Herbalists' Cache [m]One for the money, two for the show

Set during the pack implosion

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Carnelian had followed his sister, having tracked her scent and following it from their camp in Emberwood out to the Cache. Nose to ground, he sniffed, the last being a little too hard, getting dirt up in his nares which caused him to jerk up as a sneeze worked its way up and out.

“Achoo! Ugh, dang it, Dottie, come out now!” His tone was full of exasperation and annoyance as he wiped his nose free of dirt-filled snot.

A silent giggle threatened to disturb the foliage that surrounded her as her shoulders shook, potentially giving her location away. Her nosey brother had followed her, again. Serves her right for leaving without telling him, she guessed.

Her sigh was audible as he requested her to reveal herself. “Brother, why are you such a bore lately?” The tree limbs shook and dropped their needles, pine cones hitting the forest floor as she emerged from her hiding place.

The cache was a stretch from Akashingo’s borders. The young wolf had ventured through the canyon and had been spat out at the western base of the mountains. From there, he had continued his journey, drifting north until he had found himself in a pleasant wooded area. Over his shoulder, Stormchaser could see the mountain range that stood imposingly behind him.

Hunger gnawed at his stomach. It had been some time since he had filled himself on proper food. The territory was fit for it, he thought. Giving chase would be difficult where the brush grew in impassably thick stocks.

Acho!

Stormchaser froze, ears pinned high on his head. The yearling’s lean frame shifted until he had pointed his stare on… two others. How had he not noticed them?

Prowling, the boy hid himself in the shadows and waited to see if they had noticed him too.

He heard her before she appeared and she didn’t get to see his eye roll in response to her dig. He had indeed followed her, wondering why his mouse of a sister would venture out on her own. Without him.

It was so unlike her, but he couldn’t blame the girl, not when he was also going off on his own. He had spent time with Uncle Tybault before he left in search of Reina, learning ways to be a guardian, and he would take time to himself to practice. It was special to him and he wanted to keep it exclusive. His sister would never become someone who would excel in such a role.

“I am not a bore, Dottie. Don’t be ru—“ His head snapped up—there was something on the wind above the scent of pine and the dirt that made home on his upper lip. “Dottie, come here. Now.” It was unfamiliar, and the unknown was scary. They were not close to their pack, and if anything dangerous were around, it would take them a hot minute to find the siblings.

Dottie, come here. Now.

Her brother’s tone and the tension in his body was an indication that something, someone, was out there, and it was in her best interest to heed his cryptic warning. Wide green eyes scanned the surroundings as she hurried to him, her body pressing into his, tail tucked tightly. The fear was suffocating; her body trembled and shook, her belly feeling uneasy.

“Carnie, wha-what is it?” She whispered quietly, her voice wavering with unshed tears. She was no stranger to the dangers of the world, both having encountered much of it during their travels on their own, but it never got any easier.

They were young, maybe around his age. They behaved as though they had been sheltered by their home, protected by their family. The way that the two others clung to each other caused Stormchaser to think back to his time in Riverclan. The face of his sister had briefly entered his vision and the young wolf wondered if she was alive, if she too had been plucked by a stranger in the outer wilds.

Not a what, Stormchaser grumbled, parting the brush that concealed him and drawing nearer to the duo. You two are far from home. He hadn’t smelled pack on the air in the nearby territories. They carried the smell of other wolves, though. Perhaps they were waiting to be taken away, just like he had.

A young wolf, like them, appeared from the brush, his scent coming in full force now that he was no longer covered. Carnelian was both impressed and miffed that the yearling concealed himself so well. Thankfully, the wind had been on his side, because, otherwise, this guy could have had the jump on them, for sure.

He harrumphed at the male’s words. “And, how would you know that?” As he spoke, slow steps were taken toward the male, partly to see him better and to shield his sister. If this guy had any ill will towards them, at the very least Carnelian could be the distraction, allowing Peridot to escape and warn the others.

A small gasp escaped her as the male, seemingly their age, emerged from his hiding place. How long had he been there and what did he want with them?! He hinted that he knew their pack was not close and that in itself was terrifying.

Despite her fear, she couldn’t help but to feel slightly intrigued, attempting to peek her head around her advancing brother. She hadn’t met another wolf her age, only Aunt Reverie’s babies, and they were much younger. His coat reminded her of the nights where the sky was dark and cloudy, the moon peaking through to shine brightly on the snow below. Beautiful, she thought.

“Psst, Carnie. Be nice…please.” 

She wasn’t sure what prompted her to correct her brother, but didn’t think this male deserved so much suspicion. He was young and at any point could have tried to hurt them.

