Moonspear nothing like my punch drunk kiss

uh, hi!

With the weather deciding to continue on the same miserable track, Janus made his own decision to find a temporary home among one of the nearby packs. Rather than stay out here alone and risk exposure he was willing to put up with pack life until something more suitable came along. Or his winter home would turn out to be more than just a holdfast until Spring. The pale beast was many things, but a farseer he was not. He had little faith in anything, especially destiny, and simply hoped that the pack he found was worth their salt. A give and take sort of situation. He did not wish to give, give, and give without reaping a little reward from it.

The marks on the first border were fresh, and quite pungent—a male and female in the leadership (judging from their prominence) and a few other scattered subordinates. Janus nosed the trunk of the tree, drawing in the scent and planting it deep within his memory. He lifted a paw to scratch at the bark and release a fresh wave of pheramones. Yes, these wolves were quite hale; not a senior among them. Satisfactory. 

Janus bent to rub his cheek against the scent, then his shoulder, to make a better show of his intentions. Only when he was suitably cloaked in the pack scent did he raise his voice to the sky: I'm here! Hello!

Hello!

The storm last night had been quite frightening. Pyx had stuck her head out, surprised at the rain and for a moment she had been cautiously optimistic about the weather. Perhaps the rain would help the snow, surely if they were getting rain instead of snow that had to mean something good, right? Apparently not. The rain was freezing and sent her scurrying back into the warmth of her own den. She remained hopeful still, all the way up until she emerged the next morning. She nearly slipped coming out of her den, the snow was crusted over with a layer of ice right outside, the rain having obvious frozen.

Carefully she set out to check the herb cache, always worried over it. Her eyes were drawn to the trees, glistening and coated in a layer of silver-white ice. It was beautiful, breath-taking even, but it was not a good sign. She stumbled a few times on the trails, managing to catch herself before her face connected with the ground. She had just finished checking the cache when the call from the borders went up. She stilled for a moment, listening to the sound fade in the chilly air. She was close, there was no reason not to go and greet the wolf until Charon or Amekaze could make an appearance.

It took her some time, but finally she saw the wolf on the border. He'd been rubbing himself on the border markers, so his scent at first took her by surprise. She knew she didn't recognize him, so to smell Moonspear on him threw her for a moment. After she drew closer she recognized the the marker that he stood near and understood.

She stopped a good distance from him, inside the border, and called out a greeting. He was a large male, and she herself was small for even feminine standards. She wasn't about to get her ear bitten off for being too friendly. "Hello there," Her voice was kind and her tail gave a wave behind her. "What business do you have here, at the borders of Moonspear?" She smiled at him, although the question was mostly just out of politeness. She wouldn't have been so openly friendly if it wasn't obvious. But, all the same, she'd like to hear him say so himself.

*waves!*

A few minutes passed in silence before a wolf came to greet him. She was a small thing, russet in color, with darker tipped ears and brown—no, hazel eyes. He raked his gaze over her and inhaled, drawing in the fresh scent that was unmistakably Moonspear; the same skin he now wore. Janus thumped his tail against his hocks, lowered himself into a bit of a bow, and flashed her a disarming smile. "Hellooo," he crooned sweetly, "sorry to interupt you. Bad time to be walking around..." he remarked off-handedly with a tap to the ice-slick snow. "this stuff is God awful."

"Anyway~, where was I?" Janus straightened a bit and licked his chops. His eyes flashed, "Oh! Right. Pack, yes. I was wondering if your family had room for another able adult?" 

The man was friendly, which pleased Pyx. His voice was pleasant to her ears, even as he complained about the weather conditions. She gave a grim nod, frowning. "Truly. I can't imagine what it must be like out in the unclaimed territories." The Mountain had it's fair share of snow and freezing rain...but something about having other wolves so nearby made it feel better, safer. The idea of being out there alone in the snow was unsettling.

He forgot himself a moment as they both contemplated the horrible nature of the snow, but soon began to speak of his reasons for being here. She suspected that, despite his losing his place, the two subjects were likely related. She smiled, nodding. "I would think that we do, but you'll have to ask one of my leaders, @Charon or @Amekaze. I can call for one of them, to meet with us. They're likely on the way anyway, given your call." She tipped her head back, sending her voice to Mountain tops in search of either wolf.

