Porcupine Ridge I follow the scent

Jace stood still watching the world go by. His wide blue eyes were full of a small amount of pain, and small sparks of anger. He still felt the deep cut of the words that Njal had spoken, in the shadow less night when they had descended upon them on wings of silence. It had irritated him, he was however incredibly glad that they left without any bloodshed happening. He hated to cause harm, especially when it was to those that he had once counted as friends and family. He found as he stood there, that he couldn’t even summon the energy to be angry with Cutthroat for what had happened to bones. He shook his head, black ears laid back upon his skull.

He shifted gently and he began to walk, nose to the ground. He needed to hunt for some game. Their caches were not filled, and they had almost been defiled. He wanted to be sure that they had healthy ones, especially as they grew in numbers and as winter fast approached. Cooler months were still months away, but he wanted to be prepared regardless, even if it just meant to find the game trails once it got closer to the cooler months.

Not long after meeting his first Wheeling Gull wolf, Ypres, he lingered around the Sunspire Mountains. He had no reason to hunt now since he shared a fawn with the small and firey wolf, but he was still curious of the mountain pack. Similar to Majesty, the leader of the Sunspire was exiled from Swiftcurrent, if rumors were to be trusted. He and a few others then moved into the mountains to the west of his original pack and set up there.

The dark assassin found it amusing that two packs were spawned very similarly. There were tensions between the original and splinter groups, along with the packs nearby. Wheeling Gull in particular was the focus of Horizon Ridge and Silvertip; the Horizon wolves were angry that the Isle wolves were close to their territory and Silvertip was angry that two of its own had betrayed them and went to the shore. He wasn't too sure about the Sunspire wolves, but there was bound to be some anger between the packs here.

He walked around the base of the mountains, hoping to find a wolf from either Sunspire or Swiftcurrent. Either would be fine, since they both would satisfy his curiousity. His nostrils flared when he caught the scent of a male wolf nearby. He didn't recognize the smell, so he hoped that it was one of the new pack. The dark furred wolf headed towards the smell and in time happened upon a young black wolf sniffing the ground. The dark brown wolf chuffed, trying to avert the young male's attentions to him.

Jace hated rumors and gossip, it always proved to make situations worse than they were. Look at the Creek, Bazi had thought him this terrible type of wolf, because of conjecture and rumor. It made him ill and angry, yet also made him very tired. It was hard to try and make others see the truth, when they would rather believe the juicy lies.

Jace did not pay attention, to any packs other than his own. He did not care to know if there were tension with other packs and each other, all he worried about were the tense relations his had with others. So far truthfully he didn’t even know of any packs other than the creek, because he really just didn’t care. There was no need to know of other packs, he did not want allies, he did not want friends unless they were in his own.

Jace turned blue eyes towards a stranger and his hackles rose slightly. What do you want? Was his biting question, they were far too close to his own territory, and he had too many close calls to put much stock in friendly relations. He would bite first, even if it was with words and ask questions later.

The black wolf's blue eyes turned towards him, and his hackles raised. What do you want? the wolf growled. Kaname glared at him unfazed. They were not upon anyone's territory, but from the growl they may have been close to one. Kaname kept his fur flat, but deep inside he wanted to growl back at the male. "There is no need to be so defensive. I am not trying to harm you." he said roughly.

Jace raised an eyebrow and spoke softly, unsure if the other could hear him. Well you would be the first this week. he tilted his head and studied the wolf in front of him. The wolf was dark of coloring like him and had blue eyes also like him, though where Jace's eyes could be warm and inviting, the others were like cold shards of ice, willing to cut another up.

he snorted If you are not intent upon harm, then want do you want friend. the last part he drew out. He was irritated, he hadn't realized that he wasn't up for conversation, but his manners would not allow him to disregard another, just for his own irritation.

Another doppleganger... Kaname thought as he examined the wolf. Just like that one from Blacktail Deer, this wolf seemed almost similar in fur and eye color. But this wolf's eyes were sky blue, not ice blue.

"My intention in coming here is to understand what happened with this new pack. Sunspire right? Are you one of them?" Kaname was curious as to why another pack had spawned at almost the same time as Majesty's. Was it more tension between the packs in this area? Would it lead to some war, like it almost was in his area?

Jace stared at him, what was with all these wolves being so damn nosy. He shifted his head and lowered his eyes as he studied him. He could probably fight just as hard as himself if it was needed. Would he need to chase this wolf away?

Jace raised an eyebrow at his words, what the hell...why would another wolf willingly want to know about another pack, it was foolhardy and ridiculous in his opinion. I am, what's it to you? I am Jace, and yes this is my home.

He didn't blame the wolf for being so defensive. He was inquiring a possibly private topic. But he wanted to know why this was happening lately. "There is another pack, Wheeling Gull Isle, that was spawned by a traitor from my pack. At about the same time it was created, your pack was created too." He looked at the black wolf, Jace, curiously. "A coincidence, no?"

Jace raised an eyebrow and spoke more quietly ice edging his words. If you are asking if we have traitors from your pack in our land, we don't and if you are asking if we are traitors, no we are not. And now sir I think you should leave my borders please, before I get very very angry and chase you out. I think you've satisfied your curiosity don't you?

Jace hated being studied like some sort of freak, and this was how this wolf made him feel. He was not a traitor, had never been a traitor. Yes he and his pack had split due to some serious issues, but he had not betrayed them in some way, he had just merely refused to kill another wolf, that he had almost killed anyway.

Kaname only smirked at Jace's growing anger. Quick-tempered, huh? There seemed to be a lot of those wolves around here. One simple push, and they would explode. But some of those quick-tempered wolves were bigger than him and could kick his ass if they wanted, so he tried not to play with this one. It could end up like the last meeting with a doppleganger.

"No need to get angry. I was just curious." He met Jace's gaze sternly at first, but he chuckled when he realized something. "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kaname." He stood, looking ready to turn away. "Thanks for the information, Jace. I wish you and your pack luck."

Jace stared at him and spoke softly Trust me this is not me angry, if I were you would not like me. I am merely annoyed. Jace was far from quick tempered he had to be, for the simple fact that if he wasn't he'd rip another's throat out before he thought about it.

Kaname, he tasted the name on his tongue and dipped his head in acknowledgement of the name. We will be fine, but thank you. You an yours too. Then Jace turned and started traipsing back up the mountain, keeping an ear open in case the other decided to follow.

With that, they separated. The Gamma was pleased that this encounter with a look-alike did not end like the last. This Jace seemed well enough, if not a bit defensive. He couldn't blame him though, he was the exact same way near his territory.

Kaname headed back home, eager to explore this new territory Jinx had found not too long ago.