---

Ambra padded along as silently as possible, leading her small and newly formed pack to a new life in a place so remote she hoped no one would ever discover them. There was supposed to be an old mining settlement ahead, just a few small cabins in the middle of the wilderness. 'We should be there soon, in just a couple minutes I'd say.' She called to the others through their mental link. Birds ignored them for the most part, they were part of the environment, organic and natural unlike most humans. Chirps and a cacophony of other sounds filled the air, it was early spring and snow still covered the ground. She was grateful though that it was starting to warm now and they wouldn't have such a hard time picking things up here and making things livable. Ambra was also grateful that they were all not human, even little Celeste was capable of surviving more than even an adult human was. They were just resilient, far more so than humans could ever hope to be.

Just as she had predicted she started to see a small cabin just through the thick trees. It's log walls were heavily weathered but still standing, the tin roof was mostly intact with just a few places that needed to be tacked back down. There were only ten small cabins. Just enough for her people, they would all stay in one place tonight for security after the long journey here. Some of the males packed things just as Ambra did on her back. They'd come up with special packs so that they could carry them in their wolf forms, it was easier that way.

Trotting eagerly the last several feet into the clearing, it was just enough free space to watch for incoming beings. She could hear the river not so far away, a mile or so maybe. It would be a wonderful life here she hoped. For her sake and for the wolves who had decided to follow her. She shook out her charcoal colored fur as she stepped out of the pack, setting it down easily.

Slipping out of her packs with a grateful sigh, Trisana Chesire looked about the abandoned mine town. They had traveled a ways, and she was grateful there were no real injuries, nothing life threatening as of yet. Looking at the dilapidated cottages, Tris sighed. It wasn't exactly hygienic or secure, but it was serviceable. Glancing at the Alpha female she spoke through the shared mind link. "I'll check about to see what we'll have in herbs and such. I'm placing a claim for my own cabin, so if one of you do need me I can ensure you won't be disturbed and be with my tools." Her tone carried deference towards the older female, but the request was an iron law in the doctoring of others. Not waiting for a answer, no sense in waste daylight. Tris scooped up her pack and walked over to examine the cabins. A small one would do. Something for two. If more came she could and would lay claim to another's den for a time. While she was entirely grateful for the pack taking her in, she was determined to give them her all as a Healer in return.

Blake

The large dark wolf brought up the rear of the pack, seemingly walking slowly, his long strides keeping pace with the shorter wolves quite easily. The pack he carries on his back is of a battered grey canvas material, stained with mud and wearing thin in several places. Blake watched with quiet eyes as their pack reached the cabins. Looking around, he takes in the huts one by one. Several of them need repairs. Broken windows seemed to be a trend between the cabins, and a handful of them were either completely missing doors, or the doors were hanging off their hinges.

It had been a long while since Blake has slept inside a building, even if it was just a wooden hut. He'd been on the move for such a long time, he'd grown accustomed to just sleeping in his lupine form either underneath the stars, or in the shade of a rock if it was raining. Slowly, he moved back away from the cabins and sat on his hindquarters, watching the others carefully through his grey eyes, unsure.

---

Jace

As they reached the cabins, Jace transformed back into his upright form, stretching as he stood up and looked around. He ran a hand quickly through his brown hair to make sure it was just messy enough, and looked around quickly, surveying the area. He hadn't detected anything particularly unpleasant when he'd been a wolf, with heightened senses, but he wanted to see if he could spot anything he wouldn't have seen from closer to the ground.

When the man was satisfied, he walked towards the closest cabin, the one that Ambra had been making for. The walls seemed mostly intact, though there were a couple of holes in the tin roof where the metal had fallen away and peeled up in some places. He looked through one of the broken windows at the dusty and damp interior of the cabin. There was some furniture inside, but it looked wet and chewed by rats in some places. "Home sweet home, eh..?"

Ambra inspected the small cabin nearest to her quietly, letting her small pack take in the area and search around. It wasn't really something she could help but do. This place had been built some sixty years before and she was grateful it was even still standing. As Jace meandered behind her he spoke, saying something about this being home. It was hopefully going to be home for all of them for forever. "The walls and floors seem to still be solid though. The roofs that are fixable with what tin is on them we will just tack back down. I brought some basic building supplies. The ones we can't fix we can tear the tin off and save it for something else and then roof them with wood and until we can get some new tin flown in. We'll need to clear off the old runway. It's supposed to be closer to the river." She used a small hair tie to fasten her long nearly white hair back into a loose but thick braid down her back. That way it would be out of her face as she inspected the building more closely.

The more she looked the more she was surprised at how little damage there really was. She peered inside the cabin, the furniture was destroyed having been chewed up, the only alarming thing she found was the claw marks in the walls and where the windows had been busted out by a Grizzly or a large black bear. They would have to post guards for the first several weeks until they were sure the bear wasn't going to come back. Moving easily like the predator she was Ambra glided to the next in the series of cabins, the story on this one was much the same. Furniture was ruined but the wood stove was intact as were the walls and floor, even the roof was still intact on this one. This was likely where they would all sleep in a huddle tonight in their lupine forms in case of trouble.

"It would probably be for the best if we all went and got firewood, that way we can start warming this cabin up. We can tarp the windows for now. It won't be super warm but it will put a roof over our heads for tonight and we can use the satellite phone to call to Eagle Plains to get some supplies flown in in a week or so. Tin and windows and anything else we find that we need." Ambra stated idly, letting her voice carry through the opening where the cabins were.

