Bonesplinter Ravine I've not spoken for days

territory discovery for Serpentine Ravine @Nikan @Serem @Priest @Hum @Cupid (not sure if you for sure joined but feel free to hop in)

Forward dated to 5/20/19

From the gathering of dark souls the witch cantered on nimble paws, imparting a desire to explore upon the darkling with a promise to return shortly. Her mismatched eyes shone with excitement as her whispers reached him, an anticipation settling into her bones. 

The gods had promised them a home befitting of the Serpents and Pixie would seek it out before the sun set once more. 

The thick greenery of the Strath's jungles fell away to a stretch of grassy steppes - open lands that set the Caller to casting flighty eyes about her. It remained silent and the witch went unbothered - accompanied only by the hollow echo of wind. 

Rocky spires rose in crooked fingers to claw at the heavens, ravines clustered by low bunches of trees. Amidst the pits of the grassy knolls lay the unlabeled graveyards of clumsy and careless creatures - corpses of the foolish things that had tumbled to their death from the mountains overhead. 

Vultures greeted her from the trees, turning to watch the witch pass as she slunk by with a cursory glance returned. 

At the base of the mountains a wide, gaping maw led her into the cool depths of a labyrinth. Gold shimmered amongst the natural rock of the walls and sunlight filtered through cracks worn through by water to glint off it and bounce golden light upon the caves. 

Already the Serpent could picture what they could make of the place. 

The central cave would become their communal area - the Serpents would sleep by day in the cool caves heaped together like a pride of lions. A narrow passage led into a second room - one with a natural spring and a niche where food might be stored. 

The various passages were yet to be explored but as Pixie's fire-kissed crown swung towards the dim tunnels her inky nose quivered - sensing hidden places of promise awaited discovery. 

The witch padded to the entrance of the caverns, gaze sliding east to spy another network of caves. This one more resembled an open cove even by this distance - a secluded harbor where mothers might whelp their young. 

A possessive, prideful grin painted itself across the nymph's features - chesnut plume picking up a fierce wag in her solitude. 

Pixie's crown tipped back, eyes falling shut as a summoning howl for her coven rent the air.

Don't mind me!

She needed to get out of her head, and that meant getting out of the territory for a bit.

Kiwi frowned, pushing through the forest without really paying attention to where she was going.  No one understood her.  She was restless and irritated and even she didn't know why, but if she wasn't careful, she knew it was going to affect her spot as Regent.  A spot she'd been so proud of when she started, but now was kind of starting to feel like an empty title.  What did she manage?  This pack wasn't like Drageda - wolves did what they wanted, and yeah they helped the pack, but they didn't fall in line.  

She frowned deeper when she heard a howl go up, and for the first time she realized just how far she'd traveled.  She wasn't going to make it home tonight.  

Instead of turning around, though, she headed for the call.  She wanted to check out who was summoning someone, and as far as she could tell, there were no packs around.  They weren't neighbors, but she liked to keep a bead on what was going on in the region regardless.  Silently she approached where they gathered and stood, a ways off, watching them.

He hadn't strayed too far from the witch, close enough to smell her but far enough not to be seen. He had been taking his time, watching what she did to see if she could find them a suitable home. It wasn't that he couldn't, he just didn't want to do much of anything at that moment. As he heard her call he lifted his head eyes gleaming with wicked excitement and he headed that way only pausing when an unfamiliar face in the distant caught his eye. Apparently the howl had summoned not only him but a nosey stranger. He strode toward Pixie his muscles tensed and pressed to her, his eyes leaving the stranger for a moment and falling to her "If we wish to carry out our lives in solitude then perhaps we should figure out another means of communication" he whispered just as a thought as he motioned to their curious guest. He straightened out and moved away from her side, beginning to check out the home that she had picked out for them. He didn't have to look much, he could feel it in his bones that this was where they belonged.

The howl of another wolf beckoned her fowards towards the source of the sound and it was indeed pixie and Nikan and another of whom she did not recognize.

Normally she would approach strangers and demand who they were but this was not the case as the thought of the other wolf simply being a recruit slipped in her mind.

She diverted her attention away from the wolf and was now facing the two she knew. “You called?” She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Her tail slowed to a halt as the unfamiliar she-wolf drew near, for a moment considering chasing the spy off. But no, it would not do to step on any toes with their coven unfounded as of yet. Shifting into a stance of neutrality, the witch offered a guarded nod to the stranger before turning and padding further into the cave. 

She could still see beyond the entrance from the shadows of the cavern's mouth though she doubted the unfamiliar would come any closer. Either she would get bored and wander away or make the mistake of investigating. 

The toxicologist felt relieved regardless when her darkling strode onto the scene, curling against his closeness and reassuring herself silently with his scent. With a nod of agreement, she followed him into the Ravine's depths - sparing the watcher a last glance. 

"My sister, Puyule, was deaf. As such, she could not speak. We had a silent language we used to communicate, one of gestures and body language. I would be willing to teach the pack, if you would like," she offered in a hushed whisper with a bow of her head, turning and straightening as footsteps neared. 

The Dark Caller tensed, ears flattening and lips pulling back in a fearsome snarl - expecting the nosy rogue. 

As Serem entered their new home offense immediately melted into welcome, tail lowering and swinging gently at her hocks. "What do you think of this place, for us?" She kept her voice low lest the woman outside might hear, given that she still lingered.

They pretty much ignored her, but from the way they gathered and talked, she had a guess on what they were about.  This wasn't near close enough for her to care, but it gave her something to be haughty about, which suited her just fine.

You're going to live here? she asked, focusing her eyes on the one who had howled.  If she was the leader she didn't look like much.  Very few wolves ever did to her on first impression.  How many of you are there?

She wasn't hostile, but she definitely wasn't polite.

Nikan gave a low hum, a sound of consideration to the woman he'd deemed his consort. Perhaps. Though that doesn't help matters of distance. Perhaps howling should just be forbidden" he mused and turned to glance at Serem as she arrived, giving her a nod. His eyes caught the gold lining the stone of the walls and he slowly smiled nodding decisively "I think this is perfect" he said just as another set of footsteps approached. He turned to see the stranger coming rather foolishly close and stared her down as she rattled off questions. "Perhaps" he said though he sounded displeased that they hadn't even settled yet and already their privacy had been ruined. "Can't you count?" he asked the female rather rudely, his expression cruel as he felt the desire to get rid of her. For now he would play nice, as nice as he could bring himself to be.

posting to pull her out! Feel free to continue or archive, this will be my last post in here!

Her ears tipped back and her lips pulled as well at his rudeness.  It wasn't as if she cared.  She had no interest in this place outside of knowing who moved around the Glade and what wolves resided where.  She made a mental note to let her mother know, however - if these wolves came knocking, looking for relations, it probably wouldn't be worth it.  Not if this was how they treated with ambassadors.

Well, I'd wish you luck, but I don't really want to.  So whatever.  She cast one last glare at the guy, then turned around and left without another word.  Definitely not worth it.