Neverwinter Forest tip toes

I'm looking for Moonglow, but anyone is welcome!

It had been well before the sun rose in the sky that Vagabond had left his resting mate and his pups in the safety of Sacrarium's borders. He had gone south. Although he was consumed by a canopy of trees and unable to truly tell for himself, he believe it to be nearing sundown now.

It took a lot of his pride to search for allies, but he knew his pack, and his pups would need them. He had no idea what the first thing he would even say was, he had already tried several times to speak to others, but never actually to actively to seek others out. 

The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing, but his increasing anxiety made it clear that this was something that needed to be done sooner than later. He began to slow as the scents of wolves-multiple wolves continued to grow stronger. He knew he hadn't quite reached the border yet, but he could smell that there was a pack nearby for sure. While he would assume his presence would be noted soon, he would let out a call as he drew nearer to what he believed to be a border, calling for whoever may come.

kukutux had come in search of her sister, to see how the pack-world had grown beneath the cloudberry paw.

who she found was first the trail of a man she did not know, then his figure was brought to her eyes.

the duck stood stiff-legged, shoulders cupped by a grey pelt. she let out a single bark which carried upon the warm wind.

edited for ebony's quick reply! XD

Lótë paused in her efforts of building a den -- a shattered one she had dug anew and was beginning to line with soft pelts so that it might be ready to whelp in. The voice that called was unfamiliar which roused an agitated nervousness in the dove, thinking on the stranger who had attacked her and Makan in these very woods. But to howl for an audience spoke of good intentions, or so the artist hoped. 

When Lótë had tracked down the agouti he-wolf -- a pale man of dirty snow, soot, and dying leaves -- she found him faced by her pale sister, and silently sidled up to moonwoman's side as a reassuring shadow might. Emeralds blinked at the man in silent curiosity, waiting to see why the stranger had called for the village. 

Vagabond took a moment to gather his thoughts, his pups ran through his mind, they were the only reason he would ever initiate a conversation like this. More protection for them. He reminded himself once more. His family's names constantly ran through his mind. keeping his heart steady, Violante, Vale, Violante II, Asara. They would come forth when he was anxious, as they did now. He was calm and composed as he faced the strangers.

Vagabond tipped his head respectively at the two females that had answered his call. "My name is Vagabond." He introduced himself with his new name proudly with a smile, holding his shoulders proudly before continuing, "I live with my pack, Sacrarium, we seek allies."

sacrarium sought allies. kukutux looked to her sister, then back to the man. "i am moonwoman of village moonglow, that way," she said.

the paintwolf was round with child! her happiness grew. "but it is lótë who turns this place into her own village. you walk upon her lands."

Lótë could not fight the small tic of a smile that twitched at the corners of her lips, feeling a swell of pride and gratitude towards moonwoman. "Aya," the cloudberry murmured with a small dip of her head. Her pale emeralds were cautious. "This will be village Winterglade, sister to moonwoman's establishment." They were a package deal, her words implied. 

"Why does Sacrarium seek allies? For what reason?" Perhaps the village Vagabond hailed from faced some danger, some threat he would expect the wolves of the Spine and the Forest to help defend their people from. 

"I have not heard of your village," Lótë shared a look with Kukutux as she murmured this, a curious and searching expression. Perhaps the duck knew something of the smoky he-wolf's village. "What is it like? What do your people believe, what do they stand for?" Her verdant gaze returned to the man's, chin lifting a fraction as she questioned him. Not all villages sought peace. Not all were hospitable. It would not do to be tangled up with a group who dabbled in dark matters.

Vagabond bowed his head respectively before speaking once more. "Violante-my mate, and I, established Sacrarium to be a safe place for anyone who needed it. We have grown significantly however, two litters in fact." He paused for a moment to enjoy the thoughts of his pups that came to his mind before his fears returned him to the present.

"We live in peace together, but we are very few in number. We all run from something it seems. Whether from physical danger or that of the mind, but we find a way to survive." He allowed this sentence to trail off, letting the truth speak for itself, hoping that it would be enough.

