Phoenix Maplewood princess no more

For @Luke

Gaia could not pretend she knew much about the pack politics of the Maplewood – nor was she interested in getting her nose thrust in to it. Instead, the well-kept yearling kept to herself for now, her nose tingling with the fact that in the past few weeks, the ranks had seemingly exploded with recruits.
 
She could not let them be better than her – and her quiet approach at ‘settling in’ had to end now.
 
She was not allowed near the birthing den, and she had accepted this without question. But her intention to prove herself to Saena was not something so easily pushed aside, and so the aspiring girl held a smaller grouse in her jaws – a catch brought forward more by luck than skill, though she would admit this to none.
 
She skirted around the birthing den, her pale eyes seeking a place to lay the meal as a contribution without breaking the radius to which she was allowed. Dropping the bird to the ground, her ears splayed back to her skull as she considered her options – she could announce the meal with a gentle call – but she did not wish to wake the pups. And if she simply left it here, unguarded, it was possible one of her pack mates would either take it for themselves, or claim they had captured the meal.
 
She had no choice but to settle down on the outskirts, very much an outcast for now, and wait and see if she could present the bird to her Alpha at some point in the day.

Per usual, Luke was never far from the birthing den. He roamed nearby, attempting to rid himself of the acheyness that had settled across his shoulders and back. The tension from a quick series of events was stubborn about leaving him; but it was his own fault. The white wolf was struggling immensely to find his balance and to ground himself, his contentment was fleeting and his anger bubbled too near the surface. His want of control was strong, but even more troubling was how much he liked having it. It bothered him, and his brows bore the creases of disturbed thoughts and the rampant fear that his unstable self could wreck everything.

He spotted a packmate, one unknown to him, courting the fringes of the denning area, a plump grouse in tow. He bristled immediately, took a step forward even, but he clenched his jaw and forced himself to stop. Drawing a deep breath, he had an inward conversation with himself, and then approached as neutrally as he could muster. "Hey," he said, unable to form a smile.

She was approached rather quickly – something she had expected, given how tight-knit Saena’s pack seemed to be. She did not recognize the ivory male, but she did recognize that she was among the bottom of the totem pole, and naturally lowered herself within his presence.
 
Her mint gaze took in his stature – not unfriendly, and yet something wildly regal about him. Something she did not wish to test, and she wondered if she had crossed a line.
 
Dropping the grouse, the girl made to nudge it gently in his direction, her own tail swaying behind her with one quick sweep to reveal her submission. “I wanted to hunt for Saena and the pups.. but we’re not to come to close to the den. I was hoping someone who is would take this to her?” She was quick to explain, and with her pale form lowered closer to the ground, she waited for either acceptance or dismissal.

Pretty avatar... *pets*

Luke's eyes fell to the grouse before drifting upward to note the gentle submission. In that moment, he found himself missing the days when he could bound up to anyone and make a friend; how had he become so mistrusting, so tense and angry? He gave his coat a shake, drew another deep breath, and wagged his tail.

"I can do that," he said with a nod, and thanked her with a small smile. But he would not leave to take her gift to Saena just yet, and settled to his haunches. It was time he started to get to know his packmates and stopped being an uptight dickwad. "I'm Luke."

She almost breathed out a sigh of relief at the ivory man’s compliance, and her mint eyes cast him a grateful glance. “Thank you,” she murmured softly, her own tail mirroring his own, despite the hidden tensions that still seemed to cling to the air. Perhaps one day Gaia would be within the realm of trust with her fellow pack mates. Until then, she would need to prove herself.
 
She was surprised when the wolf chose to stay – his form swinging to a sit, and she paused only slightly, her muzzle canting at his introduction. “Gaia,” she offered then, her own tone soft. “I’ve only just joined.. but I really like it here,” she offered, testing the waters of sharing conversation with the stranger before her. “How long have you been here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

"Ah," he uttered, "not that long actually." He felt a strange twinge in his gut, perhaps some form of guilt that he would stroll in and claim the crown when he had not proven himself to his packmates and had only just joined. "I've known Saena for some time, though." But it's not a good excuse and he knew it, but his expression said nothing. His gaze wandered from the wolf before to the smooth barked trees that comprised the maplewood.

"It is a nice place," he admitted, attempting to redirect the conversation, but as he turned his attention back to Gaia, he struggled to come up with the idle banter that used to come so easy. He exhaled softly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I do not like to be away from Saena and the pups for long. I'll take the bird to her and let her know you brought it. Thank you." Luke stood and gathered the bird in his jaws, dipping his head to Gaia before turning to leave.

It was a small trade of pleasantries, but it was enough to make the previous princess’ heart soar with the sense of belonging and appreciation. The ivory man explained his quick leave, and Gaia gave a nod of understanding. “Of course,” she murmured, her gaze studying him as he leant down to secure her gift to Saena and the pups. “Thank you,” she called out to him, her tail giving a free wave through the air to indicate her contentment. With that, the pale tawny girl turned, her form taking her in the opposite direction, hoping not to crowd the whelping den.