Moving was still agonizing, especially without the healing balm that Blue Willow was making for her at Blacktail Deer Plateau, but Saena almost relished the pain. It was a sharp reminder that the only wolves she could trust were those at the plateau and those here at the ridge. Her father's word was as cheap as piss-water now, and any amends she'd made with him were shattered. He'd invited her to his home only to sentence her to death at the fangs of his witch wife without intervention. She would never,
never forget.
As she prowled along the borders of the Rise, slowed by her injuries, it was with a sharp and determined eye upon the horizon. So help any wolf who thought to trespass on
her lands, and so help any Redhawk wolf that set foot north of the Sunspire range and was spotted by her. Patrolling wasn't such a drag when she had something to look for, though the likelihood of anyone from the Caldera coming to the north, let alone near her pack, was low at best.
Saena stopped her patrol when she reached the river on the west side of the ridge. From here, she could see the sun glinting off the distant sea. As she bent to lap at the cool water running past her paws, she kept her eyes forward, on guard, something she never would've done before. Redhawk Caldera was in the east, but she couldn't trust that an assassin wouldn't come from the west either... though it was paranoid of her to even be thinking it.
Mercury was all too eager, throwing in as much restless vigor that he could muster — which was a lot, if he used his anger, betrayal, and bitterness as fuel — into patrolling the borders as he could. He had so much pent up, repressed emotions and Gunnar's anger, their brother's fight that lingered between them, the stinging kiss of the wound the dark skylark's tank of a brother had inflicted upon him only making things worse. Mercury had trusted Gunnar to welcome him back, had trusted Gunnar to trust him but until they could come to terms with their mutual (huge) misunderstanding between the two of them it seemed that they were doomed to quarrel. Despite how desperately Mercury had tried to erase Ragnar from his life, there was an ache for the loss of the Viking, once thought to be immortal to him. It had been a silly, childish thing to think for very clearly Ragnar could bleed and die just like any of them. Mercury might not have been the Jarl's favorite but Ragnar had acted as a father in the absence of Crete. Crete hadn't known about them, Mercury had been told, of which the DiSarinno had no reason to not believe. His mother had a knack for keeping things to herself, especially if she thought it would hinder someone else. It was like masochism in a totally selfless way Mercury thought with a soft, affectionate snort. He might have been angry with her, felt betrayed by her he still loved her.
Families were messy, but without them he would be alone in the world. Despite that currently Gunnar and him were like the meeting of a hammer to an anvil, the result letting lose a spray of sizzling sparks, he believed that things would cool off between them and that they would be able to put this behind them, that they would make up and be the best friends they had once been. Shaking his head once to dispel those thoughts, his attention became refocused upon his patrol, ears thrusting forth atop his skull as his steps slowed, the scent of his real alpha, Saena strong upon the air. Her form came into view shortly after he'd caught her scent, and the DiSarinno let out a soft chuff to announce his presence to her as his svelte, smoky black body closed some of the distance before he stopped, lowering his posture to one of subordination.
She lifted her head and inhaled deeply through her snout. Her time away was detrimental. Reek and Arion had kept the pack together in her absence, but Saena felt disconnected now from the happenings of the Rise. Her absence was only a week, but it was long enough to feel like everything was different. The Rise's policies would change to suit their changed Alpha, but probably not in a major way. She'd wished to be a hospitable pack, but that was no longer possible if they wanted to keep their own safe. Still, she didn't want them to be tyrants either; she would give others the benefit of the doubt, but without any of the warmth she'd previously have shown them.
Someone chuffed to her left and she turned her head, half-expecting to see Arion or Reek or Gunnar. Instead, an unfamiliar male approached. She vaguely remembered seeing him at the pack meeting, but that fleeting memory wasn't enough to stop her from pitching her ears forward and lifting what remained of her tail with a warning growl. Previously, Saena would not have shown this much dominance toward a pack mate, but before she could accept any wolf, they needed to prove themselves. No longer would simply living here earn her favour.
"Who're you?" she asked simply, succinct but sharp. Her tone didn't suggest that he was unwelcome, but it was clear that Saena did not trust him, did not regard him with the same warmth she reserved for her fellows. He was as good as a stranger on her border, an outsider. She trusted Reek's judgment in accepting newcomers, of course, or Mercury would not be standing there any longer... but that didn't mean she would treat him as one of them until he was proven.
