Lost Creek Hollow didn't expect you to whisper some truth through your hands

this is rough. explaining random vanishing is hard!

She hadn't imagined Haggarde would show up in the Teekons.

Unfortunately, he had. The slimy snake. She'd caught the hint of his scent, and even thought she spotted him once or twice beyond the borders of the Maplewood. She should have told Saena or Reek. They'd been so preoccupied with the current worries, not to mention Scarlett and her children, that she hadn't wanted to burden them. Perhaps her leaving was an even greater strain on the pack, but she lacked the wherewithal to explain herself in words or actions. She was muted, still, from the grief she felt at being so horribly broken and, yet, somehow worried for him should the russet-tipped Alpha catch him lurking.

The past month or so was spent hiding away in the southern reaches of Rising Sun Valley, but a lack of food and the pressing concerns of winter drove her to find shelter once more. Her guilt over leaving Saena behind was still a raw wound across her heart, but there was no sense in driving herself to starvation over it. Knowing it would be futile to try and explain herself and her situation, she kept to the south, knowing from her wanderings that there was a small pack sequestered in a wooded grotto just north of the moor.

Juniper looked down at the woodland from a place above, where the hills of the Overture Downs began their gentle downhill to the forest below. It appeared so nondescript from this angle but, then again, as did Rivenwash from the outside. The sunny she-wolf lifted her nose to the sky and cried out for the wolves hidden in the thickets below, mist forming near her lips from the chill.

Root, despite her lack of sleep, rises early in the morning.  Most of the time, she’s aimlessly wandering the territory to familiarize herself.  She knows the distance between where she sleeps and the alpha’s den but doesn’t visit there—she hasn’t had a need—but the knowledge sits in the back of her mind anyway just in case.  She does make the trip to the stream for a drink before she begins her day, letting the cold water wake her up.  From there she patrols and rarely has she run into another, but a good majority of their land is protected and a good thing, with one of the leaders not quite back to his full self.

The howl catches her attention and, deciding she’s close enough to adjust her track and close the distance, she does so.  

The distance isn’t as far as she expects but the climb is what slows her down.  Her legs are not made for such a thing and what should have taken ten minutes, perhaps, drudges into nearly half an hour.  She’s nearly out of breath by the time she catches wind of the stranger and Root stops to catch it, slowly drawing in until she sees the creamy female.  A soft chuff escapes her lips as she makes her presence known, stepping up and admiring the odd-eyed woman, something that happens to run in her own line.  It isn’t enough to warrant question but she does dip her head in greeting before her posture adjusts to a more casual dominant stance.

“Can I help you?”

Though she was left waiting near a full hour, Juniper was undeterred. She didn't presume that wolves were lurking in the shadows just out of sight on the borders while waiting on whatever needy fool might come along next. Her rump soon found the snow, followed not long after by her belly. She splayed her toes against the thin layer of snow, sighed, looking as content as a pup with a belly full of milk (though her body looked a bit more weatherworn than when she first arrived in the Teekon Wild a month and a half ago).

Eventually, the sound of wolf's breath on the breeze caught her attention and she twisted an ear around towards the noise. Her muzzle swung around quickly after, and she focused on the stranger's approach with a cautious tilt to her other ear. When the other was in sight she rose to stand on all four paws again, and shook out her pelt for good measure. A smile touched her lips when the other offered a kindly greeting, and her lungs swell to lend the green-eyed fawn a wuff of her own.

There was no way of knowing, of course, that she was speaking to someone of her own bloodline (though only slightly removed). So, she remained oblivious and polite.

"I hope so." She replied with a tired smile. "I'm sure you've heard it before, but I need a home. I dispersed from my parent's pack a few months ago and, well, the season is putting a damper on things."

Root is greeted in kind and a smile forms on her features rather quickly.  The threat of the cougar has not escaped her and even if what she’d happened upon isn’t the threat, it very well could linger nearby.  She keeps alert and splits her focus from the stranger warily.  The hope that someone else might show up from her pack gives her a little comfort for back up; she knows she’s not the only one that heard the call.  It isn’t likely every one of her pack mates were out wandering on their own.

“I see,” is all she says for a moment, as if she were to consider the option to let the female pass.  Harlyn had been kind enough to hear her out on the borders, to listen to her skills and allow her worthy enough to stay without asking much of where she’d come from.  It wouldn’t be fair for Root to do the same to another seeking the same shelter, not without hearing her out.  “It seems that you are not the only one,” she tells her with her smile still in tact.  “Lost Creek Hollow opened their arms to me when I had done the same.”

Of course, when Root returned to her home, it hadn’t been there for her.

“I am sure if you are able to be useful to the—” Root pauses, then corrects:  “to us, a similar invitation would be presented.  What’s your name?”

