Herbalists' Cache Tomorrow, I'll switch the beat to avoid yesterday's dance

@Lainie
@Ibis and any other members of UG
Edit: I meant to add that this is forward-dated to 11/12 if that's okay

Instead of traveling across the mountains again, Kavik led Lainie to the coast and they followed it east. He hadn't been sure where to go or what to do, but returning to the valley seemed like the right thing to do. He knew they couldn't continue to wander around just the two of them throughout the winter, and he had been racking his brain trying to figure out what to do. Elysium came to mind, but he just couldn't bring himself to go back into the mountains; they had already cost him more than he could have ever imagined, and he couldn't bear the idea of setting foot there anytime soon. Even just the sight of the peaks in the distance made grief swell in his chest. What had happened there had broken him, and he had no idea how to fix it. Some days, he was desolate, so consumed with grief and self-hatred that he felt helpless and other days, he was so incredibly angry; it didn't seem fair that his family had paid for his poor choices. Nothing seemed to numb the pain or restore his hope that the future would bring anything other than more pain. Sometimes, when his despair was at its darkest, he wondered why he was even still trying to do all of this. But he still had Lainie, and as long she was with him, he would continue on. 

The coast had not looked much better than the mountains; it was deserted of any packs, at least on the short stretch they had traversed. And from the scents, it seemed like it had been that way for a while. Sea debris was scattered across the sand, and the water raged angrily against the shore and cliffs. Something had devastated the coast, and he didn't want to spend anymore time there than was necessary.

He felt some relief once they crossed back into the valley. Their journey here had been pretty uneventful, thankfully. Prey was still scarce, and he often went without eating to ensure Lainie was fed; it meant that he remained thin under his thick coat and the cold seemed to bother him a little because of it. He compartmentalized the discomfort, though; it was the least of his worries. He just wanted to keep them safe. 

The woods were a welcome reprise from last few days of their journey, and he turned to his daughter as they crossed into the trees. Let's rest here for a while, he suggested. It would be dark in a few hours and they were both tired and hungry. The hunger might have to go unaddressed for now, but they could at least rest for a bit. He found a particularly dense section of the forest and settled against the trunk of a large tree, beckoning for his daughter to join him.

The journey was miserable but she did her best to hide it, trying to cheer him up. He just seemed so stoic, so paranoid about safety and she knew it was within good reason but she wanted to explore and just relax for once without having someone around her all the time. It ate away at her that she was all he had left, a young wolf who could barely make a journey much less hunt and fight.


While he grew thinner and she grew leaner and taller, muscles more defined and fur thickening she became aware of what he was doing. He was beating himself up and suffering to ensure her survival, he was that scared to lose her. When they paused and he announced that they would rest she stood and panted roughly as he went to lay down. She watched him her eyes watering but ducked her head and walked to him laying down and pressing her body to his so he would have her warmth. "Tomorrow we hunt together papa. You should eat" she murmured as the feeling of his breathing began to coax slowly at her exhaustion.

Don't feel like you gotta match, I had this half written and then decided to wait for Lainie, lmao. Also tags are for ref!

The hunt for her brother couldn't wait. Now, at least, there were others to look out for; she could not exactly abandon the marsh now that she'd gathered friendly faces to it, but Ibis left word with @Bhediya that morning. She had informed the mother that she would be heading north a bit, just for a look. Maybe she'd get a glimpse of the herds returning (but she was not expecting such good fortune); at the very least Ibis hoped to pick up on @Okeanos' trail if there was one. As an avid scout and proven ambassador she felt it necessary to attempt this herself; she knew the land, as Kukulkan had praised of her. If anyone would find her wayward sibling it was Ibis.

Due north of the marsh was an openness she had not anticipated and it threw her, a little. Ibis was caught with a decision that she struggled with: go further north and see what lay there, perhaps glimpse the ocean—or head west, through the forest and to the cliffside that would inevitably lead back home; to the ruins of Elysium where, maybe, Okeanos had gone to visit. Maybe he had gone there to be alone and then been caught in the disastrous quaking? A terrifying thought—but a convincing one. Ibis chose to delve that way and give up the seaside stroll, for now. One day maybe she would bring Kukulkan with her and they could see her sea, and he could tell her more of the south and the warm waters he no doubt loved so much.

