Lone Star Mountain Shadows

Onai traveled the mountain like it was nothing, navigating the sheer cliff faces and open ridges like it was nothing. Here he was comfortable. The height didn't bother him and if he was to be honest this place reminded him a bit of his home. Minus the caves that brached into the core of the mountain where he lived. 

He maneuvered himself onto a more open area of stone and padded over to the edge laying down with his large paws hanging over the edge of a small overhang. He let the wind ruffle through his fur not a care in the world. Eyes scanning over the land that surrounded him. On one side was more mountain faces  and the other spanned out over the forests and plains. He wondered what lay on the other side of those mountains, perhaps that was where his sister had decided to go. Only time would tell.

Onai only planned to spend a short while here running into the occasional wolf before deciding whether to head further west over the mountains or to head towards the coast.  He shrugged as his mind wandered off into a day dream of sorts.

@Warbone

The only reason Warbone had to return to Lone Star, was to reflect on his thoughts about death, and to perhaps catch a glimpse of the willows. Though he no longer coveted them or had the mental fixation on obtaining them, his brain had not yet been rewired to forget them, so he stood now, eye narrowed against the cold air, as he peered north and imagined he could see things even beyond his range of vision. It would have been nice to be a bird in that moment, he imagined, but in the end he rationalized that nothing could compare to the exhilaration of being truly just a wolf.

The copper titan had come too high for his tastes, so he wasn't up there long before beginning to wind his way back down, angling himself towards the vale. The sight of a large, lounging black wolf, drew his gaze as he descended, and he thought to join him on the ledge, and find out if his soul was as lost as his own had been.

Unable to conjure the sentiment, though, Warbone simply made to descend another way, so as not to disturb the stranger fully. That being said, he made an effort to make himself heard as he moved, if only so that he couldn't be accused of sneaking about.

Onai's ears twitched as he heard the sound of heavy pastels on the stone near by. He swung his head around to meet the gaze of another male wolf. He was also quite large but he looked like he was lost. Not the sort of I don't know where I am lost but more the I don't know who I am lost.

Onai rose to his big paws and turned completely to face the wolf. Sitting once again tail tucked by his paws twitching slightly. " Greetings fellow wolf," he spoke fairly non chalantly his blue eyes staring at the male for no particular reason.

Blue eyes turned to him suddenly, and Warbone only paused to meet his gaze evenly for a brief moment. But the shadowy brute didn't seem interested in letting the moment pass that simply, and he rose to his full height, only to have a seat, and address the vale's alpha in a tone that could only be considered polite. Unabashedly, he changed his direction, angling his body so that he could come to stand on the same ledge as the stranger. He kept his distance, out of habit, but didn't seem to mind the company regardless. "You are well met, stranger," he rumbled, drawing himself into a sit as well, bushy tail at his feet. "I am called Warbone. What do they call you?"

Onai smiled a weird smile as the wolf first spoke saying he was well met and he dipped his head slightly. The male then proceeded to introduce himself as Warbone. Warbone. He repeated in his head. Sounds like my kind of wolf. He mused to himself. "They call me Onai. Onai Calbero," he spoke respectfully. 

"Warbone. That name mean you're a fighter?" He questioned. "You look like you could be one," he added with a roll of his shoulders. He was curious if this wolf was like him. If they had anything remotely in common. He was in no current mood to be an asshole and besides, information never harmed anyone. Even though he had no immediate need for information. He figured it never harmed anyone. Over the years he had built up quite a database of information on various wolves and packs. Sometimes this was used to his advantage, or others disadvantage. Depending on the relationship with the wolf or pack in question.

Onai Calbero, a name he wouldn't seek to forget, from a male who seemed reasonably curious. Warbone wasn't a secretive wolf by any means, though some things he knew better than to share. Still, on principle, he wasn't inclined to be dishonest or remain petulantly silent in favor of not answering, so it was with relative ease that he rolled his shoulder and nodded responsively to the dark male. "You could say that," he mused, though his former ranking title "Bloodbone" had been more indicative of his prowess as a warrior, as opposed to the title of war which implied deeper things where he was from. War wasn't always about the fight.

"I do not incite them these days, however. Only finish them," he mentioned of fights, a smirk tugging lightly at his muzzle. "You, too, strike me as quite strapping. Do you serve anyone before yourself?" he asked now, not intent on letting the conversation become one-sided.

Onai let his smile grow when Warbone agreed that he was a fighter though stating he did not start them these days but rather finish them. Warbone then mentioned Onai too looked like one and Onai nodded a weird twisted smirk on his face. "I like my fights, you could say that, I start and finish, but someone's gotta push my buttons or harm members of the pack I used to be in. I served alongside my brother until recently, I am out searching for a sister my brother and I chased out a few years ago," he stated. "Now it's just me and whatever wolf I come across as I travel the unknown," he added glancing briefly out over the valley. 

Onai returned his gaze to the wolf that sat before him. "You serve anyone? Or rather do others serve you?" he stated smiling. The wolf before him seemed not the kind to submit to many. If he was a member of a pack, he seemed the kind to be high up quite quickly.

