Overture Downs If you've something to hide

@Laroche

Okay, let's just first say that there's been a lot of other predator activity in the area and since various threads are up in the air, Treason knew about the cougar, but may or may not end up in thread(s).  Whatever else happens... It honestly wasn't going to effect her mood much more than the knowledge of big kitties would in the first place.

As she wove her way from the territory into Overture Downs, she was careful about where she stepped -- not for traps or anything, of course, but just making sure she wasn't going out of her way to avoid noticing some kind of hint that the cougar was nearby.  Though Treason was a strong wolf and not exactly afraid of much, she wasn't suicidal.  There was no reason to take risks that were unnecessary, but it was necessary to investigate to see if the cat was still in the area.  There was, of course, other information the ever-curious woman sought -- knowledge about what wolves were around, the herds, all that kind of normal stuff -- but that damn cat took highest billing.

For now, though, under the weak winter morning sun, she found nothing of interest.  Her nose swept the ground as she crested yet another hill, then using the higher ground to search for some sort of clue of her next action.  There was always the choice to head back home if it came to that.

After leaving the coast when the fight was over and heading inland he had realised that he had no idea how to track Grezig down. With that knowledge he decided to roam around just a little bit more, until he could figure out a plan. So he ended up passing the Sunspire and heading farther into the valley where he occasionally noticed the scent of a cougar. That was one smell that got his attention, he was all too familiar it. Him, his brother and his mother had once fought off a cougar while receiving some injuries in return and he'd be lying if he said it hadn't terrified the ever loving shit out of him.

He began to climb the hills, one by one until his nose caught the trail of another. He looked up to spot the female, nose to the ground sniffing around and watched for a moment before chuffing "Hello." a casual greeting was all that was given as silver, reflective eyes studied her. He wouldn't start a conversation until he knew what the woman was like, if he would even want one at all.

Treason was not alone out here, but at least at the moment the other out here was merely another wolf.  She didn't see him as a threat, especially not in comparison to a cougar.

She looked him with her usual untempered gaze.  She thought of Stigmata, but this was not him, for good or for bad.  That guy was still kind of a question mark to her, and seemed likely to remain that way as she wasn't going to go out of her way to hunt down someone who didn't want to follow, let alone someone she wasn't sure she was impressed by.  So it goes.

If he was looking for normal conversation, he would find that Treason was quite lacking in that department.  Her mind was set on her work and that was what her words would focus on.  Did it come or go from that way at all? she asked.  Though the short distance was obvious to her, she was speaking in terms of the big picture, wherever he came from.  She'd much rather cut a couple of corners to save some time than wander around like some sort of child following a treasure map.

His greeting was met with a businesslike question, one that was pretty vague in detail and if he hadn't smelled the cougar he would have not even been able to make a guess at what she was speaking of. He had smelled the cougar though and she had seemed to be tracking something so he gave a small nod and motioned over his shoulder, pointing back the way he came "There were some faint traces back that way, fading as they grew closer to this area. Assuming you are talking about a cougar." he said casually and then looked around. He sniffed the breeze as it drifted his way and caught her scent, which smelled strongly of a pack. "Has your pack been attacked?" he asked curiously, the faintest trace of worry lacing his tone. Cougars were vile, disgusting, violent creatures that he would personally never ever care to run into again.

She gave him a look that spoke, 'What else?' in response to his assumption.  There really wasn't much else notable around right this instant.  Maybe farther out where she couldn't smell, but right now the thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the cougar.

One was.  At least one, because I honestly forget how this thread sat in relation to the others time-wise.  Outside the territory, though, so there hadn't been much of a fight.  What chance had she had without the rest of the pack nearer?  Basically none.  I need to know if it's gone.  Or if she needed to keep a better eye on the multitude of errant youths that had collected in the pack -- she knew at least one or two of them had gone on adventures outside the borders and so she wasn't sure if they were going to cooperate.  Or know that they should stay the heck away from giant kitty cats.  either way, it sounded like at least at some point it had come opposite the direction of this guy.

Laroche quirked a brow when she said that one was, meaning one packmate. It was sad but they were lucky more hadn't been taken and dragged away. "You're lucky." he said voicing his thoughts leaving out any condolences as she had never mentioned anyone being dead and apologizing for injury simply sounded stupid. She went on to say that she needed confirmation of it's leave and he nodded "For now the trail leads away from this area. It isn't here anymore. Though because I have experience with these cats, I should warn that they do tend to repeatedly come back to old hunting grounds eventually" he meant it as a warning. Stay aware, teach the young to be aware, never assume you are safe. He turned his silver eyes away for a moment, ears shooting up at the sound of a branch breaking somewhere nearby. After a few moments he turned back to her, studying her and wondering if she would turn and leave now that she had found what she had apparently been looking for.

She did wonder if he had some other motive.  Sure, cougars were dangerous, but if he had so much experience, why didn't this guy look nearly as thrashed as, say, Terance?  Did he just track them or run from them or what? But you look fine.  It was a statement that questioned his supposed experience more than the danger of it. Treason was not dumb.  Still, hence the investigation.  She needed to make sure the pack was safe.

He was definitely a good deal more twitchy than she was, but that was probably because he seemed to be on his own.  Yet not seeking her pack, at least from his lack of saying things.  She didn't care to force the Issue.  At the sound, she looked that way too, but since she hadn't heard anything else to go with that branch, it might just have been a natural cause without an animal's interference. Who knew? She had the advantage of having backup not too far away, so she was in no rush. Honestly she was probably more curious what the guy would do, and the answer to that was apparently just walk away, so Treason would continue on her quest for cougar signs.