Post by Pavane on Dec 12, 2011 4:13:05 GMT -5
Niyt - female wolf
Catori - female adolescent wolf
Coinin - male wolf
Zuphi - male wolf
Hada - female wolf
---Two-River Fork---
Evening has come, and the sun is slowly sinking below the horizon. Niyt sits on a hilltop, listening to the sounds of the world around her - the gurgle of the river, the fluttering of birds flying overhead, and the slow music of the spirit-world running through it all. She sits there in silence for a while, and then she lifts her muzzle to the sky, howling out a rising note and holding it for a long moment. Night is falling. She is here. Reasons enough to howl, here on the lands her pack roams.
Catori ears perk forward slight at the howl, her maw twitches and a yawn escapes her while she shifts to peer over at where Niyt is. She's not that far off it seem and soon shifts upwards upon her haunches, stretching as she goes. A forepaw lifting to scratch and rub at her neck a few times in the process. "Hey Niyt.." She offers once the howl is over.
Coinin hears the sound of the howl. He knows that voice and its sounds like she is relatively close by as well. He hasn't been up to all that much today. He took a swing out to patrol the borders of the lands. It had been a quiet patrol, with nothing that had caught his interest. There have been no signs of any new wolves roving about which is something of a welcome relief since there had been so many that had dropped by lately. He responds to the howl by lifting his head and returning the call.
Zuphi stops again at the borders... He isn't exactly sure how to explain this absence except, well...that arrow sticking out of his left thigh might explain enough. It's not that deep really, but it was too painful for him to yank out just yet. Although... The whole "I need to get out of there NOW!" was also a good reason to forget the scrape. He's never going anywhere again without looking for signs of those weird, two legged hunters! He's miles away from them by now, thankfully and he takes a moment to lay down and peer around.
A howl, and the world changes; some creatures draw away, hiding from wolves. The pack draws closer, as Catori approaches and Coinin returns the howl from not so far in the distance. Such is the nature of the howl, and the nature of wolves. Niyt lowers her head, and smiles as she nods to the adolescent. "Hello there," she says, then pauses. Her expression seems a little distant for a moment, as though there's something distracting her. A presence that she hasn't felt in moons... after a moment, she shakes herself back into paying attention to what's here before her instead of odd feelings. "How have you been?"
Catori ears perk at the howl from another, a slight nod seen and she smiles to Niyt. "I'm well, an yourself?" She questions while tilting her head, and picking up that the other is somewhat distracted it would seem. A soft hum escapes her.
When he had heard the howl he started off toward its source. Quickly enough both Niyt and Catori come into sight. He had heard the news a day ago about Lexus and Rayen becoming a couple. He took heart at this news. The world it seems goes on, and if Lex can make the best of things so can he. After that conversation he made the choice that he wasn't going to pay attention to the future as much as he was the present. It doesn't mean he is going to forget about it, but he is going to live the best he can with the time that is given to him. Once he gets a bit closer to the pair of them he offers them both a smile, "Hello all."
Hmm... He thinks he hears the murmur of voices about... His tattered ears prick fully forward and Zuphi cautiously lifts himself up. Meh, the arrow barely hurts anymore, it'd been there for...a couple moons now? He didn't know. Shaking his now brilliantly silver neckfur, he took on a humble, relaxed posture as he cautiously strode in the direction of the voices...
"I'm doing well," Niyt answers to Catori, though she still seems a trifle distracted. If she just had a moment to pay closer attention to the soft tuggings of spirit... but she doesn't, because here comes Coinin, and she turns her head to the sound of his voice and nods again. "And you, as well."
Catori had picked up on the disraction from Niyt. "You.. Seem a bit distracted.. Is something wrong?" She questions with a tilt of her head, ears perking forward. Her maw twitches as she sniffs at the passing breeze and her bight gaze drifts off to the side. Someone new is around. Her tail flicks around a few times as she shifts a few steps closer to Niyt and nods to Coinin. "Hello."
Coinin is also distracted by the same scent on the air. That is a wolf...one that he doesn't know. Which means its time for work. He offers the pair of them a polite smile, "Please excuse me ladies." With that turns quickly and begins to make his way toward the source of this smell. This wolf either just arrived on the lands or he missed him when he was patrolling. Either way he must be greeted, and depending on the situation either welcomed or persuaded to be moving on. Coinin holds his tail and head high in a sign of dominance. Slowly but surely that is becoming a bit second nature to the new (relatively) beta.
In moments, Zuphi hears someone padding toward him. To avoid conflict, Zuphi steps into view, a dark cluster of black and silver against the dry sage. He lifts his head and perks his ears forward to listen, however keeps his tail low and unthreatening. He simply waits for the member of the resident pack to approach, and out of respect for him, will wait until he is spoken to to speak himself.
So it's not just her. There's something more than spirit-tuggings going on here. Like that scent teasing against her nose, making it twitch in much the same was as her more mystic senses did a few moments before. It's different now, of course - but don't things always change? Still... Niyt frowns in consideration of what spirit and scent tell her, and the sightless wolf starts to make her way down from the hilltop, approaching slowly.
Catori tilts her head, nose wiggling a few times as she watches Coinin go and then Niyt.. Whom she follows after choosing to keep next to the blind she-wolf. Her steps are sure-footed and she is quiet while moving along. It doesn't take her that long to catch sight of the stranger, her ears perk forward and a soft oh escapes her.
Coinin watches as the wolf emerges from his hiding places. He appears to be relatively young, and rather beat up. There is the scent of dried blood about him. He doesn't appear to be any kind of threat. Certainly he is in no condition to offer any sort of aggressive response. Still one has to be careful. He offers him a nod and speaks, "Greetings. You are in Cerulean territory and if you come in peace you will find a welcome here." he pauses for a moment before continuing, "You look like you might need a bit of help."
Zuphi sighs with relief! "Oh, sir, I am no threat, I can assure you!" His cheerful tone is spoken in a very rugged, deep voice that doesn't seem to fit his young face. He merely wags once, and alowly. "My name is Zuphi." He dips his muzzle and smiles softly. "I have been here before, and have a friend here, named... Niyt?"
Spirit. Scent. Sound. They've all changed, in the moons he's been away, but that voice stirs at Niyt the same as the news of her other senses. The words themselves only confirm it, and she steps into plain view. Her head is carried high, her tail likewise; calm and confident in posture even as emotions flurry inside of her. He's back. He left her behind. He's back. "It's been a long time," she says quietly, padding closer.
Catori ears perk and she peers over at Niyt watching her a few moments while she trods along. Her attention soon turns back to Zuphi and she offers a smile an nod to the other wolf. Though at the moment she keeps quiet letting the two speak it would seem.
Zuphi's eyescatch on Niyt. Wow, she's...grown too. Just like him. Just like the pack. He offers a smile and nods to Catori, then feels a sting in his heart as he sees the she-wolf he'd left without a word... "Niyt.. Yes, it's... It's me." His ears flatten.
Niyt is quiet for long moments, facing Zuphi though her blind eyes can't see him. Only spirit, scent, and sound. Well. And one more thing, if she should so choose. She hesitates. It's been a very long time. Yet... he came back. He's always come back, hasn't he? She'd thought it was over, and yet he came back... and she can smell the traces of blood, the slight sourness of an old wound in his body. He did come back. It almost hurts, to feel that moment re-open; an emotional wound scabbed over, and now... but he's back. Slowly she pads toward him, and extends her muzzle toward his to offer a gentle nuzzle. "You came back." Simple words, but they hold the pain of a long time when she thought him gone - abandoned her, or dead, or... simply gone forever.
Catori smiles softly as she watches the pair, a slight bow of her head seen before she shifts back a few steps. Turning she trots back the way she came, her tail slowly swaying while she moves. She knows the emotion that she sees there, an knows they need to speak with one another and that they don't need everyone watching them. Her paws carry her back to the water and she settles down there upon her haunches, ears flicking forward while she glances off slowly getting close in her own thoughts in the process.
"Niyt, yes, I'm back..." He touches his cold nose to hers and even licks it affectionately. "I'm here.. I'm here to stay, if your pack will have me.." The stinging inside his chest is so great but yet it's a good thing.. He needs to reconsile what conflicts he'd left unresolved, to rekindle his connection to Niyt... He offers a soft whine and slowly moves forward, gently leaning his muzzle against hers.
So he is. Niyt breathes in, taking the scent of him once again. Still the same Zuphi, though it has changed in the time he's been gone. He's grown into an adult. As has she. Pups. Adolescents. Adults. He's back again. She'd settled in for a life without him. A sensible life - one with her pack and family, and yet somehow alone. She'd thought she'd gotten over him. She was wrong. She still loves him. But... "Things have changed," she says, not pulling away from him, simply speaking as she leans her muzzle to his. "I don't know."
