Redsand Canyon i am one among the dunes

The sun hid behind the fluffy white clouds that floated way up in the clear blue sky, afraid to show itself and yet scorching the canyon from the safety of it's hiding place. Auriel was at home in this heat, her short fur made for the rolling dunes of her homeland. She became one with the red rocks, picking her way delicately over them to reach a suitable vantage point. 

From here she could look down into the canyon, a scarce breeze ruffling her fluffy chest. The she-wolf was not alone, however. She had brung her new-found packmates. Auriel did not know them well, and therefore had not begun to trust them in the ways that are vital for a pack to thrive. Soon, she was sure she would bond with them. 

The she-wolf held her tail high, signalling for her companions that she had found a path down into the canyon. The rocky path seemed to lead down into a valley full of wild desert flowers, the rocks as red as her fur with the odd catus sprinkled here and there. Even from here she could smell the rich, thick scent of pollen. 

@Donovan Azura  @Derg  @Renard

The woman who'd recently joined them blended in almost perfectly with these lands.
Her markings -- which adorned her beautifully -- made for camouflage in this land which broke up her lupine figure.
She would probably be the stealthiest one here.

Derg wanted a high rank, yeah, but not to be a leader. Well, he didn't strive for it, so being friendly with all members of the pack was a good start for him to not have his position taken, as long as he did his job well. Which he would, Derg was very meticulous. 

This new woman, Auriel, led the way into the canyon, and he followed along, happy to explore with her and perhaps bond. He was pretty sure Donovan and Renard were behind him, but he was too busy watching his step to look.

like auriel, renard had very little to go on about their new packmates, besides what they’d picked up before joining – this only contributed to the rapidly growing…not quite worry, exactly…that everyone here was at least a little out of their mind. that might turn out just fine. it might not. it promised, either way, to keep them on their toes, and that was what they were here for.

auriel, now, led them down the slope of the canyon. she looked as though she was more made for this weather than renard; the sun was high in the sky, already soaking through their thick fur and forcing them to pant to stay cool. hers was short, the same color as the rock that surrounded them. she was made for stealth here – their markings had suited them fine in the north, under pine trees and above the snow, but here they were already nowhere near as successful.

they were happy to follow. for now. neither she nor derg ahead of them looked back as they begun their descent into the valley’s midday shadow, and renard, quiet but for their breathing, catalogued everything as they passed, from the hollows and ridges carved into the cliff face to the tufts of desert flowers below.

Slowly but surely, he was seeing their numbers grow. New faces appeared and disappeared amongst the red dunes-- he would often nod to them, and sometimes talk, but they were ultimately meaningless conversations, sure to stall and go nowhere.
Once purposeless, they now had one. Donovan handed them out like a pastor and his pamphlets. Come and find yourself in Redsand Canyon. Our tours are open.
He lags behind the group-- Donovan, Derg, and two other newcomers he couldn't quite name. The sun is at its apex, directly overhead, and their shadows are almost directly beneath them. It looks about as brutal and surreal as it feels. It's cooler down in the canyon, which is thrown into shade. Here, there is room for flowers to grow. The ground is soothing to his feet, calloused and smarting from days of traveling on rough sand, blistering like the inside of a kiln.

The Grandmaster trots behind the lot of them, canary hues flicking to each and every one. The female that he danced around with in the field just west of their canyon seems to have confidently taken lead of the crew — something he doesn’t mind at all. She takes them into a vibrant area with so many different colors of wildflowers that Donovan has to double check some of them to make sure they’re even real. The petals on the cacti bloom a brilliant fuchsia that can do nothing but draw the eye. This place in the northern most part of their canyon is quite beautiful. 

Still, the wildlife isn’t the only thing Donovan has his eye on. His pack members seem just as content to follow Auriel. He has confidence in the their newest member to lead them safely through the terrain. Yet as his eyes turn to the others, he entertains each of their forms for a few seconds. Noticing everyone fairing quite well, despite Renard’s painting, which Donovan seems to have to resort to as well, they're going strong.

