Wolf RPG

Upon reaching the river, Njal had crossed it where it was possible - swimming partway through it, and left frigid and wet - and then he found himself amongst some oddly hot springs. He kept away from them for the most part, investigating the marshy edge as he passed. The river was a fine one. It rushed on by with a healthy gusto, and Njal followed it carefully. His body was alert for strangers as he hiked along, but was inevitably taken in by the familiarity the water posed. He crept along the edge-stones and dipped his head for a quick drink, resting long enough to rejuvenate his travelling body, and then he moved on. As he headed north along the riverside, the pulse of the water led him closer and closer to his destination. He came upon it as evening was just settling in, which was not a good sign. The man didn't want to cause suspicion so he doubled back and nestled in a grove of trees for the night.

In the morning Njal roused himself and wandered to the river again. It took a few precious hours to fish out a couple of plump offerings, and he was off again - but, forgetting about the distance between his fishing spot and the pack, he ended up pausing to eat one of the gifts. By the time he arrived the two fish were starting to smell, and the blood from the third still tainted his muzzle. He plopped them down and began nosing around in the grass. Aided by the thin rain, he was able to clean himself up, for the most part. Without further ado the man let out a baying call which transitioned fluidly in to a friendly hello; calling for the wolf named @Peregrine which Fox had told him to seek out.

Peregrine was still grappling with the death of his niece and its impact upon his family unit. His mate now nursed four pups instead of two, the new additions so small and pale in comparison to his own children. Kisu hovered in the background, a bereft widower as well as a new father. The swarthy Alpha male didn't know how to comfort him. Hawkeye was badly shaken by her sister's passing too but Peregrine held and consoled her even as she selflessly made sure Pied's young would have a fighting chance.

This morning, he left his new, blended family asleep in the Alpha pair's den and headed out on a short patrol, mindless of the drizzling rain. He did not expect a caller, so when a howl rose up into the gunmetal gray sky, calling specifically for him, Peregrine paused. He considered ignoring it. This was a time of grief and he owed nothing to some stranger who happened to know his name.

But the opportunity for a distraction was appealing, so he loped to the borders anyway. When he reached the crest of the plateau, he paused and scrutinized the caller from a distance. Peregrine then swept down to meet him, his dusky blue-green eyes fixed on the stranger's pale face and what appeared to be a scabbed wound on top of his head. He paid very little attention to the fish directly, although he smelled them.

"This isn't a very good time," Peregrine announced as he came to a stop, just to preemptively pardon his own brevity. He did not elaborate. "Who are you and what's your business here?" he asked instead, his tone a little gruff.

The wait was minimal and Njal mentally commended the rival pack for their abilities, meanwhile watching the tree line and trying to remain as passive as possible. It was difficult for the warden to fight his instinct, and being within such close proximity did bring a sort of nervousness to him; he felt exposed here, even with a gift in tow. But such thoughts were shoved back in to the dark pit they came from, when a figure slid in to vision. It was a swarthy male, younger than himself, but with a commanding air about him; there was also something deeper, darker, which was voiced as soon as the man was within earshot of the visitor.

Njal was tempted to ask, simply to lend an ear. It did not seem appropriate.

Without further ado, the grizzled wanderer plopped the fat fish upon the soil. "I am Njal Sveijarn, a warden from Swiftcurrent Creek." He stated plainly, getting to the point so that the dark man would not have to linger here for long. "I am here to pass on the news that our previous alpha, Lethe, passed away." Njal wasn't sure what sort of connection these wolves had to the creek, but it was tasked to him to spread this news where others had failed, so he would do so. Although, regarding the Alpha who now stood before him, it seemed like a pithy bit of information in the face of whatever he was dealing with; the talk of a death did not seem to sit well between them.

"Our new leader goes by Fox. She wished for me to tell you and your pack of this, for I assume we are allies in some way." That was an awkward way to put it. Njal had never dealt with any wolves from the plateau pack; he knew little of their existence let alone their relation to his own home. He was swift to carry out his duty though, eager to stay within Fox's good graces. A pause, then. Njal watched the dark figure for some kind of clue - but he just looked tired. Heavy. As if something was sitting ill with him indeed. Despite it not being his place, Njal blurted a question - "Are you and your family doing alright?"

Sheepishly (for Njal soon realized how invasive the question could be seen) he ducked his head respectfully and drew back a step, giving Peregrine more space in case he just wanted him gone. The news had been passed on and Njal did not wish to overstay his welcome.

Peregrine = the shittiest ambassador ever.

Peregrine didn't care much for pleasantries and gift exchanges on a good day and this certainly wasn't one. He blinked at the offering of fish but did not presently acknowledge it. He knew he would take them with him whenever he left this impromptu rendezvous, as Hawkeye could use the extra protein. Especially since she's nursing twice as many pups now, the dark Alpha male thought grimly.

The male introduced himself and got to the point rather quickly. "I don't—" Peregrine began to say but he fell silent when it became evident that Njal wasn't done. His eyes glimmered darkly, impatiently, though they flickered with interest when Fox's name was mentioned. He might've smiled another day but his face remained stony.

