Ravensblood Forest the woods are lovely, dark and deep

Although she was now armed with knowledge that would help her find her way home, Junior hadn't yet acted upon it, nor told anybody about it. She truly wanted to run right back to the plateau without a second thought or backward glance, yet every time the impulse washed through her, she looked at Ragnar or Thistle or one of their three children and she bit her lip, unable to just turn her back on them.

This internal battle made her more emotional and withdrawn then ever. It was really only a matter of time before she lost it. That moment came the morning following a severe thunderstorm. As she watched her foster brothers and sister huddle up near the back of the den, she recollected her own thunder buddies and suddenly the pining grew to unbearable levels.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," she announced once the storm blew itself out. She made a point to nudge the Alpha male and his wife, then each of the three pups, before saying, "Bye," and striding from the den. She loped a ways, paused, looked back over her shoulder a moment, then broke into a gallop that carried her in the direction of the by now familiar Ravensblood Forest.

Once she oriented herself in the deep woodland and found the creek that would surely evolve into the river, she began to run alongside it, due southeast. Not until she was absolutely sure she was out of earshot of Stavanger Bay did she finally give in to the urge to shout at the top of her lungs, "Daddy! Mama! Aunt Willow! Uncle Atti! Ty! Pura! Saēna! Anybody!"

Laksha was sprawled on a thick tree's branch, grooming herself. One paw was wet with saliva, which she drew across her face in an effort to rid herself of the mask of blood that had dried on her face. The mask had become quite uncomfortable and tight as it dried, though it gave her an even more scary appearance. The feline prepared to wet her paw again when a cry nearby jerked her away suddenly. If anyone had seen her, it might have looked cute, with her tongue still sticking out and her eyes wide and somewhat innocent.* But that cute factor went away when she identified the species behind that cry. "Wollff..."

Purring, the white cougar leapt down from her perch, prowling towards the noise. It sounded young, a pup maybe? Her belly was already full of goat meat from the mountains and she had a stash if she ever got hungry again, but the cougar did not only kill for food. Sometimes, she simply killed for the fun of it. But maybe she would just play with the pup, torture it a bit. Following the river, she got closer and closer to the pup, tail twitching with anticipatement.

*Like this.

This is set after a number of not-yet-made threads in Saēna's timeline so it'll be damn confusing to anyone that follows her. >_>

Saēna had been introduced to a world of knowledge that admittedly she wanted nothing to do with. The truth of her birth had come out, although she still wholly refused Kisu having any part in her life whatsoever. He claimed to be her father, and her mother was dead, but she denied it so very fervently. Peregrine and Hawkeye were the only parents Saēna had ever known... And if Kisu was truly her real father, why had he been so absent for her entire life? Why had her mother died? Why had Osprey Junior picked on her? Was it because she was inherently different?

She had to admit, in some small and frightened part of herself, that there was something different about her. Although Pura could blend in with the Redleaf-DiSarinnos perfectly, she stuck out like a sore and mottled thumb. Supposedly, she looked like her dead mother, but who could say whether that was true? But, then again, Kisu wasn't the only wolf who had mentioned her dead mother. That ill beast at the river had as well...

Overcome by her thoughts and turmoil, the young Virtúte (if accounts were to be believed) left the plateau under the cover of the storm. Thunder and lightning had always comforted her, after all. She picked her way down the plateau's lengthy trail, to the river where Junior had washed away. Although her parents would have shit a brick if they saw it, Saēna plunged into the rushing water and, although she had never swam in a current before, she somehow made it out easily and unscathed.

Her lope brought her back into the forest where she had found Junior's corpse. She was nearing that very bend in the river when she very abruptly came up behind an enormous white cat (which smelled like shit, by the way, at least to the cub who had never smelled a cougar's musk before). She cowered away from its bulk, slowly sidestepping as though she might disappear into the bushes before it noticed her... But the reason she hadn't smelled it ahead of time would be the same reason it would smell her instantly.

