Sun Mote Copse Keep Moving Forward

In her weakened state, traveling was harsh on Giana. Her spindly legs ached, and somewhere in the span of time she wandered her way South, her broken leg became able to hold up her slight weight-even with a limp. She'd always been a slim female, but even now she lacked the curves and fat that used to pad her muscled frame. Her hips and rib bones jutted out from her pelt sharply, and no longer did she stride forward like a queen. The torture had broken down her spirit, and the encounters later on had sealed those breaks, making her much jumpier and bitter than before. Even if she did find the Ferretti's, would any of them-even her own children- recognize her?

It didn't matter: After giving Sun Mote Copse a wide berth-she could've sworn there hadn't been a pack there before- and slipping into Cedar Sweep, Giana came to halt. Before her was Nimbus Summit, the last place she'd seen her family, their temporary camp.... And it was claimed. Not it, exactly, but the Glade beneath it was, and the pack scent was so thickly spread on the steamy mountain that Giana refused to step paw on it. That meant that her family was no longer here, as shed suspected, and there was nothing here for her. With tears welling in her eyes, Gia turned back towards the Copse. She aimed her paws to take her in between the borders of Royal Fire Court and The Malkaria, but curiosity called her to a halt when she realized she was drawing within the sight of the Copse borders. With nothing at all left in the world for her, why not try again? She had nothing better to do, and quite honestly with the chill of Autumn in the air, Giana wasn't sure she would survive the Winter alone. That was hard enough for loners, let alone loners with a permanent limp and a bad attitude. She wasn't old, per say, but she was aging-this very well could be her last good Winter. Better to try now and find a home rather than waiting till she really was useless, right? The bony woman shifted on dainty paws, ears splaying back in nervousness, but she sat where she was yards from the border as she called for any authority. Hopefully, this group would be much more welcoming than the last two she's encountered.

@Eshamun @Arunik'ra

in the days that followed the ritual, eshamun had kept to herself -- silent, grieving, but awash in the light of molech. she knew her sacrifice had pleased the eight-armed one -- the res drunak had done well her task -- and thus would the malkaria be blessed. but eshamun knew too she must let out the tears and the pain, rid herself of it lest it consume her with bitterness, and so she spent a great part of her day at the shrine, whispering o'ertop the graves where the little ones had been buried. their spirits did not hear her, she knew, consumed in the holy fire of molech's breath, but she spoke to the deaf ghosts all the same. there was a certain comfort in it, she found. 

the ekar-aji had discovered enough strength within her to perform a patrol 'round the golden edges of the copse, and did so with a slow, easy trot, lowering her muzzle from time to time to scent for tracks. the air was becoming cooler, though the weather was still shot through with silvery summer heat, but soon the winter would be upon them. it was not something of which eshamun knew; she, her sister, and khalba had come from the hotlands.

but no matter; here was a wolf upon her borders. eshamun approached with a lightness she did not feel in her heart, only physically, now that the weight of her gravidity had passed. viridian eyes settled gently on the stranger, who appeared malnourished and, save for a pair of shrewd eyes, rather older than the ekar-aji suspected she was. "welcome to the malkaria," the canaanite murmured softly. the scent of rot and death hung in an invisible cloud around the stranger, and she was wary.

Though the voice called for authority- something Ragna couldn't claim- she came anyway. The voice was unfamiliar, and that was reason enough for her to answer. She wanted to be present, should this visit not be friendly a friendly one. Though Eshamun and Arunik'ra both could defend themselves well enough, Ragna felt it was her duty to protect them. As Shieldmaiden, was that not her duty?

The wolf set herself a respectful distance from the borders, Ragna noted as she materialized from between two trees. That pleased her, though little else did. It seemed that every bone in her body jutted against her skin. What was probably already a lean wolf looked emaciated and weak. Useless, in Ragna's eyes. Ragna stepped forth cautiously, eyes trained unwavering on the woman. Eshamun had already arrived, and had set to welcoming the woman. Ragna announced herself, then sat a distance away in watchful silence. She would not interfere unless asked.