Staying silent, he continues on down the path his pack leads. He doesn’t stray far as he observes them all quietly from the hind end of the formation. Prideful eyes light up momentarily. He’s proud of their progress, glad to have all of them on his side. Glad to have a family again.

The she-wolf led the motley crew down into the canyon, her rough pads keeping her balanced in this equally coarse terrain. She notices the ground become smoother underpaw as she leapt down the final bit of path, landing clumsily in the flowers. She is lost in them for a second, before her golden head pops out of the petals like a daisy. A sneeze, and another as the pollen scent fills her nose. Auriel took this moment to examine her companions, lazing in the flowers as she was. 

Derg, her senior. She knew not by how much, just that the male was older. His scars and torn ear showed much experience in battle. The golden she-wolf was a vain little thing, she could never imagine loosing one of her pretty ears, much less having her face scarred. Pushing those ghastly thoughts from her mind she moved on to Renard. Another male, though his scent was different then the other males she came across. It almost reminded her of the not-males back home- no, that was no longer her home. Auriel's home was here now, among these very different individuals. A smile came to her lips as she notcied the strange curled tail that Donovan and Renard seemed to share. 

Colin looked older then he was, she thought he was almost good-looking in his own way. Almost. In truth her scared her much the same way Donovan did, though the latter was someone she actually enjoyed the company of. She could handle her fear with the wolf-dog. Not with the haggard male. Last, but certainly not least in her eyes was Donovan. Not much needed to be said, he was strong, large. Perfect. Mine. 

Auriel jumped to her feet to approach the large male, body ducked low in a sign of submission. She had not exactly meant to take the lead into the canyon. Her excitetment had just been too strong to bear. "Donovan?" She questioned, head swivelling back to look at her packmates. She had not even begun socialising with them just yet, almost worried she would mess it up. Her mother had always told her how insesantly annoying she was. 

(There's no set posting order, so just jump in when you want @Nemisis  @Finley Grebe  @Baptiste  @Riley )

Auriel lept down before him, lost.
For a heartbeat, he feared she'd just lept to her death in some random, shrubbed ravine.
Alas, he was glad it was not the case as her form rose again.
A cute sneeze accompanies her reappearance, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

He took a more careful approach into the area.
He slipped down the sanded slope, looking for the safest route where he wouldn't step on one of those prickly things that really hurt. He was lucky to have only brushed up on one so far.

He passed her as she paused to look at them all, now taking the lead. His shoulder softly bumped hers - a sign of friendship.

He dropped his head, looking for water.
A small, dried rivulet remnant. He led the way down it, hoping to find a pool of some sort, and perhaps some other vegetation.

the veritable parade trailing into the ravine halted for a moment when auriel sprung from the edge of the path and further into the valley. of all of them, she seemed most suited to the desert – renard was not concerned, and within a few seconds a sneeze came up to confirm their thoughts.

they looked back at her when her head came over the ridge, watching the smile form on her face. they had pictures left to form of the wolves who were now their packmates – it was hard to see her, laying in the flowers, and understand this person sharing the same space as the cannibal from the mountains.

and then she got to her feet, and crept back to donovan, her posture flattening out into submission, and renard looked between them and…there was a picture beginning to form. but they would reserve an actual judgment for more evidence.

it did not stop them from following in derg’s steps as he passed her, bumping her shoulder on the way; renard gave her a look as they passed, but followed the man farther into the valley. whatever was happening there was…not worth investigating, not yet.

derg’s head was bowed to the canyon floor, and renard moved up behind him to sniff at the sand. it had settled in a way that indicated it had once held water, not that long ago – so there was probably something nearby.