"Juniper Saturnin." She says with a single wave of her bushy tail, unaware that there are implications to her introduction. Seeing an opportunity she presses on, blindly. "Beyond the usual gamut of wolf stuff, my father taught me a great deal about herbs and poultices. My knowledge is, well, not rudimentary but useful enough. I haven't had much time to hone it in recent months but I'd be more than willing to take up that task once my living situation was a bit more stable."

She casts a quick look over the other woman's shoulder, wondering if more would be joining their pack mate in this meeting. It wasn't unusual for many wolves to investigate a potential newcomer. It made her nervous, but decidedly less so than if Root had been neutral or even cold towards her.

The woman introduces herself and if fur weren’t covering her face, she’d notice how pale she turns.  Her breath hitches in the back of the throat, threatening to stop entirely even as the other continues on speaking.  Root is able to keep still long enough to let the other finish speaking, even if she doesn’t hear the words.  She’s suddenly lost, swimming in her own thoughts.  Root knew she had family in other parts of the world but little had really been said about them.  Her immediate line on both sides of her family were known to her but the branches were beyond her grasp. 

Then again, Saturnin can’t be that common of a name not to be related in some form, right?

Root’s had jerks as she looks behind her to see where Juniper is looking but she quickly returns her gaze.  “I’m sorry,” she drawls, looking down at their paws.  Root isn’t sure where she’s supposed to look and she knows it probably isn’t giving off the best vibe.  “I thi—” she stops, returning back to look at the others odd-eyed face.  “I think we’re related.”

I think we’re related.

Juniper blinks once--twice. She takes away a flicker of recognition from behind the woman's green eyes and feels a rush of emotion well up from deep down in her stomach; both confusion and elation, and the barest chill of suspicion. How peculiar? Better yet, how? For a moment, Juniper's face reveals nothing but surprise as she struggles to work through this. But instead of remaining in stunned silence, she decides to navigate through this blind.

"I guess, um... well! My mom's name is Juliet, and my grandpa's name was? is Jazz. Do you know them?" As she speaks, she lowers her tilted head a few inches and extends her muzzle forward with a soft smile.

I don't know who is still alive anymore, lmao.

The girl feels only slightly uncomfortable as she tries to sort through her reeling thoughts.  She thought she lost all her family, never really considered what is out in the rest of the world, but she never really expected to find them.  And one is on her doorstep.  At least, she thinks so.  Juniper’s expression shows nothing but surprise and she hopes it’s for the better, that if they are related, they are on good terms. She isn’t aware of any hostility in particular that might make her family unwelcome to the others.  Her mother’s siblings all aren’t from the same mother but that isn’t enough to raise concern, is it?

The name Juliet is familiar, her aunt if she remembers correctly, but she’s never met her, but Jazz.  Jazz. Her eyes widen slightly and she nods her head.  “Jazz is my grandfather,” Root finally tells her with a sweep of her tail.  “Juliet would be my aunt.” She takes a deep breath, trying to let her mind settle a few moments before she continues.  Does she tell her more?  Does she tell her her sister is named for their grandfather because they look so much alike?  That her parents are dead now?  Her jaw tightens but she forces a smile to appear on her features when Juniper inches closer. 

She doesn’t close the distance.  “My name is Root.  Oak was my mother.”

\_(ツ)_/

Everything settles into place rather quickly once Root establishes her connection to the Saturnins; Jazz, in particular, of course.

Juniper perks up and a sunnier disposition seems to dawn across her features. A toothy grin whisks across her lips and she straightens her head up once more. "Wow, just wow! I think I might have heard of her. Uh, your mom, I mean. Maybe met her before? I don't know. I probably would've been really young but wow!" Her way of speaking is quite animated, muzzle snaking around and paws shifting against the loam as she lifts one and places it down again. She laughs heartily, "Gosh, well, it's really, really nice to meet you Root!" She doesn't try to push closer, sensing Root is still trying to swallow all of this, so she pulls back into a seated position instead.

"Are there others here? Where do your parents live?" She blunders on, unaware of the unfortunate circumstances behind Root's presence here.

Root's gonna get distracted and forget to call in case @Mordecai or @Harlyn wants to pop in?

The woman started to get excited and her own tail begins to wag a little faster, ears eagerly cupped forward, and an awkward smile on her face that’s a little unsure of itself.  She dances around a little and her smile brightens, slowing growing into her own features.  There are large families and Root knows she’s part of a big one. Her former how isn’t too far from where she lives now, and that land isn’t too far off where her grandparents had once lived. 

It also helps that, even if Juniper isn’t a familiar face, she is family.  Root could use a little more family.

Then Juniper asks about her own and her smile fades from her face, faster than she intended, and her tail comes to a stop.  “I’m the only one here,” she tells her cousin and considers stopping.  That’s enough to explain it, right?  She heaves a breath and forces to continue.  The wounds are still fresh in her mind.  “They were killed.  A few weeks ago. Hunters—” she halts on that note; it’s explanation enough.