"Fox is going to be a terrible leader," Peregrine replied when it was his turn to speak. He said it as lightly as he could, given his mood. "And we are not allies," he added. He didn't know how Hawkeye felt but he strongly opposed the mere idea of alliances. They went against lupine nature at its most granular level. "All wolf packs are natural rivals. I believe we're distant enough that it doesn't really matter, though. When you return, tell Fox—and feel free to quote verbatim—'I don't give a fuck.' She'll understand."

Njal inquired about his family and Peregrine looked at him a moment and said simply, "That's our business." He wasn't one to seek sympathy and he certainly didn't want pity. And though he wished no ill will upon Njal, Fox or their pack, he did truly believe what he'd said and he wasn't going to let his rivals know of any news that might be perceived as a weakness for the plateau.

The man was sharp-tongued and uninterested in what Njal had to say, which came as a surprise to him. More because he personally did not know what to expect. It was clear by Peregrine's language that he was either under great stress, or truly disinterested in Njal's attempts to convey information. He took it all in with a nervous silence surrounding him. The man's cursing and subsequent refusal to talk about his own family was met with a blank look. He should not have asked and the result was understandable - but still, Njal felt the rejection of the other, and made as if to leave. He stalked a few paces backward and in the process left the fish behind, with barely any glance towards the gifts he had chosen to bestow upon the cantankerous youth. "I will take your sentiments back to her." The man gruffly stated, this time with little warmth as it was clear warmth was not necessary here. With a bow of his head signalling the end of the abrupt meeting Njal began to turn away in earnest, and without further prompting he would make his way from the plateau's edge and towards the river again, perhaps to snake his way back the way he had come. He held Peregrine's response in his mind but did not reflect upon it too much; so far his attempts at being a proper outrider were not going as planned.

If Njal found Peregrine's lack of friendliness upsetting, he didn't show it. He maintained a very calm front, though he quickly began to turn and leave. The dark Alpha watched him, his eyes eventually drifting down to the fish he'd left behind. He moved forward to grasp one of them in his jaws, when an impulse overcame him and he stopped short, his head lifting again.

"Wait," he called out to Njal's retreating back. His tail flicked and he shifted his weight, though he didn't say anything else, waiting to see if the creek's spokesman would in fact wait and perhaps turn around to face him again.

Work was done. He had met with the alpha of the plateau and relayed the message, and now Njal was set on returning home to his wife. He thought of this and it brought an energy in to him which had temporarily been sapped away. He got a few steps away from the dark figure before stopping - prompted by his voice. Wait.

He took a breath, and put aside the thoughts of Tuwawi and their future. Ears fell back briefly as he dismissed her mentally, but retained a calm demeanor as he shifted around to face the man again. The look on his face was curious, but he did not speak - silently imploring Peregrine for whatever it was he wished to say.

Peregrine's words gave Njal pause and he slowly turned to face the swarthy leader again. "Thank-you for the fish," Peregrine said when sure of the other male's attention. He paused for a good three seconds before adding almost hesitantly, "I have a message you can relay to Fox. You can tell her that we've had four pups born to the plateau this week." He didn't mention Pied, nor the fact that they were from separate litters. Nobody beyond the pack needed those details. The news of pups, however, would send a message of strength and success.

He didn't have anything else to add and he doubted Njal would say much or press for details. Something else did occur to Peregrine and his black lips gave the faintest of twitches as he said, "Oh... and tell her that her rank won't make any difference; if she pisses on my borders again, she'll still be dead meat."

The first bit of news that was granted to him was pleasant, and internally Njal wondered why the man was so disgruntled. Surely the growth of the pack was worth celebrating? He allowed a smooth smile to flow across his muzzle, which faltered only when Peregrine gave him a new message to convey to Fox.

The thought that Fox would be so rude as to piss all over the plateau was... Not surprising, really. He held back a chuckle but the mirth crept to his eyes. "I will tell her." The man stated with a small nod; then, without missing a beat he added, "Congratulations. I wish good luck upon you and your own." He bowed then, stout as he was, and turned to leave once more. With a brisk stride the grizzled man moved away from the border and towards the north, intent on finding a route home.

#10 so you can use this for a co-rank if y'want. :)

"Thank-you," was Peregrine's only response, meaning it as a reply to cover everything Njal had said. His ears twisted slightly and he took a step backward as if to indicate to Njal that he really was done now and that he was free to go.

Once the outrider began to trot away, the Alpha male somehow managed to scoop up both fish—their stench clung pungently in his nostrils—and swivel around. He trotted up the slope and headed back to the den directly to present the gifts to Hawkeye. He wouldn't bother her with the news of the visit just now—she had enough on her plate—though in time he would mention the creek's tidings. As much as he didn't much care, he was aware that his mate might.

RIP Njal

Peregrine Redhawk

RIP Njal

Peregrine Redhawk

RIP Njal

Peregrine Redhawk

RIP Njal

Peregrine Redhawk

RIP Njal

Peregrine Redhawk