Redhawk Caldera Fall'n leaves

Wildfire had left earlier that morning and Peregrine lingered at the borders where she must have crossed, heading directly east. He wondered what compelled her to wander so much as he turned and began a slow patrol around the caldera's base. He walked with his blind eye to the pack's territory so he could see any external threats. He also swung his head back and forth, sweeping his surroundings constantly to make sure he didn't miss anything.

The day had dawned warm and clear, though as morning faded into afternoon, clouds gathered overhead, casting a gloom over the world and dragging down the temperature several degrees. Peregrine could smell autumn on the breeze that ruffled his silky black nape. He would have to hasten his efforts to adapt to his partial blindness so that he could see the pack through the upcoming winter. He particularly needed to work on his hunting skills, which were steadily improving but nowhere where they needed to be.

Speaking of which, the pack had felled a mountain goat a few hours ago and he took a break from his patrol to move into the territory and help himself to some meat from one of the lower caches. He dragged out an entire leg, then settled down on his belly beneath a small pecan tree. As he ate, he kept his one eye on the nearby perimeter, prepared to deal with any threats despite his lunch break.

since phas is going to be in the area... this is on the borders, right? dun wanna tresspass

the sea-witch, displaced from the ashen shore she habituated, found herself quite inland. she had meant originally to survey the dank recesses of ankyra's forgotten chambers... but when one tunnel lead to another, resurfaced here only to punctuate the soil again, she found herself quite lost.

having no priorities or responsibilities other than to keep her stomach full, she found herself unperturbed by her geographical location. yet what tipped the alarms of her self preservation were the clear boundaries of a pack that had recently patrolled. unwilling to tempt fate, she did not trespass the border -- yet she kept along the thicket closest to the markings, hoping to find the protection a tunnel offered. as she traversed the shale she thought she scented goatsblood along the rise -- and while she did not see the dark plume of peregrine, she felt her stomach clamor for sustenance.

she was not so stupid as to brazenly trespass such a heavily patrolled area. despite the ravenous hunger that overtook her she instead continued to the path. she kept her muzzle held low to the ground in the hopes of scenting the damp petrichor of a hidden underground pathway that would lead her away from the packlands, and consequentially, danger.

Yes, it takes place near the borders. :)

He finished his meal without incident, then kicked aside the bones and groomed the smears of blood from his broad black paws. He rose a moment later, knowing it was only a matter of time before nature called. Before he could move off to find the perfect place to drop a deuce, movement caught his good eye. Peregrine raised his head sharply, his tail immediately stiffening, as did the muscles in his shoulders. He glared at the distant silhouette, both good and bad eyes widening slightly as he studied the figure with the snowy white body and contrasting black head.

Moving slowly but purposefully, the Alpha male approached the stranger loitering near to his borders and called out, "What is your business here?" He tilted his swarthy muzzle into the air to capture a scent and managed to learn from a single inhalation her sex, general age and apparent lack of allegiance. There was something about her scent that reminded him of his seaside home back in Flightless Falcons too.

so far, no good - caiaphas kept her muzzle rooted to the ground in the manner of a truffle-seeking boar. the earth before her was dry and without shadowed egress -- so intent was she in her vain search that she barely heard the approach of another until he was nearly immediately upon her.

she froze and then cowed to the ground, her ears pulled back against her bony skull in alarm and the sharp curve of her narrow belly flush against the cool earth. between her tense paws she felt the rife cold of loam - the soft breeze behind her neck - strange things to note in times of upending peril.

the wolf before her was much taller than her - much fitter - much stronger. the splash of flecking against his muzzle lent him a sage appearance but caiaphas was left with the distinct impression he was not ailed by geriatric weakness. an air of patriarchy exuded about him -- but she found it neither comforting or warm. "i'm lost." she admitted -- and it was true -- though she did not seem alarmed by the prospect. "took a tunnel from the shore. lots of tunnels around blackfeather. ended up near a marsh north of them, found another tunnel, then another, then another. so i'm here." the tunnels were not linear in their pathway - it was not as if one lead straight from the shore to where she was -- but have enough time and inclination on your hands and it was not surprising the weasel had ferreted out yet another clammy recess in which to explore. "where am i?" she inquired - her posture still subservient as she panted anxiously on the ground.

For every ten wolves that came this close to his borders, eight of them were belligerent assholes. This one proved to be one of the very rare exceptions. She immediately won his favor by lowering herself to the ground and addressing Peregrine with the respect he deserved as leader and guardian of a nearby pack. His head and tail both arched a bit more in response, not out of hubris but to acknowledge their respective places. He relaxed slightly a moment later, his head turned sideways to pin his good eye on her.

