Swiftcurrent Creek our cup runneth over

For one or two new wolves. :D I thought we could set you guys up with dens! EDIT: Updated this to include current events.

Wolves were flocking to Swiftcurrent Creek, and Bazi's pride rose exponentially with each body that joined them. Ascending to the Beta rank had put a rush on personal growth, and there was a tougher (and slightly less pleasant) edge to the bright, sprightly young thing that had joined Fox mere months ago. Of their alpha's two henchmen, she was probably the most outwardly demanding, adding youthful enthusiasm and peppiness to Njal's age and wisdom.

It was overcast today, and perfect weather for digging. For once, thoughts of recent events were far from her mind - thanks mostly to Cutthroat's valiant efforts. Every newcomer would need a den, shared or otherwise, and Bazi had plenty of energy to spare. Sharing a workout was a good way to bond and separate out the stronger wolves - the pack lacked lower-ranking outriders, and the newly appointed leader was keen to find someone to take up the mantle.

She didn't seek anyone out, but walked around the area near her own den in the hopes of spotting a newbie. It was situated mere meters from the creek, and Bazi doubted it would be long before someone was caught on her hook.

Ordinarily, Razo was loathe to seek anyone out, but there was a part of him now that had some semblance of connection to Swiftcurrent Creek, along with a much larger part of him that was simply bored with the menial, day-to-day. In theory he could take some instances of larger prey on his own, being the deft and strapping lad he was, but in practice he was far more likely to get himself injured even if he did succeed, in which case he would be both useless to the pack and, reduced to a state of healing, plagued by boredom of a greater degree and wildly irate by his own doing. Best therefore to find someone else to drag along with him.

Just to sweeten the deal, he had an unfortunate muskrat tucked between his teeth as he loped languidly through the interior of the territory, searching for someone, anyone, really, he could rope into participating in a large-scale hunt. The day was indeed overcast and the breeze was cool even if the resting air was fairly warm and only getting warmer by the day. He slowed when the scent of another wolf wafted to his keen nose and paused altogether when he saw her. The very young, plush-furred female was seemingly unoccupied, which suited him fine.

He didn’t know her name or else couldn’t remember it if Serengeti had told him previously, but he did know she ranked as a leader, which made two ridiculously young leaders in one pack. He strode up to her with respectful body-language and his mouth full, then tossed the freshly dead muskrat to her feet, gesturing to it with his handsomely tapered muzzle. It’s only small-time shit, but it’s for you if you’ll agree to come with me, he offered as a predatory gleam worked its way into his eyes. Small and nothing she couldn’t catch on her own, but why lift a paw for just a scrap if she could have a subordinate bring it to her? I’ve been tracking something more substantial.

Of all the new recruits, Bazi knew the least about Razo and his companion. She wasn't convinced that their past was entirely free of fraternization, and desperately wanted to pry - but neither wolf seemed the sort to share such things with a virtual stranger. Razo was ruthlessly charming but distant, preferring his own company. She knew him to be an accomplished medic, but that was about it, and it came as a pleasant surprise when the slim, athletic male deposited a recently despatched rodent at her feet.

"..thank you," she said, studying the male's flourescent yellow eyes. This was the first time anyone in the pack had brought her a kill. They submitted willingly enough, but it wasn't because they respected her - she had accepted that now. What reason did a vagabond crew of randomers have to hold a mere yearling in high regard? She was green, and they knew it.

"I'll call someone else, too. Scimitar?" she suggested, and bent to pick the gift from the floor. It was small, but the first thing a subordinate wolf had offered her, and trotted swiftly to the mouth of her den to deposit the den.

She accepted with no outward sign of scrutiny, which garnered a perfectly roguish grin. Try not to get used to it; I’ll be even stingier in the winter, was his droll reply, making drawling, easy fun of the size of the carcass he’d offered her and at the same time implying it would not be the last. Had he known she would be his find that afternoon he might have put his sights on something of a little more value—even if it didn’t matter considering her response elicited the feeling that she hadn’t been expecting anything from him. His remark also managed to give away his intentions with the pack, in that at the very least he wouldn’t be leaving Swiftcurrent Creek before the following spring. He returned her gaze casually with a hint of interest. The more she caught of all that, the fewer questions he would be answering later.

His expression didn’t change when she suggested calling Scimitar, as Razo very frankly didn’t know who he was. Being quite good at thinking on his feet, though, he assumed the face he eventually put to the name to be correct. Serengeti had mentioned a number of names with neat little descriptions attached to each, and although she hadn’t mentioned that particular name he had managed to get a look for himself at the previous meeting where he had done a bit of cross-referencing. If he’s the burly bloke, sure. I imagine he can throw his weight around easily enough, he said as she turned to stow her gift away for safe-keeping. He didn’t know or care how capable the other male would be, but he would inevitably be useful as a third hand.

I'm on the ball again with Bazi now, sorry for the late replies. Since there's a pack hunt going on, shall we do a short-ish hunt in this one?

"Try not to get used to it; I’ll be even stingier in the winter."

Won't we all. The beta's one and only winter to date had been taken from her by sickness, but the north was poor enough in resource to give some indication of what it would be like. Bazi didn't like the idea of going hungry. Would they migrate after prey? Or stay here, and compete with the other packs? That seemed .. stupid, if the south was richer, but there was no telling what they would encounter on the way. Go hungry on your own turf, or risk running into an equally ravenous pack of loons? The Teekon Wilds were thick with packs whose bellies would rumble in winter, and better the enemy you know.

"He's the burly one," Bazi confirmed, amused and mildly put off by his choice of words at the same time. There was a cunning in Razo's clever yellow eyes that unsettled her, and he had a way of speaking that made you think you were being disrespected somehow. She returned to him with a new idea. "I've changed my mind. Let's go alone," So you can show me what you've got - a strange thing for Bazi to think, given her poor record with hunting. Those three months out of action had cost her dearly in the hunting department, and without a pack she would be subsisting on fish.

I’m sorry I fell behind. I’ll be sure to stay on top of things from here on out.

Something happened between sentences that changed the plans she had meant to enact in the first place, not a moment ago. By removing the third party she was proposing a challenge, which, by her very position in the hierarchy, she had every right to do. As it happened, he had every will to oblige, whether his ideas of the why were miles away from the actual fact or dead on.

He tilted his head to such a slight degree that it was almost unnoticeable. Fine, he said with a most shallow nod, eying her with a subtle case of amused suspicion and curiosity that dissolved into shrewd acknowledgement the moment his forelegs left the ground and he sprang into a lope, gesturing with a coltish toss of his head in the direction they were to go.