[DOTW] A new face

Vieste

She was new, but she wasn't the newest. Just days ago the pack had brought in a new she wolf. Ears were in tatters and the poor dear was skin and bones. Vieste had felt her heart squeeze, imagining it was her son. Mumble however was dead. This she wolf was not.

Vieste had taken it upon herself to catch extra food for her. Yet however, Vektren was a poor hunting ground. It took her a couple of days and plenty of tries but she had managed to catch a swamp rabbit. Happily she brought her catch back to camp and her own green eyes searched out the newcomer.

Prancing forward she dropped the rabbit between the two of them and dropped down, curved ears sideways to show she was no harm to her and she spoke.
“Hi. My name is Vieste. I mean no harm to you and I brought you a swamp rabbit as a snack if you want.” she nudged the rabbit closer.
“Can i ask your name?” Vieste asked quietly, eyes concerned seeing the she wolf up close.

---

Morrigan

The Vektreni den was cold, but then Morrigan was basically always cold. She laid on the ground by herself, watching the other wolves go about their day. Occasionally they'd give her odd looks, looks of pity, and she was no fool. The state of her body overall was frightening, and while things were looking up now that she had been rescued, she would be gaunt for a time. It was unavoidable. Regardless of how they gawked at her ruined ears and thin frame, Morrigan felt nothing but grateful for them. Vektren was salvation, Lady Hekate her savior. She still had much to learn of Xibalten and Senisteros, but they brought her the great fortune of being saved, and Morrigan was eager to know more.

It wasn't often, however, that one of the other Vektreni approached her. This one was unique, her eyes had a certain warmth to them that Morrigan had only seen once in the fuzziest of dreams. She brought food, which was all Morrigan needed to trust her wholeheartedly. "Thank you!" She took the rabbit and began feasting ravenously, hardly stopping to breathe between bites. She was aware of the question asked of her, but she had to fill her stomach first. Unfortunately Morrigan was a bit too enthusiastic about her meal, and gagged a few times in the process of trying to eat. Just barely keeping her food down, Morrigan hiccuped and looked to the older she-wolf. "I'm Morrigan."

---

Vieste

She waited patiently, becoming only mildly alarmed when the younger she wolf choked on her snack. She however recovered and finished her meal. However VIeste has already came up with a plan.

The condition of the young one would not do. Not only was it still cold but she was starving. VIeste easily came to the conclusion that Morrigan will be her friend and she will take care of her. She tested the name on her tongue.

“Morri-gan...Morrigan. I like it. I’m also glad you liked you snack. Now come come honey. Let’s find you one more snack and then you can come with me to get warm and we can discuss how you came about this way. Tsk. We shall have you fixed up in no time.” VIeste rose, waiting quietly for Morrigan to stand so VIeste can walk with her. A couple of hares will do wonders for the younger wolf and even VIeste felt hunger gurgle in her stomach.

---

Morrigan

Having already been fed by her, Morrigan trusted Vieste pretty much completely. She was kind, and that was a lot more than Morrigan had gotten for most of her life. To be offered even more was almost miraculous in her eyes. She was already satisfied by the one rabbit, but knowing how sparse food could be, she wasn't going to turn down more. The more she ate, the longer she would stay alive. Morrigan liked being alive.

"Ok! More snacks. I like snacks." She affirmed, rising quickly to her feet. "And warm! I like being warm too." Morrigan's tail swished back and forth, betraying her excitement. She was so excited to be smiled at and sheltered and fed, to be valued in even the smallest of ways. She'd never been this happy in her life.

---

Vieste

She giggled. Oh the poor darling, it wasn’t a laughing matter but Vie couldn’t help it. She draped her furry tail over the skinny she wolf’s shoulders and began to walk with her.

“Now darling we will build you up first ok. Not too many snacks don’t want you getting sick. Koi, the pale doctor wolf can help give you medicine if need be. Now tell Vie how you came to be in our pack. Come come I love to hear about my family.” Vie said, leading the smaller she wolf toward the hunting spot earlier, hoping the rabbits were stupid enough to stay there. Morri couldn’t afford to get wet. Vie felt if she did she would melt into the ground or catch a cold and Vie couldn’t have that.

She stopped and casted about for a hare, spotting tracks. Perfect.

---

Morrigan

Morrigan trotted after her, keeping pace the best she could with her shorter stride. The older she-wolf's tail draped over her shoulders was a comfortable feeling, her voice so kind. Morrigan wondered if that was what having a mother was really like. She could never remember what it was like having a mother, except for the vague memory of the scent of milk and warmth and a deep, soothing voice that made the world feel right. She would have to remember the name of the doctor wolf, Morrigan already felt a bit queasy just from having eaten, yet she had already kind of forgotten his name. Oh well, she'd probably find him from the scent of weird plants in his fur.

"I collapsed just inside the border." She replied, obliging Vieste's request to know her story. "I've been traveling for a long time, with papa." Morrigan seemed to almost spit the word 'papa' out, like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

---

Vieste

VIeste turned and gave Morrigan a raised eyebrow. Collapsed? That means she was on her last leg. Oh dear no rabbits then. Maybe the younger wolf already was feeling bad from such a large snack.

” Tsk, darling if I had but known it was that horrible… come frogs will be better they are smaller and you an only have one. I do not want you becoming too sick.” Vie said quietly, giving the younger wolf a soft kiss on the top of her head before going to look for frogs. She would dig them out if she had to.

Yet the older wolf couldn’t find a scent. Cursing her bad luck, her tail hit bushes and surprise! A small cover of button quail come out and Vie immediately snatched two, praising the gods. Lifting her head she nodded to Morrigan.

