Wolf RPG

After a while Rickon finally picked up on a trail he recognized, following it pertly to where he thought his destination lie. He had given up on finding Perrin, though in all honesty he hadn't really tried, figuring that she would turn up if she wanted to be found. He felt guilty for it, because he knew deep down that he was giving up for selfish reasons— that he wanted a chance to do something different, to prove himself at something since he had failed so terribly back home, and at looking for his runaway sibling. He carried the weight of his disgrace on his shoulders, hoping that it wasn't noticeable, and he swallowed back his bitter emotions, as he came finally to the border of the Stone Circle.

Dark, searching olive eyes peered as far as they could past the spot he had chosen as his placehold, but the early twilight prevented him from observing much. He sniffed the air lightly, definitely detecting @Valette there on the borders, and so he howled out softly into the purpling sky, asking: "Valette?"

A shadow grew and grew until it had become a black wolf— grandstanding and protective— coming to the doorstep of claimed territory like he owned the place. Rickon was almost certain by the time the male's question was bearing down on him like a spear, that this man did own the place. "Y-Yes'sir!" the southerner cowed, dropping down to his stomach and curling his tail tightly around his hind ankle for visible security. His ears had fallen, lacing flat against his skull, and he kept his eyes downcast, setting them fiercely on the male's large, dark paws. He wasn't here to cause trouble, and he wanted to convey that more than anything. "I'm, well I'm lookin' f.. for Valette? Does she live here? Is-Is this the pack at the stone circle?"

The male dropped before him in a welcomed show of submission. This is how Steady liked it, and it pleased him instantly. Because the stranger already knew his place, there was no need for Steady to overtly show his dominance over the male, and he began to relax. He smoothed his hackles, and his ears weren't so pressed forward, though they did listen intently to the male. Steady's head tilted slightly as he wondered why he was looking for Valette, but maybe they met in her travels.

He nodded confirmation. Yes, Valette is my Beta, he replied, his voice a little more relaxed than it had been. Steady wasn't usually one to get into another's business, but he inquired anyways. Why are you looking for her? He got the distinct impression this male would probably not decline to give the Alpha the information, but Steady waited anyways.

"She offered me a home," he answered immediately in the spirit of being forthcoming. "Or, well... rather she offered to vouch for me here, if I showed up needin' a home." That was more liken to the truth, for at the time she hadn't had the true authority to accept loners into the ranks, though she obviously thought her word held some weight behind it if she thought it would sway leadership into trusting him. Though he still didn't look into the superior wolf's face, he had noticed that his stance had relaxed somewhat, which gave Rickon the cue to at least raise his ears, so he didn't continue to appear so pathetic. He was a large wolf, not being all crunched up like this, and he wanted the male to know he was able-bodied. "I'm just tryin' to prove myself somewhere, sir. I know I'll need a home before long, an' I'll work real hard to earn my keep, I will. I just ain't cracked for the bachelor life, and I'd really be mighty grateful to ya if you... if you gave a chance, sir."

Valette heard the howl, but she was not used to responding to them. Before she was Beta it wasn't really her task to talk to strangers. Welcoming them at their border or perhaps not being so welcome after all. The dark female decided to check this howl out anyhow. It wasn't like she had forgotten about Rickon but with the recent drama she was put it down her priority list. She was pretty sure that he would come to her when he was ready.

She let out an surprised woof in greeting, which was quite the contrast with Steady. She instantly moved her demeanor into a more professional one. She cleared her throat. "Steady, this is Rickon. I met him while I was waiting so long for Ezekiel to return. Technically he responded to my howls for Ezekiel. He was very smart in thinking of solutions in that moment, and he even helped me search for Ezekiel," she explained to Steady. "He was very polite and as a loner he didn't even have to help me, but he did. So in thank you for his friendly help I offered that he could come to our border. I think he would really fit here," she smiled. She hoped that now she had a higher status that Steady would consider this male.

Although Rickon couldn't fathom the word bachelor had done him any harm (considering that he didn't know it meant something different to the male before him), he did notice the change in expression, and therefore wondered what he'd said wrong. The broad-shouldered brute mentioned that there was no mating, which thoroughly sent Rickon into a mental tailspin, his eyes widening as he didn't understand where such a subject had come from. Though he was of age, he had never really thought about anyone in a sexual manner, and he certainly didn't think he was ready to be any sort of father. He could barely feed himself during the warm seasons! He could hardly expect to be able to care for any pups of his at this time.

"Well I-I, I wasn't— I mean, I didn't come to, uh—" He could feel himself crashing and burning, wondering if he would lose out on this home simply because he was a male "at that age". Thankfully, Valette arrived at that moment, and he looked up to her from his crouch with a million miles of thankfulness lit within his dim olive eyes. She pulled him up out of what he thought was a nose-dive, and after that he was accepted. But not before his newly minted leader mentioned again, that he needed to keep it in his pants. "Uh, yes.. Yes'sir!" he called after the retreating male.

"Whew," he sighed to his friend, once Easthollow's alpha had gone out of earshot. "Thanks for showin' up, Valette. I thought for a second there he was gonna chase me off 'cause I have a dick." His tail wagged, relaxing further as he realized they were alone. "Guess I'm your new packmate now, Miss Beta. Wanna show me around?"

Valette had to chuckle a bit seeing that their conversation amused her. Reckon seemed visibly startled. The girl nudged him to give him a bit of a confidence boost. "He is a good guy, really. We recently had some insubordination from a female that went out with her heat for the sole purpose to get pregnant, and when I caught her and brought her to Steady she gave him a big mouth in return. Very disrespectful. Plus Steady accepted a refugee mom with three young," Valette explained. And she didn't even know of Grayday not keeping it in his pants.

"So you are more than fine. I hope you like hunting because we will have to work hard to fill these bellies of little ones," she spoke, giving him some more pack information. She nodded in reply to the male. "Of course! I'm glad you came here." She wanted to ask him about his sister but decided that was a thing for later. She had to smile at the miss Beta part, it had only been recent but she liked the position more and more. She showed him around, where the stone circle was and the shallow dip in the land with the meadow. And part of the forest on the other side of the circle.

-end-