Horizon Ridge Heavens Not Enough

While the horrors of the rock slide still stood in the ridge's mind it seemed like everyone was getting along well. Injuries were healing, the pack's cache of prey stayed filled. Each day Gavriil rose and hunted, patrolled the borders, them returned to the beach where he stood looking out unto the blue sea, day dreaming. On this day the male has hunted a few hares that he prompty stored for the pack, then he took one to eat for himself.

Carrying the lifeless body of the grey rabbit in his jaws the bear like male trotted over to the rocks overlooking the beach. It's lifeblood spilled along the path that the male took to the cliff. Like a bull in a china shop he plopped down and began to chew on the rabbit eating his fill and looking out onto the sea. The sounds of waves crashing onto the sandy beach calmed him. In this moment he had found paradise.

Thistle Cloud was finally over this infernal season's heat and she was trying to get back to a semblance of normalcy as she moved through her pack's land. She was restless of late and her mind constantly on herbs that she needed to gather soon. She had filled her den with little holes for the herbs. She had shells and seaweed and cobwebs and she kept it all nice and neat in her own little area. She had put some animal pelts in the corners for those who would need a place to lay a wounded head and now she just was waiting patiently for the time to pass.

Deciding today was a good day to head to the beach she was pleasantly surprised to find another already there. the bear like male Gavriil the one who held her respect. He was a kind soul and she had appreciated his words when she had been in heat. He had treated her kindly and for that she would not forget. "Hello Gavriil. was her soft spoken hello.

It had been a few days since Gavriil had seen any of his packmates. While he enjoyed their company his hunting and simple patrols took most of his time. As much as he liked alone time he also enjoyed simple conversation with other wolves. When the female he recently met, Thistle Cloud, greeting him a smile spread across the young males face. Rising from his seated position, leaving the hare on the hot rocks, he turned and greeted the female. "Hey Thistle, how have you been?" He chuffed in a friendly tone. 

The last time he had seen the she wolf she had been in heat and attempted to keep away from all male wolves. Gavriil hadn't been able to fully know the female in their brief conversation but he hoped this one would open up paths into a new friendship.

Thistle returned the smile "I am much better than I was last time we met. How are you? Are you getting sleep Gavriil? The last part she could not help but tease him about, she had realized after they had last spoken she had sounded like a little old mother hen, coddling her young.

Now that she was no longer in heat and no longer susceptible to males she was happy to be around them more, especially since it seemed the majority of the pack were males.

Gavriil gave a low chuckle when the female questioned his sleeping patterns as of late. Her motherly nature shown through in the inquiry. In all honesty he never woke tired and he slept soundly because of the physical work he did during the day. "I'm doing great, I go to bed at sundown and rise at dawn." He replied in a low tone. 

Gavriil wondered how well the female was fairing in light of everything that had happen to their pack. "What have you been doing lately? Anything exciting?" Gavriil questioned. He wondered what his pack mates have been up to. He personally had been patrolling and hunting, making sure the pack was safe and sound.

Thistle cloud chuckled realizing that she was still sounding like a mother hen with just inquiries. "Well I am glad that you are sleeping well, sleep is important. She however was not sleeping well of late, her stomach always churning and her head always hurting and the nightmares..yea she did not sleep well anymore, though you would never know it to look at her.

Thistle chuckled again and said quietly "no nothing exciting, though I think I almost gave Pump a heart attack the other day when i was looking over the debris and she had to come up and get me, she wasn't exactly thrilled with it. I've mostly been cleaning and exploring the new territory that Bjorn and Pump have mapped out for us. And i've been administering to Kennedy though he is not doing well....he could have such a good recovery if he could get his head in the correct way and think positively. Mind over matter you know. She mused quietly at poor Kennedy's plight.

Gavriil had yet to meet the injured wolf Kennedy that everyone alluded to. He hoped sometime soon that he would meet the wolf. The bear of a wolf assumed he hadn't met the Kennedy wolf yet because of his outstanding injuries. The story of Pump and the debris made Gavriil grin. He didn't expect the she wolf to be so reckless and adventurous. "I haven't had the chance to meet Kennedy but I do know he needs to think positively...You sound like you have your hands full!" Gavriil replied with sympathy in his voice.

