Neverwinter Forest See, it works in monkeys

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After having devoured a good meal, Bronco set out to peruse the borders again and once he reached the northern edge of the Glen, he decided to leave their established territory and approach the dark forest he could see in the distance, which was little more than a dark, evergreen line that rose just above the horizon. Aside from Moonspear, Neverwinter Forest was the next closest pack, and thus became his next place to visit thugh part of him was fairly certain that he would not find Fennec here. Still- spreading the news couldn't hurt, in case the Forest had scouts that they sent out regularly. If there was any chance they could find her and point her home, he'd make an attempt to bridge the gap, and do whatever he could to make it easier to find @Fennec and bring her home.

He didn't want to call for Mal, because he didn't want to see or speak to the alpha, particularly. He thought of Miriam, but he wasn't sure yet if she had found her missing son, and he didn't want to worry or stress her out any more by bringing up the fact that another wolf had gone missing. His first choice was fairly obvious- so he called out for @Vallkyrie, figuring that the leggy woman might be handy to the borders anyway and if she wasn't, she would be quick to come and find him due to her natural speed.

Did he feel guilty that he was looking forward to seeing Vallkyrie while Fennec was missing? Of course. He couldn't tell, exactly, why it was that he felt odd about asking for Vallkyrie in particular when she was his closest friend in the Forest. But something seemed amiss about asking for her, when he knew he was still worried sick about Fennec. Still- no harm no foul, right? He needed to find out where Fennec was, and Vallkyrie was probably the best potential source of information...Plus, she wasn't hard on the eyes, either.

Alas the woman would come and quick as ever expected. This time however it was not due to minding the borders, yet just returning to them. Having caught sight of a hare foraging along the outskirts of the territory, she had taken chase and with sucess. It was a small rodent, a teenager which was likely how it was so caught off guard in the open. Blood staining the front of her white throat and chest, the she-wolf made way into the visitor's direction. The voice was one she knew instantly, a dear friend of hers (and really the only one left) outside of her packmates. 

Hello Bronco. It was spoken as she settled down the kill and licked her bloodied mug. I heard the celebration of your founding. With the Glen and Moonspear wolves united together in song, surely everyone within the region had heard the call. How are you taking to the change, from mountain to lowlands? She inquired, having been about one moon since their last time spent together. She would like to see them more often, she knew and even though they were close by, they were in different packs and very busy wolves with their own responsibilities. She was understanding of this too, not needing someone up her ass twenty-four-seven to keep her happy.

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At first, he bristled when he saw her. The last thing he was especting was to see the snow white fur of her chest stained red and he growled softly as he watched with a focused gaze, searching for any sign of injury. Blood on her chest could have come from a neck wound, which might've meant someone had attacked her with the intention of harming her and he leapt to all sorts of conclusions and ended up quite frazzled for a few seconds, until he realized that she smelled of rabbit blood. She also showed no signs of being in pain, and looked as happy as ever to see him so he had definitely leapt to conclusions. Funny, though, how it took less than a moment to notice something and even less time afterwards to allow worry to grow.

It seemed it was spreading.

He moved forward to greet her, relieved now to see that the blood was likely from a kill she'd made, and he moved forward to lick a fleck of crimson off her dark cheek. Even feeling some relief was welcome, and he'd had no idea just how much he would relax when he saw her. The fact that Fennec was missing was still at the forefront of his mind but he could not for the life of him struggle to keep out his thoughts about Vallkyrie too. Not when she was here, and when she was real and tangible.

And she actually flirted with him. Very few others did- at least, not enough for Bronco to take notice, anyway. But Vallkyrie was the sort of confident wolf that knew herself, and was comfortable in her own skin- and seemed to have no qualms with letting her feelings be shown.

“It's been busy, but we've settled in pretty well. Nice to be on flat ground,” He admitted. He'd enjoyed the physical workout of living on the mountain, but it had been very tough on him. He was secretly quite relieved that he would not have to trudge up and down the mountainside in the winter, with the added duress of snow. “You've been well I see,” He said, licking his lips and tasting the remnants of rabbit's blood on them.

His hackles raised, his sudden tension and growl, the look of worry and anger over his features... None of it were expressions she had seen upon Bronco before unless of course in play. It had caused Kyr in that split second to stop, as though to still herself so that he may assess her with the realization all was well. Her tail beat low behind her, happy for his reaction in knowing how much her safety meant to him, one of his own packmates or not. 

He came forward then, licking at her bloodied mug and she in turn nosed around him jawline and nap stubbornly and roughly as usual fashion, making sure he too seemed all well off in the month that had separated them. She was a scout and huntress which often meant she was out and about from the territory to do her duty, in dangers way. She had limited herself to not stray out of sight of the forest but that also meant limiting her hunting range. Soon it was something the pack would not be able to afford if they were to survive and she would be forced to dismiss the command of @Mal and her own better judgement in order to insure the new young lives in their pack. 

She was not the only one at risk, she knew, as Bronco being a guardian, should trouble strike again (as much as it did so) he would be the first in line to defend the region. He was fine at least for now it seemed which left the both of them at ease. 

