He made his home on the borders of the Sleeping Dragon, away from the slopes of the massive volcano that made up their claim just as Thuringwethill had commanded when he arrived. Having finially tracked his commander down, life had slowed down dramatically. He lived on the scraps. Eli knew he was the bottom man on the pecking order of this new pack, but this wasn't particularly a problem. He had always been a follower at heart. He followed his orders without question or argument.
Despite the slow turn his life had taken, Eli tried to keep himself occupied in any way possible. He rarely slept, and during nearly all waking hours he tended to the borders as had been previously commanded. Rising in the early moring, Eli circled the territory until his legs bid him break before pushing himself for a final lap around the territory. Then, and only then, would he allow himself the mercy of sleep.
His patrol wore on and a stiffness had begun to set in to his right foreleg.
The evening sun began to sink low on the western end of the territory as light gave way to darkness. Setteling to his haunches, Eli stopped his patrol for a moment and allowed himself a short reprieve to watch the day slip away.
Lucani, a wolf ever-fascinated by the stories of others, had been intrigued by the encounter she'd witnessed between Thuringwethill and Eli, and decided to seek him out as the soonest possible opportunity. But "soonest" did not mean immediately, of course. First and foremost she had her duties as a herbalist, scouting the base of the mountain for plants, making note of them, and founding a cache.
Then she continued to help mark the territory, which was proving particular easy today, for the coldness of the ground made every blunt claw-scratch look like lavish scar. But when she caught Eli's scent on the breeze, she couldn't resist – she elegantly approached, long form politely neutral but also automatically dominant. For Thuringwethill had kicked Eli to a lowly position, and there was no doubt in Lucani's mind that she ranked higher.
She saw him through the dark. He was of an age with Lucani, but skinnier – which was saying something, as she was only recently recovering from life as a lone wolf herself. But Eli was also more muscular than her, and she was confident that, once he'd established himself as a worthy packmate, he'd cut a fine figure. Good evening, Eli
, she began. My name's Lucani
.
Shifting back and forth, Eli positioned himself comfortably on his stomach in the cold snow. Aching limbs splayed forward toward the setting sun as he allowed himself a much needed reprieve from his sprawling patrol. While his body thanked him, he knew couldn't stay long; the job had yet to be finished. In this new place, he was a man with something to prove. Proving his undying loyalty to Thuringwethill by offering his life had only been the first step, now he needed to back up his word with action.
After taking in the natural beauty of the sunset for a moment, Eli stirred to rouse himself and finish his patrol, but before he was able to lift himself from the snow-swept ground, he was joined by a familiar face. She had been the one alongside Thuringwethill. At the time, they exchanged no words, but now— the woman spoke solely to him. The common tongue eluded Eli, even though warriors had been taught from an early age, his grasp on the common language had always been primitive.
Turning his face to the other wolf, Eli dipped his head and stared at the ground in deference before repeating her name with a muttered, "Lucani."
Lucani saw nothing humiliating about submission itself — some wolves held it with more importance than others, some saw extreme submission as pitiful, and others, like Lucani, were from packs with a strict hierarchy. Displaying respect was a part of her life, whether it was natural physical submission or genuine admiration. But Eli's condition was a little different. He was an Alpha's flunky at the moment, and although Lucani was convinced that he would rise to more pride and dignity if he proved himself in time, for now he was in a bit of a sorry state.
Sit, if you'd be comfortable in doing so
, she requested politely. In turn, she herself sat, her tall form straight and casual, the tip of her tail flickering lightly around her haunches. Unless you're busy right now, I'd like to learn a little more about you.
Lucani didn't want him to feel obliged to tell his story, but she'd rather learn it through awkward means than not at all.