For the time being, Saēna didn't notice the dark shape that the cat was focused on... Though her head shot up when a round of sharp barks went out and, frozen in place, she slowly swivelled her head in search of the source.

[size=x-small]I can delete this i just can't see Thistle not watching a child so yea and besides i want some memorable stuff to happen to her. By all means you can hurt Thistle I'm thinking before it all ends I may want her to be knocked unconscious, but nothing that will kill her please :D[/size]

Thistle had watched Junior leave thinking she wouldn't go far, but she waited softly for her anyway. She had waited silently thinking the child just had to relieve herself but she would back soon, but as time ticked by she got worried and hastly ran from the den site hurried and afraid. Oh by the gods how worthless was she, she wasn't good enough for husband as Nerian stated and now she couldn't even keep her children in her view. It took her a few moments to find the childs scent, but she found it and followed it as fast as she could.

Her small form barely took up any room as she trotted along following the girl into the ravensblood forest. The dark trees adding a foreboding air. It made Thistle sick, she should have never let her go on her own, she shouldn't have, but the children went on their own all the time and Junior was so much older than her own.

As she got nearer to Junior's sound the musky scent of Cougar permeated her nostrils and she cried out as she heard the small barks from the child. Thinking not for herself, but rather the child she quickened her pace with a snarl and ran into the leafy foliage where the barks had echoed from. She saw the Cougar approaching her little one and threw herself boldly forward growling and snarling.

She had not noticed the other child yet, or she would have done her best to get her behind her as well.

Hawkeye smiled as she trotted back to the plateau. Maybe her adventure was enough to allow her to get over her resentment at Peregrine. While nearing her old castle and thinking about who to talk to first, Hawkeye stiffened. It was only a moment later that she knew why: the scent of a cougar.

A natural enemy to a wolf, Hawkeye began to shift her body towards the plateau until she heard barks. Her eyes widened, her heart quickened, the world slowed to a stop around her.

The dark wolf shot across the land, her sharp eyes finding not only Junior, but Saēna and another wolf as well — one that she'd never met. But Hawkeye did not care, it was apparent that the wolf was defending her child(ren) and that was enough for her.

Making a wide curve, Hawkeye burst forward and shot herself over the river, pushing herself forward to stop next to the sandy colored wolf (moreso blocking in Saēna's direction so both pups would be protected), growling in the same way the other female did.

"Stay the fuck away from my daughters!" She snarled out, ready to lay her life on the line for her pups.

edit: clarity
edit2: sigh. "heart" not "heard"

The pup had caught sight of her and had instantly started to cower in fear, pedaling backwards. Laksha walked faster, trying to overcome the young wolf. Her mouth opened slightly, prepared to speak in whatever comforting tone she could muster, when she smelled another pup nearby. She purred softly, about to turn towards her instead, when two more wolves, elders, appeared, snarling at her.

Laksha hissed in rage at them. Her ears were pressed flat on her head, not in fear, but in anger. Species difference could get the behaviors mixed up, but the anger in her eyes was apparent. Her tail lashed, paws flexing to reveal gleaming claws, sharp and ready. She would not apologize to them for bothering the pups, or slink away. The white cougar was simply enraged at the fact that they dared come threaten her, and they were going to pay her price for it.

I deleted my second reply and included its content in this post instead. I just wanted to note, in case anybody wondered where it went. :)

After the first round of calls, she fell silent and pricked her bat-like ears, eagerly waiting for a response. None came and her face began to fall, only to twist into a strange grimace when an unpleasant scent wafted past her nose. Not a moment later, a shape downriver caught her eye. Osprey's heart began banging in her chest when she saw the huge white cat prowling toward her along the bank. She'd never seen one before but she simply knew that this creature was Trouble, Big Trouble.

