Redhawk Caldera kick rocks

He returned to the Caldera with a sing-song howl sounding out. His pelt was hung back around his neck, bundles of green proudly held within. His previous meeting at the Caldera had gone well, and now he hoped to score a proper trade.

Parking himself right on the border, he leaned his head with the hopes of spotting someone. He could take his time now, there was nowhere else to be.

A call invited inspection.

She did not, of course, recognize the ruddy figure that seemed so confidently placed. He 'wore' something she could not decipher from a range. Yet she wondered if it was better to fetch someone like the Elder Redhawk or even Amalia.

No, she inwardly scolded herself. If she wished to be more involved then she could do the basic tasks of introductions. Then decide if the visitor should be pawned off on someone else.

She approached with the confidence befitting someone who was home. Even if she did not move with a leader's swagger, for she was certainly not!

His colors were more striking up close. Perplexing almost! Bird-like and land-like all at once.

Who are you?

A rather direct question, but asked with a genuine curiosity that softened the edges of her voice.

He was met by a wolf, but it was not Killdeer this time. Leandros. He responded, dipping his head. I come from Verapaz.

What the Redhawk wolves knew of him and his green he wasn't sure, but that just meant there was room for him to talk. I met your leader, Killdeer some time ago. I gave him some green to try, and now I'm here to see if the pack wants to trade for more. Why wouldn't they? Things seemed to go well last time, and he wasn't being met with hostility now.

Leandros and Verapaz were words distinctly not like Redhawk or Trailhawk. In a way that almost made her nervous to say them. Surely it would be rude to incorrectly speak the name and places of visitors.

But was it more or less rude to not use names at all?

At least, she rejoiced, she knew Killdeer. Granted she doubted he'd have much want to be handling this border call when surely his family still fretted over him dearly. She could continue to test things here. Learn a bit more before it was potentially passed along.

What is green? Healing? She doubted it would be any kind of food or furs, which left that her only other guess. Purely by color association.

Her spectral consort had at long last vanished, though Towhee once again found herself wondering if she was hallucinating. She pressed her nose into the dirt at her feet, trying to suss out the minutest trace, and still couldn’t be certain. She could’ve sworn she smelled @Seal, though it had to be her imagination, as why would her granddaughter come this close to the caldera and not say “hello”?

She lingered at the spot a while longer, then brushed the dirt off her nose and slowly resumed her patrol. Her mind stayed with the Sveijarn-Corten clan for a while, wondering how Meerkat et al were doing. Towhee hadn’t seen them in so long, her chest actually pinched tight with how much she missed them. Bushtit hadn’t been by in a while, either, not to mention all the other wayward wolves. The Elder let out a long-suffering sigh.

Two figures appeared in the distance, one of them familiar and the other not so much. Towhee hastened her pace a little, realizing as she came closer that she recognized the darker fellow. She couldn’t place him, though as she slowed her step and flanked her pack mate, his scent made her think vaguely of the lowlands and Soto specifically.

The caldera wolf took a guess of what green might be for, and Leandros nodded in response. It restores your energy. Briefly he took a bundle from his pelt, letting the other get a look before he put it back.

They were then joined by a face all too familiar. What was with this old hag interrupting all of his trades? Had another distant grandma dropped dead? It didn't quite matter, dead grandma or not he wasn't pleased to see her.

Restored...energy?

Consider her intrigued! Yellow eyes watched the bundle presented with an unhidden eagerness. Truthfully, she might have asked to see this kind of thing in action but surely if it was medicine it was best left to healers.

Her mouth had been opened, prepared to ask a multitude of surely silly questions. Only to promptly clamp shut when she realized the Elder Redhawk arrived. A soft sway of her tail was given as both warm greeting and respect.

He is here for trading. She said warmly as she looked to Towhee. It is green. Restores energy.

Then her attention shifted back to their kind, trading visitor.

Trailhawk had the joy of being blissfully unaware.

His identity eluded her. Towhee shook her head, then froze when she noticed the sour look on his face. Did he recognize her—and have some kind of beef? Nonplussed, Towhee stared at him for a beat, then swung her head to catch what Trailhawk had to say.

She nodded subtly, then returned her attention to the visitor as she said, Okay, then paused before asking frankly, Why are you looking at me in that tone of voice?

What look? He provided an equally blunt response. If she didn't recognize him, that might just be more offensive than any of their previous interactions.

Cracking another smile for the first caldera wolf, he returned the bundle of green to the pelt he carried. Are you interested? He asked, tail wagging behind him. I won't ask for much in return. Soto hadn't exactly told him what he wanted for him green, but you didn't get loyal customers by being greedy. Some herbs unavailable to the desert wolves, or meat from a cache. That would do.

What was...happening?

Trailhawk watched a bit blanky at the exchange that occurred between familiar and unknown. Confused, but content to play second fiddle to the Elder Redhawk.

Which meant that it also was not her decision on if they traded or not. She, of course, had a great interest in this plant. How it worked, what it might do for her. Not that she was sick or hurt but extra energy? It could be good for hunts or if they needed to search once more!

Still, not unlike a child, she looked to Towhee for a verdict.

Oh my god, you’re the sh—Soto’s detective, Towhee blurted abruptly.

It was probably rude to interrupt, though she didn’t feel particularly bad about it after the way he brushed her off and spoke to Trailhawk as if she wasn’t even there. She squinted at the perceived snub, though she resisted the urge to say anything else.

When Trailhawk looked to her, Towhee bobbed her head, giving the resident agency to continue the conversation if she wished or tell the guy to get lost. She had been around long enough that the Redhawk trusted her judgement on the matter… and wouldn’t mind seeing how Trailhawk handled the undeniably tense situation.

Not anymore. He responded, but given she had remembered him, Arslan did afford her a smile this time. Much better! I was promoted. And he was a much better salesman than he was a detective.

Looking between the pair, he waited for a yes or no. He was a decently patient man, but this was getting a bit too long-winded for him.

There was a layer here that was flying over her head.

Soto. Detective. Promotion.

Trailhawk only blinked big yellow eyes, not unlike an observing owl. Perhaps fitting that her head swiveled from wolf to wolf like one too.

Regardless, it seemed it was being left up to her to decide if trade would be made.

Okay, She finally pushed herself back into the conversation. What trade? What is not much? It was too vague an offer for her to immediately decide if it was worth it.

Despite herself, Towhee snorted a laugh through her nose at his unexpectedly cheerful riposte. Good for him, she supposed, reflecting on all that had passed since that first rendezvous. Her youngest son’s growth, for one thing. Something in her chest pulled tight.

Trailhawk commandeered the conversation again, leaving the Redhawk to dip her head in silent approval before withdrawing. She intended to lurk in the background at first, but then decided the woman could handle herself. With a little switch of her tail and a parting woof to both parties, the Elder left them to it.

Meat, herbs. Something I can carry back to my pack. He decided. If you need to think on it, I can come back in a few days.

He had time. Leandros would not be expected home, especially not without a trade having been made.

If he was a traveling man, it seemed silly to ask him to return! Surely he had many other places to go and see.

No, She offered with a shake of her head. Left in full control of the conversation now that the Elder Redhawk had departed.

I give meat in trade. It seemed safer than offering herbs when she knew not what was bad or good. Yet perhaps, with her paws on green, she might begin to learn. Stay and I can go get.

There was a smile on her features now, a bit crooked and toothy, but clearly well meaning. Excited even.

i'm happy to wrap this up and say they did their trade if you'd like!!