*brushes dust off of self* It's been a while since I've written anything...
Rhodri squinted, tilting his head back to gaze up the slope of the plateau. He had been following the winding path of a river for the better part of a day and had stopped in his tracks when the scent of wolves filled his nostrils. The sun was bright, glinting off the snow, and he diverted his gaze momentarily as he weighed his options.
He was far from home; there was no sense in turning back now. It was with his parents' blessings that he had left, and though he missed them terribly, he couldn't help but feel proud. He had made it this far on his own, and who knew what surprises life had in store for him now.
The pale-coated youth lowered his nose to the ground, inhaling deeply and sifting through the unfamiliar scents. There were two that were stronger than the others -- a male and a female -- and he assumed that these were the Alphas of whatever pack lived here. He hesitated for only a moment before throwing his head back and releasing a short, respectful howl; he did his best to ignore the nervous churning of his stomach.
Now that they were mates, Peregrine shadowed Hawkeye more than ever. Although part of this was to guard her from other suitors—for he knew that other males may not acknowledge their exclusivity, especially when she went into season—he did it for another important reason as well. He'd never been an Alpha before and though he felt confident that he would fit well into the role beside Hawkeye, he knew there was much to learn from her. He needed to discover and emulate her leadership style.
An opportunity presented itself when an unfamiliar voice called at the borders. Leaving his leading lady to her own devices, Peregrine hastily trotted to the plateau's edge to receive the stranger. This was his chance to take what he'd learned thus far and mimic his mate's behaviors as best as he could. He also intended to let his own personal style shine through, of course; though he was happy to think of himself as the secondary Alpha and defer to Hawkeye, he was still an Alpha.
He presented himself as such when he loped down the towpath and approached the unfamiliar male. He raised his head and tail and puffed out his chest, making himself appear large and commandeering. His dusky blue-green eyes scrutinized his "guest," who was a yearling male, by the looks of it. He had golden and cream fur and bright yellow eyes. Although Peregrine didn't say anything aloud, he mentally grumbled about yet another male seeking entry into the ranks. But maybe he was here for another reason.
The only way to find out was to ask: "What is it you want, stranger?" His voice came out gruffly. Even before he'd been an Alpha, Peregrine had been extremely territorial, treating the borders as sacrosanct. If this stranger didn't want to join, Peregrine would see him off, post-haste.
It didn't take long for someone to respond to Rhodri's call. The yearling had turned, allowing his bright eyes to survey the rolling landscape beyond the plateau. When he heard the soft crunching of paws on snow, he pivoted to face his greeter, quickly making the appropriate adjustments to his posture. His legs bent at the joints, lowering his tall frame, and he whisked his tail close to his hindquarters. He tucked his chin in towards his chest and, after sneaking a quick glance at the other wolf, averted his gaze.
The male was large and imposing, especially when he drew himself up to his full height. Rhodri didn't allow himself to note the color of the wolf's eyes, but his impressive body was a smudge of charcoal in the corner of his vision. One ear swiveled as the Alpha spoke, his words clipped and to the point, and the Ostrega wasted no time in responding. "Hello, sir. My name is Rhodri Ostrega. I've been traveling for a short time and have just come across your borders...I'd like to know more about your pack, if possible," he said, studiously scrutinizing the crystallized snow at the male's paws.
The swarthy leader's ear twitched when the yearling responded both promptly and succinctly, after dropping into a properly submissive posture. The question, while neither unreasonable nor rude, made Peregrine's eyes narrow almost dubiously. Was this a common question Alphas fielded at their borders? He wondered what the hell Hawkeye would say in response to such an ambiguous, open-ended inquiry...
"We are a typical wolf pack, numbering at just about a dozen members currently," Peregrine replied at length. Was there anything extraordinary about the plateau? While he loved it here, he didn't think there was anything particularly notable to include. "There are already many males here," he decided to add, nostrils flaring, "though you'd be in the minority, color-wise, if you were to join us."
Exhaling through his nose, Peregrine paused and asked, "Is that why you're here—you're thinking of joining? Look, I'm not the world's most patient or eloquent guy and I'm not interested in trying to sell my pack to you. We don't need you. If you have some mad skills or something, we might make room... but I'm not going to stand here and make a sales pitch. And if you're not interested, well, you're gonna need to run along."
Rhodri wasn't sure exactly what sort of reception he had expected from the Alpha, but he was surprised by his blunt words. His brow furrowed ever so slightly. Having come from such an open and welcoming pack, he had simply assumed that others ruled with the same nature as his parents. Chakra and Youmi would never have said to a stranger, "we don't need you" or "you're gonna need to run along."
There was no response from the yearling for a few beats as he considered his options. Did he really want to join a pack where he felt as though he wouldn't be valued, simply because he would be adding to the male population? He was skillful, but in an average sense of the word; there was nothing particularly outstanding about Rhodri Ostrega's abilities. He was an honest and hard worker, but he doubted that would be enough for this haughty Alpha.
