Sequoia Coast you want to be the bad dream

@Sequoia

After their brief stint in the Grotto, Thuringwethil decides it’s time to go. Vercingetorix spends too much time wandering and not at her side and she can see the restlessness in the others Whatever legacy she had when she led Sleeping Dragon has long since washed away with all new faces, as if nothing had ever happened. She takes a deep breath, licks her lips, and picks her way out of the grotto and starts to head toward the coast.

She’s been gone from Drageda long enough and wasting time through the taiga has been apparent enough. They can’t stay out forever but she doesn’t understand the sudden resistance, especially as they get closer.

Thuringwethil skirts around the tangle—she knows better than to try and go through it—and comes out the other end where barrow fields begin. It rolls on for miles and miles and she glances back to @Vercingetorix and @Bobby, motioning them to move and check ahead of them while she makes a path for Drageda. There are still miles to go before they’re home but it is right around the corner. She can feel it in her chest, tightening around her lungs and staggering a breath.

“I’m going to find water,” she tells @Ephraim, parting from him and moving north until she finds the river leading into the tangle.

After her adventure with Tux, Sequoia had returned home exhausted, but excited that she had gotten to spend so much time exploring and meeting the various wolves from the great beyond. It had been a blast, but boy had she been glad to come back home. She had greeted both her parents with the utmost warmth, and she had even been nicer to Dacio and Opalia since she had gotten back from her little adventure. She realized that she had actually missed them while she had been gone! Sequoia had never thought that was possible.

She had only been home a little while before she got the itch to get out again, though. The piebald girl’s feet took her out of Drageda’s bounds once more, on the lookout for anything suspicious. She made her way through The Tangle, taking one of the routes she had learned from... well, she couldn’t remember who exactly she had learned this route from, but she did remember the route itself, and that was the important part. Whoever it was, she associated them with the color green. That did not exactly narrow things down, though.

The aspiring scout made her way through the dense thicket until she reached the open fields, and she yapped happily at nothing in particular. She was a happy child, and few things could sour her mood these days. One amber and one green eye scanned her surroundings then, and as luck would have it, she spotted a wolf not too far off, and it looked like they were about to grab a drink. Curious as always, Sequoia galloped toward the stranger, eager to make a new friend (and possibly a recruit).

Her posture was relaxed and welcoming, happy and calm, and she hoped that this would have the same effect on the stranger. The last thing she wanted to do was incite violence or anger.

Thuringwethil had not spent much time outside of Drageda if she didn’t have to while it resided on the cliffs. Seageda and Sleeping Dragon had been a little different; she’d been younger and unattached, trying to keep Drageda going. Over the years, she’s quietly shifted to a homebody and the war only solidifies it each new time she goes through one. Part of her wants to pick up the crew and get going—she knows they’ll all appreciate it—but she takes careful steps in travel. She does not know what waits for her in Drageda and she only desires to be as prepared as she can.

The dark woman moves through the afternoon light in a territory she is hardly familiar with. Avoiding most of the tangle—for what wolf could get through quietly, undetected?—means she has spent little time in this area. A rustle to her right causes an ear to swivel but she does not lose focus, approaching the river with careful steps. It is only when a figure comes into view that she turns her head. Her fur bristles but she stops it when dark eyes meet an unmistakable freckles and a two-toned pair.

She blinks a few times before shaking it off, turning away from the water and allowing the other to approach. It is not Dacio that has come up to her, she knows that for certain, but the two girls of the latest pair she is mostly unfamiliar with. Thuringwethil puts a hint of a smile on her features but there is no recognition so far from the other so she relaxes some of her posture to something more... affable.


"Hello."

The stranger greeted her, and Sequoia stopped a few paces short, craning her neck to take in her scent. It was a pleasant grey-green color, something akin to the way pine trees looked in the winter. The smell reminded her of moss on a boulder or perhaps sea foam at dusk. It seemed faintly familiar, but Sequoia couldn’t place it, so she assumed the color was just similar to somebody else she knew. Greens were a common smell, so it was likely she was mixing the stranger up with somebody else.