Coinin had been rather stunned to find that Zuphi has made a return. He had told Niyt once that perhaps he would come back. He hadn't really believed that he would come back. This leaves him at something of a loss. For one Niyt is his friend, perhaps his best friend, and he can tell that she is hurting. There is a part of him that wants to run this wolf off for leaving her like that. However, thats not something that really is up to him. Thats up to Niyt to decide for herself. He isn't going to get involved in someone's personal affairs unless invited too...well not all that much anyway. He will have to have a long talk with the boy though about what expectations he has of him if he decides to stay. He watches Niyt for some cue about how she would like him to respond to this situation.
Zuphi sighs shakily, furrowing his brow in thought. He didn't expect such a return; he'd fully expected her to have moved on and take another male. He wags but once, just barely able to keep his excitement uner control- he simply licks her cheek and looks anxiously at Coinin. He swallows hard, and leaves it up to them, whether they decide to keep him or chase him off, Zuphi has concluded that he would have no hard feelings no matter the outcome.
It's not that there haven't been opportunities for Niyt to find another. There have been other males around. It's just, well, none of them have been... right. For all the whirl of her emotions, for all the pain... there's also joy. She breathes in his scent, and lets out a long, sighing breath. "We'll talk about it." Not now, not while they're being watched like this. For now, she licks at his cheek, and then finally draws her muzzle away, tilting it to acknowledge Coinin. "Cerulean has a new beta," she says to Zuphi. Things have changed.
Catori ears twitch and she looks back towards the three some distance off, her tail swaying against the ground a few times and she soon rolls about upon her back in the grass and dirt choosing to just relax it would seem. Though she is listing in on some of the coversaion it would seem.
Things have changed indeed. There have been many new members of the pack, and well time simply passed. Well Niyt isn't rejecting him, so he won't reject him either. At least not yet. Coinin views Niyt as something of a sister, and much like Anoki he doesn't think there are many out there that are good enough for her. Oh man when Anoki hears about this he is going to blow a gasket. He offers the wolf a polite nod, "You are welcome to stay here. You also look like you will need some medical attention."
Zuphi smiles weakly. "I understand." He looks toward the new Beta in question. "Hello, sir... I am sorry that my arrival has been unexpected." He hobbles a bit, coming closer.
A new beta, because her father... hasn't... come back. Niyt turns, slowly pacing along with Zuphi as he comes toward Coinin. She's quiet for now. Zuphi will stay, and then... who knows? "The future is often uncertain," she says, and her attention lingers for a moment on Coinin as she speaks.
Coinin can't agree with Niyt more that, in general, the future is uncertain. Of course sometimes the future is very certain, "Your arrival is unexpected, but you don't have the need to apologize. Your arrival is welcome." he says. At least apparently Niyt is welcoming him, "If there is anything we can do to assist you please feel free ask." Especially since he looks to be something of a mess.
"Well, thank you, kind sir.. Uh.. May I... Ask for your name?" He smiles awkwardly, then looks closely at Coinin, simply to memorize what he looks like. "I'm Zuphi." He looks pretty wiped out, to be blunt, and relieved to be welcomed back.
Niyt lets Coinin introduce himself. She's quiet, staying near to Zuphi. It's nice just... being around him again. She'd almost forgotten how nice, even if it does come with the strange feelings. What does the future hold for him, and her... for them, if there even is such a thing anymore?
Coinin smiles to the wolf, well he had heard about him of course. When he had first arrived Niyt had told him how sad she was that he had left and he had felt really bad for her, but now it appears that he might not have to feel bad for her. Though they likely have a great deal to work out, "My name is Coinin. Its nice to put a face with a name. Niyt had told me a great deal about you."
Woof? Zuphi's tattered ears prick momentarily. Nothing good, he was sure. A few words that surely described him entered his mind: Deserter. Lover and Leaver. Traitor. And so on. His clouded thoughts were pushes aside as he managed a soft smile. "An honour, Coinin." He briefly lowers himself, then sits on his haunches.
She hadn't been gone long from where the majority of the pack was settled but it seems she was gone long enough for something new to happen, and it looked like a new face. Ray' hadn't heard much of the conversation only a few of the words towards the end as she leaves the woods at a soft lope. She comes to a stop with a light bounce, tounge lolling for a few moments and ears perked forwards. Her yellow-green eyes were bright, breath heavy; she'd been running. The wolfish smile eases some as she dips her maw to Coinin before speaking, "Evening Coinin, Niyt.." her words warm and soft before she glances to the new male, head tilting and a warm smile given, "Hello there."
Niyt nods as the two complete the introductions. What she told Coinin was... well, the truth as she knew it. Which, it's true, doesn't entirely make Zuphi look good. Still, she has a smile for him now as she says, "You must be tired." Not to mention that injury she can smell... sooner or later, if this keeps up, he'll be made up entirely of scars with only a few tufts of fur holding them together! At the sound of an approaching wolf and Rayen's voice, she looks up. "Good evening!"
Catori seems to have fallen asleep in her stretched out place within the grasses. That is until a bug crawls across her nose and she snrots jolying up and coughs a few times in the proces. She blinks and licks across her maw, forepaw lifting to brush across her maw a few times in the process. Her gaze turns one way and then another, maw twitching and she soon shifts to her paws and smiles as she catches sight of her aunt Ray. She shifts on her paws and pads back over to the others once more. "Rayen!" She offers with a happy tone.
Coinin glances over to Rayen when he hears her speak to him. He smiles. He had heard the news from Lex the other day that the pair of them had become a couple. Good for both of them. He had told Lex that he hoped they would be very happy together. He had also told him that they had his permission, but obviously they would need Tariro's as well. Coinin would have a very hard time saying no to a couple that truly loved each other, "Hi Ray. Congratulations by the way." he says to her. Niyt did tell him the truth. Zuphi will have to work hard to find his way back into Coinin's graces, but it is possible.
Zuphi glances at his injury. "Well, yeah.. That.. needs some attention, heh." He smiles. Always the clown. He wondered just how Niyt could love him. Sheesh... "But first I would like to get some rest... It's..been an uncomfortable addition, I must admit." He decides that he won't DARE make a move on Niyt until he's sure he's been accepted... He looks up toward the new female and he grins uneasily. "H-hi there.."
She notices the uneasy smile and Rayen offers the other a somewhat motherly smile. If he had anything to fear or feel awkward about he definately didn't have to do it towards Rayen. Miss I Love Everyone Hippie Woman. She figures introductions for her can wait and instead dips her nose in his direction as he says he needs to rest. Gaze flickers to Niyt curiously and then Coinin but it's the beta males words that cause her ears to pinkin, "Oh. Uhm.. Thankyou," she stutters, with abit of a chuckle at the end. Cat's voice grabs her attention and Rayen turns her head in her neices direction and is soon headed there to nuzzle and lick the girl annoyingly, "Catori! Nice to see your still hangin around," she jests, gnawing on the closest ear.
Niyt chuckles softly at Zuphi's understatement. He can't be too badly off if he's still making light of things. She nods, and leans in to nose gently at his shoulder before slowly lowering herself down near him. "That does seem a good idea," she says with a smile. "And perhaps something to eat, hmm?"
Catori giggles softly and bounces a few times on her paws while batting out at her aunt and smiles. "Well of course.. I wasn't going to wander off for long you know." She offers happly and tilts her head as her ears twitch. "What are you getting congrads for?" This questioned while peering at her aunt curiously. A ear twitching towards the others curiously.
Coinin will let Rayen and Catori talk to each other for a moment or two before interuppting them. Rayen has a great deal to bring Catori up to speed from and its only right that the news come from her aunt. He then turns his attention back toward Zuphi and Niyt. This is going to be very interesting...and Helaku. What will he think. Though Helaku has denied it he strongly suspects that he is in love with Niyt. This is going to change the pack dynamic a bit, "How long have you had that stick in you Zuphi?" he asks.
"Oh, uh.." Zuphi stutters, looking back at the arrow. "A moon or two? I..think I sort of healed over it somewhat.. Been trying to leave it alone." He smiles uneasily, keeping his ears flat. If he has to, he'll even take the rank of Omega if he has to, just to make it up for the pack he's left.
Rayen glances back over at the new male when Coinin mentions his 'stick' and frowns, "You should really get that out.. letting your skin heal over it will only make it worse... if it isn't already infected." She blinks before coughing uneasily and glancing back to her neice. What is she getting congradulated for? Uhmmm.... Rayen clears her throat before she starts, "Well.. Catori.... I've found.. someone. Who I care a lot for, and who cares a lot for me." Blink.
