I'm lost without you

This rp is starting with Misty dragging herself in the dirt for ruining a friendship. Any Lost Creek Hollow members can join in. Others can too, if you can access this thread because of it's location....^ ^; sorry

Misty sadly padded along the border, analyzing scents and remarking the Lost Creek Hollow pack's territory. After her recent fight with Nemesis, her best friend from the Blackfeather Woods pack, Misty had gone from being shy and quiet, to distant and almost mute. She almost never spoke to anyone that wasn't Luke, and even then their conversations were short and awkward. and she kept to herself more than ever before. She was always volunteering for the border patrols on the border in the direction of Blackfeather Woods, hoping she could spot Nemesis and apologize to her. The black she-wolf had been right. Most of the time Misty did make things about her, but that was only  because she grew up alone for most of her puppyhood, more than she had spent with her family. Survival was about thinking about yourself, and using whatever advantages, physical or mental, that would give you an edge over the competition. She wasn't used to all this "team effort" and "group" stuff. She was used to working alone and in pairs, not groups of more than 5 wolves. If she wanted even a slight chance of getting Nemesis back, she needed to work on that. She needed to become more "group compatible".  She also needed to  work on not making things about herself, considering how others felt when she was with them in a certain situation, be more empathic. She was going to try......for Nemesis.

It was damp again, though when it came to the shroud of autumn over the region Mordecai found he was not surprised. With nothing more than a break in the rain, the sun remained obscured from them all once again; even the wind felt cooler than it had in the days past. Summer was gone, this he was truly aware of it. Whatever warm days lingered did nothing more than lull them into a false sense of security — but he knew better.

There were many thoughts resting in his mind as he made his rounds along the border that day, but they were cast aside when he spied out a lighter colored figure than himself moving about. With a chuff to draw her attention, he closed in quickly from behind her. "Misty, wasn't it?" It had been a while since he had seen her, let alone scented her within the confines of their pack. "Where have you been?"

Misty's eyes widened as she heard a voice from behind her. Mordecai.....The Alpha. "Uh...yeah.....I've been doing border patrols a lot. Just doing my part to keep the pack safe." she said shyly, chuckling nervously. She didn't need this right now. Keep it short and quick. a voice in her head kept saying. Short and quick. Misty shuffled dirt around with her paw before looking at the Alpha. "How have you been?" she asked nervously. Misty's mind was distant and unfocused, something she hoped she didn't reveal in her eyes, voice, or body language. She needed everyone to think she was okay. She didn't want the pity that came with "not being okay", she didn't want the help, and she certainly didn't want pack mates constantly following her and checking up on her. She just wanted to be a normal wolf in the pack in everyone's eyes. Looking for Nemesis was not something she wanted Luke, the Alphas, or anyone else involved in. It might make her look like she was still loyal to Blackfeather, a spy for them. No. She was done with Blackfeather. She just didn't want to be done with her best friend.

Her actions betrayed her plans, at least for a moment. Mordecai suspected something more but did not call her on it; whatever her reason for being away and covering it up may not have entirely been his business. But he knew her past association and already that shroud existed. Though he was prone to claiming that the past was so firmly in the past, it was very much a double standard when it came to what he did and what he expected. This, for the most part, was only something he chose to ignore. The awareness was there.

"I'm about as well as I can be," he opted to say. "How have things been along the borders?" His trek had been quiet thus far and he truly did not expect that to change. They had been fortunate so far not to have to worry over bizarre callers in the night or any nuisances.

"That's good. It's only the usual passive wolves passing the territory now and then, but no pack or hostile wolves." She reported blankly, the only definitive emotion being shyness. The journey to Blackfeather Woods was too far for Misty to even attempt to get her friend back without someone noticing she was missing. It was at least a three day round trip. one day there, one to find Nemesis and apologize, and one day back. That would definitely make the Alphas and everyone else suspicious. It would give them further proof about their theory that she was a spy, which she wasn't. She would never go back to that dark place ever again. It reminded her too much of her traumatic early puppyhood. Now she was loyal to Lost Creek Hollow, and she loved it. She would willingly give her life for the pack. It was her home.

Again, he felt they were lucky. Perhaps it had something to do with the locale, given that it had its own little sleepy enchantments where the forests and plains broke to give way for the sprawling river and the cliffs beyond. What he knew of the larger valley that contained them was scarce; Mordecai had never taken the opportunity to explore it in depth as he would have in another time.

