Heron Lake Plateau If you get lost you can always be found

@Niamh @Quixote anyone else! I couldn't stay away!

During the first storm of snow, she had lost her brother who had idiotically assumed the role of guardian while the rest of them slept huddled. He had fallen asleep and never woken up. Lydda had somehow vanished during the night, leaving her sleeping by Ankuusa's side. They had woken up together, found Calus together, searched for Lydda together and on a really bad day they had argued. Kaala had insisted that they keep searching and Ankuusa had insisted that they find a place to settle for the winter. She refused and pushed his temper over the edge and he had called her a stubborn witch, leaving her completely alone. She had waited for him to come back but he never had and she definitely couldn't survive alone, so she searched for a pack to settle into.

After searching and finding a few options she stumbled upon a strongly marked border around a beautiful territory. She studied it, standing a respectful distance away while hesitating. She had diligently left a scent trail along the way here, marking every so often so that if Ankuusa so desired he could hopefully find her. Yet she didn't want to be here without him, she didn't want to be anywhere without him. She had left home because of him, assumed the role of his guardian as well as his best friend and she even admitted to herself that she loved him. This felt like she was giving up on him but she knew she would be no good to anyone dead. Sucking in a breath she sent up a shaky call for the leaders assuming a respectful posture. She prayed she wouldn't be turned away because she was so young.

Phox was actually heading back home after keeping tabs on one of the nearby herds when he heard an unfamiliar voice rise up from where he was headed. Curious, and because he was close enough by and already on his way there, he picked up his pace and began to gallop toward the stranger’s call, feeling the chill of the air whip around his silvery black coat. He was no guardian, and he held no authority when it came to making decisions regarding joiners, but he figured it didn’t matter.

What he did worry was that it was one of Camilla’s pursuers, which quickened his pace even more. The thought of that brought a special kind of heat into his chest that he wasn’t sure he had ever felt aside from thinking of Towhee. The wolf he spotted was bright red, and at it appeared as though whoever it was wasn’t trespassing. That was a relief, but he still couldn’t be sure it wasn’t Camilla’s former torturer until he got closer.

He made a wide arc around the wolf, then looped back so that he would be facing them head-on. As he drew closer, he tested the air and found that it was no male, which left him with a giant sense of relief. It was not Camilla’s stalker seeking her out. She had made it clear it was a male, and this was clearly a female. Phox slowed his pace, still keeping a good six feet between him and the stranger just in case she tried to pull a fast one on him.

A leader should be here shortly, but we can get the basics out of the way. What’s your business here? Who she was didn’t really matter until he knew what she wanted.

While she waited memories plagued her. Calus had insisted that he keep watch the whole night, despite her protesting and saying everyone should take turns so everyone could stay warm and get some rest. He had remained so stupidly stubborn, even going as far as to push her toward her sister and Ankuusa. So she had snorted at him, called him an idiot and lay down giving him what he wanted. Had she known that he would die that night she never would have quit so easily. She remembered waking up to Lydda missing, calling out for Calus who was laying nearby and getting no response. She remembered the  slow spreading dread that had made her feel sick as she nudged Ankuusa awake and they crept toward Calus together expecting him to jump up and scare them. Instead they found him cold and lifeless. She remembered how she'd backed away silently, nose quivering and flanks heaving and she'd bolted causing Ankuusa to play catch up. The memories made her feel sick and she released a shaky breath, glancing around her hopefully to-be new home with moist eyes and a heavy heavy heart. 


When she did look up there was a male standing there, staring her down. She jolted, startled and eyed him like he was a ghost. She was definitely out of if, she took another slow breath and then spoke "My name is Kaala. I've been travelling with my brother and sister, plus a close friend. M...My brother died during the storm, my sister vanished and um..my friend isn't around anymore..I. " she found her voice shaking and turned away, standing up and pacing a bit. She shook her head ears flattened back as she growled at herself. After a few moments she settled down and turned back to him seeming more calm "I'm sorry, please don't think I'm a pathetic little girl looking for charity. I want to join your pack. I can hunt, I'm good during cold weather. I can fight too. I'll dedicate all my energy to helping the pack out. I'm also good with tracking, finding things and people, following herds." she fell silent again, Wondering whether stating that she was a jack of all trades would be too much. As an alpha pup she was mentored in everything from hunting, medicine, all the way to singing and writing poetry.

