Broken Boulder where the river narrows

posting again to avoid going inactive - feel free to pop in at any point @Xan!

They did not have to wait for long before a wolf showed up. Laurel eyed him cautiously, but she lowered her body in submission nonetheless when he showed up. These were not the times to be arrogant. She had little left, and what she had she preferred to keep. She glanced sideways at Xan briefly before turning her attention on the pack wolf that came to greet them. Mahler, he introduced, of the pack Rivenwood. Rivenwood sounded nice; kind of like Easthollow. Perhaps it could offer some of the same things. She hoped it could, for however much she had taken Easthollow and Valette's unending kindness for granted, now she missed it all. To think she needed to grovel before this man she did not even know to get a place in his pack sickened her, but Laurel swallowed this along with her pride as she offered him a friendly smile.

Nice to meet you, Mahler. I am Laurel, and this is Xan, here she gestured at him, We are formerly of Easthollow. Its leader has passed away and there were not enough of us left. We're looking for a home. Maybe it could be Rivenwood. We can hunt and we'll work to earn our keep. She looked at him, her face turning more serious as she said the last sentence, and waited for his verdict. It was the dead of winter and they needed someplace to stay.

Normally Laurel might ask what this pack was about and why she should grace them with her presence. What did they have to offer? But not anymore. Such grace and dignity had fallen off her over the years and over the many, many months of hearing his voice hiss on the inside of her skull.

Oh, don't pout, I've been so good to you. Nobody likes an ungrateful little wretch. I have given so much in return, my darling.