Fox's Glade Naive thinking.

Valette was searching for one of their deer hears. The alpha female crossed their forested border. Fox's glade's woodlands crossed over their borders after all. She hadn't seen part of their prey population for a few days and was just wondering. Perhaps, it wasn't the smartest decision. She was hyped and eager as hormones rushed through her.

She stepped over the safety of the border and felt somewhat rebellious. The dark color female quickly shrugged that feeling off. She wasn't deliberately going over the borders to seek for male companionship. She had her duties as the alpha. She was just wondering if one of their herds was hiding out in this forest. She didn't really expect loners that close to their pack border anyhow. She was certain she would be fine.

Howl trotted through the glade with a spring in his step. He had traveled a far distance over this short week and he was celebrating his victory. Not that he had an end goal, but some time to rest and maybe found some food seemed pleasing. But it seemed that something more intreging would await Howl.

A female striking similar coloration to Howl was within the glade and Howl was soon to notice her. He wasn't sure if he saw her first or if he had smelled her first. He wasn't completely sure what it was about the smell they drew him to her. He had smelled it before and taken action on it before as well, but it always intreged him more then usual. He came up to this female and greeted her "Good morning miss. How are you?" he asked.

Valette only moved meters further when someone approached her. She lifted her muzzle dominantly, along with her tail. Her scent was not something she could hide. The female snorted when the other greeted her rather civilized. Perhaps she shouldn't be thinking bad of the male. Valette, however, didn't feel like having chitchat for now.

"You are awfully close to the borders of my pack," he pointed out to the dark colored male. As friendly as he might be. Maybe it was not her scent that brought him closer, but the promise of a pack. Valette kept her posture dominant, she wanted to look like someone that should not be messed with, even though she had no clue how to fight.

Upon approach the female changed her posture and the height of her tail, protraying dominance. Howl usually disliked when the wolves he came across asserted dominance on neutral territory, but her next statement made it understandable. Especially the way she phrased it, "my pack", made Howl believe that she was the alphess of this near by pack. Lone wolves could be seen as trouble for a pack and he didn't want to be protrayed as such trouble. He nodded his head to her for a moment but then resumed his neutral stance.

"I am awfully sorry Ma'am. I did not wish to make you feel uncomfortable with my proximity to your pack. I have no interest in starting any trouble for you or those within it." He stated politely. He thought about how this might be a pack he could join, but that wasn't really his intension either. He didn't know their was a pack near by in the first place.

It seemed the male was quite calm and not out for causing trouble. He confirmed this with verbal words. "Well, if you happen to be without a pack you could young ours?," she suggested. "You seem friendly enough." Especially with the fact that she was in heat and he was not going crazy for it. Valette knew that they didn't have to behave like animals, pun intended.

They could use some new members, though it wasn't a complete disaster yet. They were a small pack now, but perfectly capable of feeding everyone and bee a happy little family. At least that was how she saw Easthollow in her eyes.

His response seemed to calm her down, enough that she considered inviting him into her pack even. 
This came as somewhat of a shock to Howl. Not that the invitation was unwanted, but it wasn't exactly wanted either. It seemed that she liked his character which made him feel good, but he wasn't sure how to go about the question. He was getting into the mode of wanting to be in a pack, but still had things he wanted to do outside of one. Knowing that he had a place to go after that would be a good thing. "That's thoughtful of you. I'll keep that in mind. I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to join a pack just yet though."

incoming one angry dad!

Ezekiel had been in a much better mood since the whole thing with Valette. He felt like they were friends again, even if they weren't technically mates. Plus he was going to be a father, the father to her children! While he still thought of Steady when he watched the stars, and he still wanted to get revenge on whoever had killed him, at least Steady's memory didn't haunt him anymore. He thought of his friend with admiration and fondness, instead of guilt and grief. Things were beginning to look up for the grey male.

He was walking along the border, doing a patrol as always, when he caught Valette's scent. His expression darkened as he realized that she'd left the territory. What was she doing? Shouldn't she be inside, where it was safe, and wasn't she going to quit the whole scouting thing for a bit? He immediately was worried that she'd been taken by some male, and so he took off from the border. He found her a bit aways in Fox's Glade, a male nearby. He saw this as confirmation of his worries, and with a snarl the brute ran to come between Val and the stranger.

Who are you? He growled, his pearly white fangs bared aggressively. His fur stood on end and his posture was as large as he could make it, he was fully hostile.

Valette was quite startled herself when Ezekiel instantly jumped between them. Her ears fell back and let out a snort in surprise. She quickly recovered though and pushed herself forward. "Zeke!," she huffed. "This wolf isn't even doing anything. We were just having a conversation!," she spoke back angrily to him.

The female then turned to the dark colored male. "Sorry about him," she spoke and did a side glance at the protective gray male. Though, deep down the female was charmed by the dominant display. She should not forget that Zeke was a warrior and trained to be one. Valette at least hoped that this wasn't going to escalate.

It seemed as though out of no where a male jumped in between this female and Howl. He had two reactions. One was to take a few steps back and assume a defensive stance to this aggressive male. His second reaction was to be conserned for the female. Her first reaction seemed to also be a defensive one and with the scent of her heat other males may choose to make rather aggressive advances towards her. Howl was about to go to the females side so it was more of a two vs. one situation but once she spoke Howl was the situation differently.

