Firefly Glen Should I call right away?

Ryn didn't know where she was.
Or Howl, or Mama, Connor or Shiloh.
She'd wandered out of the territory, no watchful eye or careful paw to stop her venture. Shiloh had followed or something...she didn't remember.
Then the snow came.
Ryn was starving, living on other things that had starved to death or succumbed to the cold.

Her pads were covered in scabs from the ice biting into them, blood sometimes lined her paw prints.
She couldn't smell anything, her nose was dry and so cold.
She'd wandered for days, called and crying for help, but her pitiful voice was lost in the wind.

Then, she'd heard some howls here and there. She got closer, the mountains getting bigger every day.
She wondered if it was mama looking for her.
But mama was nowhere to be seen.

Defeated, Ravaryn, unwittingly close to Firefly Glen, sunk into the snow, bleeding pads and all, and cried for help probably for the last time.
She couldn't survive alone.​

Have a soft Keyni. <3

Winter had not been kind to the wolves of Firefly Glen, or to their kin in Moonspear. It had been savage and bitter, tearing away their souls with icy claws. Theirs was a pack in tatters. In mourning, struggling to pick up the pieces. The loss of Osiris and Leta, of Keres and Toad Amelia, and so many others, hit them hard. 

All because of one demonized god forsaken bear! A bear that had refused to go down the first time. A bear that she, in both battles, had been absent to face. Her pale jaw clenched tight in disgust. She thought that maybe, just maybe if she could have made it, she would have made a difference. But that long day had found her at the opposite edge of the territory, doing border rounds. She remembered how she ran when she heard the howls. How her legs seared with fire, the distance between her and the battefield seeming to grow despite each stride.

If there was anything she disliked most, it was feeling helpless. That was exactly how she felt that day, all the way up until now. It almost made her sick, wanting to retch. Tense and on high alert, the tundrian could almost always be found not far from the borders. Keeping a suspicious eye out for anything that didn't seem right. Practically daring any other bear out there waiting to come charging in after them. 

Lo and behold, there was a stranger by their doorstep. Not a bear or another rival predator. Nor a trespassing wolf. But a child. Pitiful and nearly frozen to her bones with crusting her paws and tears staining her cheeks. Nearing, Keyni's tense facial features softened. Sniffing, she could find no traces of other wolves that might have once clung to her fur. Approaching with a soft step and a lowering of her head, she called to her. "Dear child, how long have you been out in this weather? You should be holed up somewhere safe. You are already practically frozen." She said, not condescending, but with concern. Loosely using her larger body to embrace her, Keyni offered shelter from the whipping wind. Tipping her head back, she called for any Glen wolf who was in earshot.

Footsteps crunched towards her.
Soft. She'd seen dangers in these lands: huge, hulking beats that rose up high to scratch their claws on trees, long tails swishing with dangerous predatory grace. Ryn was lucky there were plenty of rabbit holes to hide in.
A voice, soft and promising warmth.

She looked up, her green eyes fully developed with the pines of the forests.
She pushed up, stumbling towards the woman with such plush fur.
"Ages," her murmured response came.
She dared to push close. She seemed nice, like mama.
Letting herself drop to her belly nearly ontop her feet.
The woman called for more, most likely her pack. She hoped they didn't eat her.

In wake of all the grief recently, Antares operated on some strange autopilot. Key word being that he operated. He had never before been struck so low a blow, or one so terrible. Coping was.. it was coming as a learning process. The weather was miserable lately, but he still found some sliver of peace in adhering to what was routine. Protect the Glen, and by extension, protect the mountain--but it felt like such a hollow act after everything now. But, he made his way through the bitter wind towards the calls. The second one from one of their members got him to pick up the pace.

When he found them, his eyes were drawn to the much younger wolf, immediately assuming it was more Neverwinter runaways because he associated them with finding unexpected puppies.. which he never felt like the wolf to handle such. Thankfully, the wind against his face did manage to mask some of his frown about this. His ears stayed low, eyes squinted. What's going on? he asked as he came to the scene, his voice full of grit--sounding tired.

