Qeya River Sticks and stones

@Thuringwethil :0

Somehow, either by her own volition or with help from another, she managed to snap her shoulder back into its (somewhat) correct position.  And determining that she'd had quite enough of the mountains and their hellish drop offs, Rosalyn limped her way north.

it was days before she came upon the river, a good many at her slow pace.  She wasn't aware of the fact that she probably shouldn't be walking, instead letting it heal, but she was aware it hurt like hell.  Yet she couldn't stop, not yet.  To eat was to live and prey wasn't just going to run into her paws.

When she found the half-decayed turtle on the bank, she wrinkled her nose for a second, if that, before awkwardly hobbling to the thing and sitting down overtop it.  Beggars couldn't be choosers, so she set about trying to gnaw her way through the shell.  There was still good meat inside, good enough at least.

While Thuringwethil is curious to find out what Arch has to tell her, should he complete his mission and return, will give her a better use to curve for warriors in the future. Curious to know the state of the maplewood, something she hasn’t been visiting lately, is just as heavy on her mind as the rest of the potential information. It would be easy to run down for a quick scope but she never has time to stay longer and really investigate and the life of a loner with a lot of time to spare seemed the best tool to use.

It doesn’t keep Thuringwethil close to the pack one hundred percent of the time but it does keep her close. The river is about as far as she gets to make sure the immediate surroundings of her claim are just as safe as that inside.

The scent of another draws her attention and she pushes herself forward. There’s a familiarity to it but she isn’t able to find why so she finds it easy to search for another. She comes upon a familiar gleam of red fur, even in day light, that puts a slight smile upon her features. She recognizes the woman from her night on Nova Peak, however brief the encounter may have been.

“Do they not feed you near the sea?” she asks, tilting her head to realizes her prey of choice past its prime.

The shell was a tough nut to crack but in her desperation she managed it, breaking a big enough hole to slide her muzzle in.  If the edges nicked her she ignored it, too busy gulping down her slightly overripe dinner. 

When the other approached, she pulled back and bent low, ready to aggressively defend herself if need be.  But that would not be necessary, as the one who interrupted was both familiar and (for the moment) friendly.  Judgemental, maybe, but friendly.  She let her suspicion go, funny as it was.  Likely no one would want to steal her 'meal' anyway.

"Sadly, the fish don't jump into your mouth anymore than any other snack," she quipped back, her attempt at humor falling slightly flat even to her own ears.  The fact that half the coast was to be avoided didn't help either.  She couldn't run into the sea witch or any of her old Saltwinter pals, not unless she wanted to go for round 2.  Tempting a notion as that was, it was doubtful it would end any better than round 1 had.

She catches the woman off guard and her ears fall back upon her head and she flashes an apologetic smile to try and smooth it over. Roz recognizes her, though, and she keeps herself at ease when she relaxes. Not necessarily meaning to interrupt her meal, it is nice to see a familiar face. She'd much rather prefer it to be her than anyone else, specifically a wolf from the grotto, but why she is so far from home (idk if they exchanged this information?) leaves her with questions.

"Huh," she adds with an indifferent shrug. "What brings you this way?"

A mix between curiosity and protective brings the question to be asked first. While she enjoyed her company on the mountain some months ago, it doesn't mean she has the same good intentions now. Until Thuringwethil figures it out, she'll keep nearby, even if it stops her from the ripe meal she has.

Roz remained wary until it became clear the other had no intention of stealing her meal. She knew her, and was relieved too that it was a familiar face who approached. If they had exchanged names, she'd forgotten it, but she knew they parted on friendly terms.

The turtle was not enough to sate her, and only time would tell if it stayed down, but it at least stopped her head spinning for a while.

"Nothing in particular.  Just no where better to go," she said with a slightly more genuine smile, wryly adding silently that this was one of the first occasions providence hadn't royally screwed her over in recent days.

"I hadn't expected to run into a familiar face, but you seem well."  Even with her exhaustion, there was an appreciative note behind the observation.  Well indeed.

There isn't much Thuringwethil knows about the woman but her company had been welcome on the mountain when she'd stayed there. Not many wolves knew who she was back then and without a guard, she had been unafraid. The wolves from Seageda and surrounding territories had no knowledge of where she'd been at the time but since communication opened back up, she can't afford the same luxury. If Thuringwethil were to travel from Sleeping Dragon more than a territory away, a guard goes with her. Here, she feels no fear with her own warriors a simple call away and she doubts she can't hold her own. With Larksong being the only threat, Roz puts her at ease.

"I am," she says with an indifferent shrug of her shoulder. "We made it through the famine all right."

She decides to take a step closer, though her distance remain great so that she does not threaten her prize. Encroaching on another, no matter how sour it may be, isn't necessarily where she wants to find herself. "You look a little worse for wear, how about your others?" she questions then. "And why don't we hunt for something better?"

She had, obviously, and stood tall and imposing as on their first meeting.  How opposite their situations were right now.

