The Heartwood I came to stake my claim like a canine waitin' in a buffet line

She felt much better, more or less back to normal, and it made Q restless. She roamed Sawtooth's slopes, hunting small game and seeking pack mates. She knew @Wylla had given birth, so she sometimes dropped off prey nearby, though the yearling never ventured closer nor lingered. As she meandered, she slowly realized that she hardly knew anyone else aside from the three leaders, @Elfie and @Ainhoa. None of them could be considered friends at this point, aside from @Wintersbane. She thought about seeking out her dad but decided not to bother him. Surely he was busy while the two other Eisens were preoccupied with the new litter.

Q caught a muskrat in the foothills near Otter Creek, dragging it back uphill to eat. She settled in a patch of sunlight and gnawed idly on the carcass, though she found she didn't have much of an appetite. She ended up pushing the remains aside and standing again, stretching her back and legs. Some part of her itched to leave Sagtannet again, just wander a bit, but she worried about her headaches. She stood there a while, deliberating, her teeth digging into her lip, then decided to venture out after all. She picked down the mountainside, headed toward the borders in the general direction of the neighboring meadow.

@Vallkyrie :)

Maybe @Belharra if you'd like to pop in later too?

 

South is where she had went. 

Vallkyrie had a means of sticking to the northern regions for hunting, keeping it the open lands between her forest ghome and the Weald. It had been quite some time since she had wandered south but she was not out for a hunt this time. No, she was scouting now for information. It was known to many that some rather nasty wolves were wandering about and if Kyr was lucky she might have a means of tracking them and finding their hideout. 

To the Heartwood she moved, thinking perhaps it would be likely that basterds like the ones attacking kids may be more likely to hang in a dead place like this. She had sung out to @Belharra in hopes she might have a traveling buddy. After all, it was insisted that they travel in pairs from all this. She didnt find anyone, not yet, though a familiar scent was on the breeze...

When she reached the meadow, she suddenly remembered Corona's nearby claim. Coupled with Lyra's recent lesson about the ambiguity of borders, Quell gave the mesa a wide berth and scurried toward the creek, hanging a left and bypassing some (super creepy) woods only to find another meadow on the far side. She moved more slowly as she crossed its breadth, giving chase to a few gophers she discovered, though she made no kills seeing as she wasn't hungry. Eventually, she left them alone and meandered toward a creek. She was thirsty.

After helping herself to a long drink, Quell glanced off to her left and caught herself staring at Moonspear in the distance. As far as she knew, Frolic was still camped out in Ouroboros Spine. She hadn't realized she was so close, though she quickly decided she would head there to visit him. She might not have many friends at home, though Q knew she could always count on her otter buddy!

She waded across the stream and loped through another stretch of trees, singing under her breath until she abruptly found herself crossing paths with... "Ayo! Kyr, that you?"

The gloomy, ashy Heartwood forest as just as sad and desolate as she remembered it the first time she had come here. Vallkyrie had spent much of her time as a rogue in the open flatland areas until winter had forced her to find cover and some place warmer. On the way to finding Neverwood which ended up being her home now, she had crossed this forest. She had met @Phillip here and helped him find his little owl. Now she had a plan to leave the forest but as she lingered around the outskirts before getting back to the Glen, it was Q which called out to her and drew in her attention. 

Q, hello! Fancy meeting you again. She smiles to the beautiful young woman, a waving of her tail at her hocks as she makes her approach to close the distance. And hows the tourettes treating you? She couldnt help the tease and laughs a bit at her own sarcasm.

She'd forgotten all about her entirely fictional case of Tourette's. When Kyr mentioned it, she considered keeping up the act. But she hadn't missed the sarcasm, so Quell decided to declare, "It's cured! I just had to swallow twenty-six whole rabbit ears. Isn't that crazy?" She complemented this fib with a dramatic wink of one lavender eye, well aware that the shrewd she-wolf was totally on to her.

"You live around here somewhere, don't you?" the yearling asked conversationally, vaguely remembering the mention of a forest to the north. She suddenly wondered if this was said forest and she was trespassing, though a quick mental calculation told her no, they were a little south of the spine here. Of course, that was based on Q's extremely rudimentary mental map of the area. But Kyr didn't seem ticked off that she was standing here, so that was pretty good confirmation.