One of them was a feisty little bastard.

Stormchaser regarded the boy with a cold stare. His hawkish gold gaze was unafraid, unamused, and lingered for a moment too long on the other boy. The stormy yearling was rifling through the scenarios in his mind: Qiao sacrificing this quick-tongued brat stood most prominently among them.

Listen to your sister, boy, Stormchaser sneered at the other young man, pointed teeth flashing in a show of his fangs. Not nice to be so aggressive to strangers. The assumption on their relation was one he wouldn’t mind being corrected on. There was a chance they weren’t related, though it seemed a slim one.

You both stink of your pack. But there isn’t a pack near here for… a few territories, I’d say.

Skipping Carnelian to piggyback him here. Apologies for lack of formatting, mobile post

She watched the other respond with his own aggression. Her eyes widened, but not with fear; no, it was something else. Something she couldn’t quite place. The mouse of a girl grew her voice, exposing herself from the safety of her brother’s shadow, her eyes on the young man as her nose worked.

“And, you don’t stink of pack. We are nomadic, much like a lone wolf yourself would be, yet we have numbers. They are around. Already you are at a disadvantage.” Her words were surprisingly strong, but careful and without threat. “Your sneaking up on us could be considered aggressive by our own.” She hoped her bluff worked. She wanted to make nice, this standoff between the boys was so silly.

The young wolf was not so easily deterred or frightened. In fact, he lacked a great deal of fear for life-threatening scenarios. If this was the place he was destined to die, he hoped he would go down in biting, vicious glory. While the young woman spoke of their pack being nomadic, Stormchaser was sure to lock that away - information that could prove useful at a later time.

When she lifted her chin boldly to him, the stormcloaked figure snickered devilishly.

A crunch of earth beneath his paw, Stormchaser stepped closer and closer to the duo. His goldwash gaze was sharp, pinned on the young girl who decided she had earned her boldness.

Prove it, he sneered, swiping his tongue across his snout as though the premise hungered him.

It's okay! ^^ Still a lovely reply from you.

This is extremely unexpected from Dottie and I’m living for it! AHH haha

He advanced on her and everything within her lit up like firecrackers, stray sparks burned every nerve ending. Her eyes were lit from within, like sparkling gemstones, far from the typical dull, timid gaze she always wore. Her whole body was on fire and it was confusing…exciting.

Dangerous.

Risky.

She had spent so long within the shadow of her brother. Some days it was comforting, most days it was suffocating. And here, right now, she was in the sun for the first time in her life. It was glorious.

Her own growl, deep and guttural, surprised her, yet she leaned into it, her whole being vibrating. So focused on the male before her, she barely heard her brother’s call for her to stop; this was not his fight, she told herself. She knew nothing of fighting, but she would not back down. This male called her bluff and she had to pay the price. A small part of her felt a twinge of regret, but the overwhelming feeling of excitement and anticipation won.

“Fuck. You.”

I adore Dottie's spunk! What a gal.

 

The girl growled at him, pulling the sound from deep within her to cast a warning at the audacious young man.

Stormchaser sparked with life, laughing loudly at her utterance. Fuck him? What a joke. What a bold little thing to think that she was capable of surviving such an encounter. The young wolf had never happened upon someone like this and so he was lost in the moment and the boy who had hunkered protectively beside her had been forgotten.

How about… you try, he suggested, sinister in the smirk that lifted his lips all the way to the mournful goldwash of his eyes. One free shot. Go ahead. Make it good.

Stormchaser lifted his chin, exposing his throat to her.

Oh no…another bluff called. 

She just wanted him to stop. This was so senseless! But, again, she couldn’t let it go. Or, if she were honest, didn’t want to let it go. This exploding rush in her veins was addicting, something she wanted to keep forever. The once mouse of a girl, the quiet wall-flower, the trembling weed of a young she-wolf was so out-of-date—and it was exhausting. 

But, she knew that once this was all over, the young man of lethal excitement would disappear, and she would be left wondering if she would ever see him again, pining after the stranger who sparked her world. Then, the fireworks would dim just before fading back into the shadowed life she lived.

Yet, while the sparks were still alit, she decided to follow them.

To dance in them—like a true Medeiros woman. All that have come before her were strong and resilient, born to survive. And, in this, she would do all she could—to live. 

In this moment.

This same moment she barely let the guy finish his poison-laced words before springing for him—no warning—her eyes hard like green diamonds, their shine ever sparkling the closer she charged the shadowed knight, jaws wide.

