Firefly Glen On the Low

wc:434

Bronco hadn't been far away when he'd heard the call come forth from the borders. He'd been on the lookout for a fox that had meandered too close for comfort near their border when he heard the female's howl, and responded by lifting his head and uttering a short but polite response- that he was nearby, and would be on his way. It was a means of informing her that her presence had been noticed almost immediately without making her wait without knowing, and also a way to inform his packmates that they had a visitor, but that someone was already on their way. Regardless, it wasn't uncommon for more than one guardian to greet a stranger if they showed up, so it he never felt as though he had to handle any tough situations on his own without backup being nearby.

He trotted along the borders until he caught sight of her, at which point he slowed, approaching with a comfortably rangy stride. She was whiplike and slim, built for agility and perhaps trim from travel but she looked healthy enough. Flicking his tongue over his muzzle, he tested the air and could familiarize himself with her scent, noting that she bore a distinctly earthy tone, though it was devoid of traces of scent which might've left behind by close companionship with other wolves. A loner, he assumed- but she had the keen, intelligent and hungry look of a survivor.

He gave her a nod as he arrived to greet her, and came to a stop not far away, though he stood as a firm guardian between her and the rest of the Glen. “Welcome to Firefly Glen,” He said, his voice calm and even, though there was an uncharacteristic lack of warmth to his tone. He'd lost a good deal of enthusiasm, lately, and had succumbed to a life that was much more ordinary and quiet in the past week, and while it might have made him a better guardian to be a bit further removed from his usual friendliness, it made him realize that he felt this was indeed a job, and not something he did just for fun. And while he was every bit as attentive and present as a guardian ought to be, there was no trace of a smile to his lips, or wave to his stiffened tail. For one of the first times in his life, Bronco was all business. “I'm Bronco Blackthorn. Anything I can help you with?” He asked, flicking his ears forward, keen on sorting out what it was the stranger wanted from them.