Ravensblood Forest the seeds of promise

Border marking and cache building! all welcome!

The healer was finding movement easier now. Twice daily, at least, she soaked her wounds in the chilled waters of the river and had Palisander pack her wounds. She only took the poppy when she felt she had to - when she was overcome by pain and her injuries unruly. Most of the time she managed to get around alright but she was aware of the way that the earth changed and shifted. The days grew shorter, a chill occasionally to the air. She had things to do, important things, and to keep their position in the family she would have to manage her caches and build them up before winter arrived. 

Isley had left Palisander to his own devices while she worked the borders. She wanted to know every inch, every nook, every cranny of the pack's borders. While Arturo had not mentioned any other leaders or any other wolves he considered his vision for the Family was like her own. The Kali's took care of themselves, they were protective of their own and everything that they did was together. Tiva was the odd man out in that regard, that she hadn't wanted to immerse herself in the teaching and ways of Awenasa. 

The woman stopped for a moment marking another spot of the borders before she continued on and weaved her way around the forest. They'd get there, she was confident.

<3

Border marking was not one of Arturo's favorite ways to pass time, admittedly. He could spend all day marking and not be anywhere near finished. It was time consuming and without the busy comings and goings of wolves tending to their duties it was dull on the best of days and dreadful on the worst. Alas, it was a necessary evil. Teaghlaigh was not going to mark itself — that punishment privilege fell to the wolves of The Family. With him at the helm of that charge. Still, Arturo could be found marking them without uttered contempt but definitely with the look of a man bored out of his mind. Trivial things bored him. It's why he made a horrible guardian. He patrolled because it was expected of him as Ceannasach but he made no attempt to hide his lack of jubilee at the thought. It got better ...he didn't hate it so much when it came to intercepting loners or diplomats of other packs; and he wanted to patrol the borders when he had children to protect. Then, it was a second nature. Not something he had to do but something he needed to do out of basic instinct.

Perhaps the problem was he'd spent too much time marking them. Prolonged time spent urinating and kicking up grass and dirt was never a good thing for the Fearghal monarch. Quickly Arturo found himself on an altered his course heading Isley's direction when he came across her scent. He was pleased that she was contributing, especially given her wounds. “Hello Isley,” The gangster offered after he gave the courtesy soft chuff to announce his presence to her. He moved towards her, looking forward to the company. Besides, two sets of eyes were better than one and he could take the chance to see how her and her companion, Palisander were settling in without being invasive to their personal space or private time.

“How are your wounds?” Ceannasach asked her first, hoping to hear that she was healing.

*innocent whistling*

Before deciding to take her trip along the coast, Furiosa spent some time among the sap-slathered trees, catching her bearings and storing energy for the journey. Most of her downtime had been spent in Arturo's company, discussing the inner workings of what was to be The Family, but since dawn she had been on her own, scraping along the borders in further attempt to solidify them. Some hours she felt like they'd never be done.

Coming from the opposite direction, a swathe of red fur drew her lupine stare first, and as she quickly approached with the intent to intercept whatever it was, she noticed Arturo had already come to handle it. Though, judging by his posture, this was one of the wolves already under his stead. Her posture relaxed in the last leg of her approach, coming to stand casually at the Ceannasach's lean shoulder (with a greeting nip placed there) before turning coal eyes on the exquisite— and injured— creature before them. She wasn't a child, so this was either Isley or Palisander; and though it wasn't difficult to guess which, Furiosa greeted huskily, unceremoniously: "so who're you? The Healer or the Hunter?"

When Arturo approached her his question was gentle, one of concern, and Isley could even believe the sentiment from the male. Her posture had shifted, polite, receptive to her leader, with a shift of her head to lower in respect. "They are healing slowly but surely." She promised. Before she could elaborate there was another wolf who approached, this one with a sort of touch to Arturo that promised there was familiarity. The scrutiny in her gaze was not unnoticed and Isley stiffened, her head lifted in proudly - though not above Arturo's. There was a will in her that would not be stamped out. "The healer." She said with pride. "My name is Isley, and you are?" She had not been offered any other names so far and she did not fancy herself a seer. 

To learn about the other members of the family would come naturally and Isley was eager for the task of integrating herself into the pack. It would be an adjustment, one she was actually welcome of, to not view everyone as an enemy. Having potential allies would be a change she would embrace - at least once she knew who they were. 

