Wolf RPG

 
His travels were definitely interesting to him, taking scope of the lands and seeing just what was going on. The grounds were massive, this huge sort of sprawling land. It had a lot of packs too, it seemed, and Stark was unsure just what the status of all of them was. He swallowed thickly, looking down at the stream as it ran. He took a long drink, the hare he'd caught only a few moments ago at the edge of the stream. After taking his fill he stepped back and plucked the hare up again, carrying it as he walked. 

He stopped, ears perking as he heard something else up ahead. He had been careful not to get too close to the nearby pack's territory but he knew there was still a chance he might get caught - that someone might be out patrolling. He waited, the scent of the hare's blood the dominant thing he was aware of.

The birth of her son had changed everything. Or that's what she told herself. The weight of her decisions had reached some sort of conclusion with him and now, with everything settling down, Octavia had to figure out what to do next. She slept for many hours following the birth of the boy - having supped on the remains of the other child, which was something she only vaguely thought about - and the days passed by. She ate when necessary, waking and nibbling, letting the child suckle, and then drifting.

On the third day she rose, exhausted despite her sleep, and left the tiny cave where she had been living. She wedged herself through the corridor to the Crook and then, after making sure she was not watched or followed, departed from it as well. When she saw the landscape of the Keep, the absence of life all around her, Octavia expected to feel... Something. She kept walking with this in mind, but she was empty.

It felt good to stretch her legs. To get the blood flowing, and to feel the wind upon her body. She was a mess, though. The cave had been dark, and after having adjusted to the stench of everything inside of it, the fresh air was quite the contrast. As she stumbled along a western ridge, the woman thought she spotted water flowing just beyond; she loomed there for a moment, and as she turned to depart, to head back towards the pack's limits again, she saw him. A dark figure among the ruins.

There was a scent in the air he couldn't place. Not directly. He was the last of his mother's litters and he had never been around a pregnant female when she gave birth. The scent was a mixture of metallic and a sweet, almost cloying sort of scent - though he couldn't place it, blood and milk together. Stark watched her move for a moment, the look of her body a better indication of her status as new mother than anything. 

For a moment he thought she would return to her pack and her cubs but she stopped and it was clear he had been spotted. Stark paused, lowering his head in a friendly greeting with the hare still in his teeth. It was then that he took a few steps closer only to put the hare down on the ground. "You'll need this more than I will, I feel." He could hunt more. She was limited in ways he was not. He could stand some kindness, especially while he was trying to establish himself in these lands.

Her fur bristled as he drew closer, but Octavia was too tired to really do much. She remained where she was, only her eyes roving about when she spotted what he carried with him. A newcomer then? Someone fresh to the wilds — he still boasted kindness which the wilderness had not yet eradicated. Octavia looked at the man and then the rabbit, then the man, as if uncertain of everything he represented. His comment brought a small chuff out of her, and with a bemused tone to her voice, she muttered, Have you seen this place? The fact he had found anything among all this death and emptiness was special indeed.

Octavia slipped closer, still waddling with extra weight, and bent her head low to sniff at the rabbit. She did not take it but the want was there. Instead she observed him a moment longer, and then turned her attention to the wilderness which had withered in recent days. You must be new here, she murmured airily after a moment of solomn reflection.

He had come along at the right time and had been in the right place. All creatures needed to drink after all and he had just happened upon the hare stealing a drink for itself. Stark had pounced without checking for the presence of others, without seeing where he was - without any regard to the possibility of dangers to himself. Giving the female the kill seemed to correct thing to do. Her scent matched the scent of the nearby pack and it seemed logical that he give her some sort of offering for her land and her young. 

Stark gave a low chuckle, one shoulder rolling in a bit of a shrug. "My guess is its seen better days." Stark admitted. "I've just arrived. Looks like I missed all the fun though." His tone was dry, clearly nothing about what had happened to them was fun. It looked like a damn mess. Everything about the area screamed for its potential but that wouldn't be enough - not without any sort of prey to sustain them. "I'm Stark."

Hm, Stark. It sounded more like a description of the land than a name, given that nothing that grew here looked alive or anything. Octavia bowed again, this time reaching for the rabbit in order to pull it close, but when her teeth sank in to the soft fur all she could think of was her son — the one she'd eaten — and startled a little, then pulled back without it.

I'm Octavia. From uh, that way, she motioned towards the ridge from where she came, and then stepped around the dark man as if to lead him towards it. She hoped he hadn't noticed her hesitation with the rabbit, although it had been pretty obvious. The woman licked her lips and added, were you uh, looking for a place? Or just wandering. If this was the part where she was supposed to offer him a home, she was failing, as per usual. This part of being an Alpha was always so tricky to her.

While he did notice the adverse reaction to taking the hare he wasn't going to say a thing about it. No need to make things awkward, honestly. He just assumed that maybe she hadn't been around anyone for awhile - new mother, and all that - so maybe it was awhile since she'd had a proper conversation. Fortunately Stark could run his mouth enough for all of them, so, it should have been fine. "Octavia," He repeated dutifully, offering the woman a toothy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." 

At the question of if he wanted a pack or not, he wasn't sure. "Both, I guess. I've been wandering for several months but I am not opposed to the idea of joining a pack if it's a good fit." Stark could see that, and he'd rather actually end up somewhere he was happy than just settle on the off chance it was a good idea at the time. Which, given how the lands were so damn barren, it did seem like a good idea.