So to the northwest she headed, trying her best to avoid the deeper sections of the soggy wetlands. For the most part the area was empty; she did not see a single life form, and even the earth was somewhat solid as she went, frozen by the season's chill. It made travel easier and Ibis was glad to find the forest as it arose before her, an impressive monument that curved like a wall across her path. The scent of wolves stung at her cold nose though, and she slowed, stopped, watched—spying upon nothing at first, until a shifting between the trees caught in her eyes.

Okeanos? It looked like a large shape—or perhaps more than one body? Either way Ibis was intent on seeking it out, so she set off with a brisk stride and ducked in among the trees deftly, like a fawn seeking shelter. The lithe little woman was not bothered by the tangle of ferns and such things around her, as they were prolific within the marsh she had been living in recently. It wasn't until she heard a lilting young voice among a copse of elms that she paused again, cocked her ears. —papa. You should eat. It helped her to pinpoint where the creatures were; they were most definitely wolves, Ibis thought. They might've been stationary for the time being and that would give Ibis a chance to slip closer without disturbing them.

It was disheartening to realize it wasn't Okeanos, but — oh! It was someone quite large, regardless. As she scoped out the area she thought she glimpsed the girl, and then the silhouette of a large adult, which sent a thrill down her spine. Their coat was so dark! There wasn't a trace of warmth within it. Ibis swallowed whatever nerves had begun to bubble beneath her surface and made a bee-line for a shaft of thin light, hoping it would be enough to spotlight her a bit so as not to surprise the pair. Motes of dust - or maybe ice - flowed alongside her as she made her way, no longer trying to be subtle, until she thought she'd made herself known well enough to speak: Times are hard for everyone. Do you need help?

Her voice was warm, inviting. She stowed the sorrow felt upon not finding her brother, as it would not help her in this moment.

sorry for the hold up

Had he known how much his daughter actually picked up on, he might have tried even harder to hide it from her. But he still saw her as a preoccupied child, something that would undoubtedly come back to bite him one of these days. When she settled down next to him, he encircled her protectively as best he could. She was not as small as she used to be—a thought he preferred to push to the back of his mind; he didn't like to think about her growing up. He settled his head on his paws with a sigh, glancing over to her when she suggested that they hunt and that he should eat. I do eat, he lied with a shrug. It wasn't completely a lie, though; he did eat, just not as much as she did. But that's how it should be. He wouldn't let his daughter go hungry just to feed himself. As for the hunting, he wasn't sure they would have much luck. And hunting together sounds good, he offered instead of his worries. They may not find much to hunt, but he was grateful that she was even here to hunt with him at all. 

The scent of a stranger hit him at the same instant he registered her words and sudden (to him) presence in their temporary camp. He jumped to his feet and stood in front of Lainie protectively, a growl rumbling from his chest before he could get control of himself. He had been so on edge lately that he just assumed anything out of the ordinary was a threat to them. He let his suffocating fear of losing his daughter rule the majority of his actions, and right now all he could see was a stranger that was too close. But her words hadn't been aggressive. Do you need help? His rational thinking slowly came back, and some of the tension left his posture, although he still remained suspicious and aware; he couldn't take any chances when trying to keep Lainie safe. A stern glance her way warned her to stay close, and then he fixed the stranger with his attention once more. We don't want any trouble, he answered, still unsure whether or not he could trust this woman. Times were tough, and desperate wolves might be inclined to use their time of need as an opportunity to take advantage. My daughter and I are just looking for a place to rest for a while. He shifted closer to Lainie, wherever she was now, his posture still defensive. Until he could be sure this woman meant no harm, he wouldn't be able to relax any further.

Partially due to her slowly falling asleep, Lainie did not argue. She lifted her eyes to stare up at him, frowning though before all of a sudden there was a voice and Papa leaped to stand in front of her. The sudden absence of body heat and the change of situation was a rude awakening and she gasped, heart racing as she crouched behind her father her brain throwing her into a panic for a moment before she peered out from behind her father. As her eyes fell on the woman the words sank in, they had been offered a home, help, a place to stay where her dad wouldn't have the burden of caring for her all to himself and she could be treated like less of a child and maybe make some friends. Her tail beat against the ground as she got to her paws, moving around her dad to stand beside him her tail swaying as a few twitches and spasms ran down her body causing her movements to be jerky and awkward "Can we?" she looked to her father as she spoke  "it would be safer to be with others" she threw in trying to sway his decision, eyes brimming with hope. She turned to the woman and smiled, tail wagging behind her "I'm Lainie, Thank you for the offer" she tried to be friendly as her dad shifted closer to her ears flicking as she dropped her gaze embarrassed that she was being made to look like a defenseless baby again, in front of a potential packmate.

