Opportunities abound

Just to be clear, Dash never crosses the borders. ^_^ And this is AW for Stavanger Bay wolves, cause I love you guys! <3 @Charon

He moved south, continuing his path on the beach, though he held fast to the land side, preferring to steer clear of the water. His nose was closer to the ground, a clear indication he was looking for something, while his ears swiveled to and fro. He froze when a scuffle reached his ears. His eyes darted around, looking for what made the sound. It would be a mere snack, but something was better than nothing. He waited, patiently, his yellow orbs the only movement he made.
 
He caught movement on the edge of the grass. A little rabbit, chomping down on a blade, content that it was safe. Dash stilled his breathing, sure that at any moment, he would give himself away before it was time to strike. The rabbit, finished with the grass, hopped a few times toward the wolf, and Dash saw his opportunity. He bolted towards the potential meal, and it bolted away in the opposite direction. It was a fast little rabbit, but he wouldn’t give up easily. They ran on the beach, the predator after its prey. Dash could see a large rock formation coming up, an opening formed in an arch that would allow them through. The rabbit ran through it, and Dash came to sudden halt, the scent of pack lands bombarding his system. He pranced side to side, a growl releasing from his throat. In aggravation, he threw his head around, followed by his body, and stalked away from the boundaries. His hackles were raised, anger at his missed meal.
 
He gave the rock formation some distance before turning towards it once more, placing his haunches in the sand. He would wait. Wait for that rabbit to come back. He was a patient wolf, and something told him to stay put.

Thistle was walking along the borders, her gaze on the shore line and what was beyond. Changes were coming and some she was irritated wtih and others she could handle. Their numbers were dwindling more of her pups were scarce Was she just to never fully have those she loved around her. Was she to lose them all. Was this some sort of curse from the gods for something? For what? What had she done that had angered them so? perhaps it was because she was an outsider? Maybe it was because she hadn't fully allowed them into her heart, she thought she had, but maybe she hadn't just maybe.

A new scent caught her attention on the wind and she lifted her nose sniffing quietly. She followed it to see a young fellow staring off into space, motionless and still. He hadn't crossed the borders, he was simply waiting for something or perhaps someone, but who? She chuffed gently trying to gather his attention.

depending on how it goes i may or may not have charon get closer, but for now he is at a fair distance, just observing :) (not necessarily hiding or anything though if either wants to spot him)

Charon caught a strange scent during his patrol, but upon approach he picked up Thistle Cloud's scent too. After the altercation at the pack meeting he decided to steer clear of her for now. The least they needed was some sort of dramatic fight at the pack's borders in front of a stranger. Charon decided to approach, but to stay at a safe distance. From a while away he watched as Thistle approached a stranger that sat somewhere, focussed on a point -- he didn't seem to have noticed her yet -- in case something would come up that would force him to engage the situation, for example if the stranger turned out to be agressive.

Charon didn't understand why he felt so frustrated. Thistle was the one being dramatic about everything, anyway, and he was going to get what he wanted, right? He was going to be an Alpha, like he deserved. Then why did seeing his adoptive mother wrench his guts like this? Where was his frustration still coming from? He just couldn't decipher.

His stomach growled, not happy that he hadn’t caught his meal. But, a lost meal was better than a lost life, which surely would have happened if he had crossed over into their territory. That alone would have been enough reason for them to kill him; it would have added insult to injury to them if he were to hunt on their lands. Thankfully, he just wasn’t that stupid. Still, the loss hurt. He hadn’t had a meal in a few days, and his body condition was not good. Every missed meal hurt.
 
A chuff reached his ears and he bolted, turned and running a few feet before turning back to look if she was following him. A fight was not what he wanted. He faced her, knowing he had a big head start if she were to run after him. Movement caught his eye- another wolf, though he didn’t come as close as the first.
 
Dash simply stood there, his yellow eyes darting from one wolf to the other and back again. His tail was down, but his ears were perked in curiosity.

Thistle heard the fellow's belly rumble and she felt bad. She sniffed gently, trying to gather his scent, see if he belonged to a pack or a lone wolf. She watched in amusement as he bolted from her chuff. No need to worry. I'm not going to attack you. You didn't cross the borders. 

She settled herself to her haunches. Normally she would have chased him away for even being near the borders, but they were leaving soon, so what was the point of protecting the borders that would no longer be theirs? And she wasn't really feeling up for a confrontation. He made her nervous though as his eyes kept darting from her and behind her, so she turned her head slightly, expecting full well to see Atreyu, but it was Charon that lurked behind her. She just simply dipped her muzzle to Charon and then turned back around.

