Larksong Grotto keep things in the shallow end

The first task he set about was investigating the status of his neighbors. A day or so jaunt led him to the threshold of the first; a steep staircase of shale and crags zig-zagged down to a verdant territory snug between the walls of the peaks surrounding it. He didn't dare tempt fade and descend the pathway, and instead found himself a good place away from the heavily trod trail to observe in silence while he waited for the guardians of the hovel to make their appearance. The wolf was a curious thing; it nagged at him to discover exactly who he would be facing. Sitiyok sent up a succinct howl to announce his presence here before allowing a placid expression to settle on his face.

His burnished eyes flickered from the trail, to the distant glaciers, not so much lost in thought as making notes of landmarks and views to triangulate his location.

When morning came, she made sure to wait for Reek to wake up before moving. It did not take long for her to find someone to watch him, to care for him — wanting very much to make sure he was alright before anything else happened. She was sullen as she watched him slink off in to the caves, accompanied by one of their subordinates; a night of sleepless watching of her partner had discombobulated her.

That, and she was hungry. Ravenous. Tavi temporarily put her worries to the back of her mind as she wandered along the ridge, seeking something - anything - to lessen the emptiness in her gut. She was eating for god knows how many lives right now. As she ambled along, Tavi heard a howl from the other side of the quarry, and with a sigh she tossed aside her need for breakfast and sought out the cause.

Tavi was tired, and so when she came upon the dark figure, she was neither hostile or inviting. She did not get too close, and cast a furtive glance around for any backup should she need it. Being out here by herself was dangerous. The woman loosed a small sigh and began to hike off of her ledge towards the stranger, and upon halting again, she called out: This land is taken. What do you want? It was hard not to sound exhausted.

The svelte ranger was not left waiting long.

A female soon approached him from the shale staircase, rising up out of the Grotto with no hesitation in her step. His nose twitched as he drew in her scent from the breeze; she was hale, which fell in alignment with the little information he was able to gather from the scent markers placed strategically on the border. Sitiyok chuffed, "you must see to nosy travelers frequently." He said with a smile. "I only wanted to introduce myself, and extend the olive branch to my temporary neighbors. ." 


It was obvious that the female was not in the mood for long-winded conversations, so Sitiyok trimmed it to be as concise as possible.

He was a thin man, swarthy and dark except for a graying face, which made her wonder to his age — but also reminded her of Reek, and briefly Tavi looked away from him and peered at the land just over her shoulder, presuming he was still resting soundly. Her ears never left the rogue though; shey shifted atop her head to hear his words, and once she resumed watching him, she squinted his way. You're either here because you need something or, she shifted her weight as she spoke, feeling uncomfortable with just standing around even if he was still distanced from her; you want to take something. Which is it? Was this visit a thing of business or pleasure? The thought of inviting this stranger in to her home vaguely crossed her mind, but Tavi was not so trusting at this moment. The look in her eyes showed as much. I am a busy woman. She had a friend to fix, a pack to run, and babies to brew — which was becoming more obvious by the day.

This woman was severely suspicious of him; in the way she moved, spoke, and even breathed. Sitiyok found no fault in that. 

"A mutual agreement. I keep an eye on the greater area beyond your territory; root out dangerous wanderers, wildcats, and the like. In exchange, allow me to join in a hunt once or twice this summer." He exhaled, lowering his nose a bit, and regarding her with a scrutinizing stare. It would work in her favor; she would have another hale wolf to call upon when she needed, and a pair of eyes in the woodlands beyond the Grotto, when all he required of it was a full belly every few moons or so. But then again, why should she trust him? Sitiyok wasn't banking on this offer, but it would be interesting to witness her reaction nonetheless. 

"I have no plans of staying here full-term, or else I would place my allegiance to the pack on the offer as well." He explained, lest she question why he didn't just ask to join the Grotto.

It was a peculiar proposition and one she does not anticipate; but then, this stranger seemed a little different from the others she has encountered. Clearly he is not in need of a home — or maybe isn't interested in one — and Tavi is curious, but resistant. If he cannot give her the loyalty that she requires, why should she as well as her wolves, give any sort of aid to him? If he was going to leave regardless, there was no use in wasting any energy.

The woman audibly scoffs. And how many packs have you offered yourself to? If he wished to remain a lone wolf indefinitely then she would not stop him — it was his right, and Tavi couldn't care less about one more wandering mouth. It was not her concern what he did. Regardless of his answer, she shows a clear disinterest in the concept. Do what you like, but my wolves are not at your disposal. If you come here again, do not waste my time with such a request.

He might be a good asset to the grotto, but Tavi was thinking of the long-run; the pack needed more than an opportunist.

Phone reply!

The answer he received was not the one he was expecting. Perhaps a polite hand-wave, or a no; not an audible note of disagreement, or the assumption he would be a snake of such slippery scale. His ears twisted back, but did not lie flat against his skull. He regarded her with a tempestuous stare as she went on to deny his offer, lending him nothing but contempt.

When she finished, he clenched his jaw and whisked his tail, "If this is how you treat well-intentioned strangers, I cannot fathom how poorly you treat your wolves." he sneered petulantly. 

He turned to leave but kept a keen eye over his shoulder should her opinion of him change, and she summon her wolves. "I hope spring leaves you wanting." he slung back, the inherent childishness of his nature unwilling to let things die.

Sorry Tavi is a butt!! ILU!! Sitiyok should have a more current thread and ask Reek the same thing lmao!

His comment brought a sneer to her face, but she didn't benefit him with a verbal response. He was a nobody; if he wanted to pass judgement on her as a leader, he would need to join up and see for himself. That didn't appear to be happening — and Tavi wasn't about to let a rogue squander her pack's energies for a free meal either — so when he turned to depart, she simply watched him go. The second comment was enough to cause an eye-roll, but still she was silent. Tavi was much too tired for a proper conversation, and she had let the fires of her temper die down in recent days, finding them too difficult to tend. As he turned to leave, she ushered him away with a baleful look — and muttered under her breath, Good riddance, asshole.

Haha it's all good! Siti is a childish buffoon. Yes! That'd be lovely, and hilarious.

Once he was assured she wasn't about to call down the hounds of hell to chase him beyond the territory borders, he broke off into a measured trot though his mind was going a mile a minute. Rage burned in his veins, igniting his heart, and causing his limbs to tingle with restrained energy. Though he knew better than to attack a pack wolf on their lands, he wanted to teach her a harsh lesson about humility—about speaking ill to Tartok.

But instead, he simply walked away without listening to her retort.