Redhawk Caldera Keep your head up

Elwood winced, glancing back at the scratches on his left haunch. He hadn't expected his first days in Redhawk Caldera to be so exciting, but when he saw his new alpha female, Fox, being attacked by a cougar, he hadn't had any choice but to help her. Luckily, all wolves involved had escaped without more than a few small surface injuries, and the young wolf knew that he would heal in just a few days.

Though his wounds slowed his pace slightly, he still decided to familiarize himself with his new surroundings. Climbing the slope of the dormant volcano proved to be difficult, as his afflicted hind leg was stiff, so he lingered near the lower reaches. He weaved in and out of the treeline, his nose occasionally skimming the ground and cataloging the scents that he came across.

Finding a den was the thing currently on Somnia's mind. Winter would be coming soon, and she would need to find a sheltered place to sleep to avoid freezing to death. Somnia wasn't picky about what her den would be like. Anything would do as long as it protected her from the elements of nature.

However, this found a new place in the back of Somnia's mind as she noticed one of her pack-mates. She was also new to the pack, and had only gotten to meet her alphas. Delighted with the chance to meet another member, she walked over to the gray wolf, intercepting him in his mission to do.... What he was doing Somnia didn't exactly know. He was sniffing the ground, possibly hunting, or maybe even looking for something. Maybe she could even help him?

As Somnia approached, she noticed the scratches on his leg. She remembered the gash on Fox's face, and briefly wondered if they were in the same fight together. Or maybe they had fought? Whatever the case, it was none of her business.

At this point, her overload or mind-blank response kicked in, like it always did before she got to know how a stranger would respond to her. This time, she blanked. It wasn't as bad this time. Unlike last time, she still remembered her name. With a moment of thinking of what to say, she managed to avoid any awkward pauses. She had to introduce herself, and then she would question what he was doing. Nothing too hard. "I am Somnia. What are you looking for?" Besides forgetting to say hi, it wasn't that bad.

OOC: Thanks for joining!

IC: The approach of another wolf did not go unnoticed, and Elwood paused in his meandering, lifting his head and pricking his ears curiously. He watched the female make her way towards him, using her scent to identify her as one of his packmates. Her coloration was similar to his, though she was smaller than he was, and if he hadn't already smelled her he might have sworn that she was his missing twin sister.

She introduced herself promptly, and just as swiftly asked what he was up to. He liked her straightforward manner of speaking, and smiled warmly at her. "Nice to meet you, Somnia. I'm Elwood," he replied, his tail stirring gently between his hind legs. "I'm not really looking for anything, just acquainting myself with the territory. I'm new to the pack."

No problem :)

Somnia's uncontrollable mental reactions to strangers usually calmed down once the stranger didn't pose a threat. Elwood wasn't any sort of threat. If anything, it felt nice to know that she wasn't the only one facing the difficulties of adjusting to the pack. "I'm new too. I just joined the other day.

"Have you discovered anything interesting out about the territory yet? I only know the basics of it. It's a caldera of a volcano that no longer erupts, and there's some trees along the slope.'' In Somnia's rush to get to know the other alpha and find a winter den, (which she still hadn't found), she hadn't thought much about exploring the territory.

Elwood was pleased to learn that Somnia was another newcomer to the Caldera. The pack was small in numbers, according to Peregrine, but it seemed that they were growing day by day. Though they did not need to have a large amount of wolves to survive the winter, it would be better to have more able bodies helping to provide food and shelter for everyone.

She then asked if he had discovered anything particularly interesting about the territory, to which he shook his head gently by way of response. "Not really. I haven't been up to the top of the volcano yet," he said, gesturing with his snout towards his injured hindquarters. "Had a little run in with a cougar, which makes climbing a little difficult," he explained. Then, as though he had read her mind -- which he hadn't, of course, but seeing as they were both new, it was inevitable that they would be thinking some of the same things -- he said, "I've been kind of keeping an eye out for a good den spot, but haven't found anything just yet."

Elwood had mentioned the top of the volcano, - technically caldera, but Somnia didn't feel like correcting him - and she realized that she had no idea what was up there. She felt the urge to climb up and explore, but at the same time, she didn't want to leave Elwood just yet. Somnia would've asked him to do it with her, but the gray wolf had said that climbing was difficult with his injuries. She briefly wondered if run-ins with cougars were copious on the caldera before moving on.

Next, Somnia heard Elwood mention dens. Even though they were both new, Somnia assumed he had a couple more days worth of exploring then she did. Apparently good den spots were scarce here. If necessary, you could always make one yourself by digging, She suggested before adding on, But, the downside is that you'll have to dig in far enough without too much downward slope, or else the weather will ruin it. Rain could create a mud pool in the bottom, and a heavy snow could trap you in if it's the right angle. Trust me, you don't want to spend half a morning trying to escape your own den. Somnia saw no need to mention the fact that with dirt and uprooted bush, another wolf could trap you in the den. So far none of the wolves here seemed cruel enough to use that trick as her brother had.

Perhaps Elwood was being too picky with what sort of den he wanted, or maybe he had just been enjoying the weather as of late. It wasn't too cold yet, though the temperatures would be plunging soon, so it had been refreshing to sleep under the night sky, with a little protection provided by a tree's roots or the leaves of a bush. But when Somnia began talking about digging out a burrow, his interest was piqued. It sounded as though it could be slightly challenging, given their location, so he was glad to have her experience and guidance.

"That's good to know," he said, and even as he spoke he gestured with his head for her to walk with him. Perhaps they could search for an adequate den site and help each other dig, if Somnia was in search of a place as well. He didn't know that her knowledge came from something as horrible as being trapped in her den by her own brother. "Where would be a good place to start digging?" he asked.