He sighed heavily. He knew he'd have to get to this part eventually, but wished he could have left it out after all, but holding back was pointless. "Our main concerns are past dangers catching up. We've been fortunate thus far, but it never hurts to have friends."

violante and vagabond. kukutux held those names in their mind. their village had the name of sacrarium. she smiled silently to hear that they had been given many children. 

but his mention of past danger faded the look. did he seek protection? what were the things from which sacrarium ran? she had many questions but she wished for her cloudberry sister to lead the inquiries, and offered the man a gentle look instead after a glance to the painterwolf.

Lótë listened -- quiet and respectful as she watched the play of emotions across the anxious he-wolf's features. Her motherly heart softened at the mention of pups, though outwardly her expression remained careful and observant. She wished them good fortune with their children but the Spine too was abundant in cubs, and not just Lótë's. She had a host of stepchildren to think about, Shikoba's son. It was even possible that Sialuk or Keyni might choose to bear a litter this summer. As hard as a decision might be, their villages' offspring would always be first in her mind. 

Eyes the color of the north sea sharpened at the threats Vagabond admitted to. Past dangers. Mental afflictions. A village on the run from various threats. The cloudberry thought it reassuring that nothing seemed to have caught up with them, as the emissary worded it, but only slightly. The fog-pelted male seemed too agitated for the matter to be so simple -- and if their entire tribe ran from something, something that had sent him in search of backup, then there was surely more at risk than he was letting on. 

"What are these dangers you speak of? Your entire pack is running, fearing. What is it you think will catch up to you?" Aiwëndil felt again an urge to look to Kukutux, warily this time, but kept her malachite gaze steady on Vagabond. His reaction to being questioned intrigued her as much as the answer. 

"Violante and I are both in hiding from family. As our pup's grow my anxiety grows." Vagabond smiled sheepishly. "We have at least one particularly explorative pup." Vagabond chuckled when he thought of Asara's multiple attempts to sneak away to explore their land, and the ongoing territory runs that he was continuing to take Vale on. Violante II seemed content to stay close to home but he made a mental note to take her out exploring too. 

Understanding dawning, Vagabond quickly added, "I would not ask you to put your pack in physical danger." While he would defend his pups to the death, he would be damned if he'd take a mother or father from their child. "More than anything, Sacrarium is in need of allies for our pups, for their future. We have 5 pups, I have 3 of my own, they have 2 cousins. While they're currently only 3 months, they're in need of new friends." He smiled at the two women, hoping this would help to ease their mind. 

"Of course I do not require a decision today." He did not miss the glances the two gave each other. He wondered if it best he dismiss himself so they can discuss the information that he brought them. "We reside just a day's travel north from here. I can return after a week or two when I'm able to slip away again." 

lótë questioned. the man spoke again. she too was thinking of her sister and sialuk and keyni. if more children were born to the hearth of moonglow, then for a time their villages must be closed.

vagabond was gracious. he would leave them to discuss this. kukutux took a step forward. she would not speak for winterglade but she would say her words for the moon village.

"i am teacher. that is moonwoman's task. i will teach your children our stories. go that way," the duck murmured, "beside the mountains that curve. there is a place of many fireflies. when your young ones and ours have reached the moons to travel farther, i will tell them these things in that glen."

they would meet in a placid location. that way vagabond and sacrarium might be near their allies, though not in the middle of the cloudberry woman's forest.

Again, Lótë listened -- somewhat abashed for her reservations. But not enough to feel guilty about looking out for her family. It reassured her to hear of Vagabond's intentions but she remained silent, instinctively deferring to moonwoman. 

"I think it would be beneficial for all our children to meet when they are of age," the fawn agouti added in her soft lilt, confirming that the Forest would join this proposed alliance in her own taciturn way. "It would be good for the cubs in our villages to form relationships outside of our tribe." It brought her great pride to see the women of the Spine forging new paths and forming a triumvirate of clans but it was good to have opportunities available to branch out. 

"Winterglade will be a place of cultivation, of study. Where moonwoman's village speaks to the spirits and teaches the arts of healing, we will track: herds, stars, weather. If there are any amongst you who would like to learn these things, Winterglade will gladly host you." Lótë dipped her head in a slow, solemn movement -- a promise, not unlike the kind made in her natal village. 

We can wrap up the thread here or you'd like, or you're welcome to skip Vagabond if you plan on continuing. :)

"Thank you both for taking the time to speak to me and to hear of Sacrarium. I hope to see both of you again soon, I must return to my family now." He smiled warmly at each female in turn before turning to hurry his way back home. He had nearly lost his balance, his limbs had grown stiff but they quickly worked themselves back into motion as he worked himself into a steady run.

