Spotted Eagle Mountain Sundown in the Paris of the Praries

attn: @killdeer but all welcome, especially Mereo

Bronco was careful. With the pledge he’d made to stay well away from the canyon and it’s well established and patrolled borders, he ambled up the mountainside nearby, knowing at least that his voice would venture where his feet could not. 

He’d not been forbidden from seeing his son, or reaching out to him. And so, on the slopes of the nearby mountain he traipsed, able to see the red sand canyons in the distance. He sniffed- he was far enough away he couldn’t smell their border markings on the air so this was neutral territory. 

He tilted his head back and called out for his son. He’d respectfully allowed time to pass, knowing @Killdeer had been sent on a mission to some other pack, but felt it was time to touch base again, if he’d returned.

Katniss was checking the borders when she heard the call of another wolf. She tensed, not recognizing the voice, and sensing it was coming from outside the border. She started to head towards its source, and when she reached the border, she saw a large golden-brown male, not too close to the border, calling for someone.

She tensely padded up to him, keeping some space though. "Who are you and what do you want?", she asked.

 Bronco is not at the borders, he’s on the mountain miles and miles away. 

He waited patiently for the voice of his son. If he heard nothing, he’d assume perhaps that Killdeer might still be on his duty elsewhere, or perhaps he ranged too deep within the canyons to have heard his father’s call.

He was surprised to catch the scent of a wolf which was familiar- and he stiffened. This was the wolf who had been chased off after trespassing at Brechelient, when the pups had wandered too close to the border. He didn’t want conflict- he simply wanted to hear from his son. And he was far enough from Mereo- or so he thought- to avoid conflict.

But the stranger sought him out. He noticed, now, that she smelled of Mereo. So they’d taken in the trespasser- he wondered if Germanicus knew his recruit was one who had caused quite some conflict at their neighbouring pack. 

Bronco gave her a neutral look. She wasn’t who he’d called for- she was nudging her way into someone else’s business for no visible reason. She was tense for someone on neutral territory- he sensed her insecurity and disliked her for it.

”I’m calling for my son. I live in Brechelient, on the Caldera…I believe you know where that is,” He said calmly, his tone intended to imply that he remembered her scent. He didn’t forgive her for causing Maia such a fright. ”It’s easier for us to communicate via howl rather than travel the whole way every time we want to get caught up…And I like to avoid trespassing.” he paused. He hoped he wouldn’t have to elaborate. 

”But he seems to be busy, so I’ll be going.” He said, with a shrug. He wanted none of this suspicious woman’s time.

sorry, edited my post

As she got closed she too stiffened. She recognized his scent. It smelled of the scent of the pack she had wandered too close to when she had seen the pups on their own. She didn't remember who he was necessarily, but she could tell he remembered her so she knew he must've been there.

When he brought up her knowing their home, she silently growled. She was hoping he wouldn't have to comment. She was only trying to help those pups, couldn't he tell? She was a little curious about why his son wouldn't show or call back if he knew his father was calling for him, but she didn't question.

"Right if thats what you want, you can go. Or I could try to see if he's in camp or around, and send him your way. But it seems you want nothing to do with me, over a stupid mistake of me trying to save some pups lives, so I guess I'll just be going." She said tensely.

Killdeer was late. He'd been practicing his sparring when the call had rang out, and had meant to go, but then he'd gotten sidetracked, and then been asked to patrol, and, and, and. . .

All this resulted into him coming upon a tense scene between his father and a woman he barely knew.

Hey! he called out, hoofing it over the rocks, lips pulled back in a grimace. He nodded in acknowledgement to the wolf who smelled of Mereo and then gave his father a friendly nudge before turning back to her, hoping to soothe tempers.

This is my dad, he told her, tail wagging behind him. He's cool. I think he was looking for me. Do you—do y'all know each other?

Could've cut the tension between them with a blunt claw.

His lips tightened when he felt the inaudible stir of tension in her throat. To be fair, she had every reason to be defensive. She’d been judged abruptly when she’d been found close to the borders, and now she was returning the same skepticism. 

He squinted faintly, though, and glanced back to her with something like regret in his eyes when she spoke. ”Saving them?” He asked, slowly. He suspected she’d have an excuse, or an explanation, but he wasn’t the one who needed it and it was in the past, now. ”Look. I’m sorry if someone misread the situation, but I hope you understand…Those’re someone’s kids, and you were a stranger, right at our territory. Parents sometimes…” The pinch of tension slipped from his shoulders, his tone and features gentled. He spotted Killdeer beating a path toward them, and he smiled faintly as he watched his son approach. ”Parents sometimes get irrational about their kids,” He uttered quietly, his lips barely moving. He was keen on not having his son witness another conflict. He hoped that that explanation would serve as somewhat of an apology. 

It made him proud to see that unlike both the other wolves present, his first instinct was to diffuse and make peace. He warmed to his son’s touch, and uttered a fond growl. ”Hey Varmint,” He greeted his son, with a tone he hoped would settle his concerns.

His brow raised at his introduction. ”Always knew I was the cool parent.” He commented. His eyes flicked to the woman, when their relationship was called into question. He inhaled. He didn’t feel the situation needed any more mediation, and it certainly wasn’t Killdeer’s job to be his father’s keeper. He gave her a brief, wry smile.  ”Not really, no,” he confessed. ”We’ve met before, but you know how sometimes your Dad makes a poor first impression.” He said. He gestured to Killdeer. ”You won’t have to worry about him being trouble in your pack, though. Killdeer here managed to get only the good genes.”

"the pups were young and running into danger. all I wanted to do was make sure they didn't die. But this is the past so please, let us not worry about it." Katniss said stiffly.

Then the wolves son showed. He seemed like a friendly wolf. Katniss hadn't ever talked to him but she may have seen him around camp before. 

She felt her presence was no longer needed now that the father and son were together, so she dipped her head to the pair and headed back into Mereo territory.

Whatever beef was between Bronco and Katniss, he didn't know it. His golden eyes followed Katniss for a few heartbeats, then he turned back to his father, and galloped toward him, wrapping the scarred honey-toned wolf in his embrace.

Missed you, he said fervently, lips close to Bronco's ear, then pulled back. What's up? Where are you living?

Oh, if his parents could only co-exist! Apparently it was not to be, but at least he'd had the contact with both of them as of late. He hoped Bronco was close. His nostrils flared quickly, trying to pull clues from his father's pelt. Open land, not the mountains. . .

The woman seemed still a bit ruffled by the topic, but she chose to bury the past which was just as well. She seemed more the type who might hold a grudge- so he might have to be wary of that. She left, to his relief, though he had to wonder if her grudge might later get translated to his son. He hoped that wouldn’t be the case.

But he had good news for Killdeer. ”The Plateau, actually, with Brechelient,” He said. He gave his son a faint smile, hoping this might brighten his mood. ”Just a quick jaunt to the South. It’s as close as I could get, I think, and Eljay and Maia were happy to take your old man in.” He said. ”Now tell me about you- how was that mission you went on, or is that too classified?” He asked.