Misfortune followed Adonis for so long, that it might be hard to believe that Rivenwash Inlet suffered so few troubles after it's founding.

Juniper wouldn't be able to recall much beyond her drama with Haggarde if prompted, and likely wouldn't offer much about it either. At least, not right away. So it was hard for her to fathom that Root's own experiences were so... raw. Her smile vanishes and she visibly stiffens. Like an angry, open wound; it flashed across her mind. The images conjured from her mind were offered up from the depths of her subconscious. Stories of the loud, howling metal machines that had ran down Goldmoon Forest recalled in vivid detail. It was nightmarish.

Root's explanation was cut short, either intentionally or by a skip of her heart, and it was all Juniper could do to not reach out embrace the tawny woman. They were family, sure, but still entirely strangers to one another aside from name. "Gods, I—" But, instead of filling the pause with empty sympathies, Juniper merely lowers her head. Root looked so drained. It was hard to see her—anyone, really, that way. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to dredge up something so awful."

*party crashes*

It was simple kismet that brought Harlyn into the vicinity to overhear the pair of excited voices just beyond her Hollow.  One she recognized, but the other was foreign to her.  She was not usually one to intrude upon others mid-conversation, but the recent trouble the pack had experience made her feel a bit uneasy at the thought of not just dropping by to ensure that all was well.  

And so, the alpha came upon the pair in due time.  Where the voices had seemed happy at first, the two wolves she walked towards were somewhat tense.  Had she not been doing her best not to listen to their words out of politeness, she might have had a clue what she had stepped into.  As it was, she moved her gaze from Root to the stranger, her eyes narrowing slightly.  "What is happening here?" Harlyn asked, wary that the blonde wolf had done something to upset her packmate.

#rude

It’s tense but Root does shy away.  A will they-won’t they comfort hangs between them and her own feet shuffle beneath her.  She awkwardly smiles, shaking her head to ward off the apology.  Juniper didn’t know, she doubts there’s any way she could have known, and there couldn’t be any blame to be.  “It’s fine, you di—” she trails off as she’s interrupted, swinging her head ‘round to see Harlyn coming up beside them.  Distracted in the moment, she hadn’t noticed it sooner.

Root hastily clears her throat, trying not to choke in front of the woman.  Her ears cup forward and she straightens her shoulders.  “Well,” she begins and her eyes flicker back to Juniper as if they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t be able to do.  Root can’t even remember if Juniper told her what she’s good at so she’s a little confused.  “This is Juniper.  She’s… ah, she’s my…?” her brows knit together to figure out the relation.  

“Cousin?” 

She’s a little unsure of the connection but she sticks to it, looking back to Harlyn with a little firmer smile.  
“She wants to join.”

The approach of another wolf put a pause on the awkward tension, for now, and shifted it to more technical matters. Though the other female was a bit more suspicious (especially given the scene she walked in on), Root was able to convey the meaning behind everything. Cousin was, in all fairness, as likely as a conclusion to come to when dealing with tangled family trees. Juniper, of course, didn't really understand just how big it really was, so she was quite content with the label. The smile that follows, the blond woman mirrors a half-beat later as she shifts her full attention to Harlyn.

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't meant to cause such a disturbance with suddenly appearing but...!" Juniper cuts herself off and cocks her head a bit to the left. "Yeah, I'm Juniper. Nice to meet you...?"

I'm on absence so this post is crap, but I didn't want to hold this up any longer >___> /EXITALPHA  

The tension she'd walked in on seemed to morph just as soon as she arrived. it wasn't exactly comfortable now, but her packmate's distress seemed to dissipate and so Harlyn's wariness wavered as well. She spied the golden female with a curious quirk of her brow as the title 'cousin' was offered. "Harlyn, alpha of this pack." she said in response to the question Juniper had left open for her. She gave her an appraising look before turning to Root. It was to her that she gave a more thoughtful stare for a few moments before speaking, "My borders are always open to family." it was a simple comment, but it had not taken her too long to determine that she had been right in giving Root a chance, so how could she deny the same right to one of her blood?

"Root will make sure that you prove your mettle," Harlyn said finally with a grin before dipping her muzzle and taking her leave.

Harlyn introduces herself and then allows the open for Juniper.  Root opens her mouth to speak but before she gets the chance to say anything else, the woman is gone.  Her smile fades for a moment as she watches the alpha disappear.  The weight of someone else having to prove themselves for the pack is on her and she barely knows the other, she can’t speak for her.  Root tucks it away for the time being and offers a smile in return, swinging her head back to the other woman.

“Well, that was easy,” she says with a soft laugh, turning her nose so the other would follow.

Want to fade? :)