The Sentinels her ghost in the fog

It had been some weeks since she'd last seen her family, and the initial panic had long since ebbed down to a more subtle sense of anxiety and foreboding.  She felt like a fish out of water, vulnerable as though a target were painted on her back.  Such was the predicament of a wolf separated from its pack, especially in the middle of winter, and Raven was not unaware of her grave circumstances.  She needed to find her family soon, or else she'd likely end up dead.  She wasn't the worst hunter in the world, but neither was she the best either.  She was, after all, only a yearling.    

There had been several times that she had found herself nearing the outer fringes of other packs' lands, and each time she had been hasty in her efforts to distance herself from them.  She had no desire to become someone else's lunch.  She just wanted to get back home again.  But as the weeks wore on, and she grew hungrier and more desperate, the thought lingered on her mind:  what if she did ask them to allow her to join them?  At least until she got her bearings, learned more about the lands she was in, and managed to figure out the way home.  Nobody had to know it was only temporary...right?

These thoughts ran through her mind as she stood, staring with brows furrowed, at a lovely expanse of tall, stately evergreens whose secretive depths stretched for miles over rolling hills and windswept coastline.  Her nose told her there were wolves here, though she was cautious to keep enough distance so that their scents were but faint traces upon the wind.  A debate raged inside of her.  Would they kill her?  Chase her away?  If there had to be a negative outcome, she hoped it was the latter.  A soft whine escaped her lips as she fidgeted, unable to summon the courage to lift her muzzle and send up a howl for those who called this forest home.

*siddles on in*

The wind whipped through her pale coat as she scouted the fringes of the pack's land, weaving in and out of the tall Sentinels, following a sprite leading her toward a cache of winter berries. Eilidh knew this particular spirit was kindly toward the wolves that had moved into the woods, and trusted the being wholeheartedly as she followed its invisible trail along the borders. Soon the gossamer princess was standing at the edges of the pack between two towering giants, a speck of gold among the green and grey, her emerald eyes surveying the land around her.

Instead of berries, however, she spotted another wolf ahead. The figure seemed small and somewhat timid. Eilidh sniffed, but the wind was blowing across her nose, so only the scents of trees and wildlife met her nostrils. With a soft bark, the youth stepped forward, ears cupped to hear the other's response. "Hello?" she called aloud, her voice calm and gentle. She had learned that trick from her mother - and her father, too - and she practiced it sometimes when it suited her. "Are you lost?" she asked, pausing a few strides further, not wanting to crowd the other. From this distance Eilidh could see the other was a girl, and a young one at that. Probably not much younger than she was, honestly, but probably too young to be wandering around alone during winter.

tagging behati mostly bc she's still technically supposed to be following her? but don't feel obligated to respond i'll just lightly pp her in the background. if that isn't okay just let me know (: I just feel bad that i'm technically supposed to have her in every thread i'm in.

beep! hang on, you got here first, let me edit <3

It was not uncommon to see the white princess around the borders recently. She kept her head high and her shoulders straightened, a posture that she honestly found more comfortable. Even with a grumpy @Behati trailing behind her, the girl found herself striving even further to make it known that even though she was new to the pack, she was well deserving of her rank. She had heard a few whispers of uncertainty among the pack, some even yelled directly to her poor, pretty face. Casmir's yell was the most painful, and she wished for him to take it back. She did not know where they stood, however, and only did her best to ignore the fact it had happened.

For now, she spotted the honey-white fur of Eilidh, Casmir's sister and the packs healing apprentice, she often said. She was going to let out a bark of greeting, when she noticed the girl notice something, and glanced over to see the black coat of a female. She looked young, younger than she, and Aria tilted her head curiously. She made her way over, her eyes gazing upon both girls before she took her place beside Eilidh, giving her a head dip as greeting before she regained her tall posture and gazed upon the visitor. She said nothing, as the Mayfair girl already had. She simply waited with a high tail and perked ears, listening carefully for a response. 