Time slowed; it watched, waited. Wondering what the raging storm before her would do?

While he admired her bold words and even more so the daring lunge of the young she-wolf’s body toward his own.

Stormchaser’s heart raced in delight, fueling his lean figure into a sharp weapon. He felt her teeth connect with his flesh, pricking until they had torn through the thin protection. Blood would find her tongue. The wild-hearted boy snarled, senses heightened by this violent display of her courage. She wanted to prove her point but he wanted for her to see that there were consequences to picking fights with the wrong man. Though he was no more than a yearling, the anger he carried in his chest felt ages old.

Stormchaser’s teeth clacked, his head swung to grip her anywhere he could find purchase in her skin. The yearling’s arms grounded him, making him immovable. He attempted to force the weight of his body on top of hers.

He lunged at her, returning her aggression with his own. She saw the glint in his eyes, something telling her that he was actually enjoying this. It scared her, just a touch more than it excited her. Could she say the she truly wanted to shed his blood? No. But, it wasn’t that which set her alive—it as the fight itself.

She barely registered the initial pain elicited by his teeth upon her foreleg, the adrenaline pumping in her veins to block it out. Not only that, but she couldn’t hear her brother’s screams, for her ears were pounding in time with her own, wild heart.

With a growl, the girl attempted to rip her leg free, but he had placed himself so firmly, as if he had become one with the ground, and she felt it, then—dread. Regret. 

Fear.

Her teeth released his neck to strike where his and her body met, hoping for some release.

I’m okay with minor injuries!

Enjoy it, he did.

Stormchaser was thrilled with the premise of this fight. He could feel the girl squirm beneath him, lashing out with fangs that glistened. The young wolf was not deterred by this display of her ferocity. He was fueled by it. The boy who had stood beside her was forgotten in their momentary battle.

When he had his weight on top of her and her legs fought to remove him, Stormchaser chuckled. The blood she had drawn now dribbled from his neck down to her plush coat. His lips drew back to reveal his own set of ivory weapons. With a clack of his teeth near her tender neck, he pushed off of the girl and swung wide.

Disappointing…

An antagonistic gleam entered his sad gold eyes. The stormy wolf wanted the words to sting more than the fight had.

The anger within him vibrated with force, his body shaking with it. 

Here he was, on the sideline, ignored on all fronts. His usually quiet and reserved sister was now at the forefront, battling with the arrogant male. That should have been him, it was his job to protect her, but right now—she was protecting herself.

So he remained on the sideline, waiting to intervene. The time came for him to race to her side as the male abandoned his onslaught, his words insulting.

He snarled in response, standing protectively between them.

Last reply from the siblings! Thank you for the thread, you and Stormchaser gave her a great start to her development arc <3 I love that he challenged her and I thoroughly enjoyed him! I really hope they meet again soon!

She gasped at the clacking of his teeth near her throat, yet found a deep sense of thrill at the male’s nearness and aggression. 

Except, it all ended and simmered when he suddenly backed off, his parting words like a sharp knife:

Dissappointing. 

She didn’t deflate, though. No, not like before. This experience brought about something else in her, something more primal and instinctive. It gave her a sense that she was capable of more than what anyone, even herself, thought her capable.

She felt the presence of her brother coming upon her, yet her eyes remained on the male, her own feral grin upon her face, a mirror to his own. 

No sooner had it ended did she hear a howl on the wind, their names spoken in a voice they hadn’t heard for weeks—and the male was suddenly forgotten. She and her brother shared a look, one of both relief and excitement; Reina had been found and she called for them. Nothing was more pressing now than to return to her!

So, they took off, no words to the male as they passed him. Except, she stopped a few yards from the male, one last long look in his direction. She sent him a soft smile, a nod to him as a silent thank you for bringing her to the light. Despite how he might feel towards her, she harbored no ill will, and hoped to cross paths with him again. 

If only to lay her eyes upon his handsome face once more.

I would absolutely love another one in the future. ^^ <3

The little observant boy had found some of his courage but it was much too late for him to do anything about what had transpired. Stormchaser regarded him with a cold expression, unimpressed by his lack of initiative when his sister had been in danger. What would have happened if the stormy stranger had sunk his fangs into the girl’s throat?

Tch.

Stormchaser didn’t give the boy another thought. He had already proven that he wasn’t a threat to anyone. The girl, though…

Her features twisted in a feral grin. The young man heard the howl on the wind and watched as the two siblings turned to flee home. That final glance from the girl was met with a curt nod. Stormchaser followed their trail until they had both vanished from sight. When the shadows grew long, he turned and made his way back to Qiao.