When not one, but two creatures approached, Giana grew more nervous, standing and shuffling back another step as if preparing to be chased off again. When one greeted her-one she assumed was a leader- and the other sat herself down, Giana's ears cupped foward gently. So far, they were at least willing to listen. Though she knew she still reeked of stale infection, the woman could feel that it was mostly gone and hoped this time it wouldn't sour her posibility of joining. The paler womans eyes bore into her, and Gia gave both a respectful dip of her head, but it was Eshamun who claimed her stormy gaze. 
                 "I'm Giana."
Glancing once again to the other before flicking her gaze back, the Ferretti wasted no time giving them the information they would no doubt ask for eventually. The white and rust colored woman could feel her heart hammering in her throat-what if those shore wolves had come here, too, spread more of their crap about her being some kind of a danger? If that were true, why would these pack wolves be greeting her so calmly? 
                               "I'm a starwatcher, learning weather patterns. I'm recovering from an infection, and I know I don't look it right now, but I'm also a well trained warrior."
Her skills laid out, Giana didn't feel she really had to say what she was here for. The fresh scent of others was void on her now-if there even were any smells left of the Donneliath wolves, they were far stale and covered by now. It'd been a moon since leaving them, patched with herbs from the sea witch. Now, she was a little stronger-she could hold herself, stand, even run for very short distances, but was never without the slight limp to her right front leg.

the nervousness that poured from the wolfess was palpable. eshamun turned to greet the fierce ragna with a nod, and then filled her eyes once more with the ragged vision before her. despite the outward appearance, the voice with which the ekar-aji was presented was strong, brief, and underwoven with a confidence that eshamun admired. the woman was also honest, speaking of the infection which laced her body. "a starwatcher," the canaanite murmured, rolling the unfamiliar word upon her tongue.

she gazed at giana for a long moment. "@Ragna," the ruddy wolfess murmured at length, inviting the shieldmaiden to her side. "you have travelled. i assume you have seen many things," eshamun added, turning her verdant gaze upon ragna's own for a long moment. "please take the scent of our guest, and stock of her wounds; tell me if you think she cannot be cured by herbs alone. the malkaria cannot afford sickness," eshamun explained quietly to giana. "that is why i ask for this."

With Eshamun's approval, she stepped forth, sitting now beside the Ekar-aji. When given her task Ragna nodded, stepping forth. Secretly, this thrilled her, for it was a chance to impress Eshamun. She circled the female, keenly taking stock of what she saw. Infection clung to her as a weary malaise, and it was this combined with her skeletal emaciation that made Ragna fear that death dogged her. Though the scent was old, Ragna knew infection could spring up again in a wolf so weak. And Giana looked so very weak. Upon finishing her circuit, Ragna came to sit beside Eshamun again.

She will be a burden before she will be an asset, Ragna surmised. Giana would not recover her full strength in time to help prepare for winter. She wouldn't be able to help fill their caches and defend their borders. Winter comes, and she may not survive. She is a risk, one I would not take. But it would be a kind thing to do, if kindness moves your heart. Were it spring, Ragna's assessment might have been different. But they were small, still, and could not afford a burden.

Instead of accepting or declining, the nameless leader called to the white woman-one she named as Ragna- and gave her the order to look over Giana and see if she could even survive. The pale Ferretti's ears again laid to the sides, but Gia was able to stand openly and neutrally as Ragna did a full circle, even pounding as her heart was. Broken as she was, it seemed some of her pride was stitched to her very soul-her confidence in herself was great, even looking how she did. 

