Redtail Rise probability

Moon Runner, gaunt as a twig of paper birch, stood on the precipice of the Rise’s Northern border. Here, the pawmarks of Wealda and Tall Shadow traveled toward the indomitable Nova Peak. They had been gone for some time and so Moon Runner watched the distant scrim with a protective gaze, though she worried and wondered why.

Mother, Father, Vulture, and Moon Runner’s youngest siblings were left to fend for their territory. Though weak, the young she-wolf set off on a border patrol in the absence of their Beserker and Fengtooth.

mb stayed! but no need to edit, ill do a pro gamer move :D

he had hunted in the trail of blood star and night eye some time after they had gone, wanting to bring meat but using it also as a pretense to see if the younger wolves had doubled back.

he arrived a half-day later to move the pups again, anxieties forming into an instinctual direction.

and now he came toward moon runner, bearing a good part of a rabbit. the rest had been snatched by her hungry young siblings. flame stalker; he sniffed for her too, but offered the hunting to his ailing oldest, a low sound in his throat.

D’oh! Thanks Ebony!! <3

Moon Runner was on edge. Before she detected Father’s scent, she spied his mammoth silhouette. The girl’s posture became stiff as she let out an alert boof, only to recognize the Ulfhedinn a moment later.

Her figure bowed in apology and she closed the gap between them. As her body fought the illness, Moon Runner’s appetite had returned, and so she eagerly accepted the offering of rabbit. Without the care and support of her kin and clan, Moon Runner would have certainly perished. Once again, she was reminded of the importance of pack.

She set upon the carcass and, like a magician, made it quickly disappear. Moon Runner licked her chops in gratitude before her amber eyes searched Father’s expression for a story. What was the latest adversity their pack faced?

no prob!! <3

his yellow eyes showed that the man was pleased with the recovery of his daughter. tail swaying, he nudged her and then faced stiffly in the direction of the plains.

he would lead her slowly from the rise into the sea of grass, and there find the place of earth still torn by claws, where two wolves had grappled. blood had dried dark in the dirt, that of the stranger and of thorn caller.

and while the foam had long dried, the sour bite to that life of the one they knew would proclaim a dark sickness.

a sonorous rumble pointed in the direction thorn caller had gone, where wealda and berserkr had went to follow.

Moon Runner loped after Father until they arrived where the Earth and its flora had been churned. Evidence of a fight. Moon Runner felt her pale hackles lift along her spine as her nose gingerly extracted scents from the scene.

Blood Spot and a stranger had engaged in blows. Dried blood was on the grass. The strange, repulsive spittle made the young wolf’s lips curl. This hadn’t been a normal altercation.

The weight of Father’s voice meant volumes. Moon Runner studied Nova Peak’s shape carefully – the place Wealda and Tall Shadow had gone.

Though Blood Spot had dispersed, her family ties with Wealda and Tall Shadow had not been severed. If she was injured, they went to her aide.

Why? the spirit reflected. The pale girl’s wild way did not understand.

Yet, Moon Runner had become loyal to their golden-eyed Wealda. Their leader had kept the Rise together when it threatened to crumble. She, alone, had brought peace to their ranks. We are pack, she had once said… and the sentiment carried beyond words.

If Wealda chose this path for the Rise, then Moon Runner felt compelled to follow. To help.

She took a step forward and whined, conflicted by her place in it all.

Following the encounter on Two Rivers Isle, Cambria made his way back toward the shoreline and continued his northeastern trek. He came across other packs but gave them a wide berth without any attempt to rendezvous. He stopped only to feed himself or rest, though the sight of an offshore island gave him considerable pause. The familiarity called to him, though he eventually shook his head and moved on past the river, eager to discover new things.

Just past the chevron of a narrow harbor, he arrived at an impasse: a pack residing among the sea cliffs. He ignored his momentary intrigue and cut inland for the first time since his venture into the hinterlands, his pale tail twitching with every soft step. He crossed another river and headed toward a thick tangle of trees in the shadow of a mount, hoping to find someplace to sleep away these hottest hours of midday.

