Chosovi had traveled for quite a bit up until arriving before the Maplewood. And as it was the first pack she had come across, and she was exhausted and not at all suited for life as a lone wolf, she stopped upon the very first whiff of pack. Her tail waved meekly behind her, and she paced slowly at the borders. She did not know proper protocol, but it seemed foolish to howl at their borders. Chosovi hadn't much to contribute other than the typical skills a wolf knew... she could only promise productivity and loyalty, and hoped it was enough. Her lack of talent had never done her any favors before, but it never had to, either; she had always lived among family and they asked nothing of her but that she pull her weight.
She stopped her pacing, not wanting to seem crazed by whoever found her, and simply began walking while keeping a respectable distance away from the borders so that she could be seen.
It was the warmest day of the season so far, but gusting winds rattled the blooming branches of the maple trees and off in the distance lingered ominous clouds. Saena observed them a moment as she strolled through her domain, but her naturalist ways had long since fallen to the wayside and she no longer remembered the significance of cloud formations. She guessed at rain or sleet, but could tell nothing else. Checking the sky and walking the perimeter were both welcome distraction from the ever-winding thoughts that plagued her these days.
Of course, there was a measure of danger in being so exposed whilst quickly approaching her due date, but it wasn't something that stopped her before, and Saena would be damned to change that now. She'd made all her preparations for their arrival and all she could do was wait, and waiting within the territory was not only boring, it was haunting. There in the deepest reaches of the maple wood lingered her memories with Reek and the darker still memory of him plowing Tavi, and that was enough to force her to the fringes for now.
It was a lucky thing, for otherwise Chosovi might have passed by the forest without anyone intercepting her. As luck would have it, Saena caught the silky ripple of cream-brown through the trees that suggested a pelt, and she adjusted her course, coming quickly before the averagely-proportioned Chosovi with indecision about whether to be defensive or welcoming. "You're close to my borders," she suggested softly, and then had the good sense for once to ask, "why?" instead of making her own assumption.
She was intercepted soon by a relatively rotund wolf. But pregnancy in their species was hard to note physically; the stomach dropped, it did not round, and Chosovi did not think to look at the others belly. If the scent was telling, Chosovi behaved ignorantly; she looked at the truly pretty face of Saena and then shifted her eyes to the treeline beyond her in a sign of respect. Her whole body drooped in a show of submission, and her eyes only turned to the bobtail woman when she was spoken to again. Not once did her eyes drift to the others eyes, but kept upon her lips, or her cheek, or her forehead, indecisive as to where exactly she ought to keep them before settling for the others forehead.
I'm looking for a home,
Chosovi stated in response, ears flat atop her head. That she happened to be here she felt didn't need to be mentioned; Chosovi was mindful enough to not be rude and add on, 'this was my first stop'. In case the leader was outright crazy, she didn't tack on 'I want for this to be it'. Instead, she introduced herself. I'm Chosovi. I've been traveling for a while and am ready to settle down... not in the, have a family sort of way, but just to... be a part of another family.
And all that it entailed. Her eyes fell to the paws of Saena, waiting to hear if she had come to the wrong or right place with that desire.
There was nothing disrespectful about the way the lone wolf conducted herself and Saena noted it with approval. There were far too many foolish wolves in the world who knew nothing about their species' hierarchy. It was hard to believe they were wolves at all sometimes. Chosovi, by comparison, was a model specimen who did understand the hierarchy and seemed to know the importance of it. Saena neither had to announce she was the alpha female nor behave overly dominant for the woman to show submission, which was a welcome change for a female who ached on a daily basis and found standing tall to be a bit of a strain lately.
"What makes you want to settle here?" Saena asked, more out of interest than anything. A wolf who could show respect at the borders was already welcome to make their home in the maple wood; Saena's old ways of testing their skills before accepting them were no longer appropriate and, she noted maturely, somewhat unfair. Not all wolves who left home were masters of one craft or another, but they could be taught. It was something that, as a yearling, she had not given anyone a chance on, and it was something she regretted in hindsight. Chosovi was already welcome to join the wolves of the maple wood, with Saena holding out on that fact only so she could learn something about the larger female.
