Sleepy Fox Hollow Rockabye [m]

@Tatsuya ! :D

After her encounter with her long missing father, Potema knew it was time to go south, back to home. Home, where she was most likely missed. Home, where she hoped to Sithis and Mephala that her mother had returned to. Her place was with her family, for now.

Potema walked down the Sunspire Mountains, looking for the beginning of Otter Creek, where she could follow the river back to Blackfeather Woods. It was a hard journey; the girl was not used to the hard, rocky slopes. Her paws threatened to crack wide open, throbbing with painful warmth each time she rested. But she trudged on, knowing that she was reaching the end of the mountain range now.

The last night of her journey brought her to a large, open meadow alive with nightsong. Tired and nearly limping, Potema plopped down in the nearest, softest patch of grass she could find. Mongfionn, her ever watching raven guide, landed nearby. The journey was not as hard on her as it was on Potema, and as such, the raven offered to be in charge of the night watch, perching gently on Potema's side as the white princess fell asleep, blissful and largely unaware.

More and more wildlife seemed to be returning lately. The storm spooked a good portion of fair game out of the Teekon Wilds, but they did not disappear for too long, returning in droves. Where they all ran off to, he could not say, seeming to appear from the woodwork. He even spent his afternoon heckling those out in the wilds further inward to be preyed upon by his brethren. Tatsuya was successful in corralling some of them. As for whether they would stay here – close to claimed lands – was up for debate. The wolverine chased after his prey more out of practice than any desire to make a kill. True, bringing back a deer would earn him brownie points, but he felt the timing was not right. Perhaps when they laid claim to some other region...
INDENTThis is what drew him to the granitic faces east of Ouroboros Spine. His pack mates had thrived in the Spine, which was part mountain and part land...Nothing as craggy as the slopes before him. Tatsuya has never lived on a mountain before. Not like those riddled along the Sunspire anyway. Numerous packs have gathered at the base of these impressive elevations, obstructed from those who would usurp them from their homes. Funny thing is, yet another pack resided along this very mountain range themselves, so the packs down here were not exactly protected by sneaky sieges under night. Why his thoughts went to sieges and fighting was because of a familiar, unwelcome scent pervading his senses. Burke – or charmingly nicknamed 'maggot' by Tatsuya – was nearby. His claim was strong and it was backed by many. Tatsuya did not wander any closer to measure their precise numbers. As much as he may have wanted to, the wolverine was not stupid enough to engage a wolf on his own land. Despite coming upon Burke's habitation, he would report back to @Tonravik. If the she-bear intended to claim an area around here, it would be best to know of their neighbors in advance.
INDENTTatsuya sat upon a salient stone overlooking Burke's umbrageous woods. So long did he stare upon the cluster of trees did his eyes slide shut and he drifted off into dreamless sleep. Three hours passed and he awoke with a jump. Ugh. One of those falling dreams again. What a pain. Those always spooked him awake without fail. This time, however, he was thankful to be free of the sandman's spell; night has fallen and he had plenty of land to cover going back to Moonspear. The Epsilon has not slept well since the twister, but to sleep out in the open like this was not wise. As if I can help it.
INDENTStretching and yawning, Tatsuya examined the area with hawkish eyes. As he did this a flicker of movement out the side of his eye made him go rigid; a pale creature traveled down an unsmooth gradient. One that was certain to leave her hurting. Through gaps of rock and bramble, he stilled to avoid detection. Tatsuya could blend easily with the darkness. To any who would look upon him now might think he was a boulder, but his vulcan orbs moved as the wolf did, trained upon her like prey. There was nothing inherently evil in his glassy eyes; his optics were famous for their intensity, not for any malevolence behind them.
INDENTThe wolf – a child, from what he could see – laid upon a meadow fed by Otter Creek. An inky critter with white draped across it's shoulders stood watch over her prone form. Was that...was that a bird? Fascinated, Tatsuya descended the cool stones, paws greeting springy earth once more. Gently, stealthily, he made his way over to the snowy child...Her nighttime defender wasted no time in spotting him, cawing urgently to wake Potema. Tatsuya cringed at the grating sound which had silenced the symphonic grasshoppers momentarily. Damn. You are loud for such a tiny thing. Cover blown, there was nothing else he could do aside from stand as still as possible, watching, waiting for sleeping beauty to rouse from her sleep.