cradle of filth title ... check OKAY UR IN

lasher was distraught. very few seemed pleased with aria's recent promotion. add to that the open and obvious dissent between herself and behati. he of course had heard of what had transpired, and he knew he must take the adolescent wolves aside and talk to them firmly. for now, he traversed the borders with some semblance of tiredness plaguing his features. much had transpired and the sense of it all had come to weigh heavily upon his shoulders.

donnelaith was his home, and taltos truly intended it to be a shelter for all those who needed such in the darkness of their lives, but the strife that now riddled his ranks discomfitted the ruler, and presently he sought the solace of the no-wolf's-land just beyond his border.

it was at this moment that a soft and girlish call rose for the leader -- he paused momentarily before he drew himself toward the sound. the vision of a dark young wolfess grew before his eyes, sparking a strange familiarity within the soul of the druid. 

eilidh had arrived first, and aria, presumably with behati not far behind her. they congregated 'round the newcomer until the alpha of donnelaith stepped forward. lasher felt no words come to his tongue; he stood before the ebonfurred child with a warm expression upon his visage, inviting her to speak. he knew her, and yet he did not.

BWAHAHA EBONY I KNOW HOW TO GET IN YOUR PANTS PACK  XD

Thanks for all the quick replies!  You guys are on it!  :)

The fear that gripped her with such intensity that she could not even raise a call to announce herself kept her rooted on the spot, and she scarcely moved, indecision tearing at her like so many claws.  She tried to think of Wifi and how brave her sister must have been to risk the wrath of another pack to follow her heart -- it did little to comfort her.  Just as she was beginning to sidle backwards, as if to bolt away to the safe emptiness of distant neutral land, she spied something pale moving amidst the vast trunks some small distance away.  A glance revealed it to be a pallid figure, draped in soft tones of buttercream and honey.  It was a young wolf, possibly close to Raven herself in age.  The Redhawk girl took no chances -- she immediately crouched down to the ground, lowering herself into a gesture of deference and respect.  When the resident wolf spoke to her, however, the response she got was...definitely not what she had been expecting.

The she-wolf greeted her with gentleness and curiosity, her voice completely devoid of all the things Raven had imagined there would be.  There was no hostility or baring of teeth, no accusations or harsh demands.  No move was made to aggress this black stranger or harm her in any way.  Only a simple, profoundly comforting question -- Are you lost?  Raven swallowed nervously and started to answer, but was distracted by the approach of another wolf.  This one wore a coat like purest snow, and the way she carried herself indicated some clout within the pack's ranks.  Again, Raven was surprised at the overall lack of reaction to her being there.  She only knew of her mother's savage and untrusting way of dealing with strangers at the Caldera's borders.

A moment later, a third wolf entered the scene and though he said nothing, the way the others responded to him told Raven that he was the highest ranked of the three.  He looked upon her with kindly eyes, an expression of curious warmth and interest inviting her to speak.  She maintained her crouched position and, carefully avoiding all three sets of eyes, focused her own gaze on a pinecone that lay a few feet in front of her.  "Um...I'm lost..." she began nervously, her tone quavering a little bit as her heart pounded and her belly flip-flopped.  "One of my friends disappeared...uh, I dunno...a few moons back.  And I tried to find him and I lost my way 'cause it snowed real hard and I lost my trail 'cause I'm not a good tracker an' now I have no idea where I am or how to get home."  The words just tumbled out of her in rapid succession, accelerated by her fear and fueled by the contained panic she'd been suppressing for weeks.  She took a breath, steadying herself, and continued, "I'm jus' tired and hungry and kinda scared and don't wanna be by myself anymore."

It was the most she'd spoken since she'd left the Caldera a month ago.

The girl dropped to her belly, cowering before the wolf even at this distance. Eilidh frowned, but didn't say anything about it. Some wolves just reacted that way, and it was okay with her; better showing deference and fright than aggression. Aria and Behati arrived next, though the latter remained a few paces back and out of the way (thank goodness). Eilidh nodded a greeting to Aria, but didn't say anything to either of them, and it was just as well. After that came her Pappa; she smiled softly at him before turning to look back toward the dark creature across the handful of yards that separated them. Who was she and why was she so afraid?

