Two Rivers Isle So I'll go, but I'm telling you I don't want to go.

@Towhee @Colt @Tegan and whoever else she wrangles to bring with them :)

While Towhee hung back to gather the others, Niamh pushed ahead toward the Northeaster borders, where the slope rolled down gently toward the thicket, but headed East toward the river. She and Ceara had crossed it with Screech, who at the time had been able to easily manage the crossing, as the waters had been little more than knee-deep. With aggravation, though, she came to a halt at the river's edge, and watched as the waters churned and spun over the rocks which had once protruded above the surface. She lifted her head, rain drops dripping from her sharp jawline to peer into the dark clouds which continued to pour rain down. It had begun not so long ago- raining through the night but lessening through the day when she and Towhee had begun their journey, but it had returned again now, falling in thick, heavy and cold droplets. 

She glanced over her shoulder back toward the packlands and gritted her teeth. Already she began to dread what would inevitably be a difficult tracking mission...If the river had filled with that much water already, it would mean his trail would be difficult- if not impossible- to pick up. She looked back to the river which had already begun to surge against the banks. She was already wet almost all the way through to her skin, but the chill had not yet begun to settle into her bones; a fire in her gut kept her warm. The river wasn't a challenge to her, not in that moment. They would ford it, and though she didn't doubt they could cross, she knew the footing would be difficult with the current the way it was. It would be best to cross together, she supposed, so they could use one another as a brace if necessary. 

Unsure if Towhee could even track her to that exact crossing point, she tilted her head back and called out, so her friend and their accomplices would know where to find her, so they could begin their manhunt.

With the necessary troops gathered, Towhee strode boldly into the wilderness, every step deliberate as the plateau faded into the backdrop. She had never deigned to travel, hence the bird winging above and the scouts both anterior and posterior. They would help her track down Screech, though Towhee did not plan to involve anyone else in his execution. Nobody else needed his filthy blood on their hands and the Beta needed to make up for not being there to do this the second he bared a tooth at the likes of Raven.

Stepping determinedly despite the pounding rain, Towhee glanced up now and then to course correct, fully confident that X was leading her in the right direction. Indeed, it wasn't long before she spotted Niamh's familiar golden coat through the deluge. She glanced backward briefly, then hastened her step to join the Gamma beside the swollen riverbank.

Rather than greet her friend, Towhee lifted her sopping nose into the air and tried to sniff. It was veritably impossible to pick up any scents in the downpour though. And it seemed the rain was becoming a bit too much for the hawk too; she didn't even blink or flinch when his familiar (if slightly waterlogged) weight settled on her shoulder blade.

-Where to?- she queried, burning orange eyes fixing on Niamh. Towhee might be the scythe-wielding grim reaper, so to speak, but she considered the blonde she-wolf to be the makeshift leader of the headhunting party.

To say Colt was surprised when Towhee called for him, specifically, was a bit of an understatement.  He didn't know exactly what it was about (the girl's howls were abysmal, c'mon) but, only slightly begrudgingly, he did answer.  He assumed he'd get the long and short of what they were doing eventually.

He rolled in shortly after the Beta, stretching his shoulders and blinking rain from his eyes as he saw her stride up to Niamh.  So she was here too... and the call for Tegan as well.  What was this?  Concern lit his expression, but he sauntered easily enough forward despite the dour mood to the entire thing.  Honestly the atmosphere was perfect, though he didn't know it yet.  This was not likely to be a fun trip.

word travelled fast in this familial pack, but tegan was apparently so far out of the loop the last few days that he hadn't heard a lick of what had happened with screech. as far as the young blackthorn was concerned, the dude was still in a coma. 

so when he was called he was like, mildly confused? maybe it wasn't that big an ordeal, but typically no one called him for anything. he typically just floated around the pack and ran into errands/trouble. never before did said errands/trouble seek him out. 

he traipsed in with a quirked brow and a waving tail, only until he noticed how beat up niamh looked. like, she looked fine, but something was totally off. the air here was thicc as fuck, and not even the good kind. ( :/ ) glancing to colt as he approached, tegan swiftly made towards niamh to nudge her shoulder, cause slowly but surely tegan would show niamh that he could be soft and sensitive and therefore was the relationship type-- he just totally wasn't interested in a relationship right now. "what's up?" he questioned, his gaze moving off of his friend and onto his sister and uncle.

Towhee showed up, and X along with her, the soggy burd choosing to rest on her shoulders through the downpour. Her gaze was focused and stark, and Niamh knew that Towhee would execute the plan without hesitation as soon as they found him. It was up to her, then, to point them in the right direction.

Colt was the next to show up, and part of her wanted terribly to move toward him and seek physical assurance- but she held herself back. If she softened now, she knew she might not be able to commit to the task at hand. Tegan showed up, and gave her a nudge, but she did not return the gesture. She had to renain strong and a bit distant if she wanted to keep herself from buckling.

