Swiftcurrent Creek let the water wash away your sins

@Akavir @Arric @Lestan tags for visitor visibility! :)

She carried knowledge at her breast like a babe. She left the mountains, left behind the things she had only ever known.

Yet she descended and scents cropped up with stains in the snow. A small collection of the masculine. It was a gift! It could not be so easy, could it?

She limped along the outside of their claim, a soft sound broke free from her.

Arric slung through the fresh snow. Body honed for the jobs it was to do. Long limbs, lean body. Meditation and constantly walking the borders. He had learned their claim so well, he knew when almost anything was amiss. On one such night he heard a lowly sound and shifted towards it.

Blue eyes stark in the darkness that surrounded them all, prominently posed by the white ring around the one. A dark wolf caught his attention and he shifted closer to the borders and watched it with a small amount of distrust. 

It was one thing to come upon them in the daylight hours another to come when it was as dark as it was. 

What are you doing? he asked of it. Eyes sharp and intelligent in his face. Watching. Wary.

A man.

Large and handsome, strong. A workhorse. He could crush her and she felt keenly aware of that fact as he raised a question.

Yet she was prepared and motioned to her weak, left hind leg. The way she limped with an uneven gait.

Help?

Silver eyes became wide, doe-eyed.

Arric did not usually abuse his size to put anyone into line. He could if he so felt the need too, but he didn't. Why because he disliked violence unless it was warranted.

She had shorter fur, dark as the night that pressed around them. The keen silver eyes that stared at him though, they spoke of secrets and knowledge.

She was limping and he moved closer at her request of help. He assessed it, he wasn't a healer, but he knew enough. It didn't look like a fresh wound. But could he really determine himself if it was worth worrying over. 

Let me call my leader. Just go ahead and sit, take weight off it.

He howled out for @Akavir. Blue eyes staying upon her.

Beneath the mass of strength was kindness.

Jakoul latched onto it with a fevered mind. A soft crooning sound escaped her. A grateful noise given to the large man.

Without second though, she crumbled down onto the earth. The very vision of submission and exhaustion. Her leg was an old wound, unable to be fixed. However it had not been a lie to ask for help, to seek a safe space to rest.

Arric’s call beckoned him. The hour of day mattered little to the Mayfair at the moment—sleep wasn’t something he found escape in. Not with the haunting dreams that still found him in the dead of night. 

A shadow among the shadows, the man drew forward. Eyes sharp upon their visitor before a questioning look was given to Arric. She seemed to rest— and Akavir, while still studying his comrade, felt his senses keening with question to whether she was truly alone… or if a few certain cowboys were also lining the same shadows as himself.

Arric spoke softly. He knew it would be impossible for her to not hear some of what he said, but he could at lesat make it a little difficult to hear it all. He didn't know her. 

She has a leg wound, it doesn't look fresh. She has asked for help. But.

He let the rest slide away, as he glanced back at her eyeing her with a stern gaze. This was Akavir's decision. He didn't envy his friend the heavy mantle of leadership at times. He hadn't seen any others, but much like Akavir. He was gun shy.

TOo many coincidences happened in these wilds and he had no idea where those cowboys were anymore.

Her nose had been right.

A land of the masculine. She wondered if they were brothers, similarly dark and strong. She could not halt the soft flutter of her gaze between them.

A crooning sound of submission and appreciation.

Jakoul. There was no need to offer fake names when she wore nothing upon her. Help me. Help you. Stay, help?

Her gaze was for the leader man alone now.

Arric followed his own invoiced concern. There was a moment where he looked to the man’s eyes, a slow nod given.

When the fatigued woman crooned to him, his gaze was fast upon her. He stalked past his comrade, the shadows playing upon the creek grounds as he loomed closer to her, waiting for any indication of attack. 

Let me look at your leg, he rumbled, his voice leaving little doubt he was not here to barter. His nose filtered her scent—recognizing nothing yet, and yet still untrusting. Why are you alone?

Arric trailed behind. Eyes on the horizon and surrounding area. Guarding his friend and leaders six. There was madness in the wilds lately and he wouldn't be caught unawares.

He listened with interest and studied her leg in between movements of gaze flitting to the outside area. He had nothing to add at the moment. Were Akavir to accept her. He'd offer his name.

She allowed him this, a soft sweeping motion towards her own hind leg.

His question was odd. Why was she alone? Well, why did he look a gift horse in the mouth? Perhaps she was more akin to a gift viper.

Alas.

Winter. Lost. Alone long. A soft shiver down her spine. The cold, the closeness. It was easy to be the picture of pathetic when you had been born that way.

His suspicions were only slightly eased. His eyes regarded her carefully before moving to her leg. It was an old injury—but he did not doubt it bothered her to an extent. Especially in the cold of the winter. 

If you stay, you contribute. She had already offered that, but his gaze was unreadable in that moment—drifting back to the shadows she had come from. So what do you contribute?

Arric shifted behind them and looked back out over the pack lands and beyond. HE still saw no spectres in shadows. That was a good question, and his gaze went back to hers with interest. He wondered what she did?

Was she a medic, they had already lost two medics. They both had moved on. Lestan was here, but he wasn't really a medic. Or perhaps she was a hunter. Or she was something else entirely. She didn't look like a fighter, but looks could be deceiving.

Hunt. Guard.

She offered with a soft sniff in their direction. Collected the scents off of them, committed them to memory. If she was to winter among them, then it would be good to know them intimately.

Jakoul stay?

Tentatively, she allowed her tail to offer a few slow taps.

“Jakoul stay,” he confirmed, his tone a low rumble though he shared a look with Arric. It was then the creek wolf pressed his forehead to hers—significant only in the sense of camaraderie—a test of sorts, as he accepted her as what one would traditionally call pack.

And with that, Akavir would slip away from them, an idle flick of his tail the only indication to Arric that he would be patrolling their borders, ensuring their newest recruit had not come as a trojan horse with others waiting among the shadows for their distraction.

WEll that was that. She was accepted, though the look that passed between the two men showed, they were not trusting her. He dipped his head to his leader and pack mate, and moved to help the woman.

Alright, Jakoul. I'm Arric. Shall i show you around or would you like to retire to a den first?

He smiled light easy, hiding the maelstrom of emotions in his eyes. Blue eyes tracing over her. If you're leg hurts too much, go ahead and lean on me. I'll get you to where we need to go.

feel free to fade! and i politely request individual threads with both of you <3

She leaned into the leader man. Forehead to forehead. A soft sound in the back of her throat.

Then she was preparing herself to lean into the other man, noted the kindness he showed once more now that she was among them proper.

Den? She asked meekly. Ears flat for a moment. See in morning? If he had time then to play host once more.

Thank you for the thread. Feel free to start one unless you would rather I did for Arric. <3

Arric would allow her to lean and he would lead her to a den site. Truthfully, in his down hours he had dug a few. Not many mind you, but something. They could be caches or built further for dens. He hoped they could get more bodies into their ranks. Thus far, they didn't have many.

It was alright though. The few they had were loyal beasts. He wondered if this femme, Jakoul would be the same or if she would betray them.