Silvertip Mountain smart kids with too much to say.

She's outside of the borders :D

So far, Harlyn's hunt for Mordecai had been unsuccessful.  That didn't deter her at all, though - if anything, it simply spurred the Cinderloch on.  After leaving Neverwinter Forest, her intention had been to continue steering North.  The sudden scent of a wolf pack forced her to stop however.  It was odd, she didn't remember a pack inhabiting the area before, but she supposed that there was much she didn't know about the neighborhood.

It was for that reason Harlyn decided to tilt her muzzle back and sound the call, requesting a wolf from the pack to come and greet her.  She couldn't smell Mordecai's scent amongst those that hard marked the borders, but that didn't mean they wouldn't know of him or be able to tell her that he'd been around recently.

A call went up from someone from this pack to go to the borders and FitzDutiful pulled himself up from his rest. It made sense that he went to greet whomever this way. It'd give him another excuse to leave. Ironically, Raissa was just entering the den as he went - apologising as he did so. He gave quick howl to let the newcomer know he was coming and to just sit still a while.

Trotting down, he stopped for a quick drink at the stream before continuing on arriving at the borders to see a dark shaded female wolf waiting for him. He sniffed the air but couldn't make out any discernible scent. A loner, a new recruit perhaps? It hadn't been too long since Chaska had joined but he was always willing to gain new recruits. Now that winter was almost over it appeared as though quite a few of their members had only been around for the harshest of times. Jensen, Jace, Ayita, Mikael - their scents were fading more and more day by day. Fresh blood would be good.

"You called?" he queried as he approached, taking in the fiery orange eyes that contrasted against her dark face.

Harlyn didn't need to wait too long for a response to her call.  The voice that sounded across the mountain had a certain strength to it that made the female certain that it was the alpha that was coming to make her acquaintance.  Pleased at this sort of reception, she settled down onto her haunches to await his arrival.

She had just been meticulously grooming the further between her toes when the white male arrived.  She dropped her paw to the ground immediately and pulled herself onto all fours, striking her usual queenly, but neutral, respectful pose, an amiable smile gracing her muzzle as she dipped it briefly in greeting.  "Thank you for coming," she murmured, awaiting a sign from him that she fine to relax.  She did not seek a place in his pack, but Harlyn always gave respect where it was due.  "My name is Harlyn Cinderloch," she continued after a momentary pause, "I'm searching for a friend of mine, Mordecai Ostrega.  I was hoping you could tell me if he resides here?  I do not remember this pack being here when I was last in the Wilds."

It was always an interesting experience meeting a wolf on the borders. Sometimes they submitted automatically whereas others made you tell them that you were the alpha before they submitted. FitzDutiful was starting lose patience with the latter but thankful this she-wolf wasn't one of those. Accepting her submission and giving her the signs that she was free to relax, FitzDutiful awaited what she was here for.

It turned out she was searching for someone and wondered if they were in this pack. FitzDutiful searching his brain for the name but nothing came of it. "I'm FitzDutiful Silvertip. Unfortunately Mordecai isn't one of our members, I don't recall his name from anywhere either. We are a relatively new pack and decided to claim the mountain lands for our own." 

He still couldn't decide if she was just a passer-by or actually looking for a home. He assumed she had survived the worse of winter and had possibly just left a pack. Looking over her, he saw no signs of malnourishment that indicated a long life as a lone wolf. "Are you looking to find or make a home?" Sometimes the direct way was the only way to get an answer to a question.

Fitzdutiful Silvertip.  It was an interesting name, but Harlyn kept that opinion to herself as he continued to speak.  While she relaxed, her features fell with disappointment.  She cast her gaze downwards for a moment and gave a sigh, but brushed the emotion off quickly enough.  It had been a long shot after all.


The Cinderloch gave him a curious look at his question.  It was likely naive of her to be surprised that the alpha of a pack was questioning her interest in settling down, and yet there she was, startled by the question.  "Me?  Well.. yes, I am actually," Harlyn admitted after a moment, "Unfortunately, I need to find him before I can do that.  There's kind of... no home without him."  She gave him an apologetic smile with a little shrug.  He hadn't directly tried to recruit her as one of his own, but she was aware of the implications in his query.