Niyt tilts her head, considering on what Zuphi says about the injury. She nods agreement with Rayen's comment. "Like a thorn in the paw." Only rather worse. She frowns, considering on it, but she doesn't know all that much about medicine. Just those few things she's picked up here and there. Besides, she'd have a hard time practicing it, given her lack of sight.
Catori hums softly while peering at Rayen curiously, her head tilting and ears splaying forward. Her tail swaying and she soon smiles. "Really?" She questions softly. "Well that's great Ray.. I'm glad to hear that." An it truely looks like she is. Her tail swaying about happly. "What's his name?"
Coinin keeps an ear out of the conversation that Cat and Ray are having. Its nice to see something like this happen. Its the first real couple that Cerulean has seen since he arrived. Hopefully there will be more on the way. It only strengthens his resolve to find his 'someone special.' He just hopes its soon. Time isn't what it used to be. He watches Zuphi closely. Yes they are going to have to do something for him. He looks in particular at the location of the arrow and frowns. There is going to be no way to get that out without causing a fair amount of pain, "Niyt..you wouldn't happen to know anyone who can do something about that would you?" he asks. He agrees with Rayen, that thing is going to have to come out. For Zuphi's good.
Zuphi isn't used to attention from others, if at all. His family's been dead since puppyhood and he'd been a vagrant for the most part since... "Only if it's not much trouble.. I want to be able to participate and not be a bum."
She lets the others talk to the new male as she regaurds her nephew and smiles warmly, "His name is Lexus.." The female slides back upon her haunches comfortabley, a gentle sigh escaping her maw. "Thankyou Catori.. ya know I'll be honest with you. You running away is probably the best thing that could of happened for us," she chuckles, tail thumping once upon the ground. If Ray' hadn't followed her neice they never would have found this fabulous home and Rayen never would have met Lexus.
Niyt tilts her head consideringly at Coinin's question. "Perhaps," she says. "I'll see who I can find." At Zuphi's protests, she nudges at his shoulder and grins. "You'll be less of a bum if you can run and hunt properly, so there." There she goes, using /logic/! How unfair is that?
Catori looks amused for a moment and chuckles. "Well.. I'm glad I ran away then.. For both of us." Her tail thumps a few times in the process. "An i'm glad you found someone Rayen. You deserve to be happy too." She says with a soft tone and nods. A glance is offered over towards the three at the talk of trying to get the stick out of the one wolves shoulder.
Coinin couldn't agree more that folks deserve to be happy. Niyt deserves to be happy and so does Rayen. At least it seems both have a better chance for this than they did even a few days ago. He is pleased to hear that Niyt might know someone. Niyt seems to know so many more from the area than he does. He will have to travel a bit more in the future to get to know some of these other folks, "You should rest Zuphi..."
Zuphi sighs uneasily. He nods to the Beta and is embarrassed when a wide yawn accidentily escapes... "Sorry.." He manages a smile and his eyes droop, having not slept for days. "I...I think I see a nice spot over here... I.. Appreciate your help, just.. I think I'll be able to think better once I'm awake enough to keep my head up." He laughs and nods graciously to the pack, then offering a gentle nudge to the sightless Niyt. He wanders to a cool patch of grass and curls up...
Rayen peers as she watches the new male settle down to get rest. Her brows furrow worriedly but Rayen knows they'll take care of him. She just cares too too much. She looks back to her neice however and nudges her shoulder lovingly before a wide grin spreads across her face. "Thankyou Catori.." She lets a small sigh escape her muzzle now however, brain thinking back.
Catori smiles and nods her tail swaying about while she nuzzles her aunt back happly. Even leans against her a moment while flopping down to her belly and stretches out. "So you plan on sticking around here then?.. I assume since you found some cute wolf after all." This said while she grins.
Niyt smiles after Zuphi as he finds a spot to curl up and rest, and stays where she is. She certainly has a lot to think about tonight, and a lot of her emotions to process. Once things were simple and happy, her and Zuphi together. Then they became sad... but simple again. Now? Oh, now they are so very, very complicated.
Coinin watches Niyt closely. He can tell she is conflicted. She has every right to be. He did ditch her, but its not like you can turn your feelings on and off so easily. He speaks to her, "I don't know if I should be happy for you or not Niyt. If you want me to we can get him healed up and I can ask him to go." Its not like Coi would kick the young wolf out while he was down though. His primary concern is for the effect it will have on his friend.
Rayen nods her head, "Yes, I do plan on sticking around. I was hoping you would too.. but your still young so if you decided to go elsewhere I would understand.. as long as I knew where." She chuckles. Ray' hesitates and slightly wonders how Cat's meeting with her father had gone if it had happened. As she's pondering a large yawn rips through the females maw, ending it with a shake of her head.
Catori is quiet for a moment, a ear twitching. "Well.. I had thought about staying around here." This said with a soft tone. while she glances over the area and then looks up to the sky. "This place has a nice feel too it.. Not like home. An the sky is always pretty." Also not like home. She licks across her maw and soon looks back to Rayen. "An.. I got to speak with dad so.. I sorta got done what I went looking for. At least for now I suppose."
Niyt perks her ears up to Coinin as he speaks, and frowns slightly. "I'll tell him myself, whatever I decide." Not that she's decided yet, or is anywhere close to it. "I don't need you to do it for me." The words aren't angry, just simple facts. "For now... he is a wolf seeking Cerulean. He is my friend. That is all, for now."
Coinin can accept that. He will let her figure this out for herself. Still that doesn't mean that he won't have a talk with the boy by himself at some point. He offers her a smile, "As you wish." he intones. He has no desire to make her angry or upset, "If you ever want to talk about it...I'm here ok?" He turns his attention back toward Catori, "I do hope that you will stay." he says. Thats interesting. She got to meet her father. He will have to talk to her about that sometime.
Rayen nods her head thoughtfully before her brows perk, "Oh? You will have to tell me all about it." As she says this another yawn racks her jaws. She blahs and shakes her head before looking over towards Coinin and Niyt then back to her neice, "If you'll excuse me.. I'm a lot more exhausted then I thought i was. He has a good idea, I do believe a little rest is in order." She smiles to Coinin and Niyt before nosing her neices cheek fur. Ray' settles down in a little divet not too far away, head settling on her paws with a contented sigh.
Catori glances over towards Niyt and Coinin catching bits of the conversation. A soft smile is offered back to Coinin. "I'm leaning towards it.." She offers before looking back to Rayen and nods with a sway of her tail. "I'll tell you later. Sleep well Rayen." With her aunt drifting to sleep she settles down once more herself, forepaws stretched before her. "I.. Know a few plants that may be able to help with your friends stick.. At least to help with the pain when you go to get it out."
Niyt nods to Coinin. "I'll remember that," she tells him, and then goes silent again, catching a little of the conversation with Rayen and Catori. She nods to Catori's comment. "There are things to chew for pain, I know... and stinging plants that take away infection. Mud to hold it while it heals... but how to get it out? You two saw it. How does it look?"
Coinin thinks the thing looks pretty bad to be perfectly honest. Its going to take some effort to get out and it will likely hurt him when it is removed. There is also the problem of stopping the flow of blood once it is removed and then there is the ever present risk of infection. The wolf seems to have gotten himself in a rather big pickle, "Its in there pretty deep."
Catori hums softly while tilting her head. "Well.. I didn't get to look at it that well. But if its been there a while it can't be good." She offers softly with a slight shake of her head. Her gaze drifting to the ground a moment. "I wonder how he got it."
Niyt nods. So, not good. Perhaps she won't have to figure out what to do with the return of Zuphi, because he won't last out this injury. It would certainly resolve things, but... no, she really hopes it doesn't come down to that. Of that much, she's sure. "We'll do what we can. At this point... I don't think another day or two can do much more harm. We can prepare, and look for aid."
Coinin nods in agreement with Niyt. He doens't think that waiting a day or two to take the arrow out of Zuphi will matter much. Though he wouldn't want to leave it in there rotting for two much longer. If Zuphi doesn't already have an infection then its best to avoid that if possible, "Well if you know any healers out there it would be good to find them." he says to her, before glancing over toward Catori, "I was wondering the same sort of thing. I've never seen anything like this before." Which makes sense because he has had no contact with humans at all.
"Most likely won't matter much.. But yes I agree that it shouldn't stay in there for much longer." Catori offers with a soft tone. She has seen humans before, seen the boom sticks but nothing like that stick to say the least.
Niyt shakes her head with her own lack of knowledge about the cause of this injury. "I'll ask around after healers. I know a few birds and the like who might know where to look."
Coinin nods, he will leave that to Niyt then to find someone that can do something about the arrow. Whatever happens they will have to be very very careful and not cause him anymore injury than they would have to, "I'm sure he will have quite the story to tell after he is rested." he says to the pair of them. Obviously the young wolf has been off on some adventure, and adventure that didn't go to plan obviously, but an adventure none the less.
