On pins and needles

Walk | Talk | Think

The transition to the new territory had been made, albeit reluctantly, and as far as Mercianne was concerned the most difficult part was over. She still missed desperately their wintry home, the ice and snow, the wide den that they had all shared. But there was no going back; to do so would be to abandon the original Glaciem, and she couldn't do it. These wolves had grown to be like family to her, constant companions that she couldn't dream of living without. It was follow or be left behind with strangers. There really had been no choice.

But even with the true challenge behind her, that didn't mean she was out of the woods just yet. There was still the matter of finding a place to rest and searching for the herbs and plants available for use here so that she could begin stocking up in their new location. Surely there would be some new things, some things that she would no longer need, and the sooner she begun understanding what was available, what wasn't, and what she would need to search for the better they all would be.

So she set off, wandering aimlessly through the territory with her nose constantly prowling for the telltale scents that would lead her to a find. She traveled along a particularly strong one, an unfamiliar yet potent smell, when she stopped in her tracks, ears perked with surprise. Her name rang clearly through the woods, the voice familiar enough to make her heart suddenly speed for no apparent reason. Awaken! She smiled at the sound of his distressed voice, hurrying without thought to answer his call. She had yet to see him since their transition though hadn't doubted that he would come. He seemed just as devoted to this pack - this family - as she was and held every confidence that he would join them in this new land called the Tortuga.

When she found him, she approached with an swift, eager tail wag, a pleasant smile about her face. "Awaken," she greeted happily, ready to hurry to his side and give him a quick nuzzle, though as she neared and received a closer view of his face the amiable expression fell away into concern. "Oh, what happened?" she asked gently, stopping short as she didn't want to upset any of the quills and cause him further distress. Of course, she realized late that her question was a rather obvious one. He'd made someone upset. "May I?" Merci smiled timidly, reluctant to just jump forward and begin plucking the quills from his face. She wanted him ready for it, since it was surely not going to be a comfortable process.