Northstar Vale Foundation

tagging @Kailoh Saya but this thread is all welcome <3

They'd decided to make the vale their home, and Alys had the suspicion that she was going into heat soon; she had been more and more clingy with her mate, but it could also just be her growing love for him. Still, she was nervous, and excited, and so, with too much energy and much to do, Alys set off, climbing out of the valley so as to mark the ridges above it - all who neared the valley would know, once she was done, that a new pack was beginning to blossom.

Derg trundled along. His fur had grown grey-er and patchy. Cold bit at his heels, keeping him moving. He had left his hiding after a cougar outed him.
He'd had stirrings since then, in the back of his head. Something was missing, he was detached from it. Like he'd lost a leg...or a family. 
Grezig no longer existed. Arlette...not even a memory. 

He huffed as he looked down into the vale. Surely he'd been here before... The memory fled before he could grasp it.

It has a fresh border. But only with one wolf. Perhaps a loner, perhaps just a very small gathering. He didn't want to stay, but he knew he needed something in his stomach and at least three walls to survive to the spring.

His head tipped, silvering muzzle glinting in the low winter sun as he called for a stranger.

She had company sooner than expected - and it wasn't Kailoh. Alys took off at a fast trot, giving her own soft call to let the stranger know that she was on her way. Her heart was pounding in her chest and in her ears, and she felt her stomach tightening; this was her first test as a leader. As the stranger came into sight, Alys took a deep, steadying breath. She approached, keeping her head held high, her tail arcing up briefly.

"Greetings, stranger. I am Alys, Matriarch of the pack myself and my mate are forming." She would offer him a small, gentle smile. "Why have you called for me?"

A reply lifted on the winds. He sighed, head hanging in relief.
He needed something to keep him from spiralling now he'd left his little valley. The crunching of steps drew his attention up.

His ear flicked forward, hazel eyes assessing the apparent leader before him. He knew he looked bad - ill even. He could still move though; he'd made it this far and for this long.


The woman - Alys- made all her information available. Her and her mate, it was likely just them both here from the smell of the feeble border. It was a lot of territory to own alone together. He glanced about, no sign of him as of yet, but Derg wouldn't put it past him to come bounding up in his own time.
"I am Derg. I'm looking for a place for winter." He sniffed the air again, testing the wind for any presence of others.
"I'm a warrior, but I try to steer away from that nowadays." But he would still patrol and fight, of course.
"I can hunt well enough too, I just need some help right now. Sounds like you do too." He didn't shuffle or fidget, rather he stood perfectly still, waiting for the reply.

Another smile, this one a bit wry. "You are not wrong, Derg. Let us help each other, then." She nodded down to the valley, then said, "I can show you around the valley, and perhaps I can get you some food, too." She gave his form a once-over; he looked rather ragged. Sympathy and concern was heavy in her gaze, but something about him told her, he probably didn't want her pity. She cleared her throat, then said, "You are welcome to stay as long as you like." Just him staying for the winter would help them; Alys was feeling more and more like this whole pack thing was pretty doable. She turned, then, swinging back towards the slice of paradise that was below them. She made to start descending, beckoning Derg to follow.

A slight smile twitched his lips at her acceptance. He gave the Matriach a grateful bow of his head. When his eyes rose back to hers, he could see that slight furrowing of the brow. He really must look awful.

"That would be very nice. Thank you." A bit of food, a bit of rest, and he will be ready for either staying...or going on his way again.
"What sort of pack are you building?" A place for their family? Or one like Kynareths cult. He didn't know what he wanted really. Kynareths pack was stable, always ready to go to war with Ursus, but stable nonetheless. There were no overthrows, no madness. The Saints were just living their lives as they should. 

His head tilted in her direction, waiting for an awnser.

Another gentle smile and wave of her tail, and they were off, heading down into her home. "My mate and I, we've decided to call ourselves "Kinfolk". We're hoping to raise a family here, and if others find they want to stay, they can." Alys picked her way carefully down the slope, nodding to the falls below them. "Lotus Falls feeds the vast majority of the valley, but," she gestured to the two small lakes towards the northern end of the valley, "there's also The Twins."

After a few moments, she told Derg, "We are a peaceful people, and I imagine we'll stick to ourselves more than anything." Not that the Matriarch was against allies - she just had no reason to leave the valley.

Kinfolk. It sounded so...quiet and royalistic. His mouth twitched, thinking about his situation.
She seemed very passive of the fact she was trying to make a pack. Offering outage, not bargains.
He knew he would bargain to make a family.

He looked over to the water she gestured to, glittering down in the tree-filled valley. Peaceful, and quiet.
He hummed softly in acknowledgement. Keeping to themselves seemed like the life he should be trying to have. But Derg's heart was stubbornly adrift. Fuck, he even left his pack on a downward spiral whim. HE didn't even remember his mate nor children. 

"Sounds nice," he mused. Already he could feel the thrum of wanderlust tug his bones.

"Where's your mate?" He looked to her, curious.

Alys wasn't naïve - she could almost sense his disinterest, and when asked about Kailoh, she gestured broadly to the other peaks, ridges, and cliffs. "We have a large perimeter. I expect he is out on patrol, but I could call him here, if you wish." Then, she added, "Although, leadership is mine alone - he has a...  general disinterest for the meet and greets." She snickered softly, then rolled her eyes. "So, if you like, I think we should get you a temporary den near the spring, just for the night - it'll have the easiest access to water, and there's always tons of hares around." She expected he was very weary, and the caverns were still a fair distance north.

It was a lot of land for two wolves to claim as their own. It made him wonder more about why they didn't patrol together. A lot of wolves go astray while alone. 
He contemplated her offer of calling him, but when she spoke again he shook his head slightly, "Don't bother then." He flashed her a wry smile; he didn't have much interest either if that was the case. He was sure they'd butt heads soon enough.

This woman claims to own the power. She was to be the matriarch for this pack. Derg had seen it before, one half of the couple holding more power than the other. He didn't understand why though. If he could have it his way, mates would be equal in powers.

He looked off towards the area she suggested he rest. "Sounds perfect. I appreciate your kindness very much." 
He could hunt for them, help fill their stores while they patrolled and recruited. Until someone would take over his favour. "Where would you be? Patrolling?"

The falls could be heard now, they were nearly down into the valley. Here, Alys would pause to let out a short howl, letting Kailoh know of Derg's presence and whereabouts. Then, she answered his question, chuckling, "Likely patrolling, yes. I patrol at least once a day, but I try to shoot for twice." She wanted to ensure that her family would be safe - she couldn't have threats so close to home.

Finally, they were into the valley. She led Derg to the spring, took a long drink, then offered with a kind smile, "I can catch you some dinner while you make a den, if you'd like."

Kailoh had of course known that there was another among them in their vale. He also knew that their was no danger from the stranger. He continued sticking close to the water, the rushing sound demolishing any thoughts of his past and helping to drive him to form the borders that would begin his future.

He had heard the stranger and his mate. His instinct told him that neither call was urgent, and he knew that Alys could handle herself. 

Even so, he waited and kept a close eye on them as the two walked together. Once they entered the valley and Alys howled for him once more, he quickly sprinted to her side, trailing his tail along her body before circling back around to stand before the stranger.

"Hello, I am Kailoh." He hadn't really been very well versed in communication through words. He tried to stand with a confident, yet non threatening posture, providing his mate with unnecessary support, while also trying to welcome the stranger.