"I'm Pyx, I'm working my way towards being the pack Medic. What's your name? Have you traveled far to get here?" Whether here meant Moonspear or the Teekon she didn't clarify.

As it would seem, her patrol did not coincide with the loner's arrival. His howl forced her to backtrack, and even nimble, mountain-savvy paws like hers had to mind themselves in ice and snow like this. She'd never known these slopes to be this damn slick, but every stride forward got her closer. Pyx's additional call, which didn't really speak of urgency or concern, gave her some minor relief -- but these days, their numbers stretched thin and her daughters eager to roam, she could never feel too careful.

When she did arrive, her tail swung up and she zeroed in on the loner. Male, robust-enough from appearances alone. A flare of her nostrils and she realized he was making himself comfortable too. She came upon the scene curious and all ears to catch their conversation. Who is he? everything about her suggested in her possibly ominous silence. Ame was, as always, scrutinizing in her way but interested enough; they could use the able bodies here these days.

When she commented on the current conditions out in the wilds, he could only nod. It was pretty brutal out there, though he didn't really let on that he was entirely accustomed to the harsh conditions. Scheggia Pass was constantly bombared by fierce winds, and contemptable weather due to the elevation and location in the mountain chain. He wasn't entirely surprised that she wasn't a leader here, but when she threw up another howl, he offered another wag of his fluffy tail. "Fantastic," he drawled with a grin. "Thank you."

The lady introduced herself as Pyx, and informed him that she was pursing the medic trade. A thrill raced down his spine. A noble, but thankless, profession. At least from his limited knowlege. But before he could respond, a dark shadow descended upon them from the immaterial and lifted her tail in a display of dominance. This was either Charon or Amekaze, but he imagined it was the latter due to common naming conventions. The Alpha Female was an impressive beast and, frankly, even Janus was a little cowed at the sight of her.

He lent Pyx an apologetic smile and addressed the dark woman with forward fixed ears, "I'm Janus. I seek a home here. I can do any skill expected of a wolf, and I have lived my entire life on mountain heights. You can expect no less than a capable adult, willing and ready to be directed by your command." He said in a pristinely formal tone of voice.

Pyx smiled gently and gave a nod of her head at his thanks. "You're very welcome." He seemed just about to reply to her question when Amekaze came walking over. Pyx dipped her head in a submissive gesture to the woman, offering a wag of her tail and a more familiar smile. Amekaze focused on the man, her curiosity written clearly across her features. The petite woman wished she had more answers to give to her leader, but had not yet received anything of substance.

The brute offered her an apologetic smile but she did not find that he needed to. Obviously Amekaze should be addressed first, for it was with her that his fate would lie. He gave a name though, and Pyx noted it in her mind. His small blurb about himself was pleasing to Pyx's ear, but she'd never accepted a wolf herself and didn't know if it would meet Amekaze's standards. After he finished she took her own turn to address the woman, moving closer to Amekaze and standing behind her to allow her to take the center stage. Her voice was quiet, whispered so that only the woman would hear. "We hadn't had much chance to talk yet, I hadn't even gotten his name." Effectively telling her leader she would not have any more of a feel for the brute than Amekaze did herself.

ew sorry for the little holdup. works been >_> so you know..

She looked him up and down, only letting on that she was mulling this over with a few subtle bobs of her muzzle. He was quick to the most important information, giving her the impression he was sensible enough in that regard to not beat around the bush. It was cold, and they could all have better places to be. Still, she liked knowing he'd lived on mountains before. She wasn't looking for a repeat of Zoratto's fate here. And, also in his favor, he claimed to be willing -- although she often had to wonder how much of that was just sweet-talking in these instances of border-interview. She'd take her time to trust, but maybe he could prove it. Moonspear's livelihood could benefit. Or suffer, such was always the matter at stake here.

Pyx let her know her stance on this (not that there was too much to share yet), and as noted, she'd seen how the medic didn't appear too frustrated with his company this far into their interaction. That also counted gently towards his greater good here for an overall decent first glance.

