Wolf RPG

indent The hackles on the she-wolf rose as she sniffed the air. Roia stood, weary of the scent, and contemplation contorted her features. Too long, too long had she wandered as a kerl and now the aspect of confronting a pack was daunting. Roia's red and silver pelt seemed a bit dull as light caught her form and the drappa winced a little as her newly scarred hocks pained her. Throwing up a dirty muzzle, Roia let out a long howl that rose above the trees in a haunting melody. 

indent Sighing, the drappa lay down in wait for her greeters. Irritation spread through her as she examined her legs and paws. They were filthy. Without pack members to remind her about the responsibilities of a wolf such as grooming, Roia had completely let her appearance waste away. Determined not to appear weak, the she-wolf stood and padded back along a few yards to a small pool she had passed earlier. The female's ears flipped back and her muzzle drew into a snarl of disgust. Her once proud features had withered away and looked gaunt. Silver eyes sunken, once brilliant fur appeared dull and disheveled. Stepping into the cool water, Roia sighed in relief as her hocks found the liquid and began grooming. 

crimson and moon-hued, a large woman stood ankle-deep in a pool of water just outside the plateau's borders. lasher had watched her approach and retreat downwind, standing quietly in the shadows cast by a copse of pines, their thick scent cloaking his own. she was a large creature, who despite her haggard appearance still held the indication of strength and pride. his eyes did not miss her odd colouration, nor the burn scarring that traveled 'round her hocks.

stepping from the obscuration, the beta moved to the borders, into her line of sight, tail held silently above his hips. the last would-be joiner had displayed a poor knowledge of her species' hierarchy, as well as a disrespectful tone, and thus taltos was less than tolerant of joiners.

yet his stance did not reveal an untoward irritation toward the woman, merely a firm request for submission if she wished to join dante's ranks.

indent Roia's silver gaze lifted as a figure moved about in her line of sight. Her nose twitched as it searched for his individual scent and decoded it. This male smelled of others as well as himself, a pack male she assumed. Wearily the drappa drew herself out of the water, her gaze lowered as to not make eye contact. Tucking her tail, ears laying flat, and lowering her body to the ground the she-wolf felt vulnerable. She hated feeling vulnerable. Although Roia attempted to hide her agitation, silver dusted hackles rose and her body began to quiver with adrenaline. Her eyes watched the male's paws closely, looking for any sign of aggression. Even in her weakened state, the drappa would protect herself in the event he became violent. She knew nothing of this male or his pack, logically self preservation is a wolf's most valuable instinct. Roia waited silently for the grey male to speak first.

she lowered herself, and save for the brief prickle of her pretty guard hairs, she was submissive, contrite even. "rise," lasher invited gently, buoyed by her immediate show of respect at the borders. when the woman had presumably heeded, he glanced once into her face, then to the burn-marks that licked about her hocks. "those seem in need of tending," lasher murmured. "how did you come by them?"

even if she did not wish to seek solace in the woodland, he knew that blue willow might treat her, perhaps with aloe, and he would will it, for he did not like to see creatures in pain.

indent Roia's body relaxed a little as the male boded her to rise. Silver eyes examined her greeter wearily as he spoke. The male was smaller in both body and stature, although he seemed tall for his species. His pelt reminded her of snow dusted earth and his striking eyes of thick ice. The drappa subconsciously looked back at her legs as the dragga inquired of her burns. "I was cornered by two males during a wildfire. These are minor compared to how those two look." Roia growled. Her muzzle lightened with pleasure of the memory, in a bittersweet way. Feeling a twinge of unpleasantness, the she-wolf shifted her weight. "I do not have the skills to treat them myself. Though the burns have almost healed, they still pain me." She added.

she revealed how she had come by the wounds, and he frowned, further perturbed by the image the she-wolf painted. "where was this?" he asked, relaxing his stance somewhat as the woman did not pose a threat to him. "my mate is a healer," he said softly, though he did not invite her across the borders. not yet.

a short howl was given for his mate -- a stranger is injured -- and then lasher's attentions returned to the wolfess. "is it a home you are seeking, or merely a place to rest and to heal?" he was silent then, awaiting her answer and the arrival of @Blue Willow.

indent The drappa's eyes flashed with sorrow as she thought of days long past and her journey as a kerl. As if in recoil to her own weakness, Roia's body drew up straight and proud. Silver orbs taking on a hardened, powerful look to push back the pain. "It happened four moons ago to the far north and across the mountains." She growled. "They should have healed already but I have had to rely on small game to keep myself alive." Roia added. 

