Blackfeather Woods Into the Darkness

@Rowan Possibly forward dated. I don't know if he's done with his trip.

Celara's search for Kaistleoki had not gone well.
The she-wolf thought she had remembered most of the directions from her last trip, but it was not to be. Somewhere, she had missed a landmark, made a wrong turn, and now it was almost dark and she was right in front of a highly forboding forest. And it was raining. Hard. She had looked around, but there seemed no shelter from it except for the aforementioned highly forboding forest.

The world hated her, didn't it?

After several seconds of continuing to stare at the trees, Celara at last began to walk beneath them. It was much calmer, there, the howling wind slightly quieter and the rain barely felt. But as she started looking for some true shelter, some place to spend the night, she caught a scent.

It seemed she wasn't alone here. Other wolves had been here, recently. And Celara didn't imagine any wolf that lived in a forest like this would be happy about trespassers.
But there was no other shelter from the rain... 
Celara sighed. She'd have announce her presence. If they tried to kill her, she could maybe outrun them. Stepping back from the cover of the trees, she howled.

He caught sight of her a while ago.
Debating if his woodland was something to trust or turn tail from.
He crouched, silently still in the thickest bushes. Catching glimpses of her form.
She approached. He tensed, ready to spring forth.

He stopped when she did.
He stilled again as she turned back and howled. The tendril of wind blowing his sent towards her confirmed his suspicions as he emerged from the undergrowth.
He watched her, head and tail high.

"Welcome to Ivory Rose," he stated. Looking her up and down.
He didn't trust her too much. Not yet.
"Are you lost?"

Celara almost flinched when the wolf came out of the undergrowth. She had braced herself, and he hadn't done so in a particularly threatening manner, but the darkness must have been getting to her. Still, she kept hold of herself, and managed to respond properly once he had spoken. Tail between her legs, she knelt, but only slightly. "I am glad to know. I am Celara, a newcomer and a traveler." She didn't question the name of the forest, strange as it was. Perhaps it grew many wild roses, though it seemed impolite to ask. "I come in peace, and seek shelter for the night." She waited in silence for a time before remembering that he had asked something else. "And yes. I am rather lost."

Celara.
She was certainly wary oh him. Of Blackfeather.
But she was a traveller! She probably had seen more than him. He smiled.
"Rowan Blackfeather." He replied with his name. It was only polite.

He listened to her, nodding.
"Come," he invited her inside the shelter of the trees.
His tail waved softly, friendly and inviting. She knew he was the leader her now, so he didn't need to show off anymore - his tail lowered to a relaxed position.

"I don't know many landmarks in this land, I haven't travelled far," he smiled softly to her.
"I know where the pack Kaistleoki​ lies though, as well as Rusalka and the family of Redhawks." He walked as he spoke, leading her into the forest. Perhaps he should feed her. Invite her to stay longer. But she was a lost traveller - perhaps like his sister.

She hesitated, at first, before following him into the forest. He didn't seem inclined to murder her, and it wasn't like the presence of the dark trees would make that easier. Still, it was unnerving. 

"Thank you. Do you live here alone?" She decided to wait before telling him where she was going. Though the pack had been kind and she had nowhere better to go, the thought of returning to Kaistleoki was... Unpleasant. Celara couldn't say exactly why.

Maybe she'd be able to stay here longer than a few days. Until she became so lonely and paranoid that she'd have to find a pack again. This wasn't a particularly pleasant idea, but it was better than heading back through the cold grasses for the sake of something she didn't want to do.

Sorry for the delay

He could feel her tension. The hesitation.
But he had only taken the life of one K9 so far, and that was an infiltrating coyote.

"No, I have recently amassed a number of followers," he smiled. He was happy to not be alone anymore. "Zephyr is my co-leader."
He wondered if the other pale wolf was watching right now.

"I'll be happy to let you stay as long as you replenish the food you take. Do not harm the blackbirds, even if they are dead."
He was all well with strangers, but to not give them simple rules could betray them all. And the Daedra could curse him. He didn't fancy that.

He tilted his head to her, "where are you travelling to?"

"Yes, I can hunt. And I won't touch the birds."
Celara could, at least enough that she wouldn't be a burden. She was not surprised by that request. The order not to harm any blackbirds was odd, but she had heard of stranger rules. No, what shocked her was the realization that there was a pack living here, in this forest. She must have missed the border marks, in the rain. Or maybe they had none? 

"I've been looking for a pack." She said at last, in answer to his question. "Is yours accepting?" That they'd decided to live in this forest was a rather questionable decision, but it wasn't like there were any packs she'd rather join.

His brow raised in soft surprise.
He didn't think she'd ask to join, but perhaps she didn't realise there was a claim being made here. Their numbers grew rapidly in a short time and it was unlikely everyone was pulling their weight on border patrol.

"Good," he mused at her agreement to his rules.
Anyone denied them would have to be turned away. He would risk the wrath of Sithis.
"And we are. You'd be very welcome in our ranks," he smiled softly.

"What is your preferred trade, hm?" It would be good to know what his embers strove for so he could help them where he could.

"I was going to learn to fight. I didn't get far, however." Celara refrained from mentioning that she had once been far more skilled. She doubted that Rowan particularly cared about her history. That curiousity that had been nagging at the back of her mind finally came to the front. "If I may ask, why are the birds off-limits?" She hoped the other wolf wouldn't be offended at her question. She had another pack to fall back on, if possible, so the small risk that satifying her curiousity would gain her disfavor here was worth taking.  Not that she'd had time to think of that before asking. The she-wolf sighed internally. It was probably fine.

His ears tipped towards her. Wondering why. Why didn't she get far?
Maybe something happened to someone she loved. He understood that while some like him were filled to train harder, others stopped, fell apart. 

"If you ever want to take it up again, just ask," he smiled. He didn't want her to feel restricted by feeling hypocritical. That'd be silly.
She asked about the birds. Their meaning to him and the woods.

"This is Blackfeather Woods. The burial ground of Meldreisi Melonii. She had a connection to the Gods, the Daedra. They are most powerful here, and the black-birds are their disciples. Winged to reach them in the skies and black to hide in the deepest nights." A soft smile with light of happiness in his eyes. To have such a connection to this land. To be named from it.
Rowan would always have a place to belong here.

"You don't have to believe. Ivory Rose is a sanctuary for all."

Celara smiled at his words. "I will begin training again as soon as I can." With luck, this time her trainer would not go missing after the first few sessions. Her smile left, however, at Rowan's explanation of the ravens. Celara was no worshipper of spirits or gods, but his words were ominous ones. 
If such deities were to live anywhere, they would dwell here, The she-wolf thought. In the dark and shadowed forest, the sky howling and weeping outside the branches, Celara was almost ready to believe that the dark birds were the apostles of some vengeful god. "Now, can we head to the camp?" She said, partially to distract herself.

He grinned, pleased. A warrior to train.
A  warrior to help out.
His tail waved softly, showing his happiness.
"Call me anytime."
It was a promise as much as an offer.

Rowan tilted his head slightly, his youth showing in the movement.
The camp. Ah, yes. Where they gathered to ensure they were all safe and such like.
"Yes, let's go."
He picked up his pace as an invitation before they both took off into the woods to meet the pack.