Phoenix Maplewood Anyone Home?

Brynn followed him into the water and bent her head down to start lapping up water. She made sure to keep any eye on the beavers while she drank the cool water. She considered the appearance of the weird animals. They were not as big as a wolf but looked big enough to be an annoyance if angered. 

After drinking her fill of the water, Brynn lied down, liking the way the cool liquid felt on her fur. Smiling, she looked up at Howl and asked, "Do you like to swim?" Brynn loved to swim but knew not all wolves were fond of being submerged in water. She acontinued to keep a constant watch on the beavers at the other end of the pond, not wanting to get caught off guard if one of them came too close.

He continued to stand in the water but lowered his head to take a quick lap of water. He kept a wondering eye on the beavers, but didn't worry about them too much. Though he didn't like the idea of being pelted with water, it wasn't going to kill him or anything. If he were to hear them hissing it would be a totally different story. Alone Howl could probably take on a beaver, but he didn't know how many of them were hiding in the dam and didn't feel like getting tag teamed.

She layed down in the water and asked if he liked swimming. "I don't mind it. I don't like when I can't touch the bottom though. The current can have a mind of it's own in running water. But it's still and blocked here." he explained. "And you? You like the water?" he asked. He wanted to learn more about her. This was a start, but he wanted to know more about her, not just surface level interests.

Brynn smiled widely up at him and replied, "I love the water! I especially like the way it feels on my fur. Sometimes, I try to catch fish if I see them, but I have never been successful," She said and laughed. 

Brynn stood up and shook the excess water from her coat before sitting down back in the water in front of Howl. She looked at him inquisitively and asked, "What do you like to do and where is your favorite place to be?" She looked over at the beavers, checking to make sure they were still a safe distance away.

He turned his head to the side and smiled, "No way. Never! Not one fish?" he asked her wanting to know if she was simply exaggerating. Howl had caught fish in his day and thought it was different didn't think it was much harder than any regular hunting.

She then asked him what his favorite place to be was. He thought for a moment. "I'm not really sure. I'm a bit all over the place, never able to stay and do something for a long enough time. I find myself defending a majority of the time... As for a favorite place... I'm not sure about that either. But I like trees. They are large and grounded, providing a multitude of things to so many." he said contemplating his thoughts.

Brynn laughed, and replied, "Seriously. I have never caught one. My specialty is rabbits! I've yet to meet one I can't catch," She added with excitement in her eyes. 

Brynn listened to him answer her question, glad to be here with him. She thought he seemed brave when he told her spent most of his time defending. When he told her he liked trees, she replied, "Hmm, yes, trees are nice," She agreed smiling at him. She paused for a moment to shake a bit of stray water from her before asking, "What about being in a pack? Do like that?"

Well if she couldn't catch a single fish, he was glad to hear that she could catch all the rabbits. He wanted to take her to a place so that he could teach her how to catch fish. But it would be difficult to do it here though. There was fish, but with them wading in the water and with the constant presence of the beavers he thought the fish would be wary.

"It gives me a sense of purpose. A place to put my skills to work and others to protect". he said to answer his question. "Why haven't you joined a pack yet?" he asked curiously.

Brynn remembered the fulfillment being in a pack brought. She really missed it. She also liked being a lone wolf sometimes because it offered a certain level of freedom not found in pack life. "I'd like to join a pack eventually when I find the right one. It just hasn't happened yet," Brynn replied. Her face fell a little and she added, "Plus, I'm...a little afraid. After what happened...I just don't think I can bear to lose anyone else I care about." This thought made her want to howl in sadness. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to move past this fear, she thought, lowering her head and ears in sadness.

She spoke of not yet finding the right pack for her. Howl knew that struggle. When he first entered Teekon he had tried to join a pack that he didn't feel he really belonged in. He eventually never finished the joining process but he felt bad for any of their time he might have waisted.

She then went on to say that she was afraid and he knew what she was talking about, remembering what she had told him just a bit ago about her family being killed by lone wolves. He walked up to her and nuzzled his head into her neck offering his comfort. He didn't know if this would be the best time to ask, but he needed to at some point he felt. "I understand if you're not ready to join a pack... but I'd like to offer mine."  he said with a smile. It was a sure way that they could spend some more time together and get to know one another further. He wasn't sure if they would meet again if she didn't though he would look for her in the future.

Brynn accepted Howl's comfort and affection. She nuzzled him back, taking in his scent. Some of her sadness ebbed a little.

Brynn was surprised and conflicted when Howl asked her to join his pack. It was a tempting offer, especially since it meant they could spend more time together. They had only just met, but she felt they had a connection, and she knew she would regret not seeing where it would lead. On the other hand, what if she wasn't cut out for pack life? Being in a pack meant having obligations. For a long time, she had only had one obligation: staying alive. Was she capable of going back to pack life? 

Although fraught with uncertainty, Brynn felt like she needed to see this through. She might regret it later, or she might not. There was no way to know other than to accept his offer. Brynn stood up and shook the water from her hind-quarters. She looked a Howl with resolve on her face and finally answered him. "Okay," she replied as she blew out a breath, "I'll join your pack."

His tail wagged at her response and he gave her a big smile. He was expecting her to say no. That they had only just met and that she had no idea what his pack might be like. But it seemed he should have given himself more credit as she accepted his invitation to his pack. "That's my girl" he said as he went to touch her nose with his. 

But then he felt the splash of water, light but still very noticeable. He turned his head to see one of the beavers fanning its tail on the water, still some distance away. "Really"  he said in an exhausted voice. "You have to own the whole pond?"  he asking knowing he would get no verbal response. The beaver continued and seeing another one join him Howl wasn't in the mood to carry on. "Alright!" he said to the beavers, moving out of the water and onto the shore. "Well it was fun while it lasted."  he said to Brynn.

Brynn smiled at his response to her acceptance of his offer. She still had doubts about being part of a pack, but she hoped she would be able to work through them. When the beavers let them know that they were not happy with their presence in their territory, Brynn happily followed Howl out of the water. She was not interested in starting anything with these animals. She agreed that that had been fun. She then asked, "What now? Do you need to continue your scouting?" She didn't want to keep him from his pack business.

"I suppose I should. But it won't be that long. A day, maybe two." he said knowing that once he visited the nearby territory of Morningside that there would be no real reason to stay out longer. "I'll call for you when I'm done and then we can head to Easthollow." he said explaining his plan. He didn't want to leave her, but had to get his job done before taking her home. He hoped she wouldn't vanish off between now and then. "Does that sound like a plan?"  he asked looking at her hopefully.

Brynn was disappointed he had to go but understood. She listened as he told her he would come back and call for her so that they could head to his pack's territory. She nodded her head once and replied, "That works. I'll stay in the area so I can hear when you call. I'm sure I can find plenty to keep me busy." She then nuzzled his cheek one more time and added, "I'll see you soon."