Was that how your homeland was, rather flat like the Glen? She had been told of it, in the west, though had not yet had the need to travel anywhere near that region to know. Whilst Vallkyrie did enjoy leaving near the open flatlands as she did now, where she could get a good run in even if she wasnt hunting, she didnt imagine wanting to live there. She enjoyed the deep woodland, as like the forest she was in now. Kyr had traveled much between the Moonspear chain and Sunspire before finally settling on Neverwinter forest. 

Raw-boned shoulders would roll, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her dark wet lips. Been trying to play catch up, especially with my hunting range limited. Just a few weeks back Simmik and I took our turn at searching out west for Mal and Miriam's missing pup. Still no sign of him... A small frown, then. She still almost felt guilty about how nice it had been to have the simplicity of simply traveling with a partner, taking a step back from the constant hardship thus far Neverwinter had given her.

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“My homeland?” He had originally been thinking about Moonspear in comparison to the Glen, but now when he considered the Copse, and the fact that he had now lived in three different biomes, he realized that he'd experienced a little bit of variety in terms of his own living arrangements. It was hard to believe, now, that he'd known Vallkyrie long enough now, that she'd known him as both a Moonspearian and a wolf of the Glen, though she would've known of course that he'd originally come from the Copse. Whether the news of the Redhawks' relocation had reached Neverwinter Forest or not was something he did not know- but something he figured he ought to inform her, regardless.

“Yeah, I guess the copse was flat,” He said. “But it was nice living in a forest...There's some woodlands in the middle of the Copse, but it's not quite the same,” he confessed. He didn't mind the open expanse of the glen, but there was a certain amount of security one could derive from being in a wooded area. He felt that Vallkyrie might identify with that sentiment, given the fact that she lived in Neverwinter Forest. He'd only been a bit beyond the borders, when he'd brought Miriam home to reunite with Liliana after she'd been lost, but he had seen just how secluded and safe it looked.

He winced a bit, inwardly, when she mentioned her hunting grounds. He knew with his own pack claiming the Glen, they had come quite close to Neverwinter Forest, and that they had likely used this area as their hunting grounds, prevously. So had the Moonspearians. So it had been a bold move indeed when Osiris had taken his closest friends and had founded the pack there, claiming it as their own. He did not wish for the Neverwinter wolves to feel pressure, or to fear that they might not have enough to eat- and of all the Neverwinter wolves he'd met, he had found the majority of them to be quite agreeable. So it ate at him a bit to have her comment on the fact that his new homelands was coming at a cost to her. It made him uncomfortable. While she might've made the remark as a joke, he took it seriously- with winter rapidly approaching, the last thing he wanted was for the packs to feud over food.

And when she mentined Miriam's missing son, Asmoses, he felt his heart sink even more. How many months had it been now since he had gone missing? And the Neverwinter wolves were still going out looking for him. He'd asked his mother when he'd visited her in the Copse months ago, but she hadn't seen him then- or so she'd told him, at least. He couldn't imagine how Miriam felt, then, having not found any sign of her son...Except- he could imagine it, at least in part. He frowned deeply and sighed. He'd lost a loved one of his own- so he knew some of the pain, at least.

“I was hoping he'd been found by now,” He murmured, and he sighed again. “How's Miriam holding up? And Liliana?” He asked. He remembered what it had been like when Nellie had gone missing; how much they had worried about her, and how hopeless and useless he'd felt as a child, not being able to go out and search for her on his own without coming into harm's way as well.

Bronco listened to his small explanation about the Copse, seeming as though despite being born there he didnt really take to the landscape in general compared to where he was at now. Which was good, at least for her, seeing as the Glen was just south of her pack's territory. The Glen was quite a shadowy woodland, like their forest, yet the trees were not so tall and proud as the pines. The land there being rather flat however with much water sources all around, tend to make it flooded and swampy far too often for Vallkyrie's own liking. 

When Simmik and I went west, we had passed by there but stayed along the river by the mountains. Didn't see much. She went onto explain, keeping their little encounter with the Saints on the DL for the time being. Where I was born, she offered a little insight, There was plenty of rock and woodland. Our central 'hub' if you will, was a very large forest. 

And then she saw his wince and she thought of her words, shaking her head and licking at her bloodied mug. Oh no, that's not what I meant. I mean, I've known that Moonspear had claimed the Glen for their hunting grounds. Trust me, I've been run out before. A small chuckle. I have often hunted north, in the field and pasture for small game usually. The Weald or foothills of the mountains too. But with the many attacks that have happened and trespassers, we are advised to stay close to the forest which makes things harder. That and I smelt markers being formed up north. And if a pack was forming on the coast somewhere she didnt know how far inland they planned to come, either. With a pack to the east, south and north, they were getting pretty boxed in. 

I can't speak for Liliana, really...but Miriam honestly isnt very well. I think her depression has caused her sickness. Or what she could only assume, having not knowing she had eaten something harmful to her in attempt to end her own life. Another foolish, selfish act it would have been in Kyr's opinion, given the fact she she still had a daughter to care for and a pack to support.

