Lost is a word that doesn't have a concrete meaning. You could be lost in a conversation. Or lost in the woods. Or lost in thought, feelings. Or just simply lost. Gem happened to be the last. Absolutely so lost that even when she thought she had a good grip on navigating, she found out she was turned around once more. It hadn't been intentional. There were just so many siblings and she was so small that by the time she had realized her family had moved on without her, it was already too late to catch up. She'd spent weeks attempting to track them. One would think such a large group would be easy to follow, but then the scents slowly spread out, going different directions. Gem wasn't sure which one to follow. After stopping in the north near Armada, asking around and receiving no concrete answers, the young girl figured starting back at the beginning would be as good an option as any. With her small satchel of supplies around her shoulders and her companion, Hem, at her side, Gem journeyed through the snow and ice toward the slightly warmer and more humid climate of the south. She kept closer to the coast where there would be less desert and less threat of predator until wrapping back slightly east until the estuary rose above the flattened landscape. Upon approaching the territory line, she could scent that a new pack now called it home. It was no longer Ashen territory and she would've been foolish to believe they would have returned. She can't hide the defeated look upon her face as she stands just on the other side of the border. "Maybe someone here has an answer," Hem offers, his gruff voice attempting to be empathetic for the girl who misses her parents so dearly. Gem nods slowly, trying to stop her eyes from misting over with tears as she lifts her muzzle to the sky. Releasing a melodic howl to request anyone, it didn't matter, she waits. Shifting her weight back and forth, Gem spends her time examining the marshy scenery. Gem Klein

Rolling a barrel across the ground was getting easy, between him and the girls he had it down to a fine art... but on water? Well, it might have been a silly skill to practice in winter, but the boy wasn't exactly known for his smarts. He was finally on a roll when a call came from the edge of the Estuary and he lost his balance, falling into the water with an almighty splash. The girls dove in to help him push the barrel to the... barely more solid ground, and he shook the bulk of the water from his pelt before he jumped up, rolling towards their company, his tail waving in greeting at his back.

She looked like two wolves had been smooshed together in the womb, it made him smile. "'Ow can we help yer?" He leapt down with a flourish and a dramatic bow, chicks liked this sort of thing, right? He gave his girls a sidelong glance and they barked their encouragement, or at least he hoped that was what it was...

"speech"

What approached was nothing Gem could have ever imagined in her lifetime. A wolf atop of a barrel? Barrel... that's what that big wooden thing was, right? Her eyes widen for a moment, drinking in the scene before her heads cant to the side. A very curious scene indeed. She has no words as she fights her jaw from dropping. It was just peculiar, she wasn't trying to be rude. No, Gem wasn't rude. Just unadjusted to a lot of socialization. But he seemed nice. The way his tail wagged and he smiled at her brought a smile to her own two-toned lips. While Hem, her Mastiff, steps back, face disgruntled as usual as he stares at the two bitches, Gem is stepping forward, her tail beginning to wag quickly between her rear legs. "Oh, I hope you can help!" Gem speaks in soft, pleasant tones that might remind one of a princess or faerie. Giggling quietly as he jumps down with a flourish and a bow, she dips her muzzle down to her toes in a returning gesture. As she lifts her head to look at his companions for a moment before back to him, she begins to feel nervous again. "My-my family used to live here. I got separated from them and I'm not sure where they went," Gem is quick to turn her heterochromatic gaze down to her toes, running her paw through the soggy grass as she tries to summon the courage. "I was," clears her throat once as Hem nudges her to give her some confidence, "I was wondering if your pack might know where the fallen Ashen members went?" She looks up at the boy from beneath her lids, practically giving him a puppy-dog sappy look. Gem Klein

A broad smile spreads across his face as she bows back. His tail waves steadily as she tries to put her at ease, a shake of his head and his body, lowering his head to appear non-threatening. His head cants when she says her family used to live here. "Mum said 'er uncle used ter live 'ere too, or somethin'... I think she's had hers and dad's birds out lookin' but I dunno if they managed to track 'im down, maybe 'e'll know where yer family is if we can find 'im?"

Having never met Chimera, the resemblance was lost on him, and he wasn't quite clever enough to think that the two might have been related. "Wanna come check wi' mum? She's prolly buried under th' brats so yer'll 'ave ter watch yer ankles." The easy smile never left his face. "M' Kenway, by the way," He offered by way of introduction, tipping his head towards the Ravine. "Yer comin?"

