Qanik

in defense of the innocent

Having returned from the orchard, from meeting Flamesong, Qanik was unsettled. Always put your pack first, that was something she'd believed whole-heartedly all her life. Yet her she was, enjoying the company of a wolf from another pack, when she had done nothing to help her own packmates. It was selfish and wrong of her, and she needed to put it right.

Laying in her den beneath an old fallen redwood, Qanik came to a decision. Most of the Tortuga pack was made up of pups and yearlings, vulnerable and impressionable younglings who would need guidance if they were to grow into strong members of the pack. There were few adults available to train them, few willing or able to be someone the young could depend on to listen and support them through their youthful tribulations. She wouldn't be able to teach any of the young hoping to be healers or trackers the trades, but she could teach all of them the basics of hunting, and of how to defend themselves and their pack - important knowledge for any wolf, healer and warrior alike - and she could find wolves willing to teach the skills she lacked. The young were the future of the pack; this was her best way of helping Tortuga. It occurred to her that she should discuss it with Deteste first, but surely he nor his ranking wolves would object to her wanting to do this, and she desired to put her plan into action without any delay.

Qanik slipped out of her den, shaking the soft redwood debris from her pale coat as she did. Raising her nose to the sky, she howled, a long low note, summoning the young of Tortuga to her. Pups, yearlings, young adults - all who would need to learn and practice the skills that would keep them and their pack alive and healthy.





speech.

cowardice is the only sin

The ash that had decided to settle over the land for a period of time was absolutely horrific. Honestly Ritsuka had never seen anything of the sort in his life before, never even heard of such stories. The strange substance burned, getting into his mouth and all over his coat. He had tried to do what he can to keep it off... but it was a near impossible task. In the end it had left Ritsuka with raspy breathing and aching lungs. The stuff was not to be taken lightly, as he found out. But now, several days after the ash had cleared, he was starting to feel a bit better. He was no longer coughing and hacking, though his lungs still ached a bit. He just found himself lucky that the damage was not permanent.

The male was out stretching his legs for a while before starting a patrol when he heard the call. Qanik... was summoning the youth of Tortuga. The brute would raise a brow but he didn't mind responding to the request. It was something active in the pack at least, and he didn't mind Qanik at all -- she was nice and wouldn't just call them around to do nothing. So rather than wonder Ritsuka would set off to find the blue eyed, white fae.

Ritsuka would be the first one to arrive. Well that... was a little disappointing. Did these other Tortuga members ever show themselves? Dismissing the bitter thought Ritsuka came to a stop and sat down, dipping his head in greeting to the older fae. "Hello Qanik. Got an idea to hopefully liven up the place a little?" He was curious to see what she was thinking. He was looking forward to doing at least something with the pack at this point.

""

Gossamer scowled as she trudged through the ash. It wasn't as bad here in Tortuga as it was in other areas but it still irritated her to have to move through the stuff. Hopefuly a good strong wind would come up and blow the nastiness away. She was almost back to her den when she hear Qanik give a call. Oh good! Finally, something interesting was happening! Tortuga was nice in it's freedom but it sure got boring every now and then without anything going on or the pack really interacting. She'd been debating holding a pack hunt but she was sore out of practice for that sort of thing. It wasn't long before she came upon Qanik and Ritsuka. "Hello, fellow pack fleas! What's up?" Sharpening my words...

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

It wasn't long before the first young pack member showed up - Ritsuka, the young man who was the only pack member she'd spoken to since she joined. It was hardly surprising to see him there, since at their last meeting he'd spoken of pack bonds and how they may as well be rogues for all the time they spent together. He was right, so very right, and Qanik was starting to fear that without some guidance, this pack would just drift apart, dissolve like her family's pack had once her father died.

She nodded at him, a short nod of greeting. "I do hope it will," she acknowledged.

Before she could say more, the underbrush rustled again and parted to reveal young Gossamir, the yearling who had joined the same time as she and Ritsuka. Barring their alpha, these two were the only two pack members she had ever had the pleasure of meeting.

An involuntary smile tugged at her muzzle at Gossamir's eccentric greeting. "Hello, Gossamir." But the smile faded as it became clear that the two were the only ones coming. "Please don't be offended, but I must admit I'm a little... disappointed. I was hoping to convince our absent packmates to bestir themselves."

A soft sigh, and she shook her head sadly. "Well, little we can do about that, is there? I called you here for a reason, my friends. Tortuga is a sleeping turtle, one that I intend to awaken. We are the smallest pack, the one with the least cohesion. Without the skills of warriors, the hunters, without learning to work together as a pack and a family, this pack will be rolled beneath the claws and teeth of the larger packs." She passed a very serious look between the two younger wolves. "I have no intention of allowing that to happen, now just as I've found it."

Her blue eyes swept over the land around them. "I was hoping to begin regular practice for the young wolves of Tortuga. Hunting, sparring - these things will be important for every member to know in a pack as small as ours." Her gaze went back to the other Tortugans and she smiled again, a wry smile. "It seems I underestimated the apathy. Well, there is the three of us, at least. Would you be interested in this endeavor, my young friends?"



speech.

cowardice is the only sin

Gossamir would soon arrive, not long after he had made his own appearance. The female was on top of things, and definitely not like the delicate females he was used to being around in the past. He saw a great strength and courage in her, and a different sort of strength, though certainly no less, as well as wisdom within Qanik. Both had skills and temperments that suited Ritsuka just fine. He would give a nod of greeting to the darker furred fae. Since he had spent more time with these two than his other, seemingly non-existent pack mates, it only seemed natural that he would bond with them. Ritsuka would give a small nod at Qanik's words. Honestly he had hoped the same thing. Even though Qanik wasn't an alpha, the thought of having at least some sort of group lessons or spars or something he had hoped would stir at least a tiny bit of life into the pack. Sadly no one else showed -- just the trio that had joined Tortuga together. It was definitely disappointing, and he almost wondered if the other pack members were dead or something. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. It wouldn't do good to think like that. What kind of pack were they in though? Only three members caring enough to gather with each other? This was a pack after all. It was very, very disappointing, as well as concerning. The thought that the pack might dissolve had crossed Ritsuka's mind.

His emerald orbs would flick to Qanik again, calmly listening to what she had in mind. The male couldn't agree more with her words. They were a target to these bigger lands as a small pack, especially wth so little activity within its borders. Not that three wolves alone would be able to fend off a large pack alone, but heck if he was going to let his home be taken without at least giving some sort of fight. He would nod at Qanik's words, rumbling a couple words of his own in reply. "Neither do I. I didn't join a pack to just watch it crumble away beneath my paws and leave me homeless again." Sure the first time had been his own choice, but he had no intention of returning to that way of life again. He would looked to Gossamir for a moment and then back to Qanik, dipping his head to her. "You might already guess the answer to that, on my part, Qanik. I am more than willing to participate in these sort of practices, especially on a regular basis. Small we might be, but perhaps we'll be able to gather others in time to add to our endeavors and help build Tortuga up a bit more strongly than it stands now." Which did raise a question in his mind. Was Deteste alright? He understood that the male was older... he wasn't sick or anything was he? Did the pack even have a healer? He would ponder these questions as he looked to Gossamir, waiting to hear her response.

""