I'm Thistle Cloud Lodbrok, alphess of the bay.

The other wolf noticed him, and Charon's muscles tensed even though the other wolf did not seem very hostile. They exchanged words and seemed amicable so far, judging by their body language. Charon relaxed a little as he noticed this, though he did not approach immediately. He just continued to watch Thistle interact with the stranger, wondering if it was someone who was in need of a home, or just a loner passing through. As far as Charon could tell, he wasn't tied to another pack, but he might've been wrong.

Neither wolf came after him. In fact, the female seemed a little amused. That suited him just fine because it meant she wasn’t aggressive. Her words confirmed that she wasn’t interested in attacking him, and she even introduced herself, the Alpha of the territory. The male was still quiet, not offering anything to the conversation.  “I’m Dash… It’s just me,” he replied, indicating he wasn’t a part of any pack.
 
He wondered silently why the male didn’t stand beside his leader. Dash could certainly understand not adding anything to the conversation if nothing extra needed to be said, but he thought it was common that pack members backed up their alphas. But, he hadn’t been in a pack in years, so what did he know? He supposed from his own position, the male would have gotten to his leader long before Dash could, so it didn’t matter that he wasn’t right next to her.
 
He was rambling in his head. But, it let him get to the point that they all seemed to be at a safe distance from each other, the pack mates protecting each other, and he was far enough away to get away if he thought he needed to. Feeling a little more at ease, he eased his haunches down to the sand. All of a sudden, he jumped up, jerking to the side with a yelp. He turned in circles, trying to get the attached crab off of his back thigh. It held steadfast, however, even as he grabbed it and tried to pull it off.

Thistle could be aggressive when the occasion warranted it, but today she wasn't in the mood to be mean. Nice to meet you Dash. You are alone? Are you in search of a pack? or just a wayward son? SHe grew quiet and studied him with large blue eyes, trying to read beneath the surface.

Thistle wasn't fussed that Charon hadn't come near her. He was taking her sass and irritation badly. She didn't understand how he couldn't understand why she was upset. She wasn't angry anymore, irritated surely, but not angry. She just wanted this whole mess to be over, but she did need him to realize the way his actions had upset her and why.

Thistle couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up, she gasped out Oh dear I'm so sorry. She fought to tamp down the laughter and she walked over to him. Grasping a stick, while choking on her laughter she went forwards. Speaking past the stick muffled, Stop moving and watch. If you hold out the stick and threaten him with it, he will let go to try and grab the stick.

this is my last post here, floor is all yours! <3

Charon watched Thistle and the stranger for another while, but things seemed to be going well. Then the young Beta turned around. He cast one last glance over his shoulder before he vanished into the woods. He decided to continue his patrol for now, and so Charon continued to trail along Stavanger Bay's borders. His home.

It would be weird leaving this place behind, he mused to himself as he trotted along the borders. Eventually he branched off and started to explore more of the southern areas, deciding to leave Stavanger Bay be for another while and postpone the eventual talk he'd have to have with his adoptive mother.

<3

He bowed his head in respect to the female. "Nice to meet you, as well," he responded. She asked if he was apart of a pack or traveling. "I suppose right now, I just wander. I have since I was about eight months old," he confided. 'I'm not sure yet if I'll try to join a pack or not. I know this winter is going to be harsh," he added. Really, joining a pack was his best chance at survival, but his experience with wolves since leaving home had not been pleasant. That was, until he came to the Teekon Wilds. Wolves here just seemed... friendlier.

Movement caught his eye, and he watched as the other wolf turned to leave. He must have thought all was well, or else he wouldn't have left. He was a little interested in why he wasn't as friendly as Thistle was, but he figured some wolves just weren't talkative. The conversations he had today were more than he had in an entire year.

The crab's pinch was painful, to say the least, and he had a strong hold on Dash's backside. His eyes sharpened to Thistle when she let out a laugh. He wasn't offended- he just hadn't heard a wolf laugh in so long, and hers was beautiful. She was respectful and trying to hold back her laugh while she approached him with a stick. He was still wiggling, trying to pull the crab off of him, but at Thistle's command, he let the crab go, dangling from his skin.

