Overture Downs got a real good feeling something bad about to happen

@Wardruna & @Noma

Sif had stuck around after her first encounter with the northern man, interested enough in his company to remain near the borders of an established pack. The scent of strangers made her bristle every time the wind blew, but Sif was learning to shake it off with an uneasy growl whenever her nerves got the better of her. No on had bothered her thus far, and she took that as a sign that all was well and good.

She was - as she often did, these days - pacing around the outermost reaches of Easthollow's land, body quivering against the cold wind more because her anxiety demanded it than because she was actually chilled. Her nose twitched without break, and her ears swivelled toward every sound. None of them were wolf sounds, though, and she was always quick to refocus on her task.

 Waiting.

It took a few more days before Noma could really eat again. Something hadn’t been right, but she never figured it out. When Wardruna wasn’t around, she’d attempt to find a few herbs within Easthollow still accessible to ease her stomach and this morning she’d been able to eat without feeling like it’s going to come right back up.

The same day, Wardruna offers to take her outside the territory for the first time since she’s been back in Easthollow. It isn’t until recently that she’s been able to spend more time out of the den, her fur thickening up with a little muscle return. It’s hardly enough to keep her completely comfortable, the chill settling into her bones, but she keeps close to the thick-furred beast as much as she can. While she doesn’t know the real purpose for taking her out, she does eventually begin to work her way to the east. He doesn’t stay close to her, some level of trust that she won’t run (she couldn’t get far, anyway, and she’d likely only return to stone circle.

A silhouette of a wolf catches her off guard and she freezes in place as the meadow opens up before her. Noma turns over her left shoulder to see if Wardruna is anywhere close but she does not see his greyscale form. Her ears fall back against her head but she does not advance upon the female, nor does she shy away and try to hide either.

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For the first time since meeting Wardruna, another wolf came into Sif's field of vision. Much like Noma would do several long seconds later, Sif froze where she stood, ears flying back in concern at the idea of an encounter. The last one had gone well, but when faced with another unfamiliar wolf, Sif couldn't help but allow her anxiety to take over.

The girl gave an audible whine, and pressed herself a little closer to the ground, her tongue darted out to swipe at her nose and lips in instinctive submission. Don't come any closer, said her body. "Hallo," said Sif.

There was no scent to test from this far away. Sif wondered about the other girl. She'd come from Wardruna's pack. Did he know her? Had he spoken of her? There was so much that she wondered, and so little she could ask. "Du?"

The stranger’s display causes Noma to take a step back even if they aren’t all that close. Something unsettles her but she doesn’t know what it is. Maybe leaving Easthollow had been a bad idea after all and she should have resisted the invitation a little harder, maybe she isn’t read. She trembles, a mix of cold and her own anxiety, and she looks away from the stranger again to try and find any sliver of Wardruna. His absence doesn’t settle well with her, either, and she doesn’t know what to expect of the other wolf.

She speaks and Noma’s flighty green eyes land back on her, ears flicking. She uses a greeting that doesn’t sound exactly right but the next sound out of her mouth doesn’t make sense either. Noma opens her mouth a little to speak but nothing comes out. A sliver of grey catches her attention, however, and she turns from the stranger to move closer to @Wardruna.

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sleepy post is sleepy but i wanted to get this up before i fell asleep completely, lol.

Wardruna follows Noma at a distance because he’s learned that forcing her to bend to him was only causing her to break. She can eat now, though and it is promising and lightens his mood towards her; it was why he offers to take her outside of Easthollow. There is a buoyancy to his mood this day that comes and goes in days and usually stems from when he catches something, or she eats or shows him some sign that she hasn’t entirely given up on her life yet. He is mildly surprised when she accepts and the pair head out of the borders: but he hopes that she is becoming as tired of Easthollow’s hovering and interventions as he is ( though admittedly tired is a bit of an understatement in Wardruna’s case ). He leaves ample distance between Noma and himself: following her scent trail instead of keeping her in his sight. A rare sign that spoke that he can and would loosen his hold upon her.

When he finally catches up to Noma he hears the familiar dialect of Sif and Wardruna’s mood further brightens measurably. She has stayed near. There is a warmth to that knowledge. He wasn’t so sure that she would but he is pleased, nevertheless, to have his doubts erased from his mind. “Sif.” Wardruna greets her in a low, pleased rumble. He watches as Noma backtracks to him and comes to his side, as if she is afraid of Sif. Wardruna chuckles softly because it’s both somewhat amusing and somewhat ironic that now, all of the sudden, Noma wants his protection. “Noma, this is Sif. Sif this is Noma.” Wardruna introduces the two women in his lilting accent.