Its okay! I have 20 active threads with Ibis so any break is welcome LOL.

The stranger towards which she spoke rose up in a wave, and while Ibis had considered him large like Okeanos, he was actually quite a bit more dense and intimidating. The rumble in his chest was unmistakable too. The way he moved to shield the smaller body while fixing a hard glare upon the doe-eyed girl made her very nervous; she did not know how to react to such brazen hostility, and shrank back as if he had managed to lunge close enough to strike at her. His deep voice sent a wave of alienating energy through Ibis, but she pivoted her ears towards him to show she was listening and heard the warning there.

As she opened her mouth to respond the body that was being protected—a little girl it sounded like—moved behind him and Ibis glimpsed their face. They seemed more open to Ibis' presence; going so far as to plead with their protector, at which point Ibis looked to the stalwart man again. Although her rabbit-heart thundered in her chest she tried to relax her posture and her expression, tried to make her smallness more obvious (as if that would help; this warrior was at least four, maybe five times her size—) and eventually let a thin smile creep across her face.

The child seemed adamant that they accept her help; she hadn't offered much yet, and truthfully wasn't sure if there would be room enough for these lost souls, but as always Ibis would try her best to fit everyone together and make it work. If that was the route this abrupt meeting took. The girl—Lainie—introduced herself and seemed pleased with the prospect of help, even if her protector was not.

The quakes have stopped and the food is getting harder to find, but a group of survivors has gathered at the marsh. There are all kinds—younger like me, more experienced like you. We're all invested in surviving the winter. Ibis explained with a preternaturally level voice, unlike what she'd previously employed during other moments like this; she was learning, and in her fright had tempered her emotions so as not to rile up the stressed man further.

My name is Ibis—it is nice to meet you Lainie— here she smiles to the girl but isn't sure if the expression can be seen beyond the broad-shouldered giant protecting her. When she looks back to the man she closes with, —what may I call you, sir?

He wasn't surprised that Lainie didn't approach this situation as potentially dangerous; she was never careful enough. But as the adrenaline began to diminish and he studied the woman a little more, she mostly seemed scared of him, and he didn't really blame her. He had automatically assumed the worst, and started in a defensive place. He felt a little pang of guilt, but decided it couldn't be helped. They were without a pack, and his last remaining child's safety depended solely on him; assuming the worst in every situation seemed like the most effective way to keep them safe. He sent an exasperated look Lainie's way. He wondered if she would ever listen to him about how dangerous the world could be. You'd think after injuring herself so badly, she might have some reservations, but she seemed to be the same stubborn, reckless Lainie. It sacred him, but it was something he would try and discuss with her later, for whatever good it would do. 

His interest piqued at the mention of a group, though. He couldn't deny how drawn he was to the idea of having some kind of stability in their lives. They had been wandering around for too long, and it was only getting colder and more dangerous. The winter would not be an easy time for anyone without a pack; it never was, but it would be even more difficult this year with the disappearance of all substantial prey. The thought of trying to get through that without any help was keeping him up at night along with many other things. While he was silently considering what she had said, she introduced herself, and recognition washed over his tense features. Ibis? he said first, eyebrows drawing together pensively. You visited Swiftcurrent Creek over the summer, right? You met my ma— he stumbled over the word, pausing for a second before continuing. —my former mate, Rosalie. He didn't like to talk about his deceased mates or children, but it couldn't always be avoided. And I met your Aunt Sarah not too long ago while out exploring the lake near what used to be my territory. He dipped his head then. I am Kavik, former Alpha of Swiftcurrent Creek, he offered next. I apologize for my behavior, Ibis. It has been rough for us lately, and I can never be sure who to trust. Lainie is my daughter, and her safety is my first priority. Surely she would understand why he had to be so defensive at first. 

If your group is looking for more members, we are in need of a safe place now that we are without a pack. I can offer whatever you need in return. I am a skilled guardian and could help keep the pack safe through the winter. My daughter is young still but intelligent and eager to learn. I think we could repay your kindness if allowed to join your group. Of course, he wouldn't blame her for turning them away either. It could be hard to feed a large group even in the best times, and they hadn't exactly started out on the right foot.

Skipping Lainie, lemme know if that's a no-no and I'll remove!

