Wolf RPG

Another day rolled lazy across the wilderness, but the wolves within the hollow were hardly of the idle sort.  With Luke set out to visit the neighboring pack to their west and Harlyn more than likely gathering herbs somewhere, Mordecai for a change was utterly on his own.  Not that it was a bother, as he did have his moments of solitude in the winding wood.

He had been considering unearthing a cache where he had previously stored a hare from their last hunt, when a call rose up from the ambient din and grasped his attention.  Generally howls of any sort grasped at his attention, but this one held particular importance because it sought out someone of authority.  As those notes faded away, he set off towards the borders without thought for his original plans.

It took him a few minutes to get there, though that was hardly out of the ordinary.  As they lived and wove their existence into the natural pathways of the hollow, they became easier to traverse at length.  And it was there that he found her, a small sylph among the fringes of the towering trees and late summer greenery.  In his approach he pulled himself up into a more respectable stature and slowed as he drew close enough for them to speak.

His inquisitive expression said it all — she had wanted an alpha, and she had one.

All that remained was why.

(Eek! I apologize, I edited my thread to fit the POV requirements. Hopefully that is better. (: )

It did not surprise him that there were still wolves that came to their borders. They came even before they had properly settled, and he suspected that they would continue to come through the remainder of the year. Though the warmth of summer still clung tight to the world around them, it was a fleeting thing now. The nights delved into crisp air, and the earth had begun a slow decay. These were things that he did not notice readily, but would soon. A few stray leaves whisked about in the wind did not trouble him. But even Mordecai knew the warm season was ebbing away.

She stole a glance away at him and he felt the curl of his top lip; a fair display of teeth to remind her not to be overconfident. She was not a young thing by any means, younger than he that was true, but old enough to know better. And as it were, they were not a pack struggling to hold their territory or find able bodies to help them bolster their growing winter stores. But in light of that, if her story was really true, then perhaps she lacked in socialization. To need that, he found he was not overly familiar. Mordecai had never been out of company for long.

"What can you do for us?" he asked though not unkind. "What skills do you possess?" They had aspiring hunters and healers in their midst, and capable ones already. He trusted in them now to keep their borders safe, though there had little ascertaining whether or not it was more than just himself and Harlyn maintaining them now. He simply expected it of them, as they had worked so hard to hold them in the first place.

It was seeming more and more likely to him that it was true she had been on her own. Though his features relaxed as she spoke, the perception he gleaned in her uncertainty lingered. Yet in spite of whatever social awkwardness could have been perceived to be there, she did hold steadfast to the confidence in her tone. That he could tolerate, because he hoped for an honest and earnest reply. And truthfully that was what he received. An indifferent snort left him as her words dropped off, and he looked her over with mild appraisal. She spoke of being a fighter, but in her ragged state he imagined she had avoided that very thing. Her appearance alone boasted of long travel, a clear attribution to the story she had so willingly gave up.

"It would seem you have a lot to learn, as all of us must earn our keep," he began loosely. Even he had to search for the words to say — Mordecai was not naturally a leading sort, at least not by his consideration. "But any pack can make use of those who are capable of defending. It is a good quality to have, more so if you are willing to own up to it when the need arises." He paused, reminded briefly of the original seed that had been planted in him to stay for a spell within the Wilds. If not for a chance meeting with Jinx in the forests of the wilderness in the west, he supposed he would not have come to the conclusion he was considering.

"Spar with me." It was a simple instruction, though he was careful to present it as an offer. A test, if nothing else. If she were capable as a fighter, he supposed even in her trodden state she was more than able to prove it. With a wave of his tail that he would mean no harm by it, Mordecai waited to see what she would do. If she would consent to it at all; perhaps her travel-worn state was more than just an outward appearance.

As space grew between them, he instinctively prepared himself. There was a certain openness about the way he prepared himself however, as the distinction between what they were doing and what survival dictated as clear to him. He would not draw her blood intentionally and hoped the same of her. Though if it happened, it certainly happened. In their case, if it did, they were not without someone to tend to their wounds.

He studied her as she settled back onto her haunches, momentarily put off by the nonchalance that followed it. He assumed that she was preparing herself still, but was wrong when she suddenly leapt forward at him. He backed off immediately with surprise, but the collision of their bodies was still to happen; she crashed into him and he staggered, but was quick to respond by snapping after her in the ensuing chaos. It had been a long while since Mordecai had been engaged in any sort of spar, and well, the tactic she opened up with was not anticipated.

(Reading just fine! Please let me know if I do anything crazy / 'Godly' / or disrespectful :p I haven't role-played anything extremely realistic pack rank / roles wise lately so I'm a little out of shape here. Working on it. (: Also!! I apologize on the shortness of this post, I always feel bad elaborating too much as I feel as though I get carried away with battles... If that makes sense. )

The nip to his shoulder did just that, though the hiss of pain he made was mostly out of surprise. They had been keen to miss one another, but there also came a point when enough was simply enough. Even at that, Mordecai knew that he couldn't have always had the upper hand either. Sure, maybe he had put her in a tight spot but she was just as efficient at holding him at bay from making any sort of close.

Still, the space between them again was welcomed.

This time, he went on the offense. Not quite one to charge in headfirst, he skirted along the edges of their narrow sparring spot, eyes not leaving her once as he absently passed scant scenery. He shortened the gap between them by closing in a bit as he circled, though he could not readily discern where she may have had a blind spot. She was small and spry, no doubt watching him in the way that he watched her. But again, enough was enough, and he surged forward towards her left flank for a glancing blow.

( This is good! (: )

They collided once again and the moment of impact made him rethink his own tactic. She went down easy, winded, and no doubt to him that it hurt more than just a smarting smack. While it hadn't quite been in his intention to go sweeping her off of her feet, it would have seemed that had become the outcome. Yet it did not seem to slow her for long, as she went in for one more blow in return. It was a just response that lacked power behind it. It was haphazard and left him with no time to regain his own footing from their initial collision.

And just like that, in a sense, it was promptly over. With both of them down for the count, he let out a breathy laugh and climbed to his feet. "Not bad," came his voice to follow. "Sorry for the rush there. Are you all right?" The inclination came to give her own her space and he did so, offering her a fair wave of his tail as he faced her once more.

"No, no. At least nothing that won't heal," he replied. Bruises would be the worst of it, and bruises he could handle. "But I think it's safe to say that you've proven yourself, Ilya. As long as you're willing to commit, I think you would do well here." The ghost of a smile came and went across his face. She had said to be a capable warrior and he believed that. Perhaps had she not been so weary and nervous, she would have taught him a thing or two. Perhaps in time, she would.

"I'm Mordecai, by the way." And there seemed as good as any place to introduce himself. With a gesture for her to follow, he turned back towards the depths of the woodland beyond them. "How about we go find something to drink?"