Instinctively, the puppy's fur prickled all over her body. She slung herself low to the ground and began to creep backward. She kept her eye on the cougar primarily but cast around for an escape route or, better yet, someplace to hide. But the pale mountain lion was nearly upon her before she could take action, resulting in a volley of sharp, desperate barks meant to give the larger animal pause.

As if summoned magically by her cries for help, three familiar wolves appeared consecutively within seconds. First came Saēna, slinking along heedfully. Thistle and Hawkeye arrived nearly simultaneously, throwing themselves into the fray with decidedly less caution than the pale youngster. Osprey didn't notice her little sister, though her head jerked upward, gigantic ears set quivering at the voices of both her mother figures.

The sight of Hawkeye made Junior momentarily forget all about the cougar. "Mama!" she cried, throwing herself toward the large black she-wolf (and possibly breaking Thistle's heart a bit in the process). She unwittingly put herself right between the enraged cougar and Hawkeye as she attached herself to her dam's foreleg and hugged against her with all her might.

I think it's my turn er. Again, confusing references in this post.

She was about to turn and pad away before the behemoth cat had a chance to notice her, but suddenly an unknown cinnamon wolf had burst onto the scene, all snarls and rigid posturing. Saēna stumbled back, even further behind the cougar than she had been before, with her ears slicking back over her head so tightly that they appeared to disappear. Instinct screamed that she should get away from the cougar, but confusion about why the other wolf would take such a risk for seemingly no reason kept her on the spot.

It was only when Hawkeye arrived that understanding seemed to dawn. She had had a dream like this recently, except there was no cougar in her dream. There was a white bear, she remembered that, and a strange creature not unlike the bird that Junior and she had accosted less than a month before, and they had both claimed Junior was alive and that the corpse had not been truly hers. Hawkeye had entered the dream and, just like she did now, Junior had appeared suddenly with a joyous whoop for her mother. Saēna had doubted her dreams, and written it off as merely that: a dream. Yet... The sense of deja vu she experienced when it happened for real was disorienting and frightening, and for a long stretch, she stared at Junior like she was seeing a ghost.

It was at this moment, in the midst of her wild confusion and misunderstanding for what was happening in her mind, that she threw herself forward in the first and last reckless act of bravery she would likely ever commit. She channeled her inner Junior in that instant, raising a mighty war cry as she slipped past Hawkeye (who Chelsie is assuming is stunned by Junior's appearance) and stood squarely between her family and the cougar. Perhaps it was folly or idiocy, or her childish inability to comprehend the severity of a situation, or a combination of those plus stress and shock, but something about remembering that dream convinced her that the cat would not truly be able to hurt her.

By the nines Thistle saw the other white child and her insides froze and she aws momentarily struck dumb as the black female came barreling in yelling about her children. Thistle did not blame Junior, though it cut a bit into her tender heart, she had always know the child had her own mother and would go back. Her heart dropped to her toes when she saw that Junior was clinging to her mother and was in direct contact with the cougar and then the child that looked a lot like someone that Thistle knew but could not place put herself between them all.

Thistle's blue eyes threatened to bug out of her head at that, but she jumped forward in a foolish move to get the cougar to pay attention to her get it away from the children and the mom, hopefully the other femme could join her before she got tore up to bad. Stay back children please just stay back. And with a snap of her jaws she went after the cougar's right flank and jumped backwards ghosting forward again with another snap of her jaws. Her message was clear here i am take me let's go.

ooc: so, so sorry (again) that this is late. I am feeling much better now!! :D

Hawkeye's breath caught in her chest for a number of reasons — the two prominent ones, though, were the fact that Osprey, Jr. was running towards her and that either one of her children could be attacked and/or harmed by the cougar.

Things happened quickly: Junior clung to her leg, Hawkeye sent a brief glance towards the sandy-ish wolf to see what the next move was, and Saēna launched herself in front of her foster mother and sister (cousin?). This startled Hawkeye and absorbed all of her attention.

