Phoenix Maplewood storm surge

Ex-NP members just passing through.. stumbling upon their old neighbors. Maybe no real posting order, to keep things moving, but allow anyone who wants to participate a chance per round?

@Bazi @Kieran @Kaskara @Swift @Tryphon @Jorunn @Whittier @Pasha @Saena @Reek and all other 'PM' members

The pack was on the move. Their kingdom behind them still had smoke spiraling to the air, and the scent of it clung to his fur – he wondered briefly if he would ever rid the stench.. but also noted that a lot of it was likely nothing but memory.
 
Their travel was slower, given the five puppies, but the adults would draw their attention and spurn them forward. The sooner they chose a place to settle, the better – though the cinnamon regal was becoming quite uneasy as they drifted closer and closer to their old ‘stomping’ grounds.
 
They did not know where they sought, and yet.. when they came upon a forest that held promise, it was quickly dissipated when the scent of wolf had become stronger here. Pack lands? His nose drifted along the ground, his muscles taut as he attempted to gauge if there were borders here. Perhaps faint? Ushering a bark, he called the pups to him, beginning to plot out a journey further from the newly claimed land.

Figured I'd throw a post up before I go MIA this weekend! Also, I'll finish up the thread in Nova Peak as soon as I get back (I haven't forgot— I've been super busy).

Claiming the Maplewood was no easy task. Reek's mental to-do list felt as if it was a million miles long as he scrambled to make his new home feel more like, well, home. First and foremost, he marked the borders without ceasing.  The raggedy alpha was hard pressed to stop until the whole place reeked of Reek. Digging a proper den and finally planting the garden that he had wanted for ages took the backseat, even though they were the things he looked forward to most.  Unfortunately, necessities had to be taken care of first.

Making his second pass around the territory, Reek brushed up against every tree in his wake and marked every hundred feet or so, that is, until the faint smell of smoke caught his attention. Too faint to be from fire, but Reek set off across the border to investigate the source, eventually coming face to face with their allies from the North— the whole pack.

"Hey guys!" Exclaimed Reek in surprise. "— Uh, 'sup?" Finally, the fact that the entire pack had made the trip sunk in. Whatever implication that held, it didn't seem good.  Reek's surprised smile faltered into a confused and questioning grimace in the hopes they would provide adequate explanation.

Saena's patrolling was endless. The petite female didn't like it, never really had, but it was a necessity that she be a competent warden and she wasn't about to let that responsibility flag, especially now that they had a new territory to protect. No one had been foolish enough to test their claim yet, but she couldn't help remembering what Nochtli said about Meldresi—that the woman had called their claim "unofficial", as if that was a thing—and she shuddered to think what idiotic creature could stumble into their midst, claiming things as unofficial.

Maybe it would be the dark witch herself. Maybe Saena could subdue her, bring her back to Nova Peak as an offering of friendship. Or maybe she wouldn't show up, maybe the wolves of the maplewood would have a break in their bad luck for once.

She was just hiking a leg to dominantly mark another fern on the ground when she spotted Reek through the trees, accompanied by the scent of smoke on the air. They must've gone opposite directions and were meeting up here. The smoke she chalked up to her mate; all of them still smelled charred from the fire. That would cling to them for weeks. With a lazy grin the alpha female began picking her way through the trees toward her mate, but when he called out to someone that wasn't her, she faltered.

A swivel of her head was all it took to spot a burly brown-white figure through the gaps in the trees. Curious, Saena padded out into the open and was met with not just Scimitar, but his pups, his mate, his sister... the whole Nova Peak pack, all smelling kind of smoky themselves, which she figured was from the fire at the Rise as well. Her brows pinched. Was this an invasion? She didn't like the implication of an entire pack showing up on her borders, but before she got confrontational about it, Saena intended to hear them out. It could be very different than she imagined.

There was so much of the world to be seen, Pasha discovered. The world was much bigger than just what he had ever glimpsed from the rise of the mountain. From there, it had seemed so small, as though at some point it truly just dropped off the edge of the world.

And really, moving on from what had been home didn't bother him perhaps nearly as much as it should have. Or would have, had he been old enough to understand every little thing that was going on. As far as he was concerned, they were going on an adventure to realms unexplored. They had gone on vacation, permanently.

He had been tooling around somewhere in the middle of the group, bounding between his mother and a couple of his siblings. Pasha still had some energy left on reserve, the day still fresh and young in his mind. He paid little attention to what the adults were doing at times, content with investigating whatever he could without someone hauling him back to the group.

