Sleepy Fox Hollow good luck, that's all i can say.

@Elfie or @Maegi maybe? someone new?

Stag was lucky Takiyok had passed on more than just her looks to the boy. She had also passed on something incomparable, something hidden -- an ability to endure an endless slew of misfortune, much in the manner many of Takiyok's lineage had endlessly endured winter.

And this, it seemed, was Stag's endless winter -- the loss of his father, his siblings, his home. The death of packmates, departure of Praimfaya and Ingram - an ever-revolving, ever changing cast of characters and faces that came and left. He wondered, bitterly too, just what he had done to the Fates that they deigned to make his life their punching bag; he had no one to talk to about these things (his mother would have lent a sympathetic ear, he knew, but he did not want to burden her with his sorrows).

So he took his sorrows to the to the trail -- and he told them not to his packmates, but to the wind -- which played his fur and ruffled along his cheek and then sung out to the world, carrying his thoughts as light as a breeze to realms beyond his eye and imagining.

Zarya was walking throughtout the trees, padding off on the hunt for more food. She would most likely head off and find a river, stream, or lake for fishing but she just didn't know at this point. So, for now she continued wandering continuesly in one direction. All around her birds chirped, leaves russled, twigs snapped, and the not-yet melted snow and dry leaves crunched under her weight. Zarya allowed herself to get swept up in the sounds encasing her, letting her mind and soul run free in a field of freedom and pleasure. The only person around was her and her alone with her own thoughts. But she needed to hurry and find more shelter, it was late and there's no telling what tomorrow could bring. So she started moving faster, faster, faster. The winds catching in her fur, her feet moving on her own accord, leaves and twigs making a melody of relaxation- 
crunch!
           crunch!
                        snap!
                                  crunch!
                                              snap!
Her feet glinding as if the wind wasn't carrying her but intead... she was the wind. Zarya got too lost in her fanasy, and of course, she would run into somebody now! Might as well try and approach them, she had most definately already been spotted, or at least heard. She slowed to a steady pace, retrieving her senses and collecting herself and dropping the mindless creature she knew as her own self back into reality. She glanced at the wolf in front of her, tall but young, male, dull gray pigmented child. Easy enough she thought.

She crept back behind the trees and appeared only slightly ahead of the pup, never looking back at him. "What are you doing out here alone kid?" she asked. Zarya decided that either, she would help or not. Wolves this young shouldn't be out by themselves, she knew from experience and knew how it felt. To want all the pain and grief go away, for all the worries to stop and smell the flowers as you go on with your life, a better life. Zarya had no smug expression, she had no intention of hurting the kid either. She just had to ask, hopefully she could help and leave, it was either she leave or him leave. Life just works like that, she'd tried before, but time slices bonds and captures lives. You can't ever change that.

Stag would have had to have been born without ears to miss the sound of a wolf approaching. He straightened his slackened shoulders, expecting either his mother or some other Diasporan to materialize. Instead, it was a wolf entirely unknown to him. His eyes narrowed critically - who was this wolf, and why were they here?

Glancing from where she had materialized, to his home (which in Stag's eyes was thickly and heavily marked as claimed), Stag looked stupefied. What kind of wolf materializes out of the thin air in the middle of his pack? The boy had never had an experience quite like this, and it left him slack-jawed and ill-prepared to deal with the intrusion smoothly.

Collecting his senses, the boy stood at his full height and arced his tail round his hips as he had often seen his father and mother, or Mahler do.  A certain sense of pride then flooded the boy, and it was like remembering an old but infrequently used skill; slipping seamlessly into what was instinctual territorialism, Stag cut the woman a cold look and then loosened a grumble into the wintry air. "This is my home." He corrected, feeling his hackles bristle along his spine. "I should be the one askin' you that."

She looked back when the boy started speaking, just to see cold stare baring into her. She could either clip his ego in two and show him a heartless stare also, or tell the truth. Truth she told herself, it was easier to keep up with. 

"You got heart kid. Don't worry, I'm just passing through. It was either bear or this and I chose this. Way easier huh?" if he didn't believe her it was his fault, he asked didn't he? "I know this is pack territory, even if I'm not that far in. I respect that, trust me." She doubted he would, what kid would trust a random trespassing wolf? "Tell anybody you would like, I'll be gone by the time you do. There'll be no point." she admitted as she shrugged her shoulders. 

She then decided this boy wasn't worth explaining to. Which was a good thing, as she realized that she had just made it to the border of the pup's territory. Just a few more seconds she thought. When she crossed the border she turned and faced the boy. "See no bear, your pack didn't seem to mind, and now you see.. I'm no longer in your territory." Then she flashed a light smile and let her tail flip from one side to the other. 

"Best of wishes pup." she whispered right before she turned and padded off. "And remember you got heart and soul, use it!" she shouted as a peice of advice for someone who she knew understood, and she ran away. Now back to finding food she thought as she shook her head and got back to business.