The child donned in white, charcoals and browns immediately pulled at Keyni's heart strings. In such perilous conditions, which she sensed would only get worse, no wolf, regardless of their age, should be out on their own. Her maternal instincts coaxed out, she allowed the girl to nestle close. Part tundra wolf, Keyni's winter coat was especially plush and soft. Perfect for a frightened, near frozen child to cuddle up to. Uttering a soothing whine, she even went so far as to crouch over her, to use the bulk of her body to shield Ravaryn from the elements.

"You'll be safe, I promise. It will all work out." She assured in a soothing voice. Lowering her head down close, she had been about to tenderly lick away the crusty layer of frost that made her adorable pink nose so dry and chilly. It would, at the very least, warm the lost girl up some more. But Keyni didn't have the chance, as Antares had answered her call.

Lifting her head to glance over at him, she didn't beat around the bush. But she did recognize the telltale signs of tiredness and grief emanating from his every pore. She had not gotten the time to have a one on one, but knew him well enough to be one of Osiris' brothers. She tried not to think of the young man, taken far too early in his life. Yet a slight shine in her eyes conveyed a simple, unspoken understanding towards his emotional state. Even if she would not address it here and now. "I was patrolling and I found her by our borders." Another glance to Ravaryn. "I couldn't very well just leave her, with the state she's in."

The voice was soft. Warm.
It soothed her soul and promised help.
Safety.
The woman lowered herself, protecting Ravaryn and offering more warmth. She leaned into it, glad for her help.

A harsh voice set her heart fluttering. It might be fear, but not quite so. The air fell, heavy and thick between the woman and the man who had approached. She'd never heard anyone talk like that. Except Mama and her and Shiloh wouldn't stop playing.
The girl whined softly, tail feebly wagging as she lifted her pine eyes to the sable man.

He was filled with sadness that Mama sometimes had. Did his mate leave for another family? Her head cocked slightly, large ears perked with interest.
But then came the anxiety - why did he sound so chastising, and look so thunderous? Ryn flattened herself out under Keyni's warmth, settling into full submission as she averted his gaze and wagged her tail again with a soft whine. 

This didn't bode well to him. Most things didn't. A rogue puppy not related to him was especially not his forte. Too much death, and the grief it left behind, speared him right into pessimism. The weather was just another insult to an already open, angry wound.

But, Keyni didn't object in the face of his brusqueness, leaving him silently thankful, but too in need of actually figuring this out to dwell on it. It let him get a little better look at the young one somewhere therein, and Antares took a deep breath to collect what he had left. She looked pretty rough. Tired, too. Definitely not fit for the wintertime wilds.

He hmm-ed his first, small reply, then looked back to Keyni, ultimately agreeing. Though, he couldn't say he liked it much. No one needs to be out in this, he relented, trying not to sound so.. miserable. Little one, what is your name? Where are your parents? he asked, watching her then as he tested for a potentially sore subject. We all need to get to someplace cozier so we can help, he said, flicking that glance between them both to make sure they would all agree with that next course of action; he was still working on the rest.

Keyni could tell that Antares was less than thrilled with the situation. It wasn't ideal for any of them. As much as she adored youngsters, she would much rather see them safe and sound in their own home, with their parents where they belonged. With all that had happened in the Glen so recently, with the threat of the bear and the loss of so much life, this was no place for an innocent girl such as Ravaryn. But neither was the vast unknown wilds, overtaken by a merciless storm.

Pleased to see that Antares was in agreement with her reasoning, she nodded firmly. "Can you remember which direction your home is? Any specific landmarks?" She pressed gently. The more basic information they could get, the better. Delivering a tender nudge to her shoulder, Keyni gestured for Ravaryn to follow. "Come. Let us get you out of this cold and into a warm den." Her jade eyes landed on her paws, crusted with blood from tiny cuts. "I am no medic, but I would like to give you a look over, if you will let me." She waited for Antares to lead the way, provided he was comfortable with temporarily offering Ravaryn refuge among their home.

They spoke silently to each other.
In a way Ryn only thought possible with her sister. But perhaps...a pack meant that too.
She was racked by bouts of shivering again as the questions came.
She swiped her running nose with a paw, thinking.

"I'm Ravaryn. I - my sister got lost with me... Mama lives in Kaistleoki. Connor went missing a-and Howl might be with his other family." She wondered if she should have been found. Wondered if she should have made her way back.
Oh, she'd do anything to be with her family again.
But...she didn't know where they were.