The question the other asked was one she mulled over for what she hoped was an appropriate amount of time. While she didn't specify explicitly that this was the place she wanted to settle, it had been implied. It's a lovely forest... but, I wanted to ask you a question or two first...
she didn't know if this woman before her was the alpha female for certain, but it seemed that way. The possessive way she had spoke of the forest seemed as good an indicator as any. There was a certain way to the wolf that really couldn't be explained that kept the thought there. The bobtail she bore surely meant she'd seen some shit and was tough enough to survive it, which was respectable. And then there was also the fact that the other was neither overbearing or relaxed... she'd found an in between that Chosovi herself had no idea how to exude.
I am looking to settle, like I had said. I don't now if it's here I hope to settle just yet, because I don't know much about you all... but it caught my eye. So I just wanted to see if... if you could tell me this is the sort of pack that I'd fit in well with. Just... a pack with good hearts and good intentions, I guess, is all I'm after.
Chosovi wanted to be sure she'd come to the right place; she'd do whatever it took for her family, from the moment she was integrated into the ranks. But she certainly was wary of committing to a pack that would have her go out to murder someone her second week deep. Chosovi wasn't sure if such wolves even existed, but her mother had provided her with sufficient nightmare fuel to keep in the ranks until she felt certain she could fend for her own against a wolf with that sort of nature. And if she was answered 'you've found the right place', Chosovi could go on to say, well, it's that which makes me know for certain here is where I want to settle.
She opened her mouth to thank Chosovi for the compliment, as if she had anything to do with the composition of the forest, but slowly closed it again when the lone wolf admitted to having questions. Unused to being interviewed at her own doorstep, Saena arranged herself into an attentive pose that was at once curious and a little uneasy. If she was to think on it for more than a fleeting moment, the alpha female would find merit in Chosovi's approach, but presently it threw her off her game.
The loner's ideal place seemed simple enough, and yet Saena wasn't sure if it existed or not. "I have good intentions," she said, "and I like to think my heart is good as well, but I do what I must to keep my wolves safe." They'd once marched against a pack intending to settle in the wood to the west, and she was still deliberating on the situation with Reek and his pack being within howling distance. A part of her wanted to do the same, march against them and send them out with a show of force should they prove to be a threat, but deep within there was a maturing, exhausted Saena that would sooner give up and head far, far away if it came to that. What she would actually do when the time came, even she couldn't say.
Still, Chosovi deserved to know what she was getting into, so Saena shared. "There is a pack to the north that we have a strained relationship with. My pack has been here for over half a year. They settled near and have pushed our boundaries and made demands ever since." It was likely the way of neighbouring wolf packs, a fact Saena knew little about, but that didn't make it any less ass backward to her. As the senior pack, the maple wood wolves ought to have had final say, but the strangers to the north didn't think in such a way. "And recently I sent my mate away from this pack—for infidelity—" she was sure to share, "and he has settled again near enough for his pack's howling to reach us. We are unsure yet if he intends to threaten our claim." Another dilemma, but one Saena intended to do nothing about if left alone.
"Those are the situations we deal with currently," Saena concluded. "Nothing has escalated yet and it's my desire that neither situation comes to that point. I settled here originally in search of peace and quiet and that is my continued want." But she would understand if, based on that information, Chosovi sought a pack with less drama elsewhere.
Chosovi got from the other a hell of a lot more than she bargained for, but she didn't mind. She was a good listener, and had asked for the others take. Here it was, bald-faced in front of her. The other spoke of a straying mate, which she did not so much as blink at—while she did not think she would ever be disloyal to her own mate, she wouldn't know... she had commitment issues on the relationship front, hence no desire to settle and begin her own family—but aligned herself swiftly on Saena's side. She found it odd that a newer pack was making demands of anyone... but packs could be that way. Neighbors were rarely a good thing. That the mate settled so close was a bit... well, not good sounding; Chosovi could not think of why.
After mulling it over for a few respectable minutes, Chosovi had decided. If you want me to scout around his pack, I can do that for you and see what's up. Anyway, if you'll have me, I'd be happy to join you guys in these woods.
Her tail waved lowly beneath her hocks, but she did not yet approach Saena to offer a submissive lick to the chin as she was not yet explicitly invited into the fold. After a beat, she tacked on, I like that... that you'd do what it takes to protect yours. Me, too,
though she might not be very good at it, given she wasn't an adept fighter.