”Your papa? Did he not feed you darling? Come come let us go back to my little nest. We can leave our snacks there and you can warm up.” Vie mumbles, gently leading Morrigan to her best amongst the trees and in the underbrush where a large divet filled with dried misses, grass, and downy feathers was located.

She placed the quail down and then laid in the nest, guesturing for Morrigan to join her and her warm.

---

Morrigan

"Ok, smaller. I can do smaller. No getting sick." Morrigan nodded solemnly to herself. She didn't want to get sick again, it'd be such a waste of good food. When Vieste made a move towards her head, Morrigan instinctively flinched away from her. The wounds on her ears were too fresh, the fear too recent for her mind to forget, and in a brief moment she saw the face of her father in Vieste. Yet, the touch to her forehead was gentle, sweet and caring rather than malicious and predatory. Part of her was confused, but mostly it was a relief that she hadn't been hurt. Vieste wouldn't hurt her, if she hadn't then she definitely wouldn't later.

Morrigan watched the older she-wolf intently as she hunted for frogs. She had never tasted frog before, or really ever seen one until she arrived on Vektren's lands. She'd only heard their croaks on the wind on warm nights. Unexpectedly though, Vieste stirred up a group of birds instead. Morrigan jumped when the quails took to the air, but she was nonetheless impressed by Vieste catching them so easily. She followed at Vie's encouragement, sitting down beside her on the soft bed of grasses and feathers. "He fed me, but our meals usually made me sick..." She mumbled. Given what he was feeding her, it was no surprise she tended to have trouble keeping it down. Wasting no time, Morrigan quickly tore into the quail as ravenously as she had the rabbit. She wasn't particularly hungry now, but months of starving had taught her to eat whenever presented the opportunity. Anything was better than dying of hunger.

---

Vieste

She snorted. She needed to make sure Morrigan didn’t feel this way anymore. That it was safe to slow down. That the pack will protect her.

“Darling. Slow down please. If you eat that fast you’ll get sick.” VIeste said gently, tail switching behind her. She narrowed her eyes however. It sounded like her father barely fed her and when she was fed she would stuff herself till she was sick. That or the food was foul enough for a wolf to regurgitate it right up. Either way it wasn’t healthy.

“Whatever your...he isn’t even worth calling your father...donor, fed you darling- you won’t have to worry about eating that here. Soon I will teach you to hunt the hardest foods. We Will build up your strength and your health.” Vieste looked up, noticing the sun setting.

“Follow new darling. You can stay with me. A nice warm nest. Maybe a magister can give you some pain killers for your ears.” Vie said gently, eyes turning to head back. She paused before speaking lowly.
“My father was a bad father too. Don’t worry darling. Your father will never be able to hurt you again. I promise on our beloved mother and father.” Vie insisted.

---

Morrigan

She gave Vieste a confused look when the older she-wolf told her to slow down. "But something could steal it..." Morrigan replied, the shreds of her ears drooping a bit. Regardless of her hesitance, she slowed her bites down as she was told. She trusted Vieste, and even though she didn't understand, Morrigan would do what she wanted her to. It didn't feel natural to eat as slowly as she did, was that really how one was supposed to eat? Morrigan privately wasn't sure.

Assured that she would be fed proper food in Vektren, Morrigan perked up. "Oh! Good. Wolf meat always makes me queasy." She said plainly, taking another bite of the now half-finished quail. An odd statement to make for anyone but Morrigan. "I've chased after rabbits before, but I never caught one. I was too slow." As time passed and she finished the quail, Morrigan felt more than satisfied. She stood as Vieste beckoned for her to follow, looking a bit sad at the mention of her ears, but quickly looking more surprised than upset.

"Oh, of course he can't. He's dead now." She replied matter-of-factly, looking a bit proud about it even. "I tore his throat out and left the rest of him for the buzzards!" The little she-wolf puffed up her chest, sounding as menacing as she could.

---

Vieste

Vie raised an eyebrow at Morrigan.
“Darling,  no one will steal food from you here.” She said gently, though already calculating punishment for anyone who dared harm the female.  Though her next words made Vie stutter. Not many things shocked her but this wasn’t something that was normally said to her.

Wolf meat? Vie bared her teeth at that. How dare that bastard poison a sweet wolf like Morrigan! The audacity! She hoped dearly that the Dread Father was abusing the bastard.

” I’m proud you darling. You’re a strong wolf!” Vie purred proudly, stepping into her den area and zwidening her nest to fit Morrigan snuggly against her. She laid down and gestured for the female to join her.

” Now darling, no more talk of that fool. You’re safe here with us and right now you have a full belly and a nice nap in a warm nest if you like yeah? Like me protect you.” she said gently. Green eyes sparkling as her maternal instincts took over.

---

Morrigan

Though Vie assured her that nobody would steal her food, Morrigan's paranoia was deep-seated. She trusted the older female completely, but it would be hard not to eye other wolves nearby with suspicion when she was eating, it was just too ingrained in her. Morrigan flinched away a bit when the older female bared her teeth in anger, momentarily terrified she'd said the wrong thing, that Vie thought it was bad and wouldn't want her anymore. Her relief when she was praised for it was palpable, it meant the world to her to be justified.

Carefully, Morrigan stepped into the nest beside her and settled in on her belly. It was warmer and felt safer than any den she could remember living in. Morrigan would never truly remember the kindly mother who died too soon for her to know, or the den mothers of Highvalley who cared for her in the interim before she was stolen away. But none of it mattered when she had so much now, and so much to look forward to. Vektren could be nothing but good for her, she'd hardly known good in all her life. Well fed, content, and relaxed, Morrigan laid her head down on her paws and let her weight lean on Vieste. By comparison it wasn't much, but for her it was more than enough.