Vallkyrie couldnt help the small bit of laughter from Q's words and the wink which came along with it. Twenty six exactly hu? Well what do ya know! Didnt get that cure from one of those voodoo priests did ya? It might have sounded like she was brimming with sarcasm but it was true, at least some of it. She knew of those weird and witchy priests, she had encountered them before after all! Back in her home peninsula, Torbine. Although she didnt really believe Q had some sort of 'randomly cursing disease' nor that she had to eat twenty six rabbit ears to cure it. 


I do. Vallkyrie admits as she comes along closer to the woman, settling down on the forest floor. It was cold and dry, for not much life had yet been able to regrow and thrive here after disaster struck it. With a name like 'Heartwood' she imagined it had once been a very pleasant and beautiful little forest. Just north-west of here. A much large, thicker forest called Neverwinter. I take it your not from nearby? She didnt have the familiar scent of the Moonspear wolves nor did she smell of any of those Kyr had met on the coast. She could guess by her placement here she was either from far south or around the flatlands somewhere. But as far as Vallkyrie knew, she could even be a rogue out by her lonesome.

Quell never offered an answer to Kyr's question, besides a telling waggle of her eyebrows. Instead, she held her breath and waited for the she-wolf to corroborate her hope that she was, in fact, standing in neutral territory. It whooshed out of her when Kyr told her she was from Neverwinter, a name which Q actually knew. Her features brightened even as Kyr reclined on the cool, dry forest floor. The yearling flopped down a few feet away, looking all the world like a teenage girl preparing for some heavy gossip.

"I know about Neverwinter! And Mal!" Q proclaimed, perhaps disproportionately delighted by this mutual connection. "Does it feel weird calling it that now that it's spring?" she wondered with a lopsided grin. "I told him it was gonna be awkward." She clucked her tongue and shook her head.

"I'm from Sagtannet," she just barely remembered to say, raising a foreleg and gesturing at the distant mountains. Her pale purple gaze followed her own gesticulating before she faced Kyr and blurted, "Although I'm not sure it's a good fit for me."

'Q' as only Vallkyrie knew her as, went on to settle down just a few feet from her, allowing Kyr to know that the yearling was perfectly comfortable in her presence. The black women's tail whisked over the burnt forest floor in a happy waving. Q went on to say that she knew of the forest and of Mal and also went on to tease about the name. Vallkyrie laughs and shakes her head. Noooo, now if it was named 'Everwinter' then maybe. But I think it's called 'Never'winter because the evergreens there are so tall and thick, a lot of the snow doesnt make it to the ground. She told her, perhaps given the fact that even though Q knew of the place had probably never exactly been in the forest during the winter to tell otherwise. 

Vallkyrie's pale glacier eyes moved with the tossing of her head towards the east. Vallkyrie knew the chain of mountains enough, having spent much of her time in the flatlands next to them before winter had hit. Though she didnt explore them much. She didnt really favor the idea of living in mountainous terrain at least not unless it had foothills of forestry around. Cant say I've head of that pack before.  What's it about? Why not a good fit? Sje asked curiously as she looked back to the pretty young woman in front of her. She didnt think she would mind the questions, but who knows.

In the face of Kyr's perfectly sensible explanation about the pack's name, Quell made a show of scoffing as if what she'd heard was total nonsense. Of course, she followed it up with a grin and a wink. She'd only gotten a glimpse of the woods behind Mal at the time, though her companion's brief description painted a picture in her mind. She wondered what it was like, living in a forest. She had mostly lived in seaside territories before arriving at Sawtooth Spire. The landscaping had little to do with Quell's decision to live there.

She hadn't meant to say that; at least, she hadn't planned on it. When Kyr pressed her, Q stuck her tongue in her cheek and screwed up one lavender eye as she contemplated how to answer. "I only joined because I found my dad living there. It's been great, getting to know him better, but..." She licked her lips and shrugged her speckled shoulders. "I've been there more than a month and I don't have any friends besides him. How cringey is that? I mean, I get along with Ainhoa... and there's Mahler... but none of them are my friends." Then there was Elfie, who might outright dislike her. "And here I thought I was a friendly guy!" she finished mockingly, though there was a flicker of uncertainty hidden behind her eyes.

