Wolf RPG

This time, when her patrol in the company of the dawn finished up and her path began to curve down the mountainside, she headed towards the east into the valley there. She traipsed past the shadow of Mount Apikuni and lingered carefully in the fields there. Ahead, she knew the Creek rested, with the wetlands just north. All winter she had stayed away, almost going so far as to forget about the pack she had once been a part of when it was most convenient to her. They had never made her do otherwise, as Scimitar's leadership never conflicted with her own -- the way she preferred it to be.

It only came up now and then.. most notably, when Rain had asked outright of their history and she had revisited it in full, from the beginning to their truce. Which was what led her here today. The Spire had upheld the no hunting in their chosen territories, just as the Creek had done the same.. but the more she traveled into what should have been the very fringes of Swiftcurrent buffer zones (she knew, for once she had patrolled them), nothing even familiar caught her attention.

Made brazen by this new information, she lurked onward into what had been forbidden for so long. Soon, the sound of the creek's current made its way to her, albeit distantly, and nostalgia bit hard.

So she slowed down to a delicate meander, now proceeding with a bit of caution. Here, she could still faintly smell the Creek's pack. It was old, faded, and untended.. but there were the occasional familiar scents mingled into it, none of which spoke of disease or outright strife here. Yet, obviously, they were no longer here. She had to wonder what had happened, but it was difficult to deny that this news came with a small sense of satisfaction that was cemented as she picked her way further towards the namesake waterway.

He wasn't a fan about rising early, but something opened the male's eyes. Perhaps it was the striking glow of the dawn on this particular day, or the warm feel to the air, because Dovev was slowly lifting his neck from where it had been tucked against his shoulder. The wolf slept alone in a familiar place- the small, wooded area in the bend of the creek where the grass was particularly soft. Most of the melting snow had been shielded by the pines and left plenty of ground for the wolf to scoop a nest out of. After a moment of nipping a scratch on his back, the wolf rose from his warm spot, stretched, and walked off towards the creek.

There had been no one except him for more than a few weeks, and he was on the edge of being bothered by it. Dovev knew the consequences, the waiting, the patience that this must all come with it, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of remorse when he picked up the old scents of his former pack lingering on their favorite hangouts. Someday he might meet the future children of Scimitar and Bazi, but for now he could only send a few well-wishes towards their new home. And get used to the solitude.

Still, he patrolled his hauntings, criss-crossing the creek as he traveled in a circular radius from that particular patch of trees. He would visit old kills or track down small prey to sustain himself- nothing fancy. It was just him and a couple crows for now, walking alone the thawing landscape and quietly brooding the moon away. So it came to a surprise for him when the ebony female was spotted walking down a nearby ridge. If the Creek was still alive, there was no way this creature would venture so close, but the aromas were fading fast. He jerked his head up, ears twitching, but did nothing as she approached closer. With a chuff, the arctic hunter straightened out and cast his gaze towards her.
May I help you?

She delved further in, headlong, into the depths of the Creek territory. Admittedly, it did seem strange to have it feel so abandoned around her. When she had been this far in last time, the pack's numbers had been strong and these very same paths practically reeked of wolf activity. Now, there were only the occasional scents and old faded memories.

The dark female drew a deep breath and was greeted with the scent of the Creek, unfiltered and uncluttered by distance; it was just ahead and jogging strides took her ever closer. Once it came into sight, so did the visage of a white wolf who regarded her with a simple chuff. This slowed her, and she swung her ears his way as she neared, neutral but confident in her manner of being.

She did not recognize him when she looked him up and down -- a sizable beast, probably of northern descent, and chilly blue eyes. She peered back readily, although she was a little confused by his question. "I came to visit the Creek," she answered, then swung her muzzle in its direction. "It has been a long time." Carefully cryptic, she would give a little in hopes that he may answer her own questions. "Do you live here by yourself?" the Rikudou had to ask, for she could not scent others on him distinctly. He looked to be in good condition, but she knew the Creek could provide, even to just one wolf.

The stranger who approached seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary- assertive but not overbearing, and well-spoken in a noncombative manner. The only thing off-putting about her was her smell, because Dovev could detect the various scents of other wolves drifting from her body. It indicated she was a pack, and the male was anxious to see if this wolf was scouting for prospective territory. He shifted from one foot to another, indicating his behavior was unusually cautious.

Although her answer revealed she had been to the Creek before, Dovev had no knowledge of it. He had heard of the Sunspire and the problems that arose before he joined the Creek, but never knew of its leaders.
Yeah, for right now, he replied in response to her last question. So, you were a former member then? Dovev tried to guess at what she was implying.

His answer seemed to hint towards impermanence, but Amekaze did not pry on the matter and accepted this. When he questioned her, she nodded first. "Briefly, and.. a while ago," she replied. Her month long stay at the Creek seemed like hardly a blip on the radar of greater things looking back on it. She had been far too removed from pack life to jump right back into it full of gusto after a year of solitude. Needless to say, she had not extended much effort to integrate, and perhaps her most meaningful of bonds from that time (besides the ones she followed to the Sunspire) was to the Creek itself.

But this clued her in to guessing he knew about the pack, and possibly more than just by its scent. "I did not know the pack was no longer here," she mentioned, and held the remark of how she felt about it until she knew more about him. Her ears pricked towards him eagerly, for she was curious to see him respond. "Were you a member?" 

Ears twitching, he furrowed his eyes and looked at her. If she was a former member, then what was she doing poking around and asking questions? It was raising his suspicions further, even if Dovev had little reason to protect this territory. But he liked it, he lived here, and there was currently no room except for him.
I was. The rest of the pack moved, he explained curtly, gray eyes molding into cold, dry pebbles.
He decided to be forthright and skip all courtesy. Why are you here? Who are you? She was a trespasser in his eyes, and could only tolerate enough curious snooping before he had enough.

He answered, and she watched his stare turn to ice. A sore spot, perhaps? Amekaze was so far removed from the pack's internal politics, but she had never been close to anyone there when she'd been one of them. "Ah," she nodded, and unmoved by his lack of courtesy, she inclined her muzzle subtly as her nod slowed to a halt. "The rest of the pack? Are you the only one to stay?" she tested this, but was not sure if he'd humor her with any kind of answer.

"I am Ame, of the Sunspire," was her generous introduction. "I was scouting the region, and when there was no border to stop me, I became curious," which to her seemed reasonable. Could he blame her? She had lived in the Teekon Wilds for so long now that she knew that the Creek's presence as a pack was a fixture for many moons. And, there was something for her to gain in no longer having them as neighbors. Her free hunting territories had just expanded considerably. "So far, a worthwhile venture.." she quipped and peered at him intently; his patience was wearing thin.

With a smug smirk, she eventually took her leave to meander a path back towards the Spire. Although not without one last purposeful swish of her tail, and she would be keeping him in mind in days to come.