@Kodiak!
It was getting warm. Almost too warm for her liking, though in truth coming to adjust to the climate of the Wilds was another story altogether. The Spine was thriving, wolves summoned in by their stability and perhaps even their power. She couldn't have said what it was that drew wolves to them, though a fair number of them held their ties to the span that Tartok contained. And Tonravik had been keeping herself busy because of it and fairly so, Echelon moved to do the same.
She wound through the forest of the lower basin, sticking to the somewhat even terrain with all its brooks and their watery branches that snaked out through the ever-growing grasses. Canopies were in full bloom, at least those that did not reach the height of the sequoias that littered much of the region. With bodies to patrol the borders, she had backed off for a change of pace, continuing to familiarize herself with the lands that they had taken.
tv on the radio — ride
The small black female was present at the coyote fray, but other than that Kodiak had not yet seen much of her and so dropped his nose to track her steps when he crossed them. Several priorities occupied his mind, and among them was the need to acquaint himself with his packmates, to know them. It was less about being social and more about strategy.
When he could see her walking ahead of him, he chuffed to alert her to his presence, for the wind was blowing toward him and he was quiet on his feet.
A chuff brought her to pause in her steps, ears turned back long before she had turned her head. At that point, she had brought her ears to attention, eyeing the dark wolf who had caused her to yield. She too had seen him once before, involving the ordeal with the coyotes some time ago. Beyond that, Echelon knew nothing about him and it was something that would not be learned through travel as she had with Kroc, though there were parts to that story that she did not know either, nor care for.
So instead of inviting him to join her, she waited for him to come to her, wondering if there had been some particular reason he had come trailing along behind her. She had her reservations of those that they took in, avoiding them to certain degrees akin to her personality. She had to be present and integrate herself if she wanted to place herself beneath Tonravik's reign, but that didn't mean she had to be pleasant in doing so. Not that Echelon was a particularly pleasant individual to begin with.
His chuff served its purpose, first drawing the attention of the black female's ears, and then turning her head. She eyed him, but gave no indication that she did not wish to be approached, and so Kodiak took that as his invitation to come closer. Long strides brought him smoothly to her side, his body carried casually, and his head dipping to acknowledge her with the respect owed to a senior pack member. His tail hung behind him but swayed slightly.
"Kodiak," he introduced himself, expectantly looking to her for her own name. Among females, Kodiak was not nearly as dominant, for they did not pose the same threat to him as other males, and he preferred to be in their good graces. For this reason he was less reserved about offering his name and being courteous.
He made his approach, body delving into respect and understanding of where she stood within the chaos that was no doubt Tartok's ranks. Echelon was not one to be easily unseated from her own rank and because of his forthcoming introduction and mannerisms, was appeased. This one was smart, at least, not as arrogant as some of their other finds.
"Echelon," she returned, eyes still not leaving him. In the damp, warm air, she could pick up the musk of Tonravik easily. He had been around her recently, though of course so had she. The stench of coyote still lingered about them both. "You defend well," she praised on recall of this, her voice nothing more than a quiet hum against the ambient din of the forestry surrounding them.
Kodiak nodded his head, acknowledging the compliment she gave. Only the first couple months of his life had been lived outside of Tartok, and it was an aggressive defense that won him the chance to be raised with the conquering pack instead of being slaughtered like so many others. The brown bear knew how to fight, and track, and knew how to hunt. He was nothing if not classically masculine, providing for and defending his pack and packmates. It was what he knew.
"Thanks. So do you," he said with another nod for emphasis. Kodiak did not give compliments easily or without meaning them. Echelon was small but fast and fierce. He had seen enough conflict to know that strength of body was not the only asset in battle. A well-placed bite was all it took to incapacitate or kill one's opponent, and a quicker more agile wolf could outmaneuver, where a stronger wolf like himself strived to overpower. Neither was more advantageous than the other.
"You were part of the takeover?" A statement spoken like a question, for the brown bear was certain her rank and closeness to Tonravik had given him the answer, but he preferred his suspicions be confirmed.
Fading this since Kodiak is gone now. :C
She nodded to his words — she had been apart of the takeover. But she had also been there long before that as well. She had been there from the beginning of Tonravik's venture and before that too when they had been no more than able-bodied youth becoming forged from fire and ice. They were blood bound through and through, though there was no real relation between them. Her father had been a loyal follower to Tonravik's mother, and the story went on from there.
Gesturing at him to come along, Echelon moved ahead then. She had no qualms of sharing what he wanted to know within reason (and perhaps some doubt somewhere as well), but it was better done with a task at hand. They would talk and perhaps they would not; it made no difference at all to her. She would find the appropriate time and place to test him all the same.