Blackfeather Woods Remember who we are

Riled by Wintersbane, the woman had gone hunting after she'd departed his company; making a point of marking over his scent as she left the woods. But chose different trees each time she reentered with a rabbit, eyes hollow, clamped in her jaws. The woman had killed several and was bringing each back to store in winter caches. This was the last. Flicker, however, was smart enough to calculate which ones were needed for the warrens survival, so they could hunt throughout the winter and there would be plenty for the spring.

Spring.

How she relished the thought of the warmth and clear skies, but she did not loathe the winter, it made her different. Harsher, one could say. She made more snap decision in the winter; for winter removed life, and one had to fight for their own.
Her mind flitting from thought to thought, it landed, again, on Wintersbane. His words almost stung, but she was the stinger. So why should his words hurt? A soft kindling of anger flared up into a wildfire within her. 
Have you met the newest of our ranks yet? I recruited her.

'I will meet her, bitch,' the woman thought bitterly in a childish way. She had grown, certainly, but her anger had not. 

With a new purpose in her step, the red-streaked woman put her nose to the ground and sought for a trail; a scent she had not yet found in the woods. Her head lifted and scented the soft breeze. Scents carried to her, and the trained woman sorted them from each other until she found what she was looking for. Spurring into a brisk trot, Flicker set out to find @Tundra and learn more about her, earn her trust; even just to spite Wintersbane.
That last thought let a smirk crack her maw wider and beat down the wildfire of anger, allowing the path to a more phlegmatic frame of mind.

she was peaceful today. oh how rare a feeling it was and indeed she relished in it. snow dusted the earth in light scatterings as she moved like a phantom through the seemingly endless trunks looming protectively around her. winter had always been her most comfortable season, a rare opinion perhaps but it was true nevertheless. the sharp bite in the air kept her as alert as ever and when the true snow graced the lands in the coming months she would become one with the landscape. she wasn't oblivious to its hardships of course but it simply left her always with something to do and damn was it beautiful. the sticky summer months really had nothing on the harsh and true beauty of winter and the woman would always appear more lively once the winds started biting.

idle steps carried her forward as she continued on- dark eyes watchful but at ease as her long tail swished from side to side in slow, lazy movements. she hadn't made as much of an effort to meet the pack as she knew she should and it surprised her to realise that she actually did not want to let @Relmyna down. the respect she'd felt towards the listener had been surprisingly true for although she didn't have a problem with giving her respect to those that commanded it, it was usually just done because it was needed. to earn one's respect took a lot more than a title, but the other pale woman had indeed caused her acts of respect to be completely genuine. 

eventually she'd come to a halt, leaning back on her haunches as her dark gaze trailed the equally dark ravens conversing in their own tongue from the highest bare branches of the trees they nested in. however the peace was short lived as pricked ears quickly caught the sound of footfall not too far off. muscles tensing ever so slightly, narrowed eyes would gaze back down the direction she'd come from until a fiery form become visible not too far off. there was a purpose to the woman's walk as she followed the direct trail tundra had just taken, was she looking for her? it was a weird thought to get used to that she actually owed these wolves her company and she'd force her muscles to relax despite the alertness not leaving her posture. it was a fellow packmate, she was going to have to learn to trust that meant they meant no harm. it could just be a coincidence that the fae happened to be walking along her exact trail at a pace that didn't suggest a simple stroll but to save time if she was indeed looking for her- tundra would murmur in a tone just loud enough to reach the other across the still air. "forgive me if i'm wrong but are you looking for me?" dark eyes gave nothing away as she fell back into silence, awaiting whatever response she may be given.

The woman watched the other stop and kept on at her purposeful stroll until she drew up alongside; allowing enough space to not be intrusive. Her words had reached her easily enough, Flicker nodded and set down the rabbit before nudging it to her. "I am indeed," she replied, confirming she'd found the correct wolf with a discreet sniff of the air. "I thought I should find out who lives here too."  She didn't mention her first conversation with Wintersbane, gave no hint at all, in fact. She just kept the cool and friendly tone as if she were a curious resident. Easy enough, as she was playing half of that role. 