The boy licked his lips, then responded carefully. "I can prove myself to be an asset to your pack. I have experience in hunting as well as storing and keeping food." He thought briefly of his father, the quartermaster, who had instructed him from an early age. "I am willing to dedicate myself to the good of the pack, but if you do not think there is a place for me here, I will move on." He would never admit this out loud -- especially not to the still-nameless male -- but the possibility of rejection was a blow to his spirit. The young and naive Rhodri had many hard lessons to learn about life outside of Sterrenvuur, and this was potentially the first.
There were not many things for young Rhodri to say that might capture Peregrine's attention but, nevertheless, he managed to touch upon a subject very close to the Alpha's own heart. His dusky eyes even brightened somewhat when the yearling mentioned hunting and caching. Suddenly, Peregrine fancied himself a mentor who could take this young male under his wing and bring him up to be exactly the hunter Blacktail Deer Plateau needed him to be...
"Hold up," Peregrine said, though Rhodri hadn't actually made a move away yet. "I may have use for you after all," the Alpha replied cryptically. "Tell me more about your experiences as a hunter and quartermaster... we call these wolves Gamekeepers around here," he injected randomly. "How long have you been honing your craft? Do you think you could prove yourself, here and now?"
The Alpha's next proclamation -- that he could, perhaps, have use for Rhodri in his pack -- caused the Ostrega's head to lift in surprise. He looked to the grey male's face briefly before quickly correcting himself, instead turning his ears attentively toward him to catch his words. He was intrigued by Rhodri's quartermaster skills, though he informed the younger wolf that the job was referred to as a "gamekeeper" in his pack.
Rhodri nodded his affirmation, then began to elaborate. "My father is a quartermaster and has been for his whole life, so he started teaching me when I was young. I shadowed him for a long time, and then after I turned a year old, I started taking on more responsibility and doing it myself." He paused, feeling a bit as though he was boasting, but he needed to make sure he impressed his audience. "I'm better at catching smaller prey on my own, but I'm quick on my feet during a group hunt," he continued. As for the Alpha's final question, he confidently responded, "Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll be glad to show you my abilities."
Peregrine wouldn't show it but he found Rhodri's résumé fairly impressive. He could be making it all up, though, and the plateau simply didn't have room for unproven talent. Thusly, the Alpha male canted his head sideways and tried to think of the best way to test Rhodri's skills. There was no way in hell he'd let the young male hunt on plateau grounds, though there was plenty of open territory out there...
The swarthy male gestured for Rhodri to back up, then passed him and motioned for the yearling to follow him beyond the borders. "I'm going to shadow you," he explained as they moved away from the plateau. He looked over his shoulder, catching Rhodri's eye momentarily. "You're going to hunt up some breakfast for my mate," he elaborated, the tip of his tail flicking. "I'm going to judge you on your tracking abilities, your strategical skills and, of course, your ability to execute. Ready?"
There was a moment of silence as the older male seemed to consider his options, then he indicated via body language for Rhodri to move. The yearling took a step back, then obediently followed his potential Alpha, listening carefully as the rules of the test were explained. He bobbed his head eagerly, feeling buoyed by the challenge being laid at his feet.
He was to demonstrate his hunting skills by providing breakfast for the grey wolf's mate -- the Alpha female, Rhodri assumed. His skills would be assessed, and his admittance into the pack would be determined if he proved himself to be a valuable hunter. Rhodri's stomach twisted nervously, though at the same time, he was nearly skipping with excitement.
"I'm ready," he confirmed as they trotted away from the plateau. He judged by the lack of commanding scents that they were entering unclaimed territory. Yellow eyes scanned the surroundings as he waited for the Alpha's signal to begin, kneading the snowy ground with eager paws.
He sensed an excitement about the young male and just barely bit back an approving smile. Maintaining a stony façade, he led Rhodri well beyond the realm of the plateau and then stopped, his dusky eyes roving over the flatlands before finding their way back to the yearling's pale face.
"It's all on you now, Rhodri. I'm just your bigass shadow," he quipped dryly, then motioned for his companion to get started.
So my parents were over earlier, and my dad put on the "Smooth Jazz" Music on Demand channel and I'm still listening...and it's currently playing a song by Jim Adkins, who is the singer/guitarist for Jimmy Eat World. Apparently he has a jazz album? Hahaha...it's good writing music, actually. :)
Rhodri allowed himself to be led away from the plateau, until the musk of pack wolves was much lighter. A myriad of other scents swirled around him, and once the Alpha slowed to a halt, the youth became more focused. Peregrine's joking words -- "I'm just your bigass shadow" -- hardly registered in the young hunter's mind as he assessed the situation.
He padded a few steps away from his companion, the tip of his tail twitching. After a moment, an intriguing smell caught his attention and he froze, one forepaw suspended in midair. He briefly lowered his snout to the ground, inhaling a few sharp breaths, and then he began to trot away from Peregrine. The yearling forced himself to forget that there were a pair of blue-green eyes watching his every move; he gave in to his instinct, hoping that his skills would be enough to impress the leader.