Vallkyrie could roll her eyes at Q's playful scoffing. It was a playful and teasing attitude Vallkyrie had grown much to used to by now. After all, she lived with @Mal and @Belharra, both her Alpha and good friend that seemed so very dysfunctional in so many ways. She couldnt help the smirk which toyed over her lips at the thought. Q, Kyr felt, would fit into the group just fine. Though she wasnt about to jump the gun on that part. Not just yet. 

The snow-shoulder woman went on to try and explain that the reasoning why she lived there all together had to do with the fact that her father lived there and she wished to get to know him better. Vallkyrie smiles and nods, a bit of laughter. Well I think you are. But, she knew all to well those with a more proper and serious tone, those were were past their wild and playful adolescence did not always get along with ones like Q. Whether it be age group or whether they thought she just didnt take anything seriously and joked around too much. Vallkyrie, who had lived in a large, powerful and demanding group, knew all this too well. Living in Teekon Wilds however had made Kyr see both sides of the coin. It's why she had gone off on her own, after all, to learn her own way, learn different manners of being and see knew areas and wolves. 

I understand why you would want to be close to family. It's hard, without them... She openly admits to Q. But although family may always care for you, they might not get you. You need friends. Everyone needs friends. Being wolves, having a bond with others, be it in a pack or small group just trying to survive. Well, it mattered alot. 

You know.. She began, playing with her paws in front of her by folding them over one another, You could always come home with me? There is quite a few I think you'd get along with well. And she would have Vallkyrie there, of course. You could always work at scouting, or hunting, like me. Give you a reason to go out and about more so you can visit your father? *Fingers crossed*.

That flicker of doubt disappeared when Kyr offered her playful reassurance. Quell listened as Kyr continued, not bothering to interrupt to tell her she had never been close to her family until recently. She had already begun to wonder whether it would be perfectly possible to maintain a relationship with her dad while moving on with her life, although her ideation hadn't gone any further. Where would she go and what would she do with herself?

It turned out she could go with Kyr. Her companion made a strongly succinct case for it, even mentioning that Q could continue seeing Wintersbane now and again. It heartened her that Kyr extended the invitation, though the yearling shook her head lightly. She couldn't just run off into the sunset at the first opportunity. She liked Kyr, Mal too, but she didn't really know them, nor Neverwinter. And though she didn't feel as attached to Sagtannet as she wished, she couldn't just leave them in the lurch, not after doing that to Seabolt.

"Really 'ppreciate the invite, Kyr, but I think the grass is greener where you water it," Quell mused, tossing the woman a sheepish smile. "Speaking of hunting, though, I'm already a hunter. I specialize in small game. Would you wanna check out the local fare?" She gestured at the surrounding forest even as her stomach rumbled, her appetite returning with an absolute vengeance.

Vallkyrie had by no means any intention of trying to woo Q away from her father. Though if she was unhappy in the lands and pack in general, leaving that pack didnt mean having to stop her relationship with her pops all together. They weren't too far from one another after all. It could have been worse like say, her in the far west and her father up in the tundra. 

Neverwinter was a pretty laid back pack. One day, maybe, it would bite them in the ass but at the time being they could afford to be, where so much trust was placed into one another. Or, rather, much trust placed in @Mal as he seemed to have a one-on-one connection with everyone in his ranks. Vallkyrie could admit she wasnt too close to many just yet, savor Mal, Belharra and getting to know @Clover. Then again it also seemed like since their official formation there had been quite a few new faces. Maybe she should get on that. 

Either way, Q shook her head, gently objecting Kyr which caused the corners of her lips to pull back in a small frown. I got ya. Well, at least the invite was there should in the long run Q changed her mind. Either way, it wasnt like it was any kind of goodbye and Kyr knew this would not be the last time she ran into the beautifully snow cloaked woman. Oh yeah? I'd say I dabble a bit in everything. She had some keen tracking skills and was quick footed which she used both in hunting and scouting ventures. Even water food, too. Only thing I can say I havent practiced much is birds. But she would get there someday, she figured. 

