cavern

moar threads 0.0- AW! perhaps den discovery?

A light rain had begun, and water was dripping off the long pine needles above. Ivev had been climbing in altitude for the past hour, slowly but surely winding into the rocky cliffs on the lower part of the mountain. There were still plenty of trees to shelter her from the environment, but the ground was beginning to turn more into stone slabs and less dirt.

Stopping to catch her breath, Ivev dropped the bundle of willow sticks she had been carrying in her mouth. The treeline was still several miles up, but there was a natural clearing here, and it jutted out over the surrounding hillside. It backed up to a small limestone ridge that had been carved out by a deep lake that had existed eons ago. The female could see the glassy lake in the distance (the overlook was situated in the northwestern corner), with the piney slopes looking like small small green teeth on the curve of the mountains. Besides the amazing view, Ivev had stumbled onto something conspicuous.

A large opening in the limestone ridge was situated on the far back of the overlook, with a smooth threshold into a dark well. Eager to get out of the drenching drizzle, she limped towards the den. There was nothing off-putting about the cave, but Ivev still inspected the entrance carefully, and only smelled mouse droppings and mustiness. She smiled.

It was perfect.

Lotan, too, was scaling the mountain, though the higher he climbed the more he started to doubt his decision. The rain made the pathways slick, and more than once he nearly lost his footing. He smiled wryly, thinking of how ironic it would be if he plunged to his death only weeks after joining this path; but the thought only served to give him more determination and so he took care to move slowly and purposefully.

For a long while, he was alone; he came across no other signs of his packmates. Then, as he reached a ridge that seemed to level out somewhat, the scent of a wolf tickled his nostrils. He wasn't positive, but he thought that the smell belonged to one of the females that had been present for the pack hunt; there had been two white she-wolves there, and he didn't know either of their names, so he wasn't sure who he was about to stumble upon. But he tracked her anyway, and soon found himself peering into her little enclosure.

He smiled and gave a wag of his damp tail. "Mind if I come in?" he asked, wondering if she was just getting out of the rain or if she had other intentions with this den-like hollow.

KNOCK KNOCK?!

There were a lot of new females arriving in Ouroboros now. If he was a younger man, if he wasn't mated to Cara, then he would probably be all over them, seductive and teasing as always. But he was not that young two year-old anymore. He was old enough to be their father, damnit.

This thought occurred to him as he scented one of those females as he climbed the rockface, the scent fresh despite the rain. It meant he was close. But there was another scent there: Lotan. The assassin snorted, wondering if the young man was getting the same ideas as he.

The Beta found the two of them peering into an opening in the cliff. A cave, it seemed. Kaname chuffed, closing the distance between him and the pair. "What are you two up to, hm?" He said before blowing rainwater out of his nose.

The willow sticks in her jaws rattled to the dry cave floor as she scooted inside, feeling the cool but smooth surface under her paws. The ceiling was high, but Ivev imagined she could touch it with her front foot if she stood on her back paws.

Her pelt was already beginning to fluff up as water evaporated from her pelt and back into the dreary sky. Ivev glanced back towards the steady pour outside and saw a figure emerging from the clearing. She peered closer to see a lanky agouti male with a pelt matted in rain coming closer. They hadn't met before, but Ivev recognized his scent in passing.
May I come in?

She smiled, scooting farther back into the hollow to allow him room. The cave was in the shape of a rough triangle, with the back coming to a halt in a small crevice. The floorspace was several paces across and widened to the large mouth of the cave, allowing for plenty of room towards the front.
Of course! She began to sweep the willow twigs off to the side, and in the process, scooping some of the vegetative debris that littered the corner. The floor was fairly clean, but it still could use a bit of a touch-up. Before Ivev had the chance to ask the male his name, however, another wolf showed up. Not recognizing him either, Ivev dipped her head in a greeting to enter the cave.

She quickly welcomed him, moving her collection of sticks and making room for him to join her. Lotan bowed his head and crept into the enclosure, tucking his tail behind him as he settled onto his haunches near the entrance. He didn't want to crowd his packmate, though he was thankful for the opportunity to dry off.

"I'm Lotan," he said, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, there was another voice just outside the cavern. He recognized Kaname before he saw him, and smiled as the Beta, too, asked for shelter. "Guess this is the place to be," he quipped, glad to have company on this dreary day. He was finding that the wolves of Ouroboros Spine were relatively social, a trait which he appreciated having come from a tightly knit family pack.

He made himself welcome, pulling his dark form into the dry den. It was snug, big enough for the three of them to have some sitting space. He didn't dare shake his pelt in such close proximity to other wolves. So he settled for the cat way and started to groom at his chest. "Guess so." he chuckled. He appreciated this closeness to wolves besides Cara. It really made him feel like he was part of a pack.