As the other female adult snapped at the cougar, the large dark wolf pushed Junior back, lunged forward, grabbing Saēna by the scruff of her neck, and tossed her (gently) behind her, yelling, "Run!!" before turning back around. Whether or not the two would listen was another story, but Hawkeye was already running forward, aiming directly for the cougar's neck.

Laksha's been removed for inactivity. Feel free to reasonably power play her out of the thread. This will be my final post.

Everything happened so quickly. Junior found herself tossed away from her mother, then felt the gentle impact as Hawkeye also flung Saēna behind her. The black she-wolf shouted for the children to run before joining Thistle in attacking the spitting cougar. Slightly bewildered, Osprey watched the two adults, then blinked loudly at her sister.

This was no goose, so the young Shield Maiden did not deign to disobey her mother's direct command. "C'mon," she hissed to Saēna, whose pretty face was a sight for sore eyes. How Junior had missed everyone! Nudging the smaller girl, Osprey began to lope away from the scene, though she didn't go far before whirling to watch the fight. She was riveted.

The two mothers were able to drive away the cougar and seemed largely uninjured. When Osprey turned to coax Saēna to come with her to join the two tired women, she suddenly noticed a familiar shape over the other pup's pale shoulder. The plateau! her mind screamed. Junior gave a little cry and began running in that direction without even thinking about it. Her mother's and sister's scents led the way home, home, home!

She was hauled back by the scruff of her neck, and though it wasn't supposed to hurt, the suddenness of it made Saēna loudly cry out. She shot her mother a reproachful glare, almost intending to argue when she remembered the great threat they all faced.

With Junior's hissed reminder, the pale child whirled on her feet and began to flee, but stopped when she realized the dark larger child was not with her. “Junior,“ she squeaked as she turned around to see Hawkeye's eldest watching the battle unfold with wide eyes. Saēna trembled, but stayed where she was, even though she wanted nothing more than to go back to the plateau now. She'd been certain before that the cat would not—could not—harm her, but she was unsure now.

Eventually, the adults parted and they began a journey back to the plateau, with the cat long sent packing. Junior took off way ahead of them, but Saēna stayed closer to Hawkeye... Whether because her mother's face was caked with blood from a nasty slash across her cheek, or because she was afraid that if she ran off, she would go missing, too, she stayed close the whole way back.

","
Thistle continued to bat at the cougar and soon enough Hawkeye joined in. A sharp bat to her head and then a knock into the tree rendered Thistle unfit for a moment as she fought to still the stars that danced around her eyes. She stood on shaky legs her head pounding, but refusing to give up. Those were children in danger and she would not have it. She jumped again snarling and growling and snapping her jaws at the cougar the joined effort of both her and the she wolf, even though the other clearly was hurt as well, the managed to get it away.

Thistle stood still only wanting to go home, but she waited quietly the female mother wanting to speak with her it seemed. And she wished to say goodbye to Junior, though she was a bit put out when she realized Junior and the other child were already gone, but she was also very happy they were out of harms way.

ooc: I feel like these posts are all cluttered with the timeline and stuff >_>

Hawkeye had no sense of what was going on behind her with the two girls, otherwise she would have given them spankings scolded them. Her focus was on the cougar in front of her, and the awareness that there was another wolf helping her.

The dark female had seen the other adult get knocked by the cougar's paw, but not her head hitting a tree. She was too focused on the large cat in front of her. Hawkeye growled loudly, watching the movements of the cougar carefully with her eyes. The other female returned and started snarling. With the distraction, Hawkeye lunged for the cat's throat; but, just as she was to connect, the feline jumped back from the sandy female's snapping and, claws out, slammed its paw on Hawkeye's face, shredding the skin around her eye. The cat ran off after that, obviously not liking the ratio of 2:1.

For a second, the dark wolf panicked, thinking her green orb was taken out as well. Realizing it was just blood, she looked to the plateau and then back to the light-colored wolf. Hawkeye took a few steps closer. They would now find out what had gone on via Osprey, Jr.