WC: 250
So Niamh's on her way- but I'll let the two of ye have a few more rounds before she actually arrives :)

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The call that went up from the borders was a tentative one, and one that Niamh did not recognize. She shrugged silently to herself, figuring then that finally, this Phex character she’d heard about had finally come from the Shadewood to talk to them. She hoped it was, given the fact that the howl had sounded somewhat shaky. She would have preferred for an ambassador from a pack which had begun to settle so disgustingly close to a well-established pack to be rattled upon approaching their borders...It would give her the upper hand when it came down to making demands for neutral hunting territories, and she very well intended to stake a claim for the lands that the Redhawks already used quite commonly for their hunting grounds...Ironically, those were the lands which shared borders with both packs of wolves.

Fearlessly, she tilted her head back and let loose a call with her full-bodied voice, informing the newcomer that she was on her way. Judging by how loud the visitor’s howl had been, she assumed that it might take her twenty minutes or so to reach the visitor, but it was a common courtesy to at least let her know that someone would be with her soon- if no other had already reached her. She picked up a trot and began to make her way toward the newcomer, not hurrying herself of course as she had all the time in the world to get to the somewhat fearful visitor.

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She spoke, and Phox listened. He wondered what compelled her to tell her whole life story, and it made him suspicious. It seemed like the kind of thing Camilla’s stalkers might do. He had become rather protective of Camilla, and he did not want to put her in any danger by letting some stranger in here... not that it was his decision anyway. Still, Phox was certain that if he told Niamh or Quixote not to let somebody in, they would listen to him. He had proven his worth since he had arrived.

When she stopped, Phox swiveled his ear back to listen to Niamh’s call. Kaala would need to relay all that information back to his leader, and he had no intention of doing it for her. He was merely the first line of defense, should she turn out to be a trespasser or some other kind of annoyance to the Redhawks.

Niamh will be here soon, he replied, omitting any other information beyond that. She didn’t really need to know anything else, did she?

The fact that her truth was met with suspicion and silence made her wonder if everyone would be like this. She didn't want a pack where warmth was lacking and it wasn't like she was hurt by this guy's lack of sympathy but it definitely threw her off a little bit. She was used to having others to lean on during times of pain and being a shoulder to lean on for others, she had expected maybe at least a small "I'm sorry for your loss". Instead she got a wary reply about the leader (she assumed) being here soon. She allowed her tail to sag as a piercing ache for her sister struck her hard and she simply nodded, looking away from the male.

wc:223

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When she arrived, and at first glance, Niamh was certain that she recognized the reddish female. The moment she saw the stranger standing there with Phox, she thought it was Ceara, who had finally returned to them and her heartbeat quickened. She didn’t know quite how to feel- she was jealous, irritated and relieved all at the same time...But this wasn’t Ceara. This was another fiery red wolf with ash and beige markings; no dark dorsal stripe to mark her as a Blackthorn, either...Though surely to god there had to be at least one Blackthorn out there that didn’t have a dorsal stripe. As she neared, she saw that the female’s eyes were green, not silver- yet another mark to convince her that this wasn’t Ceara returning to them after months of being away.

Phox was there, but clearly he’d been the first to respond to the call, and hadn’t come with this female. She looked a bit sheepish, but didn’t cling to Phox the way that Camilla had. She nodded to Phox, a mild smile drawing on her lips before she turned to the loner, her expression firming up slightly. ”Well? What’s important?” She asked. After all, she’d had to leave her other duties to come and see what she’d wanted, so something had to have been important.

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Niamh arrived soon enough, and Kaala remained silent in the interim. When Niamh asked about the newcomer, Phox took a step back and explained as much as he thought was actually important. This is Kaala. She wishes to join the Redhawks. She claims to be a good hunter. Beyond that, Phox didn’t really have anything to add. The death of her brother and disappearance of her friends would likely not sway Niamh’s decision. Deaths and disappearances were a dime a dozen, and since they weren’t preventable now, Phox thought it irrelevant.