Her damned rib had her bringing up the rear. That and this fucking heat. It was inescapable, searing her pelt. 
For a moment she laughed at the situation- they were her and Donovan's motely crew of Demons, and this was the closest thing to hell she was willing to believe in. 
As she rounded the corner her nose wrinkled...it seemed another female had finally joined their ranks. She knew it would happen eventually...she just hoped the bitch knew her place. Or at least, learned it quickly. 
The rest of her pack's scent looped through the canyon as well, bringing her a sense of pride. Her Donovan, of course. And the weird one who seemed to prefer the company of males.(a trait she found odd and disturbing, and were it up to her, would have cost him his life)  , Funnily the male she had challenged while far to the north was here too.. her brow furrowed, wondering why he hasn't met up with his mistress, since surely it was her call to his blood that sealed his fate. Another she hadn't quite had the pleasure to meet...

The water and wet sandstone beneath her paws was a welcome relief, and she trotted a bit, to both catch up and to raise a few splashes. 

A low growl as the little bitch moved towards Donovan, making her stupid doe eyes at him and squeaking out his name. Oh, so it was going to be that kind of lesson. 
She moved fluidly, a descending shadow, teeth bared just enough to look inconspicuously like a pant. Body running Donovan's length, tail almost vertical. Try me, bitch. 
"Magnificent, isn't it darling?" She smiled, nibbling at his jaw. "And all of it ours. I can just imagine our future children playing here in the flowers, slaughtering mice."  At "our" and "children" she shot Auriel a withering look.

The image of her, lying in the field of flowers like some more fortunate Ophelia, is so bright it burns a negative into his eyes. He doesn't know it, but he's thinking the same thing as Renard-- the yawning gap between their warlord cannibal leaders and this girl, achingly young and unmarked.
Derg wanders off, his nose to the ground, and Renard follows. Uncertain, Colin lingers at the slope of the ravine. An ear folds back as he hears a low growl, unmistakably belonging to Nemisis. Once again, there is that familiar viscosity in the air: tension.
Looking at the way Nemisis claims Donovan and spits venom at Auriel makes him wish he hadn't come here in the first place.
Darling. The word was so saccharine, so mawkish, he's surprised that it hasn't lodged in her throat. He doubts that Auriel would take the bait, which was about as obvious as a steam locomotive. He makes his way vaguely over to Derg and Renard, brows more furrowed than usual.

Every member of the team stalks about the area gazing to the flora. He likes what he sees and watches as his team saunters off to go explore. His eyes catch on the tan and white of Auriel’s pelt as she nears closer to him. Vaguely he knows in the back of his mind that Nemisis is just behind him. The memories of when he found the young female and frolicked around in a field with her. The obvious flirting they did would set Nemisis off like a fucking firecracker.

As Auriel comes towards him, his eyes follow her, a suggestive, but inquisitive smile contorts his face handsomely as he looks down to her. Her posture is drastically submissive, so different from many of the other female wolves he’s spoken to. Eyes of royal blue gaze up to him and they meet his own light ones. He’s about to answer the call of his name with a soft “Yes, dear?” But it doesn’t seem like he gets around to it quick enough before the ever looming presence of Nemisis presses close to him.

Her venomous voice reaches his ears and surely the females before them as well. Keeping his eyes on the smaller female for only a second, almost to reassure her that he won’t let Nemisis eat her, he faces the mottled brown woman.

He smirks at her words and shakes his head slowly at her. “Nemisis, leave her be. She’s acting as she’s supposed to — submissive. Don’t patronize her for it, she’s new.” His tone of voice becomes more stern as he addresses his Overseer. “Perhaps introduce yourself to our pack without teeth.”

Donovan notices out of the corner of his eye the faces that turn towards the trio. Though, as a display of dominance, he doesn’t take his eyes off of Nemisis’ own.

Auriel felt her entire body heat up as the Nemisis came into view. Stunning. The words sunk in soon enough, and as she realised who this was her sweet little crush on the mottled she-wolf turned sour in her mind. Oh. She's with him. If she wanted to play games, Auriel was good at them. The way Nemisis so confidently 'claimed' Donovan as if she had any real chance with such a flirt was embarrasing. "Yes, and ours will be right beside them." Did she really think the male would settle with just one mate? Donovan was not a wolf. 