One such moment came when his father summoned him, and at first Pasha presumed it was because he was willing to stray from the bulk again. A hasty pout began to form on his face as he turned to survey why, when a pair of sleek-formed wolves emerged from the woodland just beyond where his family was beginning to halt. And so, curiously (and let's be honest, maybe a little tinge of fear), he was quick to join the rest of them.

Not as adventurous as some of her siblings, Allure would stick close to the sides of the adults, generally rotating her time among them (or she had been pawned off on her next victim). For now, she casually loped alongside Kieran, asking questions about everything they had come across, and never truly hearing the answers that were given,

Her interest in the world was not questionable, but apparently, her thoughts on strangers was. Scimitar ushered the family closer together, and about to question him, two wolves appeared before them – both rather impressive to the young cub.. and the female, with the red splashed upon her fur, was rather pretty. She said nothing.. instead, the black and white child pressed her nose to Pasha’s cheek, as if she was reassuring him.. when in truth, she was trying to reassure herself.

He remained fearful over the course of their travel. He jumped at novel sounds and would flee to the other side of his father, to whom he had kept close, if a branch or bush moved the wrong way. In addition to their former home, it seemed the fire had consumed the boldness that had characterized him until now. He did not stray from his father until they passed a clump of chamomile. He quickly veered off to nip a few stems of the calming, strengthening plant and then darted back to Scimitar.

His father barked, calling those who were not with to him to his side. Swift still held the plants in his mouth, his upset mind too busy for his uncanny medicinal knowledge to guide him into distributing the plants to his family. Their stems were crushed in his teeth when two strange wolves came upon them. The little Frostfur bristled, narrowing his eyes upon these two wolves. A low growl formed at the back of his throat while his shoulder pushed against his father's hind leg.

Just to keep this moving, since I'll be away for a few days.

His family came to him when called – something he would appreciate later, though his attention was currently upon Reek as he made his way to them. Stoical, Scimitar hid his confusion at seeing the dark male from the Rise, and offered a nod of his muzzle in silent greeting. Saena was quick to join them as well, and understanding seemed to fall upon him in that moment.
 
They weren’t the only ones who were homeless.
 
“Reek, Saena,” he rumbled quietly, his eyes darting down to his son and casting him a stern look as the growl bubbled from the boy’s jaws. He nudged him before glancing up once more, giving a small nod. “The wood son Nova Peak caught fire in the storm – we’re looking for a new place to settle,” he began carefully, his eyes drifting over both before glancing at the forest. It looked as if this place was taken. “It looks like Redtail Rise didn’t fare much better.”

*squeaks this in before work*

As they gathered, Pasha felt the touch of Allure against his cheek. Her nose was damp and cold, and therefore distracting to him. Still, he leaned against her in response, the reassurance between them. This was something he did not think about, the response was natural and instinctive. It also did not help that Swift's response was defensive in general, or maybe even on the offense a bit. Up close, these two wolves were vastly unfamiliar. They didn't even smell familiar, which led Pasha to wonder where it was they were even from.

Of course, he took particular interest in the fact that his father knew them both, greeting them and launching up into conversation. He heard Nova Peak and beamed briefly because hey, that was home! Or was home, if the whole looking for a new place to settle meant anything. Pasha hadn't taken into consideration about the fire. He remembered the smoke, remembered the heat from the lightning and its thunderous arrival to their refuge. Most of all, he remembered bolting away into the night and being found as well.

Curiously, his eyes wavered from his father to the two strangers, wondering what they thought of all of this.

Can we assume no strict post order? I think to be fair, everyone should post once before others re-post (i.e. Scimitar, Pasha and myself have posted this round and have to wait for Reek, Allure II and Swift before they can post again), but you can post in whatever order you want? I feel like with the absences involved in this thread, it would be kept moving better if the post order was loose rather than strict. If that's not cool with anyone, PM me and I'll remove my post and wait my turn.

Bazi, Kaskara and the two adult males with them were seemingly disinterested in the meeting up until now. Saena gave them but a cursory glance; while she was genuinely fond of Kaskara and familiar with Bazi, her attention went to the alpha male instead, the most critical among them, as he was the one in charge here. Around him crowded three pups, the fourth and fifth remaining with the rest of the pack in the back. Her eyes swept over them: one brown with a slight flop to his ear; one black with a brilliant smudge of white beneath her chin that swept down her chest; and one white with a striking splash of black upon his back. Her eyes lingered on this one the longest, since he had the audacity to growl at her.

