Wolf RPG

Around him, it was drizzling. A soft patter of rain fell lightly onto the springy soil, the scent of flowers in the air, a brief flash of blue and pink flitting through the trees and flowers. In the middle of it all stood one wolf, small and petite and looking straight ahead. 

Blue eyes the colour of steel peered into the woods, stopped only by trees that stood in their path. Behind clear borders - a good few feet away stood the figure, dark against the light droplets. It howled a long, clear note, a polite request for the leaders of whatever group lived here to answer his call, docked tail tucked low as it could go and ears folded flat on his head.

The scents of multiple wafted across his nose as he waited, a patient, calm mask laid upon his features. Slowly, the wolf blinked. 

He did not know what awaited him, but he hoped it would be good.  

The Alpha male glided around his borders. Usually, he spent his time trying to pay attention and not pine for his family when he was making circuits. Today, however, he was grateful for the distraction. There had been several temper tantrums (including one Peregrine had thrown himself) and the father was glad for a break. That left Fox and the ever helpful Eljay to deal with four very rowdy, misbehaving cubs, but Peregrine hoped to make it up to them by bringing home some fresh meat after he finished his patrol.

Perhaps the fresh meat would include a new recruit. When the howl sounded, raising softly on the rainy air, Peregrine loped in that direction. He squinted his jade eyes at the figure standing near the edge of Haunted Wood. His coloration reminded Peregrine of Nightjar and he felt a small ache in his chest. He closed the gap, head and tail held really, his manner businesslike as he drew to a stop.

"State your name and business."

Ashmedai tilted his head, squinting at the figure that grew closer. It was quite black, and it flew over the borders like they were nothing. Perhaps a high-ranking member of the phantom pack he had not yet seen? Perhaps the pack had not yet formed, and all he was smelling were the scents of wolves hoping to claim it. But the borders were strong, and that option in itself was a weak one. 

The figure stopped, closing the distance between Ashmedai and himself. He held his tail high, ears straight as if he was a leader - a King, and the male who stood opposite the black figure dipped his head, somehow managing to lower his stump of a tail even more. State your name and business.

So brisk, so curt. Still, it was a question asked and Ashmedai was not one to lie about his intentions, or risk killing himself in front of a clearly dominant (Alpha??) male. "Ashmedai, sir." The male shifted himself into a low bow, hoping that his assumptions were right and this was indeed a pack leader. "I humly request a place in your pack."

His name was Ashmedai and he humbly requested a place in Peregrine's pack. The Alpha's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. This kind of statement always intrigued him. Did this random stranger know the first thing about the caldera? If so, what did he know and why did it make him want to join? These days, the pack was smaller and more tightly-knit than ever, comprised of the Alphas, the Betas and their collective offspring. And a wild Allure.

"Why?" Peregrine wanted to know.

Guessing game going strong, Ashmedai thought to himself, as the newly christened alpha questioned him back. Why, was a good query indeed. Ashmedai had experience behind his back but majority of it was serving as a hunter in his pack, and, occasionally, a fighter when needed. Perhaps he just wanted a tight, familial unit again somewhere to belong. 

Or perhaps he just wanted to be able to work again. "I've been wandering, and I wanted to settle down, be able to live within a pack again." His eyes looked down, ears flattened against his head in a submissive gesture towards the dominant male. "I can hunt and fight." Ashmedai added, straightening his back, though he still remained in a posture of deference and respect.

The stranger's reply made sense—and Peregrine liked the sound of his skills—but it wasn't the answer the swarthy Alpha was looking for. "But why Redhawk Caldera?" he asked, brushing aside Ashmedai's other answers for now. "Is there a particular reason you stopped here? Do you know something about this pack? Or was it just the first one you came across?" Peregrine just wanted an honest answer, some sort of explanation, before even considering accepting this stranger into his ranks, around his family and his children particularly.