"Besides, are mice not too weak for the pups of an alpha? Mine will be hunting rabbits." The she-wolf brushed along Donovan's shoulder in a simple way of saying goodbye, yet it was so much more then that. She dipped her head to them, slipping away to join the others by the water. Your turn bitch.

Shit. 
Shitty shitty shit. 
His ears were turned back, hearing the approach of Nemisis. 

Those venomous words had him turnimg back, quick command of "Wait," passed to Renard as Derg quickly trotted up the the flower girl. 
He slid up alongside Aurial, showing submission too to Nemisis and Donovan, touching his nose to the brindle mans chin. 

He had to stop a figjt before it happened, because Donovan would let it happen, Aurial would get hurt and Nemisis would have her ribs damaged again from excerting a whump to the girl. He didn't look beyond her words, aimed to provoke the Overseer, but he slid himself into the path of them both. 

Soft, firm words left his mouth as he attemped to steer the desert wolf away from the situation, "Enough." 
He just hoped Nemisis didn't take it out on him either, but he'd rather him than scaring away the new member. 

phone post! forgive any mistakes

they had not gone far when a commotion grew behind them. 

renard lifted their nose from the soil, head turning in time to glimpse the unfortunately familiar figure swooping in like a bolt of lightning, dripping venom and insincerity from every word as she nibbled along donovan's --

-- oh. so they *were* right. concern over their leader's incredibly unstable choice of...mate? partner? aside -- the observation was, for now, not renard's to give -- they had been impressed by the speed at which donovan had plucked people from the wilds, gathered them around him. 

it was still a kind of charisma, yes. but did the saints have so many people pledged to their cause, combing over sun-scorched canyons and ravines with barely a pause for breath, because they were tripping over themselves to fuck him?

renard laughed. they couldn't stop themselves. oh, they'd gotten into something here, alright.

the remaining unfamiliar face -- a black and grey man with a furrow between his brows -- moved aimlessly away from the growing melee as auriel snapped back (oh, this *was* going to get interesting), and derg abandoned his place by renard's side in what was clearly an attempt to save the day.

renard thought it was more likely she'd take out her fury on him as well -- she seemed, if anything, more unstable than last time, which was of course an admirable achievement. 

they were not nearly as benevolent as derg; they did not care enough about anyone involved to poke their nose in. content to obey his order, they lingered over the dry riverbed with the air of a movie spectator shoving in a fistful of popcorn, eyes shifting only to greet the frowning man who approached with a pleasant nod.

All the eyes of the pack are on her, and for the first time she realizes the absolute power she has. No matter their opinions of her, they are hers to command. They will either fear her or respect her, but either way, they must obey her. For the first time since being ousted from her home she had the power she was born to carry. She was a queen. 
The shewolfs witty reply draws a cold anger from her. The audacity to think she would have pups with her superior was laughable. "Better find yourself a worthy mate then dear, if you want our children anywhere near each other." Or even alive, for that matter. Nemisis was not above slaughtering pups of a rival. 
She's about to respond to the second half of her reply when the little queer jumps in front of her, and she turns to him, towering over him in a silent snarl. 
"Know your place. Unless you want to be the one coming out of this injured." As if this little worm had the authority to get in the way of her discipline. Donovan finally spoke, and she gave a too wide grin, laughing. "Aww but Darling, it's more fun this way! I have to keep them on their toes!" she smirked, as though her threatening Auriel was just a big joke. "Besides. They have to remember their place. However harsh that reminder must be." 

