Ocean's Breath Plateau Homeward Bound.

OBP pack scouting thread. For AW, possibly future members?

Aiolos stood atop the plateau with a smile upon his lips, toes toying at the edge of the rocky cliffside which made an easy slope down to the field below which ultimately turned to beach, then ocean. The rocky sides of the plateau were less steep when coming up from the beach, which would be more likely for the trek down amongst the wolves he hoped to gather here. Not only was the beach directly in view where they could hunt, a plain lie to the west, a deadwood forest to the east which he had come from and a lush, thick forest to the south. Plentiful options for hunting if not on the territory itself. 

The wind up here was harsher, colder. It whipped against his fiery coat and bringing a salty scent that he would breath in deeply with pleasure. The views from above allowed him to see all which lie around him for places to hunt, scout and search for herbs. But what of the plateau itself? He turned from the edges of cliffside and began scouting the territory inward.

Aiolos was proud of his find. Now, if only to solidify it.

The dog came traipsing across a narrow corridor of stone, a squirrel hanging limp from his jaws, when the blustering wind caught upon him. He was nearly pushed from the ridge and had to duck down, scrambling towards some trees and frosted ferns. The squirrel wagged with the momentum of the directional shift and he nearly lost it against some grabby bits of bramble; but a quick jolt with his neck pulled the dead thing free. Bug hunkered there for a minute or two - patient, drooling around the warmth of the little body. 

When things calmed and the trees stopped shuddering, Bug plopped the squirrel down. He was ready to tuck in to his meal when a new scent hit his nose - he had been so distracted by the powerful blood smell of his prey's broken neck that he had missed the obvious: this was wolf territory. His nose wrinkled a bit, and Bug looked to the crumpled body at his paws, wondering if he should glut himself and run, or chance an encounter.

The winds did howl, bringing forth the chill of winter, the salt of the nearby sea, some blood and... what was that? Aiolos breathed in deep, long legs carrying him closer to the source. A fox? A coyote? One of those, wolfdogs? 

He pushed forth and, quite easily spotted out in this mostly open terrain was an equally spotted creature. He had the same average shape of a wolf, fox or coyote, though never like anything he had seen before and far smaller then he. Ears flipped down, his fur so very thin, it was a wonder he was not frozen to death out here in the wilderness. 

What are you? He spoke with a clipped demand at the creature, curious and yet keeping his dangerous should something be...well, wrong with him.

He should have known better than to sit and wait here. The crowding warmth of the bushes slowed his response a little bit, and when the wolf came upon where he was hidden, he sat up sharply. One paw pressed against the dirt before the squirrel, hoping to hide it from view. Perhaps it was the blood that drew the creature here. The hound knew he was a hunter in his own right, but a wolf was something wholly different - wild and strong and everything he was not. It infuriated him to be found-out so swiftly.

When the wolf spoke, Bug was stunned with how clear they sounded. It was not the first wolf he had encountered in his year away from home, but it was the first that had spoken. Thus far he had been too afraid to get close to them; intrigued as he was by their scent and desperately lonely as he had become, there was a threatening aura about the wolf scent he'd found in the past. This wolf had the same vaguely wild scent and it made Bug's skin crawl.

What are you? The wolf said. Bug couldn't make sense of their differences and he did not know what to say. All he could do was shrug his shoulders in a non-commital gesture. They.. They call me Bug. Among other things, all of which made him feel utterly stupid now that he thought about it; so those tidbits he'd keep for himself. Memories of an easier time.

Bug? Well that was a most unfortunate name to be given. Surely his parents had not been very considerate and Aiolos would only be left to hope he would have better judgement if he were ever given the ability to name his pups. But that only tells me who you are, not what you are. Like I'm a wolf... and you arnt. Nor a fox, or coyote, or even badger... He spoke with a snort, an annoyance touching his tone from having not been answered.

Fiery colored eyes narrowed on the speckled creature, taking note of the squirrel he protectively covered. It wasnt much of a meal to steal. But maybe, maybe he could eat Bug. Aiolos was confused. Was he friend, foe, prey? Usually there wasnt communication between predator and prey. Aiolos began circling the spotted animal closely, studying. Arnt you cold? Your fur is so short. And it was Canada. And winter. Winter in Canada. 

What? What else could Bug be, but a wolf? Granted they did not look exactly the same, but the same could be said for birds, beetles, fish - they were suited to an environment. Bugaboo did not have a winter coat or tall ears, but that did not stop them from hunting just as well, tracking, playing, or sleeping.

So the wild thing was given a curious look in response; Bug had no words because they never had anyone state such things so plainly, and after a few moments of deep thought they say - I am just like you! What's important is - I am not food. A prompt nod follows, but Bug cannot help the feeling of unease that spreads through them. Maybe the validity that statement was at risk now that it had been said aloud.

The creature, after silencing a moment with a seemingly loss for words, spoke. He insisted he was just like him and that he was definally not food. Oh your not hu? He imagined food would say that too. Foxes had before, coyotoes...  but a wild could eat one of those if they had to. Hell, they could eat another wolf if he had too. 

Aiolos shrugged, finding himself stopping back around Bug's front as he finished his full circling. His fur was so short compared to any wolf he had ever seen, Aiolos could have thought he had none if it weren't for the spots. And his ears were fallen on his head, how could he hear as well? A small man, a small...canine, but Aiolos had a hard time believing he was a wolf. Who knows, maybe he was a wolf from far south? Maybe they were different in other lands? Maybe he was a MUTANT?! 

Well, the fiery wolf began, settling down onto his haunches. Unless you plan on living here like me too, how about you get on out of here? If he were going to lay claim to this place he wasnt going to start out with some spotted Bug getting in his way.

Its been over a month and Bug is inactive so ima go ahead and close this up.

 

Aiolos found himself growing irritated with the canine, be it whatever kind, wich stood before him. If he wasnt going to be joiming Sirensong then he would need to leave Sirensong's lands. Snapping his jaws and growling in warning he would allow the spotted creature to run off. If he didnt? Welp, Aiolos would just have to dispose of him in a much less pleasant manner...