Haunted Wood thousand voices dead at my feet

and so the girl had risen as high as her age allowed, though very little seemed to have changed. she'd considered seeking out @Clay, but bullying had lost its appeal a while ago, and he'd obeyed that last thing she'd ever said to him exceptionally well. the only threat to her, really, was @Valour, but he'd realized his defeat and she supposed she could count on that remaining the same for a few more days, at least. 

she's of half a mind to seek out @Black Hat, who seems rather elusive lately, or perhaps one of the females - she hasn't seen any of them in some time, and her uncertainty regarding their intents and motives does not please her. for now, however, she roves the border, marking as she goes, keeping her face as still as possible while she can and hoping the wounds will scab over soon enough.

The wilds grew colder and colder with each passing day. His breath escaped him in plumes as he walked, but Black Hat was scarcely bothered by the cold. He hadn't seen Hela in quite some time, which nagged him at the back of his mind, but he didn't care enough to come chasing after her. She was clearly alive and well, just... scarce.

On his stroll, he caught onto her fresh trail. The marks she left behind told him she was patrolling. Seeing as she was nearby, he figured he should check in on her and receive some answers for her scarcity. Black Hat easily caught up to her with his long strides and stopped once they stood beside one another.

Hela... it's been a while. What have you been up to? He spoke conversationally, taking a good look at her to see what changed since their last interaction. Maybe his eyes deceived him, but Hela looked a tad taller than she did last time. She had some new wounds healing over, which he took as a sign she was still training. That was good.

it is Black Hat that finds her, after all, and though she's mildly put off by his stopping, as she's not half-done her patrol, she takes it in stride and pauses. there is a moment of hesitation between his question and her answer, solely because she loathes the throbbing pain she knows will start across her face as soon as she moves her muzzle to speak. 

"training. I killed a coyote a few days ago, and I took Valour's rank." the latter serves as proof that she's been learning successfully, less so as a brag. "where've you been?" perhaps it's petulant, but it's a question born of genuine curiosity. he'd been absent when the coyotes had trespassed, and seemed scarcer than usual. "the man in the pit wants to kill you." perhaps he knows this already, but a reminder can't hurt.

Uuuu, lost my post. Shitty replacement post time.

She stayed busy. Congratulations, He said in earnest, pride blooming in his chest. It was rare for him to be proud of one's accomplishments, but Hela truly impressed him — not that he'd let it show. She didn't seem the type to let pride go to her head, though. Black Hat took no offense to her question, as it was a fair one. He hadn't been the most present ever as of late. In and out, mostly hunting to fill the caches for winter. He walked on, not wanting to distract from her patrol too much.

"The man in the pit wants to kill you."

He gave a dry chuckle. I assumed as much. Suppose I should talk to Vengeance about that, I've no clue what the hell is going on anymore. Why was he allowed free reign? Did they agree on some kind of deal? Was Vengeance peachy keen with one member murdering another? Maybe, given how cutthroat the warlord was.

she's relieved when he begins to move again, falling into the rhythm of patrolling once more. his congratulations is met with little more than a blink; she'd had her pride, but holding on to it would only be a liability. Valour wouldn't let her go unchallenged long, and there would be more threats, more fights. 

pausing, she moves to mark a stunted sapling as Black Hat address the issue of Revui. "if Vengeance wanted him out, he'd just chase him out of the borders. but he gave him a rank." she ponders aloud, adding, "maybe it's a test." of Black Hat, and Revui too. by introducing a potential threat, Vengeance had the perfect opportunity to test the skills of those below him.

He nodded at her initial point in agreement. Her notion that it could have been a test piqued his interest. Hmm… That seems likely. Well, I won't let some shit-for-brains best me, that's for certain. He said it aloud for himself as well as Hela, for worry still ate at his insides. This man didn't just want a spar, he wanted him six feet under. Knowing this, Black Hat began to scheme. He should strike preemptively, put him out of commission...

Blinking, he returned his gaze back to Hela. He'd flesh out a plan later. What do you say to a spar after you're done patrolling? I'd like to see how you've improved, He offered, changing topics.

want to have a spar in a separate thread? :)

she accepts his answer with a "hm," though her mind returns to the pure and steadfast confidence that seemed to emanate from the man, and can not help but wonder what would happen when the two clash. 

"alright," she agrees, brightening somewhat. she's tempted to leave off her patrol now, but doesn't want to slack in her (somewhat self-imposed) duties, now that Valour remains a threat. "it's not much longer." 

"Vengeance has been teaching me sometimes, Serem too. they fight so differently - how will I know what my fighting style is? is one style the best?" it's not especially well-articulated, though it's a thought that's been nagging at her.

Sure!

Hela appeared eager to spar in her own reserved way, which pleased him. He nodded. She then voiced how lost she felt in the sea of different fighting styles, which was understandable since she was learning from so many different wolves. Different styles work best for different wolves based on preference and physical build. And even within styles, each individual has their own little quirks. You'll find one that works best for you in due time, Black Hat assured her.

she marks a fir, pressing her shoulder and side against the bark as she passes. "so I just need practice, then I'll know?" she confirms, considering simply walking beyond the borders and attempting to incite anything that breathes into a fight. it's stupid, she knows, but perhaps a little bit appealing. 

they walk on a while longer, and the crooked fir that usually marks the end of her patrol across this part of the border comes into sight. significantly less patient now, she instead veers away from the border and into the territory, seeking out the first open glade large enough to allow for a proper spar.

Closing this out! You can start the spar thread if you want, or I will in a day or so.

"So I just need practice, then I'll know?"

More or less, He agreed. Don't think about it too much, just focus on the experience. They continued in silence, both inwardly buzzing in anticipation of their spar. Hela peeled away from the border in a hurry, signifying the end of the patrol. Black Hat eagerly followed.