Ashmedai smiled slightly, though it was probably hidden by the way he was positioned in front of the Alpha. "No reason, unfortunately." He spoke, voice growing stronger to the tiniest degree. We're his chances looking up? "This was the first pack I'd found. In fact, you're the first wolf I met since I entered this area."

A small, regretful shake of his head was given, knowing that neither of those sounded very good - yet they were the completely honest reasons for his request. He could not bring himself to lie, yet he would not twist the truth even a little - if he were to make wrong one step and destroy his progress, Ashmedai could never forgive himself.

His answer didn't impress the Alpha, though Peregrine supposed he appreciated the honesty. He shifted his weight, considering what to ask next. He wasn't ready to usher Ashmedia into his ranks, just like that. He was a perfect stranger and the Alphas had four small puppies. Judging by the twinkle in Finley's eye when meeting the latest Firebirds, there would be even more pups on the horizon too. They couldn't afford to take in strangers off the street, not without vetting them pretty thoroughly first.

"You say you can hunt and fight. On a scale of one to ten—one being godawful and ten being bad ass mother fucker—how would you rate yourself for each skill? Did you pick them up in your previous pack? Packs?" There was an unspoken question there but just in case Ashmedai wasn't picking up what he was lying down, Peregrine clarified, "Have you been part of many packs in the past? Why did you leave? What are you looking for, aside from a home?"

Ashmedai dared to raise his head, just a little, mostly because he had a neck cramp but also because he wanted to be able to speak better. He moved back a few paces just to show he meant no disrespect and flattened his ears more. He was then assaulted by a barrage of questions - quite normal, he supposed though he had little to no experience in pack politics. Hunting and fighting was crucial to a pack so obviously all wolves should have that ingrained into their minds, but since Ashmedai had specialised in them both, he could safely say that on the Alpha's scale, he was around a seven. 

A small, genuine smile made his lips quirk up, and even in the rain, Ashmedai looked strangely happy. Perhaps it was because he knew he was good in those skills, dared to call himself excellent, even. It had been his passion in his younger days and experience coupled with age and power lent him his abilities. "Indeed, sir," the male agreed, a tiny twinkle gleaming in the depths of his steel blue eyes. "An eight, for hunting. I was a hunter in my old pack, sir."

"And a six for fighting. We did not see many battles, so I could only practice while sparring. I cannot accurately gauge my skill here." Was he going to be kicked out? The male's tone seemed to hinge more on the fighting part, although Ashmedai couldn't be sure if it did, or if it was merely a figment of his imagination. "I've been in only one pack, sir, and I stayed there much of my life. We dispersed and that was because there was a larger pack coming. We did not want to unnecessarily lose lives, especially when we knew that they far outnumbered us."

His voice was strong, slightly proud even if his pack seemed cowardly. For them, the first priority was the life of the pack and its wolves. Fighting would have annihilated them all, no matter how good their warriors were. Running meant that they could preserve those precious, precious lives, and perhaps one day come back into a pack again. "We could not fight - there were lives of children at stake." That too, was true. His brother's children were mere puppies - they would have died at once.

"I am looking for a place to grow stronger, somewhere I can serve with my talents, somewhere to further my skills." Daring once more to lift up his head, Ashmedai lifted his eyes up - still not meeting with the Alpha's, but at least fixated somewhere around his neck and asked in return, "What are you looking for in a recruit, if I may be so bold to ask?"

He rated himself at eight and six, respectively, and Peregrine couldn't wait to put his self-assessment to the test, particularly when it came to hunting. With this thought, he realized he intended to welcome this dude into his ranks, though there was still an inquisition to complete. Ashmedai talked a little of his previous pack, of dispersing. That would explain the lower score when it came to fighting. Peregrine could not imagine disbanding because of a threat like that. The Redhawks were not many, yet they could (they had) crush their nemeses if it came right down to it. They wouldn't let anyone run them out of house and home just on account of pups.