It seemed, though, that neither were aware of their task and she glanced at Towhee and then back at the two others. ”Raven has sentenced Screech to death; we’re tracking him down- we left him across the river. Either you’re in, or you’re out.” She said, and without hesitation, nodded Towhee and began to ford the river, simply assuming the others would make their choice on the spot and either turn back or follow- there was no discussion.

When Colt and Tegan joined them and the four stood there beside the rushing river, Towhee positioned herself to best track everyone's speech, although the rain would make it difficult. She squinted, glad when Niamh rose to the occasion and explained the reason they'd been summoned. Towhee's orange eyes drifted from Colt to Tegan after the Gamma finished the explanation and began moving toward the water.

"Thanks for coming. I was hoping you'd help us scout and track. Nobody else needs to lay a hand on Screech; I'll do the honors." Although she wanted to make like Niamh and split, she summoned patience and stood there, shifting her weight carefully (considerate of X) to see what they made of this mission.

Tegan came after, and Colt waited patiently as he was able for word on what this was about.  Luckily, Niamh didn't keep him waiting long.  He frowned as she said it, and cast her a look, but didn't respond.  Was she sure about this?  No matter what Screech had done, killing a friend was a heavy deal.  She didn't need to do it.

Yet Colt didn't think the move was wrong, either.  Even if Screech wasn't in his right mind, perhaps putting him down was the quickest mercy.  He'd be content to let the boy go and forget about him, but if they were going, he'd help.  So he just nodded to Towhee.  He'd assist how he could.

oh shit, niamh was seriously beat up about something. she didn't even try to return the gesture. swiftly pretending like this didn't bother him a hair, he merely studied her expression for a moment before turning to focus on towhee and colt, silence heavy but short lived.

wait, hold the FUCK up... kill screech? where the fuck were clover and fiadh when you needed them!!! well, actually, they'd totally ruin the mission. but like, still, tegan would have to tell them about it at a later date... and maybe be a little considerate in his story telling, since they totally would've loved this. or maybe not? to be determined. but, anyway, this still wasn't enough information for the delta.

"whoa-- i'm like, all aboard, of course, anything for raven, but... i thought screech was basically braindead anyway? what the fuck happened?" tegan asked, trying to clarify. of course ready to be on a fuckin mISSION and of course ready to hand some ass to screech but... seriously? he was lost.

you guys probably don't want this thread drawn out so like... feel free to answer tegan in one post and he won't ask anymore questions! but he'd absolutely be confused and is a pain in the ass enough to voice his concerns

She heard Towhee explain just as she stepped into the waters, but had to halt in frustration when Tegan spoke. She lurched as she did so, the way a passenger lurched when the driver suddenly slams on the breaks. To avoid losing her footing in the water she remained where she was and simply craned her neck around to answer him over the rushing waters.

”He woke up and tried to kill her.” she said, and looked to Towhee. For Raven’s privacy, she wouldn’t add on anything else he’d done. ”We’ll lose his scent if we don’t go now,” She said, and, unwilling to hesitate one more moment, she surged forward into the river, moving carefully as the waters cane up to her chest.

Neither one of them turned their backs and ran back home, which Towhee took as a good sign. Her eyes flicked to Tegan when he posed an understandable question. Unaware that Niamh had begun to explain from her position at the water's edge, the Beta incidentally spoke over her.

"He came to and attacked Raven. She's in bad shape and so are the pups," she said grimly, fire flickering in her eyes. "Rave was the priority at the time but now it's time to dole out his punishment. C'mon."

Turning, she padded after Niamh. She was already soaked from the rain, so she didn't hesitate to wade right into the water, though she did pause briefly to shrug X back into the air. She could feel the current trying to tug her downstream as soon as she was in, yet she kicked her legs and quickly fell into a rhythmic doggy paddle.

As soon as her feet hit dry land (that wasn't so dry at all; it was slippery with mud), she hoisted herself onto the bank and turned to make sure her cohorts had crossed without trouble. She also glanced up just in time to watch the hawk swoop down and resume his perch on her shoulder blade.

While the others presumably clambered out of the water, Towhee took the time to explain, "Niamh is going to lead the way, since she brought him out here." The Beta then turned and gazed expectantly at their guide.

The explanation was pretty much the version Colt knew, so it didn't come as a surprise.  The news of the pups, however, was new, and Colt wondered how Quixote was taking that.  Likely not well.  Fuck, he probably should have checked on him before now.

Later.  For now, he was ready to follow.  Tracking wasn't a strong suit of his, and in the rain? Right.  Hopefully Niamh remembered the way, and Screech was slow.  Or not, honestly.  He wasn't likely to last long on his own anyway, right?

just tidying this up since she’s very outdated now <3

Niamh halted, waiting for the other to join but impatiently so. Once Tegan seemed satisfied, all three joined her in the water and together they waded in until they swam across against the current that pushed them sideways. Carefully, she pulled herself from the water, slipping but finding herself caught by Colt’s sturdy shoulder.

At Towhee’s words, she nodded, shook her pelt dry and took a step forward. ”This way,” She instructed, and launched forward, leading the others to the place she’d last left Screech.