Emberwood Looking forward to seeing you

@Liri and @Kavik, Elixir has a new arrival.  

Elixir made good timing for how hot it was that day. In just a little while she had @Anatha back to where she had left. A small howl left her throat, calling for both of the leaders so they could meet her. She looked back at Anatha after her howl to make sure she was okay.

”They should be here soon, they come to calls promptly.” She said plainly and looked around. As for the waiting she sat back on her hind legs lowering her rump softly on the ground. Hopefully this meeting would go better than the last one she witnessed.

---

she stood a leap away from the woman, frame entirely still as she fell silent, resigned now to waiting. the sylph eyed warily the hollow places betwen the trees, the stretch of grasses, a small portion of her attention fixated still on Elixir. she nodded only, finally, carefully, mirroring the woman's own position. the flick of her russet auds towards any disturbance relayed her nervousness well enough, a discontent deep in her chest that she could not shake.

The healer is in the midst of returning to the area they'd claimed as their own for now, little more than somewhere to rest their heads and prepare for the trek into the mountains. A fat summer squirrel is clasped in her jaws as she reaches the clearing; just as she sets the food aside her ears prick with Elixir's summons. Assuring that Illidan is under the watchful eye of one of her wolves with a glance around their encampment, the fae slips into the shady forest.

The healer calls out a soft noise of greeting, approaching on even steps. Soon, the sylph will have little trouble on her odd number of legs but for now she tries not to limp too much. She smiles warmly, for the slip of a girl at Elixir's side seems agitated. She's slight, with thin limbs and a willowish build and looks as if the wind might blow her away with one powerful gust. 

"Hello," she says as she reaches them, instinctively greeting Elixir with a touch of her muzzle against her shoulder. The healer refrains from sniffing the girl over, for she fears it might unnerve her, and already she can smell far away wilds on the girl's coat. The fae sits, her raised tail thumping the ground behind her in an attempt to put the stranger at ease.

"Who are you?" She asks, not unkindly, with a small cock of her head.

Attempting to battle the summer heat, Kavik had spent most of the afternoon in the water. When he heard Elixir's howl, he knew he couldn't hide in the cool liquid any longer, so he slowly stood and shook the excess water from his thick coat before heading in the direction of the call. 

He soon came to a small area where the trees parted to let in the intrusive rays from the sun. It appeared his healer had beat him there, and standing with Elixir, was a small red wolf he had never seen before. Meeting new wolves had become a regular thing for them while they were making there way to the mountains, but no matter how many times they had done this song and dance, Kavik still remained leery of strangers. 

As he came up beside Liri, he offered Elixir a small nod before turning to greet Liri with a nuzzle to her cheek. He then looked between the stranger and the wolfdog and asked, "Another recruit?" as he took a seat beside his mate. As he waited for an answer, his gaze scanned over the small female, searching her for any signs of ill-will.

Elixir accepted the nudge from Liri and gave a small one back with a smile. The leader was so gentle to the wolfdog and she was grateful. After Liri was situated, she asked who it was that Elixir had with her. Not another minute went by when Kavik came to them. A dip of her head greeted him warmly. 

After Kavik was situated he too asked if she brought back someone who might be of assistance to the pack. Elixir nodded and then shot a welcoming look back to the red wolf who seemed a bit uncomfortable. “Yes another recruit. This is Anatha, I met her not far from here. She’s a naturalist, a healer, and hunter. The rest she may tell you.” Elixir said hoping she remembered everything she had learned about this woman, which wasn’t much.

---

something about the white-furred woman reminded her at once of a memory shot through with self-loathing and aching loneliness, a ghost on a riverbank, a night forgotten until now. they were not the same; the woman's leg and build marked her as different, yet perhaps it was some ethereal quality that sparked the sylph's memory so. 

then came a male, him she spared a cursory glance before peering back towards the woman - Liri. some men, perhaps, were good as Delight was. but she no longer could afford them the benefit of the doubt, and such her attention focused on the woman, flickering ears finally stilled. the dark woman spoke for her, an action which induced a swift flash of annoyance in the sylph, yet it was easily hidden and pushed away. "I wanted to meet you. to know of your group"  she stated, the voice soft yet firm as she made clear her intent was not as clear-cut as Elixir had put it. 

she rose, sun-burned grasses crackling beneath her paws as she shifted. "I am a wanderer." there was extra effort to provide some conversation, and yet she fell short. still, there was little to tell; her life had been a dreary cycle of reoccurring pain and loss and change, growth and healing, shot down every time she neared confidence and growth.

There's pain in the girl's eyes when they finally find Liri and she can feel a flash of confusion and guilt - for somehow, she's reminiscent of something. Even so, her attention was focused unwaveringly on th healer and as such the Blackfoot tried to appear as unthreatening as possible. 

"Our group is about like any group of wolves, just a gathering in search of a home. But then, we aren't any group, for no such group would be led by so many." There's a wry tug to her lips, for its true. Such a democracy as theirs had not been seen.

Kavik had been assessing the new-comer's body language and so had not missed the echos of pain in her eyes. It reminded him of the way Liri had looked when she spoke of her painful past and caused a softening in his heart for the female. 

He also hadn't missed the way she had dismissed his presence, but he wasn't one for dominance games and so it didn't bother him. Maybe she just felt more comfortable talking to other females. Either way, he was content to let Liri do the talking if that made things easier. So, he just continued to listen and offer his silent support to his healer should she need it.

Elixir watched as the female spoke. A small smile appeared on Elixirs face. Social cues weren’t her strong suit, if anyone hasn’t noticed it yet. She had no idea the hurt the female had, though Elixir was worried that Kavik and Liri would have some reservations since the last meeting of a recruit that the wolfdog had witnessed didn’t go as planned. 

The wolfdog stayed silent as they exchanged words. It was apparent that she was interested in the pack, hopefully a joiner. Her ears flicked as she waited, watching carefully what was going on.