Sun Mote Copse i know you

After meeting Valour, she had wandered further and further and before she knew it, she'd gotten lost. Of course, Chanel was no downer- she accepted her situation readily and walked and walked until she cane upon the borders of a new pack. It was there that she learned that she was not so far, after all- the Frosthawks had been warm and welcoming for the time she'd stayed with them. And once she felt she was ready to return and make sure Wraen had not become worried, she bid her new friends farewell and took off in the directions which they had pointed out to her. 

Once she found the familiar borders, with all the familiar scents and a couple of new ones, her heart swelled with joy. She threw back her head and called for @Wraen (or @Towhee , whichever came first,) and promptly settled into a neat seat on her haunches.

*bargesin* feel free to skip him at any point should you want the thread to move faster, but I'll do everything I can to be skippy with it to keep up :D

Filled with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that he would have to prove himself in many ways in order to be taken seriously, Bronco set out on his daily missions to hunt and patrol the borders, and even though the latter was generally uneventful (these were peaceful times, so it seemed) he found himself stimulated to do his patrols regardless, with the peace of mind knowing that every uneventful patrol was a success. 

When a voice called out, he was close enough that he figured- despite the fact she'd called for Wraen or Towhee- that he may as well go and entertain her for the meantime. Wraen might've been further away, after all, and Towhee would need someone to tell her that she'd been summoned- plus, the call was from a girl- thus he was led to believe this might give him some opportunity to practice his charm. 

He had an odd feeling when he caught sight of her. There was something familiar about her- she was pretty, and for some reason...He felt certain that he'd known her when he was younger, though his memory wasn't clear on the matter. The slight conflict of greeting a stranger versus greeting someone he should have recognized showed slightly on his features, as he gave her a slightly quizzical, though still pleasant smile. He approached with his tail swaying, and he sniffed the air, finding yet again that memories were triggered. Ears pricked with interest, he cocked his head to the side. Perhaps he should've or could've been more formal- but something told him that he recognized her. "Hi, uh....I'm sorry...But...I know you, don't I?" He asked.

The figure that emerged from the trees was neither Wraen nor Towhee- he was a broad and handsome young man, swathed in warm honey-golds and chestnut browns, just a touch younger than herself. Blink once. Blink twice. There was something about him- and he seemed to speak her thoughts aloud, in a voice that was much deeper than the last time she'd heard it. 

Perhaps... you certainly are familiar, dear... Her face contorts in deep thought as she gazes at him quietly for a moment, perhaps not realizing the awkwardness of it. But soon her chocolate eyes brighten with the sudden realization, and her jaw nearly drops to the floor at the same time. No longer was Bronco a teenaged boy in the stage of awkward growth- he had practically become a man now, much more adult-looking with a taller and sturdier build. She secretly blushed at the thought of how much things had changed. We do know eachother! Bronco- er, um, Mister Bronco. It's Chanel- we hunted together before. She clarified with a pleasant smile, tail wagging joyfully behind her.

There was something about the blushing shade of rose along her cheeks, and the promising glint of gold in her eyes that drew his gaze and like her, he leaned forward, ignoring social protocol as some sense of familiary drew them toward one another like magnets. As soon as she spoke, his ears flicked back, and then forward again, and a memory finally hit him. He'd gazed at her, nose-to-nose before, when they had played a greusome game of tug-o-war with a pine marten they'd chased down. "Oh that's right!" He exclaimed, simultaneously remembering her and interrupting her as she recalled his name. He laughed, and dipped into a play bow before he bounced from one side to another, before he straightened, his posture playful and friendly. 

"Chanel!" He said, almost at the same moment that she spoke her name to him. "Hah! I knew it! I remember you!" He said, moving forward to touch his nose to hers in a greeting meant for friends and acquaintances, not strangers. He realized with some guilt, that she hadn't occupied his thoughts enough for him to have recognized her the moment he'd heard her call- but he definitely remembered her now...Though he was amazed at how he hadn't kept her on his mind; she was beautiful. "You're back, huh?" He asked, then. From what he knew, the Firebirds were a pack which did not tie its members down- and should their friends choose to travel, Wildfire had set in place the ideal that wanderers would be welcomed back, so long as they left on good terms.

Towhee left Meerkat with her dad for a little bit to stretch her legs and log a patrol. She didn't hear the summoning howl, naturally, though it was only a matter of time before the Regent came across Bronco and a stranger chatting at the borders. She cocked her head as she approached, pace unhurried. Her nostrils flared when she caught the female's scent. It was familiar, though her face wasn't, and Towhee couldn't place her.

-"Hey,"- she greeted as she flanked Bronco, orange eyes fixing on the she-wolf. She offered nothing else, waiting instead for their guest to introduce herself and state her business. Or maybe Bronco would get to it first. Towhee didn't really care one way or another.