As she slept, she felt the beginnings of a dream enter her mind. She was in the mouth of a cave, but not from the Web that weaved underneath Blackfeather. It lacked the familiar bioluminescent glow of the mushrooms and glowworms that decorated the floor and ceiling of the Web. No, this cave was dark, opening like a creature's maw, swallowing all of the light from the outside. From inside, Potema heard strange noises. Laughter, singing, foreign, wicked chants. Pawsteps, the snap of jaws. Screams. And yet she was compelled to go forth into the cave. She took one step, but paused as the flapping of wings grew closer and closer. She could see a shape in the darkness heading towards her. A creature of darkness flew into her face, cawing.

Potema jolted awake, her single eye wide with curiosity and fear. Mongfionn hopped off of her back, murmuring in a soft tone. Someone here! Creep toward you. Fionn's sentences were not as elaborate as her mother's, who could spit harsh rhetoric in both the bird and wolf tongue with ease, but the message was clear. Her sapphire eye adjusted quickly to the dark and focused on the wolf-like shape in close proximity. The girl rose to her feet, ignoring the pain in her pawpads. This might be a fight, for all she knew. "What do you want?" She tried to be icily calm like her mother, but felt flames burning inside her with the anger that someone had snuck up on her, and that someone had ruined her nap. Ice-fire, then.

Tatsuya attention was drawn to Mongfionn's urgent flapping. What connection did a bird have to this wolf? How was this even possible? This flew in the face of everything he has ever known about lesser animals, thinking them to be little more than scavengers and, occasionally, helpers. Circling birds signaled an ailing beast or a carcass, mainly consistent of crows and/or turkey vultures. Intricate formations signaled migrations though this was not always the case. One time he saw two eagles clasping their feet together mid flight, falling as they mastered this aerial phenomenon. Tatsuya had no idea what they were doing and the spectacle only lasted for a few seconds. It was an oddity that perplexed him to this day.
INDENTThe wolf awoke, groggy and (understandably) temperamental. Her tenor harbored an icy edge while her tone spoke of vehement warmth. An odd mixture that failed to instill concern within him. What did he want, anyway? Her demand was met with a snort and a insouciant drawl. “Food, respect, a partner to warm my bed, a family.” All basic, reasonable desires just about every living organism on this planet shared. Her line of questioning was open to interpretation. Like hell Tatsuya was going to give her an easy answer with such an open-ended inquiry. She was young, possibly naive. Now was a good time to be a hard ass without being shoved to the ground. Lookin' at you, Nanuk. “And maybe a pet bird to watch over me while I sleep. That'd be nice too.”

Mature Content Warning

This thread has been marked as mature. By reading and/or participating in this thread, you acknowledge that you are of age or have permission from your parents to do so.

The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: Mild - harsh language.

The girl was further annoyed by the wolf's answer. Sure, her question was rather vague, but she had just woken up. The mind was sluggish after sleep, brief as it was. Her eyes narrowed  before she opened her mouth again with a sharp retort. "Are you always a jackass to people or am I just special." It was the first time a common curse had exited her lips, but it seemed appropriate in this situation. Potema was cranky, after all, and in an hostile environment. Why wouldn't she curse at him?

Mongfionn lighted onto her shoulders again, her beady eyes fixated on the wolf who had crept towards them both. What he had intended to do was unknown, but both agreed that it had to be bad. Her mother had warned her about people like him whenever she went out alone. Childlike naïveté made her think that it would never happen. Well, here he was, possibly about to do the unthinkable.