Hada lopes along in the distance, completely oblivious to or ignoring the fact that there are other wolves nearby. Being pale of coat also helps to make her stand out among the landscape, so subtelty is obviously not a strong point. She pauses every now and again to poke her nose into the brush or slap a paw into a large puddle, and once to chase off a small bird, sending it flapping and screeching into the sky as she chases it for a few feet and then comes to a sudden halt as she loses interest.
Catori hims softly and nods. "Oh.. I'm sure he has a lot of tales." This said with a soft tone and she tilts her head. Her ears perk forward and she lets her gaze turn as she picks up the movement some distance away of another approaching.
Niyt smiles, caught between fond and sad, and nods. "Yes," she says, and then goes silent as she catches the sound of someone's approach. Her ears perk, and she tilts her head in that direction, testing for scents and listening.
Coinin also stops to listen and sniff the air. There is someone else who is new in the area. The night is apparently full of surprises. He turns his attention toward the source of the sound and the smell, "Hello." he calls out. Hopefully whoever is there will make themselves known. If not, he will go to investigate further.
Hada snaps to attention, ears perking up and swiveling to locate the voice. Instinctively she bristles, tail rising and sweeping side to side as she sniffs the air. "Hello?" She calls back uncertainly and perhaps just a bit too loud for the situation. Turning on the spot and taking a few tentative then more purposeful steps towards where the others are gathered, she carefully makes her way over, no longer distracted by play.
Catori hums softly and tilts her head while a yawn escapes her. She shifts and lets her head settle to a forepaw, tail swaying a few times in the process. "A lot of new wolves wandering around lately."
Niyt stays where she is, letting Coinin deal with the new wolf. That's his job now, isn't it? Still, she pays attention, and nods somewhat to Catori's comment. "Yes. These past few seasons have had many travelers."
Yes it is indeed Coinin's job. That is how he found Catori and Rayen. Though those two were a great deal farther away from the packs lands than this new wolf. He offers a quick smile to Niyt and Catori before he moves off in the direction of the other wolf. He once again holds his head and tail high to show dominance, as if to tell everyone who is in charge here. Truth be told he doesn't feel very much in charge. It still feels to him like he is playing at a role, but for the sake of that role he plays the part, "Welcome to Cerulean." Coinin says as he comes closer to the new arrival.
Hada's posture remains the same, ears forward, tail up, paws planted. She eyes the other wolf suspiciously, head lowering slightly to get a better look at him. "Thank you," she responds tersely and simply, not offering much else in the way of conversation for the moment.
Catori hums and nods slightly, a yawn escaping her before she starts to doze off curling up in her spot. A ear twitching as she half listens before getting into a deeper sleep.
Niyt holds her position, some distance from Hada and Coinin. Her ears are perked to listen, though oddly enough she doesn't seem to be looking at them, not really. Still, she's definitely paying attention.
Coinin comes to a stop a respectful distance away from her, "My name is Coinin. I'm the beta of the pack that claims these lands." Always good to start with an introduction. He holds his ground, but is in no way being aggressive or threatening. At least not yet. If this wolf were to show signs of being dangerous to the pack he would quickly change his attitude, but most of the guests the pack has seen recently have been friendly. He has no reason to believe she isn't in that category as well.
Hada clacks her teeth together in thought, as if chewing on something. She lifts her head slightly higher and drops her tail just a tad, still standing her ground but adopting a more inquisitive look. "I'm Hada of the...err...well, I'm Hada." She offers up with the wolf equivalent of a shrug. Peering past him, she squints ever so slightly. "Only a pack of two? Smells like more." She states matter-of-factly.
Niyt rises to her feet, and pads closer to the pair speaking at a slow walk. "A pack is not always gathered in full," she says, as she stops a ways to the side of Coinin and a few paces behind. This close, it's apparent her eyes are fogged and unfocused, staring blindly into nothing.
Its true the pack isn't gathered fully here. In fact there are many in the pack, though he isn't going to share numbers with a stranger. He is a trusting wolf, though he isn't a rash wolf, "We have many in the pack." he states clearly. He notes her tail dropping a bit an accepts the gesture for what it is. She seems to have recognized that she is visiting someone elses territory and must act accordingly. Coinin isn't one to hold authority over folks excessively. He offers her a polite smile, "What brings you our way?"
Hada peers at the other female wolf, tilting her head just slightly. "Ain't important enough to go out, or too important to leave?" She asks innocently enough. It seems to be a real question and not a jab at either of them. "I'm just out and about. 'Bout that time of my life I guess." She sums up as if that explains absolutely everything.
Niyt just smiles slightly in response to Hada's comment. "I am what I am," she answers. Her posture is a calm one; ears perked to listen, her tail out level with her back. She doesn't seem overly concerned, either by the comment or by her own position in this pack.
Coinin offers the visitor a nod. He can accept that she is just out wandering. There are many wolves who wander. It seems a great many of them eventually pass through Cerulean. He watches Hada closely, "I see. Well so long as you cause no trouble you are welcome to be out and about on our lands." he says. No sense in being rude. She seems like a decent enough sort, "Are you a part of a pack?" he asks. Perhaps she is one of the Ute. It would make sense they recently had a delegation of young ones visit from Ute.
Hada promptly drops her rear and sits, curling her tail about her paws in a show of nonchalance and nonaggression. "Not at the moment. Left my family pack a while ago. Been on my own since." Rolling her eyes at the first statement, she snorts. "I ain't one of those sorts of wolves. Keep to myself. Ain't so stupid as to bother anyone who could give me trouble, 'less they were askin' for it in the first place."
Well he definitely can't argue with that. It isn't the wisest thing in the world to make trouble for yourself when you don't have to. he doesn't believe that anyone here will cause any kind of trouble for her. The pack is filled with wolves that in general are decent and kind. Not that some of them don't have a bit of an attitude and perhaps a temper, but on the whole its a decent group, "Its difficult to be on your own." Coinin states. He had found not having a pack around was a challenge when he was in his wandering phase. Not an insurmountable one, but a challenge none the less.
Hada offers a simple shrug in reply. "It ain't fun. But I get along well enough. Life would be easier with a pack, but sometimes you need to do the hard things in life by yourself." And there's a bit of wisdom out of nowhere. Physically she looks well enough, definitely on the skinnier side, but not horrendously so.
Coinin can relate to that. There are certain things you have to do at times regardless of the difficulty, still why not ease the burden if it can be eased, "You are welcome to rest here for as long as you wish. You will find the lands to be safe and well protected. You may also hunt here if you wish, provided that are willing to share with the rest of the pack." He's not inviting her to join the pack by any means, but perhaps she could use a few days rest and relaxation before continuing on to wherever she is going.
Hada remains silent for a time to think this over, clacking her teeth together again, which seems to be what she does when she's thinking. "I wouldn't want to impose..." she ponders aloud, tail flicking back and forth. "But I could really use a few days to rest up. Sure your alpha wouldn't mind? Don't want to get a nasty surprise, is all. Been there, done that. Never again."
Coinin would imagine that incidents like that were possible. Still he has never seen Tariro treat anyone disrespectfully, even those that were actively treating him disrespectfully. He considers the possibility of anything unfortuante happening as nearly non-existant. He shakes his head, "No. Tariro wouldn't object to you being here. As I said before. As long as you treat everyone respectfully you will find a welcome here." He doesn't consider a guest staying for a few days any kind of imposition.
Hada continues to think this over for a time, ears sliding back to lay against her head then popping back up again. "Hm, if you say so." Standing, she gives her whole body and quick shake. "Anything I should know 'bout this area? Don't want to find out somethin' important the hard way, ya know?"
Coinin can't think of a single thing that she would need to know that would cause her to have any kind of unpleasent experience, "The only thing that I could think of is that the land by the merge of the river doesn't belong to the pack, but rather a rather large collection of foxes and coyotes. They in general are friendly, but I wouldn't press. We have no desire to bother them, and in general they don't bother us. Other than that I can't think of a single thing."
Hada snorts again. "Those things actually live together and don't try to eat each other? This place sure ain't like my old home. More sunshine and bunnies." She chuckles at this, stretching a bit and giving herself one more shake. "Thanks for your hospitality."
Coinin had thought it was rather odd at first as well, but when things are they way they are you learn to just sort of go with it. He gives her a nod, "You are welcome. We do our best here to welcome guests. We have had so many come through over the past few seasons that I think we are getting rather good at it."
Hada absently lifts a paw to scratch at her nose, shaking her head once she's done. "Definitely friendlier than some I've met 'round here." Sighing a bit, she peers over her shoulder to where she was chasing that bird earlier. "Again, thank you. It's nice not to be run off for a change."