He was filled with hope for his family's future. His pup's would have many opportunities that he had never had the chance to. He didn't feel bitter or angry, just excited for them. He would give his pup's the best future he possibly could, whatever that may take. 

He thought all of the pups could benefit a great deal by learning to track, but only time would tell who would show the greatest aptitude, and he surely didn't want to force anyone into learning something they had no interest in, that wouldn't be fair at all to anyone.

Regardless, Vagabond felt that his meeting was extremely productive and he was grateful to have run into both women. He hadn't even realized there was another pack forming entirely, he had been too caught up in his own anxieties to even notice. His only regret is that he hadn't even apologized for his misstep into Lótë's territory. Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders and put on a burst of speed towards home.

<3!

moonglow and winterglade. the names even belonged together by sound.

kukutux smiled at the man as he took his leave. her jadegreen eyes watched him depart. she felt it would be summer-turning-to-falling-leaves before she saw him again. but this was a good thing. kukutux too felt that their meeting had produced a good fruit.

she looked at lótë. "he hides from his own family. but if his pack is large, they will find him." her words were thoughtful and invited the reply of her sister.

Lótë only smiled as Vagabond made his departure, understanding very well the needs of family. She watched the fog and snow silhouette disappear before she turned to Kukutux, ears lifting curiously as moonwoman gave voice to the worries that had plagued her during their conversation with the Sacrarium he-wolf. 

"He did seem rather afraid that something -- or someone -- would catch up to them. They would not be looking for allies if the threat wasn't real." Lótë wanted to believe Sacrarium wouldn't call upon them to fight their battles but what else could they be called upon for? To avenge them in the event they were attacked? To care for the aforementioned pups if they fell into a state of emergency? The trail of thought unsettled Lótë greatly. 

"Would the villages fight if called upon?"

she was quiet. her mind held many thoughts. the wilderness of the great bear had remained peaceful and quiet. she did not want anything here which would break that harmony. 

"in a time of battle, the villages of my birthplace each sent one hunter to war-council. they decided together if they would fight. but if this man came to me tomorrow and asked that moonglow give warriors, i would say no." she looked toward the painter. "would you fight?"

• Lótë listened attentively. "That is a wise way to decide such matters. Perhaps that is what we should do in the event that the need ever arose." Though the doe dearly hoped it wouldn't, it couldn't hurt to be prepared. For a moment, Aiwëndil remained silent as her gaze slid to the point on the horizon where Vagabond had disappeared from sight between the trees. A dark cloud of guilt settled over her shoulders, staying her words. "Auk. No." Her own would always come first and Sacrarium were but strangers. 

sorry about the wonky post! My phone does this randomly and refuses to let me fix it.

no worries whatsoever!

then it was settled. she nosed into her sister's ruff. "i once had the thinking that war-council must only be hunters." she shook her head. "we are wisewomen. and so we must help to make these choices."

kukutux turned her mind to their future. "i will call them for a time of old stories in some hands of time. we will share that land even if we will not yet send those who fight."

Lótë felt her lips lift slightly in a good-natured, albeit shy, smile. It pleased her that Kukutux thought of her as an equal but the dove couldn't quite picture herself as a wisewoman. Was that what building Winterglade would make her? If so, it would take quite some time to stop herself from looking up to the duck as an authority figure. 

"That would be good, I think. Just because we will not fight for them now does not mean we can't be allies." Perhaps there was a reason the spirits had led Vagabond here. Perhaps in time, the villages would view Sacrarium as family and change their stance on the matter. Only time would tell.

she smiled. "when many villages are gathered, it is hard to break them." it would also be easier for their daughters to find husbands and their sons to find wives, but that time was not yet at hand.

she pulled away with a soft chuff.

"let me bring food to you, lótë, while you sit down in your sleeping-place." her sister was not weak, but to carry children was to be tired even upon the brightest of days.

Lótë smiled in acquiescence, a soft laugh escaping with amusement as she joked, "Alright, Kukutux. But only if you'll join me in eating it." Together, the sisters returned to what was slowly morphing into a new village. The cloudberry shared her new home with the snowdrop, just as moonwoman shared the meal she'd promised and the two passed between them the news and tidbits of each other's lives as leaders and mothers.