"Good," he said as she concluded her report. Things had been quiet for her and if they were quiet for him, then good. He took small comfort in knowing that once again they were not bothered. Another thought occurred to him and so he pressed forward along their path. "Say, you haven't seen any more elk wandering around, have you?" Another thing they had benefited from had been the herds lately and he knew before too long something much grander would have to be organized.

sorry if this is disjointed, i'm stuck on hold on the phone right now and keep getting distracted whenever they chime in with that "your call is important to us" nonsense omfg

"Not on this patrol. But I did hear them. They sounded like they were near the northern border." She reported. It's now or never. So ask him. She cleared her throat. "Um...would it be possible for me to take a few days leave on a Naturalist trip? Scouting out the plants and wildlife would benefit the pack." She shuffled her paw nervously, waiting for his response. What if he says no? What if I never see Nemesis again? She thought frantically. She needed this badly. She could be happy knowing that she left things on a bad note with her best friend. She needed to make things right. 

rip short

you're fine! i don't mind shorter posts. :D

Near the northern border? He made a mental note to go and check on it for himself. Not that he was about to discredit her find either, but rather that he had not considered the possibility entirely that the deer would try and make their pass through the northern reaches. Something must have driven them closer to the river, to sandwich themselves between both the Hollow and the Grove to their north. Little did he know just what could have done that.

But before he could move to comment it on it, her voice raised up again. Turning an ear to catch her words as they moved along, Mordecai silently weighed the pros and cons of such a task. He knew very little of what it meant to be a naturalist, but knew that Harlyn took to it, as well as others within the pack. "I don't see why not," he spoke after a pause. "Perhaps you should have Harlyn or Arabella accompany you. They both seem to know a lot about that sort of thing too." Partially because safety in numbers, and partially because he felt like multiple hands on board would benefit them in the long run.

No! she wanted to scream. This was something she needed to do alone. If she had to go with others, it would only make them think even more that she was a spy. But...did she really want to challenge the Alpha? Did she really want to risk her place in the pack? It was better to obey the Alpha then get kicked out. She could ask again at a later time, when they trusted her more. This trip would be a naturalist trip, not an apology mission. "I'll ask them about it and see if we can do it soon." she said shyly. "Thank you for allowing the trip."

sorry for the late reply. i had 2 class trips, testing and a bunch of other school stuff that kept me busy.

you're fine! i'm really a patient sort and often just as busy — i work full time! :)

She thanked him and briefly, he let a smile spread evenly across his features.

"You don't have to thank me, but I do appreciate you letting me know. Especially if this will benefit the pack as a whole." There was no telling what their futures would hold, if anything good at all. They had been fortunate in the last winter but Mordecai had come to understand that if anything were true, then nature certainly would do as it pleased. For him, it would have served them all well if he presumed it would be an awful season to go through. Better to be prepared than not at all.

And like such, he could not help but voice it.

"With winter coming, I'd rather we take our chances and be ready for it. Beats trying to scrounge around finding food or other necessities when all is frozen." His smile returned for a moment, a brief glimpse that he had in fact, learned this the hard way at some point.

Misty nodded, agreeing fully with the Alpha's comment about winter. As a loner, she knew only too well how harsh winter could be. She had been fortunate enough to find shelters during her first winter. She had been only two months old, but fate had been kind and had allowed her to survive. Her previous winter had been better, she'd had Skyshire's help and company. This winter would be her first with a pack, and as a Naturalist, she was going to do everything in her power to help her pack survive. "I'll go ask them later today. We should get out as soon as possible in case we have an early winter this year, which is very likely, more flocks of birds are flying straight past lakes and ponds than the flocks that are stopping, though there are still a good number of flocks stopping. I'm guessing we have two to three weeks at most before the first snowfall or snowstorm."

Hope you don't mind me wrapping this up! Feel free to reply again or I'll go ahead and archive this in a few days. :)

"I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case," he said. Mordecai fully expected to see the mountains lined with snow far before the valleys they all inhabited below, but they could never be too certain. Mother Nature would always do what she wanted to first and foremost, even if they held some rudimentary capabilities to predict those very actions.

Giving his coat a rough shake, he eyed the interior cover that the forest provided for a moment. The borders were staying quiet for now, and he felt the pull to venture elsewhere on his own. "I should probably leave you to it, then," he said as his gaze turned back to Misty. "But I'll be interested in what you find out there. I'm sure Harlyn will especially be interested as well if she doesn't join you. Good luck."

With a linger for a moment more, he gave Misty a nod and made his way off.