The two knew eachother and right after this male asked who Howl was, the female yelled the males name and told him to calm down. Howl has still in a defensive stance but he rose to somewhat of a normal standing position. The female was apologetic to Howl and he replied to her first, "That's all right ma'am. In your current state others may choose to be protective of you or make advances." at the end of his statement he looked at the male and said to him "Luckily as you have seen ma'am I'm not one to make unwanted advances towards females, even if they are in their almost irresistible state." he said as though he was still speaking to her but the message was to both of them.

He then want on to answer the males question. "My name is Howl, and as I explained to this lovely lady, I mean no harm to either of you. Do you have the same intention?"  he asked the male. Wondering if he would instigate a fight Howl really didn't want to have.

The other male stood in a defensive position, and as he started even the slightest bit in Valette's direction Ezekiel let a growl loose. If the male moved any closer the guardian would lunge for him, but Valette stopped him with her words. He did not tear his icy blue gaze from the stranger, but he did heed her words at least a little. His tail still held high to show that he was to dominant male in the situation, he shifted in a more normal standing position as well. He was ready to fight if the male proved to be dangerous or made any advances on Valette, but until then he would only be cautious.

Ezekiel kept his stoical expression as the other male talked, his lip quivering for moments. Even if the other male truly meant no harm, he didn't like that he was out here near his Valette. Anything could happen. When Howl, so he called himself, turned to Ezekiel and answered his question the Delta spoke in his gravelly baritone voice. I would never cause harm to Valette, but you on the other hand I would gladly dispatch if you dare lay a paw on her. So I would keep your intentions in check.

They dark male stayed polite, something she didn't really feel about Zeke. She was not sure how to react to the two, and perhaps it was better if they both dispersed. "No, you didn't. I appreciate that very much," she spoke to Howl and glanced to the side at Zeke. The female noticed that her Delta was backing off a bit, but not by much.

"Perhaps it is better if I just go back to my packlands. If your plan doesn't work out, then please do think of us," she offered with a hint of a smile. He really did remind her of Steady. Though, she needed to realize that he never would come back. Valette reached out to give Zeke a little nip on his shoulder. "Zeke, back off now. This male has done nothing wrong, and I will go back to Easthollow. So no harm is done," she spoke more firmly. She was still his alpha and she didn't want a conflict. Steady died of a silly conflict. She didn't want Zeke to suffer injuries too.

The male seemed to ease up sighly and eased his agressive stance. It seemed even more likely to Howl that these two were in the same pack or at least knew eachother, and with Howl's absence no harm would come to Valette. Zeke still uncertain about Howl's intensions continued by saying that Howl should keep doing what he was doing. 

Valette suggested that she and maybe the two of them, her and Zeke, should go back to their pack. She also mentionsed Howl's possible joining of thier pack, which Howl had previously said he would keep in mind. Howl felt a bit bad thinking that he would be the reason this female would have to leave the place he found her in. Even though it wasn't his fault really. "I thank you again for the invitation Valette and I hope to see you around. But there's no need for you to leave. After all you were here first. I don't want to be the reason your day is spoiled." he took a few steps back to let the male know through body language that he had no intension to make advances or further interaction with Valette other then maybe say goodbye.

Ezekiel was pretty relieved when Valette said she was going to go back to Easthollow. Even after all that had been said, he still didn't like Howl or anybody else around her. Anybody he didn't trust at least. And this stranger, who was oddly close to their pack who happened to run into their in heat alpha, had not won Ezekiel's trust. Valette did offer for the male to come to Easthollow sometime, and while Ezekiel wasn't thrilled about that, he also knew they needed more members. And perhaps under different circumstances, the guardian's attitude would be different.

Ezekiel felt a nip at his shoulder, and heard Valette's firm words. He heeded them, backing down and assuming a less hostile posture, though he wouldn't take his eyes from Howl until he was unable to be seen. Howl offered for Valette to stay and him to leave. Ezekiel would rather both of them leave, for Howl to go and Val come home. He said nothing though, he had to remember that these were Valette's choices.

Valette quirked up her lips for a moment. "That is okay, Howl. I don't think I will be able to find what I was looking for. And perhaps, it is smarter to just stay on my own lands until this heat is over," she explained. She didn't go out to find another male, she chose Ezekiel for a reason. "Don't worry about my day, you made it better by just behaving yourself," she spoke and then dipped her head in goodbye.

She glanced at Zeke, glad that he mellowed down a bit. The female then trotted back to their borders, only a short distance away. Perhaps it was a bit naive of her to just go over the border. But then again, why should this heat limit her from what she could do?

Valette had chosen to stay and thanked Howl for his manners. Howl still didn't see any reason to stay even if she was leaving. He nodded his head to her and watched as she bagan to trot off towards there he assumed their pack must be. Ezekiel's eyes were still on Howl and Howl's on Ezekiel. Howl didn't see any reason to harm the male, but wanted to be ready to defend himself again if the need arose. But as he began to walk away it seemed he was in the clear, so he continued on with his day.