Words spat from the child's mouth made him guffaw. What a little grump she was! Did she dream in those minutes of sleep? Did it enrapture her to no end? Must have with that sour attitude. Tatsuya could understand where she was coming from, though. He reigned in the snide remarks with a final quip.
INDENT“Goodness, you are testy,” Reclining, he wrapped his tail around his nether, focusing on that milk white eye. Auricles swiveled in their sockets, interest coloring his visage. Jagged scars pulled the skin tight there. A superficial trauma that has healed over nicely. And she had a spare, too; a histrionic lapis lazuli directed right at him. What? You're still mad over that? Child, you need to learn to let thin–That was when a breeze hummed inauspiciously through the trees, bringing with it a throng of odors. Potema was caught in the crossfire, distinguishing herself without words. The truth was alarming but he made gave no sign of it; internalizing the turmoil. Blackfeather Woods earned a quick glimpse, switching between Potema and her residence. What to do with this information...?
INDENT“Home beckons you.” A rather ominous statement, one that lacked the telltale grin of a mental case. Tatsuya could not bring himself to attack a child. She was exonerated in so far as the Caldera was concerned. Wildfire had escaped whole, but that did not vindicate Burke's misconduct. To bring her into this shit storm would make things worse, not better. Good thing he was not aligned with Redhawk Caldera else this unplanned meeting would be much, much darker.

Potema wanted her eyes to narrow even further to show her disapproval, if such a thing were possible. At the same time, she wanted to be calm and cool like her mother, letting insults wash over her, or fierce and brave like Burke. The girl was caught in between those to reactions, her face scrunched up in anger, yet with a neutral body position. Such a confused child you are...A voice laughed from the depths of her mind. You are neither of them, yet both. You react how Potema would, not Mother or Burke. Potema ignored it, as always, but it was right. Of course she was. "And you're not that much better." She finally pouted. Teenagers, am I right?

When the unknown stalker set his eyes upon her own blind one, Potema had to suppress a shudder of discomfort. She donned a mask of annoyance, haphazardly made as it was, but was painfully aware of the pit of disgust and embarrassment in her stomach that she had always associated with long stares at her white eye.

She was not certain what to think when he voiced an ominous prophecy. It did, why wouldn't it? She was a homesick child, after all. But she grew more and more cautious as she over-analyzed the statement. The wind had shifted before he said so, didn't it? She had felt the slight breeze on her back, the wind heading towards this dark wolf. Her scent was carried with it. Did he know of Blackfeather Woods? Was he an enemy (wasn't everyone?)? "Doesn't it to every wanderer?" She deflected the question as best she could. "Doesn't it to you?" She could not smell his scent that well with this wind, but she had to assume that he had a home somewhere. Everyone did. 

“Hm? You say something?” She spoke just now. He was sure of it. Saw her lips move and everything. Was she speaking to her pet? Was that even possible, given their species? Good grief. This girl raises more and more questions by the second. That is why he persevered her fury. It would take a lot more than name calling to get Tatsuya worked up.
INDENTDistress. She did not like being gawked at. It was awkward to disregard such an injury, but he would do his best to not do so again. He was not so far removed from decency to snub a youngster's discomfort. Even if said youngster did not run with he and his. And had a foul mouth.
INDENTThe cogs in her brain began to turn. Tatsuya did not think his remark warranted much cerebration but the girl was intent on making something of it. Her deflection ended in a query, one he was quick to answer. “Home...That word means many things to me.” Tonravik asserted that home was in pack, Sakuya insisted home was in spilled blood, his parents said home was in the heart. “I suppose I have a home right now, if you think home can be a band of wolves.” Further interrogation into Tartok would go unanswered. Tatsuya would not risk his life giving such knowledge freely. As for wandering...Bah. Wandering is only good for losing yourself. What about immunity? To verbalize, to act without repercussion? A loner knows nothing of freedom. Indeed. What a puritanical life style that is. He felt it now despite belonging to Tonravik, but food was scarce between them at the moment. Any and all sustenance must be passed on to Tonravik. He would eat when she had her fill, not before.
INDENT“And you? What does home mean to you?” It was a subject worth feeding. Maybe Tatsuya could glean some substance in continuing this conversation...or find an ally in the guarded Potema.

