300+

Cambria had not left the packlands since she and Mati had left to visit Haven and Princess and had been found by that horrible man who had accosted her in the past. Honestly she planned to keep things that way for as long as could be managed. Crimson Dreams was the only place that seemed safe to her. The other packs she visited were safe as well, but the danger came in getting to them. It was out in the unclaimed lands that all the frightening individuals seemed to lurk and the slender Marino was easy pickings. She may not have been particularly short, but she was not strong and could easily be overpowered. It was easier to just avoid the possibility of those situations and the way to do that was to just stay home. This didn't bother the Medicus though; she was quite content in the Dreaming lands. Everything she needed was right here.

It was a rather lovely spring day, so the cocoa fey had set out with Enzo on her shoulder to collect new herbs to supplement her old stores. The pack's healer had many dried remedies, but her supply of fresh ones had dwindled quickly when fall and then winter had hit. It was one of the many reasons that she was thankful spring had finally come. Hopefully the spirits of the whole pack would rise with the temperature; they certainly needed some cheer after such a dark winter. Cambi walked south towards the coast, picking useful herbs and plants as her sea green gaze spotted them. Here some meadowsweet, there some witch hazel, some fresh marigold. She wanted to talk to Amata about trying to install an herb garden near the manor. It would be much better than scavenging for what they needed, not to mention more convenient.

As she neared the beach, a cool salt breeze brushed the bangs from her brow. The Marino looked out at the sparkling ocean with a smile. The sea had great meaning to her family and she often felt the pull of the tide against her soul when she was near the open water. She had already collected a goodly amount of what she needed so she saw no harm in taking a short break. Cream socked feet walked into the soft sand, feeling how warm it felt from the sun's rays. The mourning dove on her shoulder shook out his feathers and let out a happy call. Delicate fingers stroked his head lovingly as she looked out upon the never-ending acqua.

My muse is a very finicky creature lately :| 300+

It was such a beautiful and peaceful day; it blew all thoughts of the bad things that had happened in the moons prior away. The whole winter the Medicus had been plagued by worried thoughts and little sleep. After her little sister had fallen she had spent nearly all her waking hours with Artemis doing all she could to sustain her life. During the blizzard it had all been so much worse, with her mate and other loved ones had become stuck out in the storm. Honestly she was surprised that Mati, Parker, Cypress, and especially little Tony had all fared as well as they had. They could have easily succumb to frostbite or even hypothermia. Cambria had never been so worried in her life, and that was saying quite a lot since she was a creature made of worries. Even from her youngest days she had been a worrier; it was seemingly hard-wired into her being.

The sounds of someone approaching made her spine stiffen for a moment before her nose caught the scent and she once again relaxed. It was no stranger, no grey-hued male with hungry yellow eyes coming after her again. It was just her uncle Jazper, a part of her family whom she could feel completely and utterly secure around. Enzo had grown used to the wolves of Crimson Dreams for the most part, but the dove still shrunk down and acted weary in the presence of the dark giant. "It is beautiful," she spoke in those soft tones that only whispered of her mother's accent. Cocoa faced turned to look up at her tall uncle. "How are you Zio? Your chest has been fine, hasn't it?" Amata had been in charge of his care after the incident with the bear and she had every trust in her sibling's skills.

They're actually at the beach, not the lake >.> 300+

Cambria often wondered about the connection her family seemed to have to the sea. Of course her mother had told them what the name Marino meant, but names could often have a meaning that had no real sway on their owners. It did not seem to be so for the Marinos. She knew her mother had always felt a deep connection to the ocean and if she sought solace and peace, it was this beach where one could undoubtedly find her. It was not only Savina who felt the connection though, for Cambi felt it as well. Likely not as strongly as her mother did, but it was undeniably there. A sort of peace that no other thing could bring. Perhaps they really were "of the sea".

The mourning dove's nervousness did not go unnoticed by her uncle. Cambi only smiled at his words though and gently stroked the bird's back to soothe him. "It's in his nature to be wary of predators like us, and you're the biggest predator around Zio." Enzo had learned that she would never harm him, or Mati. He was fairly comfortable around the other immediate members of her family that she saw a lot as well, but it was unlikely that he would ever be at complete ease in the large black Lictor's presence. It was good to hear that he had recovered completely from his grievous wounds. "It's good she was, otherwise you might have gotten a permanent kind of privacy." They were dark words, but important nonetheless. She didn't doubt that Jazper hadn't liked being sedentary, but it had saved his life, there was no arguing that in the Medicus' mind.

Just the sound of her mate's name brought a wide and happy smile to her face. "We are doing very well, thank you for asking." Thoughts of what had happened when they last left the territory came back to haunt her, but she did her best to push them away. Although...perhaps she should tell her uncle about the man, seeing as he was their Centurio. "If a man in a greyscale pelt with yellow eyes comes around here, make him leave, please. He is...dangerous." Cambria would not put it past Keese to come searching her or Mati out in their home.

300+

She knew some, like Jazper, probably thought her odd for keeping the dove around as a companion. It was not exactly in line with their species' nature, but Cambria wasn't exactly a typical wolf in some senses. Even though she knew she had to eat meat to survive, and did so, she hated hunting and usually left that up to the rest of the pack. Sometimes she worried she would be seen as a leech since she did not help bring food home, but she provided other services for the Dreamers such as her healing skills. The Marino hoped that was enough to cancel out whatever she might be lacking in food contributions. What made her such a good healer, her compassion, made hunting a painful things for her. She couldn't bare to hurt any creature, prey or no.

Cambi saw the Centurio trace the large scars on his torso with his fingers. It must have hurt horribly and just from looking at those healed reminders she knew he was lucky to have kept his life. At the mention of the possibility of her own mother's demise the chocolate fey shivered uncomfortably. She knew how mortal they all were, better than most. Death could be waiting around the bend for any of them but that didn't mean she liked to think of the mortality of her family. Cambria could not imagine losing her mother. It was best if they moved from such dark thoughts.

Unfortunately bringing up Keese could not move them in a positive direction. Jazper questioned her and the Marino's hands began to wring themselves as her nerves crackled. "I...I helped heal him, out in the hills some months ago. At first it was fine, b-but then he g-grabbed me...I ran home, I didn't think I would see him again. But Mati and I were going to visit Haven and Princess a-and he f-found us." Cambria closed her eyes, a vain attempt to keep the memories from coming back too vividly. "Everything he said was a lie, I know he wanted to d-do things to us. He grabbed M-Mati and I...I-I b-bit him. He let go and Mati pulled me away and we ran." The cocoa femme looked down at the ground, ears folded against her head. Enzo cooed softly and cuddled up to her cheek. It had been so awful and talking about it was difficult.