Dragoncrest Cliffs god bless the daylight

Tagging leadership ( @Erzulie @Rosalyn ) but I welcome anyone to meet him here since he...isn't exactly being vocal!

Eadwulf had no reason to be here. To be anywhere. He felt like a ghoul these days. Roamed in the hours of low traffic, hung around like a leech when he needed something. Then stole away in the night to rinse and repeat.

It was not a life to live. Not substantial nor right by any means.

Yet it was hard to find any sense of right or wrong when he felt so constantly wronged. Selfish, presumptuous perhaps, to think he deserved to be righted. He wondered if it was a sign of sorts. He needed to...lift himself before anything or anyone else would.

Perhaps that was what had drove him here to the edge of a territory's border. Cloaked in the scents of others. It was not home. It was not whatever picture of home he had conjured in his mind when the word was thought of.

That made it perfect.

A place he could hide as he rebuilt himself in whatever image he could.

So why did he hesitate? He did not know.

Simply remained a silent standing dark spot on the horizon of whoever might spot him first.

Rosalyn ran the borders with an almost paranoid frequency, even as time passed. She rarely ventured from the cliffs outside of the occasional hunting trips, and she never went far enough to merit remaining overnight.  As winter lengthened, her protective drive ticked up, carried by expectations of spring and the tragedies weathered.

The shape of the stranger made her freeze, and she prepared to snarl before noting that he had made no move to enter.  It was strange to find a friendly wolf approaching silently, so she remained on edge as she took one step... then another.

What are you doing, lurking on our borders? she asked, her head lifting and turning so that she could glare at him with her singular eye.  There was no reason to be polite here.

AWFRACK one sec, Starr beat me to it XD
ALSO- if the two of ye get spreeing, you can skip Chacal. She'll mostly just be watching. 

It wasn't often that Chacal roamed toward the borders of the pack- but perhaps her restlessness could be cured by venturing a bit further away from her usual haunts, so she roamed along the borders. Not exactly doing a patrol for the sake of patrolling, but roving along wondering if she might just take some time and explore the lands outside of the pack's boundaries for once. She was a homebody- but she'd begun wondering just how much she was missing by staying well within the pack's boundaries all the time. In part, she feared what the wilderness might bring, knowing the dangers that lived beyond what she believed was an impenetrable shield...So she tested the waters by meandering along the paths that her family had created through the snow, until she spotted a figure in the distance. 

He was so much larger than her- standing taller, and being thicker throughout than she was nearly twice over, she estimated. There was a subtle hue of ochre to his pelt, but more striking yet was the contrast of pale fur that masked his face. She regarded him warily, and altered her route to give him a good berth- pausing in her trail when she noticed that her mother approached the stranger with caution as well. She felt a bit self-conscious, coming upon her mother greeting what she assumed was a stranger- but she didn't move away. She simply kept her distance, and watched silently. 

Her heart ached when she realized there was something about his facial markings that reminded her of Rosencrantz- and she grieved still for her deceased packmate. But she associated her fond memories of the fire-scarred male with this new one, and allowed her tail to wave softly as she regarded him with hesitant curiosity.

She approached and still he made no move. Certain that pressing forward would not be the correct move and knowing that pulling away would make him look even worse. Still he shrunk some when she looked upon him with her one eye. Ears pulled in a careful manner and tail limp between ankles.

Another in the distance, yet he could not spare them the mind that the woman before him required. However he noted the softness to the distant stranger that did not match the other.

Her question pressed upon his mind as he realized there were no good words for this. He felt tangled already in the little social web he had walked into.

I seek a home. It was not elegant or intricate. It was a raw and honest answer from him, escaping in a voice that hung heavy as if he harbored a sore throat.

Rosalyn didn't note Chacal's presence; she was too focused on the stranger in front of her.  He did not posture, nor did he waste time.  She appreciated both of these and she allowed them to temper some of her suspicion.

Most call when they want an audience.  She said, a little dryly, but she did relax some.  What makes you seek a home here?  More often than not it was simple placement, fate leading one to cross their borders and lack of choice making them wish for it.  But she always preferred wolves like Njord... drawn to the water and the promise it offered, keen to throw themselves into the pack and the family it provided.

She was right, this he knew. He had lurked like a harbinger of ill. Still she spared him time, words. Eadwulf would find himself grateful for this.

I have lost over and over. He started with slowly. Some bearing of his soul upon her doorstep. I seek new. I wish to rebuild myself in a new image, in a new place. Honesty was all he had to bank on here. He knew there was no reason to accept another mouth when winter still slung itself over the back of many wolves.