"Haven't I met you before?" He quirked an eyebrow at the white female. She felt awfully familiar, but the feeling was vague at best. Perhaps it was a fleeting encounter they had shared, and that's why she didn't seem like that much of a stranger.

sorry for delayed reply x.x

I'm Ivev, she replied in response, addressing both of the males.
Lotan's agouti fur was beginning to fluff out, as the dry but cool air relieved their hairs of moisture. Ivev could see over his shoulder and past the Beta at the sky, and it was beginning to darken. The rain would only pick up and continue into the night, perhaps with a chance of sleet or even snow. Still, it was weather they had all grown used to, but it was nice to catch some shelter once in awhile.

The ebony male still hadn't introduced himself, but Ivev couldn't help but chew on her lip thoughtfully, pondering his statement. The arctic healer had spent much of her time in Glacier in the populous eastern part of the park, and she had met quite a few souls already. And there was something hauntingly familiar about the male's composition.

I feel like we have, but I can't remember, Ivev answered honestly, with a bit of a sheepish tone.

Kaname joined them inside the small cave, and while the three wolves could sit comfortably, it seemed that they had likely reached their maximum. If anyone else came along, they would have to instruct their packmate to find their own shelter from the rain. Lotan shifted his gaze between the Beta and the female -- who introduced herself as Ivev. He assumed that she was relatively new, as he was, since she and Kaname didn't seem to be acquainted with one another.

It would be easy to linger in the mountainous region of the territory without running into anyone else, so perhaps that was where Ivev liked to spend her time. Lotan tapped his damp tail against the ground, though he didn't interject as Kaname and Ivev spoke to each other.

Kaname studied her face, trying to recall the faintly familiar face. "Hm." He chuffed, giving up. "Well, not that it matters anymore. We're packmates now, so we will get to know each other than some brief meeting in the past." He shrugged.

The Beta's pelt began to naturally dry, and he was getting to that uncomfortable half-damp, half-dry point that follows being drenched. He hated it; it was clammy and tight. After shifting uncomfortably, the assassin began speaking to the pair. "So, what do you two think of Ouroboros so far?"

She nodded in Kaname's response- it made sense. Ivev wanted to meet and greet everyone living within the Spine's valley, and this little cave gathering could get her well on her way.

It's been really nice. The lake is beautiful, the arctic creature responded, nodding towards the mouth of the cave. Past the rocky ledge, the tips of the pines could been seen sloping down towards the giant northern lake. The outdoors were misty and foggy with the cold rain, and the lake looked like a distant dark blue eye nestled within the mountains.

The cave has a good view of it- I hope it's reflective enough to show the sky on a clear night. It would be more enough to satiate Ivev's solitary and silent ponderings, of which she was gradually creating an archive of her natural observances.

Lotan smiled as Kaname asked their opinions of the Spine. Ivev was quick to answer, her response positive and complimentary of the land itself. He nodded his agreement; Kaname had been the one to give him and Wyvern a tour, so the Beta already knew that Lotan admired the landscape.

"And everyone here seems to be invested in taking care of the pack," he added. That was an important aspect; if the pack was disconnected or was not seeking to fulfill the same goals, it would not be as strong. But Cara and Kaname had done a good job of instilling a sense of purpose in their subordinates, and already Lotan felt a responsibility to provide for the Spine.

Kaname nodded in approval. At least the wolves here enjoyed being in the pack. He could not imagine living in a place he didn't like. Even during his assassination missions, he at least grew to like the places, even if he had to leave quickly and never return. "That's good to hear."

The assassin again turned his gaze to Ivev. It wasn't that he was completely ignoring Lotan, it was just that he had a few questions in mind for the woman; he hadn't met her on pack grounds yet, after all. "So I hear you're a healer?"

sorry for late post, should we wrap this up soon?

I guess you could say that, Ivev responded lightly. She pointed her nose to the willow sticks scattered in a small pile at the side of the cave. I know what some uses for plants are, but I've always thought it was better to aid in the comfort and speed of healing rather than introducing herbs to a wolf when they are sick. Still, nothing helps pain like some willow.

The wolf nodded at Lotan's comment. The Spine seemed to be one of the more coherent groups, even if there had been a rather tumultuous past of former leaders vying for position. And Ivev didn't know about the problem with a former member, Mara, hanging around the border. Ivev had no plans to venture outside the territory after her trip with Sitri, because she wanted to be close and as accessible as possible to her new packmates.

Yep, we can wrap up! :) This'll probably be my last post!

He listened curiously as Ivev spoke a bit about medicine. That was a topic he knew virtually nothing about, so he stored the information that she shared in his mind. Willow could be used as a painkiller -- if he never learned anything else about healing, he would at least know how to ease physical discomfort.

Though he found that he didn't have anything to add to that particular piece of the conversation, Lotan felt comfortable in the presence of his packmates. Once the rain let up, he would be glad to take his leave -- not because he hadn't enjoyed their company, but because he was eager to continue familiarizing himself with the territory.