Barrow Fields She just changes her mind

@Maven

The plains stretched out before the band of wolves, still on their voyage back to their homelands. Having fed on venison one day earlier, Lilia's strength had been lifted, and and she'd finally overcome the nasty respiratory virus that had travelled with the group. In spite of missing their target, Lilia found herself reveling in the travel and the constant physical duress. She could feel her body changing, maturing- and in her reflection she saw a much stronger wolf than the one she'd been when she'd first arrived at Redtail Rise as a scruffy, starving orphan. 

She was a bullet, now. Hard metal with explosives sleeping in her chest. 

While the band rested in the advent of a pack hunt, Lilia roved along the perimeter of the field in search of tracks, hoping she might scent something and relay that information to the pack to inform their hunting decisions. They might have to wait until dusk, as there was not much cover to be had. She roved with her muzzle lowered, tail lightly curling as she focused on her sense of smell.

---

A savage serpent, slithering along the region with a focused pace. With purpose, she moved, despite not having a single clue what said purpose was. It was the only thing lost to her as of yet.

Careful eyes swept her surroundings. Head low, shoulders square, her nose led her. 

Putrid was the air. Many scents lingered; others wafted on in passing. The idea of closeness to others wasn't comforting, but the woman didn't live this life to be at ease. Perhaps along this voyage she may just collect a new set of wolf teeth — or perhaps the whole body itself to ravage and claim its pelt as her prize.

---

Lilia crossed scent trails left behind by others, but nothing concerned her terribly. None had laid a claim on the area, and the majority of the tracks she found were left behind by other animals. Rabbits, foxes, a coyote, some deer- nothing terribly concerning. She was relieved, at least, that deer seemed to frequent the area. Likely, they came to graze at dusk, when the light was dim and they were less exposed. The snow, pock-marked by their hoofprints, betrayed them, though. The wolf was on to their presence. 

She caught sight of something dark moving in her peripheral vision, but it disappeared from sight behind the few, shrubby bushes that grew in the area. She lifted her head to try and peer around. Perhaps it was Redd or Masquerade who were trailing along, also hoping to score points by finding a deer's scent.

There was movement. The woman's dark head shifted, peering beyond the shrubbery. Someone was here. She wasn't alone, and likely hadn't been for some time. 

Slowly, she slunk forward, approaching the form of they who appeared to be stalking her scent. This upset her immensely. 

From behind, she waited. Would they turn, or would her show of force come first? Either way, this wolf wouldn't leave her sight unscathed. None that disrespected her ever did.

She scanned the area, and at first, thought she'd perhaps imagined the movement. Maybe it'd been a partridge. But when she cast a hasty glance over her shoulder, and did a double-take when she saw the dark figure approaching, head low. 

The last time she had come upon a stranger, they had been benevolent. They had hunted together, and she had received the majority of the kill as compensation for her efforts. This wolf had the faint aroma of blood clinging to her pelt, and Lilia wondered if perhaps she had come from the Strath. The remaining wolves might have chosen to track down the wolves who had sent them scattering, and tackle them when they were still en route. 

Lilia watched her with a steady gaze. She didn't dare cast her glance around, to see if there were others. Silently, she held her ground, and willed the woman to come to a stop, or alter her path.

She had waited, watching. The woman's body language displayed that of a cat ready to pounce. But yet she did not, for the strange child turned to her. 

Tension and caution rests in the air.

You, child. Why you stalk? — my scent.. why are you stalking it?!

A stare like daggers dug within the other. They demanded obedience with a quick, truthful answer. For if not received, the red painted woman would give her wrath as punishment.

Her tone was blunt, and Lilia for whatever reason got the feeling that this woman wasn't one who would often share words. Perhaps it was her fragmented sentence. She was crouched, but Lilia couldn't quite tell if she was ready to spring toward her, or away. She remained where she was, wishing her fur to remain flat. She felt staying calm was likely the best option, considering how charged the woman's energy was. 

"I wathn't thtalking you, not intentionally. Jutht thcouting the area for deer thentth." She admitted. She was holding back way more sass than she usually did, but she could see how short the woman's fuse was- and the danger in her eyes. She shrugged. "I wath jutht ath thurprithed to thee you." She hoped to suggest that the crossing of their paths was unintentional. There was something deeply alluring about the woman's wildness, though. She hoped the woman would calm- enough for her to learn about the feral stranger...Glean from her how she might make herself more fearsome as well.

