Noctisardor Bypass Pretend I'm the nucleus and you're just my boys swirling around

For Legion peeps, it should be common knowledge now that Terance has stepped down (even if the exact specifics are gonna be vague since that thread's barely started, heh).

Arbiter probably thought too much. The change had left her surprisingly moody, though those who didn't know her as well might not be as able to tell. Or could they? Her brow had been creased in to a frown more often, her greetings even more terse, but she didn't seem too keen to let anyone in on her thoughts. They were nothing drastic, just things that she'd wished to cut off at the pass, ones she'd mentioned to Terance and Kaertok. Just that quest to eliminate uncertainties, no biggie.

Still, there was much to be done, much to be sorted before Legion could be as strong as she knew it could be. There were still months before she had to be particularly concerned (or so she hoped). So it was best she try to keep her thoughts to herself, focus on building the pack. She got to her feet, stretched, and headed towards the borders. Perhaps a hopefully-meditative patrol would provide some kind of enlightenment. Ha. As if. Arbiter didn't believe in any of that nonsense.

the pair head north once more, nausea seemingly having subsided in the past couple of days. it's a relief, and she's keen on getting back to the pack. there's one more stop to visit, first, though an ashen figure on the borderline, distant, has her auds perks, glancing to @Artyom. it's not Kaertok, but as they near, the woman is familiar after all. 

"treason?" she calls, the greeting she'd planned slipping from her maw. she stills as they draw within range, recognizing now from were that familiar scent from weeks prior had stemmed.

Artyom padded along at Dawn's flank quietly, content to be homeward bound. It'd been good to properly acquaint himself with Valette at Easthollow and he'd been happy to spend some quality time alone with his mate, but he looked forward to being back on their own turf to allow the sterling Alphess an opportunity to rest properly.

There was one last stop, however, which was thankfully along the route toward their stream. The pale ranger did not possess a great level of enthusiasm in his approach, though Dawn's mention of a name sparked a memory and he thrust his ears forward. Eyes scoured the snow swept land before them to settle on an alabaster figure tipped with familiar darker markings, and at once his tail was sweeping the cold air with newfound energy.

Arbiter!

A strained whine, one filled with relief and excitement to have finally found his former Lost Creek leader, slipped fron between his lips as he struggled to resist an urge to bolt forward and properly greet her. Artyom held back, unsure how she might react to his unfortunate disappearance and sudden reappearance, though hoped she would not judge him too harshly considering the quaking earth that'd separated him.

She saw some others in the distance. Hm. Heading her way? She hadn't recognized them right off the bat, it had been a while. But this was her territory, so she would wait and at the very least watch them pass by if they suddenly changed direction to go around. But they didn't. Hell, they even called out to her. Blink.

It took a moment before she realized who they were. With all that had happened, she didn't necessarily blame Artyom. There were others who drew her ire far more quickly -- or would if she knew what happened to them. He wasn't in the pack as long as some, so though she would have preferred he'd been showing up here looking to rejoin, it didn't seem like that was the case.  Dawn had been gone even longer -- since before even Rannoch left, if she recalled right. There were definitely other wolves to be more angry at than her.

I go by Arbiter now, was her first response. Since they'd been traveling and she hadn't personally met a wolf from Whitebark Stream to really confirm the scent in the northern forest was that of their pack, she seemed a little confused by their presence if anything -- just a bit of subtle undertone and all that. You both seem well, at least -- but what brings you by? Perhaps Arbiter was also just so wrapped up in her own troubles that she was missing out on the more mundane reasons out there. She was more apt to believe something was going wrong with the way things had been the last few months.

treason - arbiter, now - appears neutral as she moves to greet them. from what she knew of the woman, Dawn was pretty certain that was as friendly as she got, and so any apprehensions she might have had were quick to fade. she dipped her muzzle in respectfully greeting as she approached, though introductions seemed unnecessary. "as do you," she echoes, somewhat glad to see her once-packmate.

"I met Kaertok at your borders not long ago. I told him I'd planned to claim Whitebark Stream; we've done so, now." a glance at her mate, remembering their last conversation. they'd had little time to discuss it further as she'd hoped, but now seemed a good time. "there's a territory that lies between both of our claims - the Maplewood. you might have noticed someone had tried to claim it recently." she'd chosen differently, in the end, but that did not mean others would try. 

"it's a valuable territory. no doubt others will try and do the same. together, we could claim it as joint hunting grounds, and ensure that no others will try again." a cant of her ears that asks the woman's opinion; there may very well be details to iron out, but as far as she could see it would be a favorable choice to both groups.

She veered their way, though did not express the same relief and happiness to see him as he did her. Disappointment stilled his energetically sweeping tail until it hung limp at his hocks; Artyom had expected more of a response from her, be it comfort to learn that he'd survived or frustration that he had failed to return.

Instead, she simply acknowledged that he and Dawn appeared "well". It had not occurred to Artyom that he might mean so little to Arbiter though he supposed she might think herself of little value to him as well, considering his disappearance. Artyom had did his best for Lost Creek during him time there until the earthquakes prevented his return, but there was no demand for an explanation for his departure nor was there room for him to offer such, as Arbiter and Dawn carried on with talk of business at once.

So he lingered at his mate's side, listening quietly to she and Arbiter as they discussed the territory that lay between those of their respective packs.

Arbiter was never a particularly excitable wolf, but this was not her at her best. She was in a sour mood, caught off-guard by old faces that weren't here to aid her in rebuilding her pack. That part was kind an insult from whatever fate was out there. Would it be too much to ask for things to go right or had Rannoch tried to curse them all when he left?

With the way things had been, Arbiter had taken to assuming that wolves who left probably more often than not did so on their own free will. Many of them didn't have the balls to come and say they were going to -- and considering she did on occasion find them again elsewhere... She hadn't exactly been proven wrong. The pack had not moved far and had even left word with Easthollow -- those who wanted to return could find them with ease.  So why didn't they? Her gaze lingered on Artyom, waiting for him to speak but he didn't. Perhaps she expected an explanation for why he disappeared, perhaps she was just making sure that he had an opportunity to speak. She looked back to Dawn.

A slight nod, Yes. I ran into her too. She said she was leaving for... Bracken Woods I think it was. Since I don't know where that is, I assume it's far enough away that she won't be a bother. I intend to make sure she stays gone.  She'd give it another week or so then make another trip to investigate. Both the Maplewood and the Grove make sense from here. With the way the hills are, I don't know if we'd want to use Maplewood for larger prey, but it depends on our caches. I certainly agree that having another pack attempt to form in any of the other adjacent territories to either of our packs is something we should avoid. -- We just came through that famine, we don't need someone destroying the recovery here out of their ignorance.