[quote="Soriams"]((Ooo, snow? I love snow, so I'm jealous. Even a foot of snow is more fun than inconvenience to me. And I hope you enjoy your play! Also, Nightshade and Sheba, where are your characters in relation to the rest of the pack? I'm trying to decide who would hear his calls for help.))
Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Ahote nodded at Resin's response, agreeing that a good meal would do the pack some good. At this point, 'large herd' and 'reindeer' had not quite registered with him, but something about the way Resin forms her words makes him wonder just what this plan is. However, instead of questioning her now, he decided to just wait and see for himself. After all, he was a capable hunter and assumed that he would see the logic in their tactics when the time came. For now, the weight of sorrow and guilt that had hung over him and begun to lift, and he was beginning to enjoy walking next to Resin. His paws fell in easy step with hers, and their strides matched well. It felt good, but more than that it felt right.
Onward they moved, and soon the ground grew uneven beneath their paws, with great stones breaking up through the ground where the trees were not. Looking up at the trees to one side and what was rising up into a cliff on the other, a memory of the mountains far in the distance of his old pack-lands suddenly popped into his head. By this time, he had no recollection of the visions his poor sleep had brought him, and thus it seemed sort of strange to him that he would remember something so random. However, he couldn't help but wonder if this is what those great white peaks had looked like. They had seemed pristine, smooth like teeth from a distance. Were they so rough and rocky as these hills?
Not much further then, and Resin called for them to stop. Ahote could easily see why, there was a rock wall to guard their backs, and a cozy cove of snow to make their beds in, both would make the job of the fighters protecting the pack easier. Though he would normally have left with Xani to run the perimeter and make sure that everything was secure, Ahote instead decided to stay beside Resin. Her closeness had warmed him both mentally and physically, and he was quite simply loathe to let it go. Over the years, they had grown close and though he had never said so, the dark fea had done more for him than he could ever possibly repay. He had found ScarPaw a broken, and tattered straggler, and through her strength he had managed to pick up the pieces. Though he is hardly the fiery young Alpha he once was, he has manage to find at least something that he can call himself.
Before long, a young wolf called out in exclamation, and they both looked in his direction and Resin soon went to investigate his findings. Ahote's first thought was to follow her, but he held himself back as he was beginning to wonder if he looked like a lost pup or something, following her everywhere. The thought was a little embarrassing, and he let out a bit of a sigh as he watched her walk off. She was a fine fea, her coat glistening in the grey, clouded light, her movement bringing out her grey undercoat that was normally hidden beneath the long black guard-hairs on her back. Realizing he was gawking, Ahote forced himself to look away and shook out his patchwork fur. Many wolves in his pack had had coats similar to his, where nearly every color possible was represented in one animal, and it wasn't until he began to travel that he began to appreciate the subtleties of more monotone coats, and Resin most certainly possessed every bit of what he admired about them.
Seeing as though a group was starting to gather around the point where Resin went to investigate, Ahote too made his way over to look down into the dark hole. Though the opening seemed rather ominous to him, the smile that graced Resin's face when she reappeared more than made up for any misgivings he might have had. Her happiness was infectious, and just seeing her smile brought one to his face as well. Tail thumping the ground behind him, he leaned into her touch as she passed, relishing every second of it. At her words, he tipped his he a little, ears perked towards her. It was a happy expression for him, and once again he was struck by how good it was to see her at ease. At her invitation to go explore, he got to his feet and stopped next to her for a moment, licking her cheek affectionately,
"Anything that could bring such a smile to your face is a good thing indeed," he said, as glad for her happiness as for this unexpected windfall.
Peering into the mouth of the cave, Ahote wrinkled his nose at the moist warm air that wafted up at him. Already though, he could hear the voices of several wolves inside and that made him curious as to just how big this thing was inside. So he slipped inside with the others, and he too was taken aback by the sight that met him. Though the cave had seemed dark when he was out in the brightness of the snow, there was another hole much higher up that sent light beaming down onto the floor in a bright column. Moving further inward, he soon caught the scent of fresh water and as his nose became accustomed to the stale air, he found that it was actually quite cozy. Perhaps the most remarkable thing out of all of it was just how warm the stone felt under his feet.
Turning, he saw that Resin had followed him in, and Ahote returned to her side.
"This place is amazing!" he exclaimed, sharing her wonder for the moment. Though it was still a bit disconcerting having something hanging over his head, he supposed it was really no different than a snow den, just much, much larger.
About that time, Hrafn reappeared to remind them of the impeding hunt, and Ahote nods to him.
"He has a point there. We should eat our fill and carry back what we can here. Reindeer aren't so large that we couldn't move at least a few of them," he said in reply, looking back to Resin to give her opinion.
Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Trotting alongside Kuolema like a short-legged bear, Lani listened to his story carefully. It was simply a matter of nature that she had to be the center of all gossip within the pack, and she was quick to realize the value of what he said. To be the first to know was sure to earn her a few points within her little knitting circle, and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, despite the serious tone that the young wolf presented her with. The stout fea couldn't care less what he smells like, he is interesting and that is that. When he finishes, Lani looks up at him, with her head tilted a bit to the right,
"Oh, so you must be Curse's pup then?" she blurted out, never even considering the fact that the two hadn't met yet.
"Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about these stuffy wolves. They'll get used to you soon enough."Up ahead, the others had come to a stop, and Lani left the stunned wolf behind to lope on ahead and see what they were up to. The entire pack was milling about, snuffing the ground and looking like they were bedding down again, and Lani began to wonder what had happened to the hunt that had been promised. After all, she was a Hunter, and her job was something she actually looked forward to doing. That and it meant she got to eat. Being the first to a kill had its advantages.
Lani was just considering tracking down Resin or maybe Hrafn, since it was his idea, when there was a bit commotion next to the rocks, and of course she had to go investigate. Half of the pack had gathered around a big black hole in the ground, and like the rest of her pack-mates, she looked into it with curiosity. Suddenly, her Alpha popped out of the darkness like a shade, grinning from ear to ear. The sight made her grin, and Lani pranced in with the others to explore the dark expanse.
Once she squeezed through the narrow entrance, Lani looked up at the stalactites above her with a little awe. Never before had she been in a place so large where the roof met above her head.
"Wow, this is amazing!" she barked, only to jump in surprise when her words echoed back to her. Soon the realization of what she had heard passed over her and her tail wagged happily behind her.
"Hellooo! Echooo!" she howled, sending her words reverberating throughout the cavern.