Her stance would not ease. In fact, it worsened. She became a bear, now, ready to spring forward and battle until her life came to an end. But she waited, belly hovering close over the earth. From an angle, perhaps one may have mistaken her to be laying. But no. She was the farthest thing from comfortable. 

Slow, tantalizing, her tail swayed at her quarters. A heartbeat or two of silence followed. Determining, was she. Were words worth this wait? The fur, so luscious and pretty. It could be around her shoulders instead, blood pooling from the far too recent skinning procedure. Why did she hold off this long? 

Nonetheless, more words came from the painted lips. You. Weird voice... The child spoke oddly. But then, her speech was not as clear as it could have been. A choice, though. 

Speak clearly, she could demanded. But maybe the child couldn't help it.

Stalk is rude. Disrespect to mountain woman. A turn of her head, then a sideways glance. There, pointed at the child, a long scar that proudly belonged to the painted woman. Could give you one. Then a pause, questioning. ... but won't. Not yet.

There was a light twitch in her lip at the comment about her voice, but she simply inhaled slowly, and exhaled. Avicus, her idol, also spoke in a way which was unique. So, she nodded, her teeth clenched, but her expression mild. She didn't like being called weird. But when the mountain woman spoke it didn't sound like a tease. Merely an observation, she decided. It bothered her less. 

"Mountain woman," She uttered softly. She was reminded of the cougar she'd met, when she'd still been a wandering orphan. Mountain Queen, she had declared herself, but she had spared Lilia's life- just as this woman seemed {at least somewhat} willing to spare her a scar. The parallel between the two inspired something akin to admiration. She squinted at Mountain Woman, and nodded lightly. Yeah, she was alright. 

"I'm Lilia," She said, grateful her own name at least was easy to pronounce. "How'd you get that thcar?" She asked, enticing the woman to share her battle stories.

This girl addressed her for who she was. It was enough to rebound from the previous ill prick. But still, she was unsure.

I'm Lilia.

Name of earth. Mean lily, flower. So she was earth child. It delighted Maven in a way, but she did not show it much through her expression.

The scar she'd pointedly flaunted was asked about. The mountain woman was not keen to share. Tales of war were not often shared. But in their place, plans for future ones were discussed with buoyancy. War stories, no tell. Mountain people not share these. You, stranger.

Lily flower? She couldn't remember if that was what her name was supposed to mean, and she hoped it wasn't. Lily flowers were fragile. Mountain Woman seemed content with the explanation, and she knew today, she'd have to play on the other woman's court. Keep her satisfied, or she'd go off on her. She felt she was succeeding, though, in coming up with a way to speak to the dreadful creature, to keep her from launching into fight mode. It was a different sort of manipulation that wasn't just flattery and charm; it was to learn how to dance on thin ice. 

By the way she'd shown the scar, Lilia had thought that it was a lure, to start a conversation. Apparently not. So she bobbed her head as an apology, licking her lips to show she'd intended no insult, and that she got the point. "Mountain people thound like thtrong people," She said, next, having learned that Mountain Woman wasn't the only one. "Maybe we're not tho different," She said, leaning her head to the side, so her neck fur shifted, revealing the long claw marks that stretched from the base of her neck and down the front of her shoulder on each side; a pair of epaulettes that were almost completely healed by this point, but bare skin still.

It was proving a difficult thing— adjusting to their way of speaking. But the mountain woman listened intently, pushing to understand every word and its purpose.

We people strong like mountain. Why mountain chose us. They'd been the first born there, and the first to find settlement... or so the stories went. 

They were alike, as the child suggested. But in what way? Who your people? Earth people? Were they all like her?

Mountain people, strong. Lilia felt a pang of grief, and pressed her lips together for a moment. When asked about her people, there was only one group of wolves that she thought of- and that was Redtail Rise, of course- but the memory of the glacier still remained with her. 

"My people were glacier people." She said, with no tone of affection seeping into her voice. "They feared the mountain lion, and abandoned me. Tho, I am with earth people now. I am earth people." She said. And she would either rule them someday, or become a glacier wolf once more, and rule the lands that had been her initial home.