The alpha female lifted her head slightly, peering down at him, and rumbled gently in her throat in response. To the adults, her display would be almost playful, the twitch of her tail and brightness in her eyes betraying that she was only messing with him, but to the youth, it might serve to appear serious. To remind him of his place or else spur him on. To play, but deceitfully. That was a wolf's trade, really: deceit. Mind tricks. Maybe it would work on the young wolf, who was surely not in a position to spot her short tail's wag or to recognize the mischief in her eyes, or maybe he was smarter than that.

Scimitar's voice pulled her back and her eyes darted from the black-spine child to the Nova Peak alpha male, who informed them that the woods had burned. She remembered seeing from a distance the woods of the mountain. A substantial area. "I'm sorry to hear that," she told him in a voice laced with genuine concern. "I hope you find somewhere soon, that your family can rest and relax. I know how hard that is for us adults. I can't imagine." She gazed down at the children again.

"Redtail Rise went up in smoke. The whole ridge burned. The prey is all gone, even the hawks won't fly there anymore. We had to leave and we've only just found this place." She smiled sidelong at Reek. "If you need to take refuge for a day or two, you're more than welcome to do so here."

Squeezing in one reply, won't post again. :)

Bazi was so far gone in her PTSD fog that she barely registered the presence of other wolves around her. She stayed in the back, watching smoke rise from Nova Mountain's soiled cape of trees. Only a few scattered trees at the very edge of the Northwood had survived the blaze, and the centre had burned so fiercely that the blackened trunks had collapsed into ash. Their very own Pompeii.

Scimitar had taken charge in the wake of the disaster. Flourished, really, filling the space that Bazi left behind when she retreated. She made no effort to interact when their paths crossed with Reek and Seana, sitting slumped and silent with her back turned. Everything smelled like fire.

Sorry, I've been on the road! Feel free to skip me if needed.

Kaskara's entire demeanor had changed since the fire had forced them to flee. She was quiet, withdrawn, and had only cursory glances and nudges for each of her family members. Her heart worried for Pasha, her nephew, whom had darted off followed swiftly by his mother. Kieran had promised to bring them back, and it wasn't until the three of them returned to their vagabond group did Kaskara allow on smile.

She nuzzled everyone when she had a chance, and helped Kieran herd the children in front of them. Even Jorunn, who was old enough to stick close, was kept within her sights. She tasked him with watching out for Swift, who liked to wander to pluck flowers, and kissed the strange boy's head softly as if he were kin.

They arrived on the doorsteps of Saena's pack, apparently run out of their own home much as they were. Kaskara's heart ached for them. She frowned at her friend and then let the others speak. She wasn't in the mood, and she wasn't sure her voice would work properly at all. The smoke had singed it and the disuse hadn't helped, either. She didn't want to strain it any more than necessary, and for now, her body language and eyes could tell the story.

No post order works for me!

She was looking at him. He stared suspiciously at her, feeling his fur bristle under her stare. His mind was not numb and slow but his distrust and pessimism was such that he assumed the worst, and this created a fog through which her hints of playful mischief could not penetrate. His father touched him - startled him, really, and with a surprised yip he hopped backward before scrambling to re-situate himself behind his father's legs. He peered around them, his aquamarine eyes fixated on the red-and-white devil. Even her friendly words did not ease the fearful boy.

The uprooting of the family from Nova Peak had been nothing more than a mere blur to the chubby boy.  One moment he had been sleeping and the next, someone was rousing him and urging him to run.  For the life of him, he couldn't even remember who the adult had been in the situation - only that he had never fought harder to keep up with his leaner, more athletic siblings.  Perhaps in the future, it would be with pride that he recollected the fact that he had NOT been the one to be separated from the rest, but for now, he was nothing but exhausted, grumpy, and anxious about this strange new world that surrounded him.

Whit had snoozing soundly when the strangers approached their homeless little band, but eventually the sound of their voices roused him.  Not entirely awake still, the pudgy boy trundled forward in a manner that would have suggested courage had he not been so clearly out of it.  While Allure and Pasha curled up beside their parents' legs nervously and Swift coiled back defensively, Whit wobbled right past them all to strut right up to the one apparently named Reek.  Unceremoniously, the boy plopped down onto his haunches directly in front of the bizarre-looking wolf.  He regarded him with an intense cant of his head though a much less intense gaze before a yawn erupted across his muzzle, so wide and so powerful that he twisted his muzzle skyward and was so shaken by the corresponding shiver across his spine, that he fell straight backwards and was left blinking stupidly up at the sky beyond all of them.