Catori - female adolescent wolf
Coinin - male wolf
Zuphi - male wolf
Hada - female wolf
---Two-River Fork---
Evening has come, and the sun is slowly sinking below the horizon. Niyt sits on a hilltop, listening to the sounds of the world around her - the gurgle of the river, the fluttering of birds flying overhead, and the slow music of the spirit-world running through it all. She sits there in silence for a while, and then she lifts her muzzle to the sky, howling out a rising note and holding it for a long moment. Night is falling. She is here. Reasons enough to howl, here on the lands her pack roams.
Catori ears perk forward slight at the howl, her maw twitches and a yawn escapes her while she shifts to peer over at where Niyt is. She's not that far off it seem and soon shifts upwards upon her haunches, stretching as she goes. A forepaw lifting to scratch and rub at her neck a few times in the process. "Hey Niyt.." She offers once the howl is over.
Coinin hears the sound of the howl. He knows that voice and its sounds like she is relatively close by as well. He hasn't been up to all that much today. He took a swing out to patrol the borders of the lands. It had been a quiet patrol, with nothing that had caught his interest. There have been no signs of any new wolves roving about which is something of a welcome relief since there had been so many that had dropped by lately. He responds to the howl by lifting his head and returning the call.
Zuphi stops again at the borders... He isn't exactly sure how to explain this absence except, well...that arrow sticking out of his left thigh might explain enough. It's not that deep really, but it was too painful for him to yank out just yet. Although... The whole "I need to get out of there NOW!" was also a good reason to forget the scrape. He's never going anywhere again without looking for signs of those weird, two legged hunters! He's miles away from them by now, thankfully and he takes a moment to lay down and peer around.
A howl, and the world changes; some creatures draw away, hiding from wolves. The pack draws closer, as Catori approaches and Coinin returns the howl from not so far in the distance. Such is the nature of the howl, and the nature of wolves. Niyt lowers her head, and smiles as she nods to the adolescent. "Hello there," she says, then pauses. Her expression seems a little distant for a moment, as though there's something distracting her. A presence that she hasn't felt in moons... after a moment, she shakes herself back into paying attention to what's here before her instead of odd feelings. "How have you been?"
Catori ears perk at the howl from another, a slight nod seen and she smiles to Niyt. "I'm well, an yourself?" She questions while tilting her head, and picking up that the other is somewhat distracted it would seem. A soft hum escapes her.
When he had heard the howl he started off toward its source. Quickly enough both Niyt and Catori come into sight. He had heard the news a day ago about Lexus and Rayen becoming a couple. He took heart at this news. The world it seems goes on, and if Lex can make the best of things so can he. After that conversation he made the choice that he wasn't going to pay attention to the future as much as he was the present. It doesn't mean he is going to forget about it, but he is going to live the best he can with the time that is given to him. Once he gets a bit closer to the pair of them he offers them both a smile, "Hello all."
Hmm... He thinks he hears the murmur of voices about... His tattered ears prick fully forward and Zuphi cautiously lifts himself up. Meh, the arrow barely hurts anymore, it'd been there for...a couple moons now? He didn't know. Shaking his now brilliantly silver neckfur, he took on a humble, relaxed posture as he cautiously strode in the direction of the voices...
"I'm doing well," Niyt answers to Catori, though she still seems a trifle distracted. If she just had a moment to pay closer attention to the soft tuggings of spirit... but she doesn't, because here comes Coinin, and she turns her head to the sound of his voice and nods again. "And you, as well."
Catori had picked up on the disraction from Niyt. "You.. Seem a bit distracted.. Is something wrong?" She questions with a tilt of her head, ears perking forward. Her maw twitches as she sniffs at the passing breeze and her bight gaze drifts off to the side. Someone new is around. Her tail flicks around a few times as she shifts a few steps closer to Niyt and nods to Coinin. "Hello."
Coinin is also distracted by the same scent on the air. That is a wolf...one that he doesn't know. Which means its time for work. He offers the pair of them a polite smile, "Please excuse me ladies." With that turns quickly and begins to make his way toward the source of this smell. This wolf either just arrived on the lands or he missed him when he was patrolling. Either way he must be greeted, and depending on the situation either welcomed or persuaded to be moving on. Coinin holds his tail and head high in a sign of dominance. Slowly but surely that is becoming a bit second nature to the new (relatively) beta.
In moments, Zuphi hears someone padding toward him. To avoid conflict, Zuphi steps into view, a dark cluster of black and silver against the dry sage. He lifts his head and perks his ears forward to listen, however keeps his tail low and unthreatening. He simply waits for the member of the resident pack to approach, and out of respect for him, will wait until he is spoken to to speak himself.
So it's not just her. There's something more than spirit-tuggings going on here. Like that scent teasing against her nose, making it twitch in much the same was as her more mystic senses did a few moments before. It's different now, of course - but don't things always change? Still... Niyt frowns in consideration of what spirit and scent tell her, and the sightless wolf starts to make her way down from the hilltop, approaching slowly.
Catori tilts her head, nose wiggling a few times as she watches Coinin go and then Niyt.. Whom she follows after choosing to keep next to the blind she-wolf. Her steps are sure-footed and she is quiet while moving along. It doesn't take her that long to catch sight of the stranger, her ears perk forward and a soft oh escapes her.
Coinin watches as the wolf emerges from his hiding places. He appears to be relatively young, and rather beat up. There is the scent of dried blood about him. He doesn't appear to be any kind of threat. Certainly he is in no condition to offer any sort of aggressive response. Still one has to be careful. He offers him a nod and speaks, "Greetings. You are in Cerulean territory and if you come in peace you will find a welcome here." he pauses for a moment before continuing, "You look like you might need a bit of help."
Zuphi sighs with relief! "Oh, sir, I am no threat, I can assure you!" His cheerful tone is spoken in a very rugged, deep voice that doesn't seem to fit his young face. He merely wags once, and alowly. "My name is Zuphi." He dips his muzzle and smiles softly. "I have been here before, and have a friend here, named... Niyt?"
Spirit. Scent. Sound. They've all changed, in the moons he's been away, but that voice stirs at Niyt the same as the news of her other senses. The words themselves only confirm it, and she steps into plain view. Her head is carried high, her tail likewise; calm and confident in posture even as emotions flurry inside of her. He's back. He left her behind. He's back. "It's been a long time," she says quietly, padding closer.
Catori ears perk and she peers over at Niyt watching her a few moments while she trods along. Her attention soon turns back to Zuphi and she offers a smile an nod to the other wolf. Though at the moment she keeps quiet letting the two speak it would seem.
Zuphi's eyescatch on Niyt. Wow, she's...grown too. Just like him. Just like the pack. He offers a smile and nods to Catori, then feels a sting in his heart as he sees the she-wolf he'd left without a word... "Niyt.. Yes, it's... It's me." His ears flatten.
Niyt is quiet for long moments, facing Zuphi though her blind eyes can't see him. Only spirit, scent, and sound. Well. And one more thing, if she should so choose. She hesitates. It's been a very long time. Yet... he came back. He's always come back, hasn't he? She'd thought it was over, and yet he came back... and she can smell the traces of blood, the slight sourness of an old wound in his body. He did come back. It almost hurts, to feel that moment re-open; an emotional wound scabbed over, and now... but he's back. Slowly she pads toward him, and extends her muzzle toward his to offer a gentle nuzzle. "You came back." Simple words, but they hold the pain of a long time when she thought him gone - abandoned her, or dead, or... simply gone forever.
Catori smiles softly as she watches the pair, a slight bow of her head seen before she shifts back a few steps. Turning she trots back the way she came, her tail slowly swaying while she moves. She knows the emotion that she sees there, an knows they need to speak with one another and that they don't need everyone watching them. Her paws carry her back to the water and she settles down there upon her haunches, ears flicking forward while she glances off slowly getting close in her own thoughts in the process.
"Niyt, yes, I'm back..." He touches his cold nose to hers and even licks it affectionately. "I'm here.. I'm here to stay, if your pack will have me.." The stinging inside his chest is so great but yet it's a good thing.. He needs to reconsile what conflicts he'd left unresolved, to rekindle his connection to Niyt... He offers a soft whine and slowly moves forward, gently leaning his muzzle against hers.
So he is. Niyt breathes in, taking the scent of him once again. Still the same Zuphi, though it has changed in the time he's been gone. He's grown into an adult. As has she. Pups. Adolescents. Adults. He's back again. She'd settled in for a life without him. A sensible life - one with her pack and family, and yet somehow alone. She'd thought she'd gotten over him. She was wrong. She still loves him. But... "Things have changed," she says, not pulling away from him, simply speaking as she leans her muzzle to his. "I don't know."