It was a hare that he was after, and though that wasn't a particularly exotic prey animal, it was something that he was familiar with. He was confident that he could bring down a rabbit without a hitch. Quietly, he moved further from Peregrine, his small paws making the slightest shuffling sound in the snow. His body was held close to the ground, his belly slung low and his nose just inches from the crystallized powder. The scent trail led him toward a small copse of wintry trees; behind the spindly branches, a snowcapped mountain loomed in the distance. Rhodri did not pay attention to the landscape, though one ear did turn back briefly toward the plateau resident still watching him.
There was a sudden flurry of motion ahead, and the boy's muscles tightened without a second thought. His haunches coiled beneath him and he dug into the powder with his hind feet, propelling him forward at a surprising pace. There was a flash of mousy grey fur, darting from the underbrush, and in his excitement Rhodri lunged too early. His teeth closed on the hare's hindquarters, though he was only rewarded with a clump of hair between his teeth. He followed his prey with dogged persistence, however, quickly changing his course with a flash of his long legs as the hare bolted across the open plain.
He bore down on it quickly, but this time he calculated his distance carefully. In his head, he counted his strides -- three, two, one -- and then he was successful. His jaws clamped the hare's left rump, disrupting its forward motion. He was able to get a firm enough grip that he could skid to a halt -- spraying snow all around -- and give a rough shake with his head, resulting in a broken spine for his quarry. It was limp within seconds, and the panting wolf turned back towards his audience, yellow eyes seeking the Alpha's approval. It hadn't been his neatest catch, but he hoped that his determination would be impressive.
That's awesome! And welome to the pack! :)
Peregrine silently glided behind Rhodri, allowing a gap to open between them so his presence didn't disrupt the young male's hunt. Even from a distance, the Alpha kept an eye and ear on the yearling's every move, watching carefully as Rhodri located a scent, tracked it and then made chase. He followed at a lose-limbed lope, licking his chops thoughtfully and pausing when the male missed, only to catch up to his quarry again and deliver a killing blow.
Eyes fixed on the limp carcass, Peregrine trotted nearer to Rhodri, head and tail held stiffly. He quickly tugged the dead rabbit away from him, dropping it at his own swarthy paws before regarding the young male. He had proved to be an adept hunter, just like he'd said he was, and Peregrine now truly looked forward to syncing their hunting styles for the betterment of the plateau.
"Let's get back to the plateau. I hate being this far outside of the borders," Peregrine said in the next beat, plucking up the limp hare and leading Rhodri back toward the borders, then inviting him to precede him up the towpath leading to the plateau itself. If this wasn't indication enough, he dropped the kill again once they reached the head of the path and said to Rhodri, "You'll be the Sigma for now. Welcome to your new home."
Woo hoo! Thanks. :) Wrap up and have another thread soon?
The Alpha approached Rhodri quickly, and the youth willingly allowed the carcass to be taken from his slackened jaws. Peregrine dropped it into the powder at his feet with a soft plop and proclaimed that he disliked being this far from his home. Not only that, but he invited the Ostrega to accompany him back to the borders. Rhodri didn't want to get his hopes up just yet, but it seemed that Peregrine liked what he had seen.
He obediently followed the darker wolf across the flat, snowy land. Soon, they began to ascend, and there had been no indication that Rhodri should take his leave. He carefully followed the Alpha up the towpath, and when they reached the top, he was given his official rank: Sigma. He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face as he enthusiastically replied, "Thank you, sir." Had he been a wordier wolf, he might have proclaimed his allegiance and his promise to do the pack's bidding. Instead, he eagerly surveyed the territory that lay before him: his new home.
Sure thing! <3
Although seeing Rhodri's reaction to his acceptance made Peregrine want to smile too, he maintained a stoic expression as he regarded the youth. "Unless you have other talents you want to pursue, I'd like to help you train to become a Gamekeeper here," he said to the new Sigma. "Let's meet up a week from now for a training session. In the meantime, have a look around, make yourself at home and get to know your other pack mates." He indicated the sprawl of the plateau—and its many unseen inhabitants—with a sweep of his swarthy muzzle.
"And now I'm going to take this lovely prize to my lovely lady," he remarked, letting the smallest smirk show through on his dark face. "Thanks, champ." With a wave of his tail, the Alpha male grasped the dead hare in his jaws, lifted it and turned to lope away in the direction of the den he shared with Hawkeye.
Rhodri's ears perked as the Alpha offered to help him become a gamekeeper. The title sounded official, and he assumed it would be equivalent to earning a quartermaster's co-rank in Sterrenvuur. He was definitely interested, and he nodded his head eagerly in response. "That sounds great," he said, his tail stirring gently behind him as he made a mental note to meet with the leader again in a week's time.
He smiled as the charcoal male excused himself, announcing his intentions to take the carcass to feed his hungry mate. "See you later -- and thank you!" Rhodri called after him, watching as his imposing figure receded into the distance. He stood rooted to the spot for some time, taking in his surroundings, and eventually meandered further into the territory.