Swiftcurrent Creek fue más o menos así

We love a scout.

A bird's nest sat leaning in the crook of a broken branch. Silver scaled fish skimmed just below the surface of the water, using their weight to protect them from the current as they peeked at what might hide inside. Dulce watched the show, figuring to herself that if there was something -- or someone -- inside of the nest, they likely would have long since left, whether willfully or not.

It seemed silly that a pack might settle beside a body of water as testy as this. It was spring, and most packs were getting ready to welcome at least one new litter; Dulce had never been an Alpha, and much less so, a mother, but she was sure pups rarely made the best of swimmers. As she sat beside the border, watching the creek run from a ways, Dulce wondered if someone might come to serve as company.

The woman hadn’t thought she had wandered far when the scent of another reached her snout. Her senses heightened when the smell held no recognition amongst the lingering pack scent. Ears perked forward, and tail held high, Lie ventured toward the scent. Just as she reached the stranger, she realized just how far she had wandered from the den, and how close she had been to the scent markers.

Nonetheless Rosalie was on edge, with the pups recently finding their feet and venturing farther and farther from home, any mother would be worried. Chuffing to notify the newcomer Rosalie was glad not to find any of her children engaging with the woman. ”Hello?” She offered, as she came closer.

The smell of milk, rich and warm. It arrived long before the woman, having left Dulce in a temporary trance. She was slow to come back to reality, allowing a moment of silence to linger before engaging. Hello, she replied, moving backward to settle onto her hindquarters. It wasn't typical of wolves to wander this close to another pack's borders without reason, so Dulce understood the other's obvious apprehension. 

I'm passing by, she continued with a slight grin. Passing by had been what occupied most of Dulce's time since coming into the Wilds, although she didn't mind. It was nice to see, and to learn, but what she liked most was turning strangers into friends.

Looking over the woman, Lie nodded he head slowly, “Alright.” She offered hesitantly looking over the woman’s shoulder and scenting the air softly looking for any other scent that might linger. Finding the other woman to be alone, Lie relaxed slightly.

“Is there anything I can help you with?’ Although she didn’t mean to be rude, she would feel better with a stranger moving along quickly from the border. She was sure Alessia would agree. Offering her help was a way to move the traveler along if she had no intention of pledging herself to Swiftcurrent.

Straight to the point. Dulce wasn't a fan of the diversion, but she wasn't against it either. She understood that some folks were more secretive, as they had the right to be; a new mother held the strongest claim of all. Likely, no, she replied, eyes darting between the ground and her companion. Is this yours? Dulce asked, hoping to keep the conversation going, if only for a moment more.

Having been made used to the luxury of conversation, it was difficult for Dulce to imagine leaving without one. There were so many more questions that she could ask -- what was the pack called? what part did they play? who did they know and who didn't they know? -- and so many more answers to be given.

A small smile graced Lie’s lips as she shook her head at the question place before he. “No, I lay no claim to these lands. I am at the disposal of the alpha pair.” This was the best explanation she could offer, her current relations were hard to explain and not necessary for outsiders to know.

Some would say even her own children were not her own, but she tried to ignore those darker thoughts. “Do you have a reason to wander?” Lie thought of her time as a lone wolf, she had had purpose though. To find Alessia. Now that she had she had no reason to wander. There were many that she had met that who chose to roam by themselves, preferring the life of the solitary.

Having begun to break down the near tangible wall between them, Dulce replied, No. She'd started travelling as an adolescent, hardly at even ten months. Since then, she'd been on her own, bouncing from one border to the next, as she was now. This wasn't the first time she'd been asked why, but she still didn't have much of an answer. S'pose it's just hard to break old habits. 

Giving a low chuckle under her breath, Dulce continued, What sort of pack is this? She wondered if they were more territorial like the wolves of the west, or if their focus lied elsewhere.

“Indeed, most habits are hard to break.” Lie couldn’t help but agree, she too had many ingrained habits that were hard to overcome. However she had succeeded in nurturing new habits, and was fairly comfortable with the life she had developed here.

Tilting her head in confusion, Rosalie wasn’t sure what answer she was looking for. “We are nothing out of the ordinary, most of the pack is currently made up of my family. We are very protective of our own, whether there is blood relation or not.” This was the extent that she would willingly offer, her protective instincts already buzzing.

“Why did you leave home?” The question simply rolled off her tongue, without much thought, as most of her words did. She wasn’t sure if this question might be sensitive or not, but there was no taking it back now.

There were some things that Dulce liked to keep sacred, sure, but most of her stories were open upon request. Tradition, she said, proudly lifting her chest only by a breath, I came of age and left, but I never returned. It's been years. Most pups enjoyed the convenience of staying at home, but such blind dependency was hardly tolerated at home. Once they'd reached nine, maybe ten months of age, the pups were expected to go out and see the world for themselves. If they wanted to return, the doors were open, but some like Dulce chose to keep their freedom. 

My name is Abeja, she said, but Dulce is better. She never expected anyone to introduce themselves in return because she knew how secretive some packs could be. Something that she'd never understood, but to each their own.

           

“Dulce, it’s a pleasure.” She dipped her head again, as if just happening upon her all over again. “I am Rosalie, Gamma here in Swiftcurrent.” Settling on her haunches, Lie relaxed slightly, she was still on edge as her maternal instinct decreed. However, she found the woman to be most amiable.

“You are a wanderer at heart I take it?” It took a special kind of wolf to wander for so long. Being a lone wolf was not an easy life, most wandered for a short period of time before they settled in a pack, whether that was their natal pack or a new pack all together.

It seemed that after a few moments of conversation, the Gamma -- Rosalie, as she had called herself was able to relax. Dulce took note of the slight shift in conversation, figuring that it made sense to remember potential friends. In response to the question, she nodded her head, allowing a childish giggle to creep through. If I ever change, I will come here. It wasn't an empty promise, per say, but Dulce knew that the chances of her ever settling were slim. I must go, she sighed, slightly disappointed that the conversation was coming to an end.

real quick to wrap this up!

Nodding her head slightly, Lie offered a smile. “Until next time.” The woman has been polite enough, and there conversation light. Lie honestly thought meeting again wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Lie waited until the woman had turned and left, making sure she still avoid entrance into the territory. Once satisfied, Lie returned to the den with he family.