The man wasn't very open at first, appearing as quite a daunting figure with a protective air wrapped tightly around the girl beside him. As soon as Ibis spoke however, the man seemed to ease up a bit with the tension and the intimidation. He sounded as if he knew her—and as he began to explain, Ibis realized why his scent had been faintly familiar.

The mention of Swiftcurrent, and then of Rosalie—it made more and more sense as things progressed. Although there was a sadness to the man too. Your—oh. They had led the creek pack together, and now...? It sounded like something terrible had happened. That also would explain why her new friend Star had found the place abandoned. She didn't know what to say so she stayed quiet, absorbing all that the man said.

He needed a home, and his daughter—oh, how horrible! To lose so much, to be left with no recourse but to become a lone wolf without the support of a family. Ibis' heart ached at the thought, full of empathy. I... I would love to take you both in. We aren't a pack yet, but.. I've been gathering anyone in need, just like yourself, and we've been trying to get organized to survive the coming winter. You are welcome among us, of course. She wasn't going to say no to a father-daughter pair, whether they could afford the extra mouths or not. Having a strong body would be useful too, maybe, if they encountered problems. This wasn't something Ibis wanted to factor in to the decision so she didn't think too hard on any of it—just reacted.

Come, I can show you where we have made camp. Perhaps the hunters have found something to fill your bellies, she glanced to Lainie at that moment with a thin smile, and some food might help you warm up too.

Lainie was content to let them converse for a moment listening and smiling as she glanced between them before Papa mentioned Rosalie, the word former hovering inside her mind, echoing and screaming in ways that had a shiver run down her spine. She flinched, ears rotating backward and dropped her gaze staring at the ground silently while struggling to prevent herself from correcting her father right in front of someone who could help them. She shifted away from him and a flash of guilt went through her. He was all she had left now and they needed one another but...she felt so trapped sometimes. She couldn't ask for space because he'd say it was too dangerous. It was her own fault for not being more careful back at the creek during her wanderings.


"I'm not that young."


The words came out before she had barely registered them and she froze, looking at the ground and moving toward Ibis, her tail wagging as she stopped midway "I'll learn to hunt better and I'm good with distances, I can scout maybe. Do you have anyone good with fighting? Or singing?" she asked in a friendly tone, brightening as the notion of having a potential home grew more appealing by the second, dreams of what could be if they settled again making her forget herself. She paused and looked back at her dad her smile dimming a bit as she cleared her throat and walked back to him nuzzling against his shoulder "Thank you. I promise I won't wander like I used to Papa" she realised a moment too late that she didn't know whether things had actually been decided on or not and ducked her head "I mean..if we go"

He felt Lainie shift away but was focused on Ibis as she spoke. A quick glance showed she was still near, though, so he refocused his attention on the woman as she spoke. But the statement from his daughter, the declaration that she wasn't that young had him turning to her again. Of course not, he agreed. That's not how I meant it. He turned back to Ibis as she began to speak again, relief rushing though his veins as she offered them a place to stay. 

Lainie was speaking again, offering a list of her skills before moving close to nuzzle his shoulder. He returned her affection, running his nose through the dark hair atop her head. He wondered when she became interested in singing, deciding he would ask her about it later. She thanked him and promised not to wander off again, which he was thankful for, but he didn't really expect her to have to keep that promise; she was young and curious, and he knew she would want to explore. He would deal with that as it came, though. 

He turned looked back to Ibis. I really appreciate your offer, he said, gratitude softening his expression further. I'll repay you anyway I can, he reiterated, wanting her to understand that he wouldn't be mooching of her kindness. He was capable and skilled, so he would help out wherever he was needed. Lead the way, he said, dipping his head once more and taking a few steps towards her in preparation to follow.

Shrieeeks and archives...

The child practically falls all over herself as she tries to prove her worth, as if Ibis would require something like that from either of them. They were in need, and she had a means to make their life easier, that was the extent of it. The father was thankful, and equally as quick to pledge repayment for saving their lives—which almost embarrassed Ibis. She should be used to this by now; desperate people finding solace with her promise of safety and food, followed up with some sort of trade. Maybe that was how the world outside of the valley worked but it felt wrong to her, expecting something in return for her kindness. But she wouldn't refuse him either. He was a large fellow, stalwart, and his daughter showed fervor in her own way. They would be excellent additions.

Lead the way. Kavik says, and Ibis nods. Come, its this way... And she turns from them, leading them swiftly to where the group has made their camp, but being sure to pause if she's going too fast. She's small but evidently in better condition than the starving little family—something she hopes to remedy with time.