His nature was suddenly bouncy, as he dipped to a playbow, then came forward, bumping his snout to hers. She giggled, feeling too awkward to do the same- though she blushed beneath her fur. Yes, I'm back! I went out wandering... got lost... but I found Frosthawks, and stayed there for a while, and, ah... they gave me the directions home, She explained, feeling a bit embarrassed about her blunder. Just as she was going to ask of the leaders, one arrived. Vaguely familiar but not so much so as Bronco. She signed- which was not understandable to Chanel, and she glanced to Bronco, somewhat nervous, but ultimately decided to fill the silence. Hi, I'm Chanel Vasselli. I lived here last fall and winter, but, ah, I got lost, and I'm finally back now... What if this woman didn't believe she'd been there before? Um, Wraen knows me...

Bronco's ears pricked when Chanel mentioned the Frosthawks. And he was about to ask for details about how Sugar Glider was doing- when Towhee showed up. He assumed the two knew each other, and looked from Chanel to Towhee with a big smile on his face, but her expression didn't exactly scream "I know you!" So he sobered up a bit, and cleared his throat. He was about to introduce Chanel, wanting to prove himself to be a good guardian to Towhee (who he much admired, of course) but she beat him to the chase. So instead, he simply nodded along, to prove that he did have some memory of her. 

"She lived with the Frosthawks for a bit," He said- and then turned his attention back to Chanel. "Sugar Glider's still there, right?" He asked, unable to keep himself from side-tracking the topic slightly.

Her name was familiar, though they had never met in the flesh. Towhee's face remained blank as Chanel explained that she'd been lost all this time, then dropped Wraen's name. Before the Regent could come up with a response, Bronco's mouth moved and her eyes flicked to him to catch his words. His question effectively sidetracked her.

-"What? No, she's with Bat at, um..."- Well, Towhee couldn't remember the name of the pack, only that it started with a "T." -"Shit, I forget the name. But I ran into Bat a while back and she told me they live in a pack south of the flat lands,"- she shared with Bronco, wondering why no one had told him this already. Whoops.

Facing Chanel again, Towhee's brow furrowed a little. -"I thought you were a scout,"- she pointed out bluntly. Since when did scouts get lost for several entire seasons?

Wraen was not the one to turn down company, when occasion arised, and since Firebirds had very little to offer in terms of entertainment (other than observing puppy circus and inside drama), it was no wonder that the Sovereign was drawn to the commotion taking place by the borders. Especially, when it involved two guardians dealing with a familiar girly voice. 

Chanel had been part of the pack for a while and then had disappeared without a goodbye or a trace. Wraen had felt disappointed a bit by this, but not for long, because life moved on and there was never a shortage of things a Sovereign had to do. It was more of a surprise to see her here now - fine and well off - when the sovereign had already her listed under the "they were never seen again" title.

"Hey," she greeted all, who had gathered here, offering a friendly glance to each one of them. "What did I miss?"

At Bronco's question, her forehead creased with thought. She was about to offer some vague sort of answer out of politeness, not wanting to say dunno- but Towhee filled the silence with a more accurate answer, Chanel supposed, talking about someone called Bat. The rosy girl stood awkwardly in quiet as the leader fumbled over the details, blinking at Bronco though her gaze occasionally shifted back to the woman. Once she was addressed again, her ears perked, and then flattened shamefully against her head. Um, She began, realizing how stupid she sounded she cleared her throat and tried again. I thought I would be a scout but it seems it wasn't right for me. I want to keep looking for something that su- She paused as Wraen appeared on the scene. Eep! This was a lot less intimate than her first joining, and the crowd, or at least the crowd she perceived it as, made her heart beat with some nervousness. She'd let them down with her dissapearance... would they be angry? Still, Wraen's gaze seemed kind enough, and she eased up, feeling more comfortable to speak again. Wraen! She exclaimed, wanting to stumble forward and apologize. Well, I got lost, and found Frosthawks, and I am back now! -If you'll have me. She hummed, realizing she was being a bit forward and dipping her head slightly with respect.

Sorry- feel free to skip him if/whenever you want :)

"Oh-sh...Right," Bronco said, when Towhee corrected him about Sugar's whereabouts. He remembered the last time he'd seen her- but it hadn't been a positive encounter. He still had no idea how she'd been following the attack, but he had been relieved to hear that she was, at least, accounted for within a pack that wasn't too far away. He felt bad, having forgotten that detail; he'd been so busy...And hadn't been a great friend, he supposed, as he hadn't visited her, and had even forgotten where she lived. He tried not to take it to heart too much, and rejoined the conversation after a moment of being a bit tuned out. 

While Towhee pointed out that perhaos she wasn't the best scout, having gotten lost, he could at least vouch for one of her strengths, and gave a smile to Wraen as she joined the small group. Chanel explained herself, and he nodded. Knowing that his input was relatively unnecessary, he felt at least a bit obliged to offer at least one positive contribution to Chanel's application. "She's a pretty god hunter," He said.

Chanel essentially concurred with her. Towhee snorted, though not derisively, appreciating the woman's candor. Before she could say anything in response, Wraen materialized. With Bronco on standby too, the Regent decided that three was a crowd. And if Wraen's reception and Bronco's vouchsafing were any indication, the prodigal Chanel was a shoe-in.