Its a working weekend for me, so feel free to skip me and Tryphon whenever. My posts will be short.

He trailed along behind them, assuming a defensive position in their caravan; he felt like an omega among them, and none had quelled that doubt within him yet. Scimitar led the way with the kids in tow, and the other adults were silent, mourning the loss of their home. Tryphon felt almost nothing for the forest - he hadn't lived there long enough, consistently enough, to become attached - but he felt sorrow for Bazi each time he saw her, or Kaskara, or any of the others. His promise to stick around now weighed upon him, but it was not a promise he'd break willingly. When the group came upon claimed lands, Tryphon became a bit more restless; however, Scimitar was quickly greeted by some strangers who he apparently recognized, and things weren't tense - they appeared to be more survivors. He did not pry, and instead lingered in the rear, enjoying the brief break.

quick phone post to keep this moving!

Homeless. The same fire that had raveged the Rise, leaving it a burnt husk in comparison to it's old glory, had wrought it's same brand of destruction on the home of their northern breatheran.  While the news wasn't shocking in the slightest, it still carried the somber weight of relatability.  Whilst nodding to Scimitar in solidarity, Reek noticed the sidelong glance Saena shot him searching for confirmation.

In agreement, he nodded back.  Their allies from the North were more than welcome to stay on a temporary basis to regain their spirits.  It was the least they could do. "Absolutely," affirmed the raggedy alpha. "We don't have much cache wise, but we can at least feed the children."

Crappy post from ipad.. But wanted to keep moving.

It would seem their neighbors had suffered the same fate. Scimitar was quiet in his acknowledgement of this, and his eyes would drift between Saena and Reek to convey his condolences. 

Whittier waltzed up to them -- his display only stirring the regal's brows to lift. Swift was steady behind him, hiding from the ivory ex-Rise leader. Allure, Pasha and Jorunn also remained silent. The group was the definition of defeated.. And he couldn't bring himself to look at his broken mate right now.

"Thank you. A rest for them would be greatly appreciated." And for a stolen moment, he wondered what it would be like to hang his crown.. And focus on his family alone, instead.

Kaskara murmured words of love to the children around them, and invited them away from the leaders and their talk. Today she was an aunt, first and foremost, and the leader in her had already resigned to the fact that perhaps her life was more important to her family as she was, rather than what she might be. Kas didn't want to dwell on any of this just now, and instead tried to coax her niece and nephews from Scimitar, to settle with her by Tryphon.

She turned her bi-colored eyes toward the boy and wondered at his motivation. He had left them, and just as abruptly returned to them in their hour of need. What did he seek to gain from this? Whatever it might be, Kas was too exhausted to ponder it much longer. So she offered him a grim smile, and invited him closer, as well. They would pair to corral the children, and seek to give Scimitar and his wife a bit of rest. Her gaze swung back to Saena and Reek at that moment, and she gave them each a nod of thanks, and a promise to herself to speak with them before they departed.

So tired, the bi-toned puppy did not even attempt to listen to the grown up’s or discern what was being discussed. Instead, Pasha’s weight was soothing to her, and she buried her muzzle closer to her brother. Allowing her eyelids to droop, Allure paid no heed to Swift and his suspicion, nor to the strange wolves who were talking with her father. Instead, she withheld another yawn, though her body still shook as if she had released it. She could easily fall asleep as was now – and perhaps even started to before her muzzle would drift down to a point it pulled uncomfortably at her neck, and she jerked awake once more. With her vision blurry, Allure allowed a whimper to escape her then, announcing her displeasure.

Soon enough after his topple, his aunt was stepping in to sweep he and his siblings together. Whit went willingly enough, though he was only slightly more awake than he had been a moment before. He blinked rapidly to brush away his weariness, but it didn't exactly work too well. His gaze landed on Pasha and Allure as he rejoined them, all curled up and snuggly...

Disregarding the comfort of his siblings, Whit clambered over to them and proceeded to wedge himself as snugly as he could between their rumps. Once settled, he placed his head upon Pasha's spine and gave a contented sigh. He had no idea how long he had to sleep and be cozy, but he was happy to take what he could get.

