Phoenix Maplewood alabama shakes

Unaware that Smash had already reunited with Reek (and perhaps even Saena), Goober was ever-so-thrilled and proud of himself when he finally made it to the border of the maplewood forest. Cicero had mentioned that it was Phoenix Maplewood, though Eshe's mate had referred to it as Maplewood Forest. Perhaps when they had moved, Reek and Saena had renamed it. Excited to tell them the good news, Goober lifted his head and called out for whoever was nearby to come greet him. He could hardly contain himself as he danced in place outside the borders of the forest.

Smash was going to like him so much for doing all this!

Inserts grumpy Tavi

Fresh from her tussle with Esaro, Tavi had half a mind to seek out @Reek and tell him all about what had just happened. She was wandering through a particularly dense patch of the maplewood when she heard a call - and it sounded a lot closer than it should've been. It was probably her riled nerves getting the best of her, but Tavi's response was hastened by her frustration and still-ebbing hostility. She adjusted her path and slipped off between the trees, finding the quickest route to the origin of the sound; when she came careening out of the underbrush though, she nearly missed the wolf idling by the territory's edge. He practically blended in with the surrounding trees, so after a moment of blankly looking in the completely wrong direction, she spotted him.

Tavi advanced stiffly, wondering who could be calling at the Maplewolves' doorstep. Maybe it was one of the Dragon wolves? But the closer she got and the more she studied the stranger, the less she thought that could be it. No solicitors, she called out, getting straight to the point - sort of - What do you want?

Although she had a mate and son waiting for her back home, Smash wasn't ready to leave the Teekon Wilds just yet. She still hoped to catch Luke, tell him about their children (or maybe just the one). In the meantime, she hung out in the territories near Phoenix Maplewood, keeping far enough away to avoid infringing but close enough that she could howl to Reek or seek out his company if she so desired. She hadn't come all this way just to be a one hit wonder!

Today, she was headed toward the pack's borders to drop off a gift: a small rabbit. As she trotted there, a howl caught her attention. She didn't recognize the voice immediately, yet she veered toward it anyway, figuring that one of the leaders would be headed in that direction too. She could hand-deliver the meat, rather than just leave it at some random location along the borders.

When her orange eyes clapped upon the two figures in the distance, she realized with a jolt that she was looking at none other than Goober. Smiling around the dead rabbit, Smash hastened her step, dropping the carcass unceremoniously at her feet as she rolled to a stop beside him. Her head and tail lowered in deference to the pack wolf glaring at him.

"Dunno about Goobs here," she said in a bright, cheery voice, "but I'm here with a delivery for Reek. It also comes with a singing telegram." Smash paused, as if looking for any sign of the homely wolf. "Should we wait for him? Or maybe I can perform it for you and you can pass it on to him...?"

When the other wolf appeared, Goober's demeanor changed. He didn't, of course, want to come across as a threat. Least of all to any of Smash's friends, whom he was looking for. Before Goober had a chance to answer, or react in any real way, Smash was beside him, and he looked at her with wonder. "Smash, how—" but she was already doing all the talking for them. So Reek was here, and Smash apparently already knew all about it.

"Yeah!" Goober added to Smash's question/plan, "I'm helping Smash." He gave her a sideways glance, coupled with an admiring smirk.

Before the tawny wolf could answer, there was a second stranger sidling up next to them; she was swarthy, clearly female but also a bit bulkier. And she held a gift in her teeth. Tavi eyed the new addition, showing little care for the rabbit for the time being. Her explanation came swiftly after this, and Tavi was left looking from face to face, a bit surprised by the entire conversation. Goobs? she thought, Smash? Who were these people and how did they know Reek? Together they sounded like some kind of seedy business venture. Goobs and Smash, private investigators.

Depends, Tavi responded finally, squinting at the darker wolf suspiciously. Would I have to dance? It didn't matter really - whatever the message was, she'd convey it word-for-word and not step-for-step, or note-for-note, or... Whatever. She couldn't sing or dance to save her life, but in her current mood Tavi figured having some entertainment might brighten the day.

Goober declared that he was helping Smash and she favored him with a quick, sideways grin. It was true, and though she had found Reek's whereabouts herself, she still intended to show her gratitude. For now, she turned back to face the gray she-wolf, who seemed suspicious about this supposed telegram. Smash snickered quietly at the question, her head already bobbing up and down.

"'Fraid so. Can you carry a tune? And shake dat groove thang?" she replied playfully, then glanced at Goober again. She had a feeling he would enjoy the improvisation here. "You ready for our duet, Goobs?" she quipped, nudging him with a chocolate elbow before clearing her throat loudly and repeating to their hostess, "You ready?"