Her mind was reeling and once again she wished Lydda or Ankuusa were here to handle all the stuff that called for being able to use words without scaring people off or offending them. The leader came up, asking what was important and she got the feeling that there were other things that this woman wanted to do other than accept a new members of the pack. It wasn't the most welcoming feeling and the girl shuffled, about to reply when the boy cut in and introduced her. "That's right...nice to meet you. I can hunt. Well enough to do my share and also help others eat as well. I can also fight, i have enough knowledge on plants to get by in emergency situations. I...would really like a place to stay safe in, to make new friends and protect like family." she offered as friendly as a smile as she could being as depressed as she was. It ended up looking rather shaky and sad. She fixed her apple green eyes upon Niamh, though slightly to the side so it wasn't direct, not challenging at all.

wc: 420
We could do a SUPERQUICK hunting round. Basically, Chey if you wanted to roll for a successful/unsuccessful outcome, and then each have one post to play it out. What do you guys think of that? *wiggles creatively*

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Occasionally wolves would come to the border with a sort of air about them that told Niamh they expected to get in, because they knew someone in the pack or because they were healthy looking. This one, though, was different; not quite as desperate to be hidden as Camilla, but this one definitely seemed to know that her time to find a pack before the real winter hit was running out, and she seemed to fear being rejected. Niamh liked seeing that- not because it made her feel powerful to have others cower before her, but because it meant that they were a realist, that they understood the costs of life and death, and that they knew they weren’t invincible. It also meant that they would be grateful, and if they were grateful, they’d likely work hard.

Phox introduced the female, and she nodded to him. Phox was doing really well- and she’d be damned if she hadn’t noticed Phox and Towhee hanging around more- and that had been her plan all along. She shrugged lightly at the girl’s skills. ”We have hunters, and guardians.” She said, her tone indicating, for a moment, that she wasn’t impressed, terribly, bu Kaala’s prerequesites. ”But we don’t often have wolves coming here looking for family unless their family already lives here...That’s a good quality to have.” She said. Had she softened? Or was she simply looking ahead to winter, too? Another mouth to feed- or another one on the chase. If she had any hope of having children, she’d need other capable hunters and guardians in the pack to take her place when she was as fat as a cow.

There was something bordering on desperation in Kaala’s eyes, which shimmered lightly. She frowned, but told herself not to be too hard...She could break this girl’s spirit in an instant, she knew. She’d done it, before. She tilted her head to the side. ”I caught the tracks of a few deer on my way here. Let’s see how you hunt. Phox- we could use your help too,” She said. Should the hunt fail, it wouldn’t necessarily lead to Kaala’s rejection...Niamh simply wanted to see the effort the girl would put in, and the skills she had. No wolf was successful all of the time- but technique mattered, and she could tell a lot even from a failed hunt. Of course, if they made a kill, then they’d all get a meal out of it.

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Kaala's ears went back and she realised her heart hammered so hard inside her chest that she feared they could hear it. She was well aware of the deadliness of winter and the fact that if she didn't get in here that she would have to trek a good distance to find somewhere else. She was only aware of this now, due to the harsh awakining that was finding her brother dead and cold and her sister vanished into thin air. When Niamh spoke on her search for family she spoke in a tone much softer than was normal for her "I've learned that sometimes family isn't always blood. While blood is strongest, you can also have family wherever you choose to settle. To me...my pack is family wherever that may be." Her tone was hopeful, leading it  to be inferred that she hoped it was here for sure. "I've also recently lost the last of my blood family, i told him about this" she nodded to Phox, not knowing his name at that moment.

There was silence for a few moments as Niamh seemed to consider her and she held her breath. She expected to be told she wasn't needed. She wouldnt blame the woman, their borders were marked with the scent of many, many wolves and if she didn't prove herself she would simply be seen as another mouth to feed. Then the leader issued a task, which she thought was very smart and she lit up at the prospect. "Definitely... I'll follow you there" she said with a smile, taking on a new demeanor that showed her eagerness to do something. Back home whenever she had no tasks, she found something to do anyway whether that was hunting, goofing around, sparring or taking a walk she was always busy and she loved it. 