Lifting up from her sit, her tail whipped in a circle and flagged high, the thought of a hunt exciting her and bringing out her bold determination. I think we could pull off some rodents around here. She doubted the deer would bother with this place with the lack of foliage and tree cover, but little creatures would take advantage of the quiet woods and plenty of rotten and fallen cover of logs, hollows and ashy remains.

Although their first meeting had been admittedly perfunctory, Quell thought she might've made a fast friend in Kyr, especially when she mentioned her own hunting preferences. "I love fishing!" Q said delightedly, rising in tandem with the other she-wolf, her own tail waving hither and thither. "But nothin' like a good, meaty rodent," was her way of agreeing to Kyr's suggestion. In any case, their surroundings lent themselves more to the furry variety of prey today.

Choosing a direction at random, Q set off in a slightly western trajectory, her pace an easy trot as she first peered around the woods, then dropped her head and began to sniff along the forest floor. She made sure to keep close tabs on Kyr, in case her impromptu hunting partner struck gold before she did.

Maybe another time we can go fishing together? I mean everyone's gotta eat. She spoke this as she began moving, following after Q who had taken a direction at random. Surely, it wouldnt take much to find something, but catching something was another manner. Vallkyrie could hear scuttering about - squirrel running up the burned tree trunks, birds fluttering much higher above. She thought she saw a gopher or groundhog of sorts but the moment she paused to give it a look it had dashed into its burrow in an instant. 

Whilst the dark females moved about the fforest they took to exploring it as well. Vallkyrie would sniff at the rotten legs, ppressing on them with her front paws and trying to 'shake' anything loose - only bugs and grubs. She found some mushrooms but turner up her nose to the odd odor. Eventually she found something of interest and she made a 'pst!' whisper of a noise to her new pretty little friend. Icy eyes trained, she took sight of a raccoon digging around a large fallen log, shuffling in the grass for something to eat.

They roved through the wood, scenting this and that, and it slowly dawned on her that she felt more at ease with Kyr in this random forest than she did with most of her own pack mates back home. She licked her lips as she pondered that, pushing it out of her head when she caught her companion's cue. Grinning, she slunk alongside Kyr, following her line of sight, pale eyes widening when they clapped upon none other than a...

"Trash panda," Q breathed. She forgot where she'd heard that term, probably because she'd accepted it at face value, silliness and all; she'd never even heard the word "raccoon." "I'm game if you are," she added, turning her snout sideways to read Kyr's face. She'd tangled with one or two of these critters in the past and they were definitely a challenge. But that was okay, Quell loved any opportunity sharpen her teeth, claws and skill set all in one fell swoop.

Trash Panda. The words slipped from Q's lips in a hushed gasp. Kyr had never personally heard the term before though decided to go along with it anyhow by giving a solid nod of her skull. While Vallkyrie had seen these 'trash pandas' time and time before along embankments or in deadlands like this, they almost always came out in the night and were quite swift fellows despite their plump and fluffy look. 

Vallkyrie side glanced to her newfound hunting partner, a smirk spreading over her expression. Let's get him...! She excitedly spoke in loud-whisper and dashed off into the direction of the raccoon. The creature acted like a deer in headlights, freezing a moment before trying to quickly scramble away and up the nearest tree. But all the nearest trees were fallen and Vallkyrie did her best to try and trap the creature between herself and Q. To her surprise, the creature made an intimidation move, standing up on his hind legs and hissing, swatting his paws at the beast's around him. Woah! Kyr yipped as she dodged an uncoming pawful of claws.

The words, "Let's get him!" had barely registered before Kyr sprang into action. Quell shouted, "Hol'up!" but laughed as she bounded after her comrade. In seconds flat, they surrounded the raccoon. Well, it was just the two of them, so it was more like they pinned him in from either side. Now trapped, their quarry responded to the threat in the only way left to him: by making himself look larger and fiercer. He then took it a step further by swiping a clawed paw toward Kyr.

"Come at me, bro!" Q hollered as she leaped in to nip at the raccoon while he was distracted, a move intended to rile him rather than harm him. It would've been smarted to go in for the kill straightaway, though where was the fun in that? Where was the challenge? The yearling cackled loudly as the "trash panda" hissed and turned toward her almost instantly, giving her a sound whack on the muzzle as his claws slashed into the soft leather of her nose.

