Moonspear mighty lonely on my own in the city

Tehama had gone from being alone to being surrounded by wolves in a matter of moments.  They were strangers, for now, but pack mates, potentially.  To Keres' silver features and Bronco's youthful crimson, she had names to attach.  The newly-arrived older male came upon them silently and offered no introduction, but moved with an aura of authority exceeding that of her original greeters.  Te thought promptly that this might be Bronco's father, by appearance, and Moonspear's Alpha, by sheer power of presence.  Acutely aware of herself as outsider, lone wolf, petitioner, the lady shrank still a degree further, and dipped her head in an acknowledging gesture toward the older male's silent arrival.  She caught a glimpse of other dark wolf behind him, partially obscured by the mist, and was pleased to note that it was a youth following along behind the adults.  This is a strong pack, the female decided firmly.  She still remembered being that adolescent herself, following her mother along well-worn mountain trails and defending their borders.  She just hadn't realized what it was like to approach from the other side of that power dynamic, as a stranger and traveller.  It was a humbling experience, all encapsulated in just a few brief moments of time on this autumn morning.

Te cleared her throat softly, willing herself not to sound awkward or as shaky as she felt on the inside.  "I'm just a fair hunter," she acknowledged in Bronco's direction, deflecting his more confident assessment of her ability.  The scar upon her cheek would be noticeable at this distance, a long-ago accident that was a relevant caveat to any discussion of her hunting prowess.  "But I am mountain-born and know both the dangers and the rewards of living in such a place."  Relevant, she felt, for lowlands wolves too often overestimated their competency navigating mountainsides where rocks might shift underfoot, cliffsides cropped up seemingly out of nowhere, and inclement weather could be deadly.  "I have knowledge about a number of things.  Scouting, guarding, diplomacy.  How to fight, if I must.  The very rudiments of healing, navigation."  Her size worked against her in battle, but gave her speed when it was needed.  All of those skills had been intended to serve her as her mother's heir; that education was cut short, but would have to do, for now.  

The lady's ears, tail, and thin form remained subdued, but she did glance briefly at each of the adults' general directions, to make her next point.  "More to the point, I'd say I'm a quick learner at most things, and not above doing any task."  That was true.  She'd not been able to sit leisurely and listen to stories or learn the patterns of the stars like her siblings, but she'd gained pragmatism and a strong work ethic.  She could still hear her mother telling her never to give a task to another than she wasn't willing to perform herself.  That was a lesson that would serve her throughout life, even if she never grew to lead a pack as they'd all expected of her.