He was almost tempted to bust out a dad joke ("Hi Lost, I'm Peregrine") but even if she was polite, she was still a stranger and possible threat. "I know of those tunnels," he mused instead, thinking of his children's escape during the infamous storm and his own descent. He suppressed a shudder. "You're in the southwest of Teekon Wilds, near Redhawk Caldera specifically. I'm Peregrine. Who are you? And where are you from?" If she was lost, maybe she just needed some guidance, a few directions. Or perhaps she was lost lost and he could recruit her, though he wouldn't get too far ahead of himself. Everything hinged on her answers to his questions.

redhawk caldera - the name sounded familiar. for a minute she strained to recall her last venture near the borders -- perhaps she had been here before after all. she recalled distinctly a red wolf that had hailed her - a small spitfire she wouldn't trust her life with. she had never gotten the female's name though their strange conversation she recalled delightfully.

the towering shadow before her made no advance to attack -- all the same, no vein of boldness colored caiaphas' sharp visage. as peregrine readjusted his position and then relaxed to regard her, caiaphas was struck by the peculiar manner in which he turned his head. unwilling to meet his gaze, the sea-wolf remained prone, her yellow eyes tracing the spiny backside of a rotted leaf.

"oh.. i think i know where i am. last time i was here i must have come from a different direction. met a red lady with a banged up paw." the she-wolf prattled, though her face drained as she realized she had not answered his question. quick to attention, she spoke:[/b] "caiaphas. from the shore."[/b] she didn't inquire as to who he was -- she figured given his station and demeanor he was likely someone important.. and usually, the important ones liked the world to know who they were.

The mention of a red lady made him think this wolf had met his mate. He said nothing on the matter, though, waiting patiently for a name. It struck him as familiar, though even after several beats of silence, he couldn't place it. Nor did he know anything about a shore pack, save for Stavanger Bay. This didn't perturb him much. There were now many packs in the area and they went half as fast as they came. He cared very little for the world outside his doorstep anymore and he wouldn't bother trying to keep up with it.

"You're a long way from any shore. If you head northeast from here, you'll eventually wind up at the coast, though. Do you live in a pack there? It's not many wolves that react appropriately near my borders so I am trying to decide if a recruit attempt would be wasted on you," he admitted baldly, having no desire to really beat about the bush. The caldera wasn't hurting for members and didn't really need her, though Peregrine was always open to assimilating able-bodied, well-mannered recruits.

she was taken by surprise by the magnanimous wolf's subtle offer -- her ears swept forwards momentarily in interest but swiftly returned to neutral angles on her bony skull. as much as the prospect of kindred and meals enticed her, she could not abandon her vigil on the shore. there were many nights cloaked in the spume of saltwater that she stood bedragged and windbitten as if some last sentinel on the shore's frontier. it was her home -- and more importantly, a part of her that could not be fled from.

she hung her head, inching back as she did so. "a generous offer for a groveler like me." the wretch spoke into the soil, feeling the hot rise of her breath rank against the earth. "but i live in ankyra sound and cannot leave my obligations behind." she knew that once she conceded she was not interested in assimilating in the dark male's ranks that she would likely be chased from the scene. to prepare, she tensed somewhat, readying herself to leave if the male requested her to.

He didn't like that word, nor the implication. Showing submission was not the same thing as weakness. Though she looked slenderer than he preferred, she was young and seemed to be in decent shape. Depending on her skills, there was definitely potential there. But she quickly crushed any possibility of recruitment on either side by mentioning Ankyra Sound. The pack's name brought a slew of bitter feelings boiling to the surface, causing the Alpha's jaw muscles to tighten almost 'til breaking.

She tensed too, as if sensing his distaste. Peregrine did not deign to chase her away, however. "That place still exists?" he spat quietly, shaking his head. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave then." His voice was firm, though not particularly aggressive. He hoped she would maintain her respectful demeanor and make herself scarce. Although she didn't know it, Peregrine wasn't sure he could actually chase her, if push came to shove. He was still perfecting the art of running half-blind.

his reaction was as expected, though she fancied some distaste betraying his emotions along the tightening of his jaws. this was not an emotion she expected -- had she made the connection he was a relation to junior perhaps she could have saved herself some bewilderment. all the same she was quick (well, slow) to rise deliberately, pulling space between her and the male.

"as you wish," the sea-wretch supplied, no scant trace of venom in her voice. under his watchful eye she would turn carefully away from him, paying particular note to her peripherals in case he cared to back his request up with aggression. "aeternum vale, peregrine." the sylph called behind her, her bony spine uplifted to depart one last glance upon the tall wolf before hastily making her retreat. there was no point to challenging strangers -- particularly not when one was so close to the borders -- and given the dark-plumed male had nothing caiaphas coveted, it was unsurprising she was quick to leave.

she was still a far way away from home -- she doubled back the way she came, trotting towards the middle-ground between the caldera and blackfeather woods. she would rest there tonight, and perhaps visit the blackfeather clan before heading home.

She began to move away without argument, calling a few parting words that Peregrine didn't understand. The swarthy wolf didn't respond, simply watching her depart. Only when she was almost too far away to hear did he call, "The shore's that way!" and dramatically thrust his dark snout toward the northwest several times. With a final blink, the Alpha then turned and slowly resumed his previous patrol.