This wolf was truly cheeky. She had not experienced such a person before, most of the people she met outside of Blackfeather were polite for the most part, heightening the young teenager's naivety and novice responses towards someone so foreign to her. He didn't answer outright, having a myriad of answers for what home meant. It was baffling. Who would have multiple homes?

"With my family, of course." Saying it as if it was the be all end all answer to what home was. That was what it meant to her, regardless of place. How could one have multiple families? Sure, you can have multiple children like Burke, or multiple fathers like she and her brothers did, but families? "A band?" She asked, referring back to his answer. "You mean a pack, right? Or is it something else?" She thought back to that "Speaker". She belonged to a tribe. Perhaps this was another kind of group.

Tatsuya would have laughed at the multiple families 'home' manifestly implies. In a way, he did have multiple families. Three to be precise, one of them disowned. About as disowned as one can get by word alone. Semantics. It did not matter at present. Would hopefully never matter for the rest of days.
INDENT“Family, huh?” The wolverine had one of those. Now that had been a band. They migrated wherever quarry was plenteous and land luxuriant. Not an easy life, that one. “A pack, yeah. We were recently forced from our home.” Hence the band term. It felt like a disorderly, ragtag gathering rather than anything official. Their displacement from the Spine was jarring to the Epsilon. More than Tatsuya would ever openly admit. “All that was left behind was ash and stone. Maybe some charred corpses.” Preferably not, but when have these situations ever been kind? The wolverine's pessimism was well-founded. Scarce anything can compare to the despair one feels in watching their residence go up in wrathful flames. It haunts him still. Will haunt him till he no longer draws breath.
INDENT“I daresay you and yours fared better than we did.” Presumptuous. The many aromas Blackfeather Woods sheltered could be the remnants of wraiths for all he knew.

Fire. It was something Potema had never seen in person before, and the descriptions she heard of it was...daunting. She was curious, however, to where this wolf once lived, that she may see the results of fire, and all the reason why she must fear it. It must be terrible enough to drive a pack from their homes, after all. She had seen the effects of the storm: flooding, trees ripped from the ground, a tornado, most spectacularly frightening of all...but not fire. Could such a storm create a thing as well?

"I suppose fire is worst than flooding then." She responded, knowing that no one died during the storm...right? She hadn't been home in a while, after all.. "What pack are — were? — you from?" If the storm destroyed wherever they lived, and they were travelling to somewhere new, then their name would have been changed, right? So did that still mean they were the same pack? An interesting logic question, if anything.

The tornado that passed through here was definitely the worst out of all the havoc it brought to bare. Not to say that fire was any better because it sure as shit wasn't. When the one-eyed wolf spoke of flooding, Tatsuya pursed his lips into a firm, thin line. Having weathered both elements, he can comfortably say he feared both of them. No matter how naturally (or artificially) they occurred, they were elements worthy of fear. Anyone who boasts no fear of either is lying. To drown or to burn...Neither were quick and painless.
INDENT“We resided over there,” he intoned, pointing with his muzzle. What with it being night and all, one could barely make out the outline of Ouroboros Spine. Moonglow lit some bouldered surfaces. Not enough to exhibit the Spine in all its resplendence. It's probably all black now anyway. “You can barely make it out from here, but that was our dwelling.” Wistfulness seeped into his tone. Ah, he missed that place. Its rolling hills, its stygian caves, its crisp streams. All of it. What was left now was not enough to return, sadly. No herbivores would feast upon the Spine's pasturage for some time. The fires were gone by now. No secrets lied in that place anymore, cleansed by fire.
INDENT“So your forest – it experienced flooding?” Tatsuya wondered where the water came from. Perhaps this creek? It must be fed by that spire...Worth investigating once he had the chance.