The alpha's stub of a tail — a curiosity in and of itself though Mercury wasn't the type to capitalize upon it, in case it was a sensitive topic — rose in what the dark skylark knew to be dominance. Seeing as Mercury had already lowered himself in submission to her he held the posture at her display and warning growl which reverberated through the air between them. His ears slicked back to his skull, acknowledging her as the supreme power within her pack. Perhaps if Mercury had not left Stavanger Bay, if he would not have came back experienced in the world as his travels and interactions in Odinn's Cove and Flightless Falcons had given him he might have found her treatment of him off putting. After all, he was a subordinate of her's, his loyalty sworn. Yet, the dark skylark recognized that she did not know him. After all, it hadn't been her to accept him but one of her temporary leaders, appointed in her absence. To her, he was a stranger, just as she was to him. He understood her weariness, and took no real offense to it.
Reek had already stated he would have to prove himself, and it was a challenge that Mercury was all too ready to rise to. “I am Mercury,” He told her softly, keeping his eyes lowered, staring resolutely at her paws, nor sure there was any where else he could look. Saena had his undivided attention, and he felt that looking away from her would give the wrong impression. He did not add that he was Gunnar's brother because he did not want Saena to think that he thought it meant he was special because he knew he wasn't, and Mercury did not care to use Gunnar to gain him anything. Mercury was more than capable to earn things for himself and didn't need to use anybody as a crutch. Such things was beneath him. With his introduction given he allowed silence to take him over, though he was ready to respond to any further questions she might have for him.
She turned to face him fully when he deferred and named himself. Under ordinary circumstances, she would've been much more welcoming, but distrust was evident in every pore of her being. It wasn't fair to Mercury, but that was what happened when a wolf was nearly killed. Suddenly, anyone unfamiliar was a threat of some sort. Smash was as well, though Saena treated her softly because she'd opened their encounter with a joke. Mercury had opened with nothing but a sound. He didn't give the impression of sneaking, but nevertheless, it was more solemn because of that.
"And what do you do?" she asked him, studying him carefully. His build was not a Warrior's build. She first guessed he would make a lousy Warden, too, but then rethought her judgment. She herself was training to become a Warden, and she was a small wolf with no real fighting skills. Body didn't mean everything. Still, it was the best impression she had right now of Mercury's capabilities, even if they were guesses... and she guessed he was a runner more than anything else. He was a lean sort of wolf, his muscles understated. It suggested athleticism, but Mercury would prove that himself soon.
What do you do? Saena asked him, her eyes assessing him as if trying to determine what he was capable of by his physical build alone. Mercury had learned in Flightless Falcons that physical build alone meant nothing. Aether had been built just as Mercury was, though Mercury was clearly taller than Aer had been; and Perseus had shared that Aether had been an outstanding guardian even though he had never favored violence. The Redleaf-DiSarinno patriarch had been more fascinated with the stars and medicines then he had been with war though he had seen more than his fair share of battles — or at least this was how Perseus had spoken of his father. There were clear advantages and disadvantages to being any size, be it tall or medium, large or svelte and to Mercury one was not better than the other, though many males (sometimes females) would argue that if you weren't the tallest or bulkiest wolf then you weren't worth anything.
“I will work towards any trade that the pack needs,” Mercury was nothing if not adaptable. He would give where it was needed. “I am a trained warden and outrider,” He informed her, having learned from Stavanger Bay, Odinn's Cove, and Flightless Falcons. Each mentor he'd had had taught him something different, but all had contributed to his knowledge and (despite his hatred of Ragnar) he was nothing but grateful for their lessons. “And my mother taught me the basics of healing. I am willing to learn that in more specifics, if needed.” He added almost as an afterthought. Healing had not been where his interests had laid but be would do what he needed to prove himself to her and to the other wolves of Redtail Rise.
Well, Mercury certainly seemed to be a jack of all trades. It was Saena's private, well-hidden belief that jacks of all trades were masters of none—for that reason, she didn't dabble in healing or storytelling or counseling, because they would only detract from her focus on her own trades—but that didn't make them useless. A specialist was certainly better in certain circumstances, but a generalist's adaptability made them equally valuable.
"I think we're okay with healers," said Saena, thinking of Reek and the fact that they practically bordered the largest collection of herbs in the entire Teekon Wilds. Healing wasn't much of an issue for Redtail Rise. It would become less so in the future. "Wardens and Outriders are always good, though. What about chronicling? You like telling stories, remembering history, anything like that?" Osprey was a wonderful historian for Blacktail Deer Plateau. Saena could think of none in her ranks that were suited to it, though, and having a wolf to pass down Redtail Rise's history to newcomers and veterans alike was not a bad thing.