His mismatched eyes found a pair of ivory figures standing in sharp relief against the crag beyond. Cambria halted, body falling into neutral lines as he studied them from a distance. His white muzzle thrust forward to sniff out whatever clues he could snatch from the air, planning to turn away and leave them to it after satisfying his curiosity.

his own step was beside that of moon runner, but his sound was not the same.

he glanced back to the signs of sickness, and lifted his chin to where her new siblings grew swiftly.

wealda was pack. pups were pack. sickness could not be allowed to touch the next generation, nor moon runner, who still recovered.

he touched her shoulder. this was not a command, but a choice for his daughter to make.

the watcher elicited a sensing flick of his ears, but no more.

Father was wise and Moon Runner was not.

The naivety of youth bade the young wolf to valiantly follow Wealda and their Berserker to Nova Peak, against the reality of her circumstance.

Though her spirit was strong, Moon Runner lacked the physical condition to help. She was recovering. Weak. A bag of bones. Plus, the pack had entrusted her with the role of Trēow. It was her duty to watch over and mentor the young… to keep their territory secure and the next generation safe from threats, physical or viral.

Her Ulfhedinn shared these perspectives without command. Moon Runner paced to and fro, undecided. She almost took a step toward the peak – when!

They were being watched. Moon Runner noticed the pale wolf but reacted without the same composure as her Father. The cream-colored ridge of hair along her spine stood on end. Her mouth closed, jaw stiff. Posture, tense.

The stranger’s presence provided the lesson Moon Runner needed.

Stay aware. Keep the bigger picture in mind, her young spirit learned. We will stay at the Rise, it decided.

Was this the wolf with whom Blood Spot had trifled? His calm demeanor said no, but Moon Runner jumped to conclusions.

She snorted like a wild mare and shifted her weight in the stranger’s direction.

Who’re you? her spirited demanded.

His brow knitted at the faint hint of sickness he detected. Cambria knew he should remove himself from the pair’s proximity, yet he was morbidly curious, particularly when the smaller of the two—a she-wolf near his own age, as far as he could tell—turned toward him with a snort loud enough to flicker his pale ears.

I mean no harm, he found himself saying, only to realize he likely hadn’t spoken loud enough for his voice to carry. He cleared his throat and raised his voice, repeating, I mean no harm. Cambria hesitated for several beats before choosing to add, In fact, I might be able to help.

Depending on what ailed them, the yearling knew of a few natural remedies that could spell the difference between life or death. He did not yet say this, instead shifting his weight and giving the pair an opportunity to react to his offer.

He wasn’t actually certain if he wanted them to take him up on it, as he was wary of coming any closer. The risk of contagion was only one thing to consider. A sick wolf might be weakened, but that might make them all the more dangerous if the pair decided to take offense.

to watch was one thing. to speak and to hint at approach was another. mountain boulder's ears swept forward in a thrust that was less than welcoming.

with two leaders searching elsewhere and growing pups to tend, not to mention moon runner's new status as healing, the ulfhedinn was wary of strangers who might take advantage.

the sound offered was a threatening rumble which vibrated the very air. come no closer. 

but to moon runner he glanced now, tasting the air and finding this wolf unknown. if she wished to walk the small distance and investigate the stranger herself, he would watch over them both.

Moon Runner watched the pale vagrant’s posture with an intense stare for signs of sinister intent. Despite her weak physical condition, the strength of her spirit had returned, evident by the fiery burn in her amber eyes. Her intensity was uncharacteristic… but perhaps the dire situation was amplified by Moon Runner exploring her free will.

The boy, she realized, was of a similar age. There was hesitation in his tone… and a steadiness that did not imply he was here to make trouble. Invisible enemies had attacked the Rise. The last thing they needed was a meddling interloper.

Father backed up Moon Runner’s defensive posture. Though they didn’t comprehend the stranger’s words, his open expression alluded to their meaning. Moon Runner considered this for a beat – and huffed. For a moment, she thought about chasing him off. She looked to Father and then decided to lope over to the boy and investigate.

She asserted herself with a tall posture that said don’t you dare try anything to compensate for her body’s weakness.

Her eyes glimmered. Head canted slightly to the side. Curious.

Neither one of them spoke, though the larger male issued a warning growl. That told Cambria everything he needed to know, so he took a backward step, preparing to turn and leave them to their fates. He paused only to gauge the she-wolf’s reaction, once he noticed the man shoot an expectant glance her way. She offered a huff, which the yearling took as his official cue. He swiveled.

