Haunted Wood we speak in tongues and walk on wires

Shapeless and ephemeral she moved through the mists of the creaking wood. Unpredictable, and wild. The savage cut of her figure proved a fright to the lesser beasts who dove for their hovels, their branches, their paltry holdfasts; chattel belonging to those who saw fit to sup from blood, and meat, and bone. The sun was soon to set behind the wall of jagged peaks to the west and she welcomed the embrace of night's inky reach.

Aputitaq abruptly deviated from her primary course as her keen nose unveiled a promising trail. She wove through the trees, and stepped lightly over twisted roots. Tonight she would hunt, and fill her belly full of vital nourishment. Tomorrow was yet a mystery, but she would rise to meet it nonetheless.

They hadn't been settled here long, but old habits quickly set in. The beast made quick work of establishing the borders in the days since they had arrived, and now, ever persistent, he patrolled. He knew from the last two times they had claimed a new territory that there was likely to be a trespasser at some point--some dim wolf who couldn't pay close enough attention to smell the foreboding scents of the Melonii that resided here. 

His nostrils flared and anger flashed through him as he picked up the stranger's scent. Carefully and quietly, he followed the trail until he found her, teeth baring as a murderous snarl filled the air around them. The beast stepped out from the trees, eyes narrowing as he took in the trespasser. From what he had picked up of her body language, she appeared to be hunting on their land, which only added fuel to the fire. Explain yourself, Midar commanded. She had a few precious seconds to answer him, although he'd likely attack regardless of her reason for being here.

Sorry, didn't realize this was claimed territory as it wasn't reflected on the map, nor the territory list.

While Aputitaq feared no dark, nor night, some shadows concealed dangers not even her clever mind could scry. 

A fearsome, towering leviathan cloaked in shades of dusk coalesced from the featureless fog with teeth bared, and violet eyes beseeching. Within the fathoms of his chest, a terrible storm. The question he poised afforded her scant seconds to conjure up a solution to this troublesome disruption, though disagreement pooled on her tongue like acid. Her nose flared, and her ears peaked atop the graceful slope of her crown while she lifted her head until it hung level with her spine. Hardly a threatening display, but this one sought cause to his crusade and she, alone and without, felt no desire to grant him one. 

"I am Aputitaq," she intoned. "and hold no ill will toward you. If this is your claim, I will range farther and hunt elsewhere. If that does not suit you, then I will bring you back a haunch as payment." 

Oh no worries! It's not officially claimed ooc yet. The pack just moved recently, but they would be protective of the territory ic

Violet eyes narrowed once more at her explanation, but he was, honestly, surprised that her initial reaction hadn't been to snipe back at him; instead, she had offered to pay her way out of trouble, and being the opportunist that he was, he was inclined to accept. Alright, he offered smoothly, eyebrow raised in intrigue. For your trespassing, I will accept at least that...more would further guarantee your safety. There were pups to feed, after all, and he wouldn't turn down a free donation to their newly established caches.

Teeth so swiftly brandished by the protector disappeared behind inky lips as curiousity took hold of his features. She maintained her neutrality, unveiling neither relief nor fear. An idle flick of her ear, and a subtle knit of her brow. All this posturing meant nothing to her when there were naught but figments of an assumption behind him. Regardless, she intended to honor her pledge if only to distance herself from their ken. 

"I have no need of such certainties," she answered, "I will be gone long before you strip it down to bone." 

Aputitaq turned, exposing the length of her body to him, and waited for his leave.

He narrowed his eyes again at her words, any hint of intrigue lost from his expression. She clearly had no idea to whom she spoke, and he briefly considered calling off the deal and punishing her trespassing with his teeth; she might think differently, then. As she turned from him, every muscle in his body tensed, urging him to lunge towards the woman and sink teeth into flesh, but he somehow found the restraint to remain where he was. The beast stared at her coldly for a few very long moments. I guess we'll see, won't we? was all he offered, turning finally and disappearing into the dark of the forest before he changed his mind.

Predisposed toward reticence even now, the silver-brushed she-wolf merely hummed as while eyes narrowed with cold disdain. Should his instincts bid him to favor teeth over words, she would flee. Pride did not a full belly make, however, and she sensed he knew that. When he, at last, turned and vanished into the territory he presided over, Aputitaq held true to her word though a smile did pull crookedly across her inky lips as she altered her course away from the woodland.