Coinin had been rather stunned to find that Zuphi has made a return. He had told Niyt once that perhaps he would come back. He hadn't really believed that he would come back. This leaves him at something of a loss. For one Niyt is his friend, perhaps his best friend, and he can tell that she is hurting. There is a part of him that wants to run this wolf off for leaving her like that. However, thats not something that really is up to him. Thats up to Niyt to decide for herself. He isn't going to get involved in someone's personal affairs unless invited too...well not all that much anyway. He will have to have a long talk with the boy though about what expectations he has of him if he decides to stay. He watches Niyt for some cue about how she would like him to respond to this situation.
Zuphi sighs shakily, furrowing his brow in thought. He didn't expect such a return; he'd fully expected her to have moved on and take another male. He wags but once, just barely able to keep his excitement uner control- he simply licks her cheek and looks anxiously at Coinin. He swallows hard, and leaves it up to them, whether they decide to keep him or chase him off, Zuphi has concluded that he would have no hard feelings no matter the outcome.
It's not that there haven't been opportunities for Niyt to find another. There have been other males around. It's just, well, none of them have been... right. For all the whirl of her emotions, for all the pain... there's also joy. She breathes in his scent, and lets out a long, sighing breath. "We'll talk about it." Not now, not while they're being watched like this. For now, she licks at his cheek, and then finally draws her muzzle away, tilting it to acknowledge Coinin. "Cerulean has a new beta," she says to Zuphi. Things have changed.
Catori ears twitch and she looks back towards the three some distance off, her tail swaying against the ground a few times and she soon rolls about upon her back in the grass and dirt choosing to just relax it would seem. Though she is listing in on some of the coversaion it would seem.
Things have changed indeed. There have been many new members of the pack, and well time simply passed. Well Niyt isn't rejecting him, so he won't reject him either. At least not yet. Coinin views Niyt as something of a sister, and much like Anoki he doesn't think there are many out there that are good enough for her. Oh man when Anoki hears about this he is going to blow a gasket. He offers the wolf a polite nod, "You are welcome to stay here. You also look like you will need some medical attention."
Zuphi smiles weakly. "I understand." He looks toward the new Beta in question. "Hello, sir... I am sorry that my arrival has been unexpected." He hobbles a bit, coming closer.
A new beta, because her father... hasn't... come back. Niyt turns, slowly pacing along with Zuphi as he comes toward Coinin. She's quiet for now. Zuphi will stay, and then... who knows? "The future is often uncertain," she says, and her attention lingers for a moment on Coinin as she speaks.
Coinin can't agree with Niyt more that, in general, the future is uncertain. Of course sometimes the future is very certain, "Your arrival is unexpected, but you don't have the need to apologize. Your arrival is welcome." he says. At least apparently Niyt is welcoming him, "If there is anything we can do to assist you please feel free ask." Especially since he looks to be something of a mess.
"Well, thank you, kind sir.. Uh.. May I... Ask for your name?" He smiles awkwardly, then looks closely at Coinin, simply to memorize what he looks like. "I'm Zuphi." He looks pretty wiped out, to be blunt, and relieved to be welcomed back.
Niyt lets Coinin introduce himself. She's quiet, staying near to Zuphi. It's nice just... being around him again. She'd almost forgotten how nice, even if it does come with the strange feelings. What does the future hold for him, and her... for them, if there even is such a thing anymore?
Coinin smiles to the wolf, well he had heard about him of course. When he had first arrived Niyt had told him how sad she was that he had left and he had felt really bad for her, but now it appears that he might not have to feel bad for her. Though they likely have a great deal to work out, "My name is Coinin. Its nice to put a face with a name. Niyt had told me a great deal about you."
Woof? Zuphi's tattered ears prick momentarily. Nothing good, he was sure. A few words that surely described him entered his mind: Deserter. Lover and Leaver. Traitor. And so on. His clouded thoughts were pushes aside as he managed a soft smile. "An honour, Coinin." He briefly lowers himself, then sits on his haunches.
She hadn't been gone long from where the majority of the pack was settled but it seems she was gone long enough for something new to happen, and it looked like a new face. Ray' hadn't heard much of the conversation only a few of the words towards the end as she leaves the woods at a soft lope. She comes to a stop with a light bounce, tounge lolling for a few moments and ears perked forwards. Her yellow-green eyes were bright, breath heavy; she'd been running. The wolfish smile eases some as she dips her maw to Coinin before speaking, "Evening Coinin, Niyt.." her words warm and soft before she glances to the new male, head tilting and a warm smile given, "Hello there."
Niyt nods as the two complete the introductions. What she told Coinin was... well, the truth as she knew it. Which, it's true, doesn't entirely make Zuphi look good. Still, she has a smile for him now as she says, "You must be tired." Not to mention that injury she can smell... sooner or later, if this keeps up, he'll be made up entirely of scars with only a few tufts of fur holding them together! At the sound of an approaching wolf and Rayen's voice, she looks up. "Good evening!"
Catori seems to have fallen asleep in her stretched out place within the grasses. That is until a bug crawls across her nose and she snrots jolying up and coughs a few times in the proces. She blinks and licks across her maw, forepaw lifting to brush across her maw a few times in the process. Her gaze turns one way and then another, maw twitching and she soon shifts to her paws and smiles as she catches sight of her aunt Ray. She shifts on her paws and pads back over to the others once more. "Rayen!" She offers with a happy tone.
Coinin glances over to Rayen when he hears her speak to him. He smiles. He had heard the news from Lex the other day that the pair of them had become a couple. Good for both of them. He had told Lex that he hoped they would be very happy together. He had also told him that they had his permission, but obviously they would need Tariro's as well. Coinin would have a very hard time saying no to a couple that truly loved each other, "Hi Ray. Congratulations by the way." he says to her. Niyt did tell him the truth. Zuphi will have to work hard to find his way back into Coinin's graces, but it is possible.
Zuphi glances at his injury. "Well, yeah.. That.. needs some attention, heh." He smiles. Always the clown. He wondered just how Niyt could love him. Sheesh... "But first I would like to get some rest... It's..been an uncomfortable addition, I must admit." He decides that he won't DARE make a move on Niyt until he's sure he's been accepted... He looks up toward the new female and he grins uneasily. "H-hi there.."
She notices the uneasy smile and Rayen offers the other a somewhat motherly smile. If he had anything to fear or feel awkward about he definately didn't have to do it towards Rayen. Miss I Love Everyone Hippie Woman. She figures introductions for her can wait and instead dips her nose in his direction as he says he needs to rest. Gaze flickers to Niyt curiously and then Coinin but it's the beta males words that cause her ears to pinkin, "Oh. Uhm.. Thankyou," she stutters, with abit of a chuckle at the end. Cat's voice grabs her attention and Rayen turns her head in her neices direction and is soon headed there to nuzzle and lick the girl annoyingly, "Catori! Nice to see your still hangin around," she jests, gnawing on the closest ear.
Niyt chuckles softly at Zuphi's understatement. He can't be too badly off if he's still making light of things. She nods, and leans in to nose gently at his shoulder before slowly lowering herself down near him. "That does seem a good idea," she says with a smile. "And perhaps something to eat, hmm?"
Catori giggles softly and bounces a few times on her paws while batting out at her aunt and smiles. "Well of course.. I wasn't going to wander off for long you know." She offers happly and tilts her head as her ears twitch. "What are you getting congrads for?" This questioned while peering at her aunt curiously. A ear twitching towards the others curiously.
Coinin will let Rayen and Catori talk to each other for a moment or two before interuppting them. Rayen has a great deal to bring Catori up to speed from and its only right that the news come from her aunt. He then turns his attention back toward Zuphi and Niyt. This is going to be very interesting...and Helaku. What will he think. Though Helaku has denied it he strongly suspects that he is in love with Niyt. This is going to change the pack dynamic a bit, "How long have you had that stick in you Zuphi?" he asks.
"Oh, uh.." Zuphi stutters, looking back at the arrow. "A moon or two? I..think I sort of healed over it somewhat.. Been trying to leave it alone." He smiles uneasily, keeping his ears flat. If he has to, he'll even take the rank of Omega if he has to, just to make it up for the pack he's left.
Rayen glances back over at the new male when Coinin mentions his 'stick' and frowns, "You should really get that out.. letting your skin heal over it will only make it worse... if it isn't already infected." She blinks before coughing uneasily and glancing back to her neice. What is she getting congradulated for? Uhmmm.... Rayen clears her throat before she starts, "Well.. Catori.... I've found.. someone. Who I care a lot for, and who cares a lot for me." Blink.
