Bearclaw Valley Ships in the night

Had he the ability to do so, he’d likely linger at the borders all day long. But there were often things to do within the valley, along with the need to simply ensure his scent did not fade from the general area; he was there and he would stay there, it was his valley and the walls would never be rid of him permanently. Even with that small necessity, however, he felt a constant pull towards the borders, knowing his friend resided there; it bothered him, still, that she kept to the outskirts of the territory. Were he any less civilised he would have dragged her in whether she wanted to be there or not, ordering her to stay where he could see her—but Alexander couldn’t do that. Perhaps he could have to Seff, whose sole purpose was to act as the albino’s servant, but never to Reigi (and maybe a handful of others). So he settled for checking in on her as frequently as time would allow, and it was towards her boulder that he’d been heading when the howl echoed off the walls.

Though seemingly feminine in pitch, the male’s hackles rose briefly, only to smooth out a moment later whilst his tail rose up over his back. It’ll be fine, he thought but Xan could fool not even himself—especially not as his pace gradually picked up, carrying him closer and closer to the borders.

Arriving right at the end of the stranger’s ramblings, he looked first to Reigi—one, two, three looks over her, assessing her from where he stood before slowly closing the distance, satisfied by the lack of wounds. Several weeks ago, he might have greeted her first with a soft touch to the cheek, but this time he settled for moving up alongside her; he did not touch her, but he did take a few steps more than she, positioning himself just enough between them that he could protect her, if need be, without blocking her from view. Queer eyes found their mark shortly after, studying the stranger’s expression, posture, and overall looks before asking, “Are you here to join?” He hadn’t managed to hear her speak to Reigi, having not arrived until the end and then immediately focusing on his companion. And, for once, he didn’t care too much about the possibility of making an ass out of himself by assuming her reason for being there.