Shadewood And you are, you are, you are

AW but maybe @Pruina ? :D

Riley had briefly parted company with @Masque earlier that morning, wanting to check out a felled tree he’d seen in passing during their hunt the night before.



The tree, likely a hardwood from the way it resisted rot, had fallen some years before. Moss claimed the eastern side of its face, and as Riley pawed the earth gently, he noticed evidence of past claim here in the way the dirt was shifted to the side.

As he walked around the tree, he caught the passing scent of something else too. Pausing to sniff deeply among the leaf litter, Riley realized with some alarm the tracks belonged to a wolf.

He wasn’t sure he how felt about their potential sanctity being breached. Rather than outright hostility, Riley elected to track the scent down — if it was a passerby that was one thing, but if this wolf planned on staying they were about to meet the natives.

i am sorry, i didnt know the area was getting claimed! my bad but still thank you for the tag and taking advantage of it!

When she was passing through the area earlier, there was no scent of others she was able to catch on, yet still that supposedly could have also been a failure of her own senses (which would become a severe issue she would have to deal with later on). Eventually though, her nostrils were refilled with a scent of others of her kind and that was enough of a notice to make her leave as soon as possible.

Pruina wasn’t a wolf that was looking for a fight. Therefore then it wasn’t her intention to step into anyone’s territory.

Not knowing where she headed, she went there where her legs took her, away from the scent. Right on the edge of the forest, it however intensified. Ah, she panicked and turned around.

Hello, is anyone there? I mean no harm, I am leaving. She spoke softly into the void; it was hard to see.

Just as Riley narrowed in on the scent, a voice carried over the thin trees. Riley recalibrated his path, finally coming within view of a pale she wolf.

He assessed her immediately, borrowing the clinical stare he’d often seen Masque impose.

She was an off-white with pale cream undertones, her fur darkening towards her feet. Riley studied her eyes, struck by the gemstone glitter of their blueish-green hue.

He wondered what Masque would do. He was not necessarily friendly, but his body language wasn’t aggressive either. You’re in the Shadewood. Can I help you?

Pruina looked to the left, then to the right, scanning the area with her eyes only; her head didn’t move at all and she remained keeping a fair distance from the stranger just in case. The anxiety was slowly taking over and it was difficult keeping her mature composure.

Aa… Am I? I d-don’t know the area. She told the stranger nervously and took a step back. I am traveling, I have never been here before a-and got a l-little lost while trying to leave… I only recently caught your smell. She didn’t want to mention her vision and blame it on it either; after all it wasn’t a problem, just a little disadvantage the mother nature gave her.

As long as she can convince the wolf she really meant no harm, there shouldn’t be an issue.

There was something strange about how this woman looked around — as if her gaze was screened by a bough of pine, or she was looking past something. Riley felt his skin prickle, but he stayed any emotional response with the rational reminder that their claim here was still tentative. While he and Masque patrolled often and heavily, it was only two scents — and to most wolves, that hardly constituted as closed border policy.

I can show you out. Riley offered at length, his uneven gaze holding her carefully. She didn’t look untrustworthy, but what did that mean? Any wolf was capable of killing. For all he knew her nervous stutter and flinty gaze could be a ruse intended to get his guard down. Are you supposed to be meeting someone?

i am sorry for the slow responses, i am honestly fighting for my life a little… lool

No, not really… I am not… She spoke softly, relaxing a little upon the offer. I am on my own. It was still quite suspicious and kidnapping in this case was a viable option but Pruina never thought of anyone like that. Those might have been some old fairy tales grandmas shared in order to keep children within the pack’s territory and so she agreed.

That would be very kind of you though. Can you help me get out of here?

While Riley felt protective of the Shadewood, this female didn’t give him any reason to feel suspicious. He kept his guard up, but visibly relaxed as she revealed she was alone and then asked him for help.

Yeah. You’re gonna want to go that way, He pointed towards a footpath that had been carved into the earth by the consistent cleaving of dozens of cervine feet. And follow it until you hit an open clearing. From there, you should be good. I’ll follow you. No offense, but can’t have interlopers in our home.

Pruina gulped though she had no bad intentions anyway and so she squinted to see better before turning around.

It wasn’t offensive at all and actually made quite a lot of sense—she was in an area taken but unknown to her and despite being a nomad, she knew that certain areas were claimed and couldn’t be stepped into unless a fight was initiated.

Y-yeah! Thank you for your help! She said before giving the guy one last glance and following the path.

The beginning didn’t go as well as she imagined.