indent Instinctively, the she-wolf's hackles bristled as the male began to call for his mate. She did not like being outnumbered while in her vulnerable shape. Although, Roia did concede, the female was a much needed healer. The drappa willed herself to relax a little, but alas her body ignored these thoughts. Too long had she been alone, wounded, with no others for strength. At the dragga's mention of a home, Roia glanced at his eyes for a moment. Hunting the truth inside his gaze. "It matters not what I want, rather how hospitable your pack is. I will not stay where I am not welcome. Yes, a place to heal would be ideal.... although in the end, I am looking for a home." Roia growled.

her hackles flared, and his raised in answer, but the arrival of his mate relaxed lasher. as was her nature, blue willow greeted the stranger warmly, asking to look upon her wounds. she had brought with her a strange slime upon a leaf -- aloe, though he did not know the name -- and a smattering of other herbs. lasher waited for the newcomer to consent to the treatment -- a smearing of the clear paste upon the burns, coupled with a sprinkling of the healing herbs and a thin bandage of cobweb -- before he addressed what the woman had said.

"i find us to be hospitable indeed," he murmured, gesturing to her paws. a smile was given the willow. "if you seek a home, i wish to know what skills you can bring to us, once you have healed, of course."

indent Roia watched wearily as the drappa approached. Her coat was a stunning black that shimmered blue as she passed under rays of light. Reminiscent of Raven feathers, she thought. Striking green eyes gazed at Roia warmly and the she-wolf could not help but relax a little. The black wolf approached with a strange smelling paste and Roia slid her hind legs back for easier access. The paste stung at first but a soothing blanket took the heat away and soon her burns felt much less painful. She nodded graciously to the female. Roia agreed, they did seem very hospitable. Then again, it was not uncommon to deceive a lone wolf. The she-wolf thought hard for a few moments before answering. If they had wanted to hurt her, the most strategic way had come and gone. "I can hunt. Well. Taking the fatal bite was my specialty. I was just learning combat when..." she paused, "I had to leave my homelands." Roia growled softy.

she was fierce, but vague, and lasher was hesitant to admit her without the knowledge of what had driven her away. blue willow took up her place beside him, her presence an affable buffer to his minute coolness -- hospitable though they were, no wolf would join them without a full reckoning.

"what provoked you to depart your lands?" taltos asked quietly, carefully, though his tone requested that the weary woman dredge up that which she had not yet revealed unto him.

indent Roia looked down as the question seemed to slither around her heavy heart. "My pack was attacked some moons ago. I was lucky enough to be out hunting when the.... slaughter began. A rival pack wanted our lands and decided to take it by force." The drappa shifted her weight, agitated. "I watched in terror as my entire family was torn apart. Unable to help them. Two males picked up my scent and I ran. The same two males who cornered me in that wildfire." Wearily, the she-wolf sighed in resignation. Roia had been helpless to save her family. She had failed them.

he listened, the muscle in his jaws tensing. when the woman had finished her woeful tale, lasher glanced at blue willow, who gave a slow blink of encouragement. returning his attention to the wounded creature, lasher gave a low chuff. "i will accept you as our zeta, on one condition: your name."

with a warm glance at the wolfess, lasher stood back, beckoning that the newest member of the plateau should join her beta pair across the borders. "i will show you the nearest cache; we also have a medicine den, where your injuries will be tended until they have healed," he added, nodding to blue willow.

indent The drappa bowed her head in gratitude as she stepped forward. "My name is Roia." Instinctively she lowered herself to the ground as she neared the mated pair. Soft whines emanated from her gullet as Roia licked the male's chin and muzzle first, followed by the female.  "May I ask the names of my greeters, as well as their ranks in this territory unknown to me." She growled. The male had not mentioned any names nor rank. Roia's voice seemed distracted as her silver eyes glittered with renewed vitality.

he chuckled lightly once her gentle gestures had been accepted. "i am sorry; i quite forgot myself," he murmured, chided that he had been so ignorant in his dealings. "i am lasher, and this is blue willow, my wife. we are the plateau's beta pair."

the man was quiet then, waiting for roia to speak again, for he would tend all of her questions if so needed. blue willow would do the same, he was sure. the pair summarily took their leave of her, bidding her farewell, and surely they would meet again.