“Good, good.” Arturo drew with a nod of his head, pleased with what she had to tell him about her wounds. He didn't think he needed to be redundant and repeat his words during their joining of Teaghlaigh — that he was willing to assist her if she needed. No doubt Palisander was a better contender if only because he knew plants whereas Arturo couldn't tell a weed from a poisonous plant. No, that was better left for those who were much more knowledgeable in identifying plants. Isley and him were not alone for long as Furiosa entered the scene, coming to stand at his shoulder. Arturo offered her a side glimpse as he felt her teeth nip his flesh in greeting before his gaze fell back upon Isley as Furiosa spoke to the flame kissed woman. Arturo was silent, allowing them to make the introductions to one another, to get to know the other without his intervention. There was no need for him to speak for either woman, after all and thus the Ceannasach did not speak to interrupt the ladies, instead he kept to his observing silence.

Furiosa didn't react at first, not caring to lift her own head or otherwise display the privilege of her given position within The Family. Within the confines of Ravensblood, there hardly seemed a need for such ostentatious bearing; and the stained shark had previously decided to reserve her own smugness for presenting to outsiders. She seemed only to consider the fiery she-wolf's words and appearance, rather than her stance, taking in as much of her as she could perceive in that moment. "Furiosa," she answered readily, meeting the shine of emerald green with attentive focus. "What happened to you?" the wretch pressed unabashedly. "Anything we need to look out for?"

Arturo seemed pleased enough with the way she was progressing and that alone made Isley feel more at ease. It did her well spirit well to know that she was supported by the pack. The fact that they were willing to take her in at all pleased her, she knew it was not an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination. Her attention fixed on the woman and Isley's lips twitched into a brief frown at the notion of the male. "No, he is beyond the ridge of mountains, some berserker idiot - he has not found us yet." Us, the notion of her and Palisander, as it was becoming more apparent with each passing day. 

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Furiosa pressed Isley about her wounds, inquiring where she had gotten them from and if the threat remained. Arturo had already had a very similar conversation with the fire-kissed woman but he hadn't given these details to Furiosa so her curiosity was understandable to him. According to Isley and Palisander the brute was from the North. “He has not found you yet, I doubt he will, but if he does you can rest assured that Teaghlaigh will not allow him to harm you again.” And if she happened to be outside of pack lands and the hypothetical happened Arturo would hunt this Berserker Idiot down and would see to it that he never bothered Isley again. “I told you Teaghlaigh takes care of it's own. If someone attacks one of ours they attack all of us.” And though they may decide what to do as a family there would be justice for the attack: one way or another; Arturo could promise that much.

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this post is poop. :c

Furiosa had yet to cross a wolf more berserk than herself, so she believed Isley when she said she hadn't been pursued. Her black gaze traveled in the direction of the Sunspires, glaring as though she could see through rock and hundreds of miles, straight unto the accused. An ear twitched to acknowledge Arturo's words, but he was finished speaking before she turned her face back into the conversation. "He's right. I look at your injuries as if they're on me, and I can't tell you what a grudge I can hold." She was sneering, though obviously the expression was reserved for an unidentified enemy. "As long as you have us, we'll kill for you."

The easiest thing to tell about Furiosa was that she meant what she said; a fact illuminated by the severeness of her voided eyes. "I'm sure the Hunter got you covered on food. Need anything from outside the forest? I'll be taking a trip to our allies, so I can get you some seaweed or seal blubber, or whatever else if you need it."

It was both comforting and inspiring to know that the wolves she had found would support her. Her size was not a burden, not that she had ever considered it so, even without the knowledge of her medical healing. "I have found the forest bountiful to my herbs," She said with a small smile. "But seaweed would be wonderful, should you get the chance." Isley said as she relaxed the slightest bit - the assurances of Arturo and how quickly Furiosa was to stand at her side as the Family had ensured they would, it set her at ease with the stranger. 