And then the dark girl began to speak, answering her question about being lost. So, she was lost, and she wasn't a very good tracker. Well, that was okay, too. Eilidh knew that not everybody had the same skills and that was what made a wolf pack thrive: the strengths and weaknesses of each wolf coming together to create a cohesive and therefore stronger unit. But this wolf must be far from home if she was so afraid and had been traveling for a few months. "I'm sorry you've been so lost. You're currently on the borders of Donnelaith on the coast. I'm Eilidh, the pack's healer apprentice." The gossamer girl smiled softly toward the other, wondering if she was doing the right thing by taking the lead. "This is Aria, our beta female." She indicated the wolf nearby. "And Lasher, our alpha male, and my Pappa." She glanced at him and grinned briefly before looking back to the other.

"Can we help you in any way?" While normally this would be frowned upon, Eilidh could see clearly that this girl was young, very naive, and quite frightened. She couldn't see how offering her some assistance would harm them at all.

It was true that Eilidh handled the situation much differently than she would have. While she didn't necessarily agree on the tactic (on a wolf so close to the borders, for goodness sakes), she didn't make any movements to intervene or change the tone of the introduction to the outside yearling. Lasher was here and, after all, this meant her word was second rather than first; he would have the final say. If he didn't stop Eilidh on the way she spoke to the almost trespasser, neither would she.

When introduced, Aria bowed her head to show the girl (if it was not obvious already) that she was the Beta that the honey-covered girl spoke of. She let out a gentle hum, as she had come into the habit of doing when she had no actual words to say, and continued to overlook the situation. The Mayfair child then asked if she needed help, and while a bit shocked she didn't first ask why she was at the borders, Aria simply flicked her ears in curiosity and waited for an answer. Would she admit she needed help? The girl's tail flicked behind her as she watched.

she began haltingly, and lasher was struck by the characteristics they all exhibited -- eilidh, the doting one, aria, the guardian of the borders, somehow disapproving, and himself, quiet and yet interested. he had yet to speak -- his daughter made the proper introductions, and he mulled the girl's story in his head. lasher had no reason to disbelieve her -- the shaking fear in her voice was proof enough of her ordeal -- but he knew from where she had come, and while winter's snow made a route to the caldera currently impassable, in the springtime perhaps peregrine's daughter would return to her pack.

for she was the daughter of his former lover -- he saw the panther in the lines of her body and the tilt of her head, the elegance of even her minute movements. she was a true child of the avian-named line, and yet somehow her presence here vindicated some bitterness buried deep within him of which he had not been previously aware.

wildfire had left her pack; saena viewed the caldera as enemies. pura had disappeared, and junior -- and now hunched another child of peregrine. wryly lasher recalled the last epithets and curses he had heaped upon the devil's head. and so he waited for the girl to speak, but in his heart he had already welcomed her into their fold.

donnelaith would never be the closed, cruelly guarded place that the caldera took pride in being -- taltos brought all who would contribute in among them, and while he loved jealously his tiny daughters, he adored eilidh and casmir no less, and would not throw them from his ranks, as he assumed had been done to wildfire. 

and there was an unsatisfied part of the druid that was self-serving; while he would bring the girl into their ranks and place her below the tutelage of the others, he wished peregrine to discover that she was here, to be hurt by it.

As it became more and more apparent that she wasn't going to be attacked and mauled -- at least not immediately, anyway -- Raven relaxed enough to gather up some composure and calm herself somewhat.  She was a little unnerved at the continued lack of response from the older white female and the dark male.  When the younger she-wolf introduced them as her pack's Beta, Aria, and Alpha, Lasher, Raven gulped.  She'd known they were of rank here, but it was still a frightening thing to be stared at by the two highest-ranked wolves in an unknown pack no matter how calm and benevolent they might seem.  It went against every instinct she had as a wolf just to be here, but she had little choice.  It was this or starve.

