Sun Mote Copse Feelin' like a space brain

Maybe someone from the Firebirds?

The hinterlands held many secrets. Revui was not wholly adapted to living off of the mountain despite his time spent here in the woods, and found himself watching the distant mountain range whenever it found space in his periphery; yet he did not think to abandon Issun or their claim, so he would only watch from afar. The sky had been growing grey in the past few hours. When the mountains began to bleed in to the sky (collecting silver mist and forming dense clouds higher and higher,) he turned his attention away from the strange visual and focused on the woods again.

He had not meant to drift too far from the budding pack, but he had. The cedar trees thinned and fanned out until they were not the most dominant species — reduced to minutiae, surrounded by so many others that he had no name for. These trees were different only for their vivacious colors. Some retained a brilliance that even the winter could not take from them, not that Revui was in any way interested in their beauty. He noticed the lack of Issun's scent and the strong contrast of others, which made him pause and examine his surroundings with a shrewd eye, wary of any approaching danger. The fur along his spine rippled, but he could not make out any bodies among the trees - yet.

Wheeeeeeeee

With the small avalanche from the mountain across the river disturbing the snow and covering their tracks, Fluke had doubled his border patrols along the Western edge of the pack until they'd been well established again. It hadn't taken long- but traipsing over the tumbled snow and the occasional log that jutted out of the new snow piles like dark bones took time, and he wasn't in the best shape. It would help, he thought, to trim down some of the fat he'd put on over the summer- and at least it meant he was an easy keeper- so if the winter was a hard one...He'd probably be able to survive off himself longer than any of the others would- barring, of course, the possibility that he might be chosen as the plumpest meal to eat should they turn cannibalistic. He doubted very much that that would happen, though. Who'd eat him? He was too adorable. 

He made his way a bit further along their forested home, meandering toward the South where the forest continued- but shifted. There were more deer tracks in the area where the cedar trees grew as they liked to strip the bark in the winter. Along here, though, he could smell other wolves and knew that something must have come up- as it now appeared that they had neighbours that weren't associated with the Redhawks. In the distance, though, he caught sight of a shaggy grey figure, and he called out with a gruff but friendly boof to catch his attention and see what the news was along this part of the borders.

The scent of deer had evaded him until he was standing still, and in becoming more watchful he also tuned in to the finer details of his surroundings. If Revui had been more of a hunter than a guardian he might've noticed the graze-lines that were within view from his position, or the narrow trail leading through the snow that wasn't quite the size of a wolf. Instead, he was oblivious to these signs.

In time he would, no doubt, adapt to his spontaneous choices and new lifestyle. For now he was on high alert for danger. He could not shake the feeling like he wasn't alone. His need to keep the pack safe was the only familiar thing he had now, and he would not stop. When a call sounded nearby, he was swift to turn his ears, head, and then full attention towards the dark shape among the trees.

Revui watched the stranger but did not move to intercept them; he studied the way they moved in the snow.

It appeared that he'd caught the stranger's attention, as his head turned in Fluke's direction, but he didn't exactly make his way toward him. Figuring that maybe he was simply keeping his distance because their borders were close at hand, Fluke picked up a slow jog and made his way toward the grey wolf in the other part of the woods- but he too began to slow when he caught the scent of more wolves- and not the Firebird kind of wolves. While it wasn't as though the borders came so close together as to touch, he could definitely tell that only kilometres away, there was another settlement of wolves. He'd have to tell Wifi- but he did fully intend to meet the new neighbours first. 

"Heya there," He called out, his brush-like tail waving from side to side behind him as he moved closer, still keeping a wary distance between them, as this fellow didn't seem to be quite as open or friendly as Fluke was. He'd learned at a young age that not everybody liked having someone go right up and greet them- and he'd been thumped on the nose enough times to have learned that lesson. Still, every  part of his cheery face smiled as he tipped his head in greeting. "I'm Fluke, of the Firebirds. We're kinda new still, but we live in the forest along the river there," He said, gesturing over his shoulder and back the way he'd come. "You live around here too?"

This stranger wasn't like the wolves he knew from the mountain, and he didn't hold the same scent as Issun's group, so he was instantly wary. They seemed friendly enough but that didn't put his mind at ease the way it should have; Revui had been raised to be very careful along the borders of his once-home and he wasn't much different here in the woods. He didn't move to intercept the stranger, but flicked his ears, which was perhaps the only sign that he heard anything they were saying. It suited him to be petulant in the moment.

When they motioned in the opposite direction, Revui craned his neck and looked around, but only saw more trees. The stranger's question was met with a small huff. What sort of information was he allowed to dispense? Confirm that they lived in the woods opposite, or tell a lie and potentially keep the group safe? Revui considered his options for all of three seconds before he blurted impatiently, Issun wants the forest, which sounded like he meant Fin's forest, oops. He didn't notice how it sounded, and after mentioning his Alpha-to-be, Revui turned and took a few steps as if he were going to leave. But he stopped again, and with a shrewd look towards the swarthy male, cautioned: Stay away, or I'll hurt you.

With that, Revui felt like he'd made his point, and began to lurch away again. What a weirdo.

The male didn't seem to like having this sort of confrontation even if it was friendly, and his suggestion that someone else wanted the forest confused Fluke. He gazed past him, toward the forest that perhaps he was talking about, where the cedar trees grew. "Uhm, I mean, no prob," He said, respectfully ceding to the male's threat. "But like...You mean the cedar woods, right?" He asked as politely as he could. He'd already been warned, and he had absolutely no intentions of trespassing in the woods wherever this Issun fellow had laid his claim. But he did need a bit more information if he was going to avoid the area. The blue-eyed male certainly didn't seem like he wanted to talk, so Fluke simply stayed where he was, watching him move off, still sort of hoping that he might give a bit more of an indication where this "Issun" had claimed.

He didn't clarify himself; believing his threat to be good the way it was, Revui merely slanted his ears as he moved away from the dark-coated stranger. His heavy steps betrayed his inherent strength, while his trailing gaze turned ice-cold as he continued his patrol. If the stranger chose to intercept him again he would not issue another warning — it was best, then, if he be left alone. However, his path led away from the copse and back towards the sweep where Issun's group had chosen for their home. That might've been answer enough.