Without awaiting a reply, Smash began to hum under her breath. It quickly rose in both pitch and volume until she was singing outright. "I can show you the world," she crooned in an unsurprisingly tone-deaf voice, "shining, shimmering, sple-e-endid!" As the awful, terrible, no-good notes fell out of her mouth, she remembered she was supposed to be dancing too and abruptly started shimmying in place.

Thankfully, the stranger seemed to lighten up a little, which relieved Goober. So many wolves out there could be so incredibly uptight and dull. Smash and Eshe were more on his level. The wolf with the funny accent, and then the one who spoke in the third person... well, they were just way too serious for Goober's taste. Smash was quick to reply to the stranger's question, and Goober played along.

"So ready," he replied, though once Smash started, he couldn't help but wince a little bit. Unlike Smash, Goober had a decent singing voice. "Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide!" he belted out. "I can open your eyes! Take you wonder by woooonder!"

She didn't know what to expect, but decided as soon as Smash mentioned a groove thang that she liked her, whether the message was good or foul. And it was definitely not foul. After bumping her friend Goobs, the two set out on an adventure in harmonies and witty lyricism -- and Tavi had to try to keep herself composed. She wanted to laugh and dance with them, but decided to keep herself contained. She was lowkey impressed though.

Until Goober cut in with let your heart decide! -- that made Tavi's heart drop from its housing in her ribcage to the pit of her stomach, and she leveled a sharp look at the dark girl next to Goobs. This was her message, right? Was it a love sonnet for Reek? Hold up, the girl quipped, her tone vastly more defensive and a little confused, You want me to sing Reek a love song? You do know he's taken, right? Once again, Tavi was taking this far, far too literally - or just seriously.

Whoa. Goober sounded so much better than her. Smash cut herself off and fell still to listen to him, taking the time to shoot the other she-wolf a glance as if to say, Dude, he's pretty good, right?! Her orange eyes then drifted back to his face and she wiggled her brows in the hopes of encouraging him to continue. She was a sucker for a good singing voice; just ask Feenixpawl.

After the number was over, the single member of their audience pointed out that Reek was a married man and Smash huffed a laugh. "Don't worry, it's just a bromance." And that really was the best word to apply to her friendship with Reek, never mind that she wasn't technically a bro. "Make sure you deliver it in the spirit it was intended," she added, a playful warning in her voice. "Reek will understand and appreciate it. Oh, and don't forget to deliver this." She toed the rabbit closer to the gray wolf.

Goober's voice dwindled down when Tavi cut in, and he looked to Smash for the answers. Thankfully, she was quick to clear up the situation. With the message delivered, and Smash apparently done with whatever business she had planned to do here in Phoenix Maplewood, Goober paused to consider what he would do next.

"I have another mission to go on, Mrs. Smash," he said, never good at good-byes. "If you're ever around these parts again, look me up?" It seemed easier to disappear quickly than have some kind of long, awkward interaction. Goober would be lying if he didn't find Smash amusing, attractive, and downright easy to be around. He didn't want to fall into that trap. He gave Smash, then the stranger, a lingering glance, Goober vanished from Smash's life just as quickly as he had come into it.

Whatever tension had crept across Tavi, it melted away as soon as Smash explained. If she was just a friend, sure, fine, the message would be conveyed - but the Beta was still a little uptight about it. Okay, I'll let him know. she confirmed, but did not move; Smash quickly reminded her of the rabbit too, and she made a mental note to retrieve that once the two strangers were gone. For now, she stood in wait for them to leave. It was nice to meet you two... I guess. It was a good show, either way.

Then the tawny wolf departed, speaking to Smash on his way, leaving the dark girl and Tavi alone together. She approached the rabbit and scooped it up in her jaws, keeping herself alert to Smash just in case, and then pulled away from her; she wouldn't go off in search of Reek until the dark girl was away from the borders, just to be safe.

Goober took off rather suddenly, though not without a few parting words. Smash wanted to call him back, tell him she totally intended to take him out to lunch or something for all of his efforts. Instead, she just shouted, "Okay, smell ya' later!" at his retreating back. She favored the back of his head with a lopsided grin before turning back toward the she-wolf whose name she still didn't know. It didn't really matter.

"Samesies," she quipped lightly in reply, nodding her head. "Hey, if you don't mind, can you also tell him I'll probably be leaving soon but that I'll howl before I go? Thank-y!" Shooting the woman a toothy grin, Smash then bowed theatrically—because it had been a performance, after all—and made her exit to the east.