Donovan understands a pack social system. The alphas, betas, and omegas and shit. His old pack was savage but good to their soldiers. His father would have done exactly what Nemisis is trying to do right now if someone spoke out of place to him. Would’ve ripped them up until they submitted with an exposed throat and a whine signaling their place beneath him. Donovan is lax with his pack. He doesn’t want them to fear him. The only wolves he wanted him to be terrified when he walks around are those who oppose him. Not the ones he holds dear or considers family. Yet he knows Nemisis isn’t like that and when one of low rank dares to challenge an alpha as blatantly as Auriel did he cannot step in — it’s not his place. Though he did try and placate Nemisis, the newest member of their pack spit right back and in that moment Donovan knew shit was about to go down.

So as he watches Derg attempt to come to the rescue, his canary hues follow his form as he rolls up to the trio submissively. Head bowed he politely licks at Donovan’s chin. He knows Derg is looking to him for help but Donovan is not in the place to give it. He has to let the two females hash it out. So he smiles down to Derg apologetically and in no time Nemisis is snapping at him instead.

Now, he knows Derg is only trying to help but getting involved in such a squabble is still ballsy. Donovan doesn’t wish Derg to get involved and catch Nemisis’ wrath. Stepping in front of Derg he looks down to Nemisis. “Keep your attention centered on the one that started it. You two figure yourselves out.” With that he ushers Derg out from in between the two she-wolves . Off to the sidelines they go. Donovan will only step in if he thinks blood will be split.

THIS GOT VERY LONG feel free to ignore the collapsed part. also this might be cameo-ish depending how things go; skip unless addressed

In which Finley thinks a lot about things that will probably be repeated, but more relevantly, in the thread linked within.

She’d been distracted.

The Saints were meeting, exploring their new home with even newer members in tow, and Finley… was unaware. To call it a blissful unawareness would be a misnomer, however. Blistering heat had her panting dawn to dusk, but the tail end of the encounter in the Hollow gnawed at her like rabid fleas.

“Come near Donovan again and you won’t be so lucky.”

Finley had almost put her life on the line, against an enemy leader, for the sake of what was, far as she could tell, a… personal vendetta? a jealous grudge? over Donovan? He certainly hadn’t seemed injured during the Saints’ travels, nor did he strike Finley as the type to whimper about verbal battering. Thus she could only assume his volatile partner had something else against the white monarch. Oblivious to matters of the heart as Finley was, she could not understand such fury over what struck her as little more than a love triangle.

Mortifying, really.

But, for better or for worse, Finley was a Saint, and she owed Nemisis her due loyalty regardless of personal gripes. Right?

Jostled from her spiraling delirium, when Finley caught the trails of several wolves, familiar and otherwise, her heart dropped. Shit. Had she missed the announcement of a meeting? It had struck her as odd, the lack of fanfare upon their arrival, but she supposed everyone had better things to do than sit around and listen to Donovan gloat; they’d been a smaller crew then, with less need for grand speeches. But times had changed.

Muffled voices over the stones drew Finley towards a field of flowers—and an air spiked with tension. She approached with her head low, taking her time, hoping to enter discreetly; packmates new and old had gathered below already, and the square-off between Nemisis, Donovan, Derg, and an unfamiliar female told Finley things would be… less flowery, within the ranks.

Finley had no hope of sneaking past, not with her dark pelt against these red stones, but gave the four as wide a berth the canyon would allow as she joined the uninvolved wolves—Colin and an unfamiliar male, the latter’s tail curled not unlike Donovan’s—away from the action.

“Know your place.” “Introduce yourself to our pack without teeth.” “I have to keep them on their toes!” Was Donovan able to keep his “differently-conditioned” partner in line, or was he wound so thoroughly around the spitfire that her flaws were truly but a laughing matter in his ever-bemused eyes?

As Finley sat back, watching the sordid scene unfold, Donovan stopped Derg, who appeared to have tried shielding the younger female with his own body. The words which reeled Derg in suggested that Donovan intended to let his senseless affections fight among themselves.