"Trespassers, if attacked, must sustain at least one (minor or serious) injury per aggressor; the severity of which to be determined by a 50/50 dice roll." we can roll or play this out, but she is trespassing and mahler wouldn't let her get away <3

the remaining children sired by stigmata were half-grown, and the leader had mind to bring them into the rank above entlein. it was time that they joined the adults in collecting whatever prey could be found in these scarce times.
and so the general took up the tendril of stag's scent, and followed it until it converged with the wildly unfamiliar fragrance of an interloper, and one who had made themselves far too comfortable inside his dominion.
it was with a snarl snaking from barrel chest that mahler arrived, awful in his enraging. the woman had just turned when mahler came upon her, too close to both his child and inside his borders — all cubs of diaspora belonged to the gargoyle — and he snapped fiercely at her exposed haunch, intending to deliver a harsh wound to the miscreant for her daring nature.

This is my first "fight" so we can just do whatever you wanna. She's trespassing but that doesn't take away her pride. ;)

Zarya had just turned as the gargoyle came bounding up to her. "Woah!" she screamed, startled by the new wolf's sudden approach. He caught her flank just as she rounded, blood began seeping from the new wound. "Calm down! I was just leaving! Darn it! I had no intention of hurting the pup.. I promise" Zarya exclaimed, her volume decreasing as her words continued. This was the pack's territory and she knew that, she was smarter. 
"I understand your concern but really, there's no reason. I'm not fighting you either, I'm in the wrong and I know that." she said cautiously but confident, she was sure of her decision. Zarya knew she was wrong to walk into the territory but, unluckily for these wolves she wasn't in the mood for bears. Zarya took a few steps backward, out of the wolf's territory, watching him the entire time.
"I respect your boundaries. I just need to pass through. There's a bear on your south border. As you probably know, a one on one with a bear isn't the best idea." she said calmly, trying to reassure her attacker. She knew looking him in the eyes was a mark of confidence and looking down was a mark of weakness. One had a less chance of getting attacked if they looked carefully in their attackers eyes.
So she stared into his eyes with warieness as she explained her presence. She wouldn't fight him, that was too far. It was his territory, she would respect that, even if it meant a few wounds.

he wouldnt stop attacking to talk D: angery <3

the woman began to babble, but mahler was beyond listening. he sought to chivvy her with more flashes of his teeth, enraged by the way she looked into the burn of his lilac eyes; if she did not run now, and quickly, the general would seek her death.

Oh no! Not angery!! :0 Angery bad! <3

Zarya could see the wolf's fury withing his lavender eyes. The wolf was not stopping. Zarya tensed her muscles, attempting to dodge some of the attacks. But, she kept her respectful ways and refused to fight. Blood now staining the ground below, Zarya continued retreating back into the woods. As soon as she got the tree line she would be off.

So, Zarya looked at the wolf, not in the eyes. She simply gazed over him, his stature, his true desire to protect. This wolf did deserve repect. Zarya resumed her ducking and dodging, her fleeing. Suddenly she stepped beside a large tree, something this large wouldn't be out in the open. So, she turned her legs burning as she fled the scene. She wondered if one could actually make out her shape.

Maybe it was the adrenaline but, after a certain speed, her injuries no longer burned. Zarya ran, and ran. When she first left the wolf the words "I respect you. Sorry." had left her muzzle. But now, the only sounds she hear were the crunch, crunch, snap sound of the forest as she dove deeper withing the trees.

Stag should have attacked sooner. Shame burned his cheeks as Mahler arrived, driving the woman back with his formidable fury. That sight was all that was needed to kick the adolescent in gear. He trotted, then cantered, then galloped after Mahler -- trying his best to keep up with the gargoyle as he chased the wolf off of their land.

Stag didn't really care for the wolf's excuses. He was buoyed by Mahler's righteous territorial fury - as mindless as a pawn, the boy snapped after the woman's heels and offered his own little growls in the cacophony of Mahler's terminable roars.

Zarya had always been quick on her feet. She was a fine fighter but an exceptional fleer. Not because she had retained so much experience, but because it was fun!

      Running was something you could never go wrong with. Even if there were viscous wolves snapping at you feet. All the more reason to speed faster right?

      She fled farther throughout the woods, in between the trees she bounded. Back and forth she zipped, the snow beneath her still emitting the pattern her ears so desired.

      Zarya continued gliding across the ground, she had become an expert in not slipping or treading too much. This she used to gain ground, hopefully losing her two pursuiters.

oop last from me  <3

stag behind, stranger before; mahler drove her out, and bellowed a warning that resounded in the air long after he had stopped. "that vas strong of you, stag," the general commented, barrelsides drawing deeper breaths. glaring after the woman, he turned to mark the borders, inviting the boy to join if he so chose.

<3 archiving! thank you both for the thread

Zarya was fast. Mahler pursued her until the edge of their territory, a bellow of rage following her coursing form as she disappeared into the hinterlands. Stag pulled up alongside the General panting, his eyes roving the misty realm.

Mahler's compliment caused the boy to pause mid gasp and practically inflate with pride. It was not often he earned the esteem of others, and he had been worried his delayed action might harm them. Instead, he had earned the General's good word, and for that the boy had a spirited kick to his step all the way home, following Mahler faithfully as they turned to mark Diaspora's claim anew.