Though Thistle would like Gavriil to meet the older wolf Kennedy she wished he would have met him when he was healthy and happy. "Kennedy is a very sweet wolf, though he is much older than me he is not afraid to let loose and have fun. Though I do not know if that is still the case. Sadness marred her words about her friend Kennedy and a bit of wistfulness as she remembered the day spent playing in the ocean surf.

Thistle smiled "I do have a lot to do, but I prefer to be busy. but enough about that Gavriil. What brings you here to our new home? Is it too your liking? Do you miss home? I sometimes find that i miss my mother and father and brothers often, but am glad that I know where they are if I should ever want to see them.

Gavriil couldn't add anything on the personality of the Kennedy wolf seeing as though he hadn't met him yet. The sadness that dripped of her tongue when she spoke of the Kennedy of the past made Gavriil wary. Traumatic experiences could change a wolf, he had seen it many times. He sympathized with both Thistle and Kennedy. 

The inquiry about Gavriil past didn't make him necessarily uneasy but almost resentful of it. The bear of a wolf enjoyed the new pack because he could almost forget about his previous one. He traveled many miles just to find a new starting point in life. "My old pack didn't hold the same values as I found dear. I came here looking for wolves that share in my ideas, I don't miss home but I do miss my parents." Gavriil spoke without the normal cheery tone in his voice. 

He was curious on the females past, where she was born, what her family was like, who she held dear. These all tied into the wolf standing before him. With curiousity dripping from his lips he asked "What was your family like?"

Thistle Cloud listened calmly, she could understand wanting to stretch your legs make your own way in the world. Hadn't she done the same thing as the large male standing before her. However, unlike him she had never had a pack, just her family. Though she supposed there were enough of them that they could have been a pack. Her mother and father were probably expecting new pups soon, she wondered briefly if she had any little siblings.

She smiled at the thought of her family, those who still lived in Chinook region. "My parents are SpottedFawn and GhostTracker though they are more commonly known as Fawn and Ghost. My mother is a healer and a midwife, she knows so many herbs and plants that its astonishing really. My father could track a ghost they say, that is how he got his nickname. He could track anything anywhere. I have two brothers as well ShadowDancer and Red. My parents are probably still in my former home Chinook and my brothers they set out before I did so goodness only knows where they ended up. How about you what were your parents names? She would willingly hold this conversation but she would have a question to answer a question it was only polite after all.

While the male didn't miss his old pack he longed to see his parents again. The young male hoped they were getting along well, and maybe eventually Gavriil would visit them. He would just have to find a time and a reason. Hearing Thistle speak about her parents it was obvious she get her skill of healing from her mother. The male smiled at that thought. When the female spoke of her parents Gavriil was curious if the female would ever venture to find them again, but kept that curiosity bundled. 

When the female asked of his parents names Gavriil replied happily. "My parents were Alec and Lily. My father, Alec, was a prestigious hunter in the pack. And Lily, my mom, she was kind. Always finding ways to make life easier for others." Gavriil seemed to be daydreaming about what his parents were doing now.

Thistle Cloud did get her skills from her mother, but she was no where near as good as her mother was and she imagined she would never be that good. Her mother was a rare wolf and her abilities and skills were astonishing to all that knew her. It was her mother that taught her to grind the herbs, they lasted longer. Hre mother had also showed her how to carry the ground herbs in seashells and how to bind a wound with seaweed. Yes her mother was a rare creature, and she missed her very very much.

Thistle listened to him "My father and brothers are very good hunters as well. My mother and I aren't. My mom is so small it's hard for her to help with big game, as well as the fact that my father coddles her. It's actually quite cute really to see the two of them together. My father was the best thing that could have come along for my mother. Her words were colored with a secret hint of the terrible life her mother had before her father. Her mother had carried abuse and sadness and fear in her heart for a long time, but her father he had fixed it. He taught her to trust and love again. And my father and brothers never had me hunt much either. They taught me how to of course, but they did not make me do so. So my skills are lacking obviously. Did you father teach you? And was your mother a den mother?

