Northstar Vale foggy thoughts

Was there a certain way to act in a pack? 
Did you have to submit to every wolf you saw if you were new?
What exactly do you do?

Okay, it wasn't like Genie had never been in a pack before. She'd been in one, but she'd been born there so things were slightly different. She had no clue how to do this, and coupled with the pressure of doing well to impress Rannoch and to prove to herself that she could survive without anyone's help, she was a nervous wreck inside the facade of an aloof newcomer. Genie sucked in a breath. Right, okay, don't show anyone you're nervous and just, well, do something. Okay, so she'd already put some food into the caches, so perhaps she should do a patrol?

Genie kicked at the ground, her paws scuffing the dirt. She knew she should just relax but — out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar plant. Genie paused in her steps and angled her head in the general direction of what she presumed to be....goldenrod. She brightened considerably, although her countenance remained empty, and bounded over, lowering her crown to the ground and grasping the plant gently in her jaws, tuggling lightly. As an aspring medic, and probably the only healer in Northstar Vale at the moment, Genie realised that she should probably start a little cache of herbs in her den.

Genie didn't have a den.

The girl paused with her head angled awkwardly towards the ground and slightly to the left, and her butt in the air and contemplated her options. Then she shrugged to herself and continued with her work — she would just have to find one later. It wouldn't be too hard, right?

The yearling set out on her normal duties, finally accustomed to living in the Vale although she knew now that it would most likely not be for long.  She had started to become accustomed with some of the more familiar faces in the pack as well so staying away from everyone, alone all the time was proving to be.. difficult.  The woman didn't wish it anymore anyway.

So when she saw a girl with her rear high in the air, a flower dangling out of her mouth, Seabreeze went with her first instinct, which was to let out a chirping laugh although she wasn't laughing at the girl per se — more that the sight made her happy.

Greetings!  What is.. that? She motions to the blossoming yellow flower in the other girl's mouth, giggling. It's very pretty.  She shifted her weight and inspected the other thoroughly, taking in her deep orange eyes and the chocolate and timber tones of her body.  She was striking!  Especially compared to the pale sand of Brienne.

Someone laughed. 
Genie stood up abruptly and turned around, expression clear of any emotion and amber eyes fierce. A flush had seeped up her cheeks, but she did her best to push it away, which, granted, wasn't very much. "What are you laughing at?" she demanded hotly, all thoughts about coming off as respectful, polite and kind were thrown out of the window the moment the girl laughed at her. She knew her posture had been funny, but she hated it when others laughed and mocked — she'd dealt with enough of it back in her natal pack. There was no way in hell she would be dealing with it now. 

"It's goldenrod," Genie told her grudgingly, her tone softening. "Good for stiff joints and injuries." It wasn't often that the girl lashed out on others, only in times of embarassment, turmoil and emotional suppression. She was, after all, actually quite shy — only intense bouts of emotion could get her like this. "I'm the new medic," she introduced after a moment with a tilt of her head, half-heartedly trying to salvage the remains of a potential friendship with a packmate. The flower lay on the ground, by Genie's paws, abandoned after her sudden outburst.

Oh.  She understood why the other wolf was upset, but her laughter and cheery mood died with the girl's anger.  Oh, sorry. It just made me happy to see you so comfortable here.  It reminded me of someone.  I wasn't trying to make fun of you.

Brienne knew precious little about plants but she awarded each of her packmates her rapt attention about the trade they were passionate about.  That's interesting!  A medic.  It would have been nice to have one of those around when I got here... I wasn't in great shape.

She dipped her head towards the "goldenrod" on the ground and then her gaze rested back on the chocolate female, hoping that she had a chance to resolve herself. Well, I'm not sure it's supposed to be laying on the ground.  If there's anything else around here that I could help you find, I'd be glad to and we can take them back to wherever your cache is.

The sandy wolf apologised, and Genie inclined her head, quietly accepting the stranger's words. "It's alright," the girl said a little awkwardly. 'I'm sorry too," she added, "I just don't like being caught off guard..and being made fun off. I didn't mean to lash out like I did." She bowed her head for a moment, deferring to the other female who, she knew, was of higher rank than herself given the fact that Genie had just arrived in Northstar Vale. "Who did I remind you of?" she asked then, suddenly curious.  

Genie shot the girl a symphathetic look at her words - it must've sucked to arrive injured with no medic around..although how she managed to get into the Vale whilst injured was something that nagged at the medic's mind. Surely a pack wouldn't allow an injured wolf into their ranks, right? She shook the thoughts away with a toss of her head and shot the female a tentative smile. "I..I actually don't have a den, or a cache yet. I just came. But, it'll be great if you could help me find a den somewhere," she faltered, glancing at the other out of the corner of her eyes, "I mean, only if you want to, of course."

"I'm Genie, by the way," she introduced herself, realising all too late that she had forgotten to introduce herelf.

Five days!  Never have I kept someone waiting for five days.  Sorry!

Thankfully, she had been able to salvage the interaction with the chocolate girl, however she would note to be more reserved in future interactions with newcomers.

I understand.  I would have thought the same as you.  And then this girl asked who she had been reminded of and the yearling paused.  Yes, who exactly?