"The forest has grown quickly on myself and Palisander," Isley mused with a small smile. "We are glad to call Teaghlaigh our own." Isley admitted, looking to Arturo. "If there is interest, I would be happy to instruct anyone in quick healing arts - to be used even while out on missions should the need arise to deflect infection before it has the chance to settle." 

my 200th post with arturo!~

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If Arturo had feared there would be a problem between the two women it had dissipated entirely. Furiosa spoke in concurrence to his own words to Arturo's pleasure. The familial bonds that were meant to make Teaghlaigh were forming and it was exactly as he hoped it to be. The gang operated as one. A network of individuals that became something so much more, that became one another's strength. It went back to that saying that had stuck with him through the years: united we stand, divided we fall. It worked well for the gang mentality, for the structure of a family. Arturo offered Isley a warm, genuine smile when she admitted that their Forest had begun to grow upon her and her companion. It had grown on Arturo as well. It's strategic and political advantages were only a bonus. As Isley proposed her offer and idea, Arturo accepted it with a sage nod, contemplating his words for only a moment. “Providing you are willing Isley I can call a Family meeting and you can instruct us all. I see no disadvantage to the entirety of Teaghlaigh learning the basics.”

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Whoo!~ Congrats on the landmark 8D

Furiosa nodded, mentally rearranging the end of her route so that would it would take her back out towards the sea before finally returning to the forest. She wasn't very interested in the topic of learning more than she thought she needed to know, but couldn't truly see the harm in public teaching— as she had no strong opinion about it either way, she decided not to comment even as Arturo spoke almost her exact thoughts; and said that it would be done. The she-wolf smiled at Isley. "So, will you and the Hunter— Palisander—" she amended in an attempt to seem less detached, though as she followed up, she seemed no less brash than before: "be having pups come spring?" Because birthing children during winter was surely a sin.

Only assuming they were an item because it seemed logical from what she had heard of them arriving together. And surely as a Family, Arturo was unlikely to restrict breeding rights to himself. She imagined he would only do that if it would jeopardize his own offspring for whatever reason. She looked at the russet woman expectantly, not even wondering about her superior's opinion of the question.

It was useful to all to know at least the basics, if nothing else these were tricks to make sure nothing worse settled and illness did not tear their wolves apart. Isley gave a nod at Arturo's offer, smiling at him at the notion of being able to supply her skills to the Family without needing an injured wolf. "I would be happy to provide my knowledge." She said before Furiosa spoke again and Isley's gaze swapped over to Arturo for a moment. 

Children. 

Palisander was not hers in that sense and she wasn't sure how the male even felt about children. She didn't know how she felt about children. "It has not been discussed." She said simply enough; not by her and Palisander, not by her and Arturo, not by her and herself. She didn't know how to even process the notion though there was the smallest smile on her lips. "Perhaps Chusi will not be the only child to run the woods, though by that point it will be hard to call her child at all." 

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Furiosa's question aimed at Isley admittedly threw the gangster for an unexpected loop and his fiery gaze slid to rest upon her, brows furrowed before his gaze slid then to Isley, where it locked, ears cupped forward to hear her response. There was something that unsettled Ceannsach about couples mating, or rather having made the decision to do so without first seeking his permission. As pups were raised by the pack he did not like the idea of females of Teaghlaigh that were old enough to go into heat all pushing out offspring. It was hard work for the pack, would take their resources and time. No, at the very least he should get a say on the matter. He wasn't an unreasonable man by any stretch of the imagination. So long as they could support the babes and his permission was sought he would not harbor issues. Clearly, he would have to establish his stance on that particular subject at the family meeting. So, if it happened there would be no shock when he dealt with the pups how he thought best, though admittedly, it was not a position the gangster wanted to ever find himself in.

Isley's answer satisfied him, for the moment and he relaxed having not even realized that he'd grown tense at all. He would not have Teaghlaigh overrun by children, and he would not jeopardize his own children when that time came. He gave a slight clear of his throat before he gestured to the borders, remembering that he had intercepted Isley on a patrol of them. “I believe we've kept Isley from her patrol, perhaps we can continue this conversation on the go?” He suggested to the two women with a charming smile.

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Chusi.

It was her main take from the conversation, seeing as Isley hadn't seemed to have deeply considered reproducing— which was odd to the woman who thought carrying children was the great purpose of her gender— and this was the name of Arturo's stead whom she had yet to meet. She wouldn't spend time seeking out his young ward, however, and imagined that she'd get to know the adolescent whenever she returned. Furiosa no longer expected any of the wolves in Teekon to be anything like her; a shard of icy rock honed to fight for one's right to everything. These were a diplomatic sort, soft and secluded. And she would strive to protect them, as was her instinct towards something that belonged to her.