He gently grabbed the stick from her, his movements slow as he wrapped his teeth around it. Dash did as she said, waving the stick at the crab, hitting it once. It did as she said it would, letting him go to try and grab the offended stick. As soon as it let go, Dash danced sideways away from it, coming up beside Thistle, but not touching her. He looked to her, "Thanks." he said, grateful that she had helped him.

Thistle nodded her head as she listened. Most began to wonder at young age. She herself was older than most. She had started at one year, and her second year had been disastrous in a manner of speaking. Having bastard children. However, it had also been wonderful finding the love of her life. I left home at 1. I didn't wander for long, before I settled for the area. It reminded me of home. Winter is hard. We are always looking for others, if you should like a home. We are small.

Thistle was surprised at her laughter. It had been so long since she had laughed, and she wanted to roll around and laugh now. She had to really hold it back, so much so that she snorted slightly. She held out the stick to him though, hoping he would at least try. Crab pinches were painful indeed, but once you got them off of you a well aimed rock was nice to crush them, and their meaty insides were yummy.


You're welcome. Crabs are cranky creatures usually a well aimed rock can smash them. They are actually quite good once the shell is broken. She watched it scuttle away, shaking her head. laughter still present on her muzzle.

The kind female told him of her story, how she had wandered for a little while before finding a pack to settle into. She even offered a spot for him. But, he just wasn't sure he was ready yet. He had been wandering so long, had any negative interactions with other wolves, that he was almost afraid of joining a pack. He didn't know their structure, or how they interacted with each other. For many wolves, it just came natural, like his submissiveness toward most other wolves. But, many of those wolves had experiences in packs already. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "I'll keep that in mind." And he would. She was very nice, and he figured he joined any pack, it would be with a friend he met, not an opponent. At least then he felt like he had an alley and a fighting chance of fitting in.

There was the added benefit of hearing her laughter. It was quite the sound, and he almost told her not to hold it back. However, it felt weird to even think it, so he kept his mouth shut. She had saved him from the crab, and for that he was grateful. He wasn't used to all the little creatures on the beach. Thistle let him know that they're actually good to eat. He looked back at the scurrying crab and decided that one could get away. "Maybe not that one," he said. Looking back to her, he tried to continue the conversation. "So, um, have you lived here long?" If she had, maybe she could give him some insight on the area.

Thistle smiled at him. She knew some wolves found it hard to settle in one place. Even her husband had been that way, when he had finally settled down. He had not wanted to stay singular, he had roamed far and wide. In a way that was a good reason for the outrider trades. You do that. I believe we'll be leaving this area soon though. So you may have to find us if you come back and we are not here. She frowned in thought, the whole situation still rankled her, and made her blood boil at times.

Thistle laughed again, her blue eyes snapping merrily. I would think you would want revenge? He bit you in the butt? She chortled again, and wagged her tail. I'm sorry i'm merely teasing. Thistle chuckled again and shook her head. It had been so long since she had laughed such. Perhaps she was slowly moving on, it was hard of course. But perhaps she was finally losing the darkness that clung to her. Thistle shook her head at his next question. A couple revolutions of seasons, but not as long as others who are here. I like it here. It reminds me of my former home. What about you Dash? Have you been in the area at least long?

Dash was a little caught off guard. First, my her laugh, then by her smile. He had never had a wolf be so nice to him. It was almost hypnotizing. He was brought back to reality when she said they would be moving soon. Without thinking, he asked, "Why are you moving?" He wasn't generally so forward with wolves. To him, if it was his business, they would tel him without him asking. But, she brought something out in him. A personality, maybe?

His cautious gaze moved from her back to the retreating crab when she questioned revenge. "Uhh, no... I think he won this round," he replied. Dash was not a vengeful wolf and just couldn't see spending the time tracking down the crab to kill it. "Besides," he added, looking back to Thistle, "I did try to sit on him." Dash figured they were even.

It seemed she hadn't been here for very long, but had experienced some changing of the weather. "Today's my first day in this area," he answered. "Are the winters very harsh here?" he asked. He thought he was pretty well north, figuring the weather would be difficult to handle, especially the colder months.