When the white woman gave her verdict, Giana couldn't help but huff. Not in disagreement-in fact, the corners of her lips quipped up in a sad smile. She was pathetic looking, yes, even the regal woman knew the facts of what she was now, but she could feel the strength in her bones; in turn, she made an offer she knew that she would keep, or die trying. 
                "Giana Marie Ferretti is no burden. I'll hunt for the caches before my own stomach and put the pack before myself at every turn. Too much of a fighter to only come this far-to find a home after a lifetime of travels-just to die." 

upon her word, ragna moved forth, circling the newcomer as she gave her assessment of giana's wellbeing. eshamun lifted her chin, eyes following the graceful movements of the shieldmaiden, even as ragna returned to her side. the warrior had a grim opinion of the joiner's situation, and eshamun shared it. however, giana spoke, and the canaanite listened.

the ferocity of the other's words brought a smile to the red woman's lips -- she admired such strength. "i shall give you a week," she decided then. "you shall be looked after, but your stay shall be dependent upon what you are able to bring to our caches." there would be no children this year, a fact that was still fiercely painful for eshamun, and so they had no one toward whom they must divert their resources. "a week," she repeated, turning to ragna. "if she fails, she will be out from among us before the snows. i leave her in your charge. if you accept," she continued, turning her gaze upon giana.

In her wisdom, Eshamun came to an arrangement that Ragna could agree with and seemed fair for Giana. If the woman proved to be an accomplished hunter and not dead weight, then Ragna could see no reason not to allow her among their numbers. There was something to be said for more manpower, particularly when they had no mouths to feed but their own. There were no children, and none of them were pregnant. They could afford to at least give the woman a chance.

Ragna could see that Eshamun valued the strength and vivacity with which Giana spoke. It struck some jealousy within her, to see Eshamun look favorably upon another outsider. This jealousy Ragna could quell, then, and did. Besides, Eshamun then assigned her to look after Giana, and this pleased her. Ragna nodded, then looked to Giana to see how she felt about this arrangement.

A week. Giana was given a week to live among them, to stock caches to prove she wasn't useless. The white woman could tell that, despite her appearance, Eshamun had heard the conviction in her words, perhaps even admired her strength: mission accomplished. Giana was not a slacker and not a liar- she would do everything in her power to feed the pack well in the next week, to prove that her words reigned true. As the women turned to see her reply, Giana gave a nod, but had a question or two herself now.
                  "I understand, and I accept. What do I call you by? Is there anything I should know?"
Ragna, she knew-but the leader never had given her name. That, and she hadn't even been told of the pack-were they just a standard, run of the mill pack then? It didn't really matter to her-as long as she could fill a few caches, this was a place willing to allow her a home.

Feel free to tell her she gets next to no information till the end of their deal xD

lol will do! welcome!

eshamun smiled at ragna, and also at giana, for consenting to such a trial. "it is settled, then," the ekar-aji murmured. she did not think that the woman would fail ... but stranger things had occurred. in this she would also see the ability of ragna to guide and to gauge. she held already a high opinion of the shieldmaiden, strengthed by how ragna had handled this first task.

"i will leave you now. this is the malkaria. i am eshamun. this is ragna. that is all you need know for now, giana." her green eyes appraised the other briefly. "follow my shieldmaiden. she will show you into the heart of our encampment." with a final glance between the pair, the ruddy-hued woman turned away and was gone momentarily, a small smile wreathing her muzzle.

it faded soon thereafter, for she entered the shrine and lay beside the small new graves there in wordless communion.

short weird post from me. ragna outie

This was a test for both of them, of that Ragna was sure. She faced it with grim satisfaction, certain that she would succeed. Then and there she began to plan on how she would gauge Giana's progress. Where before she had faced Giana's inclusion with jealousy, now she saw it as a chance to climb to further respect in the eyes of her superiors.

She nodded at the direction, and watched as Eshamun departed. Then she turned to Giana, gave her an appraising look, and said, come. Though not much for words, Ragna would do her best to guide Giana through what she needed to know to complete her task. She would show the woman to the cache, have her fed, and direct her to the best hunting locations.

Giana was told nothing - that was fine. The woman understood why, but it ignited her curiosity. 

When she was given her orders, she listened to them - even if she hated doing it - and followed Ragna deeper into the woods. As far as she was concerned, she was a firm member - it was not an option to fail, not this time. 

She was glad the woman didn't speak much, for Giana didn't either. She noted each step taken, mapping the places the shieldmaiden showed her to and getting started at once.