Hello! she replied, tail wagging and grin wide. You smell green.

As much as she’d liked to have been recognized, it does not surprise her. She’d been busy with her own litter when they were born and she’s spent little time with the wocha’s mate unless she needed something medically related. Since she’d gotten sick after the ocean swallowed her and spit her out, she isolated herself until she had to leave for Trigeda.

It is easy to swing the situation into her favor, curious to see what Drageda has done in her absence, she dips her head slightly in greeting but her expression twists into confusion.

”Green?”

She’s never put thought to colors and their smells but green is often in nature. Trees, grasses, plants. They haven’t worn a pack scent in weeks at this point so she hardly thinks anything of it beyond a weird association.

”Who are you?”

She had to remind herself that others didn’t see smells the same way she did. Oh, uh... she trailed off, but thankfully the stranger followed up with another question so Sequoia didn’t feel obligated to answer the first. It was a simple question really, and she was quick to answer. Sequoia! She spun around, bouncing like the gleeful child she was (although she would deny until the end of days that she was anything less than an adult). I’m not Drakru yet, but I will be! I live in Drageda.

If she was supposed to keep these details secret, she either a) didn’t know or b) didn’t care. It was very likely a little bit of both. In Drageda, you can’t be Drakru until you get good at something. Dacio already got good at something, but I’m still working on it. I wanna be a scout! All of this information flowed freely from the piebald girl, who loved talking about herself. What are you good at? she inquired, head tilting to one side.

In the few short minutes she’s met Sequoia, she can already see the Drageda-born ambition, something Portia and Dio’s first set of children never had. Plus, she’s informed Dacio has already stepped up and taken the Drakru name. If two of their children are close to their birthright, certainly her four have accomplished everything to earn their name too.

“You’re doing a good job at being a scout so far,” she tells her with a little swish of her tail. Sequoia hasn’t said anything compromising and surely they’ve taught her the important parts to keep quiet about. Still, she is careful not to pry too much in case she is exposed for who she is. Eventually, it will come to light, but she treats gently with her words. “I’m a scout, too. I’ve been an ambassador for my pack. Maybe I could teach you a few things.”

The praise was most satisfying, especially coming from somebody who was both a scout and an ambassador. Sequoia had learned that the latter meant a lot of recruiting and representing the pack, something she was quick to take a liking to. It was like the profession had chosen her, rather than the other way around. Sequoia enjoyed meeting new wolves, and she liked bragging about how great Drageda was, so it was only natural that she should fall into that particular role.

That’s so cool! she beamed, tail waving excitedly behind her. Can I try my recruiting skills on you? Sequoia asked, tilting her head to one side. Maybe this ambassador could give her some pointers on how to up her game (even though Seq was certain she was already at the top of it).

It is strange, albeit nice, to see such excitement upon her face. Trigeda trains their children from a young age and expose them to more than the average pup. The cheerfulness Sequoia portrays is often beaten out of them through training and work and practice. Thuringwethil still considers herself inexperience with children; a good portion of her first litter’s lives was spent looking for Wildfire and the second, she’d left.

“Of course,” she says, adjusting her posture to something more lax—that of a joiner—and offers a slight smile. “Maybe you’ll actually recruit me.” Thuringwethil smirks and twitches her tail in anticipation.

MEGA POST to try and get my word count up. (:

Sequoia was more than excited to learn from her new scout and ambassador friend. It was rare that she got to learn from any mistakes she might have made. In fact, she could not remember anybody ever giving her pointers on how to recruit. With Buckshot, it just seemed to make sense that he would come back to Drageda with her. He was nice, and he seemed interested in the pack and being her friend. That was enough to get him to follow her home. Blixen had seemed a little skeptical at first, but she’d eventually come around and let him stay.