Her ears pressed forward, awaiting the other's declaration that the Phoenix pack was too embroiled in conflict for her tastes. But rather than declining a place among the wolves of the maples, Chosovi offered to scout out Reek's pack. For the third time in several weeks, Saena felt relief clutch her heart with frail fingers, but it was short-lived as she shook her head and said, "I won't put you in harm's way." Spring was already tasked with finding the pack anyway. Once its location was better understood, Saena would make a decision. Until then, Chosovi was not required to do anything more than rest and become familiar with the pack.
"Thank you," said Saena after a beat. Many wolves, including her own followers, saw her as a bit intense. Generally speaking, Saena would fight for what was hers, although there was always a point where that ceased to be true. When stress overwhelmed her protectiveness, that was when Saena would fold. She had yet to reach that point in her life, but she had come incredibly close when Luke first asked her to leave the wilds with him. Since then, she found her footing again. "If there's anything I can do to make you more at home here, let me know," she said, turning to lead Chosovi into the woods. "I'm usually available," except when she wandered away, but that wasn't terribly likely anymore.
Saena declined the offer, and Chosovi didn't press it. 'Harms way' sounded ominous; she wasn't the bravest of wolves on the best of days, but regardless of that truth Chosovi did what was asked of her always. She was a stupidly loyal wolf, and her mother had appreciated and hated that both. It was nice, but it could get her killed, Deshyr would insist. Chosovi had lived a pretty peaceful life thus far... the thrills here would do her some good, make her more worldly.
She followed Saena into the wood but kept near her hip, her eyes shifting and taking in the sights around her. The forest really was pretty... Chosovi was the sort of wolf who saw real beauty and appreciated it. The Ostrega glanced to Saena; even bob-tailed, the woman was really easy on the eyes. A rare sort of pretty. One you just didn't see everywhere. In fact, she'd never met a wolf who looked like Saena.
The offer made was met with a smile. Will do. Thanks, by the way. Oh... I don't think I mentioned. My name's Chosovi. Did I mention that? I'm a lotta bit tired,
she admitted.
Saena didn't realize there had been no exchanging of names until Chosovi mentioned it. So caught up was she in sharing the news of the forest pack that she had forgotten the most basic of social graces. With a sheepish grin, the alpha female pulled her ears back apologetically and said, "Chosovi, that's a nice name. I'm Saena, this is Phoenix Maplewood." Named in honour of their former home, in a way.
She led on for a while, but the Phoenix pack didn't have a communal den, so there was really nowhere she could offer Chosovi to rest her head in terms of shelter. Not realizing this was potentially bad hosting, the female turned when they reached the heart of the woods and told her, "my den is near here. I think most of the pack probably dens near here too," but the alpha had never really gone looking for their dens. She was ordinarily a sleep outdoors kind of wolf and tended to not bother her comrades at their homes if they had them. "Feel free to rest easy in this area for now. It's the safest place around." Indeed, even other predators never made it this far into the woods before being accosted by the resident wolf pack.
Saena! That's a pretty name, too.
It fit perfectly well with the others appearance. The bow that put it all together. When Saena led her deeper into the wood, Chosovi nodded. Not wanting to stop abruptly and begin circling in place, Chosovi was content to hang around with the leader a while longer. You hungry?
Chosovi now was able to get a better look at the belly, and the aroma hinted at pregnancy. Can you hunt? How does that work? Do others hunt for you?
She'd never been pregnant herself, and her own mother honestly didn't get out much when she was pregnant. Chosovi avoided asking her those questions however, more sensitive to her mothers emotions and potential inability. Chosovi had always just assumed, and was glad to hunt for Deshyr anyway.
She snorted low in her throat, a sound between a laugh and a cough, and slung her head over her shoulder to regard Chosovi's pale brown eyes with a faint hint of a smile. "I can hunt," she says, "it's just harder than before, and takes a lot out of me." Hunting large game that could injure her in turn was out of the picture. While she was inexperienced, she didn't need to be told how dangerous that could be for her forming pups. She just knew.
"But yes, others hunt for me often," she shared, "and we have many caches hidden here. This pack has been here for... oh, many months." She hoped to make it one year, then two, and then many more. Her goal was one year, however. One year ruling the maple wood pack. Making it through the next few months would be the hardest part. She re-aligns her head with her shoulders and sniffs gingerly at the air, but there's nothing but the sweetness of sap on the breeze, a constant in the maple wood. All of the wolves of the pack smelled sweet as a result of living among sugary trees.
"Ever had sap?" she asks. Saena herself hadn't, but she considered it frequently whenever the cloying sweetness of it reached her.