"Actually, I'll let you two have at it," she mused, knowing immediately that she had stirred the pot when she met Arturo's fiery gaze. Perhaps he hadn't considered how he wanted to handle the children of others either. Surely his own brood would be first priority— but then what of Furiosa? She surely planned to have children for as long as she was physically able, and as she would consistently (and literally) fight for her right to do so, it was hard to imagine that he would want to bar her either. "I want to put something on my stomach before I head out. I'll pass by you on my way out."

Sharkish grin in place, she looked to them both, winking at the Ceannsach before whirling on her way. Ever the passing storm.

wanna fade here?

 

Isley offered a nod, polite as the pale woman said she wanted to eat first. "There is a cache we have built up not too far from here - a fallen log with moss growing atop it." She explained. It was near where she and Palisander had started to root themselves and her companion spent a great deal of time establishing the stocks to get them started. As Furiosa left she fell into step at Arturo's side, glancing sideways at him. "Palisander and I have given no thought to children - or one another, I believe." She offered evenly. She wanted to be certain the Alpha did not feel that she was trying to be presumptuous. "It is a hope - but not an immediate one. I would never jeopardize my children and my family in winter." She assured him.

"My focus is the Family. We will need all our resources, all our efforts to keep safe during winter - and then come spring I would be happy to aide anyone who shall breed. There are many herbs to make the children healthy and strong." She said. It was a thing that happened often when her nerves got the best of her, she would spew information, a trait she'd gathered from her mother. Tiva had been a timid thing, broken and scared, and though Isley was nothing like her mother in other ways, in that, she was too like her.

Sure. :-) You can either reply once more or archive as is. ^-^

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Furiosa left them with a snark grin upon her muzzle and a wink in his direction. Arturo watched his red herring go in a contemplative silence before his attention returned to Isley when the fire kissed woman fell into step beside him. She informed him that she and Palisander had given no thoughts to children or one another. Her words worked to assuage the gangster who, previously, had not made his stance on breeding and that his permission was required or else during any of his recruiting meetings; and while he had not given it much thought previously Furiosa had pushed it to the forefront of his mind and until he made things clear it would continue to worry away at him. She spoke that she would not want to jeopardize children or The Family. He offered a sage nod of his head, contemplating for a few seconds more before he gave his head a cant and fixed her in a singular eye. “I will address this at the meeting, but since Furiosa brought it up: I like to think I'm not an unreasonable man, Isley. If you desire children in the future and it becomes Palisander's desire too, I only ask that you seek my permission first. I will assess how the pack is doing, and if I think they can support children. Pups are a lot of work not just for the parents but the pack as a whole. I'm not saying that you would conceive without my permission, nor am I saying you don't understand the work they require — I'm merely stating in general that I will not tolerate conception without my permission. I will decide the consequences case by case, if it should ever happen. I've never had to and I hope I never will; nevertheless it's important we're all on the same page about it.” Especially since there was an influx of women of breeding age in Teaghlaigh.

“Good.” He was pleased that she was willing to help, if her herbs and the like were needed. Arturo himself fully intended to sire a litter in the coming year. As it stood, he would have liked to have had one during this year but the famine had messed all of his carefully composed plans forcing him to regroup and start all over. Nevertheless, it did bring him Chusi whom he treated as if she were his own daughter despite that she was not of his flesh and blood. “I desire to have more children next year.” Arturo commented, a bit absently, dividing his attention between his thoughts, their patrol and Isley. Who knew? Perhaps he would sire more than one litter into the world. His ambitions were high, as they'd always been, but it was no secret that Arturo adored children (all one had to do was watch him with Chusi) and the more children he was surrounded by, be it his own or other's, the happier he tended to be.

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She listened to Arturo, careful in her steps as she was still learning the forest. The longer they spent there the more that it became hers too - something she was pleased to find. She was defensive of it, proud of it, as if it was her own from the moment it had been conceived. His terms were not unreasonable, not be a long shot, and for a fledgling pack it was hard to imagine sustaining too many litters at any given time. Isley would need to talk to Palisander first, to direct her thoughts and his both. 

"I would like children, eventually. I would see my knowledge passed on to my children, as my family has done for generations upon generations." She admitted. She perked up somewhat when Arturo admitted that he would like children. It wasn't unreasonable, he was still young enough, certainly virile - the leader of the pack, no less. It would be natural. "As you are with us you would make a fine father, I feel." She said with an easy smile.  "Perhaps spring will see many changes for us all."