Settling her sights firmly back on the male, Janus, rather.. she let the thoughtful pause hang perhaps a second too long. "I need strength to help guard the mountain and on the hunt," she said. She could lay out her most-desired areas of interest here and now to see how he'd take it. She already had her scouts, her medic, and with the daughters older now, she always seemed to make sure everything circled right back to their safety. Having Floki currently MIA and Charon out in search of the misplaced beta, she was feeling a bit undermanned here staked as their main, practically solo guardian. He could do what he needed to with that information since he seemed perceptive enough to her. "If that suits you, and your loyalty would be to my family first and foremost so long as you are here," she explained, most of all because she knew what she liked and what she didn't. Tolerating hassles among her ranks wouldn't fly for long. "Then you may find your place among us." With that said, she kept watching him keenly. "I am Amekaze."

It is allll good. Take all the time you need. <3

Janus, unfortunately, was too familiar with this rigamarole which was why he offered his information as succintly as possible without coming across as rushed or rude. He stood with his ears set slightly back, but his eyes forcibly glazed with hope. Pyx seemed to put in a good word for him edgewise, and he whisked another warm smile her direction—they were as free and plentiful as candy on Halloween, with the same sickening potential. Amekaze, as she came to be known, seemed to give him some heavy consideration before addressing him completely. He listened, waited, and exhaled. Would he be in service to her strictly? It was not a hard pill to swallow, all this considered; he thrived on order, after all. He'd lived and breathed it in the Pass. 

She mentioned a family and, again, it left him with questions. How many, how old? Was she a grand matriarch with dozens of relatives, or the budding mother of a growing clan? He didn't feel the need to burden her with such trivial things—he'd learn everything soon enough should he accept her offer. Janus pursed his lips and gave it some thought so that he did not seem so ignorant as to leap at the chance before considering he consequences. He was an intelligent beast, after all, and it was best to play the part. 

Finally the pale brute nodded, "Very well, Amekaze, I accept your conditions. Your word is law—I will protect your home with my blood and bone." He said with a respectful nod of his head.

Her small bit of use accomplished in this situation, Pyx stood back quietly and observed. She did not yet leave, for she had never truly seen a joining other than her own. And while Amekaze was more than capable of holding her own, there was a kind of loyalty that seemed against leaving the woman at the border with a mostly unknown man. Janus didn't seem a bad sort, he was quick to smile and Pyx found this refreshing. She enjoyed those that found joy in simple things, that were quick to laugh and smile. Though she couldn't be sure this fit Janus, she would allow him the benefit of the doubt that the smiles afforded.

Her eyes switched from the male to Amekaze as she regarded him and thought. Pyx watched the woman mostly, with an occasional glance to the male, until a verdict came. Pyx's tail gave a gentle wave, pleased by the outcome. She and Amekaze had not long ago spoken of the bad timing of losing so many members. It was good to see it being somewhat put to rights. Whether the male would make himself a meaningful part of the mountains remained to be seen. He considered the offer quietly, then confirmed that he would join. Pyx hoped he meant what he said, that his loyalty would stay true. Still, she did not speak, knowing her part was played in this unless Amekaze had anything else for her.

Having seen the packs through several periods of fluctuation, she felt this was a good, natural step forward after some of their losses lately. He considered what she had asked, it seemed, and she would not rush him. Her wants were simple enough and her strengths potentially his to gain from, should he become a cohesive piece of Moonspear during his stay on these slopes. His future was up to him and so long as he did not bring wrongs upon her and her family, she'd let him have the chance. "Good," she replied and nodded once he had accepted.

So it was settled.

"Usually I am not this brief, but deeper in the woods, the cold bites a little less," she gestured up the elevation. In truth, Amekaze was looking to get all of them out of the worst of this sooner rather than later. Any more patrol be damned, she'd had enough for now and would conserve herself in that regard. "Settle in, stay warm. Any questions?" Since he was not a stranger to mountains, she trusted he could handle this without her there to guide him by the nose and that she wouldn't soon be finding him frozen dread in the snow.

Well that was easy enough.