[size=small]Thistle’s ears fell when the talk went ot their moving. She frowned thinking hard about how to word what she wanted to say. She probably shouldn’t have brought it up, it was still a rather sore spot with both herself and Charon, mostly she. She still felt wronged, and she honestly felt as if Charon did not care one whit about her thoughts, opinions, and feelings. [/size]


[size=small]We are moving because others feel it is best for our small pack. And it probably is. I was just not consulted about it, and I find I am bitter.[/size]

[size=small]She sighed softly, unsure what else to say. She also wondered if perhaps she had said too much .There had been a time, when she shared everything with everyone, not afraid of repercussions or surly thoughts. She had learned to tread carefully, perhaps seeing her husband be so close mouthed, had made her so. She wasn’t entirely sure, but she wasn’t the same wolf she had been. [/size]

[size=small]Thistle chuckled again and nodded her head in agreement. You did sit on him. How dare you, you big ole meanie. [/size]

[size=small]She clicked her tongue, and laughed softly. [/size]

[size=small]She quickly covered herself by saying softly, I’m just teasing. Sometimes it is best to just let things go.[/size]

[size=small]She wasn’t entirely sure if she was speaking of herself and the way she was acting and feeling towards those around her. Or if she was simply just talking about the crab. After all, he probably had a little wife and family sitting around somewhere. And perhaps he was simply trying to return home to them. Her own husband would have fought tooth and nail to get back to them, anxious to not disappoint his wife and children, mostly his wife. Her Dear Heart, her best friend. How she missed him.[/size]

[size=small]Thistle shrugged, It really depends on where you go I think. Winters are always cooler near the sea if the climate is ripe for it. Simply because the water is always cold and the wind off the water is biting. There have not been exceptionally hard winters, but I have always had a pack to keep me warm. For a lone wolf it may be very different. [/size]

[size=small]It was the truth She had always had Ragnar or her family, she had never been on her own in the winter months, and not here. She shifted her weight and waited, wondering where the conversation would go from here. It was enjoyable to simply sit and pass the time.[/size]

She confided in him some of the pack's happenings, confessing they were moving not because she thought it was the right thing, but because other's did. She, the Alpha, had not even been in on the plan. Dash's ears flicked backwards in confusion. "I thought the leader made the decisions for the pack?" he asked candidly. It was odd to him that lower ranking wolves made such large choices as to move the pack without consulting the Alpha first. Had things changed so much since he had been in a pack? No, if they had, she would not be bitter about it, he didn't think.

The conversation lightened when it came to the crab. She playfully chastised him for sitting on the crab, and he chuckled softly, nodding when she confessed she was teasing him. But, he shook his head at the thought of revenge. "No, I've never been a vengeful wolf. Things happen," he added, shrugging. "It's never done any good for me to hold a grudge." Maybe it was that he never had a reason to. His entire goal in life was to live, and as a lone wolf, there was no time for silly things like revenge.

She told about the winters, and he nodded his understand. He could feel the coolness of the water, especially since they were on the beach. "Has the new spot for the pack been decided yet?" He wondered if they would move inland or stay along the beach.

Thistle chuckled and studied the male in front of her. She closed her mouth and thought about what to say. I lost my husband and then my children slowly disappeared. I have been a rather poor leader lately. I have also been inattentive and quite lax in my duties. She tilted her head and said nothing more, already fearing she had spoken to much. She was bearing her heart almost and it wasn't exactly the best thing to do with a stranger.

Thistle frowned and sighed and nodded her head inagreement. It does no one any good to hold a grudge ever. And sometimes it hurts the innocent. That was all she said on the matter.She fully believed that her husband's murder was in part due to someone had held a grudge and had used it against him in the end. Someone he had known and cared about. For no one else could have gotten that close to deliver a killing bite. 

 Thistle shifted her petite shoulders and shook her head, Honestly I don't know.

He frowned as she confessed she first lost her husband, and then her children disappeared. She had no fantasies that she had been the perfect leader after all her heartache, but Dash had a problem with the story. Sounds like when the leader needed them most, the pack failed. Wasn't a pack all about helping each other? Lifting each other? During hard times, the pack was supposed to come together to help, not turn their backs on the Alpha. But, what do I know? It had been so long since he had been in a pack, and he knew each one was run differently than the next.

He nodded quietly in agreement to her statement. No, grudges did no good, and only served to the remind the person of a wrongdoing they could never undo. Maybe there would come a time when Dash loved something enough that he wanted to seek revenge. But, today, he couldn't see that happening.

She wasn't sure if the new pack lands had been chosen yet. Either the pack hadn't decided, or they had but hadn't told her. Taking a deep breath, the dark wolf stood. I should go, he said. Good luck, he added. He had no idea what the coming days would bring, but he hoped their pack would work things out.

With a nod of respect towards the female, Dash turned and headed inland, slightly away from the packlands he had almost ran into. He didn't want to make that mistake twice.