-"I'm going to keep patrolling,"- she announced to the small group, taking a moment to meet each set of eyes before nodding at them collectively, -"catch y'all later, no doubt."- And off she went to continue her circuit of the borders.

Towhee let Wraen take on from there, and she acknowledged this with a nod. She grinned at Bronco's spelling mistake "god hunter" - now that was something, and listened to Chanel's brief explanation carefully. The Sovereign had stuck to the ground rule of Firebirds - people were free to come and go, no strings attached - and appreciated it even more now that she was able to welcome a former packmate back in the nest. For as long as she wished to stay with them.

"Well, if scouting was not your thing, perhaps, babysitting will. We have four new, fuzzy and toothy additions to the ranks and I believe that the poor mothers will be elated to have more babysitters and teachers for their brood," Wraen suggested. "I am glad to have you back again, Chanel!" she told her and invited her and Bronco to come along inside the territory. "Tell me - what did you learn at Frosthawks?"

just gonna make some assumptions about frosthawks here... frosthawks masters if you see this and want me to edit lmk! :P

When Bronco complimented her hunting, she blushed beneath her fur. Was one occasion enough to make a judgement- or was he just being nice? Whichever it was, she felt glad he was defending her ability... because Chanel wasn't exactly sure Towhee liked her. Perhaps she was just like that, but her sudden exit slightly rubbed Chanel the wrong way.

Otherwise, though, Wraen was warm and accepting as usual- and at the word babysitting, a small smile met Chanel's face. She followed along Wraen, piping in a I'm glad to be back. At the question, she thought for a moment. Well, there was a deer hunt shortly after I arrived that I participated in. It was my first time hunting prey that big, and... I think I learned a little bit there, and maybe gained some confidence for the future, Though such was not entirely evidenced by her shy and awkward tone. She was telling the truth, but to speak too much on her own betterment felt strange. Still, there was more to tell- Oh! And one of the couples had a litter early this season, so I got to help care for the kids a little bit, and hunt for them, She continued more proudly now, boasting a warm smile on her face.

The typo- and subsequent possible pronunciation flub- went straight over Bronco's head, but this wasn't anything out of the usual for him. His face was pretty enough that obliviousness still suited him somehow. 

He gave Towhee a nod and a smile when she went off to continue her patrol, and he wondered vaguely if she'd noticed the way Chanel sort of smiled when she looked at him, or the way she looked adorable when flattered. He wanted his Auntie- and all others, really- to note and admire the effect he was trying to curate amongst the women-folk of the pack...Given the fact that he was related to a fair percentage of them, he had to take his chances with every viable option that presented itself. The fact that Chanel happened to be both friendly and beautiful as well as being outside his family tree ticked off every box on his chart. 

Wraen encouraged Chanel to get involved with the kids, though he did nod and echo her comment, chuckling as he lifted one of his feet to show Chanel the small puncture wounds from his younger brother and sisters. "Very toothy," He warned, with a grin. She related a bit about her experience with the Frosthawks, and he felt himself wondering if maybe he shouldn't pay them a visit as well. He hadn't really been interested before, because he'd heard either his Mom or Towhee or Phoxn saying something about Quixote being "milk-toast" and while he wasn't sure what that meant, it had the desired effect; it made him lose interest. Apparently, though, Chanel had been able to live and hunt with them, and she seemed pretty comfortable about spending time with kids. Bonus points for Chanel. 

"You an' me gotta go elk hunting sometime," He said. "You think a deer was big, wait until you see an elk," He said. Yes, he was sort of bragging- but he really did hope she was impressed.

"I am glad to hear that things worked out for you," Wraen remarked, noticing that the girl did - in fact - look as if she had grown up a little and was less child-like than, when she had left earlier this year. She arched an eyebrow and gave a curious glance, when Bronco bragged about his successes and wondered, whether this was him being his usual self, trying to impress anyone, who moved, breathed and understood wolf speech, or was there - perhaps - a bit more interest. He was young, so was Chanel... interesting. The next time the three hags of the Firebirds (her, Niamh and Towhee) went on to drink tea, eat cookies and knit socks, there would be fresh gossip to exchange. 

"Who had kids this season?" she asked. "There are friends of mine living with the pack - Liffey and Rannoch - how are they doing?"

me writing this reply knowing nothing about liffey and rannoch:

also, wrapping!

Wraen seemed satisfied. When Bronco raised a paw to show off his consequence, Chanel giggled lightly, though inwardly hoped that the children would not chew on her in such a way. Then he offered elk hunting- which sounded exciting, and she nodded eagerly, imagining it now: the rush of adventure, the joy found in mutual teamwork, and spending time with Bronco... but she chased such thoughts away as Wraen had more questions of her experience. As they began to make their way to the copse, Chanel would answer each question dutifully with as much knowledge as she had, just as happy to share about her time away as she was to be back.