Niamh lead them all forth and when they reached the tracks she was given the instructions to track. She did so quietly, rolling each paw down in the snow gently so she wasn't stomping down and making noise. She sniffed at the air and the snow, finding fresh droppings and finally bringing the trio to the deer. There was only three, two huddled together and a third only a few feet away from the couple. She pondered it and nodded decisively "I'll sneak around and run for the spot between them. I'll chase the single doe toward you two and attack from behind." She gave the simple plan and when confirmed she did her part, sneaking around. She snuck forward slowly, the does facing away and not noticing until she was nearly there. Just as one of the does began to lift their head she sprung forward, snapping her jaws at the target doe and sending her running. She kept a close chase, jaws snapping at the hocks of the fleeing doe to prevent any stray kicks. As the Doe neared Niamh and Phox she leaped upon the hindquarters, slowing the prey down enough to allow them to do their part.

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When the hunt was done and the Doe had  fallen on the ground lifeless, she caught her breath and looked up at Niamh, respectfully backing off from the carcass. It was instinctual that leaders ate first and it had been that way her whole life. She remained silent though her gaze was now hopeful and expectant, praying for a positive answer.

For Niamh, he would do it. Kaala he was less impressed with, but perhaps he was being unnecessarily hard on her. And why shouldn’t he be? She came to their borders seeking a place to call home. It was very unlike the situation Camilla was in. Kaala was not in need of a place to shelter her. To her comment about family that was not blood, he disagreed. His blood relatives had always been held in higher regard than anybody else. Even the Blackthorns weren’t equals in the Redhawks’ mind. But alas, that was not what he had been asked to do. It was Niamh’s job to decide if Kaala should or should not be allowed to stay.

Phox followed, and he played his part, but he remained unimpressed. It was not the tactic he would have used, although it did get the job done. The doe lay at their feet now, lifeless and eyes open. Phox licked his lips, eager to eat, but knowing that he would wait for Niamh. Silently, he gave thanks to the deer that would be their food. The rest of the pack would be rewarded, too. Whatever the three of them did not eat here and now would be distributed to the various caches around the pack.

wc:335
Last post for me :)

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Niamh, always hungry, was pleased when the hunt went successfully. She, unlike Phox, didn’t seem to mind nearly as much that Kaala had an idea for how they should take down the deer- but she went with it because she wanted to see if her tactic would work. Niamh had always considered herself to be more of a chaser than a killer, but she would muse, later, on the fact that with the amount of fights she’d picked with wild fauna over the past year, she really could consider herself to be a killer. So at least Kaala had made the right call there, without even knowing Niamh...Then again, maybe she’d chosen to chase the deer toward Niamh and Phox because then it took the pressure off herself. Niamh didn’t think too much into it- especially when there was food to be had.

She bared her teeth slightly once the doe was felled, but neither wolf needed reminding that she was of the highest rank and that she would get first dibs. She closed her lips and moved forward possessively, but nodded once to Kaala. ”Well,” She said, still slightly out of breath, ”I suppose that’ll do. Keep it up...Betray us, and...Well,” She said, looking down indicatively at the deer. She licked her bloodstained lips for emphasis. Niamh hated back-stabbers and wolves who abused their kindness, and had gone on manhunts before, for wolves who had simply had the gumption to up and leave them without any reason for doing so.

She would take her fill, then, and as rank dictated, she called for others to join in and take what they would As unfair as it might have seemed, she would make sure that Kaala ate last, as the lowest ranked wolf despite the fact that she had caught the meal. Her reward was a place in a pack for the winter, and then whatever scraps were left over after the rest of the hungry packmates ate.

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Kaala watched from her distant spot as Niamh stepped forward, claiming the first bite as her own as rank dictated. What did surprise her was that Niamh turned and spoke to her, still seeming unimpressed but saying it was acceptable. That's when the threat left the woman's lips and Kaala's eyes widened, shock and a heavy bit of fear taking over her expression. Why would she have joined the pack if only to leave again soon? It made absolutely no sense. While she felt she didn't deserve the accusation and it made a bit of her temper flare, she held her tongue and nodded lowering her eyes. She remained silent, looking everywhere but at the food while everyone ate and then when everyone finally had she moved in to pick at what little meat was left on the bones.