Somnia joined Elwood in his walking, matching his pace. She suppressed a smile that tried to appear from being helpful. Besides keeping herself alive, helping was the one thing that gave her life meaning. It was probably due to her history, for she had been indirectly raised to help her pack thrive. She had never had any lifelong goals or hobbies, just being helpful was enough to give her joy.

"Well, you'd want a spot that's hard to dig into," Somnia started, "It makes things difficult, but if the dirt is soft and easy to dig into, it will be more likely to cave in, or just collapse in a big puddle of mud when it rains. It also would be a good idea for it to be somewhat sheltered, to reduce the amount of rain and snow that can access it. In my opinion, the best place would be near the base of a tree. The roots would help hold the soil together, and the tree could at least make a dent in the amount of snow and rain that will try to destroy your hard work."

Elwood listened attentively as Somnia elaborated on her previous information. He was learning a lot from her -- for instance, he would have been more inclined to choose a place where the dirt was softer and easier to dig. However, she quickly disproved that thought with logic that made total sense. If the ground was too soft, it would not be able to hold its shape. Having come from a pack that lived in a flat, grassy plain, he had little experience with digging into the side of a mountain.

She suggested that the base of a tree would be the best location, so he began checking out the trunks and roots that they passed by. "What about one like this?" he asked, pausing and gesturing with one forepaw at a huge, gnarled tree whose roots protruded from the ground. They were twisted into an intricate formation, creating hollows that could be expanded by digging into the earth underneath.

Somnia inspected the tree that Elwood suggested. "Well, seeing as the roots are this big, the tree's roots probably could hold up the ground pretty nicely." She contemplated, nosing around the ground. She started digging a little, testing how hard it was to dig into. She frowned as it came away easily.

"The ground is rather soft, but the tree roots should keep it from collapsing at least during the winter. You might have to find a new den for the next winter," Somnia explained. It then occurred to her that maybe Elwood wouldn't be here for the next winter. Somnia had always preferred to have a place to stay with a stable position, but not all wolves were like that. Quickly she added, "That is, if you're still here next winter."

Elwood stepped back, allowing Somnia room to examine the tree and the earth around it. It turned out that the ground was softer than it seemed, crumbling away easily with just slight pressure from her paws, but she insinuated that the large roots would still provide a sturdy space. With a thoughtful murmur, Elwood pursed his lips. He didn't necessarily want to have to dig another burrow, especially if this one didn't last all the way until next winter -- though Somnia had a good point. Truthfully, he didn't know how long he would be staying here.

"I hope to call the caldera home for...a long while," he said, addressing her secondary comment rather than her assessment of the potential den location. "But I came here looking for my sister who went missing. I needed a place to hunker down for the winter, so Peregrine offered me a space in the pack. But..." Here he paused, glancing down at the weathered roots before looking back at Somnia's silver face, "I do like it here a lot. Do you think you'll stay?"

Somnia frowned slightly at the fact that Elwood may not stay permanently. She then replied to his question. "I'm staying here permanently, at least I'll try to. I've always been more of a follower, and so, a pack has always been a dominant part of my life. When the small pack that consisted of my family split up, it was clear to me that I wanted to find a new pack to find non-blood-related family in. I wanted a new home, and I guess I've found that. Once I create good bonds with everyone, I'd like to think that it would take a lot to make me leave." That was her mini-speech.

Somnia then addressed Elwood's situation. "Well, I hope you find your sister someday, or at least hear that she's alright. And... Where ever you end up, whether it be here or elsewhere, I just hope that you'll be happy." Secretly, she wanted to stay no matter what, even though she had just met him. He could be counted as one of her first friends. But, if he did end up unhappy here, well, Somnia was empathetic. Knowing that one of her friends was miserable would make her extremely miserable.

OOC: Mind if we wrap up here? :)

IC: Though his circumstances were different, Elwood did hope that Redhawk Caldera would turn out to be a more permanent living situation. For now, however, it was still new to him; and he knew that if his sister were to turn up and beg him to return home with her, he would go, with no questions asked. But, if she was amenable to staying with him, he would propose that she take up residence here as well. There were many possibilities as to which direction his life could take, but he was content with the present and with seeing what would happen with each passing day.

He was impressed with Somnia's resolution. She told him her reasons for joining the pack, and why she intended to stay. He nodded his agreement, and smiled as she assured him that she hoped he would be happy wherever he ended up. Truthfully, he didn't hold much hope for finding Avery anytime soon, with winter quickly descending, but that didn't mean he had given up his search completely. Not yet, anyway.

"Well, I'm glad that we've both ended up here," Elwood said, "and Peregrine is lucky to have a wolf as loyal as you in his pack." With an upward glance, he noted the time of day, and then began to excuse himself. "It was really nice to meet you, Somnia, and I'm going to keep your advice in mind when I'm picking out a den. I think it'll be really helpful. I'm sure I'll see you around soon, and I'll let you know if I need anything else," he said. It wasn't that he wanted to part company so quickly, but there were a few things the Delta wanted to do before the day's end. He reached out to nudge Somnia's should in an amiable manner, then turned and began to depart.

Not at all! Oh, and I'll be open if you're ever up for a Gamekeeper thread. ^.^

Somnia smiled at the compliments, followed with a, "It was nice to meet you too. Hope to see you around too." After that, they parted ways, Somnia going in the opposite direction.

Many things ran through her mind as she walked away. She still had to find a den herself. Plus, she should start pursuing the Gamekeeper trade soon. But, most of all, she had made a new friend in the pack that could possibly help her out in the future.