Well you won't find much difference between them, she warned plainly, and licked her lips. It was true though. The packs around here were all very similar, and with the destruction of the land, they'd all feel the pinch sooner or later. But I would suggest avoiding the north. The wolves that way are much more volatile. Just thinking of them brough a spike to her fur, and she stiffly began to maneuver her rotund self around Stark, ebbing towards the ridge. She was slow, giving them time to continue talking if they felt like it.

If you want... You could come home with me. Although she didn't know how Warbone would take the addition of another mouth to the pack, Tavi wasn't against luring more wolves if it meant protecting her son. Thinking of Tambourine suddenly, she let out a brief, oh shit, as if remembering the events of his birth — I have a son and I left him in a cave — and she was pivoting again, hardly graceful as she picked up her paws and began to leave him. I shouldn't be this far out -- if you want a place to rest, I'm offering. But you better be quick. She didn't have time to dilly-dally out among the wasteland (as appealing as it was).

To that Stark quirked his brow, ears turning a bit curiously. He wasn't interested in dealing with anything ridiculous with other packs and their wars. He just wanted to exist. Nothing too special. He quirked his brow at her, giving a little grin at her offer. "Really? I've been told I move quick but I didn't think it was that quick." Stark teased with a grin. But then her mood changed definitely and his first guess was her kids. 

"Wait! Ocatavia!" He'd picked up the hare she had left behind, loping a few steps to catch up with her and offer the rabbit over.  "Here, I'll....I'll let you get settled, but...I want to check around a bit more. Don't want to say I'll stay and then be gone for a week exploring, y'know? I appreciate it though." Because it was a generous offer and he might be kicking himself shortly for not accepting her graciousness. He had a feeling that whatever had been going on here, it had been that way for a bit. "I'll make sure you're alright and then be out of your hair."

Truth be told, she didn't care if he followed her or if he left to die alone somewhere. The offer would stand for as long as her patience could handle it. Fine. But be careful, she all but called over her shoulder as she made her hasty retreat, struggling to climb along the vectors of the ridge without falling sideways or otherwise lose her balance. He seemed like a capable individual at least; while she didn't ultimately trust him (or anyone in the area) she hoped that this newblood would prove himself to be something greater than what she'd already encountered. No more lies, no more secret meetings with the enemy — though that was all behind her now, back in the Larksong — only the truth, plain and simple. If he wanted a place to rest and eat he would re-appear. If he wanted to struggle and die, she would let him have that option too.

For the first time in a long while, Octavia lets out a little laughter. His comment catches in her ears and she reacts without thinking, giving a little snort, but then the reality sinks in. I didn't pick it, is all she offers him at first. After marching (or in her case waddling) for about twenty minutes of silence, she finally admits something else: I haven't been here for very long myself.

But she doesn't feel comfortable explaining further, and once again falls quiet. As she leads him towards the edge of the Keep, she wonders if he will stick around after all — it would be good to laugh again, Octavia decides — but in remembering her responsibilities, she gives a small sigh.

If it were up to me, I'd... hm, I dunno. Maybe living on the plains where everything is flat, and I can grow old and fat in peace. What a thing to desire! When had she lost that spark for adventure? Octavia didn't think beyond that, as she had found the path she had used to reach this place, and knew he could come no further without making a commitment.

With this in mind, she paused and looked over at him, almost giving him an eyebrow wiggle as if that would tempt him in to a decision. Well?

He might not have been the best fit for the Keep, but Warbone be damned - he suited her fine. Stark reminded the new mother of the person she once was, back when things were easy and fun; she thought briefly of the Maplewood and found not a smidge of bitterness when the image of her old friend Ukko popped up. When the face in her mind morphed in to Reek however, she found her laughter turned in to a hiccup, then nervously tapered off.

Hm, I guess you could be number seven, if it makes you happy, she murmured as a late response, and then stepped aside from the ominous path so that he could go first. I feel like you'd have to earn the number one spot. It wasn't like she had a number one anymore, she thought, and felt oddly embarrassed, her ears twisting back against her head.

She squinted and thought a moment, playing up the difficulty. Ehhh, no... But a second later her green eyes went wide with an oh! and as she followed after him, Octavia listed some off. Except maybe my son, he's totally an ankle-biter, which was a lie, he wasn't more than three days old and barely did anything at all, his name is... something. Oh, shit, she'd totally forgotten to give her son a name.

Tam.. bore... een... Yeah, sure, okay. That worked. But aside from uh Tambourine I guess you should know about the other Alpha. Everyone calls him Warbone. That wouldn't dissuade him, would it? An intimidating name, a hard to reach (but easily defendable) home, and then the little babe she had just plopped out? Octavia was starting to feel doubt. He's not too bad, and I'll vouch for you, so you won't lose your face or any other important bits.

Good save? She thought with a sly little grin, kinda chuckling like it was all a big joke.

It was evident she had not scared him off with her admission, so that was good. His comments made her smile and nod, which on one hand was a pretty default thing to do in a conversation (just smile and nod until its over) but as he went on to jest about himself her grin widened, and it was genuine. Very good. If you mess up then I'll probably be in just as much trouble. Which was a bit of a fib, really, as she considered her relationship with Warbone - Arkham her brain corrected for her - to be a good one. Come on then, I'll show you around.