Nova Peak fear no beer

The unmistakable scent of a pack drew Ovaltine close to the tall peak. He stayed well outside the boundaries of this claimed land, no part of him wishing to intrude where he was not welcome. He was, however, curious. It had been his way, for over two years, to speak to those around him. He called it "information gathering," even though he did nothing with the knowledge he had accumulated over the years. What would he do with it, anyway? Sure, there were times when he would mend the sick that asked him for help, or he would help a child find its way home. But he never stayed anywhere long enough to reap the rewards for such behaviors.

Oval lingered outside this land for a moment, letting his rump drop to the ground as he looked up at the impressively large mountain. He pondered on what the wolves who lived here were like. Were they cruel creatures, like some of them that he had come across? Were they gentle, trusting, and polite to strangers? Perhaps, if he waited here long enough, he would find out for himself.

Their numbers were dwindling. Kas didn't know what had happened to the two members Tarquin and Tryphon, but they had left them. Falwasi was gone on a mission to visit her brother, and Danica was, well, probably only there temporarily. Though Kaskara loved being in a small, tight-knit pack, she was afraid that five adults and four unweaned pups was a bit too small for her taste. They needed to recruit and fast.

Kaskara spent some of her time patrolling the borders these days. The rest of the time was spent hunting or bringing that food to Bazi and the pups. They were growing so fast. Though she did her part, she was sure the peak needed another member or two to keep their eyes on them, to protect and raise them well. It was not solely the mother's responsibility, not in a wolf pack.

In the distance she saw a seated figure staring up at her mountain, and she deviated in her patrol to lumber down the mountainside toward him. He seemed healthy and unassuming, which she appreciated. Head and tail held high, Kaskara approached him with a low chuff of air. He was far enough away from the border to put her at ease, but she was still slightly wary of strangers.

"Do you like what you see?" She asked him with a tilt of her head, watching for his reaction.

A female approached him, a leader by the looks of it. Her coat was a deep brown with a dusting of white upon her shoulders. She was stocky, but did not lack the curves of a proper lady. When she prompted him with a question, he was taken aback. "Forward, aren’t you?" he asked. He hadn't realized that she was talking of the mountain, instead falling back on the assumption that she was talking about herself. He took her instantly for the flirtatious type.

"I do like that in a lady," he beamed. She certainly wasn't hard on the eyes, either, and he made that apparent with his interest in her. "Although my main concern was acquiring the name of this lovely mountain. My name is Ovaltine Driftwood." One snippet of information for another. And if she wasn't keen to give it up, the wanderer would wander on.

She nearly choked at his words, but instead coughed slightly to hide her embarrassment. "I meant the mountain." Kaskara was thick sometimes, and could be equally thickheaded with her words. She had walked right into that one, and although she was kind of pleased at his reaction, she was also a little mortified. She wasn't used to all that attention.

"Pleasure, Ovaltine," she replied with a nod, wondering why he wanted to now the name of her mountain. "I am Kaskara Gladius, beta of the pack that lives here. We call it Nova Peak." She stood watching him, her tail swaying in the wind. He seemed harmless, but that could be a ruse. Kas wasn't really one to be suspicious, but caution never hurt, either.

Whoop! I was waiting on a reply from Scim before getting back to ya.

So this was the peak that Scimitar had pointed to. Ovaltine bobbed his head to acknowledge the (good) news. "I thought so," he replied, then went on to explain his reasoning. "I met a certain Scimitar not long ago. He told me of his claim, and I thought I would check it out for myself." Nova Peak lived up to its name, that much was certain. It was quite the mountain, and its inhabitants (all two that he'd now met) seemed as though they were upstanding citizens of the Teekon Wilds—that name he had gathered from Scimitar as well.

"Are you his mate?" Ovaltine asked, curious. Scimitar had not given a surname, and even if he had, Ovaltine knew from experience that they were not always shared between "husband and wife," so to speak. While Ovaltine had dabbled in charming many a lady, he had never settled down with one. He was unsure if he was meant for such things. His wandering lifestyle did not permit it, and few girls he had met were up for his drifting ways. Those who were often drifted right out of his grasp.

Kaskara was unaware of her brother's forays into the wilds, but that didn't mean a thing. He was a grown wolf and moved about at his own volition, especially now that he was an alpha and a father. So instead of betraying her surprise, Kaskara simply nodded at Ovaltine's assessment. He didn't need to know that there was tension within the ranks.