Niyt tilts her head, considering on what Zuphi says about the injury. She nods agreement with Rayen's comment. "Like a thorn in the paw." Only rather worse. She frowns, considering on it, but she doesn't know all that much about medicine. Just those few things she's picked up here and there. Besides, she'd have a hard time practicing it, given her lack of sight.
Catori hums softly while peering at Rayen curiously, her head tilting and ears splaying forward. Her tail swaying and she soon smiles. "Really?" She questions softly. "Well that's great Ray.. I'm glad to hear that." An it truely looks like she is. Her tail swaying about happly. "What's his name?"
Coinin keeps an ear out of the conversation that Cat and Ray are having. Its nice to see something like this happen. Its the first real couple that Cerulean has seen since he arrived. Hopefully there will be more on the way. It only strengthens his resolve to find his 'someone special.' He just hopes its soon. Time isn't what it used to be. He watches Zuphi closely. Yes they are going to have to do something for him. He looks in particular at the location of the arrow and frowns. There is going to be no way to get that out without causing a fair amount of pain, "Niyt..you wouldn't happen to know anyone who can do something about that would you?" he asks. He agrees with Rayen, that thing is going to have to come out. For Zuphi's good.
Zuphi isn't used to attention from others, if at all. His family's been dead since puppyhood and he'd been a vagrant for the most part since... "Only if it's not much trouble.. I want to be able to participate and not be a bum."
She lets the others talk to the new male as she regaurds her nephew and smiles warmly, "His name is Lexus.." The female slides back upon her haunches comfortabley, a gentle sigh escaping her maw. "Thankyou Catori.. ya know I'll be honest with you. You running away is probably the best thing that could of happened for us," she chuckles, tail thumping once upon the ground. If Ray' hadn't followed her neice they never would have found this fabulous home and Rayen never would have met Lexus.
Niyt tilts her head consideringly at Coinin's question. "Perhaps," she says. "I'll see who I can find." At Zuphi's protests, she nudges at his shoulder and grins. "You'll be less of a bum if you can run and hunt properly, so there." There she goes, using /logic/! How unfair is that?
Catori looks amused for a moment and chuckles. "Well.. I'm glad I ran away then.. For both of us." Her tail thumps a few times in the process. "An i'm glad you found someone Rayen. You deserve to be happy too." She says with a soft tone and nods. A glance is offered over towards the three at the talk of trying to get the stick out of the one wolves shoulder.
Coinin couldn't agree more that folks deserve to be happy. Niyt deserves to be happy and so does Rayen. At least it seems both have a better chance for this than they did even a few days ago. He is pleased to hear that Niyt might know someone. Niyt seems to know so many more from the area than he does. He will have to travel a bit more in the future to get to know some of these other folks, "You should rest Zuphi..."
Zuphi sighs uneasily. He nods to the Beta and is embarrassed when a wide yawn accidentily escapes... "Sorry.." He manages a smile and his eyes droop, having not slept for days. "I...I think I see a nice spot over here... I.. Appreciate your help, just.. I think I'll be able to think better once I'm awake enough to keep my head up." He laughs and nods graciously to the pack, then offering a gentle nudge to the sightless Niyt. He wanders to a cool patch of grass and curls up...
Rayen peers as she watches the new male settle down to get rest. Her brows furrow worriedly but Rayen knows they'll take care of him. She just cares too too much. She looks back to her neice however and nudges her shoulder lovingly before a wide grin spreads across her face. "Thankyou Catori.." She lets a small sigh escape her muzzle now however, brain thinking back.
Catori smiles and nods her tail swaying about while she nuzzles her aunt back happly. Even leans against her a moment while flopping down to her belly and stretches out. "So you plan on sticking around here then?.. I assume since you found some cute wolf after all." This said while she grins.
Niyt smiles after Zuphi as he finds a spot to curl up and rest, and stays where she is. She certainly has a lot to think about tonight, and a lot of her emotions to process. Once things were simple and happy, her and Zuphi together. Then they became sad... but simple again. Now? Oh, now they are so very, very complicated.
Coinin watches Niyt closely. He can tell she is conflicted. She has every right to be. He did ditch her, but its not like you can turn your feelings on and off so easily. He speaks to her, "I don't know if I should be happy for you or not Niyt. If you want me to we can get him healed up and I can ask him to go." Its not like Coi would kick the young wolf out while he was down though. His primary concern is for the effect it will have on his friend.
Rayen nods her head, "Yes, I do plan on sticking around. I was hoping you would too.. but your still young so if you decided to go elsewhere I would understand.. as long as I knew where." She chuckles. Ray' hesitates and slightly wonders how Cat's meeting with her father had gone if it had happened. As she's pondering a large yawn rips through the females maw, ending it with a shake of her head.
Catori is quiet for a moment, a ear twitching. "Well.. I had thought about staying around here." This said with a soft tone. while she glances over the area and then looks up to the sky. "This place has a nice feel too it.. Not like home. An the sky is always pretty." Also not like home. She licks across her maw and soon looks back to Rayen. "An.. I got to speak with dad so.. I sorta got done what I went looking for. At least for now I suppose."
Niyt perks her ears up to Coinin as he speaks, and frowns slightly. "I'll tell him myself, whatever I decide." Not that she's decided yet, or is anywhere close to it. "I don't need you to do it for me." The words aren't angry, just simple facts. "For now... he is a wolf seeking Cerulean. He is my friend. That is all, for now."
Coinin can accept that. He will let her figure this out for herself. Still that doesn't mean that he won't have a talk with the boy by himself at some point. He offers her a smile, "As you wish." he intones. He has no desire to make her angry or upset, "If you ever want to talk about it...I'm here ok?" He turns his attention back toward Catori, "I do hope that you will stay." he says. Thats interesting. She got to meet her father. He will have to talk to her about that sometime.
Rayen nods her head thoughtfully before her brows perk, "Oh? You will have to tell me all about it." As she says this another yawn racks her jaws. She blahs and shakes her head before looking over towards Coinin and Niyt then back to her neice, "If you'll excuse me.. I'm a lot more exhausted then I thought i was. He has a good idea, I do believe a little rest is in order." She smiles to Coinin and Niyt before nosing her neices cheek fur. Ray' settles down in a little divet not too far away, head settling on her paws with a contented sigh.
Catori glances over towards Niyt and Coinin catching bits of the conversation. A soft smile is offered back to Coinin. "I'm leaning towards it.." She offers before looking back to Rayen and nods with a sway of her tail. "I'll tell you later. Sleep well Rayen." With her aunt drifting to sleep she settles down once more herself, forepaws stretched before her. "I.. Know a few plants that may be able to help with your friends stick.. At least to help with the pain when you go to get it out."
Niyt nods to Coinin. "I'll remember that," she tells him, and then goes silent again, catching a little of the conversation with Rayen and Catori. She nods to Catori's comment. "There are things to chew for pain, I know... and stinging plants that take away infection. Mud to hold it while it heals... but how to get it out? You two saw it. How does it look?"
Coinin thinks the thing looks pretty bad to be perfectly honest. Its going to take some effort to get out and it will likely hurt him when it is removed. There is also the problem of stopping the flow of blood once it is removed and then there is the ever present risk of infection. The wolf seems to have gotten himself in a rather big pickle, "Its in there pretty deep."
Catori hums softly while tilting her head. "Well.. I didn't get to look at it that well. But if its been there a while it can't be good." She offers softly with a slight shake of her head. Her gaze drifting to the ground a moment. "I wonder how he got it."
Niyt nods. So, not good. Perhaps she won't have to figure out what to do with the return of Zuphi, because he won't last out this injury. It would certainly resolve things, but... no, she really hopes it doesn't come down to that. Of that much, she's sure. "We'll do what we can. At this point... I don't think another day or two can do much more harm. We can prepare, and look for aid."
Coinin nods in agreement with Niyt. He doens't think that waiting a day or two to take the arrow out of Zuphi will matter much. Though he wouldn't want to leave it in there rotting for two much longer. If Zuphi doesn't already have an infection then its best to avoid that if possible, "Well if you know any healers out there it would be good to find them." he says to her, before glancing over toward Catori, "I was wondering the same sort of thing. I've never seen anything like this before." Which makes sense because he has had no contact with humans at all.
"Most likely won't matter much.. But yes I agree that it shouldn't stay in there for much longer." Catori offers with a soft tone. She has seen humans before, seen the boom sticks but nothing like that stick to say the least.
Niyt shakes her head with her own lack of knowledge about the cause of this injury. "I'll ask around after healers. I know a few birds and the like who might know where to look."
Coinin nods, he will leave that to Niyt then to find someone that can do something about the arrow. Whatever happens they will have to be very very careful and not cause him anymore injury than they would have to, "I'm sure he will have quite the story to tell after he is rested." he says to the pair of them. Obviously the young wolf has been off on some adventure, and adventure that didn't go to plan obviously, but an adventure none the less.