The scarlet-clad woman moved around so she was before the other and slowly sat herself down, her tail curling about her paws. She studied the smaller woman for a heartbeat longer before starting her inquiry, hopefully, this would go better than her talk with Wintersbane. 
"Name's Flicker, what's yours?" Simple, perhaps she'd be better at making friends this time.

her presumption is confirmed to be correct and at that she simply nods- dark gaze watching on expectantly. her brow arches slightly at the woman's reasoning. quite the eager one then. not really sure what to say to this she simply lets a small smile grace her features as she returns with a murmured "funny, i was just thinking the same thing" this wasn't exactly a lie for she had been thinking she should be interacting more with the pack but of course hadn't exactly intended on acting on it. however it would be stupid to pass on the easy oppurunity and so she dipped her head gratefully at the rabbit pushed her way. "why thank you" she wasn't a fan of eating in front of others so although she pulled it towards her in a way of showing her acceptance of the gift she made no move to eat it. 

dark eyes meet her red toned company with a cool indifference as she sits before her and watches her eyes observe her in an intrigued manner. she seems to waste no time as after that quick moment she introduces herself as flicker and goes on to ask for her own name. her gaze narrows very slightly but otherwise tundra's expression is as unreadable as ever despite the very slight suspicion stirring in the pale girl's stomach. it seemed just slightly odd that this 'flicker' had seemed to approach her with such a purpose and been looking for her precisely yet knew not even her name. but then again was that really so strange? she was the newest wolf right so it wouldn't be strange for her to only be known as that, or perhaps the fiery woman did know her name but simply wanted a way to get the conversation flowing.

to be frank it was just hard getting used to not having to be suspicious and on edge the whole time, the fact that most wolves were actually pretty normal and genuine was still this whole foreign concept to her. "i'm tundra, nice to meet you" is all she says, voice seeming to appear soft but also holding quite sharp undertones. like a blade coated in honey. she tilts her head very slightly to the side as she continues. "i only joined quite recently" it only seemed fair to offer up some information although she had the slight inkling that this was a known fact to the wolf before her. but hey she couldn't know for sure right so it would suffice.

Crossover for anyone following my other character, Phex!

Her expression was kept light and soft, a spy's facade that was easily played. She didn’t expect the woman to eat before her, she too would wait until alone. “Nice to meet you, too, Tundra.” 

The other's expression was unreadable and seclusive, portraying her similarities to the wood. She should pray to one of these daedra, maybe one would grant her the same shadowing. Funny, she’d never even thought of following in the steps of her deranged Mother. Oh, the Wise-Woman had been special, she’d kept the mountain safe until the downfall of the Ace, Dyreeque ArcaneSkye. Her train of thought turned back to Tundra and, inspired by the reminiscing of her own past, decided to inquire about hers.  

She listened and spoke again, although not over friendly, just softly: “So, where did you come from, traveler?” She allowed her lips to quirk at the corners.

making light conversation had never, ever been her strong point because well- when had she ever made small talk if it were not to simply aid her towards some much more sinister destination? she simply blinks back as flicker throws back the whole 'nice to meet you' line and she's left feeling almost amused at how shallow basic polite conversation seemed to be. like she'd said it too of course but because it just seemed right, it was the expected words to say upon meeting someone new but it was all so damn fake like how the hell was she meant to know if it was nice to meet flicker and vice versa? she'd surprise herself at how much her mind seemed to care about sucn a miniscule thing but it was easy to drop and focus back on the conversation nevertheless. it wasn't that big a deal and obviously there was nothing she could do about it so therefore getting annoyed about it was obviously a stupid waste of time.

save the occasional rustle of the bare branches whispering their endless secrets to each other across the chilling breeze there would be silence between the two for a few moments but tundra made no effort to break it- pretty certain that her company certainly wasn't done anyway. indeed another question was tossed her way and the woman's dark gaze would narrow slightly despite the small smile that followed flicker's words.

it seemed perhaps a bold question to launch right into off the bat, diving right into questions of ones past. but then again perhaps those that had not put in such time to escape theirs and still felt the constant plague of it following their every movement didn't have reason to find it odd or intruding to inquire on such matters. nevertheless tundra would in no way even consider going down that trail with this wolf she didn't even know, however not wanting to come off as rude she'd simply lift pale shoulders in an effortless shrug. "far from here" she'd murmur back. it wasn't that she wanted to appear like she was trying hard to act all mysterious or perhaps cold but 'far from here' was really the best she could do. 

wanting to toss the focus back to her company she'd let her own smile grace her features as she'd continue "more importantly, got any tips on living in these woods i should know about?"  she actually wouldn't mind hearing more about the pack because honestly siding the whole 'dark, moody' vibe they got going on she was quite clueless.

