle be?

Floki's anxiety was only escalated by the fact that Thistle Cloud was nowhere to be found. He had been immensely relieved by Charon's appearance, and he huddled close to his brother as the Beta assessed the situation. Soon enough, he announced that they needed to seek shelter elsewhere, and while Floki didn't love the idea of leaving the den, he was ready and willing to follow Charon's command without protest.

He followed Charon obediently, traveling so close to his older sibling's backside that he very nearly bumped into him on more than one occasion. The thunder rumbled ominously overhead and the rain pattered around them, soaking him to the bone and leaving him shivering. Charon's howl reverberated in his ears as he desperately wondered where his mom and Levi were.

Luckily, one of the two would find his way to them shortly; Levi caught up with the group before they had traveled too far from the den. He took up the rear, making sure that none of the pups became separated. While he was still frightened, Floki felt better with both of his brave brothers nearby.

Ragna was scared, but Charon's presence was a solid comfort. She pressed tight to one of his legs. After all, he was a knight. If he couldn't keep them safe, then no one could. Well, no one but their mother, and she wasn't there.

"Charon said a bad word," Ragna said softly, barely audible above the wind. She tittered, because Charon was going to get away with it, too! But only because their mother wasn't there. Where was she? "Where's mama? We should wait for her. And Levi!"

Despite the missing family members, they started moving soon after. She kept close to her siblings, stumbling once or twice as she was buffeted by the wild winds. Ragna stared about in wonder and fear, watching with wide eyes as the storm raged around them. She smiled in relief when Levi joined them, pleased that there was one less wolf to worry about. As Levi took up a spot at the end of their little pack, she dropped back to walk near him. "Have you seen mama?" she asked her brother.

Thistle woke with a start and looked around. Where on heaven's earth was she? She whimpered as she realized yet again she had been sleep walking. With a soft sigh, she looked to the sky and her ears slicked back to her head. Her babies! Charon! Levi! By all the gods in the heavens what kind of mother and leader was she. She had been absent in her mind, body everything for weeks and now she realized just how bad it had become.

Growling softly to herself, she ran as fast as she could towards the den, sighing in relief when she saw Charon and Levi leading the babies to safety. She ran after them, nudging both Levi and Charon in thanks. Her eyes much more clearer than they had been in weeks. Perhaps finally, time was healing some of her wounds. 

She attempted to lick the top of the babies heads if they would allow her, but honestly she didn't know if they would. Her babies may hate her. She hadn't been a very good mother. However, she really hoped to stop that.

Ragna complained that they had to wait for Thistle and Levi, which Charon understood, but there was no time to. They really needed to get moving; he wasn't going to let any of the pups get hurt because he was waiting for Thistle and Levi until something or other came crashing down on them. The Naturalist in him knew that this was serious business and that they really had to get moving.

"There's no time!" Charon called out above the howling wind that was gathering around them. "We gotta get moving!" At the moment he said this, Levi came into view, which was a tremendous relief. While Charon loved his siblings and knew that they looked up to him and would ultimately listen to him, he knew that Levi was much better with pups.

Levi chimed in that they needed to listen to Charon, and so Charon started to lead the remnants of their pack to the west to try and find a safe hiding place until the storms would die down.

The silent approach of Thistle Cloud was startling -- he hadn't heard her coming through the storms that were gathering around them, and when he felt the nudge he turned his head and reflexively smiled when he saw her, for he was relieved -- but also comforting. She looked terrible, but nevertheless Charon was glad that she was here. She then turned to her children, and Charon waited a short moment so that they could express how glad they were to have their mother back before they would continue on west, to... well, wherever; he wasn't sure yet, but they'd find something.

If Floki had been relieved to see Charon and Levi, his comfort was tenfold once Thistle Cloud appeared. Although the storm still raged around them, the little family was whole; the only ones missing were those who had been gone for some time. Floki's little tail wriggled in the wetness as his mother licked his head then fell into step alongside Charon.

His mind briefly wandered to Jorunn and Atreyu. He worried for them, especially in this weather. But he wasn't able to think about them for long; he had to focus on keeping himself upright as the wind battered him. Blinking raindrops from his eyelashes, he forged ahead, following Charon and Thistle Cloud blindly.

last round :) i'll archive this in a week's time.

Charon was relieved that the whole family was together again. After everyone had exchanged greetings, Charon trod on, continuing to lead without considering that it was not his place to; so used had he gotten to lead in Thistle Cloud's mental absence. Things would get better, Charon told himself, but he had little faith that they actually would at that moment, as he trod on through the storms. They should be lucky to have their homes at the end of this whole ordeal, he knew.

The youth moved on through the woods, not finding a safe place for the pack to stay, and he didn't stop moving with the group until they reached the western fjords. There he found a cave in a crack in the fjords, and he decided they'd stay here. "We'll stay here until the worst of it is over," Charon instructed his family. "Everything's gonna be okay." Charon wasn't so sure that what he said was actually true, but he couldn't tell them the truth -- that he didn't know if they'd have a home after this was over; heck, that he didn't know they'd even be alive to see the aftermath of it.

Once inside, Charon shook his fur, wet from the rain, and he curled up by a wall, hoping the rest would join him so they wouldn't get too cold by sharing body warmth.

They walked and they walked and they walked, battered on all sides by the rain and wind. Floki wanted to complain to Charon but somehow knew to hold his tongue. This was not just a leisurely stroll for the fun of it -- Charon was leading them to safety, and the pup could sense the severity of the situation.

Finally, though, they reached their destination. Charon ushered the small group into a cavern where they would be protected from the elements by the rocky cliff face. This was a part of the territory that Floki hadn't yet explored, so his anxiety increased ever so slightly; but one glance at the brave, freckled face of his older brother reassured him. He obediently slipped into the cave, huddling close to the others for warmth and security as the storm continued to rage outside.

Thistle said nothing just allowed Charon to lead. She would approach her leadership differently later. Right now she just wanted to get back to where she was. Perhaps increase her happiness and fix her mental state. She followed suit and curled up near those she loved and she looked outside. The lighting flashing lighting up her blue eyes. She stared at it as it fell in torrents. She wanted to yell back at it. To scream that it would not get them, but instead she kept quiet and watched. WIshing for Ragnar, but knowing it would not happen. So she simply laid there sharing her warmth with the others.