Hushed Willows Gestält

@Flora + open to others

Warbone had been zigzagging across the northern sphere of the Sunspires; contemplating, pacing, and searching tirelessly for something. The idea would strike him soon— he could feel it— so he didn't let himself rest for even a moment, lest his miss it. And when he did close his eyes, they were mere blinks in comparison to the amount of time he spent with them peeled wide open.

He searched, but it was some time before he found.

When he did, he was traveling the line where the willows stopped growing and the ground grew steeper, gradually turning into the mountainous territory above. It was dark, and the wolf was exhausted. His pace deliberately heavy. The mouth of a cave yawned before him, and as he drew nearer he saw that about twenty feet separated that opening from another. Blinking tiredly, perhaps imagining that he was seeing double, the wolf ventured into the blackness.

Immediately a herd of goat exploded away as the tired hunter made way. The stampede shocked him into wakefulness, and he watched them all flee with the belated realization that he was hungry. But they all had fled into the night, and he was left to search the goat's roost on an empty stomach.

There were indeed two mouths to the cavern, and it was lightless except for two holes in the ceiling that each opened directly (and not coincidentally) over a pond, and in the east corner was a smaller, steeper opening that led outside. The main part of the cave was deep and wide, so well adjusted to the weather over time that even if the ponds filled up to a certain level, they would simply overflow and run like rivers straight down to the willows. Warbone drank from one of them— fresh rainwater— and sated his thirst. He thought these might stagnate in the drier months, but under the sun at high noon every day, they also risked a high chance of drying up completely. Which would be helpful.

He explored for a while, finding several smaller alcoves to the cave, but he was not interested in them. He moved to the very middle of the cavernous den, and settled down to sleep.

A cool dawn met him some hours later, and Warbone felt quite refreshed as he yawned and stretched into wakefulness. Giving his body a shake, he ventured out into the misty morning, drifting quietly through the swaying willows and tracking the herd that had flown before him the previous night.

The beautifully solemn dark female padded softly through the dawn, the cool breeze brushing her maw. She had been wandering for so long now, as she had come all the way from porcupine ridge. It was, yes, a ways away, but she was a quick traveler and happened to find herself among the sunspire. 

Yawning, the Dober-wolf sat, ears surveying the area. Her sensitive ears picked up the noise of a yawn and the shaking of a thick pelt. She was up on her feet at once. He was so near, and she hadn't noticed, as her thoughts occupied every sense lately. Her head whipped around, finding a large wolf male not to far behind her. Raising her sleek, well-figured head, she gazed at him. The Okamiinu chuffed, her buttery voice traveling towards him.

Up ahead loomed a quiet roadblock, tan and black-masked, and as he drew nearer, Warbone picked out the bits of white that touched her here and there. Impulsively the male's tail lifted, as did his chin, but he respectably paused a feet away. He had no claim here, but there was a heaviness in his body that suggested his intended to, and he was wary of another making the claim before him. While he doubted that was her purpose here, and nor did he fear her, he was alert to the possibility all the same. "These willows are mine," he said quietly, assuredly, and without a determining threat in his tone. "There are yet any markings to preach my claim, so I tell you now again, with the very mouth that speaks for these woods: that these willows are mine. Consider joining me, as I have a home for you, or be gone from this place while it is still safe to do so."

While he was intent on recruiting, Warbone would not tolerate loiterers in the meantime. If he were going to settle here, he needed to make it immediately known that those not seeking to aid him were not welcome to stay here for any reason. Even if the reason was his present lack of borders.

A new home..? If she was capable of becoming a founder of this home, she would be. "And what must one do to join? Is there a trial?" She asked with a bow of her head. "I am in need of a place to stay, and am open minded. If I may hear more about this home, it would quite please me." She replied. Her multi-colored red and silver eyes grazed him now.

The sleek Okamiinu blinked her eyes slowly, calm composure filling the air around her. She did not feel threatened by this male, but submitted him in the ambition of finding a new home. She was strong, worthy, and honest, all characteristics that may be needed in a pack, so she thought. 

I'm sitting in bed bored, so this thread is going to be replied to very quickly, eheh.