The panda hissed, it cursed such in a language which the two wolves did not understand. A fluffy, wiry haired creature, it puffed out to make itself look double what it had before as it stood and slapped at the wolves. Q snipped, causing it to whip around and smack her right on her leathery nose. In retaliation, Vallkyrie leapt forward while it had it's back to her, grabbing it by its ringed tail and yanking it back and away from her pretty little friend before it took another smack. 

This of course, had the creature's attention on her and it wheeled around to snap at Vallkyrie's face in order to make her let go. It bit her cheek, but only doing enough damage to leave broken skin and sliced off furs. YIKES! Vallkyrie yelled as she jumped back and out of further reach. But the creature started chasing after Vallkyrie,  causing her to back peddle as she ran backwards best she could away from the little heathen. Get the basterd! She yelled to Q, still smiling due to the thrill despite any danger.

Damn, that stung. Quell's tongue swept out to lick at the tender, torn tissue, drawing back into her mouth with the coppery flavor of her own fresh blood. She paused to rinse and repeat a few times, jerking when Kyr cried, "Yikes! Get the bastard!" Her pale purple eyes focused on the sight of the raccoon chasing her companion. It was so ridiculous that a laugh bubbled in the yearling's chest.

But this time, Q dropped her playful pretense and aimed to inflict some serious damage. Ignoring the blood still flowing from her nose, she galloped after the feisty little beast, aiming for the sweet spot at the base of his neck, just above his little shoulder blades. In his furious haste as he gave chase to Kyr, the raccoon jerked at a critical moment, putting his head square between the wolf's jaws.

Although startled by this serendipitous turn of events—particularly when his skull knocked harshly against the points of her teeth—Quell quickly seized the opportunity and applied pressure. She knew she wasn't going to be able to crack his skull, so once she acquired enough purchase, she began to rapidly wring her neck in the hopes of wringing his too, hopefully to the point of snapping it.

Quickly Q came to her rescue more or less, grabbing the large rodent by the back of his skull as he hopped at Vallkyrie furiously from all the ruckus which they had caused. Perhaps he thought he might shake the wolves enough to be able to cause them to get away enough for him to escape. Alas, this was not the case whilst he focused on one another would come and it wasnt long before Quell was shaking the rodent viciously in her jaws. Rip him to shreds, Q! She urged on and cheered for her friend between growls.

"To shreds, you say?!" Quell tried to yell back to Kyr, though of course all that came out was a muffled snarl. She was officially hopped up on blood lust as she jerked her own head back and forth. But not only did the raccoon possess a thick skull, his body weight was not insignificant. Q only managed a few wringing motions before the muscles in her neck and shoulders began to scream in protest.

She had no choice but to let go, though she moved lightning quick. Before the raccoon could either turn to fight or slump to the ground—whatever he might've done with this final moment of his life—Q struck again, quick as a snake, this time landing her original hit. Her jaws wrapped around the raccoon's neck and she shut them like a steel trap, fangs slicing through fur and flesh, all the way to the bone.

Having mauled the critter's head and neck, Quell spat and took a step back, breathing hard and licking her own blood and the raccoon's off her muzzle. It took several beats before her game face slipped away, replaced by a bloody grin as she sought Kyr's eyes and then began prancing victoriously over their small foe's dead body.

Permission to PP and close this up. :)

After a few quick shakes, Q's grip loosened, the raccoon slumping from her jaws. Whether he was still alive or not to protest, the winter dusted young woman was upon him, ending whatever suffering he was enduring by snapping her jaws quick over her neck. They had victory! 

Kyr lifted a paw to wipe her bleeding cheek, barely even noticable by the dark black of her pelt and with how small the cut actually was. Q was now grinning and dancing over the body of their prize. Vallkyrie danced over to her in a high and proud trot. Good going Q! She spoke and then snorted at the large dead rodent.

Now, lets tear into this thing and see what its like. She spoke, the pair then making way to enjoy their little feast. With a wrinkle of Kyr's nose, they both agreed that the trash panda wasn't  quite as nice as deer or fish, but it would do. Vallkyrie would take the raccoon tail as a prize for the little @Caerus and for the time being the pair of wolves would go their separate ways.