Glacier people. Were. They no longer existed.

Shoulders shifting slightly, the dark form of the mountain woman lifted, weight resting over her haunches. They coward. Whether the girl took offense from this or not, Maven did not care. It was the truth.

You, like earth people? Eyes narrowing, she watched for a change in expression that may decipher whether the next answer was truth or not.

Spite set her jaw, and she uttered a soft growl as she nodded. Mountain Woman was wise; the glacier people she had come from were cowards. She hated them, whatever she could remember of them, and it was her resentment which made her memories of those wolves so vague, now. She no longer remembered their faces or names- just the spite she'd felt when she'd been told they'd been chased off by the cougar. 

As for Redtail Rise? They had taken her in, and had seen her potential. She had to fight tooth and nail to assert herself- but she was thriving in the competitive environment. "Yeah," She said, nodding. Parts of the manhunt she had not enjoyed- but now, she was living for it. A smile found its way to her features, a hungry one. "Yeah, I like it with them."

There was no present indication that she didn't enjoy living with them, but there was still doubt in the woman's mind.

What earth people like?

Following the birth of the mountain, those that came after were forced to evolve. Maven wondered just how much so they evolved.

How to describe her pack. Mountain Woman seemed curious; perhaps this was an opportunity for Lilia to practice her rogue skills, and ambassador skills, by representing them well. Maybe, if Mountain Woman was a good fit, she could even find her a home amongst them, if she was interested. Srill, she had to market her family just right. 

"Loyal. Territowrial. We are hunters, warriors. We push each other, to find the betht." It was another way of saying that they regularly beat the crap out of each other, so that they could all get better and stronger. A smile curled the corner of her lips at that thought. She'd get there, eventually. She wanted to tell Mountain Woman of their hunt- she wanted to be admired for her perseverance, but she felt it was best to keep the pack's motives quiet. "Bettew ath allieth than enemieth," She said, lightly, not intending the expression to come across as a threat. "What mountainth do you claim, tho we might be rethpectful of your borderth?" She asked.

People of earth and mountain. With such similar attributes, they could almost be assumed the same. But they were not.

Earth people with allies... Didn't this mark weakness. Once, perhaps, she thought it did. But maybe now things were different. 

This child asked of her claim. She asked of something that did not exist. 

No claim. Yet. Will soon. There would be one. But as for when, Maven did not know.

Lilia offered a faint smile, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. 

"If you thcatter your enemieth...You have peathe. Any that aren't enemieth...They should be thmart enough to leave uth alone." She didn't necessarily want allies, she wanted subjects. She wanted any who stood in her path to cower and beseech her for their safety. Join and serve, or get the hell out of the way. But for someone as fierce as Mountain Woman...She might make an exception. She wouldn't want to find herself opposite the woman, but she'd make a good ally. 

Mountain Woman would have a home, and Lilia didn't doubt it. She felt obligation tugging her to return to her duties, and get back to her pack, so she relaxed her posture slightly, an indication that she was keen to move off, and leave Mountain Woman in peace. 

"You will." She said. "Until then...Thankth." She said, with a wave of her tail, and a bob of her head.

She was young, but knowledgeable. They were better this way.

Make good mountain woman. But she was not. Yet, she could be.

You, want become that.. find me. 

Invitation extended, the mountain woman gave no further farewells before turning away from the girl and slowly leaving their sight.

Compliments were few and far between. For the amount of effort she put into proving herself, she certainly didn't hear much praise. The extrinsic motivation made her ponder for a moment, how much it might be worth to stick to the pastures she had. Perhaps the grass might be greener somewhere where she would not be overlooked by blood ties. 

She tried to push those thoughts aside. The fractious woman had given her one compliment. Surely, she was simply overlooking all the nice things her packmates had told her in the past. She was sapped for attention, lapping it up now like a hungry kitten. 

"Thankth." 

She couldn't say more. She couldn't think about it anymore. She had a father, she had a pack. She had just shed blood and torn flesh for that pack. Surely, she was earning her way toward her goal. 

She too turned, and ambled back toward where the rest of her band was gathered, in preparation for the hunt, left feeling somehow incredibly lucky.