"speech"

Gemma is absolutely relieved that the boy adjusts his posture to a friendly, non-threatening stance. It helps alleviate the nerves that prickle at her skin, and also the protectiveness of Hem. The Cane Corso, much unlike his normal demeanor, even gives her space and actually gives the two barky dogs a wag of his tail. It was a clear sign that she could trust the trio. So her smile widens and hope begins to trickle into her expression as he mentioned that his mother had an uncle that she was searching for that used to live here. Her tail flags, wagging forcefully as her paws dance from side to side. "Oh, I bet that her uncle is my dad!" Gem practically chirps with excitement, even if the birds hadn't been able to track them down. It was still going to be a step in the right direction. "Yes, please, that would be so, so great!" She replies, nodding quickly as she steps into pace with him, her companion trailing behind her. "I'm Gemma, or uh Gem, I like Gem," she says, picking up her pace to match his better as he questions if she's going to come along. "I don't know how much you know of Ashen, but my dad says they were once a really big empire. Lots of wolves revered them and they were super strong. Then auntie Venom and my dad got really sick from something they call the Long Night and since then, they've kind of just had to take a step back. When that all happened is when I got separated. I tend to wander sometimes, kind of got my head up in the clouds, ya know?" Her head cants, eyes switching from Kenway to the path ahead of them so she maybe doesn't trip and fall over her own paws. "What about your pack? What's the name? I don't know much about other packs," she admits, feeling a little shy about it, but not totally embarrassed. Gem Klein

Kenway's head tips trying to wrap around the thought that his mums uncle... might be this girls dad... so that would make her...? His shrug turned into a full bodied wiggle, it didn't matter, she was practically family, so nobody was going to chew his ass out for inviting her into the Ravine, and if they tried to, well, the girls had his back? Right? Or they might have if they weren't making heart eyes at her companion. He tried to contain his laugh but it escaped his nose as a snort anyway. "I dunno much about Ashen, other'n mum got called to a meetin' ter talk about'em not bein' around anymore." He gave a shrug, it had to suck for her to have her pack gone like that. He couldn't imagine his family just, poof gone, even though his dad almost did...

When she went on to talk about her head being in the clouds, he gave a broad grin, "Well yer wearin' 'em, only makes sense!" He gestured to the clouded pattern on her flanks. "We're Raider's Hollow, we've moved 'ere from Daager 'n Dove Islands, somethin' about more grazin' fer th' cows, less big snakes tryna eat kids or somethin'," he gave another whole body shrug. "'S a bit o'a' intimidating name I reckon, but mostly we're jus' lookin' fer a good time. Unless yer friends with Ethne," He teased with an arched brow, a playful threat. "Y'ever run inter some cunt that'll start a fight but then doesn' 'ave th' guts ter finish it? They're like that, an' mum 'n dad're pissed. Best ter not mention 'em ey?" A friendly word of warning, just in case. He'd hate to see his new friend run into trouble when they were getting along so well.

"speech"

1613/1500

Gem’s brain doesn’t make the connection that her father is Kenway’s second uncle which would make her his third aunt. Right? That’s how all that worked? Either way, there’s lots of distance between the two, but still family in the same sense that at some point they came from the same place. Their parents knew each other well enough that his mum might know about her dad’s whereabouts and that was all that mattered to her. She doesn’t think about the semantics much because she’s enjoying how wiggly Kenway is. It’s like every time he had a thought, his face got all scrunchy and then all of a sudden his body went into tornado mode. It was funny! She couldn’t help the giggle that escapes as his laughter comes out as a snort through his nose.

She would’ve commented about the meeting, but the thought makes her sad and she doesn’t enjoy being sad. Sad feelings came with tears and frowns and that was very ugly to Gem. A weakness her siblings had always pointed out to her. She didn’t want to be weak. Her resolve crumbles, paws making a quick stumble, until they correct again and she’s looking up at him as he speaks.

His broad grin sends her split-colored face into a resounding grin, tail wagging suddenly back and forth. “That is true!” She chirps, skipping a few steps to keep up with his longer legs. As Kenway explains about his pack, she nods, admitting that Raider’s Hollow did sound intimidating. Gem would have commented about the cows needing grazing lands, but then he mentions a pack named Ethne. Her eyes widen slightly at the news, making a big mental note to not mention the word Ethne around his mum. “I suppose it is a good thing I don’t know them,” she comments quietly before her attention is drawn to the approaching ravine.

“Oh wow, that is beautiful!” Gem exclaims, expression brightening as she sees the shadowy outline of the treehouse growing larger.

- Exit to Cryer’s Ravine -