Her mother's air wasn't something she'd describe as being hostile, but she was definitely flexing her superiority, and making sure that the stranger knew who was boss. She envied her mother, for having such poise- but that envy also made her feel slightly jealous as well. For some reason, she began to pity the male, who seemed friendly enough. Maybe it was the fact that she was reminded of the kindly Rosencrantz that she was obliged to give him a bit of the benefit of the doubt- and perhaps it was the growing restlessness within her that made her want to rebel against the current authority. 

Still- she didn't speak out. Her expression remained calm, and some of her concern eased when she noticed her mother relax a bit. Her border protocol was what kept the pack safe, after all- so Chacal trusted her mother's judgment.

Ah, chance it was.  She looked him over carefully.  Some would join seeking to harm, others seeking to rule.  They'd enjoyed a small measure of peace here and she wouldn't see that tipped askew by a stranger, but they'd also lost many and could use more to guard those left.

My name is Rosalyn.  My wife and I keep Sapphique.  If you are looking for a home, you may find one here, if you are willing to abide by our code.  She waited to see what his reaction to that would be.  Some men would balk at a pack led by two women; he was deferential, so she hoped not.

A pair of wives led.

Eadwulf had not encountered such a thing that he could readily recall. Yet, he could not be picky or cast judgement, could he? He knew not her wife and what she was like. He simply had to place faith upon this woman alone right now.

The more pressing thing than the women was this code she spoke of. Vaguely referenced really.

Eadwulf. Offered with only a slight breathy pause before his next words. What is your code?

No reaction, outside of perhaps the usual surprise.  She committed his name, though likely she'd need a reminder if he disappeared at length vs making himself known to the pack.

Family first.  It's simple, but non-negotiable.  If you join, you become one of us, and that means looking out for your own.  She could assume from his words that he had no other loyalties, but she wasn't prepared to assume he knew what loyalty meant.  Perhaps these losses were his own fault, even.

Swear you'll uphold it and you have a deal. She didn't ask for qualifications.  She always assumed a wolf who lived this long couldn't be useless - all she wanted to know was if he knew how to contribute for more than himself.

"It's family first."

All that might've been heard of Chacal would be the faintest hiss as she heard that statement, and immediately reacted by flattening her ears, and turning to trot off into the packlands. Family had not been chosen first for the Seafoam Run, so why was she to believe her mother now? What she failed to remember was that packmates were family, and that Merlin and Njord had earned the right to participate by being contributing members of the pack, who were now considered family as well. In her spite, she couldn't see past her own jealousy. 

No longer interested in the meet and greet, she accelerated to a lope, hoping to disappear off into the wilderness without being spotted by her mother.

The figure in the back retreated from the scene. Eadwulf could only assume that they must have grown bored of the encounter. He knew he did not provide many interesting things with his presence. A dull mark in whatever history this place held.

There was the matter of the code, though. It lingered in the air for a moment before he inhaled it. Nodded. An understanding of what she spoke and what was requested of him.

I swear. He uttered in return, deep and calm. Gaze settled upon her scarred figure to see what came next.

We can wrap here if you like!  I'll go ahead and toss him in the ranks <3 welcome!!!!! I'm excited to see how he works with the group, omg!!!

He was a man of few words.  Rosalyn wasn't exactly charmed by this, but she could respect it, to a point.  That might speak to dishonesty over time, and a tendency to seek his own favor above the rest... but he'd sworn it, and so she'd give him a chance.  He could either prove it or leave them in the end.  She did not fear hers and Erzulie's position here the way she had in the past, and she knew all those within the pack would back them should they move against a stranger.

Then welcome.  I can show you around, if you like.  She stepped off, indicating he should follow.  It would be best perhaps if she did, to introduce him to some of their packmates and ensure he was not seen as a trespasser.  And while I do, perhaps you can tell me about yourself?  If he had anything interesting worth sharing.

It was possible he'd keep his past tightly guarded.  He had a look about him she was familiar with - rough edges, bullish form, built for violence.  Ignorant to Chacal's appearance and disappearance entirely, she accompanied him into the territory, curious to find more about this man who would join them.

Closing! :)

It was done, then. He'd follow her. Content to answer what she asked of him. He could tell her of the first lost. A kingdom down in flames. It pained him, of course, but it would not hurt to form some sort of honest bond between them if he was to make this work.

Then, when done with her tour, perhaps he'd find someone else to listen to.