But he didn't remark on any of that. "If I let you into my pack, you will need to demonstrate these skills immediately. If you don't live up to the expectations you yourself have set, you're shit out of luck; I will personally chase you out." The Alpha paused, thinking briefly of Mazi and Nadie before they sank back into the morass at the back of his mind. "I want you to integrate into the pack as soon as you can but I don't want you anywhere near my family's den until I give you my express permission. Do you understand, Ashmedai? If you defy this command, I will execute you myself."

last post for me!

"I understand, sir." the smaller wolf affirmed, and stepped forward in a gesture to lick his now-Alpha's chin. Following that, the male turned his back and walked into the place he'd hopefully call home for a long, long time.

Ashmedai said he understood, then followed up this statement with a lick to the Alpha's chin. Peregrine rumbled in approval, his tail arching. But before he could react otherwise, the other wolf began to mosey past him, into the caldera. The black Alpha pivoted, leaping in front of the new recruit to cut off his path, eyes narrowing.

"Uh, where do you think you're going? You do not leave unless I dismiss you," he reprimanded in a sharp voice. "Did you learn manners in your previous pack?" Of course, he had behaved well up until now, yet Peregrine eyed him critically now. "I haven't even properly accepted you, nor given you a rank," the agitated Alpha pointed out with a lash of his tail.

"Apologies, sir" The brown wolf murmured, prostrating himself in an act of supplication. No need to mess up now, right? In truth, he'd actually never had to deal with these sorts of things, since it was not his duty to. He was slightly confused but did not let it show, preferring instead to learn, here and now. "You are not far from the truth, actually. Manners I did acquire... but I've never seen an actual joining. I'm sorry. I'll learn."

Ashmedai tilted his head, curious from his bent posture. A rank? A proper acceptance? He really needed to learn how things worked in a new land, and in a pack, even. It was embarrassing to know that the man had lived five years and still knew next to nothing about politics. Deciding to play the safe game, the man rolled over onto his back, baring his vulnerable underside to his alpha, letting his buried instincts rise to the surface and take control.

Inside him, his inner wolf smiled happily as the rain began to lighten. "Until you dismiss me, sir." He affirmed, nodding his head - and he wasn't going to get up until he was told he could, because apparently that was the behaviour expected around here.

He was temporarily tempted to renege on the whole deal, tell Ashmedai to scram. Yet Peregrine knew they could use another able body. And then the wolf prostrated himself before the Alpha, even rolling onto his back, and Peregrine knew Ashmedai had taken his reprimand seriously. He blinked slowly, then bobbed his head in both acknowledgement and appreciation. Tail still stiff, he backed off a few paces so he wasn't looming so much, then gestured for Ashmedai to right himself.

"You'll occupy the Epsilon rank. Remember what I said about integrating and minding your manners. Make a point to meet my mate, Fox, as she's your new Alpha female. Just make sure you do it away from the den," Peregrine reminded sternly. There was nothing left to say beyond that, really, so... "You're dismissed," he pronounced clearly, turning to trot back to his den himself, leaving Ashmedai to show himself around.

"Yes sir,"  Ashmedai intoned, almost as if realising that life was going to be mostly full of those statements. Affirmations of understanding, that was. Perhaps he could meet the pack later, seeing as he'd need to mix his scent in as soon as possible - but Fox?

How in the world was he supposed to meet her? The fact that she would be close to the den spoke worlds about her physical state... Probably. Perhaps she was sick, or she was pregnant, or she was simply feeling cranky - or the caldera wolves had puppies.

Puppies! Ashmedai' heart softened, reminded of his own nieces and nephews before flicking his eyes back to the Alpha. On his feet, he'd only just realised how much shorter he was than his Alpha male, and what a dangerous position he'd been in earlier. But he kept his mouth shut and warded off the intense curiosity brewing inside. He needed only the important details, and then he could find the rest on his own. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but how does Fox look like?"

But it seemed as if that was not the day Ashmedai would be getting answers, for the only thing he saw was Peregrine's retreating back, and a tail that had already waved his question away.