Stone Circle Back to the future

Marilee had not expected to find herself near the borders of the male that had intimidated her. Maybe intimidated was too strong of a word.  But, at the moment, the correct word eluded her. When she had realized the borders were the same, she had retreated a ways, unsure if she would call upon the residents. 

The sun beat down on her back as she rested, and chose her next move. Aerasha had been very friendly, and said that this pack was, as well. The snow-white male hadn't been unwelcoming, exactly. But Marilee would have like to not come upon him again so soon. 

But, a coward she was not, nor would she begin to be today. She would take the advice of her newest friend, and see what this pack was about. She lifted herself off the green grass, shaking her fur to fluff it up before she trotted to the borders. She was careful to not tread upon them, and instead sat back on her haunches and lifted her muzzle to the clear sky, her howl going out and bouncing off the trees before her. She was sure it would reach someone's ears soon enough, and settled into a submissive posture to wait.

Patrolling—

A task he should have given up long ago, body weary and aged. But there was something about it that kept him coming back, kept him putting his body through the wringer. Some sense of duty, perhaps—a way to stay connected to his past and to the land underfoot.

No matter the reasoning, he was there all the same; stretching out now to urinate, joints aching far too much to hike his leg. Occasionally he’d rub his body against a tree, too, scratching spots he could not twist to reach in the process. Mid-way through the latter, he paused and listened, hearing still surprisingly precise. A howl was heard, someone not of their own reaching out to those within. Pushing off the base of a tree with a grunt, he steadied himself and sought to answer her call.

When Kove arrived, his age would be apparent—steps slowed and stiff, eyes sunken in but, from wisdom or age alone, one could never be too sure. To the stranger he dipped his head, a welcoming greeting, followed by a gruff, “Salutitsinik—”

Silence, ever so brief.

“—I suppose hello would be more familiar to you,” he noted. “What has brought you here, nukadlik?”

A wolf appeared in the distance, snow-white, much like the previous one. For a moment, Marilee assumed it was the same wolf as before. But, as she watched, it became clear it was someone different. The gait was stiffer, the stance more friendly. Her eyes cast downward as the distance was closed between the pack wolf and the stranger at its borders.

The first word he spoke was unfamiliar to Marilee, but she didn't even have the time to question it when he continued, in a language she understood. She gave a grateful smile, her eyes cast to his chest and not meeting his own gaze, out of respect. Thank you for heeding my call, she said first. I was turned in this direction by a wolf named Aerasha, she explained. I am looking for a pack to join, if you will have me. The wolf before her gave her a welcoming feeling, unlike the last. Plus, with Aerasha's blessing, Marilee thought that the first impression she had of the pack seemed wrong.

She spoke of being directed there by another wolf, someone whose name he could not say with certainty that he knew. But the man nodded along anyways, accepting her words and assuming this other was related to Easthollow somehow; he wondered if the other existed before him or if his memory was beginning to fade at last. Would one be better than the other?

“I am not someone that gets to decide whether or not you’ll be allowed here,” he answered. Kove was but an elderly man now, a leader of none and hardly even able to continue as a guardian. “I will call for someone that can be of more use.” Seconds after and out came a short call to @Valette. After which he looked to the stranger again and asked, “What is your name?”

A howl sounded for her. The female noticed that it was her father and wondered if he called for a chat or to catch up. But she noticed the location sounded like it came from the borders, so perhaps she had not been right. The female was quick to get there, and noticed that her father was with a female, unknown to her. "Hello, I'm Valette. Matriarch of Easthollow," she greeted. She then glanced at Kove if he had any extra information for her that he might already asked her.