Blacktail Deer Plateau In the viney darkness I find

@Rusalka @Solveig

In his maw he carried 2 octopi and the beaver fur. Wolves this far inland may enjoy the seaside delicacy.

Rodyn couldn't remember the pack that settled here, but he was trying to remember. They had come to the hunt, but he was unsure if he had met them and if they had shown up or an envoy on their behalf. After thinking hard. And mentally going through all the names and faces. He nodded when one seemed recognizable. It had been Rusalka who had shown up a leader in their own right.

Rodyn smiled pleased to have remembered. Stopping ten feet from the pack lands border, he lifted his muzzle and howled. He was far enough away he held no threat. Or so he hoped. He remembered well Redtail rise and the youth that had cost him some skin.

Apparently prone to causing his parents daily panic by so often wandering close to the borders, Arrax once again eagerly headed towards the outskirts of the Plateau as a howl rang out across the territory.

A tall man bathed in auburn and black stood at the doorstep of their home, yet Arrax only had eyes for what he carried in his jaws. He studied the stringy, dangling limbs of the unknown creature curiously, nose taking in the foreign scent. It was familiar in a way, a strong breeze could often bring in scents of the sea to their home, but never had he seen a thing such as this!

Arrax remained a few paces away, deterred from marching straight up to the stranger due to the encounter with the trespasser days before. Still, he stood with an air of dominance and all the swagger of a young guardian-in-training.

"Are these gifts?" the Cairn said, the boyish excitement in his voice betraying his age despite his deceiving size. He thought back to the woman from Yellowstone who sought an alliance, wondering if this man had similar intentions.

"Son!" Came Solveig's playful chide as she approached, having overheard the boy's question. She glanced to the man who had called out- assessing with his posture and the presence of whatever the hell it was on the ground that looked like a puddle of jelly that he'd come in peace. Any others would have been greeted sooner with her teeth, than with her son's questions, if they had come to cause trouble. 

"It is 'Hael og Sael!' that we say to visitors," She instructed Arrax gently, before turning her attention to the traveller once more. She blinked, catlike, and offered the man a faint smile. 'You have come to Raventhorpe; you are from Moontide, yes?" Gods, she hoped she might have finally gotten the Moonpacks' scents right.

The first to greet him a small pup, not very old. But old enough. It immediately set Rodyn on edge. He backed up further and watched his items closely. He remembered well what Redtail rise had done to him. And he didn't particularly want a repeat.

But before he could answer he saw the wolf Solveig coming forward. She greeted the boy. So he was her son, then. He nodded his head with a small laugh.

Hello to both of you it is good to see your faces. And, Yes I'm from Moontide, and it is impressive that you can remember. There are many moon villages it is not always easy to keep us straight. I'm Rodyn Ardeth, alpha of Moontide and I've come with trades and also to invite you to another group hunt, closer to Autumn. For Elk or deer this time.

His ears fall flat as he hears his mother's words behind him, reprimanding his initial remark to the stranger. He lowers his head apologetically and turns to Solveig as she draws up beside him. "Sorry," he mutters under his breath, loathe to disappoint his mother, but his tail tip flicks indignantly. He was only asking a question!

She introduces the stranger then to their home, speaking of a pack that Arrax had not heard before. First Yellowstone, now Moontide! How many other packs were near their home? He is puzzled at the mention of more moon villages as the man responds.

However, all his questions fall to the wayside when the Moontide trader mentions a hunt. Arrax's ears fly up and his tail waves excitedly as he looks back up to Solveig. So far, the Cairn children had only been allowed to observe hunts, but he was getting taller and stronger by the day! Surely he could help.

"A hunt!" he pipes up loudly, blue-gold eyes boring into his mother, silently pleading: let me participate in this one, pleeeeeease!

Her son wilted slightly under the light correction, but she chose not to fawn over him. She wished for her children to grow and become capable in all tasks; they would have to learn how to take criticism alongside learning how to hunt, scout, protect and spar. She was pleased with his supple nature. 

The Moontide man earned a hearty laugh. ”Hah! I am glad I am right, finally!” She knew she would not need to explain her past errors; the wolves of these packs were likely used to being confused for one another, given their open border policies. 

To his proposal, she stamped a hefty paw to the ground, causing little pebbles to scatter. ”A hunt!” She barked, and gave a grin to her eager son. With a few more months of growth, he would be ready to join in, in an assisting position. ”Raventhorpe would be honoured.” She answered.

A small smile to the youth who was eager to hunt. He thought of @Rolayne and @Panuk then and hoped they would be as eager. Also that they may join him on this trade journey soon enough. He missed them.

Rodyn nodded his head. Yes a hunt. We are eager to have such a one as before, perhaps with more wolves in attendance. So that allies, trades and so forth can be forged perhaps. Or just to join in and fill our bellies and our caches.

HE shifted. Today I brought Octopie meat and beaver fur for trade if you are interested. The octopus is a native creature of the sea. Salty flavor.

Solveig was equally as enthused as her son. With an almighty thump of her paw against the ground, she echoed his outcry, looking down upon him with a grin as Arrax's tail whipped back and fourth excitedly. It wasn't exactly a yes, but he took her gusto for the hunt as a sign that he would be allowed to take part.

The man explained then the items he had brought with him. The boy's gaze turned to them once again, turning the word octopus over in his mind. Unlike the gifts Nephele had brought, Arrax wasn't as eager to snatch these up. His nose wiggled curiously as he took in the briny scent, unsure of this octopus creature.

"You eat it?" he asked quietly, increduolous, looking back up to his mother as if expecting her to agree that this was a weird thing to consider food.