Her attempt on Wraen had not been successful, but Sequoia did feel like she had made an impression on the older wolf. They had had a long chat about various things, and while Wraen had not decided to stay (or even attempt to join Drageda’s ranks), Sequoia thought she might change her mind in the future. It seemed that Wraen could likely help her with other aspects of scouting, too. She had been a member of many packs, so she knew intricate details about them and their customs. This, Sequoia felt, was important to being an ambassador. She would need to know how other packs worked in order to know what made other wolves tick, so to speak.

Starting from scratch was going to be more difficult, and truth be told, Sequoia did not often go out searching for recruits. She usually wound up talking to strangers and the conversation naturally went there. There may very well come a time when she would need to actively seek out members for Drageda, so she would need to practice that, too. This ambassador was the perfect candidate for the job, even if she didn’t end up joining Drageda.

Okay, so first I’d ask what you’re good at. The leaders always end up asking that when I take them back, so it seems better to be prepared. I already know you’re a good scout and an ambassador, but is there anything else you can do? Sequoia asked. There was no right or wrong answer here, but she did want to be prepared if she took her new recruit back home. Funnily enough, she made the rookie mistake of completely omitting the question about a name. Now that they were in the thick if it, a name seemed to be the least interesting question to ask. Sequoia wanted to know where this wolf had been, what cultures she had experienced, and whether or not she’d be a good fit for Drageda.

As long as you don’t mind I didn’t match. :P

Thuringwethil settles easily, despite her nature for dominance and Sequoia takes a second or two to prepare. When she speaks, she listens eagerly and she nods along the way. Picking up on the generic routine seems easy enough and as she highlights what she’s already mentioned, Thuringwethil debates pretending to be someone else for her to practice or continue on in the child’s ignorance that she’s standing in front of her Heda.

”I’m also a good fighter. I’ve led my pack into wars successfully and have defended my home for years. I’m a good hunter, too, and I’m pretty good at fishing. I grew up near the ocean so I’m used to the terrain,” she explains, wondering if it’ll be good enough for the kid to bring her back home. One ear twitches back, listening behind her for the other three but makes no indication she heard anything. She can always find them later.

A fighter. She was pretty sure that was what Dacio was (or wanted to be, anyway). Sequoia had no interest in that, but she knew it was important for the pack in case they ever needed to defend themselves from unsavory creatures who could quite possibly be wolves. Wars, however, were not something that Sequoia was familiar with, and she wondered how one would get involved in such a thing. Hearing that the ambassador also grew up near the ocean was good, but it gave Sequoia pause. She gave the stranger a suspicious look. I didn't say that Drageda was near the ocean, she pointed out, waiting for an explanation.

How would this wolf know where Drageda was? Suddenly, Sequoia remembered what her mother had said about strangers not always being friendly, and all the right alarm bells were going off right now. What if this wolf did know of Drageda and was trying to sneak in! Or worse, what if she was trying to somehow get to Sequoia and take her away from her home. That thought was even more terrifying, and she braced herself to run if it was needed. Fortunately for her, the explanation was much more benign. Assuming her former leader decided to spill the beans about who she really was.

As a key point of information is filled in by her own knowledge, Sequoia is quick to notice. The corner of her mouth twitches slightly but she nods, rolling it off.

”But we are close to the ocean, are we not?” she questions, lifting her nose and inhaling a long breath. Nothing but thick, salty air. She’s missed it over the last few months and she’s glad to be back. Whether or not the girl takes her words for what the are will remain to be seen but shedding her mask is on the horizon anyway.

Sequoia looked at her spontaneous mentor skeptically. Yes, they were near the coast, and she could smell it in the air, but Sequoia couldn't shake the feeling that something was up. She just felt like she was being played now, especially since the other didn't fess up right away. Instead, it felt like a trick, and Sequoia wasn't so sure she liked tricks. Her two-toned eyes narrowed in on her test subject, and she spoke. Yeah, but there's loads of packs around here not by the ocean. What makes you think Drageda is there? she asked. Of course, Drageda was there, but Sequoia didn't want to give up that information just yet.