The youngest of the three, who introduced herself as Eilidh -- and Raven's ears had noticeably perked up at the mention of her place as a healer's apprentice -- asked if they could help her in any way, the Redhawk girl nodded and said in general to the three of them,  "Uhm...could I...join you?"  There was no way to make this sound not awkward, ugh.  "I don't want to die out here on my own.  I could earn my place...I'm a healer's appren'ice too."  She chanced a shy grin and a fleeting glance at Eilidh, wondering if the girl would be interested in sharing her studies with her.  "Oh, and uh, my name's Raven."  There was indeed every possibility that she would return to her pack when the spring thaws melted the snow and ice that made a trip to the Caldera impossible, but then again, she was a wolf and her loyalty could be won.  If she made a place within the ranks of this new pack and found happiness here, then she just might stay.

Eilidh was usually quite perceptive, but was currently unaware of her father's feelings about the girl before them. The golden child didn't know much about Peregrine, the wolf that had previously been alpha of the plateau, but that didn't mean she didn't know who he was and what role he played her in family history (though his relationship with her father, aside from a friendly one, was unknown to the girl). The lost one - Raven - seemed interested in her role as a healer apprentice, and even offered it up as part of her own ideals, as well, when she asked if she could join them. Eilidh would have said yes immediately, being the kind and trusting wolf that she was, but it was not her place to decide.

"We could always use more healers, Raven. But Lasher and Aria will have to decide that." She smiled softly, hoping to encourage the other, before sparing a glance toward her leaders. She was not used to calling her Pappa "Lasher" and the name felt strange on her tongue, though she knew it was his name. She preferred Pappa above all others, though father would do if the occasion called for it. Eilidh then simply stuck around to wait. The other girl seemed shy, and if she was accepted (which Eilidh hoped for), she would offer her a tour of the place. Maybe she'd make a new friend today.

Eilidh gave the final decision to her and Lasher, leaving Aria feeling a bit excited. She had a say in a decision! It was so fulfilling! But she turned her head to Lasher, knowing that he would have the final say. Quietly, so the young girl couldn't hear from her distance, Aria said. "I see no problem with it, if you see none, Lasher," she said to him, her tail flicking as she waiting for what he would think.

oh god I'm sorry this is so short.

last post for me!

she asked plainly to join, and proffered her skill. young as she was, dubious as her parentage might be, lasher was charmed by raven's mannerliness. "yes. join us as our theta. eilidh is my daughter, and her mother and teacher is our very skilled healer. aria here is also learning the arts. i am sure that blue willow will enjoy having more pupils to grant her knowledge." so he assumed.

standing aside, the man invited the newly ranked girl over the borders into the lands of donnelaith, leaning forward to take her scent and give her his own with a soft press of his muzzle. "go with eilidh," he encouraged with a warm smile. "she will show you about." to aria he gave a nod, gesturing that the beta should join him, and giving a last nod to raven, taltos set off.

Thanks guys!  Last post from me; this can be archived anytime.  :)

Raven could hardly believe her good luck.  The fear that had consumed her moments before had been replaced by jittery excitement, and it was written clearly on her face as both pale she-wolves looked to their alpha for his final word.  When the heretofore silent man finally spoke, his voice was warm and welcoming, like a soft blanket draped over her cold, weary shoulders.  She rose from her deferent position near the ground and approached her new packmates, keeping her head and tail low out of respect for their authority, and spoke simply, "Thank you."  Lasher bade Aria to follow him and exited as Raven turned her attention to Eilidh, excited to have a fellow young healer to learn with.

Last post from me too! :)

Eilidh grinned when her father welcomed the dark girl into their fold, and she stood when the other did, and welcomed her with a bob of her golden head. As Aria left with her Pappa, Eilidh smiled at Raven and bumped her nose gently against the girl's shoulder, offering her a warm smile, before gesturing for her to follow her within the pack's borders. "C'mon, I'll show you the best places. Are you hungry, Raven?" The young healer apprentice led the other apprentice within their lands, and welcomed her as she knew how: with a meal and a quick tour, before letting the girl settle into the area in her own way.

archiving!

 

Aria nodded, somehow haphazardly, trying to remember if she'd told Lasher about her decision to stop learning medicine further. She did however know a bit about it, and decided that it would be pointless to argue now. She dipped her head to Raven, smiling kindly to her, before trotting off to catch up with Lasher, requesting that they do some more patrolling.