Maybe a potential pledge for LSG? :P
Pack building was a slow process, but at least it gave Reek something to do. Scouting for recruits was a constant distraction and exactly what Reek needed as he worked through his own personal grief. With something to work for, his mind could no longer dangerously wander. His goals were set in stone. Thankfully, he had so far hit no snags with claiming the grotto; progress was trudging along at a slow pace, but he was starting to amass a following. He needed more, of course, to be an adequate preasence in the north.
In the early morning, Reek departed the grotto and set his course toward the plains to the south. Once there, he wandered and weaved through the tall grass in the hopes of catching a likely recruit.
It was fine, the dark Beta had decided even earlier that morning. Anwyl had probably just changed his mind and left. It was probably her fault, but there was no reason to be sad about it. She didn't think she was the most handsome of all girls out there, and even though she was well-grown she just assumed that he had found someone better. She'd come to terms with the fact that he probably wasn't coming back, and was fine. They were both young and easily impressionable- she'd move on quickly. Underneath, lied a sad, confused, and worrisome young girl, but she did her best to push her emotions aside.
In an effort to free herself from such negative thoughts, Jhala walked silently out of the territory the previous day and was now merely exploring. She wasn't really sure where she was other than East of the mountain range. She'd past through the old RJ territory, and now was in some sort of valley.
Soon, she stopped. A scent swirled around her and the girl became alert. Her ears perked and her head lowered, her tail held stiffly behind her. She could just barely hear the gentle crunch of grass as someone walked through it, and turned to see a dark man making his way through it not too far off. She stood still as she watched him, unsure if she was safe.
With nose trained on the ground he tread, Reek pushed forward through the plains with purpose— eventually catching wind of a promising lead. A scent. A wolf. From here, he couldn't tell if she was pack or not, but Reek figured either way it was worth a try to pull her into the fold. His head lifted out of the tall grass that obscured his face, eyes falling on the form of a stranger.
She had noticed him first; her curious stare evident. "Hello there!" he shouted across the distance, allowing his tail to wave behind him in a friendly sway. Now, it was game time. Time to sell.
He called to her, and Jhala's ears perked with interest. She stood still, not moving towards him, but her head raised slightly. "Hey," she called back, her head tilting to the side. The girl made one small movement towards him, her warm amber eyes paying close attention to his movements. He seemed friendly enough, and once she had focused further on him she decided he must've been a pack wolf because he smelled so strongly of other wolves. She took another step forward. "Can I help you?" she then barked, her ears cupping forward to hear his response.
Her response came on the breadth of a single step. Reek took it upon himself to close the distance between them. He set off in a lope toward her, careful to keep his body language neutral and friendly. His tongue lulled from the side of his mouth and Reek dawned the mask of a smile that he had come to wear in these recruitment situations. Surprisingly, he found it easy to sweep his sadness under the rug when he needed to. He had his time to break, and would do so alone.
Now, he was focused purely on business.
"As a matter of fact, you can!" he replied to her offer to help... And so, the art of selling began. He could smell other wolves on her -- clearly, she was of pack -- but Reek was not hindered. "I'm Reek Redtail," he introduced with a friendly nod. "What's your name? What brings you to the plains?" He led with a question, hoping to draw the stranger in.
At first, Jhala was completely blindsided that she could actually help this man; shocked almost to her core that some stranger needed her help with anything. She stood stiff as he approached, but took a step or two back once he had stopped. She wasn't very old, but was no idiot. Males in her old pack often took whoever they wanted, and she was in no mood to be taken by the seemingly old man. His face was grayed and his eyes appeared to sulk back into his skull. They shined with some sort of excitement now, but Jhala couldn't tell if this was just some persona he put up- his personality didn't seem to match his face.
Then again, Jhala was often just a judgmental bitch.
"Jhala uh- just Jhala," she responded, almost throwing in some random word to precede her first. This man had two names, she didn't even know that was a thing. "I'm just exploring," she told him calmly, watching Reek with a cautious gaze. "I'm from Porcupine Ridge, a pack just up the mountains," the girl continued to explain, wondering if this would happen to be his next question. "I'm their Beta," she finished, the crushed sense of pride she held lingering for a moment in the brief twinkle of her warm gaze.
Reek's intention may have been to take (in form of recruitment), the decision he ultimately felt was up to the newly introduced Jhala. He would force no one into his fold. Desptite being desperate for members, Reek believed a strong pack simply did not and would not work that way. It was a matter of pride before anything; he wanted it to be a choice— her choice.
But as she went on with her introduction, it became more evident that Jhala would probably not choose the grotto for herself. It was not without some dissapointment that Reek said, Oh— well, nevermind. You might not be able to help me." It was obvious that she worked hard for her position, and if she meantioned it right of the bat in conversation, it obviously meant a lot to her.
Still, unlikely a recruit she may be, Reek would not give up completely. "I'm starting up a pack in the Larksong Grotto— beautiful place. We're pretty familial, but we don't really have the members to get off the ground." The implication of an offer to join lingered in the air for a moment. "I dunno if that sort of thing interests you, but we're a bunch a folks lookin to start over -- new -- away from the mistakes we've made in the past." A second chance certainly appealed to Reek; although, this was more or less his third. He hoped it struck the same chord within Jhala as it did with him.
He retracted his statement, claiming perhaps she couldn't help him. Jhala's head tilted, somewhat confused, until he continued on. Her ears perked with interest as he mentioned a new pack, her shoulders rolling as thought consumed her. "Lark song Grotto?" she repeated, watching him calmly. "Where is that?" the girl asked, finding herself placing her rump on the ground. She sat before him, her amber gaze studying his responses.
Meh, phone post.
His spirits rose when Jhala's interest seemed to be piqued. Perhaps there was more of a chance to draw this wolf into the fold than Reek had previously thought. Features lighting with a smile, Reek continued on. "
It's just north of here," he said, motioning behind him a flick of his muzzle. "
Just a quick walk that'a'way." Of course, he could take her there, but the thought didn't occur to him. If it were up to Reek, she would be returning with him as a full fledged member instead of just a visitor.
"Got it," Jhala commented plainly, staring forward as thoughts rushed through her mind. "And you were wantin' me to join you guys?" she asked, watching him for a moment before her head turned to view the mountain range. She stared at the cliffs for a few moments, her eyes studying their jagged features. She hadn't been there long, but it had become her home. Her attention turned back to Reek as she looked the man up and down. "I'm a real good mercenary, and I hunt like nobodies business," she told him, a small smirk rearranging itself on her face. "I don't have any mistakes to leave behind, but a fresh start sounds pretty damn nice."
Once more post from you should do it!
Surprisingly, conversation turned. Where Reek had thought he would be returning to the grotto alone, he found himself wrong. The stranger began to sell herself -- much like Reek had tried to sell the grotto -- by bringing up the fact that she was a mercinary and, by her own admission, a mighty fine hunter. Both were roles he needed filled in his new pack. He nodded and motioned for her follow him northward.
Perhaps the fact that Jhala was ready to abandon her position as beta of another pack should have been a red mark on Reek's image of Jhala's capacity for responsibility, but he did not consider it. "
Mhm," he hummed, turning to lead her away, toward the grotto. "
Let's go home then." Who was he to deny her a fresh start when that was all he wanted for himself?
Perhaps it should've been a red flag, but Jhala was just young and easily impressionable. Besides, hadn't Reek done the same to his own pack, in his own way? But she didn't know that.
With perked ears, Jhala nodded and moved to walk beside him, her tail wagging. She gave a last look back towards the mountains before letting out a deep breath and continuing on. Things would change.