Potema turned her single eye to the smoldering, black wreckage in the distance. It was impressive, in a dark, cruel way, like nature. The fact that she can see it from was amazing in a way. She wondered what the place looked like before the fire, and how devastating the fire was, if it displaced this wolf's pack, and forced them to move all the way to the east. "What was it called?" Her own pack lived not too far away from that darkness.

"Yeah, half of the forest was flooded." She said, wrinkling her nose at the thought of the rank swamp water being displaced and pushed into the woods. "Worse of all, all of this happened at night."

A mosquito buzzed around his left ear, causing it to flick and twitch. It grew louder and louder, teasing the erogenous hairs of his ear. He snapped at the offending pest irately. Go bother someone else. Winging across his visage, the youth before him spoke up.
INDENT“Ouroboros Spine.” Who came up with the name, he did not know. “Ouroboros” did not sound anything like the she-bear's nomenclature, so where did the term come from? “What is your residence called?” It came out as a genuine, insipid question, but he soon realized how delicate handing out such information could be. The Epsilon transfixed his sharp-witted gaze upon her, renewed.
INDENT“Did you lose anyone?”

Roused by the small meal, Mongfionn leapt into the air, wings flapping as she began to give chase to the seemingly small, insignificant bug. Funny. Potema didn't know ravens liked bugs at all, especially not mosquitos.

Potema had never heard of a place called Ouroboros before, let alone heard the word. It was strange on the tongue, unlike any other pack names she had heard before, all of which were named after the land they were in. "What does it mean, Ouroboros?" It was a hard word to pronounce, for sure.

"I think you know where I'm from." She saw a certain kind of recognition in those eyes when the wind turned, she was certain of it. Her eye hadn't lied to her yet. "I don't think anyone died." She was fairly certain that everyone was displaced after the storm, but what would she know? She hadn't been home in days.

Tat's favorite activity is (apparently) picking on children.

He marveled as the raven took flight, beguiled by it's unfurled wings of night. How birds could find insects – much less mosquitoes – appetizing was beyond him. That did not stop the secret (or visible, in this case) adoration he had for these creatures. Not only was he fond of ravens but many of its cousins as well. Mostly hawks, kites and eagles, but any manner of avian could capture his interest.
INDENT“Hmm...? Oh!” He looked back to his earthbound companion, bowing his head apologetically. “Sorry. I have a thing for birds. And your guess is as good as mine.” Tonravik did not name the place, obviously. Maybe it was just a title bestowed by the locals. “I suppose it's just a name for a landmark. Makes things easier to identify.” He shrugged, not terribly invested in how the now charred, uninhabitable spine became known as Ouroboros Spine.
INDENTUpon hearing her other comments, he made a face at her. One of pacific disbelief. She thinks Tatsuya knew of her home. She thinks no one died. That was an awful lot of presumptions given how clear-cut those two subjects are. But he was not going to pry any further into who yet lived within the woods. No, he'd much rather nitpick about the other thing because he was an ass like that. “I know where you're from, but not what the place is actually called.”

I can tell. XD I think this is the first time Potema's been bullied by anyone other than her brothers...

Despite the sudden movement of the raven, Potema was a bit perturbed by the sudden lack of focus of the other wolf. Could he at least pay attention? Yeah ravens are pretty and all, but she was more important at the moment. Not that his information helped, anyway. "How disappointing." It had a meaning, like most places. Maybe the name could help her visualize what the place looked.

"What, you didn't learn the name when you visited or met one of my own?" It struck her as a bit inane. Why not learn about one of the other packs, especially the name. That's pretty important. "Blackfeather Woods. After the birds." She said, glancing over to Mongfionn, who was amusing herself with catching the tiny, insignificant insect. "Happy?"

This took an unexpected turn. SIGH. I can edit this post if it bothers you. Tat's not gonna harm her so long as she runs.