He had only revolved partway when he sensed her approach. Surprised, he quickly pivoted again, two-toned eyes keeping careful track of her movements as she came closer. Her assertive posture belied the traces of malady in her scent. Cambria took care to maintain his own neutrality, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly when she still didn’t speak a word.

Eventually, his eyebrows raised a little and he thrust his pale muzzle toward her, his dubious expression asking, Can I help you? Of course, that was exactly what he’d offered, but her inarticulate presence perturbed him, even though Cambria couldn’t help but notice that she was quite pretty up close.

sneaking one more in here :o he can be skipped unless there are shenanigans!

yellow stare did not leave the man's figure as he and moon runner greeted one another.

the stranger was polite. 

mountain boulder relaxed then, but he did not stop his observation of the two, though now his attention returned minutely to a pair of mountain bluebirds swooping over the long plains.

The wanderer kept his wits about him when Moon Runner approached. Her ears swiveled forward, attuned to him.

She had never seen another wolf, other than Red Eye, with eyes of different colors… The side of his face with the navy iris felt soft, gentle, and inviting while the other felt intense and watchful – made so by the contrast of gold against the dark of its pupil.

Then, her gaze trailed down to his shoulder. The male was framed like Father but only half his weight, she guessed by the featherweight form of his build. He had an attractive, well-cut face that alluded to a heritage of a different clade. Icemelt, her spirit thought.

Moon Runner had never met a male lone wolf born in the same year. Maybe this was why her natural curiosity intensified.

Icemelt made a gesture. Moon Runner lowered her head in a permissive way. He held her interest. Yes, show me, her spirit asked… and it wondered if this wild wolf knew art like the river woman.

She lowered her head, which surprised him a little. She had approached with such authority, then he’d felt the weight of her assessing gaze. Yet now she seemed to soften, even as she maintained her unsettling silence.

Do you understand what I’m saying? Cambria asked in a soft, frank tone, the tip of his tail twitching. Then, Do you speak…?

He glanced past her toward her pale guard, though the male moved no closer, nor did he seem to be paying them close attention now. Cambria followed his gaze to a pair of birds, though his eyes were quickly drawn back to the pretty she-wolf’s features.

Icemelt would not find the spark of comprehension in Moon Runner’s eyes. She behaved as if he hadn’t spoken at all. His tone held some weight… the lilt of a question posed… but, otherwise, it was like asking a blind wolf to describe the color blue. Language was but an abstraction. His words, lost in translation.

She sniffed the ground to diffuse some energy.

Why didn’t Icemelt do anything? She began to doubt her interpretation of his presence.

She gave no indication that she understood him. Cambria’s ears pulled backward in uneasy uncertainty as he tried to figure out what to do. He could simply leave her to her own devices. That would be simplest. But as he drew in a breath and exhaled slowly, he decided he could try to help her, after all. He liked a challenge.

He motioned for her to follow along with him, waiting to see if she might comprehend basic body language. To make the translation easier, Cambria took a couple slow steps, then paused to give her a questioning glance.

Last from me!

For a moment, the two opposing white wolves were at a standstill…

Then, Moon Runner’s expression perked up when Icemelt began to move. She tilted her head, curious. Watchful.

He looked back at her. This, she understood. Moon Runner took a single step forward but then wavered. On any other occasion, her natural curiosity might have bade the she-wolf to follow… to learn what Icemelt wished to show her.

But her body was weak. There had been signs of a skirmish. Peril. Blood. Wealda and Beserker were away at Nova Peak. Just moments before, she had promised to maintain her place at the Rise.

Now was not the time to be led away, no matter the knowledge that could be earned from it.

Moon Runner paced a bit, to show him this conflict, and then turned away. She loped back toward Father, but not before glancing over her shoulder at Icemelt in a wistful way.

Let’s return home, the spirit said to Father.

She took a step toward him and Cambria’s tail gave a single encouraging flick, though he didn’t have long to savor the breakthrough. There came no second step. She paced for a moment, earning an uncomprehending look from him. His lips parted when she loped back toward her companion, their eyes catching in a final glance.

He was stumped, though Cambria quickly decided there was nothing further he could do here. He drew in a breath as he gazed at the pair a moment longer, then turned and resumed his earlier route toward the shade, where he could analyze this interaction while he rested.