The coming autumn had brought the female back to Teekon. Far too much time had passed since her sudden departure from Seadog and the news of their disbandment was not yet known. Rana had long forgotten her reason for leaving, possibly a dream of someone she once knew or of a place she could only find while asleep. Either way, she had left the pack she'd come to enjoy and an old friend whom suffered more during the destruction of a pack far from here.
The dark wolf had followed the river for some time before breaking off where she thought the easiest path would be. It wasn't long before the air around her carried signs of pack borders. These were not here when she left the wilds, but changes were to be expected. Her first thought was to find another way. However, the presence of the pack drew her curiosity, unlike the other she'd pasted.
Well before reaching the border the female stopped and sent out a call, hoping the leaders would come to the edge of their claim instead of passing it off as a simple loner looking for another. Apon reaching her destination the unknowing loner came to a stop.
Despite his offer to Aspen to step down till the pups were there, Alder still saw himself as the King of the Royal Fire Court-and was not shy to act as such, despite his lack of a true rank right now- so when a call came from the borders, well, he went to answer it. He was a little bit more on edge with not one but two females pregnant-by him, none the less- but he was still less gruff than before the founding of his home.
Breaking through the close-knit trees and striding to the borders, Alder held his head and tail high, but cupped his ear and a half forward in curiosity. The figure was hard to see with only one working eye, but by scent he knew that it was a female, and even before he broke the trees, her black and white pelt was apparent. Closer, he could see that she was a good distance from the borders, and relaxed his posture, but gave her an expectant look coupled with a calm, low tone.
"You rang?"
Her head lowered when the male came into sight. Rana raised her head as he spoke and let silence, or at least the quiet sounds, fill the air for a moment before answering. "Yes, I did. Thought I'd introduce myself to a new pack before heading home." As she spoke the female tried to avoid looking at the missing eye. It had been awhile since seeing such a sight, and it gave her the impression that this male wasn't one to back down.
The woman said she only wanted to introduce herself, and Alder smirked. He wouldn't tell her much unless she wanted to join, but there was no harm in a lone female asking a few questions- the Court had no enemies.
"Looking for any information in particular? Im Alder-the King around here."
Technically, he'd stepped down for the next month or so-but this dark woman didn't need to know that. Only his members needed to know he was in some sort of limbo with rank, and he was sure that they would know that it wouldn't be long before he felt he'd appeased Aspen.
Rana moved her head down then back up as she made a sound to say not really. "I guess I'm just looking for for anything new that's happened. Well, and get on the good side of packs who are within a few days travel of Seadog." She had no problems with openly announcing the name of a pack she use to be a part of. The female gave a friendly smile. "Oh, and I'm Rana. Sorry, almost forgot to give you my name."
The dark woman didn't seem to care much, and a snort fell from Alders nostrils. Anything new? Her next words made a little more sense-she was a Seadog, despite smelling like nothing but the Wilds. This female-Rana, so she gave her name-hadn't been around packmates in a while.
"Seadog? Little far from home, aren't you Rana? You sure don't smell like a Seadog."
Hell, she didn't even smell like she'd been near the sea in months. Even without having been up that way in months himself, he could remember the pack scents decently well.... Unfortunately neither of them would know that the Sanctuary was no more.
I'm just now realizing her past might make it hard to fit in here XD she's now left two packs before they fell apart.
Rana sighed and dropped her head.
"Not just a little, wandered too far for a small word. I lost their scent not long after leaving the border, and nothing was really calling me back." Guilt shown clearly on her face as the last words left her lips. They meant she no longer wanted to help Zephyr, and she'd gotten the impression he wouldn't leave the pack, or more accurately the alpha, who took them in.
Rana felt guilty for wandering, Alder could see it written on her face, but she also had nothing to go back for. Sure, it wasn't the best way to leave - maybe thats what Ayla had done - but the ginger patched man could for sure understand why she'd done it. With a shrug, he offered her something better:
"Why go back, then? You could live like royalty here, so long as you can be loyal and pull your weight for my pups. Get into the Inner Circle, make friends. All that."
Shooting her a charming grin, Alder awaited - The Court would always need more members, more people to protect his pups and his home. Unfortunatley, they also wanted people to stay and make their family here. If Rana couldn't do that, well, maybe he wouldn't want her here.
Eventually, he got bored of waiting - if the woman couldn't give him an answer, she didn't belong here. With a growl of warning, he motioned for her to leave. If she didn't - if she so much as argued - he would lunge and do whatever damage he could before she did leave. Hopefully, she was smart, and would simply take off now.