Golden Glade Brick by brick.

Towhee jerked awake, her heart pounding and her toes sweating. She looked around but there was no deluge, no flood. She wasn't clinging to @Fennec, both of them drowning. She exhaled shakily and climbed to her feet, trying to suppress the nightmare even as she blinked the grogginess from her eyes and tried to get her bearings.

She had finally made it to the glade the night before and promptly collapsed in the first relatively dry spot she could find. When she had woken from the first bout of nightmares about floodwaters, she'd dragged her sleepy ass to even higher ground in the glade and eventually fallen back to sleep. That's where she was now: on a grassy knoll not far from the neighboring summit.

Somehow, it wasn't raining. This observation made Towhee's heart skip a beat. Suddenly, she was a flurry of motion as she loped downhill and began seeking out someone, anyone, to catch up and exchange news.

Snapshots through fog: a woman, followed by four children led by a terrified duck, one hoisting a stick that was twice their own  body-length overhead. 
The beach was a mirage of gold. The woman turns to the middle child, opens her mouth, speaks. Out of her mouth comes the whisper of wind through the trees.

Jocasta's eyes opened as slivers.
She blinked around a beam of light that warmed her face and blinded her. The coarse sand of her dream transitioned as she adjusted to being awake. Seaweed gave way to ferns. The sound of a distant tide became air rushing across the tops of the trees—warmer today. It didn't smell like rain; in fact, the sky was clear and calm.

As she rose to her feet she looked dreamily at her surroundings. She stepped towards a nearby mud puddle and sniffed the surface. Between when Jocasta had made her bed for the night and now it had evaporated—or been reabsorbed by the glade. Either way, things were looking up.

The snapping of twigs made Jocasta's head raise too. It came from higher ground, somewhere east of her own position, and not far. Perhaps her good fortune would hold out and she would find a bite to eat. She began to slink between the ferns to suss out the sound's origins.

When she found herself abruptly crossing paths with a stranger, Towhee drew up short. She froze, her body stiffening as she eyeballed the reddish brown she-wolf. She felt a compulsion to chase her from the glade, though her common sense warred with her instincts. This wasn't technically their territory, just a place to weather the never-ending storms. All the same, Towhee didn't want strangers loitering here, especially not anywhere near the pups.

"Who the hell are you?" the Sovereign eventually (and rudely) demanded. "You need to get out of here," she added before the other woman could speak, well aware that she was being pushy but not caring. Her pack's well-being came first and this warning was as much for the stranger's sake as anything. Which made her think and abruptly blurt, "Unless you're planning on joining us?"

The many trees in the vicinity crowded one another but she slipped between them, her toes sinking in to the wet moss clinging to the bark. It spread out like shag carpeting across a series of roots. She pauses halfway, her hind feet awkwardly splayed for stability, because a face has emerged from the verdant shadows.

Who the hell are you? the stranger said.
You need to get out of here.

They did not look frightened. There was a pinched quality to their face, like they had been caught sucking on lemons. What little light struggled its way through the canopy danced from rain drop to rain drop but missed the dark shape of the stranger, except in the case of a pale chest and cowl of rufous red. Jocasta thought she saw grass stains there.

There wasn't time to comply with what was demanded of her, though. The stranger mentioned something about joining them while Jocasta made her observations, striding forward a few extra steps so that she could stand properly without her ass left to tilt across those roots.

Joining who? Jocasta asked.

Maybe she didn't really want to know. The other wolf did not seem all that friendly, not that friendliness was a prerequisite for anything—but the rough quality of the stranger left her a little bit stunned.
I was passing through - my name is Jocasta. I am not a threat, if that's the issue.

The stranger came closer and Towhee prickled instinctively, reminding herself that there were no scent markers here because the glade wasn't theirs to claim. Was it really that surprising that someone might pass through here, especially considering it was one of the relatively drier destinations in the area? It would be ludicrous to get too riled, though she would gladly clarify.

"I'm Towhee, leader of the Firebirds pack, which is staying in the glade temporarily. Unless you plan to join our ranks, I'll have to ask you to leave," the Sovereign replied levelly.

The wolf introduces themselves and it isn't until that moment Jocasta realizes they're a woman, not that it makes a difference. They're quite masculine by comparison and it throws her for a moment.

She nods as she absorbs the details. The rain doesn't look like its going to ease up anytime soon. Sticking around might be beneficial to her in the short term, and she considers the offer, although a part of her doubts it is real. The look on Towhee's face isn't all that friendly.

I could be of use to you and your pack, she quips hastily. I've been living due west of here for a while, so I know the area to some extent. I can help keep your people fed and healthy. Bit of a... jack of all trades. 

Maybe this was meant to be.

She didn't really expect Jocasta to take her up on the offer. Towhee had been prepared to escort her from the glade, then go looking for the rest of the pack. Instead, she insisted she could be of some use. The Sovereign stared for a beat, deliberating.

"Come with me," she eventually said, beginning to move again, "and make sure to look at me when you talk. I can't hear but I can read lips." Towhee began to speed up before adding, "Tell me more about yourself. Why are you on your own? You say you're a jack of all trades but what would you consider your strongest suit?" As they moved through the forest, she divided her attention between Jocasta and keeping an eye out for any of the Firebirds.

The way they focused on her face was... curious. Then they began to stalk off through the trees. A command had been issued that hadn't registered in Jocasta's mind immediately, and so she hupped-to-it and followed. 

Make sure you look at me when you talk, Towhee explained. It suddenly made sense why the woman's face was so serious and so focused, and Jocasta would keep it in mind. Here goes nothing.

I was expected to find a husband back home but there was nobody suitable, so I dispersed and have been travelling since. Jocasta spoke of her choice to leave as if it were as plain and simple as that; things were rarely so cut and dry, but she didn't see the point in being unnecessarily verbose about it.

