Hushed Willows No place like home for the holidays

@Stark @Banner
Her wandering had brought her far, and not since her encounter with the silver woman had she met another. winter had come, that subtle shift in the seasons heralded by the frosting of snow. she had come across this place but a short time ago, travelling parallel to the border in the quest onward, and yet she had not simply bypassed it as she had the other borders  she had come near. something about the bare willows, the crisp scent of a distant sea, had her gaze flitting in the direction of the territory more than once.

Finally she huffed, stilling her paws and seating herself demurely. only a moment later did she life her muzzle and let out a melodious call for the leaders of this land, lithe form still as her muzzle dropped and her faded chestnut optics peered into the willows, curiosity glinting in them at whoever might present themselves at her summons, if anyone.

It was still a surprise to him when he heard wolves at the borders. It wasn't that he disliked the prospects of potential members to the pack - in fact, he relished the change of pace - but he still hadn't wrapped his head around the notion of the pack growing and becoming something larger than it was. Stark heard the call and made his way from the Crook where he'd been avoiding the snap of the bitter breeze, almost reluctant to pull himself into the cold. 

It didn't take him too long to come across the figure blotting his borders, his posture shifting into the command of an Alpha. His blue eyes drifted across the figure looking for any obvious issues and could find none. "Hello,"  Stark offered politely - otherwise trailing off to give a chance for the female to introduce herself properly. 

He arrived soon, who she assumed to be the alpha. Her optics surveyed him quickly, not moving from her position as he arrived, but dipping her head and offering a grin as he greeted her. "Hello" she echoed, shifting slightly as the snow's cold seeped through her thickening fur. "You are the leader here?" She asked with a tilt of her head, after a moment clarifying. "I seek a home."

A soft breeze was all that warned of the sudden soft patter of a small flurry, drifiting down around the wood. "I am Talewi" she introduced with another dip of her head, flashing another grin as she did so, constantly checking to make sure that she was being oh-so-respectful, tail tucked close and tone amiable.

Stark licked his lips, looking her over as she admitted that she was looking for a home. He appreciated that she was straightforward, that there was no need for the pretenses. "I am. I'm Stark and this is Maruader's Keep." he said as he gestured back towards the lands, the slow sway of the branches of the willows taking the heed of their Alpha as well. They  were showing off, in a sense, though it was cold and empty, and it brought a brief smile to Stark's face. "So tell me, Talewi, what are you skills and interests?"  Stark wouldn't turn her away just on the basis that she was another scout or hunter - but it would be a lie to say he didn't hope for a healer among their ranks. 

There was the baser part of him, too, one that was becoming more aware of a desire to seat the pack fully and grow their legacy. Banner had Buchanan and he in turn had no one. It was a positive, even a slight one, in her favor just for prospects alone. "Have you just come to the wilds?" With the promise of winter it would make sense to have more wolves to bunker down to survive. 

Stark, he was, and the land behind him the Keep. Her gaze flitted past him to the willows he ruled, barren limbs slowly waving in the breeze, frosted white as was everything, now. Her attention snapped back to him when he spoke again, and it was with a smile that she spoke once more. "I was raised a warrior, and know a little of healing- I'm hardly an expert, but as warriors tend be good at receiving wounds, it seemed a good idea to learn how to attend them" she said airily, flashing another grin as she finished. Her interests, on the other hand, were varied, and tended to change often, some being mildly concerning. Her fluctuating hobbies led to her being certainly well rounded, yet not particularly excelling at very much.   

"Yes- I arrived only a few days ago." She told him, thoughts drifting to her very first encounter with one of these lands, the woman who had been rather keen on shedding blood. Perhaps not the best of welcomes, nor of first impressions. But that had hardly stopped her from turning back, nor had it changed her path.

Stark gave a little nod of his head - warriors and healers lived a life very close on the edge, two sides to the same coin often. He wondered what Buchanan might know of healing, but, it seemed more often than not that his brother in law was ruled by other passions. He couldn't really help himself, cracking a little grin at words - a sense of humor never hurt. Too many of his wolves seemed to be so formal, so reserved. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a smile on Silas face and didn't know if he'd ever seen one on Amara's. That should change. At least Tambourine was a constant source of sunshine and Banner more often than not managed to bring a smile to his face. "I wandered here during spring, the lands have changed a great deal. There was a famine, so the wolves of the Keep for the most part have shown great resilience." And Stark was proud of them. So proud. 

