Morningside Cuesta It's fare thee well my old lover

It's moving day! No posting order, but do try to be courteous if someone isn't able to post as quickly as you'd like; leave no plotter behind! Please post at least once.

Grayday looked shrewdly out over the Cuesta from atop the highest hill. He could see the meadow with its two trees, and the silver ribbon of the Mudminnow River, just beyond the reaches of his claim. He could see the miniscule bump of the rotting log, which marked the entrance to the den where the youngest of his blood were still safely ensconced. It had been a good territory - the Cuesta - and had served them well for several long months. But as much as he'd enjoyed their time here, he knew it was best to move on while the choice was still available to them.

The silvered male made his way carefully down from his vantage point, his heart heavy, but his legs limber. There was another reason he didn't want to go - he knew that, if Adeline came back while they were gone, she would not know where to look for them. But they couldn't wait for her forever, and Grayday had a sinking feeling that, if she was going to come back at all, she'd've done so by then.

He reached the entrance of the den and felt his spirits lift as he ducked in and caught sight of his three precious cubs and his pretty wife. "It's time to go," he said to @Khoe, nudging at her shoulder. For a moment, he helped her round up Easy, @Lavender, and @Dauntless, but he knew he had to gather the rest of the troops as well. Excusing himself with a wordless murmur, he ducked back out of the den, moving a few paces away before tilting back his head and calling for the rest of the pack.

@Damascus @Heartha @Dawn @Gwen @Sylvas Streiter @Kieran Adrien @Howl

Surprisingly, today Lavender was awake before Easy. She'd gotten up early to go sit in her lavender patch, and smell the flowers. She didn't actually know that this might be the last time with them, but it was. The pack was moving! When she saw her father nearing, she tore away from the flower patch and bounded to his side. She didn't say anything, just gave him a happy smile. They went into the den and Grayday awoke her siblings and her mom. She watched as they woke, and once they had done as Grayday said, she turned and followed him out of the den again.

He tilted head and howled, and so Lavender joined in. She raised her small painted head and let loose a smooth howl, quieter than his but still heard. Then she sat by his side and waited.

She kept up as best she could, pushing herself far beyond her limits. Although they moved together at a decent pace, Damascus was not the type of woman to let injury slow her down; she did not wish to be a burden. She would not be seen as weak - to her friends nor to her enemies - and so she kept to herself in the travel, but stayed nearby. The woman did not speak much as she marched, using all of her available energy to contain herself and get through the toil of their migration - but anyone watching could tell that her injuries plagued her, and no amount of teeth-gritting could hide that.

Sorry for the terrible mobile post!

Torn ears twitched, pivoting back as the sound of Grayday's howl echoed throughout the cuesta and Sylvas shook his pelt vigorously as a disheartened feeling began to come over him. The thought of moving had gradually sank in before his disappearance, but having been  absent from the lands for some time and only just recently returning, made it slightly more difficult to leave. 

Though regardless of his emotions, Sylvas' golden eyes peered in the direction of Gray's summons, his large paws soon shifting upon the ground as he began to make his way toward the distant hill.

Now that his teeth were coming in, Dauntless craved chewing on anything in sight. This morning, he had found a solid stick and had set to work gnawing on it near the den entrance. He wedged it as far back in his mouth as he could (his large teeth at the back were coming in) and crunched purposefully on the wood, spitting out the pieces that he sawed off. When his dad entered the den, however, he quickly abandoned the stick and went to great the elder male with yips and submission licking. He was starting to understand words and so he waggled his tail furiously when Grayday said it was time to go. Of course, Dauntless did not understand what was happening and merely thought they were going on another short outing from the den. He joined in with the pack's howling, feeling thrilled and excited. This must be a very special outing for the whole pack to be involved! He raced circles around his mother when she exited the den and eagerly followed the group on their way.

Heartha sat up when she heard the howl. It was Grayday sending out the call, a pack wide call. A meeting, but she hadn't heard about a meeting. Then again, it was nearing winter, or so Heartha thought. Perhaps it was moving time, she wasn't too sure. She headed out toward where the howl had originated from.

She was starting to feel a bit bloated, and if winter was coming soon, it was not a good sign. She was beginning to feel that this was a bad idea, and she still partially regretted having her body betray her in the way it had.

Howl heard the call and began heading towards it. He didn't know too much about the move and had only heard little things that almost seemed like rumors. But with this call it seemed as though those rumors were true and that the pack would be moving to a new location. Howl hadn't grown too attacked to the location of their pack as he hadn't been within it for more then a month really. He was prepared to follow them though and Heartha assuming she would follow along. 

Along the way he caught up with Heartha and he walked with her towards Grayday. He could tell that she was getting alittle bigger, but that might have been because of how much time he spent with her. He wasn't sure how much the others of the pack knew other then Grayday himself. As he walked with her and before they arrived at Graydays den he whispered over to her "How are you doing?"

When the howl sounded out across the Cuesta, Kieran was quick to make a short response and begin heading to Grayday and Khoe's den, where he was sure the howl had come from. As he went, the boy glanced around at the place that had come to be his home. It had become so familiar, so homely that Kieran was dishearted to know that they would be leaving it. He wasn't sure he liked the thought of another pack coming and claiming it while they were gone. Were they even going to come back? Though he would miss it for sure, the young hunter wasn't too sorry to leave. He supposed it was because of the homes he'd left behind before, in his youth, when perhaps he shouldn't have been travelling so much. He'd realised that homes didn't last forever, and the Cuesta was no different. But this time it didn't feel like they were rushing to leave - it felt more natural and easy. 

When he arrived, the boy gave a nod and a smile to everyone gathered, and waited for everyone to gather. While waiting, Kieran shuffled closer to his father and nuzzled his neck gently. "What do you think the new place is going to be like?" He asked, deciding to start something of a conversation. He wasn't overly excited, being used to travelling and knowing how tiring it could be, but he wasn't really sad about it. He was curious as to what their new home would be like.

When everyone had gathered, Grayday took a moment to address the pack. "Thank you for coming so quickly - you all know how important this move is. Originally, we were going to do this later in the year, but I don't want to make this journey with newborn pups. We're leaving a little early to give Heartha's pups the best chance of survival," he said, allowing his eyes to linger solemnly on Heartha. He was by no means absolving her of her crimes, but neither did he feel comfortable with allowing her developing pups to pay the price of their mother's carelessness. And, besides that, she was still a part of the pack.

"Let's get going," he said gently, nudging Lavender and Dauntless along. He turned a smile at Kieran and walked with the boy as they began their exodus. "There'll be a lot more trees, and we'll live on the top of big plateau. Sunspot says there are signs of great migrations going through the valley below it. If we're lucky, we might get to see something truly spectacular while we're there."

The pack moved on. It was slow going, but Grayday wasn't worried. They had plenty of time, and there would be food along the way.