As for my skills, ah... I'd say my best asset is my adaptability. She watched Towhee's face as they walked together, hoping to see approval. Whatever you need me to learn, I'll learn. Whatever you want me to do, I'll find a way to do it.

It didn't feel like much of a selling point, though. The woman took a measured breath and concluded with more specificity: I'm a decent hunter if birds are involved, I know a little bit of botany from my father, and my grandmother used to tutor me about the stars and navigation so — like I said, a little bit of everything.

Although she couldn't hear, Towhee's ears pinned backward when Jocasta mentioned the marital expectations. Grotty, she thought, saying nothing. She had long since mastered the art of walking in a straight line despite looking to the side, though it was a little trickier in such unfamiliar terrain. She stumbled a little right when Jocasta mentioned hunting birds, shooting her focus long enough to totally miss the mentions of botany and astrology. She did catch the last three words, reminding her that Jocasta knew a "bit of everything."

"Okay," came her bland and slightly distracted acknowledgement, "I have to ask, are you sure you want to join? I wasn't expecting you to accept, full disclosure. I mean, we could definitely use more warm bodies. We just lost several members to the road and then our home to the rain. We're kind of in flux. Are you sure you wanna saddle yourself to that?" She paused and added, "Why?"

Jocasta hoped that what she'd said registered, or at least was useful enough to make her somewhat of a catch even though she held some self-doubt which discolored the conversation. At least this time she wasn't lying outright about herself.

That said, Towhee did not sound convinced. 
We're kind of in flux. She said. Are you sure you wanna saddle yourself to that?

It was a fair question. So was the, Why? It was justifiable doubt. It wasn't like Jocasta had come out here looking to throw herself at the first wolf who offered her a home or anything, but it felt like a good opportunity.

I'll admit I'm being selfish and possibly short-sighted by jumping on your bandwagon, she answered with a small nod of her chin. But I don't want to roam the wilderness in this awful rain. You said you'd lost some bodies to it already — I'd rather not let the same happen to me. If that means pledging myself in to servitude then I'm all for it. Would rather put my energy somewhere that matters.

Between the two options, one being a lonely life of wandering and the other servitude and sanctuary it was an easy choice.

She opened her mouth to correct Jocasta: they'd lost their pack mates to unrelated circumstances and their home to the rain. But then Towhee clapped her mouth shut. They'd lost Savaktuk, actually, and for a while there, she'd thought they'd lost Fennec too. And though she wasn't aware of it just yet, one of her own chiblings had washed away en route.

Even being unaware of that, the Sovereign's teeth ground together as she thought, Man, where is everyone?! She needed to make sure everybody had made it to the glade in one piece, let them know that they'd found Fennec but not Savaktuk. Towhee also wanted to see her family just for the sake of it. The past few days had been a nightmare.

Abruptly, she stopped. "Okay, Jocasta, consider yourself one of our comrades. Your first task as a new Firebird is to howl for someone by the name of Phox. He's your Regent, same thing as a Beta. Tell him to meet come meet us."

The woman was distracted. It felt as though Jocasta wasn't worth her time, but she tried not to take it to heart. The weather was pretty awful and with the pack moving from one place to another it made sense she would have her mind on other things. It meant Jo would have to really push to prove herself later; unless of course she could do something now to help out, something that might take Towhee's mind off whatever troubled her.

When instructed to call for a so-called regent Jo nodded, turned, and raised her head to summon @Phox. Afterward as her breath ebbed and the call dwindled beneath the coursing rain, she thought, 'She did mean, now, right? Best be prompt, get it done...?' 

She takes a breath. Looks around fleetingly at the dripping forest... Waiting.

Phox heard the call from an unfamiliar voice. His breath hitched in his throat, wondering if there was some news of Alyx. Where had she gone? What had happened? Was she safe? Was she lost? Was this stranger reporting back for Niamh, or was something wrong with Niamh? All of these questions were asked on repeat in his head, and he ruminated over them again and again as he made his way toward the call.

When he arrived, it was not Alyx or Niamh. -Towhee. Any news about Alyx? She's missing, and we can't find her. Niamh's out looking and— he stopped, blinking at the stranger. -Who is this? Do you have information about Alyx?- he asked pointedly.

Her brother's face was a sight for sore eyes. But before Towhee could properly greet him, tell him they'd safely located Fen, he fired a bunch of questions at her that made her go very still. She forgot all about her own batch of updates, caught wildly off guard and staring at Phox as she absorbed this terribly news.

-"WHAT?!"- It came out louder than she meant, not that Towhee knew that. -"When? And how?"- There was a sharp edge to her voice, an accusation in her eyes. She had just spent day after night after day running around in the rain, looking for Fennec and Savaktuk, only for the rest of the pack to lose track of Alyx. You guys had one job, Towhee thought acidly toward every single one of them.

But playing the blame game wasn't exactly fair, nor was it productive. -"I'll head back out too,"- Towhee said, making an abortive move to do exactly that right this second before she paused long enough to add, -"This is Jocasta, she'll be joining us. And we found Fennec, thank fuck."- Damn, she'd almost forgotten to share her most important bit of news. -"Is everyone else here and safe, Phox?"-

Yes, everyone else was accounted for and tucked elsewhere in the glade, he said. But Towhee was not reassured, not with Alyx lost out there somewhere. -"Go with Phox, he'll show you where everyone's staying,"- the Sovereign distractedly said to Jocasta. -"I'm off,"- was the only other thing she added before meeting Phox's eyes for a split second and sprinting away.

Sep 14: I'm going to edit a conclusion onto this since Jocasta went inactive.