Hada lopes along in the distance, completely oblivious to or ignoring the fact that there are other wolves nearby. Being pale of coat also helps to make her stand out among the landscape, so subtelty is obviously not a strong point. She pauses every now and again to poke her nose into the brush or slap a paw into a large puddle, and once to chase off a small bird, sending it flapping and screeching into the sky as she chases it for a few feet and then comes to a sudden halt as she loses interest.
Catori hims softly and nods. "Oh.. I'm sure he has a lot of tales." This said with a soft tone and she tilts her head. Her ears perk forward and she lets her gaze turn as she picks up the movement some distance away of another approaching.
Niyt smiles, caught between fond and sad, and nods. "Yes," she says, and then goes silent as she catches the sound of someone's approach. Her ears perk, and she tilts her head in that direction, testing for scents and listening.
Coinin also stops to listen and sniff the air. There is someone else who is new in the area. The night is apparently full of surprises. He turns his attention toward the source of the sound and the smell, "Hello." he calls out. Hopefully whoever is there will make themselves known. If not, he will go to investigate further.
Hada snaps to attention, ears perking up and swiveling to locate the voice. Instinctively she bristles, tail rising and sweeping side to side as she sniffs the air. "Hello?" She calls back uncertainly and perhaps just a bit too loud for the situation. Turning on the spot and taking a few tentative then more purposeful steps towards where the others are gathered, she carefully makes her way over, no longer distracted by play.
Catori hums softly and tilts her head while a yawn escapes her. She shifts and lets her head settle to a forepaw, tail swaying a few times in the process. "A lot of new wolves wandering around lately."
Niyt stays where she is, letting Coinin deal with the new wolf. That's his job now, isn't it? Still, she pays attention, and nods somewhat to Catori's comment. "Yes. These past few seasons have had many travelers."
Yes it is indeed Coinin's job. That is how he found Catori and Rayen. Though those two were a great deal farther away from the packs lands than this new wolf. He offers a quick smile to Niyt and Catori before he moves off in the direction of the other wolf. He once again holds his head and tail high to show dominance, as if to tell everyone who is in charge here. Truth be told he doesn't feel very much in charge. It still feels to him like he is playing at a role, but for the sake of that role he plays the part, "Welcome to Cerulean." Coinin says as he comes closer to the new arrival.
Hada's posture remains the same, ears forward, tail up, paws planted. She eyes the other wolf suspiciously, head lowering slightly to get a better look at him. "Thank you," she responds tersely and simply, not offering much else in the way of conversation for the moment.
Catori hums and nods slightly, a yawn escaping her before she starts to doze off curling up in her spot. A ear twitching as she half listens before getting into a deeper sleep.
Niyt holds her position, some distance from Hada and Coinin. Her ears are perked to listen, though oddly enough she doesn't seem to be looking at them, not really. Still, she's definitely paying attention.
Coinin comes to a stop a respectful distance away from her, "My name is Coinin. I'm the beta of the pack that claims these lands." Always good to start with an introduction. He holds his ground, but is in no way being aggressive or threatening. At least not yet. If this wolf were to show signs of being dangerous to the pack he would quickly change his attitude, but most of the guests the pack has seen recently have been friendly. He has no reason to believe she isn't in that category as well.
Hada clacks her teeth together in thought, as if chewing on something. She lifts her head slightly higher and drops her tail just a tad, still standing her ground but adopting a more inquisitive look. "I'm Hada of the...err...well, I'm Hada." She offers up with the wolf equivalent of a shrug. Peering past him, she squints ever so slightly. "Only a pack of two? Smells like more." She states matter-of-factly.
Niyt rises to her feet, and pads closer to the pair speaking at a slow walk. "A pack is not always gathered in full," she says, as she stops a ways to the side of Coinin and a few paces behind. This close, it's apparent her eyes are fogged and unfocused, staring blindly into nothing.
Its true the pack isn't gathered fully here. In fact there are many in the pack, though he isn't going to share numbers with a stranger. He is a trusting wolf, though he isn't a rash wolf, "We have many in the pack." he states clearly. He notes her tail dropping a bit an accepts the gesture for what it is. She seems to have recognized that she is visiting someone elses territory and must act accordingly. Coinin isn't one to hold authority over folks excessively. He offers her a polite smile, "What brings you our way?"
Hada peers at the other female wolf, tilting her head just slightly. "Ain't important enough to go out, or too important to leave?" She asks innocently enough. It seems to be a real question and not a jab at either of them. "I'm just out and about. 'Bout that time of my life I guess." She sums up as if that explains absolutely everything.
Niyt just smiles slightly in response to Hada's comment. "I am what I am," she answers. Her posture is a calm one; ears perked to listen, her tail out level with her back. She doesn't seem overly concerned, either by the comment or by her own position in this pack.
Coinin offers the visitor a nod. He can accept that she is just out wandering. There are many wolves who wander. It seems a great many of them eventually pass through Cerulean. He watches Hada closely, "I see. Well so long as you cause no trouble you are welcome to be out and about on our lands." he says. No sense in being rude. She seems like a decent enough sort, "Are you a part of a pack?" he asks. Perhaps she is one of the Ute. It would make sense they recently had a delegation of young ones visit from Ute.
Hada promptly drops her rear and sits, curling her tail about her paws in a show of nonchalance and nonaggression. "Not at the moment. Left my family pack a while ago. Been on my own since." Rolling her eyes at the first statement, she snorts. "I ain't one of those sorts of wolves. Keep to myself. Ain't so stupid as to bother anyone who could give me trouble, 'less they were askin' for it in the first place."
Well he definitely can't argue with that. It isn't the wisest thing in the world to make trouble for yourself when you don't have to. he doesn't believe that anyone here will cause any kind of trouble for her. The pack is filled with wolves that in general are decent and kind. Not that some of them don't have a bit of an attitude and perhaps a temper, but on the whole its a decent group, "Its difficult to be on your own." Coinin states. He had found not having a pack around was a challenge when he was in his wandering phase. Not an insurmountable one, but a challenge none the less.
Hada offers a simple shrug in reply. "It ain't fun. But I get along well enough. Life would be easier with a pack, but sometimes you need to do the hard things in life by yourself." And there's a bit of wisdom out of nowhere. Physically she looks well enough, definitely on the skinnier side, but not horrendously so.
Coinin can relate to that. There are certain things you have to do at times regardless of the difficulty, still why not ease the burden if it can be eased, "You are welcome to rest here for as long as you wish. You will find the lands to be safe and well protected. You may also hunt here if you wish, provided that are willing to share with the rest of the pack." He's not inviting her to join the pack by any means, but perhaps she could use a few days rest and relaxation before continuing on to wherever she is going.
Hada remains silent for a time to think this over, clacking her teeth together again, which seems to be what she does when she's thinking. "I wouldn't want to impose..." she ponders aloud, tail flicking back and forth. "But I could really use a few days to rest up. Sure your alpha wouldn't mind? Don't want to get a nasty surprise, is all. Been there, done that. Never again."
Coinin would imagine that incidents like that were possible. Still he has never seen Tariro treat anyone disrespectfully, even those that were actively treating him disrespectfully. He considers the possibility of anything unfortuante happening as nearly non-existant. He shakes his head, "No. Tariro wouldn't object to you being here. As I said before. As long as you treat everyone respectfully you will find a welcome here." He doesn't consider a guest staying for a few days any kind of imposition.
Hada continues to think this over for a time, ears sliding back to lay against her head then popping back up again. "Hm, if you say so." Standing, she gives her whole body and quick shake. "Anything I should know 'bout this area? Don't want to find out somethin' important the hard way, ya know?"
Coinin can't think of a single thing that she would need to know that would cause her to have any kind of unpleasent experience, "The only thing that I could think of is that the land by the merge of the river doesn't belong to the pack, but rather a rather large collection of foxes and coyotes. They in general are friendly, but I wouldn't press. We have no desire to bother them, and in general they don't bother us. Other than that I can't think of a single thing."
Hada snorts again. "Those things actually live together and don't try to eat each other? This place sure ain't like my old home. More sunshine and bunnies." She chuckles at this, stretching a bit and giving herself one more shake. "Thanks for your hospitality."
Coinin had thought it was rather odd at first as well, but when things are they way they are you learn to just sort of go with it. He gives her a nod, "You are welcome. We do our best here to welcome guests. We have had so many come through over the past few seasons that I think we are getting rather good at it."
Hada absently lifts a paw to scratch at her nose, shaking her head once she's done. "Definitely friendlier than some I've met 'round here." Sighing a bit, she peers over her shoulder to where she was chasing that bird earlier. "Again, thank you. It's nice not to be run off for a change."