The other seemed bored by the conversation, hell when did Flicker become so damn boring? The winter girl didn’t seem too pleased about mentioning her past, so she let the conversation — if you could call it that — to be moved on. 

“I’d suggest being mindful of the daedra, the Gods they worship. I wouldn’t believe it wise to fight against their ways. But I don’t believe they try to force it upon you,” a faint smile. She was grateful for Maegi teaching her enough about the Daedra to understand and be mindful. Her tail wavered in thought before she stood, "Also, them birds are probably sacred or something. Just don't try to eat them." She grinned then, cunning and holding some joy, she decided to invite the other along, if she so wanted to, "Want to help me fill winter caches?"  Perhaps she'd find out more about the woman, or she may not come. Fine by Flicker. 

A strange sense of indecision and hopefulness came over her; it didn't sit too well with the woman.

Sorry this is garbage post, busy day

sorry for the wait been super busy!

there was a relief and an increased flicker of respect towards the other when she did not pry on her vague response given about her past. for some reason a lot tended to take offence when she didn't just throw her whole lifestory at them so it was nice when you came across someone who actually knew how to keep their nose out of other people's business when it was clear it wasn't wanted there.

dark eyes would focus attentively on the woman when she went on to respond to her enquiry about the pack's ways. further interest graces pale features as her tail tip twitches slightly- gods? never had she been the spiritual type, no one had ever saved her ass side herself, no 'god' would take credit for that. nevertheless she holds nothing against those that worship the unseen beings, reality meant different things to others and no one really had a right to state what was right and wrong. there was always so much unknown. curious, she nods at flicker and asks "do you worship them?" it's a genuine interest and if the girl prefer's not to say she doesn't mind either.

eyes track her movements as she moves to stand however tundra remains as still as ever siding the occassional twitch of her tail. a brow arches at the mention of the birds but she's not really too surprised. a lot of wolves view ravens as not exactly equal to them but of a higher status than prey, companions of sorts perhaps. honestly she'd never go out of her way to hunt one down either. she smiles back at the grin thrown her way "there's a cunningness to the raven that i think perhaps intrigues the wolf and lets us view it as something above mere prey" a slight shrug of the shoulders is then given for really she's no expert but it's as good a presumption as any. 

she has to admit she's actually happy when asked to help out, the girl definitely seemed to be okay company and she had to do something for the pack that didn't consist of sitting around brooding. her paws lift her into a standing position- stretching out each stiff limb with a shiver although she nods in what could be as close to eager as she could be (which to most isn't probably even recognised as eager anyway) "gladly" is the soft response given.

she'd fall into silent step with the fiery girl whenever she started moving. "how long have you been here?" she asks curiously- dark eyes shifting from the path to glance at flicker. there's part of her that cannot help but wonder if she was here the same time as him for his scent is vacant from these woods so he must no longer reside here. does he travel now or has death caught up to him. which would she prefer to hear? and why does she even care?

She smiled happily to the plush girl, realising she reminded her of Maegi. The girl would return soon, hopefully.
"I don't. But for Maegi I will leave an offering to Peryite, her Goddess, for her safe return. It is what she asked me to do, and she is my friend." 
She tilted her gaze to Tundra and sighed softly, "Do you worship in the Gods, or whatever?" 

After her reply, she then inclined her head and started to walk at an easy pace towards the borders where they would hunt. Something other than rabbits, she hoped.
"The ravens and crows are intelligent, I give them that. But often a pain in the ass," she grinned, happy to be having different company in the woodland.
She cast a glance up, watching a couple of birds perched on the branches high above start to squabble over seemingly nothing.

