Greatwater Lake pink sky, blue heart
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All Welcome 
her husband had been busy with laying claim and establishing yellowstone's borders during their initial days on the plains. she had taken to roaming a wider perimeter, leaving her mark during select high traffic areas to announce the presence and intention of what lay ahead.

there was also the interest of exploring the surrounding regions and scouting for any potential recruits or assessing any adversaries. she'd found neither thus far, though her path today took her towards the outstretched land leading up to a vast lake.

she stopped by water's edge to quench what thirst she had before pulling away to glance skyward and guage how much daylight she had remaining. there was an hour, perhaps two, left for the day, and the viper thought it best to return to the plains before dusk fully enveloped the world.

she kept her steps even as she turned to return home, eyes watchful for any movement that caught her attention.
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#2
Being one of the biggest bodies of water in the area it was not uncommon to come across all kinds of smells. It was like a hub, where trails and tracks of earth-crawlers, water-dwellers and sky-soarers met, and, whenever possible, Dwin liked to frequent the area to read the news. However, it was not too often that one would encounter the same scents over and over, even less, when the marks they left behind were the ones of an intent to lay claim to the land.

Today Dwin was lucky to spot one of the recent newcomers from afar and curious to find out, who their new neighbours were going to be, she closed the distance between them and let out a short bark to anounce her presence. "Hello, fellow wanderer!" she greeted the stranger in a friendly manner. "Are you one of the wolves laying claim to the lake?" she asked.
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a voice calls out through the spring air, and nephele turns to see a watercolored girl close in age come bounding her way. pale fur bristles only slightly, absinthe gaze watchful of the other woman's movements.

there is mention of the lake, and the claiming of it. confused, eyes narrow as she considers the possibility of their claim on yellowstone being challenged. "no, not the lake."

had she missed the signs of established land? a wiggle of her nose picks up no indication of anyone living along the water's edge. perhaps the claim of yellowstone had simply drifted downwind. "my husband and i are claiming the plains," a motion to where their territory lay.

the stranger herself wore a familiar scent, though nephele couldn't place where she'd come across it before. "i'm nephele."
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"Aha," Dwin nodded, her expression neutral, though she was not too thrilled to have anyone claim the lands near the lake. Forests, swamps and even mountains were fine, but to her lakes had always felt as something entirely different. More precious even. Standing above everything else. The lands lying right next to it should not belong to anyone. 

But where there were numbers, there was strength and Dwin's personal opinions did not matte much. Better keep things nice and cordial. "My name is Dwin - I presently reside in Brecheliant - it is a pack not far away from here," she returned. "Are you a pack with a family at its core or a group held together by common traditions, beliefs and values?" another moonpack maybe?
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introductions are made and nephele mentally jots down the names of both the girl before her now, and of the land she called home. brecheliant. the name was unfamiliar, but the scent the grayscale traveler carried had been crossed before. perhaps she belonged to one of the packs that had been passed up?

the questions tossed towards her result in a raised brow. was this one an ambassador? or just nosy? "we are a familial group." not all that joined their ranks would be considered such, but the core inhabitants of the plains would carry the same name as their home.

"what of your home? part of a big family, or a cult?" she questioned, taking advantage of the exchangeable information. perhaps the answer would be both. but if she was able to gain details on this brecheliant and think them respectable enough, it might just lead to a future alliance. if not that, then there was at the very least the potential of economic benefit in trade.
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"Ain't those one and the same thing in a way?" Dwin asked laughing at the formulation of the question, because she herself had never thought to look at it from that angle. "I mean, if it was a cult and I was in it, I would never tell you that it really was. Because I would not consider it to be such. Just another group with fancy beliefs and traditions," she went on. 

"Ummm... a familial pack with a love for story-telling," she explained. It then occurred to her - were Moon-packs a cult? Was it really a cult, if you enjoyed being in it and generally benefitted from it? "Peaceful for the most part and we do not like to meddle much in the business of others," she added. 

"When you establish yourselves here more - do come for a visit to establish diplomatic relations. Why have enemies, if you can have friends?" she asked.
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dwin presented an interesting thought on the mention of cults, and nephele hummed an amused tone. the woman wasn't wrong in her way of thinking, "i suppose you have a point."

her new acquaintance went on to explain the ways of her own home, and nephele listened with pointed interest. familial, unproblematic, keep to themselves. they sounded adequate for the potential of a future alliance, but she would not make the decision now. dwin might have thought her group one way, while someone else thought them another.

"once we are settled i plan to travel to establish relations with the neighboring packs," she revealed. "i will be sure to stop by your brecheliant when i am out that way." it presented a thought she had not considered before. "are you one of the leaders there?" dwin held the air of a diplomat, and nephele could not read if she was a leader, or an emissary.
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"Nah, just the messenger to spread the good word about a nice pack with decent people," Dwin told with a toothy grin. "My mother - Maia is the Auspex - that's the rank of the leader. And her good friend Teya is her trusted advisor and right paw of the leader," she explained. "My father Eljay - while not the leader himself - is the living memory and bridge to the times long gone and the future to come. The Wise man. Just as important," she said.

"What about you? Are you the leader?" she asked.
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her companion went on to explain her position in her pack along with the names and relations of the leaders. dwin was the daughter of superiors and an ambassador in her own right, to which nephele felt a kinship to. she assumed they shared similar upbringings in the sense of responsibilities, but there was a whisper behind her ear that told her dwin was a child of peace where nephele had been a daughter of war.

"thanks for the info, i will try to call for them by name when i stop by." it might do some good to be able to address brecheliant's leaders formally. as for dwin's question, "i'm an aspiring one, alongside my husband."
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"Well, I admire you and wish you the best of luck," Dwin said sincerely. "Being a leader is one of the hardest jobs in the world. I could never do it," she admitted, even though now and then she had stepped in for Auspex or Ravens and done the job. But the mantel had never felt as a good fit. 

"Where do you come originally from?" she asked. "Are you related to any of the big families around here or you and your husband have started on your own from elsewhere?" 
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dwin continued to be more talkative than nephele could ever imagine herself being. she rolled a shoulder through the woman's openness, eyes blinking in response to the questions asked. she was typically not one to share much of her past, especially to that of a stranger, but she saw no harm in casual conversation if it meant good impressions.

"i come from a mountain range off to the east," she answered with a motion in the appropriate direction. "my husband and i share no relation to any of the families, but one day we will have a clan just as big as any other." it was not a hope to see it so, it was what would be.

suddenly a call went up summoning the stormcloud back to the plains. "looks like i'm needed back home," she let out as she turned to make her leave. "perhaps i'll see you when i visit your pack," she shouted as a final word before turning to trot off toward the summon.