Wolf RPG

Pearl walked aimlessly around the woods, not sure where to start in this new pack. Everything was so different from her close-knit pack on the prairie, from the different game to the pack relations. This pack seemed like a good choice for her, but it wasn't the same. She was accepted into the pack without any problems, but she hasn't seen anyone outside of the wolf that brought her into the borders of the territory. 

She wandered around, looking up at the lush, green leaves swaying in the breeze, and the squirrels leaping from one branch to another. Suddenly, she tripped over a branch, one of many that were knocked down during the terrible storm. "Great job, Pearl, great first impression." she muttered to herself. She got up, shook herself off, and continued walking.

His patrol had left him restless before he covered even half the usual stretch of border, so he had bailed on they plan and instead attempted to track down lunch. After unsuccessfully chasing a couple rabbits and a squirrel, he was ready to throw in the towel on that as well. Luck just wasn't with him today it seemed, so grudgingly he made for one of the nearby stocks.

Before he arrived, he caught sight of Pearl and changed tactics, instead barking a soft greeting and approaching. Food could wait in favor of socializing, a habit he was easing back into now with their remaining member base. "Pearl. What's up?" He asked easily, no formality behind the question.

Pearl's head whipped around, startled by the voice of another wolf. Did he notice that she had just fell? She hoped he didn't, because that would make this conversation a lot easier. She recognized him immediately as an alpha, but his voice contained no authority or trace of formality. He looked kind of fed up with the day in general. She wondered if he would appreciate some humor, but she decided on a simple response. "Nothing much, just wondering around. You?"

Failing didn't seem an appropriate response, though amusedly he thought it might be most accurate. It had been an interesting day so far. "Much of the same." Was all he gave instead. "Tried a little hunting earlier but apparently today isn't my day." He shrugged affably, not allowing the lack of success to sour his mood. Perhaps tomorrow he'd make up for it. If a gamekeeper knew anything, it was that sometimes the winds blew unfavorably. Skill wasn't everything.

"How are you getting along?" He always asked this question, checking to ensure all was well.

"Pretty good, thanks for asking. And no, today doesn't seem that good for hunting." Pearl gave back with a smile. She wondered if that was an alright response to someone who looked like they were tired, even a little. If she knew this land better, she could suggest an area to hunt in, or even hunt with him. Her mind drifted back to her prairie homeland and the prey there. Just imagining a bigger wolf like Dante trying to catch prairie dogs and chickens, or even aiding in bringing down a bison was enough to bring a another smile to her face.

"That it doesn't."  He agreed, shaking his head.  Perhaps it was not a bad thing they had held off so long to call a pack hunt.  Wait until the winds changed for the better.

She was nonspecific as to her state here, but he supposed all that mattered was that she seemed happy.  Therefore he didn't presa for more details.  If she hadn't met the others yet it was likely she would sooner or later.

But something of worth could be gleaned from this.  Lasher's request echoed in his thoughts as he posed his next question. "What do you think of these lands? In comparison to the surrounding, that is.  I assume you saw at least some of them in your journey here?"

Pearl's ear involuntarily flicked forward as she tried to remember her journey here. She had tried to put some of it out of her mind. She started slowly, "As far as I know, most of the land I traveled was uninhabited, except for a violent pack that my brother joined. The game was fairly common, but nothing that I was used to." She chuckled to herself as she remembered when she and her brother had tried to catch a squirrel in a forest for the first time. "I came from the Great Plains originally, so it was very different from here." She didn't know why she felt the need to explain this, because normally she kept to herself.

He listened carefully as she described it. Though not what he intended, it did provide a small window into her life. He wasn't much concerned with the pasts of those who chose to make their home here, much more interested in how they carried themselves now towards the future, but nor did he ignore the tidbits he might be given.

"I have passed through there. It is a beautiful place." He was from far west and had traveled much of his life before coming here. A majority of it really, all almost due west. "If you could choose any type of land to live on, be it plain or mountain or forest, which would you pick?" Was she fond of her home, or did she prefer another place? He had been raised in mountains, but he wasn't sure he wanted to live on another again. The forests were his home now and likely would remain so for life, if not the same forest necessarily.

Pearl slightly cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out the reason for this question. It was an unexpected one, to say the least. She studied the strong, ash gray face of the alpha for a reason, but was given nothing. 

She only took a few seconds to think. "It wouldn't matter between forest and plains for me, both have their appeals, but mountains, however, are a no. I don't think it's the best place to be, with all the risks and dangers of falling rock. My place is among the green leaves and grass."

Forests and plains. He was of the same mind for the most part and glad to hear it. It was a fact that he would keep in mind when he began to explore these coming weeks. "I agree. Mountains are beautiful, but they do not seem like home to me." They have off a feeling almost as if they tolerated your presence, nothing more. As if one were a trespasser on the slopes, not meant to be there.

He did not hide the reasons behind his question out of malice, but he did not want to cause a commotion for no reason of he found no suitable place for relocation. When he had chosen a likely candidate or two, he could then present those to the pack and allow them their say. Until then he would hold his tongue and hoped that Lasher would do the same.

She nodded in response, still trying to unscramble the mystery behind this question. Did something happen here that he, or some of the other pack wanted to get away from, as she did? It didn't matter right now. She wanted to lighten the mood of this conversation. It was getting stiff. Maybe he wanted to try his luck at hunting again, or just run around? It looked like it would do him some good, as well as her. She started to wag her tail slightly. "Would you like to cast your lot in hunting again?" She cocked her head to the right.

He nodded as his tail waved lightly too, pleased at the prospect.  His luck had been rotten so far but there was enough daylight left to perhaps make some use of the day.  "Sure."

He didn't mind the idea of making a fool of himself in front of her should his bad luck proceed either. Though the gamekeeper title was one he held, it was one he had taken more from necessity than enjoyment. Hunting was something all needed to know in order to survive, but it wasn't something he was overly gifted in. Nature had given him the size and power to be useful in a group hunt, but in solo his prey had the upper hand with speed and agility. He wouldn't be surprised if she acquitted herself much better than he. "Definitely worth a shot." Besides, this way he could get a taste of what her skills were.

(Sure, :) no problem)

She grinned in anticipation, and wagged her tail harder. Pearl bounded off into the woods, nose close to the ground. The scent of a rabbit reached her nose, and she turned back to Dante, inquiring if he smelled it too. She laughed and continued through the woods, intent on the rabbit.

She took off eagerly, the lightheartedness taking him by surprise, but pleasantly so. He followed after with a smile, his own strides slower but at least matching in exuberance. It felt good to be simply running, and soon, to be chasing as the scent of rabbit filled him.

His small competitive side led him to wish to take the rabbit first, and the notion of the fun of it took him. So he would try, and likely fail to her speed, but have a good time regardless.