The smile returned to his lips as Amekaze settled their discussion, and invited him in and past the borders. He was now in service to her, and her family, but his questions could wait. The cold was biting into them all and he was loathed to keep everyone out in the weather unnecissarily. "I understand," he replied with a flick of his ear. He stepped close to them—finally he was a part of something larger, though the anxious flutter in his breast told him that there was still a great deal of uncertainty. Would he last? Would he mesh well? When it came to backgrounds, his was as militaristic as it got, and that had a tendancy of cooling everyone's opinion of him. Still, he was happy to at least have a base to call home for now and a leader who was worth her salt. 

Janus shook his head, "For now, no. I'd much rather thaw my feet and gather my thoughts before probing you for answers at this juncture." He admitted with a friendly wave of his tail. He glanced at Pyx again, who seemed deep in thought, but otherwise pleased with the outcome of Amekaze's judgement. She was a female he wanted to get to know better, but not now. He as content to wait until the weather cleared. She was a good soul and worth a good deal to the pack. Medics were few and far between these days; a dying art in this part of the world.

He waited patiently to be dismissed or led.

Pyx nodded her head in approval an agreement, though no one had asked any of her. Janus stepped closer to both of them and she offered him another smile. Amekaze was right though, it seemed somehow colder here, and Pyx found herself missing her own den. He had no questions, and Pyx raised her gaze to Amekaze again, smiling openly at the woman and dipping her head. She thought to bid her to be careful, but knew that Amekaze wouldn't need to be told. "Have a warm night, Amekaze." She said instead with a small chuckle.

When she noted that Janus seemed to be waiting for some cue, she glanced between the male and her leader once more. "Would you prefer me to show you up, or do you prefer to search things out on your own?" She asked him kindly. She herself had prefered to find things on her own, as she hadn't wanted to worry over impressing someone while she was also trying to remember landmarks. She wouldn't mind to show him around if he liked though the trip would be notably shorter than if the weather were warmer.

While she said little, and physically, not much more than that passed between them but she was keenly reading between the lines to get what she needed. These first impressions gave her enough to make a start, and besides, there ought to be time for more should he stick around long enough. Amekaze had seen so many come, then go lately, she'd have to take her time to get attached. For now, what mattered was his willingness, alongside the apparent soundness of his mind and body alike.

"Works for me," he nodded, secretly pleased, once again, that he'd be fine to go on his own and get comfortable without her. That wasn't to say she'd just.. toss open the doorway for him entirely unattended, in absolute full, but there was plenty here that she oversaw regardless. He'd settle in or not, and she'd either like him or not. She'd have to let it play out first.

So with wrapping any necessary final exchanges, then goodbyes, she began to move away for the woody thickets. She'd let Pyx do what she must, and probably circle back eventually to check in when she was ready.

There was a lot hinging on the next few weeks, but nothing could be done yet with the damndable snow barring them from traveling far or doing much. Amekaze seemed well enough with accepting him, but it was not a finite decision. He needed to prove himself. Janus exhaled a billowing breath as the shadowy Alpha departed, and turned a bright, warm smile on Pyx. Her question was welcome, but first he needed to get something off his chest: "I hate that part. Always get's my nerves going." He admitted quietly, though he doubted Amekaze could hear him over the wind and muting properties of the fresh snow. 

Janus shook his head and chuckled, "Honestly, I don't wanna keep you out here too long. If you could take me to a thick spot o'woods, I'll find a cozy little hollow to curl up in until the worst of this passes." 

Janus swung to her with a happy bright smile, and she returned it. Her tail waved behind her, happy for him. She couldn't help but agree about joining and nodded her head, though she found Amekaze to be a peaceful wolf about it. She'd heard of much much worse. Her own joining hadn't really seemed all that stressful, she realized. It had seemed to just...flow, as if she were meant to be here all along.

"I appreciate that, I can definitely do that for you. If you ever need anything healed or any herbs, just give me a call. Or sniff me out. I'm not hard to find, always around the herb cache." She turned and began to climb the mountain herself, heading for the closest patch of woods. She did want to get out of this cold, and she was sure he did too. She swung their path past a cache as they went though, wanting to let him know where it was before leaving him.

"Feel free to eat here, or take a chunk with you to the trees if you'd rather try to get warm sooner." She gave another smile, then gestured to the trees that were not too far from them now. "Only a short travel, and I'm sure you can find an abandoned den somewhere in there. Anything else you need?" She glanced back to him, ears perked.