"We have a few puppies running about and our priority is to fill our caches and keep them protected." Stark explained. "We've been through alot together, and we're more family than anything. It can be intimidating, and I get that, but we really do take care of our own." There was a sense of an offer, the notion that she might become one of them. "What do you say to a little demonstration?" He asked with a little grin. "A friendly spar, it's been a bit since I've properly stretched my legs, so to say."

A famine, he said, had spread across the land. the spring...she would have been but a pup, but no particular hardship did she remember, those of her tribe continuing as they always did. perhaps merely these lands, then. had this been a casual conversation, she would have asked more of it, but that was for another time. Seeing, of course, that she didn't screw this up.

she listened in rapt silence as he spoke, of pups and caches and a potential place among them. only moments after did he suggest a demonstration,  a spar, and she nodded quickly with a small smile. "Of course." she agreed readily, standing and shifting into a comfortable stance. her ears were attentive and her gaze bright, waiting with rapt attention for him to make the first move, feeling very much like this was one if the "tests" She had faced in her youth.

Something had to be said for a wolf that didn't hide from a challenge. Stark appreciated it considerably, and it made him more optimistic about the female in general. Young, sure, but she didn't have the reckless sense to just throw herself at him. She waited. She positioned herself. She was thinking and that was something Stark liked to see. The alpha shifted his stance in turn, digging in with his claws before he launched himself at her. It seemed for a moment that he was headed for a direct hit, head on, but turned at the last moment to bump his shoulder against her instead, using her bulk to push off and redirect himself. 

He kept his head swung to face her, watching for a counter and giving her the chance to show what she was made of. It was intriguing to Stark, and battles of the mind and body were just as complicated when it came down to it. 

He moved, and her focus narrowed to him and only him, recalling briefly a scenario not unlike this one, facing off against another in a chance to prove her worth. His shoulder jostled against her, his head turned toward her. In an instant she snapped at his face, a hit not meant to land but hopefully distract and send him into motion, should he not already be.

a forelimb shot out and sought to entangle his, then to pull back as if she were scooping from the river a fish. With this she hoped to trip him up, and potential throw him off balance as she through her shoulder against him n turn. Should her attack bode successful, she would hardly be able to stay alright, but hopefully land atop him. Then, it would be merely a struggle to pin him down- though her efforts were curbed by the fact that she was fighting the alpha of a land she sought entrance to, and really, really did not want to screw this up.

He was a little surprised when she used teeth only because he'd glossed right over that detail and hadn't mentioned it they should  or not. Still, it caused him to dart further away, nimble legs shifting even as he kept his eyes on her. The move to topple him and throw him off course wasn't a bad idea and his feet did get caught up, stumbling a bit. He had the upper hand though, at least knowing the terrain and having the higher ground so to say. Stark managed to get a holding before she slammed into him but it did end up knocking him down a bit. It'd been a long time since he'd properly sparred with anyone, and the thrumming in his veins promised he approved and was enjoying it.

It seemed she was just as tangled up as he was, the dark male moving to land his bulk over hers, even if it was temporary. There was no way he'd relent to let a stranger best him on his borders after all. If he managed to pin her, even briefly, Stark already knew his course of action. Either way she'd impressed him with her nerve, he was willing to extend a home in the Keep for her. 

There was a brief moment in which, after she fell, she struggled to get atop, but her lithe frame was at odds with Stark's, and soon she found herself pinned. For a moment she paused, looking to him quickly, before she twisted into motion again, and a few moments later slipped free, though knowing that the short-lived fight had gone in Stark's favour. 

She stood quickly, looking to him with a nervous smile, unable to push away a touch of disappointment but masking it all the same. She said nothing yet, ears flicked up and gaze on him, unsure if he wished to continue, or to end their fight now, as a victor.

Grappling against one another offered a sense of satisfaction, even brief connections between their bodies gave off impressions. He knew Talewi enough just from their little spar he'd be happy to have her among his ranks. He'd give her the shot, see what she made of herself. When she squirmed out of his hold Stark took a couple steps back, grinning impishly at her. She's certainly held her own, especially for her age. "Maybe after I show you around some we can have round two,"  Stark offered with a bright smile. "Unless your pride is wounded and you find me insufferable now... " Stark teased, unable to help himself. She'd find out about his sense of humor pretty quickly if she stuck around anyways. 

They could always discuss the culture of the pack and its ways as he showed her around, or answer any questions that she had. It would be good to start at the Crook where they were most likely to find the bulk of the pack anyways, make the introductions as quickly and easily as possible.