Sangilak is not trespassing; she and
@Tatkret are guests at SD, as permitted by Thuringwethil. ANYONE WANNA SPREE?
Sangilak moved throughout the territory, driven to get to know it intimately. The entrance of it was well-guarded by the land itself, but the choice of residence was interesting for that reason as well. Still, she supposed that once one was beyond that, the land was safe and offered much. It would keep enemies away, she imagined. How were they to know the danger ended there? They would be wrong, of course; the danger truly ended with their last breath, with the fangs of Tartok at their neck—she adjusted her course of thought. Drageda. This was the land of Thuringwethil, who had proven herself to be a hospitable host. Sangilak herself would never had permitted this, though the choice was not her own but her mothers. She thought on this idly; they took no prisoners, or visitors. Tartok was aligned to only itself. But she did not question herself, or her path; she was Anneriwok, and she had not yet chosen, had she?
Herself, Thuringwethil, and Tatkret had hunted prior to their arrival, and Sangilak had allowed herself to be a glutton and take a truly restorative rest the night before. Upon rousing, she began to climb the land ahead, wondering if this were the pack the tawny wolf had mentioned to her upon the other Peak. The higher she climbed, the more at home she felt as the temperatures began to lower some.
Writing this on my phone, so forgive any mistakes. I just wanted to snag this before anyone else! :)
The fact that Sleeping Dragon had unrestrained guests that were to be treated temporarily as ones of their own was exactly the reason Warbone was dissatisfied with Thuringwethil's command. She was naive in her powerful position, because even though she surely had her foreign legions and
seized the respect she felt she deserved, her choices were selfish. Her title had been bred to her, rather than the other way around, so she did not properly consider the harm of allowing such powerful wolves the gift of asylum without first pledging themselves.
He spotted one such guest now -- the boorish black female, Sangilak -- scouring the area with mapping intent. It unsettled him. Too much longer here and she would know the lay of the land as well as any of
Drageda, and should she become an enemy for any reason, then she would know things a normal assailant wouldn't. This was the very reason he believed traitors and deserters should be killed, and upon seeing the inky yearling oozing freely across his territory, he found himself losing a margin of respect for his young queen.
In the very least she should have restricted them to a binding square of their land for them to occupy. This free-roaming of lone wolves was unnatural, and even though he knew it had been decreed that they were to be treated respectfully, Warbone saw them only as the outsiders that they truly were; so when he approached Sangilak, it was with his head and tail held high, dull eyes searching hey posture for the recognition he was due as a pack wolf. If they had been able to read each other's thoughts, this might have been the foundation of an ideal and like-minded relationship, but for now the earthen Titan challenged her to dispute the hospitality she had been given.
His teeth remained sheathed, his body language dictating enough from her without a show of pure violence.
She had anticipated it would come to this. And she did not detest it, either. With a light in her eyes Sangilak lifted both her head and her tail in contest. Sangilak understood that here, she must test others and test their limits. Sangilak had hoped it would not be him she came against first, but another of Drageda, who knew their ways, their methods. Sangilak would never throw the entirety of herself at another then and there, for obvious reasons; the night before she had eaten more than her full. Sangilak was not in the shape she ought to be for this; one nights rest and a full stomach did not bode well. And yet she challenged him for another reason. If she did not best him–which she could not rightfully expect–let him understand something of her character, her nature.
Sangilak took nothing lying down.
They moved for one another and battled. It was not brief. She condemned herself for her greed just the night ago, and yet felt his skill in every move. With only a night of true rest, Sangilak held her own. Her exhaustion betrayed her; Sangilak snarled but at length relented. She was no suicidal fool; they had both said their peace. Sangilak had brought down two his age, and then another–yet it was he she, in her state, could not best this day.
She nodded to him before dipping her head, a respect for him finding its way to her. She understood that he had won–this time–but yet... Yet...
Sangilak struggled. She had never been born to or desired status; nothing had been handed to her. Even then her ambition lay dormant. Sangilak did not struggle with her loss; had she truly desired victory this day? Even still, she contemplated her wants while thinking on his skill.
His challenge was met in kind, and she was not an opponent easily bested. Bloatedness accounted for the she-wolf's eventual defeat, and Warbone was somewhat relieved when she finally relented. He was concerned that if he had needed to use any more of his strength on her, a woeful wound could have been dealt and then respect would have no longer been the subject of the fight.
He stood proud, battered and panting, as the dark yearling bowed her head. His teeth, peeled in a sick grimace, loosened slowly to hide his violent smile, and he padded forward without fear to examine the guest of Sleeping Dragon. He nosed her ruff and the area around her shoulder; gently pressing, non-provoking. And when he was satisfied, he gave a stiff snort and nudged the area of her neck, just behind her jawline, in assurance that she was safe to level herself with him. His tail waved like a banner and then sank, continuing a slow ticking against his hocks as he stood beside her, eyes watching her with his ears pressed attentively forward.
WOW I suck, we can spree this bad boy to a close!?
His gesture was rewarded with what she perceived was recommended, and she adjusted her posture accordingly. A roguish gleam in her eye suggested she was pleased by the turn of events, even though she had lost the battle this day, it was to be expected. She was no fool, but she had wished to test him regardless; know his maneuvers for when she might truly be a worthy opponent, when she suffered less from this exhaustion and her belly was not fit to burst at the seams.
She moved alongside him and nipped his shoulder, fonder of him already for the activity. Her own ears were pricked forward, but flicked as she began to stride ahead. Now that this battle had ended, she wished to patrol. Business and pleasure sometimes came hand-in-hand.
Warbone licked his chops, a comfortable expression befalling his entire body as he proceeded alongside the young she-wolf. She was a vast difference from the type he was prone too— the over-protective, coddling sort that he was— and yet he found an appreciation for her all the same. Overall he was discovering new reasons to respect women, besides his general reason that marked them the very bearer of their species' existence. In Sangilak he saw a warrior, and easily an ideal choice of companion. She did not seek chatter, nor did she need any defending. Her genes would lend to powerful children, and he would be glad to see her legacy rise in the time to come.
He did not seek to elude a private wondering of if there was some role they might play in each other's lives at a later date.