Lost Creek Hollow ishi comes home

Harlyn felt her children crowd about her legs, and though there was worry in her heart, she gave them an encouraging smile nonetheless. "Hush, child," she said softly to Pippin, planting a kiss upon his crown soothingly. Her attention went to Spring then as she responded to the query, and the alpha was quiet and thoughtful as she gleaned each bit of information from her. Relief reached for her, but worry kept it at bay. Hope, however, did manage to make itself known in a small splinter of her heart. Maybe they had time. Maybe it was not so bad as it seemed.

She looked to her mate, understanding his meaning immediately. Were it not for Ishi in poor condition and the fact that Shikoba nor their own children knew of what the alpha pair - for that's what Mordecai quite suddenly was now, without question in her mind - had been considering behind closed doors, Harlyn would be leading the departure from the Hollow right then. But instead, she bit her lip and turned to consider those gathered, and heaved a sigh when she again saw fewer options than she wanted to believe there were.

"Thank you for all that you have done for us," the druid said as she stepped forward and swept the stranger in a wolfish embrace, disregarding the fact that she didn't even know the name of the wolf showing her such gratitude, "It will not be forgotten. I pray for your safety and that no harm befalls you for what you have done to help us and our family." Harlyn closed her eyes briefly as she prayed, briefly sick at the thought that this selfless young woman might find herself now at odds with the demon cat for what she'd done to help their Ishi. There was no changing it now, though, and Harlyn could do nothing more than have faith that she would be well wherever her path now took her.

Harlyn stepped back after a moment and turned then to face the rest of her pack. She rose authoratatively then and fixed Shikoba and Ishi with a concerned but resolved gaze. "We must leave the Hollow," she said shortly, pain and determination in her tone, "We are too few to keep our claim secure and I will not risk the lives of my family to keep it. I do not know where it is we will go, and I can promise nothing of where we end up except that I will do all in my power to make sure that we are safe there."

The druid's gaze flickered to the faces of her children briefly and she felt her heart break for the turmoil she was so abruptly pushing them into. She turned back to her gamma and delta shortly, though. "This move is not without danger though, and I recognize that it is perhaps not one you would wish to join us on not knowing the outcome," She swallowed hard before continuing, for this was something she wanted greatly to dictate rather than leave up to them for she hated the risk that they may choose a different path than what she hoped for, "But it is my wish that you would stay with us. You are both family, and I do not wish to be parted from you."

"I believe Spring has bought us a few days, so you don't have to decide now," Harlyn added after a brief moment of deliberation, "But we will leave upon the third sunset from this day. I can't risk remaining any longer than that, for our childrens' sake. Ishi is in better condition than I could have hoped, but he needs time. We will remain together in this Hollow. You will both stay with us by our den for safety and so that I can tend to your injuries. Ishi will be well enough by then, and then.. we move." She fell silent then, but her gaze implored the rest of them to reply however they would. Again, her gaze flickered towards her children, but there would be plenty of time to answer whatever questions or concerns they had regarding this declaration. The pups had no choice in this matter, and Harlyn hoped quite fervently that Ishi's and Shikoba's hearts would insist that they too had no choice either.