I'm not really sure if I've missed anyone in the order, if so let me know! Wanna keep this moving. :)

Saena's eyes drifted to Bazi at the back of the caravan. The cloud-coated arctic wolf was once so strong of countenance that Saena could've, if she'd known her better, aspired to be like her. However, now the woman seemed forlorn somehow. She was facing the north, where the slope of Nova Peak was blackened and burned. She didn't acknowledge Saena or Reek, or anyone else.

Saena felt for her. She'd felt that sort of pain before. Losing Redtail Rise hadn't affected her as deeply, at least from outward appearances, but the loss of her father and mother had. Her sympathetic gaze lingered a moment longer before tracing across Kaskara's face and falling on the bundled pups. With the exception of the black-spine, the others were cuddling together. Probably exhausted, thought Saena.

Reek offered up their food and Saena nodded immediate consent. The forest was lush and bountiful this time of year and the wolves had had no trouble stocking up a little. They still had a lot of work to do, but with a few skilled gamekeepers, Saena was certain they could find a meal for their allies. "We can take you inward, find a place for your cubs to sleep and for you to rest," she said, glancing again at the pile of puppies before gesturing for them to follow. "You'll be safe here for however long you need to stay. We'll make sure of it." If Saena had to do double time on the borders to protect the pups of another pack—something she would do almost exclusively for Blacktail Deer Plateau or Nova Peak, as valued allies—then she would do that. If she had to spend every waking hour hunting, she would do that too. She couldn't let them go hungry, not little pups, and not Kaskara or Bazi or Scimitar or their companions either.

In no shape or form did altruism come naturally to the patriarch of the maplewood. However, their brethren from the north were a special case— and though Reek hardly knew their closest allies (save for Bazi, who was still just an acquaintance at best), he viewed them as family. Deep down, there was a part of Reek that knew the wolves of the Peak would have done the same for them if their rolls had been reversed.

Saena offered up an invitation to the band of refugees for entry into the territory, and now knowing it was all right with his mate and co-leader, Reek beckoned for the displaced pack to follow. "Come," he said, turning toward the deep of the wood before sauntering back from whence he came.

Squeaks in a last post from Tryphon.

The children were herded over to him, for some reason. Or maybe to Kaskara - she was nearby, he remembered - and while the noteworthy adults discussed things, the two of them minded the kids. Eventually the conversation concluded. Tryphon was watching the group with a tired eye, and said nothing during the exchange; like the others, he was tired. Maybe not as emotionally destroyed as the rest, but still tired. The kid's antics didn't rouse much out of him, nor did the fleeting glances from Kaskara, who looked as if she had something to say to him; or maybe he was reading in to things too much in this sensitive time.

Either way, when the rival alpha male bade them to move, Tryphon was one of the first to start going. He ducked his head towards the nearest child and poked at them with his cold nose, prompting them to their paws or to start walking. They could rest in the safety of the pack lands.

Corralled safely in the restrains of his aunt, Pasha found himself settling down easily with her. And of course, much easier with his siblings about him. He hadn't taken into consideration just how tired he really was until that moment, when the flood of warmth and safety and comfort overwhelmed the arrangement of wolves and unfamiliar faces about them. They had been going for a while, perhaps too long for even he to consider. Regardless, as they were pushed along to somewhere safe to rest, he fell into a daze and watched the adults in a half-stupor of sorts; aware of what was going on around him, but perhaps not truly registering it at all.

Tomorrow would be another day.

He understood that the wolves before them had offered to let them rest, but still he held on to his suspicion and fear of them. His narrowed eyes were focused on the backs of their heads as the family moved into the territory, and he held closely to his father. His tail hung limply behind him, and he carried his head below his shoulders. He made not a sound, though on several occasions he had to stop himself before another growl could escape.

Saena and Reek had decided to let them in for a few days, and she was forever grateful to them for that. As they moved as a group, Kaskara stood and nudged the pups to their feet, glad to see that Tryphon had done so without prompting. A grin flickered on her face before it faded away, her mind reeling back to the fire and the smoke. The heat that singed her fur.

Kas shook her head and nosed the pups along, following their friends into the heart of the pack, watching Scimitar and Bazi closely. What would they do if their attempt at finding their foothold nearby failed? Would Scimitar be able to hang his crown for the sake of his family? Those questions, and others,plagued her mind as they walked, but she was able to smile warmly at Saena. Soon, she would find her friend and talk. But for now, rest and food were her goals.