I'm not sure.  I presume at one point I had a family or friends before I arrived, but I'm not certain.  She hesitated; she couldn't stop there but perhaps she had already said too much. I washed up from the ocean.  You reminded me of a small, pale girl that radiates happiness. It just... made me happy.  Her whiskers twitched in annoyance — not with the other but with these flickers of images that came to her sometimes.  

She cheered up once again. Oh, of course.  You just got here, didn't you?  Well, that's fine.  She tilted her head, lost in thought.  There were a few areas that could work for a cache.

What specifically do you think you require in a cache?  We have a few rivers and lakes that cut through the Vale, places with low-hanging branches and flat stones so you could dry out whatever you needed, and I'm sure we could dig a hollow for things you needed to keep cool.  She knew precious little about medicine and the way it worked but these were some things she recalled her mother seeing in her flashbacks.

I am Seabreeze.  It is nice to meet you, Genie.

it's no problem! <3

So, this girl had amnesia of sorts. Genie canted her head, shielding her curiousity from her amber gaze and smiled softly at Seabreeze's words, a warm feeling appearing in her chest. She wasn't sure what it was but it was a nice feeling even though a few seconds later, she banished it, unwilling to dwell in feelings that she had no time for. "That's nice," she said instead, her voice quiet. "It must be hard to have some kind of amnesia."

"I'd like to find a den first," Genie said after a moment of careful consideration. "I'll probably end up storing the herbs in my den, anyway. Do you know of any good densites, by any chance? Maybe near the river?" she hasn't had much experience with dens, if she was being honest. When she was a loner, she slept wherever she could, underneath stars, in caves, on the grass, wherever. Back in her natal pack, she'd slept in the medic's den. Sometimes, she wandered over to Harley's den by the edge of the little forest and slept there.

Dens were good. Dens were safe. Northstar Vale was going to be her home for sometime, so Genie might as well make it seem like home.

Seabreeze knew that she was a peculiar wolf; borne of salt and sea and sand, and her amnesia-hazed arrival on the shores of Teekon Wilds certainly did not help with this image — but in reality she was fairly average in every other way.  The chocolate girl smiled at her and she as well felt a heat crawl up her breast and settle in her cheeks, sinking into her teeth like something too sweet.  Other than Mato she had not met anyone else so kind and accepting of her social unawareness and she was inclined to further explore these feelings, but first she had a task at hand.

I see it as a new beginning.  I am unburdened by whatever might have plagued me in the life I once held.  It was the only way to look at it — Seabreeze had spent quite some time lingering on the what-ifs of her history, what habits and peculiarities manifested itself in her mind and body on faraway lands and it had caused her nothing but worry.  I am becoming.

Although Seabreeze herself had not taken a dirt-den (the feeling of being encompassed by the womb of the earth disconcerted her), she had seen some here and there that could be cleared out or expanded on.  It made her happy that the girl was choosing somewhere by the water; Seabreeze true to her namesake often found her way down there. Yes, I do.  There are trees that grow by the rivers; tall and sturdy.  A few of them had foxes and other small animals nesting in them at one point.  I can help you clear them out, if you wish.

crap post sorry :/

Genie surprised herself by feeling pleased at Seabreeze's reaction to her words. It was strange, and because it was strange, she allowed it to linger for a few moments to analyse it before sending it on its way. Seabreeze's words brought a look of curiousity on Genie's face — it flitted briefly across her bright amber eyes before disappearing into nothingness, as if it had never even appeared. "That's a good mindset," she said instead.

"That would be great. I mean, only if you don't mind," she hurried to correct herself and smiled hesitantly at Seabreeze, grateful for her help. "I can do it myself," she reassured the other girl, not wishing to force her packmate into helping her do something that she didn't want to do. Genie honestly didn't mind doing it by herself.

Of course you can, the siren confirmed, but I did offer my help first.  I would love to accompany you, Genie.
I don't get out much.  She wondered what made the girl so quick to anger, so quick to be so defensive, but let her own curiosity slide just as the other had.

She shifted her gaze to the ground contemplatively and then motioned her head in a deliberate come with me.  She knew exactly where to lead her new packmate.

The siren did not wait for her chocolate friend before shambling off in the direction of what she hoped would be the medic's cache, which was not too far from where they were or ther river that she had expressed interest in.

It was small and smelled distinctly of fox, although it was empty now.  With a little digging, they could make it big enough for Genie and her herbs.

There was something about the way Seabreeze spoke that caused a shiver to run down Genie's spine. It wasn't the girl - she was really sweet and nice and everything...no, there was just something about her that reminded the chocolate sprite of something that had happened in the past. Genie tossed her head, an inaudible sigh slipping from between her lips - she'd think about this later, when she was alone.

"Thank you so much," the yearling said instead, a smile gracing her lips and quietly, she padded after her packmate. It wasn't long before they arrived at the destination. The den that the siren found was, well, not what Genie had in mind but then again, very few things were. And if she wanted the den she had in mind, then she would have to return to her natal pack and god, there was no way she would ever do that. "A bit of digging, and it'll be great," Genie offered her packmate a hesitant smile.