Hearing the female speak in-depth about her family made Gavriil miss his even more. The male could almost imagine the whole band of wolves that the female's family was. Her family seemed like they'd get along well with his parents. In his mind because of their actions from what Thistle told, they valued selflessness and protection. His parents loved each other dearly. They grew up together and eventually fell in love. His father a large brooding male in size, much like himself, and his mother a thin and tall female who graced the world with her presence. 

His parents valued selflessness, and bravery. They believed in freedom from fear, in denying fear the power to influence decisions. They believed in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one to stand up for another. It was a beautiful idea, but one that the pack Gavriil grew up in didn't agree with. This caused many internal conflicts. "My father did teach me how to hunt, and how to be brave. My mom was a den mother, she enjoyed looking after pups. She taught me how to be selfless." Gavriil spoke with pride emanating from his person.

Thistle thought sadly of her parents and her brothers, she had not realized how badly she missed them, especially her quiet spoken mother whose voice barely ever rode above a whisper. She would have to go look in the river later, to see her mother looking back at her after all she was her mother's carbon copy only larger. Her mother was selfless her father tried to be, but he often would get a little upset and have to remind her mother to take care of herself too, though he was guilty of it as well.

Thistle smiled as he spoke about his family and she saw the pride emanating from him. "You're parents must be very proud of the wolf you have become Gavriil as they should be. You are one of a kind and this pack is better for having you that is for sure. So tell me Gavriil what kind of things do you like to do besides hunt and help others? Do you collect things? Are you a secret knowledge hoarder? She wanted to get to know her pack mate that was near her age.

Gavriil smiled as the female spoke praise of the male. He didn't normally know how to respond to praise but the nod of his head and the pride of his eyes surely was enough for the female to know he was thankful of the compliment.

As for hobbies the male didn't really have much time for hobbies with the current scedual he was on. The beach did interest him a lot. He spent most of his free time there upon a large rock overlooking the beach thinking about the ocean. Occasionally he would trot along the sandy beaches as the sun drowned into the ocean. "I like the beach a lot. While my fur isn't yet fully adapted to the heat that it's beings a nighttime beach stroll is one of my favorite things to do. What about you, what do you do as a hobby Thistle?"

She saw the thanks in his face and that was all the thanks she needed she did not need to hear it.

Thistle smiled at him she liked the beach too, though it made her wary, as it was so large and daunting. She did not want to one day slip in and have the under tow take her away or perhaps get attacked by one of the black beasts that Pied had been attacked by. "I like the beach as well. I collect things like shells and shiny rocks and I also am constantly collecting herbs and roots, healing is not just my job, I also consider it a hobby. What did you do in your former home for fun?

Gavriil didn't know the full dangers of the beach. Maybe in a way that is what drew him to it. While he didn't go searching for danger, the beach still drew the male in. Gavriil nodded and smiled as the female mentioned collecting herbs and roots and shells and various things. He had never been one to horde objects, more intangible objects, like knowledge.

He did have a curiosity and yearn for knowledge that was very rarely sasifited. Most of his time was taken up by training and classes over fighting. "I didn't have much free time during my early years. Each day when you were old enough to catch your own prey we were forced into classes and training sessions. We learned to fight, and hunt. When I wasnt sparring or being watched as I tried to hunt I stayed with my parents. Keeping my true values pure and without a blood lust." Gavriil spoke solemenly . His old pack wasn't savage, but they wanted to be prepared. They valued the warriors over anything. A wolf who could hold its own was respected above all. Gavriil could fight when necessary but he didn't like hurting others. "What was your family pack like?"

Thistle had grown up near the ocean so she knew it's dangers from an early age. Her father had been sure to teach her that as well as her mother. She had grown up with a healthy respect for the water and the sea.

Thistle could not imagine having no time to yourself. I could not imagine having no time to myself, i enjoy my solitude at times. Thistle thought about her family and began to speak. It was not much of a pack, just my mother and my brothers and my father and me. Now it's just my mother and father unless my mother had more pups. There were packs near us, but my mother enjoyed her little family and she would often help out our pack neighbors with healing and midwifing. She was a midwife as well as a healer." She smiled again and shook her head "So you are a warrior then like Bjorn? She had almost called him Ragnar, but she was unsure if he had told anyone but her his name.