It was nice to learn a bit about Vallkyrie. From what he gathered, and form how well he thought he knew her, he wondered if she spoke often of her homeland with others, or if he was actually receiving information she saved for only a close few. It was hard to tell with her- while she definitely put out signs that she was interested in him, with her flirting and sharing of personal life experience, she also seemed like the sort who might be somewhat avoidant when it came to making a commitment. He wasn't sure why he felt that way- but something about what she'd said to him the last time he'd seen her had stuck with him. He got the idea that she liked the chase- but that she didn't necessarily like to be captured. How apt- for a wolf who was as quick as an arrow. 

He was relieved, though, when he found out that she wasn't passive-aggressively telling him the Glen wolves had settled too close. He wondered if any of the other Neverwinter Forest wolves felt that way, but he couldn't be sure; they'd all been fairly decent to him, and they hadn't openly objected to their decision to found a pack in the Glen. Any resentment they had toward the Glen wolves had also been kept from them. 

"North?" He asked, when she mentioned finding a claim in that direction. "Beyond the mountains, or on this side of them?" He asked. If they weren't beyond the mountain range, then the Neverwinter wolves would indeed have compromised hunting grounds. He wondered what pack that might have been- as far as he knew, Easthollow and Ursus were Northeast, and quite a distance away. 

More bad news worried him, especially when he found out that not only had Asmoses not returned, but that Miriam had taken ill from her depression. "How...Is she OK?" He asked. He had no gauge when it came to health and sickness- he had little experience with either, though he did know what happened when a wolf got too sick. "Is there anything I can do? Would she...Want a visit, or would she want to be left alone?" He asked.

And fitting then the same, the woman as quick as an arrow was an Archer. 

'North?', he would question and so as such she would nod and then try her best to elaborate where she had scented them. Like north-west- if you were to go thar way, She jut her muzzle, Beyond our forest and past the Chimara Fields into the pasture. I scented a band of wolves on the ocean breeze. I didnt go to ask any questions though. On her own and with them already having enough trouble as it was, it didnt really matter who settled onto the coast so long as that is where they stayed. 

A single ear turned back and the woman frowned, side-glancing into the direction of the cover of the forest. I honestly dont know. I mean, our healer is trying to care for her but... He sentence got lost, unsure what to say. Vallkyrie would hate to say she 'didnt have time' so check up on Miriam but it was just as much true. Between the mission her and Simmik had gonna back from, keeping up with the caches being filled and now trying to make sure two young (three, actually) orphans were doing well, Kyr had grown quite worked. Either way, she was happy for the duty and wouldn't have objected it when it came to the protection and wellness of her pack. Vallkyrie knew, too, that she knew little of herbs and healing- just the basics. Miriam was in good paws with Aibreann. 

I honestly think she might like that. A friendly face might boost her spirit. If not, at least you tried and Miriam would know it still even if she dismissed your company. It was better to have tried and failed then not at all tried, she felt.

Mind if we maybe wrap this one up, and then maaaybe have another? Fennec's back, so this one's a bit out of date by now heh. <3

He wasn't sure he'd heard of any packs in that direction. When she mentioned the scent of the sea he wondered about Yuelong, but that was in a different direction entirely- and given the fact that those wolves had previously lived in Neverwinter Forest, Vallkyrie would've known them by name. So he took the information about the pack's location for himself, and decided he might mention it to Orisis later, the next time he saw him, to see if he knew anything of it. It might be worth scouting, to make sure that the area could support the amount of packs that had chosen to settle at the feet of the barrier mountain range. 

He was surprised to hear Vallkyrie speak with such doubt about Miriam. He hadn't thought that a wolf could become that gravely ill from depression- but perhaps that was because he hadn't experienced it in the same way that Miriam had. He sighed softly, and nodded. "I'll try and make a point of passing by," He said. Apparently Miriam was turning others away, so he wasn't so sure if he would make the grade, and be allowed to stay with her; he also wasn't sure he could bear the disappointment of being turned away by yet another friend. He was quiet for a moment, before he gestured, with a movement deft and lacklustre. "C'mon. Wanna patrol with me?" He asked.

Yes, let's! Wrapping this up now....

Bronco spoke of visiting Miriam sometime soon and to this the huntress simply nodded. She was not sure if Mal was around anyhow to approve of such a thing, as it was not her place to say so. After all, Mal had made it clear that his history with Moonspear stretched well beyond Kyr's time in this region and that they did not always see eye to eye. Bronco was of the Glen, of course, but they still were all together in what was starting to become an empire of it's own. She wondered if @Hydra would be able to pull off conquering the entire region in the same manner Torbine had there peninsula. Torbine had a very secluded territory however, with water all around savor one entrance which was bordered by mountains with only open barrier waste there after. With the lands much more plentiful around them it would prove quite trialing. But anyhow...

Of course! She spoke with a wide smile on her long muzzle, tail swaying behind her. If the packs could work together to get things done she wouldnt object. That and she had grown quite fond of Bronco. As far as she was considered, he was very much an ally to her.