-Silver River- A Week Later... (Open to ALL)

((All are welcome if they so desire to interact with a broken-brained character for a bit))

There was a bird singing outside while the sunlight streamed in from the outside. The sunlight was shining down on Silver River’s face, she shifted in her sleep; trying her best to stay asleep. Cedar had all but stalking the huntress for the past week since she had woken from her brief coma, so much so that Silver River was ready to start threatening him with taking a piece of his other ear.

Her green eyes flickered, opening halfway and blinking slowly; as she reflected on the time since her awakening. Corona had been a constant presence and source of strength, considering that he was the first wolf of whom she had been able to vividly remember without difficulty. Other memories surfaced daily, like they had been there all along, but only shrouded in a thick fog through which she couldn’t have seen. Bledri had been her next memory, and she’d been the most upset that she hadn’t remembered the young wolf faster; he was so close to her heart that it pained her that her mind did not recall him quicker than she had.

Corvus had been around quite a bit as well, and on some level, he almost seemed to be apologizing. For what, Silver River didn’t know and wouldn’t know for a long time.

Black Stag seemed hesitant to be around her sometimes. When others were there, he didn’t seem to have much problem with it but they hadn’t yet been alone one on one since her rather…aggressive greeting towards him after she’d awoken. She had seen Summit Shadow a few times, but he seemed…distracted. Whether it was because of her or something else, Silver River didn’t know.

Despite her frustration at the lack of memories, they had all been absolute saints.

Looking at the exit of her den, she could feel a soft breeze moving through the entrance, which brought a pleasant coolness that she missed...

(Since I've lagged in my posts, I'm going to just say that Hailstorm now knows of Silver River's troubles via Mudspider since he was supposed to go find Silver River for a hunt...bladdhy blah.)

Hailstorm had awoken early to a cold morning. She had lain at the entrance of her den, watching the sun rise, before finally rising and going to pick at the frozen elk carcass that some of the wolves had brought in from a successful pack hunt. Doing so had made her think of Silver River and she'd felt a pang of guilt that the gal had been holed up in a den with her...trouble...for quite some time now while the rest of them were out and about. Figuring the avid huntress must be hungry, the dark brown and grey splotched Alpha had worked on tearing a hunk of hard, cold flesh from the haunch of the bull elk to take to her. Hailstorm approached the den, her teeth aching from the hold she had on the icy chunk, and set the meat down at the entrance. She stood there a moment, taking a deep breath of the chill air and watching her breath frost before her, before lowering her head and calling out softly,"Silver River, are you awake?" In the silence that followed, Hailstorm realized she couldn't think of a time when her and Silver River had ever really conversed. In fact, she really couldn't think of a time when she'd said less than a few short words to the female. Her brow furrowed at that as she searched her brain for at least one time when she may have smiled and laughed with the silvery pelted gal...and came up with nothing. Of course, she never really smiled and laughed with anyone...she didn't have much time for it. Having been thrown into Alphaship at such a young age she struggled to maintain a balance of socialization and leading. Usually the latter ended up taking over as she tried to organize hunts to feed the pack, maintain the borders and ensure the packmembers were all pulling their weight..plus the many personal and little squabbles and complaints here and there thath she had to deal with. It was no wonder she could have such a short temper.

"Silver River, are you awake?"

Her ears flickered forward a bit as Hailstorm called down into her den, her mind thinking to try and match the voice to the name. It took nearly a minute before her brain connected the dots that the voice belonged to the Alpha Hailstorm.

She moved slowly, her mind and body feeling lethargic as she made her way up the slight incline that led into to her den. It was unavoidable that she stumbled once or twice. Cedar had said that the instability of her legs would go away over time as her mind basically acclimated itself to her body once again. At least, that was what he had said and what they all hoped. They all hoped that because if her legs didn't stabilize themselves again, Silver River would not be able to take back up her position of Elite Hunter; something that frightened her to her very core. Being a hunter was not just Silver River's job, it defined a large part of who she was; what her mother had all but groomed her for.

"Yes, I'm awake." Silver's voice was soft, quiet on the cool morning air; her breath leaving a small cloud of steam in front of her nose. Her statement was punctuated by a wide yawn before she shook her head to clear her drowsiness. There was nothing to be said for it, Silver River definitely looked like she was not entirely well. The dark shadows under her eyes stood stark against her white fur, making her eyes appear sunken while she remained a bit more scraggly than Hailstorm may have remembered. While Cedar and Stone Fur had forced food into her stomach during her brief coma, Silver River was already naturally lean and her fast metabolism did nothing to help matters.

Silver River sat down rather clumsily, moreso plopping onto her rear rather than gracefully sitting as she normally would.