"There is no trial," he said after a moment, eyeing the sleek hybrid with vague curiosity. He had half expected her to turn tail, but her mis-matched eyes and determined stance were proving interested rather than foolhardy. He might not have to chase her off afterall. "I only ask of my wolves that they show respect where it is due, and expect punishment in the event of disobedience to that rule." He watched her evenly. She was alone, but not malnourished, which meant she was capable, wherever she had come from and whatever she had been through. Her ears, tall and thin, disturbed him, but this was not his first time seeing a dog. Maybe not one like her, but in that aspect, he would soon find that there was no one quite like this one. "I value camaraderie and order," he told her, being a firm believer that where there was Order, there was also Peace. "I expect my wolves to trust me, as I will not intentionally steer them wrong, and I am not obstinate to suggestion. I plan to be fair, but forceful. Unrest will not be tolerated in my midst, and survival of the fittest is my law that will be obeyed whether I enforce it or not." 

It was all he had: his own values and ambitions. A mere scratch on the surface, but it was something in which he did not doubt. "Now tell me... what do you value? Is it much of the same? Do you feel you could bow to me, and trust my stead?"

I'll try to keep up! <3

His eyes wandered to her ears and she smiled softly. They were quite tall, thanks to the damned furless ones. What did she value? " I have to say," she chuckled, "we have similar values indeed." She then gave a list. "I value honesty, and do not have patience for liars. I also value strength in numbers. A pack must be close, but they also must know when to back down and when to stand up. A low ranker trying to stand against a higher rank without challenge is intolerable to me. Order, we do share in common. I come from a place where order is key, and without it,we are nothing. You could have the strongest warriors in the world, but without training an organization, you have nothing. This brings me to my next subject," she said, speaking rather professor like,"training. Training is key to me. I am a creature who values strength and stability, but also strategy. You must have strategy or you will get nowhere in a battle, just bashing like feral creatures. And though we are, you need control and patience. Also,loyalty and trustworthiness, but I will not ramble any longer," she said with a humorous smile. "Yes indeed, I do believe I could trust you, and I respect your ways. I Flora, as well."

He listened, ears twitching attentively, as she imparted to him an answer to his question and the frivolous padding of her background. She had a decent head on her shoulders, and could prove invaluable if he spent the time to cultivate what he knew and what he intended to find out about her. He nodded slightly, as she finished finally with the introduction of her name. The smileless brute gained a peculiar gleam in his lusterless eyes. "Flora," he repeated, tucking the name of the creature into his reserved thoughts. "Warbone," he offered, his tail jumping back and forth softly against his hocks. "You mentioned that you value numbers, well there are none here at this time. My epiphany only reached me last night, and you would be my first subordinate, if that is your choice; even knowing that I am a yet poor king with too few subjects to make my claim viable."

He wondered then if she would decide to help him rise, or leave him to his own devices.

The calm one listened to him speak, while testing the name in her tongue. She nodded to him. "Our numbers will grow. Though you may see yourself as an unworthy king with so few numbers, what kind of wolf can capture the attention of a stranger with only a few sentences, and convince her to join in only several minutes? None that I have met, at least." She spoke clearly, the smallest charming smile her dark maw. She gave him a charming glance from her mismatched eyes, dipping her head. "It would be an honor to join a leader with such fair thoughts. I do indeed want to join your soon-to-be pack."

She agreed to stay with him, and Warbone felt an accomplished sort of air in his chest, making it swell slightly as she played with the neat fringes of his ego. "I implore you then, Flora, my first," he said solemnly; "as we both must build, I am going to need you to wander from here soon, and send any willing wolf you come across towards the way of this grove. Numbers will establish us. And that is all that we need for now." He watched her seriously, knowing what he expected of her was a large task— convincing wolves to join wouldn't always be as easy as this. His tail flicked, beckoning the female as he turned. "But first we explore, and set boundaries for our Keep."

Flora smiled, walking with him."That won't be a problem." She spoke, giving him a grin. Her sleek figure followed him, quite confidently indeed. Her long ears flicked as she listened to his next words."We shall." She once again returned his words, and followed in silence after. 

Sorry it's short, want to fade?

Warbone would not be picky at this time. He would even be content to be alone in this space with Flora. She was someone to protect, and only time would tell if she would also be someone he could depend on, but for now he was content with his mounting responsibility. It was not yet enough, but the male would carry on and roll with what blows were dealt to him. He led the wolfdog in relative silence, wondering at her lineage but not concerned enough to ask— her past was of no relevance to him or what he was creating here. After all, he couldn't very well judge someone, given his own past discretion and poor judgement regarding some of the decisions he had made of his life; who was he to even be remotely concerned about something a wolf had no control over, like the conformation of their blood DNA?

Reaching a place where he thought the brunt of his territory should end or beginning (depending on the perspective), Warbone lifted his leg, and signaled the beginning of a long day spent beginning to craft the borders of Hushed Willows.