But when he asked if she was his mate, she nearly lost it completely. She chuckled softly and shook her head. "No, I'm not his mate. Scimitar is my half-brother. He and Bazi are mates." This information seemed innocent enough to share with the stranger. She was glad she had met him; this was the most she'd laughed in a while.

"Oh dear," Ovaltine said, laughing right along with her. While half-sibling relationships weren't completely unheard of, they were rare, and he felt a little bit silly for asking if Kaskara had a romantic relationship with Scimitar. Of course, there was no way he could have known they were siblings, nor could he know what their customs were regarding incest. Now, of course, he had some inkling.

Kaskara went on to explain that Scimitar did have a mate by the name of Bazi, though it did not ring a bell for Ovaltine. He had not met anybody by that name, but stored it away for future use, should he need it. "Does that leave you without someone to call yours?" he inquired, green eyes resting easily on her paws.

Though they had laughed together, Kaskara was unsure of sharing her private life with this wolf. But she was feeling generous today, and he seemed harmless enough. However, she wouldn't give away too much information. "Not exactly." She confessed with a shrug. "There might be someone. It's unclear." Though her heart was full for Kieran, she had yet to hear if he'd spoken with Scimitar. And she hadn't seen him since their conversation, and though she was true to her word, she wasn't sure if he would be. But she also didn't want to act like Bazi and Scimitar before they finally together. She didn't want to doubt him.

Ovaltine smiled easily. She seemed on the fence about whoever she spoke of, and he did not pry about the gentleman (or lady, for all he knew) any further except to say, "If this someone waits, then this someone is missing out." Ovaltine was not in the habit of (knowingly) being a homewrecker, and so he laid the subject to rest. He did not wish for conflict to arise out of his own questioning, his own curiosity. He only wished to speak, to listen, and to gain the knowledge that he sought.

"I shall take my leave, unless there is anything you'd like to request of me," Ovaltine said, as a way of bringing their conversation to a close. He felt that lingering any longer would make it seem as though he was pressing too hard, and that was not his intention.

Ovaltine was right: Kieran would miss out if he waited any longer. Kas knew she loved him, knew he loved her, but they hadn't quite committed yet. It was all in what Scimitar said, and she didn't know his answer yet. That made her worry, but she tried to keep busy and tried to put it out of her mind. But sometimes she just wondered...and thought it would be better to let Kieran handle it first.

Ovaltine turned to go and Kaskara wondered..."Are you a member of any pack, Ovaltine?" It was a natural question for a pack wolf to ask. If he was, well he was well taught in respect. If he wasn't...maybe she could convince him to join them. It would be nice to have another wolf to depend on.

"I am not," he replied truthfully. There was no reason for him to imply otherwise. Ovaltine had been on his own for at least half of his short life, and he had grown accustomed to the freedoms it provided. His first two years, he had lived life with his mother, father, and siblings. But after the death of his father, nobody had been there to hold the pack together, and so they had drifted apart, like leaves upon the wind. Anticipating her next question, he preemptively answered it.

"Nor do I think that life is for me." It was nothing personal, just a life choice he had made long ago. Sure, he stopped in the winter, hunkering down with this pack or the other, but for the most part, he made his own way. He would not wish to promise his loyalty only to drift off like he did so often.

Kaskara knew that his answer was a possibility, and therefore she wasn't surprised by his reply: he wasn't part of a pack. What did surprise her though, was his next sentence. Kaskara sometimes understood that feeling he described, of not belonging, of wishing to be somewhere else. But the love of her family usually banished such thoughts from her mind. She belonged here, with them, caring for and protecting them, especially now there were young ones in the mix. Kaskara would never abandon them.

"I can understand that," she intoned, nodding once more. "If you ever need a place to stay, we could use an extra set of paws. But best of luck to you, if I don't see you again." Kas smiled then, not a fake one, but a genuine smile that lit up her eyes. Then she turned to leave, wondering what on earth she was going to do about Kieran.

She took her leave, and Ovaltine did the same, though not before watching her hips sway for a few strides. Shaking his head, the drifter turned away and departed from the place that could have been his home if he wasn't so set in his ways. He would remember her offer, and perhaps he would take her up on it if he ever decided to settle down. Unless, of course, she had already been taken by the man she had spoken of. If that was the case, he would be better of elsewhere, away from the temptation to be a home-wrecker.