Sunbeam Lair Vagabond

@Asterr

She made her way through the mountainous area, weary and tired. the traveler felt her legs shake during her walking pace, the cold bit at paws and body ferociously. She was arriving later than normal, practically at sundown. Snow fell from the sky, cold winds blew through her body, and all was silent. the vagabond returned from her mission, a mission that led her back home before making her turn right back around. The trip was much longer than expected but nonetheless proved her fears were true. Her original home was gone and taken over by the two legged animals that took away her family. But that was behind her.

Shikoba felt her fur spike up at the cold and scents of others. as much as she didn't feel very social at the moment, she needed to find somewhere to stay for the rest of winter. staying outside like she had been doing for the past couple of months wasn't working out for her. The Mexican wolf felt her heartbeat quicken at the sight before her. A cave! The scent of wolves wafted through the chilly air, attracting Shikoba to the cave entrance, though she remained far behind the imaginary line that was drawn by the scent markings.

She parted her dark lips, then let out a low howl, one asking for a leader, or at least, someone to come and see her. She understood that it was dark and growing cold and they might not even see her until tomorrow morning. But she needed to try, try at least once before she left. Shikoba settled herself down, her haunches placed lightly in the snow was snowflakes began to land in her soft coat. her eyes were shut, as if she was afraid to look at any wolves who were on their way (hopefully).

There was a chill in the air, a cutting cold that seemed through her fur, bleed into her bones. The cold was a wraith, and yet it had yet to penetrate their cavern. She hardly journeyed outside of the security of the cavern, the warmth. And yet now a howl drew her to the borders, away from the comfort of the cavern, and the cold wasted no time in chilling her bones. She located the source of the howl quickly, light steps across the snow's crust bringing her to the form of another. "Greetings"

She greeted the woman softly, emerald gaze falling on her form lightly, no hostility in her stance. Her stance was hardly dominant, becoming so only if required. "What do you seek at the borders of Ryujin?" She questioned, voice light, in contrast to her piercing gaze.

A wolf greeted her, taking light steps as she approached the freezing Shikoba. The Indian looked at the female, seeing no threatening position or hearing a harsh tone of voice. It was open and almost warm. She slowly heard the words of the other, trying to fill in the gaps and put together her sentences. What was..... she ... doing at... Ry- ryu- ryujin? Shikoba shuffled in her spot a bit, opening her eyes to look towards the other female. she parted her dark lips to speak.

"home," she said as if it was a weak whisper. "Shikoba look for home." Ever since she left to find Pippin who disappeared from the Keep, she had lost her way and wanted to go home and see what was happening there and pay her respects to the spirits of her family. Because she left, she had to leave behind her pack and had lost sight of where they were. Mordecai's and Harlyn's scents were long gone, along with the keep itself. She had nowhere to go, therefore she needed to find somewhere to stay. Somewhere that she could call family once again.

she licked her lips, carefully thinking of her broad words to say to this female to better her chances of being accepted. "shikoba fight, protect family. shikoba hunt, feed all."  Though her verbiage was limited, she believed it said enough. Shikoba was a well-trained mercenary and an excellent hunter, though she lacked knowledge in hunting and nature itself (except for her religious beliefs). Hopefully, she would be able to join this pack and even be able to show what skills she had.

Asterr is hanging back and observing for now. ^^ Also, put you as TBD. ♥

Beneath a cooling blanket of darkness the lair had been cast, the light of the moon hardly able to break through the ceiling. It occurred recently, she’d noticed, the unusual darkness of her home; it had always been lacking in illumination, but the new shade of night seemed a hue or two darker. Such a slight change it’d been that she’d questioned whether or not it was true at first, wondering if her eyes might have been fooling her. They hadn’t been, though, for the subtle change had been just as real as the Sun is warm. The culprit, she knew, was the falling snow that collecting atop the ground. Where it could not penetrate the cavern’s ceiling, it’d chosen to lay itself over the various small openings and block the light from shining through. The day on which it would all melt away was something that she looked forward to, wishing not to forever be concealed in the darkness.

A howl rang out, its echo being something that not a single living soul could possibly ignore. The voice’s owner was neither a name she knew nor a face she’d recognize, which had prompted her to investigate. Through the lair and out its entrance she’d gone, stopping shortly after as she stood a few meters behind her sister. Asterr would speak with the stranger eventually, but, for the time being, she’d kept herself from approaching. Instead, her ears perked up and she listened in on the words that were and would be exchanged, interested to see how Hisaya might handle the encounter.

the other spoke with broken, fragmented words, reminding her of the thickset male she had encountered many weeks ago. but she did not contain within her the dullness that the male had, the lack of that glint of intelligence. no, it seemed as if she was merely unfamilar with the common tongue, and in that there was no fault. she spoke of a home, and her search for one, which was no surprise. loners would not last long in the bitterly cold winter, and though other's might see them as a hindrance, the femme did not, as long as they pulled their weight.

the other listed her strengths, a warrior, and a hunter. a protector, a provider. her sister's approach did not go unnoticed, and she paused a moment, but when it was assumed that her sister's silence would last, did she speak once more. "Would you obey the word of your cheiftess, and do your utmost to support your tribe members?" she asked, voice gantle. So far, she had yet to find a fault in the woman, and if she was in fact a huntress her prescence here would be of great help.

it seemed like her words had value in them, for the woman let shikoba stay in her spot rather than chase her out. shikoba could feel her chances of being able to join the pack grow, making her heart almost burst with joy. she kept a straight face, though it was hard to conceal her glee. she paid attention to the other's words, carefully translating them in her head.

obey....chieftess...support...tribe members. Shikoba, slowly piecing everything together, nodded her head firmly. She knew the words of chief and tribe well, for that was how she addressed her family, a tribe over a pack. Asterr, for now, went unnoticed as the native began to form her broken up sentence. "Shikoba lived in tribe before. Know chief and chieftess rule, Shikoba... work for both and family. Protect, provide, do what must done." It hardly made sense, but she had the right idea in her head. She would provide her services to her pack, happily under the eye of the chief and chieftess. Hopefully, all this talk would lead to entrance.

Like a phantom, she made not a sound. Even her breathing was slow, relaxed and unable to produce even a wisp of fog. Had it not been for her sister’s pause, she likely would have assumed that her approach hadn’t been noticed. That brief period of silence, however, assured her that no extra steps would need to be taken to ensure that her being there was noticed—by Hisaya, at least. Given the stranger's apparent object of focus, it was presumed that she’d yet to realize that a third body had appeared. No matter, Asterr refrained from saying anything about it. Whilst the woman’s attention lied with the younger Draconid, the vessel examined her further. From her outward appearance to the way she presented herself and spoke, not a single quirk was able to slip passed the Chieftess. The chances of her being accepted had been high the moment she’d howled, for Asterr’s heart was large, but she still couldn’t help but look at her in the same way she had every past visitor.

As the response to her sister was heard, the dragoness stepped nearer to the duo. Rather than remaining in the background, she’d settled herself into the space at Hisaya’s side, who received a gentle touch to the shoulder. Thereafter, it was to the face of the outsider that she looked, a partial smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “To hear you speak of defending and providing for this tribe has left me with the inability to turn you away,” she began, conveniently leaving out how she wouldn’t have sent her off even if she hadn't said such things. The fragmented sentences in which the woman spoke prevented Asterr from pushing her to answer several more questions, for there was no point to stressing her out when the end result would be the same no matter. Stepping forward, she sought to touch her muzzle to Shikoba’s shoulder, where it would linger for no longer than a few seconds before she would pull away and say: “You may call this lair your home, and this tribe your family.”