---

Juniper usually would have walked right next to Jace's side as they headed for their new home but she found herself slowing in pace, keeping an eye on the little pup of their pack that had fallen to the back. It wasn't like Celeste wasn't capable but she had just lost her mother which was hard on any youngling without being surrounded by almost strangers. She had lost her own mother at such an age and it had been a heartbreaking if not a confusing time in her life without having to worry about others around her. Just looking at her gave Juniper a reminder of her past and the sadness it had held, making her want to watch over the pup a little more closely and be there if needed. She didn't make it extremely noticeable that she was watching but she did glace every once and awhile, the child in great thought it would seem or being distracted by this or that which probably wasn't a bad thing.

Ambra's voice had startled her a bit, her focus going back on what was ahead of them and glad to be that much closer to their destination. Spring was only just starting to truly show itself, the chill in the air and snow still across the ground which meant shelter would be a pleasant change of pace since even with her fur keeping her warmer it was still a bit too cold in the open night to be completely comfortable without being snuggled all together for warmth. It was as Ambra said, the cabins slowly coming into view not long after their Alpha had spoken. They seemed to be in pretty good shape from first glance for the age of the structures, of course some things would need fixings and not to mention homey touches after that but it would do for now. They would have shelter and a warmer place to sleep so things could be worst. She shrugged out of her pack, shifting into human form before picking the pack back up and following after Jace to explore. It was easy to say that the outside looked better than in, the furniture no longer salvageable and the windows seeing much better days but all and all everything else seemed sturdy enough. The claw marks giving a warning flag in the back of her mind but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle as long as they stuck together for awhile."Nothing like home."Juniper replied to Jace before setting her pack next to the sad excuse for a couch."I'll get a start on the fire wood if you like? The sooner we get some warmth going the better I would say."she said to Ambra.

Weaving her way along the edge of the small settlement, Tris moved quickly towards the whimpering pup. "Stop that." Her voice cut cleaner than the glass. "Now hold still." Gripping the girl's foot in a vice of iron, the woman examined the wound. Glass could cause infection, especially old glass. Examining the glass, she gently spread the wound, to grip the glass in her fingers and pulling slowly. Adjusting her grip and easing out the pesky fiend. "Be wary of glass about the ground." She called out to the rest of the pack. "I don't need wolves limping to me become a regular thing." Setting the glass in her palm, she studied the wound. "It's going to need regular bandage washing and cleaning. Can you walk over to my packs?"

---

Juniper made her way to the door, standing by it as she waited for Ambra's reply just in case there was any objections or she had input on who she would like to come with her to collect firewood. It was then that her sharp ears picked up a high-pitched squeal, making her head turn quickly in that direction before she jetted out the door without waiting to hear the answer to her own question. That had not been a pleasant sound which made her worry that someone had found something unsavory that they should all worry about or worse had been harmed in some way. She listened to the whimpering, panic rising as she moved around the back of the cabins to where the sounds were coming from. A small sigh of relief left her lips as she noticed that there was nothing attacking but the smell of blood in the air as well as their healers presence was not a good thing at all."Who has been hurt?"Juniper ask worriedly as she stepped forward slowly, only to have Celeste come into her vision. She had no idea the kind pain the young pup was in right now since she had never stepped in glass but she hated seeing the girl in tears. Juniper carefully bent down next Celeste, rubbing the girl's back in circles to try and give some form of comfort to Celeste as Tris examined her. She almost cringed as she watched the glass being pulled from Celeste's hand and kept looking worriedly to the young girl who was being a pretty good trooper through all this in her opinion."If you don't think you can walk there than I would be more than happy to carry you."she offered the girl with a soft smile. She just didn't want to see this little girls tears anymore and wanted to do whatever was possible to make her happy or feeling better.

Watching Juniper go with, Jace frowned a little, tensing until he could hear Juniper's voice around the back of the cabin. He couldn't make out her words, but her voice was softened, so she was not in any danger. He relaxed, and turned to the Alpha. "If you get the others settled here, I will take Blake on a quick scouting mission around the camp." He spoke in a low voice, soft but controlled, his gaze flickering to the large dark wolf sat by the trees edge in silence. Jace did not trust the big wolf, he was quiet, and rarely made contributions to the rest of the pack, and rarely changed out of his wolf form. Whilst others preferred their wolf forms for comforting reasons, Jace got the impression that Blake preferred his lupine form because it made him feel superior to others, from the way he sat upright and rigid, his muzzle raised a little.

"We'll make sure there's no immediate threats in the vicinity, and hopefully find a nearby source of water... Where there's water, there's prey." He let his eyes fall back to Ambra as he finished speaking, awaiting her approval.

Ambra

Nodding her head softly at Jace Ambra spoke, "That's fine, I'm going to see what the commotion is over there." Ambra moved easily past the larger male who was her Beta as she headed towards where she'd heard the cry. She took mental notes calmly of the area around the cabins. They were in the steep hills near a river, not far from a remote national forest. They would have plenty of security and privacy to be their true selves here so long as they didn't have guests. She wasn't quite sure what they were going to do to make money but she figured they could fly in tourist and allow them to camp and hunt in the area.

They would do what they had to do to make sure that they could stay and live here permanently. She reached the other cabin easily, moving as she always did with intent and poise. Celeste, of course, had wandered away and stepped on some glass. She nodded to Tris in thanks for helping the girl. "Like Tris said, just keep it clean for the next couple of hours and it should be healed up by bed time tonight. Just a little scar by the morning."

It was easy to see the pup hadn't went out looking for trouble, she was simply being a pup and looking around within the cabin. "Make sure you stay within the open area and don't wandering into the woods please. Jace and Blake are going to check things out around the area to make sure that we're alone up here." Ambra looked off at the trees surrounding them, tall evergreens that rose hundreds of feet above the ground into the cloudy sky. The sun was just peaking through warming the air around them if only slightly. It was truly beautiful up here.