It filled Finley with an odd sense of admiration—watching packmates take their frustrations out by fang over word was perhaps the most familiar experience she’d had in months—and… revulsion? As if the new female wouldn’t have had it coming for challenging a superior. But she was younger, and Nemisis was… Nemisis.

But doubts be damned. The mental fleas threatened to swarm once more. Finley shook her head quickly; they had no place here. She would attend, listen, and leave, should this proceed without further incident.

Auriel's face grew from a facade of innocent to furious in a second. "Know his place? Worthy mate? Your acting as if I should have ANY reason to respect you at all. 'Know your place.'" She bared her teeth, at first she was not truly wishing to disrespect Nemisis, out of respect for Donovan, but one thing she hated more then anything was arrogant little bitches who thought they earned their place just from being born. She of course had no idea Nemisis had been born a princess, right now she was thinking of her sister. She was much the same way as this she-wolf in front of her.

"A leaders place is earned, and as far as I know Donovan is not your mate. He said so himself. Do not blame me for seizing an oppertunity, I have no idea what issues you have with me but I'd rather you put them aside, you have no claim over him." Her flanks heaved as her temper flared, before she suddenly approached Nemisis, crawling forward on her belly to lick at the she-wolf's paws in a sign of submission. She very much did not want this to escalate any further, though her burning rage would not simmer for quite a while. A leader should be compassionate, one who is feared will only ultimately be betrayed. 

Finley came across now, seeming unsure of what this was. Poor lass.
Women. Fighting over pups that were still swimmers.
Donovan was right, he shouldn't be involved.
But he came not for the sake of the argument, but for the pack. They had enemies - many of them - and injuring each other made them weak.

He knew Nemisis could be vicious, but he'd come back from things worse than what few nicks she'd inflict on him.
Donovan stopped him, pulled him back.
More words were spat from Auriel, and he was certain Nemisis would certainly lash back.
But fine, if Donovan thought he could handle it, he'd continue leading the pack through the shallow waters.

Derg turned away, trotting back to the head of the line and continued his inspection of the path ahead.
If the women came to blows, it certainly wasn't his fault, nor any of the observers.

stationed safely in the ravine, renard's front row seat gave them an unobstructed view of the way donovan backed away from the spat with derg in tow, leaving the the two remaining wolves at each others' throats. a display of trust in nemisis? or an understanding that any attempt to put a stop to it would just inflame her fury?

for a moment, they watched donovan curiously. this was a new question to solve: clearly nemisis held some authority here, but just how much?

in the meantime, her response had done nothing to calm the woman. as derg made his way back -- and as another face appeared, this one equally unfamilar but also a saint, as nobody else paid her appearance much mind -- with bared teeth, she shot back at nemisis, snarling, sides heaving.

renard didn't expect -- or want -- the rest of the saints to act as they did. it was more interesting if they didn't -- if there were dynamics to understand and exploit. there was a fight brewing here, they could feel it -- so they were a bit disappointed to see the tan woman sink to her belly as though all the fight had just been taken out of her, licking at nemisis' paws. as though that would make up for trying to bite her face off just a moment ago.

derg walked past them, nose back to the soil. this time renard did not follow. they remained, waiting to see how this would play out.

The bitch continued to yap yap and it was all Nemisis could do not to utterly destroy her. Her father would have made her the night's entree. 
"And neither do you. Last time I checked I'm the one leading beside him. Not you." 
Her voice was so cold it could have brought snow to the arid canyon. 
And just like that, she seemed to relent, grovelling at her paws like a scolded pup. 
Drawing her lips back she wrapped her jaws around the shewolves throat, not pressing enough to cause serious harm, but a very clear warning to her and anyone else watching. She pinched the skin, lapping at the beads of blood that welled. 
"By your blood, you are mine. Remember that. Your loyalty is to not just him, but me as well. And if you attempt to take my place, you will sorely regret it." She growled in the girl's ear, voice low and dangerous. 
Then, collecting herself, she stepped around her prone body, sliding back alongside her Donovan. 
"Now. Let's continue."