He listened in mild interest to Onai's story, wondering to himself if he could offer up his home to a wolf that admittedly like to fight— an emotion he could remember very clearly having himself when he had been the man's age. There was time to grow out of such things, he supposed, but he couldn't deny that it might be interesting to have a man around that might keep Warbone on his toes... The pleasant thought was lost as soon as the blue-eyed monolith mentioned that he was looking for his sister. Since he was a wolf on a mission, Warbone had no inclination that he could convince the man to give up his search in favor of joining him for the winter in the vale, so he made a pensive rumble in his throat, and then nodded slowly. His scarred face turned out over the vale, as he considered his company's question.

"I have tried to serve once or twice, but it does not suit me," he admitted with a low chuckle. "I am served these days." He motioned to the bowl in the mountains, his chest swelling slightly with some inkling of unspoken pride, as his eye drew back over the male. "The vale below us belongs to me and my own. Should you complete your mission and find yourself without solace for the winter, you would be welcome to seek us."

Onai's grin widened as the wolf confirmed what he had been thinking. Never one to serve others. "I thought that might be the case," he mused. Quite proud that he had been able to come to that conclusion. It seemed the two of them might have more than a few things in common. "I have only ever served my brother, that was partially because he was always bigger and stronger than myself, I respected him and would lay down my life for him. Never thought I could serve another wolf though I must admit your offer does seem appealing," he spoke. Should his efforts at finding his sister fail he may just take Warbone up on his offer, though even if he succeeded he was sure he would not be welcomed into her ranks, nor did he have intent to join them. So perhaps if he needn't wish to return home, he would come to his land and serve him. 

"Speak more of your pack, I am curious. What could you offer me in return for my loyalty, convince me why I should choose to return here instead of back to my brother," he spoke calmly and collected. There was a hint of a challenge in his voice. This was a decision not easily made, he needed a reason. What was in it for him there always has to be something besides a home that he would receive in return for all that he could bring to a pack.

"I am no peddler," he chuckled lowly. "And I do nothing carelessly, so I cannot sell you myself, or an idea with a mere curling tongue. I would have to show you, Onai, and present to you a life that is more worth living than it was previously." Warbone couldn't form the words to describe his new pack vision— where no one did anything alone, and a greater pack mentality was to be bred and fostered from the moment one became a part of them. Onai seemed intensely independent as well, which made the wolf less inclined to offer him information that might seem like he might be restricted.  "It will be a life where your brother is not the only one worth serving."

Onai smiled as Warbone explained he was no peddler and could not sell himself to the large male without having shown him the place of his new pack. A place apparently worth living in. "Then show me Warbone, this place you and your followers call home. I would like to see it, learn more of it. What is your purpose as an Alpha? What purpose does your pack serve? What morals do you follow?" he spoke curiousity immensly present in his tone. If he was to even consider this then he would have to find out more one way or another. If that meant a small journey then so be it. He would go with Warbone and see this place that he may end up calling home.

 Warbone added that the life Onai would live would be one where his brother wouldn't be the only wolf worth serving. "These wolves, the ones that serve you, they are much like yourself?" he spoke an ever so slight tilt to his head. It was an honest question, if all his wolves were as well built and strong as Warbone himself then perhaps his statement was true. 

The idea of serving another pack seemed remotely appealing, he had been serving alongside his brother for years now and he was finally out seeing the rest of the world. Besides, if his sister was in this place called the wilds then he could lowkey stalk keep an eye on her.

If you want, we can go to the vale. Whether it be in this thread or in a separate one. I kinda figure perhaps the journey gives them time to know more of each other though, or the morals of the pack xD

I will start us a new thread in NSV!

"Come," he beckoned the dark wolf, turning to lead him slowly down the precarious mountain paths. He considered Onai's questions carefully as they made their descent, his tail waving slowly back and forth as he thought. "I have no grand inquisition at hand, Onai. My ambition is only to do as any alpha should -- lead and protect -- and my wolves will face no burden alone. Their purpose would be to continue my legacy when I have become nothing but a skeleton in the dirt, but until then... it is their duty to merely exist as their truest self, and find kinship among others who all seek to make a mark in my ranks. No position is safe, not even mine, but the vale is a place without grudges or ego between members. If one cannot accept their place, then they cannot remain here.

I have no significant morals, other than avoiding unnecessary evil. My prerogative is survival, and neither evil or kindness have much to do with that... though I must admit I have very little mercy when crossed. I value the strong, and the weak will be welcomed, I suppose, but not coddled in the least."

He considered if any among them were like him, and though there was none physically, mentally there was Saena. "If there were many like me, I am afraid this place would be torn asunder by vicious pride," he chuckled. "In any case, I do not wish to lead wolves like me. Wolves like me cannot be led, or find comfort in secondary positions. I seek only those who want support and power, without the need to control it themselves. I am afraid I have that part covered myself." He talked a lot to Onai, perhaps seeing something in all the black fur and beryl eyes that made him crave his presence among them. As they descended into the vale, Warbone explained more...