The quizzical look startled him, though he did his best not to show it. Was that not how you went around recruiting lone wolves? In truth, he didn't know how to recruit others they usually landed on his borders because they were seeking a home. This was probably the first time that hadn't been the case.

"I understand," he said, looking her over before deciding to continue with his words, "though if you change your mind... we might be able to make space for you. You look as if you'd be pull your weight." FitzDutiful could see Harlyn striving to better herself, pursuing the trades and making herself useful to the pack. She might also make a good puppysitter. It was the first time he had ever looked upon a lone wolf and pictured how they could help the pack and the skills they might bring without knowing anything about them.

"Where have you looked for your friend?" he asked her, wondering if she had tried the pack just across the river. It made sense to considering how close she was.

Harlyn smiled humbly at his comment.  She wouldn't deny that she was a skilled, strong wolf.  She had certainly contributed greatly to every pack she'd been with, particularly since she had talent in areas that not many could boast of.  But still, while she liked this pale wolf before her, there truly was no home for her unless Mordecai was there.  And even then, she had too lofty of aspirations to remain under another wolf's rule for too long.


"Well, he and I met in a pack to the South called Ouroboros Spine a few months ago, so I headed there first," Harlyn explained, appreciative of the fact that he would be so kind as to inquire at all instead of just sending her on her way, "From there I came North through Neverwinter and was planning to continue when I discovered your home here on the mountain.  I haven't seen much of it of course, but I have to compliment your taste in landmarks."  She gave him a friendly smile.  She had always enjoyed mountains and could appreciate all of the value the land had to give.  Personally, Harlyn preferred the more secluded and withdrawn areas where the land wrapped protectively around them, but she could not deny that they did not offer the same views the high cliffs did.

Ouroboros Spine, it wasn't the first time that pack had been mentioned to him. He still hadn't met with the alpha of there or the plateau despite intending to all those months ago. It would have to wait even longer now that the puppies were on the way. He wasn't going to be leaving the mountain until the pups were born. There would be no risk that Raissa thought he was deserting her.

"Thank you," he said to her compliment. "I would offer to show you around but my mate is pregnant. I hope you understand I won't be letting anyone that isn't a member or joining us into the lands until the pups we have are old enough to take care of themselves." It wasn't strictly true. He would let Peregrine, Fox, Finley or Elwood into the pack lands, but that was it. A very, very limited number. Turning the conversation back on Harley he decided to impart another location.

"There's a pack just across the river, Blacktail Deer Plateau. They've been around for a while and might know where Mordecai is."

One more post from you should do it!  Thankoo for hanging out wif me :3

Harlyn's eyes brightened when he mentioned his mate was expecting.  She whined softly to communicate her excitement for him, but held her tongue otherwise.  She wasn't at all insulted at not being taken for a tour.  Even if he had extended the invitation, she would have declined.  As much as she appreciated the natural world and longed to see every bit of it, her priorities were elsewhere.  If the mountain did not hold her Mordecai within it, then it was of no use to her, as much as she enjoyed this pleasant conversation with the alpha.


Her ears perked at the suggestion he made, and she turned her head to peer inquisitively into the distance.  She turned back to him again after a moment.  "Thank you, I will head that way next," Harlyn replied with a grateful smile, "I appreciate your help.  I wish you and your mate all the best with your new litter."  With that, she dipped her muzzle and pulled herself up onto all fours, intent on heading off as long as FitzDutiful didn't have anything else to say.

A thank you was sent his way, and FitzDutiful nodded gratefully to her. It was nice that she offered such wishes to one that she barely new. Some wolves were so into themselves that they forgot basic common courtesies. She was heading to Blacktail Deer Plateau and he hoped that she would find her missing friend there. He had once known the pain of having one that you liked not being around you.

"If you find him and the two of you need a home, come back here." he said to her, a cheeky glean in his eye. He would look forward to inducting them into his pack if the chance ever arose. He could do with members that pulled their weight. More and more appeared to be arriving, staying a few week, and then backing off to who knows where.

He watched Harlyn leave, before returning to the inner borders of his lands.