The one-eyed youngster grew all the huffier as he adored her winged companion. Tatsuya could not understand her perceptible offense. She was but a wolf – forever bound to land, never to soar through the skies. What not was there to admire? Moreover, did his apology go unheard or did she not hear it? Your mood swings are giving me whiplash. He could not recall being as petulant as the girl before him. Then again, it has been a while. Were he human, a lot of temple rubbing would be happening at this very moment.
INDENTPotema's next words seeded suspicion. Never mind the smart aleck finish. Her distaste – tangible though it may be – did not detract from her earlier statement; speaking as though he has met another of her kin whereas he has made no mentions of such. True, he knew that there was a child beater here in Blackfeather Woods. Hell, sick fuck even ruled the roost. But Tatsuya had been a passing defender back in Haunted Woods. Nameless, scentless, driven by some eldritch force that nagged until he obeyed.
INDENTTatsuya smiled. It stretched thin his lips and highlighted the lovely portentous curvature of his carnassials. A grin of dark tidings. They were not the only monsters to come bumping in the night. “Assuming I've met one of yours.” Was his hunch groundless? It was not beyond the realm of possibility, but that was not this that drew him to a stiff, towering stand. Teeth slavering, eyes blown wide with the adrenaline of the hunt. It was in that moment he lunged, teeth seeking purchase upon the irritable ermine child.

Image is from OFF-WHITE.

Oh wow...I'm fine with this, but Potema sure isn't!

Potema her annoyance and contempt slowly turned into shock and fear as the wolf smiled, not mischievously, but dangerously, with a bright gleam in his ivories bringing back a brief memory of her attack, the eyes of orange flames nearly the same as her attacker's, making the young girl blank out for a brief moment in fear of the traumatic memory, before a voice, the voice of the Night Mother herself, screamed in her head. RUN!

Narrowly missing the suddenly angry wolf's jaws, she ran, her slender body adapting well to the unnatural speed. Mongfionn lifted in flight, her hoarse, furious caws hitting the air like a bell, her talons focused on the attacker's head in a brief dive to distract the large male for a brief moment to give her friend time to run south, mindlessly, driven by fear.

Poor Potema! D: Any chance we can wrap this up here? Or you can post once more 'cause I think Tat is done here.

Teeth clicked together, missing their target entirely. It was playing out as he expected. Potema turned to run. He grew taut to give chase yet was preoccupied with the raven attacking his susceptible mug. This, in turn, widened the distance between him and the bratty pup. The crow proved to be a well-placed decoy; inescapably coming for his face with its diminutive yet sharp claws. Tatsuya had not anticipated the bird's involvement, closing his eyes quickly and tightly in a panicked fit. Talons raked across his face insipidly. Flinching back away from his avian aggressor, he snapped at the bird heatedly. No harm would have come to Potema but her pet was a different matter.
INDENTAs the crow ascended, he made a last ditch effort to grab it by jumping up. Far too late. Wing beats graced his tongue rather than blood. It took to its ambrosian domain with a quickness. Tatsuya grunted as he landed, eyes probing for her withdrawing form. How stark she was against the gloom of Blackfeather Woods – rolling porcelain against an ebony backdrop. Of course she would head for the safety of her home. Wise girl. Her nearness to Blackfeather Woods leeched lingering hostility from him. Coming any closer would be unwise. Turning his back on Potema and her pet, Tatsuya circled around the woods and headed back to Moonspear. Perhaps next time, she will know better than to voice her presumptions and silence her churlish tongue.

Last post from me. Thanks for the thread. :D

Potema didn't dare look back as she ran down the mountain, back to the enveloping embrace of the dark woods to the south. She had heard that looking back only made your chances of dying higher than before, and she didn't like her chances at the moment.

Her speed did not slow until she got halfway through Otter Creek, her chest rising and falling at breakneck speed. The girl flopped, exhausted by such a dash, and still shaken by what happened. What had any of her pack done to garner such an unquestioning, fierce response by one wolf? She wasn't just about to go back and ask that brute of a wolf. She wanted home, for more reasons than one.

Hearing Mongfionn caw above her head, circling in the night sky, Potema picked herself up and trotted, slowly, back home, where she would be safe from crazy-ass wolves.