"So to what do I owe this visit?" She questioned, a quirked eyebrow making obvious her questioning, since she hadn't really seen Hailstorm since she woken...

Hailstorm watched as a pale figure emerged from the darkness of the den, resisting to gasp at the clearly emaciated state the Elite Hunter was in. Guilt panged the female's chest as she wished she'd visited much sooner. But then came Silver River's question and the quirk of a brow, which irritated Hailstorm slightly. Biting off a sharp retort about not needing to explain herself, instead she replied in a clipped tone,"I'm always busy, Silver River. You know that. Knowing you're in good paws with Cedar I came when I could." she gestured to the meal she'd brought her pack mate with her muzzle,"We had a successful hunt. Here, I've brought you some as apologies for my being late in visiting." A cool breeze blew against Hailstorm's face and ruffled her fur, causing her to turn her eyes to the heavens. The sky was the pale blue of early morning and few clouds interrupted the dome overhead. In the distance the soft clucking of a flock of turkeys serenaded the morning. Soon they'd fly down from their nighttime perches in the trees, cackling in their descent, and begin scratching at the ground in search of breakfast. It all eased some of Hailstorm's tension and she felt the muscles in her shoulders and neck relax some. But she knew it wouldn't last. Soon enough the others would be waking and starting their duties and Hailstorm herself needed to make rounds on the borders to freshen the markings. Usually she would have started that after she woke up, but today she wanted to make time for this visit.

Corona had awakened early himself as he often did, a stretch given, pawpads burning slightly in response to the frozen ground. Shaking himself to warm up, he made his way out into the daylight toward a tree he'd visited only the evening before.

Black and brown flew everywhere as he dug into the hard earth, deeper and deeper until, panting, he came back with a single young winter hair he'd managed to catch the night before. It wasn't much really, but it would be a nice breakfast for two wolves to share. He'd been quick in snapping its neck the night before, so there was very little damage to it as of yet. Briefly Corona shook his head, throwing bits of loose twig and dirt free before making his way to the healers' den.

He paused at the entrance, raising an amused brow as he thought he heard a familiar voice. Hailstorm? Funny she'd take the time to visit, especially on a morning like this. Twitching his ear, dismissive of the brief pang of curiosity within him, he slipped inside, laying the rabbit down before Silver River before turning around, a nod given to Hailstorm. "It appears we had the same thought this morning," he mused, "It is an appreciated gesture, Hailstorm."

"I'm always busy, Silver River. You know that. Knowing you're in good paws with Cedar I came when I could."

Her grey ears once standing erect fell against her skull at Hailstorm's clipped reply. "I know you're always busy, I just didn't expect..." Silver River's reply was surprisingly quiet. Inside she felt insulted, but she felt too tired to muster an adequate show of her anger.

"We had a successful hunt. Here, I've brought you some as apologies for my being late in visiting."

"You don't have to apologize for that of all things. I hadn't expected you to visit; with everything you do."

As Corona approached, she looked from the elk meat Hailstorm had brought to the rabbit that Corona had. She had a surprisingly shocked look on her face before she laughed lightly. "Corona, you know I can't eat all this. My stomach won't tolerate that elk and all that rabbit. Not yet."

There was a clear distinction in Silver River's demeanor after Corona had approached in comparison to before when she was alone with Hailstorm. Her ears returned to their original position on top of her head and her smile flowed more freely, her body and expression relaxed despite her weakness. There had been a tone of humor in her voice directed at the male Beta, a clear sign of her trust in him. He'd been there when she woke, and hadn't left yet; she had all the reason in the world to trust Corona over most others...

Hailstorm turned her head at the sound of approaching steps to see her Beta approaching with a stiff hare clasped between his jaws. She simply rose a brow at his comment of her being there and sighed inwardly. Is this what her pack mates thought of her? Uncaring so that they were surprised that she'd check on someone in need? Even Sage Ghost had commanded more respect from her fellows than she was...and Hailstorm wasn't nearly as vicious as her grandmother had been. Maybe that needed to change? She shook her head gently at her thoughts.
Indeed... she finally said in response before tilting her one grey ear in Silver River's direction. "Eat what you can," she said in a gentler voice to the Elite Hunter,"the ground is cold enough that you can store what's left over near the den so you'll have it right on hand." then the she Alpha stood and shook out her fur, setting free a few loose strands to float in mid air for a moment before slowly falling. "Well, it seems I've overstayed my welcome, if ever there was any. I'll leave you two alone." she hadn't missed the sudden change in mood in the white female when Corona had arrived. It had been so dramatic even a blind and deaf wolf would have noticed.