though the morning holds a soft chill to it that spring had yet to entirely chase away, the sunrise, unobscured, bathed the plains in soft orange-gold light.
arktos sates the hunger in his belly with a rabbit — not nearly enough to fill him, but enough to stave off the worst of the hunger.
there was much work to be done and he'd eat a fuller meal in a few hours after he'd made more progress marking borders and monitoring the bison herd.
and checked out the other scents he'd noted: not bison but not wolf either. if other beasts roamed the plains beyond the bison herd he was curious about them, mysterious as their scent was.
a small section of borders marked even after the sun had gone down the night before had begun the arduous and dull task of border making. it was admittedly his least favorite chore but it was crucial and he trudged along the perimeter he'd already started, refreshing it and adding to it.
She had no intentions of returning to the plains. They stretched too far for her liking, too open - creating a vulnerable feeling within the young wolfess who'd known nothing but her father's forest.
Vaermina had swiftly gotten over the way she'd offended the horse who'd chased her, knowing that it was nature's way. Though she'd had no desire of worrying the herbivores that made their home on the fields, she understood there need to assert themselves.
They all simply wanted to live.
She lurked, and noted with curiosity how an unfamiliar male moved along the territory edge with purpose. Vaermina settled her hindquarters atop the large boulder from which she'd been surveying the land, and waited for him to notice her.
arktos doesn't see her; at least not right away. the shadow pelages woman was subconsciously brushed off as a figment of his imagination caught out of the corner of his eye.
it's only after a second look as the wrangler's mind sends up the red flag of 'hey i definitely say something!!' that he realizes it's a woman, perched upon a large boulder.
not enough of the borders had even been marked yet for him to justify being peevish about it so he carefully shoos away the instinct that urges him otherwise. instead, he lets out a low chuff, readjusting his course to bring him closer to her.
this is yellowstone's land,
he informs. rather, it would be, it was becoming. either way it was. and i am arktos.
he offers in introduction, steps slowing upon his approach.
She watched him prowl her way, a beast of impressive stature. His pelt was dense and full and his frame was powerful - a giant! In some ways he reminded Vaermina of her father, more so when at last he noticed her loitering and spoke to her in that same matter-of-fact tone.
The young spider blinked slowly, looking down on him from her rocky perch. She imagined he, an aspiring Alpha, would not like that.
Vaermina collected herself and moved, Leaping down until she felt earth beneath her paws. And I am Vaermina,
she answered in a velvet tone. Yellowstone, you say?
a moment of deliberation, choosing not to look up at her while she perched higher above him on the rock. he looks up to none and regardless of whether or not that was who arktos had been before ground zero or not, it was who he was now. which had been why he'd been so eager to leave morningside before he caused unnecessary drama. a dominant personality did not like to be stifled.
it would come out: ugly or otherwise.
only when she leaps down from the rock does arktos truly acknowledge her; moss green gaze assessing as she introduces herself.
yellowstone,
he affirms with a nod. we share these plains with herds,
bison and the tall, muscular maned creatures that he didn't have a word for. but he was not interested in hunting the horses; which seem a bit more conscious than the bison herds. we protect them so long as we share this land. we cull the bison herd of it's weak and it's sick and that meat fills our bellies and that fur warms our beds.
She had detected wolf scent when last she passed through the plains, but nothing to suggest a claim. Vaermina figured this one, Arktosos, mustve made attempts to mark territory in the short time between then and now. The young spider was intrigued; while the food source could be plentiful to a strong pack willing to hunt such big game, there was very little shelter from the elements.
The raveness regarded the territory again, lifting her slim muzzle to survey. It was much too open, but she could see opportunity here to find camaraderie and regular feasting. The newness if it made it all the more tempting, for integrating with established groups could make things difficult.
She regarded the aspiring leader once more, an endearing smile tugging the edges of her mouth. I wonder if you might have room for one more?
Vaermina twitched an ear. If not, I shall move on and respect your claim.
she cuts to the quick and it is a trait found admirable by artkos who didn't like beating 'round the bush either. intentions were best stated plainly, instead of hidden behind cloying and honeyed words.
we do,
drawls the wrangler, welcoming her into yellowstone. come,
the warbear beckons. tell me of your skills.
he invites her to join him with a small gesture of his muzzle. still, there was much work to be done and arktos cannot stand to be idle.
There came a small jolt of electricity through Vaermina's paws at the ease with which Arktos accepted her. Her clearwater eyes sparkled with delight as he veered off to carry on with his duties, inviting her to join him so they may carry on learning of one another.
She moved in close, pressing shoulder and flank to his roughly and snaking herself along his side. Vaermina did so purely to align his scent with her own as not to offend any other Yellowstone wolf when their conversation came to an end.
I hunt, I scout. I am well practiced in herbology,
she told her new leader, parting from him to allow space between their frames once more; though I favour plants of a more... sinister nature.
She eyed him then, keen to gauge his opinion of the darker side of herbology.
her skills are the usual, skills of survival. at least, until she speaks of plants. and not just any old plants but plants, as she tells him, of a sinister nature.
arktos' eyebrow quirks as he looks over at her; studying her again.
it doesn't change his opinion, nor does it change his mind about accepting her.
poisons?
asks the warbear.
Vaermina nodded in confirmation. She carried many secrets from Cheydinhal - tales and teachings of the Dark Brotherhood she'd been raised among. The knowledge of deadly plants had been passed on by their elders when it became apparent that the Dark Master's daughter was not as willing to put her fangs to use as the other cubs her age. Those teachings had been a gift, meant to steer young spiderlings toward a different means of achieving their goals.
Yes,
she said in her velvet tone, the tip of her tail curling at a slender hock. Arktos did not seem disturbed by her specialty and Vaermina wanted to believe that the quirk to his brow signalled that he might be impressed by it. I know of plants that cause discomfort, others that can alter the mind. Some that will make life cease to be.
She felt almost giddy; nature is fascinating, don't you think?
arktos is quiet as she speaks of her poisons, of what some can do ranging from mild to as severe as death. though the warbear can acknowledge well enough knowing poisons from medicines was good and fine, he is a little wary of the giddiness in which she speaks of causing these ailments.
i prefer to kill with teeth,
the wrangler rumbles in a low murmur, though she hadn't necessarily asked his opinion on that particular matter. but it's a useful skill you've got.
a squint is given skyward for a moment before his gaze moves back to their path. sure, nature's real interestin'.
but his fascination lay in storms and other forces of nature as opposed to flora.
His interest was not what she perceived, it seemed, with as much enthusiasm as she'd initially thought. Arktos had accepted her skills without pressing fir more, and she figured ut would be in her best interest to settle down.
She would show him, some day, rather than boast.
Vaermina moved along at his flank, content with her decision to stay fir a time.