Gavriil wished he had grown up like Thistle. He might have even still been with his parents now. The only push factor away from them was the pack his family resided in. The want to get away from the overbearing pack was stronger than his want to be with his parents. "Your mom and my mom would have gotten along well. They both sound like amazing women. Your parents would be proud of you too Thistle." Gavriill acknowledged with a smile.

The male smirked when the she wolf asked if he was a warrior. "I was a warrior. Now I hope to be more like a warden. I don't want to attack. I want to defend my pack."Gavriil spoke honestly.

Thistle loved the way she had grown up, the only reason she had left was to make her own way instead of living in the shadow of her mother and father and brothers. She longed to find her own life, her own love, her own family. Maybe one day she would return there, but for now she was willing to stay here in this moment and meet others and make mistakes that only the young can make.

Thistle dipped her head and looked at him as he spoke "I certainly hope they would be, my parents mean very much to me. She smiled at his smirk and shook her head "That is a very good goal Gavriil. Though there is always a place for both warriors and wardens unfortunately. As there are many who are violent and cruel and we need those to defend and those who can also be offensive, or at least that is what my father told me. she shrugged a little shyly she did not know if her father was right though to her his word had been law.

Gavriil smiled softy at the female. This conversation they were having made him happy to be alive. The male in recent paces had tried to forget his past, but not after this he remember how much it meant to him. If one little thing had changed in his past he might have been a totally different wolf. That amazed him. He needed to be thankful of his current position, while not living in the past he needed to remember it. To forget the past is to forget yourself.

"I'm hoping I can gain the title soon and wear it with respect. How's your healer going Thistle?" Gavriil questioned in a soft voice filled with cheeriness.

Thistle Cloud would not forget her family ever. She loved them all despite the fact that she was not near them. Her mother and father had taught her well, and many of their lessons still held fast to her heart and mind. She hoped to teach her own pups someday the same things that she was taught.

Thistle frowned at his question and said quietly "Bjorn and Pump are fine they have healed nicely I am very happy that they are well. However, Kennedy is not well not well at all. HIs scars and wounds are both emotional and physical and I cannot fix the ones on the inside and he barely lets me fix the ones on the outside...it's as if he has given up I do not like it, and i do not know how to fix it. I wish I did. I wish there was a herb I could give him to cure his heartache.

Gavriil was genuinely curious on why the male was heartbroken and wanting to give up. Was it the physical injury that has made him lost his will to fight? Or was it something more. "Why is Kennedy heartbroken?" asked in an inquisitive tone.

Most of the injuries Gavriil had dealt with in the past has been purely physical. Sure he felt some sadness once he left home and some internal struggle between leaving snd staying. He never truly felt emotional pain, or lost. No one close to him had died, or left him. He never had a mate nor courted a female. He hadn't even felt rejection before. He hadn't felt love besides what his parents gave him. He hadnt felt pain besides that of teeth against fresh. He hadn't felt lost expect that of a hunt gone south. Gavriil hadn't felt anything it seemed like.

Thistle sighed as she thought about the answer to the question. The male in front of her had obviously not had much heartache or things go wrong for him, which was lucky for him, however it would prove difficult for him to feel kinship with others if he wasn't careful.

"It's a mixture of things I imagine, for started he's got a broken leg, I still don't know if that leg will heal properly he may be lame for the rest of his life and that is hard for a wolf as active as Kennedy to take. He's not young anymore he's 5 so he probably is mourning the fact that he does not have a mate or young ones of his own and in retrospect he probably feels that no one will want him now either because of his injuries. Depression is a weird thing and it is hard to fix or even get out of. If he get sso depressed and stops eating he could virtually starve himself. She sighed again she felt so bad for Kennedy.

Gavriil was a curious creature. He wanted to feel expirence everything in this world before his short life was ended. Having never felt the feeling of heart ache he wanted to know. Not meaning to make the female upset in anyway he asked "Have you felt heartache before? What's it like?".

Gavriil was relatively new in the ways of feeling emotions besides the basic ones. Even of those he rarely was angry, or frustrated, he just simply tried and keep himself happy on the daily push through life.