She frowned slightly when Thuringwethil offered the hunt, ears tilting involuntarily back.  She knew on some level that to push her shoulder could cause damage even worse than what she'd earned so far, but she didn't wish the dark wolf to depart.  There was an ache that had gotten worse as time went on, and she recognized it grudgingly as loneliness.  Wayward, she had none to protect her back and nothing to protect in return.  It was ideal for a time, but grew old quickly.

Sap, she chided herself internally, knowing despite that she couldn't accompany on a hunt.  "I was hunting in the mountains and took a fall recently," she admitted ruefully, indicating the shoulder she stood on gingerly.  "I don't think I'm too hard to outrun currently."

It explained her sorry state somewhat, and while a useful Roz might have approached to perhaps sign on to this woman's crew, she knew her worth.  And right now it was at a bit of a low point, sadly enough.  She couldn't think of a single argument to say otherwise, so held her thoughts in that regard.  Better to wait until she got her sea legs again, so to speak.

Pretend this post isn't as bad as it is.

Thuringwethil didn’t expect everyone to thrive through the famine as they had but it has been enough time that most should have come around by now, if they were going to. Perhaps her home had not faired well through and disbanded, or the others had died, leaving Roz out in the cold to fend for herself. What mountains she refers to, she isn’t sure, but only recollects Nova Mountain to the north west of them where they’d met, but she doesn’t push for too much information on the correlation between the two.

“Would you like an escort home, when you’re ready?” she offers then, partly to pry, partly a sincere gesture. If she is too injured to defend for herself, Thuringwethil isn’t cold enough to leave her out here alone where any others can take advantage or do any further damage. They may not have much of a relationship, she and Roz, or even the dragon and where she’d originally hailed from, but that didn’t mean her kindness can’t be extended enough to form a bond.

whatchu on about? It's loverly <3

She'd avoided the first mention, she wasn't sure why.  Maybe she didn't want pity, or maybe she just was too hungry to think straight.  Either way, the wolves of Saltwinter were casually brought forth again.

She'd never been a wolf of much guile, preferring a more straightforward and honest approach in just about every situation.  Games of wits tended to bore her, honestly, and she didn't trust dishonest speakers.  So this time, she didn't bother dancing around the issue.  This wolf was neither friend or enemy - who gave a rat's ass what she thought of her? (Right Roz, right....)

"Don't really have a place at the moment.  I may have overstayed my welcome in the previous... the witch who led it wasn't fond of humor, and I wasn't fond of her leadership style.  It ended better for her."  Unfortunately.

"But thanks for the offer.". She hesitated a moment, then had a 'what the hell' sort of acknowledgement and tacked on a question.  Any help would, well, help.  "I don't know these parts too well, but is there any place where a wolf can go to avoid trouble for a while?  It might be a couple of weeks before I'm up to code again."

She wasn't one for games, but he'll, she could be slightly subtle when she wanted to be.

The woman confirms her suspicions as she explains she is no longer apart of a pack and while her curiosity about the other pack sits high in her mind, she doesn’t bring it up right away. She only knows the woman had once been on the coast and the only pack she is aware of is Saltwinter, where Kjalarr is alpha, and Donnelaith further down, but neither of those are led by women. Perhaps one she has yet to come across but her attention doesn’t remain on that for long, tilting her head a little to the side.

“I have room for you, if you contribute once you’re able and do what you can with your injury,” she offers. If circumstances had been different, if Roz had come to her borders for refuge, she isn’t sure the same hand would be extended, but Thuringwethil takes a leap of faith with someone that has yet to give her a bad vibe. “We are not short on able bodied members that we can’t take care of another until she is well.”

To be honest, Rosalyn wasn't expecting much.  Because she wasn't sure, personally, she would have given much.  And life has taught her others most often approached life the way she did; help only if you aren't putting yourself out in the process.

But likely Thuringwethil's pack was stronger than any she had ever captained in days long past, for she offered assistance readily and with very loose strings.  Well, perhaps not loose - understanding.  

Visibly surprised (that her hinted request was so openly accepted), she took a moment before answering.  "If you have the room, that's an offer I can't turn down," she said emphatically, knowing if she did she may not make it on her own.  Her shoulder was cramping her hunting style big time, as even small prey tended to move quickly.  "And trust me; I'll not be a burden longer than necessary.". And hey, if the leader changed her mind in the coming days, at least that was a few less days she had to watch her back so closely.  It was worth it merely for that.

Gingerly she limped a bit closer.  The joint was swollen painfully, but with time and rest it would heal.  She simply hadn't had the opportunity for either yet.

we can end here or keep going with the played out explanation!

Roz takes the offer easily enough with the condition of whether or not they have room. Thuringwethil's reign is used to a large amount as Seageda's populous had been, in addition to the packs nearby that followed Heda. Sleeping Dragon's limits remain unknown but they have kept consistent in their number. When the dragon can handle more, they will come, but keeping her wolves fed and happy and safe has always been the priority and until more warriors line their borders, she has kept as low a profile as possible.

"I'm sure I have something better for you to eat," she offers with a quirk of her brow and a pull of her head to indicate she follow. "There is a few things I must tell you on the way."

Should she follow along, Thuringwethil's explanation of their home begins, from the importance of Heda to the children and Larksong, as well as encouraging her to see Portia soon for her to look her over.