"It was by the...claw mark in the earth." She didn't know what to call a gorge, she knew it looked like a claw mark though. She looked up to the male, hoping he wasn't going to chide her.
She felt very tired then. Her body feeling extra heavy - sagging with warmth now rather than freeing with cold.
She looked up at the woman, nodding to her promise.
She'd like that very much.

In the wake of his own questions, Keyni sought further useful clarifications that left him nodding softly along--trying to be encouraging, or something adjacent. But, even as the young wolf answered, he was coming into a better sense of what was probably best to be done. It did help to know more, though not all of the names meant something to him. The implication of a lost sister along the way did not bode well with him either. Perhaps she was still out there...

Ravaryn, though... from Kaistleoki. Antares could work with that, but now was not exactly the best time. He looked her way with another small nod, happy to hear her accept Keyni's offer. The girl's tiredness was easy to see, so he didn't stall around long before further ushering them on, into the Glen. She was here for now, so he would simply have to figure it out. Well, I'm Antares. This is Firefly Glen, he left a space for Keyni if she wanted or needed an introduction there. I'll keep a lookout for your sister, and visit Kaistleoki to let them know where you are after this, he explained, though he did not know of their location exactly, he had a vague enough idea. And surely, his mother would know more. Another thing to handle later.

Another gust of wind did manage to cut through enough to keep him going quickly. More than that, for now you really need a good rest. There's an old badger den not far up ahead, if that's okay.. Obviously it wasn't his ideal either, but Keyni was free to steer him otherwise here; he was very ready to yield if it made her helping him in this easier. And a cache not far I can run to if you're hungry? Or something fresh if he was quick about it; he knew a warm meal would do a lot of good right now.

Wrapping this up! <3

Keyni narrowed her eyes in deep contemplation. She memorized the names and details Ravaryn offered. Sadly, none of them sounded familiar. Antares on the other hand, seemed to at least know of this pack called Kaisteloki. "And I am Keyni." She offered, falling in step with the girl, her larger body looming close protectively. "If you would like, I will spend the night with you. For comfort." The poor thing must be terribly frightened, lost and alone. And now, in new territory with a pack full of wolves she knew nothing about.

Nodding towards Antares suggestion, she voiced her thoughts. "The quicker we get her settled and fed, the better. I'll escort her to that old den while you fetch her a meal." Bumping Ravaryn's shoulder gently, she made to usher her off in the direction of the aforementioned den. There, together they would hole up and wait for Antares return. Then Keyni would linger through the night until dawn, a watchful sentinel.

Last post!

Antares and Keyni.They were nice. Antares allowing her room in his home - even if temporary, and the soft-eyed Keyni with a maidens touch. 
And this was Firefly Glen. Nestled in rolling hills, resting beside a mountain range.
She rose with Keyni at Antares silent command to follow into the territory.

She tilted her eyes to the dark male. Wondering why he looked so worn. He couldn't be that old, right?
But he promised to look for her sister. "Shiloh," she murmured. She trusted them. Perhaps too readily, but Ryn knew no better. No wolf had wielded a bad word against her, nor turned fang upon her.
Her eyes tilted to Keyni as she spoke, "Please." Ryn nodded, she didn't want to sleep alone. This place was strange, full of big mounds and deep snow, whereas in Kintla it was flatter. Easier to look across the land.

Antares offered her a meal, which Ryn nodded to. She'd take anything. Hot, cold, or frozen. That warm plushness stroked her again from what seemed to be her temporary caretaker-friend.
Wynter had taken care of her. She was her friend.
Maybe she'd find her other siblings.
She was pretty sure this Glen was 'far away' like Howl had said.

"Thank you," she murmured, bumping Keyni back. Resting through the night with her new guardian and a full belly.

With that, he was fine to keep it quiet. It was high time for him to properly mull this over, so he let Keyni take charge of the young visitor with graceful ease. He would regroup with her later. After lingering long enough to hear everything he could, he took off to fulfill his offer of a meal, and return to hope that they settled in fine in the meantime.

He'd come back once he caught something (determined to bring a fresh thing suddenly once he was one his own), then stand watch for the night, and figure this out later. Maybe. All of it was so much, so fast.