"I haven't been here long, but my loyalty lies with the inhabitants of these woods. They gave me a home after my own was taken,"  she smiled sadly but kept her pace. Her past was affecting her less and less these days, "It must be about three moons now." It hadn't occurred to the girl that others hadn't learned of tracking the passing time like her. The moon and its rotations were taught to her by her mother, and it worked well enough for even a simple girl as herself could keep track of the time.

she feels an odd content wash over her as she moves alongside the woman- for once feeling satisfied by the mere 'normal' element to the situation. however her ears instantly perk at the mention of the name 'maegi'. why was that so familiar..? of course! the troubled boy in the cave how could she forget? she bites back the urge to start asking questions right away and waits for flicker to finish- gaining some information anyway by doing so. she wasn't here anymore anyway for whatever reason. she inhales slowly, shaking her head slightly at the fae's question but she's distracted now and cannot focus on it especially as to her, it was a bunch of nonsense. nevertheless she liked to remain open minded as much as she could never imagine being swayed from her opinion. anyway, maegi. "sorry i hope you don't mind me asking but who was she and what caused her to leave?" hopefully that wasn't too blunt, she had just said she was a friend of hers after all. nevertheless tundra had never been great at the whole nice and sympathetic thing and the seemingly emotionless way she approached things always left her appearing blunt. "i came across a boy in a cave not too long ago, he seemed distraught and injured too but he thought i was maegi. at least that's what he kept calling me." 

now that she's gotten it out her mind feels clearer and able to pay proper attention to the previous question tossed her way. "and no, my whole life it's been me and me, if i'd ever sat around waiting for a god to lend me a paw i'd be long dead." she doesn't want to come off as rude or anything, she really did have nothing against those that believed in it but that was her honest opinion and so it only seemed fair to give it. "so i presume you do?" she continues, assuming so due to what she'd said about leaving an offering for some goddess. as they continue on she laughs lightly about the crows being annoying. "i can't argue with you there."

as they continue on at a steady pace she listens attentively to what she says about joining. a nod of agreement is given as she sighs softly. "the past is a tough place" she murmurs understandingly "but i like it here" 3 moons...it had been longer since she'd met the man but he could've still been a part of the pack for a while after. "many wolves come and go..?" is finally all she goes with, hating that she feels a need to even ask but there wasn't anything wrong with a bit of curiosity right? she just didn't want to have to bump into him out of nowhere, that was it.

Maegi.
The name clung to her mind like a stubborn stain. The girl who had shown her a home, a different insight. A place to belong. One day she'd go and find her, provided she did not return soon.
A soft sigh, "She is my friend. A pale girl looking quite like you, perhaps why you'd been mistaken for her." A soft smile, "She was the daughter to two wolves that dwelled here, a pure heritage from her grandparents." The subtle hint, much like how she'd placed it. "I do not know why she left, only that she went in a hurry. I wasn't...myself when she left so...I didn't say goodbye properly." Pain and regret passed her features. A heavy burden she'd carry for a long, long time if she did not return safely to the ranks of Blackfeather.

The thought carefully about the boy she mentioned, ran her mind over it. Did not recall seeing him. However, she knew of his scent. The young one and the old man, both prevailed here. She hoped to meet them eventually. If only to know who else was held in the ranks here. "I personally do not know of the boy, but I know of his presence," was all she said.
She listened to her and nodded in agreement. She herself wouldn't wait for Gods or Goddesses to be a leading hand, one that would certainly spell her demise if she had listened to her mother. Followed her mother as blindly as her brother had.
His form ripped and torn by so many, even herself. And yet held not a bad bone in his body.
She shrugged, casting away the melancholy shadow that had passed over her features, "I only have hope. If it helps Maegi, then so be it. I would not myself wit for handouts unless the presence of the daedra could be proven to me." Blunt. But she'd always had been when it came to the subject her mother had tried to enforce upon her.

"I suppose some do come and go. But we shall remain strong here," she smiled. She had noticed some passing in and out, leaving altogether. Soon more would. But she had the hope that the numbers would return, rise and still the pack will reign control in these woods.