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Sometimes, she is adept enough at body language. It's something that had taken a lesser focus in Fen's teachings, since they were often so far removed from other wolves. The only times Fen taught of it were when they were meeting other wolves - an occurance that had been few and far between for Sif... at least until coming to this land.

She recognized few of the signals that Noma displayed, and whatever hesitance the other girl had managed to convey to Sif was quickly forgotten when the two of them spotted Wardruna. Almost as one, they moved toward him, and something about the moment of unity made Sif shiver with happiness.

Noma, the girl was introduced. Sif gave a tiny woof at the sound of her own name, acknowledging the introduction and Noma alike. "Vi er venner," she chirped, looking between the two wolves. "Friends," she clarified, a hopeful expression on her dark face.

Wardruna is actively approaching but Noma has turned around to come to him, expecting him to come along and take her back to Easthollow. This outing was a mistake and she’s ready to go back now. She opens her mouth to say something but he moves passed her, approaching the stranger. Forcing herself to slow down, she turns to see him close the distance and she takes a step, backtracking the way she’d come, but mostly in bafflement. Maybe he hadn’t seen her expression, or maybe he had other plans, but either way she does not expect for him to know the strangers name.

At first, she does not realize it. What’s a Sif? Her brows knit together as it turns into an introduction and she looks confused between the two. Wardruna spends time away from the den but she doesn’t realize how often he slips from the borders. She’s never noticed a change and he’s never mentioned it. After he exchanges their names, the other says something that doesn’t make sense—like before—but offers a single word question. Noma looks away from the greyscale male to the strangely colored wolf and back again.

“I’m cold,” she says flatly, her expression flat but focused solely on him as if the other isn’t there at all. With little room for quesiton, she turns—every expectation for him to come with her—and begins to walk away.

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Sif appears eager to make friends with Noma but a glimpse in Noma’s direction tells Wardruna that his thrall isn’t feeling it. A terse frown tugs the corners of his mouth down as Noma appears to shut down and shut out Sif entirely. His thrall’s body language is clear: she’s not having it. At least, not today, and Wardruna wonders if he has made a mistake by not telling her of Sif directly after their meeting; but he hadn’t known what to do with Sif at first. Still isn’t entirely sure. He can’t bring her to Easthollow, he knows that much. They are too invasive with Noma and adding Sif to the mix, no matter how readily she is to be with him, would only make tense matters much more hostile for him. Wardruna wants to figure out solutions to one presented issue at a time and knows that before anything can advance he first has to figure out what his plans, what his ultimate goal is. That is still yet unclear. Would Easthollow not be the way that they are with him ( nevermind that they have a right to be ) he would simply bring Sif as a recruit, another body to bolster their numbers but that will not happen. It makes him miss the Spine where these things were expected and no one looked twice at it.

His ears splay flat against his skull as Noma gives him a stare that sends a chill down his spine and announces that she’s cold before she turns and begins to walk away. Wardruna is to follow her, he knows. He draws in a deep breath and looks to Sif. “I will talk to her. We will speak later.” He promises, offering Sif a quick bump of his nose to her cheek before he follows after Noma, pressing his blind side against her body. He might have been amused by the situation if he did not worry of Noma’s ire at him; but part of him is amused nevertheless. It’s the first time he feels like a husband that has a lot of explaining to do when they get home. It is their unintentional cover story among the Easthollow wolves ( regardless of whether it works or does not work ) but it's the first time he actually feels like there's some truth to it.

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Sif looks between the two older wolves, jaws parted in confusion. There is something going on that she doesn't quite understand - undercurrents that she is not adept enough to name. But they're bad, and instantly, her body is low and tight, ears laying back in silent supplication. Has she done something? Is Wardruna mad? Noma is.

Feeling stricken, the girl hovers awkwardly in their midst, watching the exchange with wide eyes and an expression of alarm on her face. Wardruna says something to her, but she misses it entirely. An assurance? A scolding? A farewell? Before she can decide, they are both walking away, and Sif's head begins to spin so fiercely that she presses herself to the ground, an uncertain whimper passing her lips.

"Fyrirgefðu," she calls out, her voice throaty from held-in emotions. "Forgive?" She doesn't know what she's done, but she's desperate to fix it.