She recalled her interaction with Dingo, how he had been vague about what they were going to do. @Portia had eventually explained how puppies were made, and although not all of it made perfect sense to the Goufa, she did know that it took both a boy and a girl to get puppies. And there was some weird boy-on-top hugging that needed to happen. Considering her friend here was not a boy, as her scent had let on right away, Sequoia was pretty sure that wasn't the intent of this interaction... but one could never be too sure. Thur and Wifi's kids had been born of another man, hadn't they?

Thinking of Thur stirred rang in her brain again, but Sequoia brushed it off as nerves. Now realizing that she had forgotten to ask that maybe-not-so-important question, she asked it now. What's your name, anyway? The cat might very well be out of the bag with that question.

When it is apparent Sequoia isn’t ready to let it go, Thuringwethil shifts a little from her relaxed posture to something more proper, she straightens out her shoulders and watches her try to sort it. Sequoia’s skepticism is a good sign and her cheery demeanor isn’t blindly leading her into danger, something she worried about a moment before.

However, she isn’t going to lie (nor does she think she has already), so she licks her lips once and offers an answer to both questions: ”Thuringwethil.”

Sequoia's jaw literally dropped open when her impromptu mentor finally introduced herself. This was Thur? Sequoia had always imagined her to be twice the size of a normal wolf and much more intimidating. And while she was large, she was not nearly as scary as Sequoia had remembered her. Funny how that worked out. For a split second, she wondered if this was an imposter, but that didn't seem likely. Thuringwethil was not a common name, and it was hard to pronounce for those who did not speak Trigedasleng. There was one final test to see if she truly was who she said she was.

In Trigedasleng, Sequoia asked, Are you coming home? Home, of course, was Drageda, where Wildfire and the rest of Thur's children lived. Sequoia did not know (or had quickly forgotten) why they had left in the first place, but she had thought that they were going to return at some point. Blixen's place at the helm was only meant to be temporary, wasn't it? She vaguely recalled that only Thur could be Heda for... some reason. Blixen was merely the commander of the group. And what did that mean for the rest of the pack?

Ha. If only Thuringwethil knew she wasn’t seen as giant and scary.

“Sha,” she says, hardly acknowledging they’ve slipped into their native tongue. “We stopped to scout the area.”

They could have gone from the north of the tangle and come in through the north but coming through the grotto and down the south gives her a better idea. After Grimnismal and Morningside’s relocation, she’d been curious for what else has changed. Part of her hopes for nothing but she expects plenty to be different, even after a few months.

Things aren’t going to be the same and she can feel it in her bones.

“Robin (@Bobby) and @Ephraim have come back with me,” she explains. Robin hadn’t been around in a long time, having left before Sequoia and her littermates were born but perhaps she remembers the latter, having been among the young. She doesn’t mention @Vercingetorix solely because she would not know him but introductions can happen later. “I will call for them, if you’d like to do the honors in traveling home with us?”

I think I'm gonna keep exploring for a little while longer! she replied, tail wagging behind her. If it had been any other wolf, she would have wanted to lead them back, but since it was Heda, she figured the former leader would have no trouble finding her way back to Drageda. Besides, she would have Thur to back up her story when she got back to tell Dacio and Opalia how wickedly awesome she was for running into big scary Thur all by herself. She really wasn't even that scary (at least to Sequoia).

It was good to re-meet you, though! Tell the others I'll see them when I get back home. She planned on returning before nightfall, as she usually did. By that time, it was likely that Heda would be back at Drageda, and Sequoia could brag to her siblings (and maybe even Buckshot and Kiwi) about how she'd found her and even caught her in a fib. It seemed like a pretty good skill to have, and Sequoia was eager to expand her knowledge of the land around Drageda. Perhaps she would find a real recruit while she was out here, too.