The wolfdog had wandered aimlessly into the woods. Now, though, she followed the scent trails of several different wolves, which would presumably lead her to their territory. She just needed to find a pack — pretty much any half-decent pack would do. Dianne didn't want to join one; it was something she was doing out of necessity, like taking medicine. Except this medicine would last several bitter winter months. She sighed but wouldn't complain. She could just distance herself from everyone like last time. And yet, something unspeakable happened during that brief stay—

No.

She wouldn't dwell on it any more than she already had. It was in the past, and she was moving forwards now. Silently, Dianne continued on, hoping she would come across claimed land soon.

Something peeking its head up a short ways away caught her eye. It was a pup with a tan body and a contrasting dark face not unlike her own. Once Dianne passed it by, she noted that it smelled of a pack, but the scent didn't match the wolves she was currently following. She didn't smell any others nearby, but Dianne honestly couldn't care less about whether it was lost or not. Her cold eyes bore into its sterling silver ones as she walked, unfaltering in her pace. She soon broke the eye contact though, not feeling threatened by such a small thing.

She was relieved the child didn't come up and talk to her. Dianne assumed the pup went back to doing whatever she was doing before she came along. After a while, the wind shifted, and she could still smell the kid. The scent was closer than it should've been if the girl had gone her own way. Furrowing her brows, she stopped and peered over her shoulder to find the brat following her at a distance. Don't follow me, She ordered sternly. The intensity of her stare was the only indication of her slight irritation. The last thing she needed was some kid following her like... well, a lost puppy. Caring for a child would only slow her down. She didn't have the patience for them, anyway.

The girl averted her eyes and didn't move any closer. Good, Dianne thought, believing her words had been heeded. She turned back around and walked off again. When she finally glanced back again, the child was occupied with something else and no longer trailing her. Satisfied with that, Dianne tried to keep her mind clear, observing her surroundings and absorbing herself in it.

After a while longer of walking, she could smell the marks indicating a border up ahead. It wasn't far off, now. She wasn't particularly excited or nervous. If they accepted her, great. If not, she'd simply move on to the next.

She suddenly heard frantic foosteps behind her. Whirling around, Dianne saw the girl sprinting right for her. The child dashed by, recklessly bumping into her when she did. Dianne came to a full stop and flattened her ears. She growled lowly as a flash of irritation hit her, but it quickly cooled to a simmer. So she was still being followed all along. Of course.

When the girl reached the border, she let out an obnoxiously grating howl, which made Dianne's ears fall flat again. She didn't want to be associated in any way with this kid when anyone showed up in case it was taken the wrong way, so she decided to hang back for now, moving back into the surrounding forest. Please don't tell them I'm here with you, Dianne pleaded inwardly.

Several minutes passed, and no one came. Perhaps there was simply no one nearby, and it would take them longer to answer the call. However, the child didn't seem keen on waiting. She whirled around and began yapping at her angrily. What the hell? Could the girl not speak? Also, what did she do to deserve this? It wasn't her fault no one showed up when the brat wanted. Out of pent up anger and the fear that someone would come along and get the wrong idea, Dianne stormed up to the noisy child with fierceness in her eyes. Her lips pulled back like a dark curtain revealing a massacre, and a growl tumbled from her belly.

Shut up! She snapped, words riding on a sharp snarl. Dianne stood over the girl and leaned in menacingly with hackles raised. She wasn't heartless enough to hurt a child, but the girl didn't need to know that. Get out of here. NOW! Dianne ordered next. Maybe the kid couldn't speak, and maybe she couldn't even understand her words — but she made her messaege clear enough.

The girl shrank back, and Dianne believed her orders would be heeded. Good, She thought, anger beginning to melt away. However, the child soon collected herself and bristled back at her, standing tall and letting out a growl of her own. As if that wasn't enough, the girl snapped her teeth at her face. Her face. Dianne's anger was re-ignited like a match against a matchbox, eyes filled with blue fire. She had been trying to reign herself in to prevent pissing off someone's mother, and she wouldn't attack a defenseless child.

But this kid wasn't defenseless — now she was the one being threatened, and Dianne didn't take kindly to that. Especially not from some wolf kid. But then her eyes flicked over to the border, which was just a few bounds away. What if someone came in the middle of them fighting? It'd look bad. Really bad. Getting into a pack was more important than defending her ego against some brat. If aggression didn't work, she'd just have to try something else to get her way.

Dianne sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did before taking a few steps back. In the blink of an eye, her hackles flattened, the flames in her eyes were put out, and her expression turned flat again. She was not afraid, but she also wasn't angry anymore. Look, kid. I don't want any trouble. If you wanna stay, fine, just don't do anything stupid, She would say calmly, voice smooth as silk — assuming the child even let her get the words out.

The girl didn't attack — yet, anyway. However, she wasn't interested in what Dianne was saying, flattening her ears and flashing her fangs while taking a menacing step closer. Don't, Dianne said firmly, standing her ground and staring into the youngster's eyes with a determined gaze. She wasn't leaving, and she sure as hell wasn't going to submit to a kid, but fighting over this would be stupid. At this point, Dianne would only fight to defend herself. If she was going to be attacked for not moving out of the way of a kid with anger issues, then so be it; she'd feel no remorse for any damage done. Dianne needed to get into a pack, and this punk wasn't going to get in the way of that.

The girl grinned of all things as if this were a play fight, but a fight with Dianne would be all business. She didn't move, waiting for the punk to dare try and attack her first, fangs tingling with the desire to to be sunk into her flesh to show just how serious she was. But then a distant howl sounded, and the girl looked in its direction. A roll of the eyes, a shake, and a groan later, she was glancing at Dianne apologetically before bounding off towards it. Ah, perhaps she wasn't lost all along, just a delinquent. Her posture relaxed as she watched the kid finally leave. That howl wasn't particularly far, Dianne noted. Please tell me she won't be my neighbor if I move in here, She pleaded to any higher being willing to listen.

Well, with that mess out of the way, she neared the border once again, thoughts shifting back to her anxieties surrounding the idea of joining a pack despite really not wanting to. It felt like she'd just gone through some kind of test just to get here, so Dianne hoped they'd let her in.