Totoka River sneak

Hokulani had been met with the strangest thing when she arrived at the river territory that morning. A young man curled into himself, a pile of vomit and a pelt covered in newly picked mushrooms sitting nearby. She hadn't been sure what to think right away. Any wolf with common sense knew to stay far away from mushrooms they found, but this one seemed to have been eating them up like a 5-star delicacy.

The mushrooms had to go, however, so she quickly dumped them into the river and watched them be carried away. The man, who called himself Kekoa, had been in and out of consciousness which provided her with plenty of time to think. She recognised the suffix, koa, from old stories her parents used to tell about the West End pack. Her conclusion being that if he were not a coastal spiritualist, then he was from their bloodline, and that was nearly enough to consider keeping him. However she knew that she could not care for him, and sent Kekoa on his way when he came to.

It was midday now, and Hokulani was lounging in the grass up in the northern end of the territory. It was a good spot, and despite the poor introduction she had decided that this would be the land she claimed. There was a good view of the island, access to the ocean, and running freshwater. Everything she needed to start up her pack - except wolves.

She supposed that was the trouble. The only suitable man she had spoken to in some time had ran off, barely paying her any mind, and Hokulani wasn't about to be caught chasing anybody. She pushed out a huff, rolling onto her back. Since when did she have such bad luck?

The killing part was easy enough. The girl stood triumphant over a slain beaver she'd tracked overnight, face and neck dripping blood where its teeth had caught her in the struggle. The sting of it was grounding, almost welcome — because the next part was the hard part.

The way she saw it, she had a choice to make. Eat the beaver, chase a ghost, wear her solitude like a shield. Or...

She'd already dragged the beaver halfway to the river by the time she stopped to really think about it. Was this what moving on was like? She'd supposed it would feel like a battle won, but there was only cold resignation in her bones. The rest of the trip passed in a blur. She left a trail of beaver fur in her wake.

She could do both, she'd reasoned by the time Hokulani's scent materialized around her. She dropped the beaver and called out, pacing in tight possessive circles around the kill. She could do both. Chase her ghost and... whatever this was. Her hackles twitched and bristled faintly with barely-contained anticipation.

Hokulani found herself surprised when someone called to her, and it failed to dissipate when she made her way towards it and spotted a familiar face.

You actually came! She called out, approaching at a steady trot. Her acquaintance seemed to have brought a gift, too.

Tail waving high behind her as she came close enough to meet her eyes, Hokulani couldn't deny that she was quite happy to see a familiar face. So, do I get to learn your name this time? She supposed that she hadn't asked for it last time, and she left right after providing her own. It would be nice to have, nonetheless.

Her name. The girl hesitated only a few moments. Storm, she answered after the small pause, reaching out with a foreleg to push the beaver closer. Then she added a bit sharply: I'm not saying I'll stay. I might. We'll see.

She wasn't going anywhere, of course. But Hokulani didn't need to know that. Investment was a weakness she couldn't let anyone catch her in again.

She couldn't help her grin. Kindle had been right, she truly was irresistible. Alright, you might. Hokulani would make sure that she stuck around.

Picking up the beaver, she gestured for Storm to follow her into the territory. This would be the first addition to her cache! She felt quite accomplished, even if she hadn't killed the beaver herself.

So, are you done with your search then? She asked through a muffled voice, eyeing the other woman. It was hard not to be curious.

Storm shrugged to hide the way her chest lurched and ached at the question. He'll turn up, or he won't, she answered, tone light and carrying a touch of mischief. Doesn't mean I have to put my life on hold. That was what she was trying to tell herself, anyway. She wasn't sure she believed it.

So... just you here for now? She went on, casting a glance around. It wasn't a bad place to set up shop, though she supposed she didn't know much about these things. Girls raised in damp seaside caves didn't have the highest standards.

Hokulani nodded. Storm was right, it didn't make sense to waste away while waiting for someone who might never show up.

For now. She responded, clearly optimistic. I have plans to go recruiting soon, I'm sure there's plenty of dispersals who need a home for the winter. Satisfied now that they were further inland, Hokulani began to dig a shallow pit to store the beaver.

Dispersals or not, Hokulani still planned to take numbers into her own hands. Children tended to stick around for a while, at least until they could handle themselves.

Storm nodded, head tilting to one side almost thoughtfully. Trade for a litter, she suggested, eyes tracking Hokulani's movements as she dug. She let her gaze sweep appreciatively over the woman, but only once.

Harder to find them weaned, she relented after a moment, still thinking. They don't usually last that long if they're not wanted. It'd be easier if you had a nursing mother around. Storm was thinking of the Glass Cove and their methods — but only to an extent. These children wouldn't be assassins. They would be... what? She eyed the woman curiously, almost expectantly.

Hokulani was visibly taken off-guard by the suggestion - a rare feeling for the future chieftess. I'm not sure I'll create good relationships going around asking for orphans, Stormbug. She responded, already relaxed and falling back into her habit of calling wolves anything but their proper name.

She could understand what Storm meant, though. For every loving mother there were five more with children they didn't ask for. Besides, I'm still going out to get my own kids. If you did find some orphans we wouldn't have to looking for a nursing mother that way. She wasn't so sure if she would waste time looking for a mate first anymore. Her season might only come once this year, and she had another adult to help raise them now.

Do you think you'll stick around here for me when I go out? She asked, looking back with a clear smile. It would mean a lot.

Stormbug. Was that a... nickname? Her eyes narrowed slightly for a moment, but then Hokulani went on, and Storm promptly forgot all about it. She wanted to ask where Hokulani was going to get her own children from — but that would have betrayed her complete ignorance. So she bit her tongue and nodded instead.

Yeah, I'll hold it down, Storm confirmed, ears flicking to and fro as she considered the logistics of raising children with only two wolves. She'd worked with worse odds — but typically the goal had been death, not life. This was new. But she could adapt. She always did.