Moonspear Untamed Heart

It hadn't taken long for Pyx's hazel eyes to land upon the Mountains of this land. In her birth pack the Mountains had been distant borders, so far away they seemed to be myths, things from the tales her mother had spun for them as pups. On her travels she had encounter many Mountains but she had mostly avoided them. There was something ominous in peaks you couldn't see the top of, something dark about land that protested it's place and reached for the clouds. Yet, when she saw the Moonspear and the Sunspear reaching for the sky there was something different. She had meant to seek out packs within the forests, looking for something familiar to her birthplace.

As she explored and searched, keeping well away from any boundaries, her eyes kept trailing to the two Mountains. She didn't know their names at this time, of course, but there was something about them that drew her. They were beautiful, yes, against a starry night or a sunny sky...you could not deny their majesty. Even when clouds gathered and obscured some of their height she did not feel the same suspicion she'd had.

Slowly, she began to travel towards the Mountains, wondering if packs even lived near them. If she had wanted to be metaphorical she could say that the Mountains were like herself, she had been discontent with her place and had moved, traveled, reached for something different. Perhaps it had just been her fear of being alone in new places that had put shadows on the other mountains. Once she was closer, she realized there was indeed a pack living in the shadows of these geographical monsters...on the very backs of them in fact. She lingered distantly from the borders, thinking and considering, observing the pack without going close enough as to cause alarm. The distance caused her to see little outside of patrols or to hear the occasional call but it gave her a sense of the lands.

Once or twice she approached the scent markers of the borders to read the messages left there. She found nothing that seemed off putting. Without meeting with the wolves of the pack though, she had done all she could to learn. She had passed many a hostile pack on her way to this land and the wolves within these borders did not seem unreasonable or aggressive from the small amount she had seen them. She knew the smell of blood and death that accompanied a tyrant, had been chased by rather unkindly sorts. She was sure she had been noticed at some point, and if she chose to stay much longer would likely be sought out. However she had been careful with her distance and hoped the pack wolves had noted that. Whatever the case, she knew she had overstayed her welcome lurking near their lands. A decision must be made, she need either join or leave.

She was nervous as she approached the border, her heart thundering in her chest. She'd never had to join a pack before, having only belonged to that of her birthpack. She knew the customs of her homeland...but would they be the same here? She left a few body lengths between her and the borderline in case she misjudged the pack and needed to run. She raised her red maw to the sky and sang her song, calling for someone within the pack to meet with her. She managed to keep the tremor from her song with sheer willpower, but her anxious excitement still swirled within her chest. Her call was polite and calm, she was willing to wait for them. She shifted on her paws, disliking announcing herself. She'd spent many months being quiet and speaking only occasionally to fellow travelers, announcing her position to the world was a jarring thing after so long. She inhaled deeply, holding the breath for a moment and releasing it in a controlled fashion. She was ready.

It was the song alone had pulled her forth, and since the timing was good for her and the tones sensible, she moved down the mountain in her practiced ease. All the while, she knew Charon was near. He had set aside for a small hunt.. something she didn't have the appetite, or interest for, so she left it to him -- because his next few months were bound to be full of hunting for her if he intended to successfully sire their litter anyway.

Besides, this way, he could do that and she could get this caller attended to without needing to significantly part ways. She was distracted, and already eager to hike back up the slopes, so would probably aim to keep this quick if she could. Visitors weren't high on her list of priorities at all right now either. She hadn't been manning the patrol personally during these long, hot days near the summer solstice for more reasons than one.

She stalked into view with a rising posture to regard the female sharply, as was customary for her upon the home turf, and perhaps something intensified by her recent days. But, at least this was a fellow female, so that should make this easier. Amekaze could not smell much of note on her, either. No packs she knew, nothing distinct.. "Greetings," she chuffed once she came close enough and stood poised, tail arced and ears forward towards the earthen-toned stranger. "You called," her tone was curious but still largely formal.

Pyx waited, watching the treeline beyond the border with intent focus. Her ears were up, swiveling to and fro, and her muzzle was slightly extended upwards. She kept herself from shifting overly so, but the eagerness of her posture could not be hidden or denied. When another wolf appeared, sooner than she expected, her heart jumped onto her tongue. She contained herself, not wanting to look a fool or a pup. The posture of this stranger, a female by her scent, soon told her she was important. Pyx had not been expecting to be greeted by one of high rank, in her pack things had been done differently. She inhaled deeply again before the female was close enough to notice, then exhaled slowly. Soon the other was before her and Pyx's eyes swept over her. She was an intimidating female to behold, with scars on her chest and face. It was reasonable to assume she'd earned her rank by tooth and claw, but first assumptions were not everything.

Pyx dipped her head and tail politely, acknowledging the female's rank and dominance. "Greetings." She returned, glancing once to the pale green eyes of the other. "I did. I would like to join your pack, if you would have me." She paused only a moment, before offering a small amount of her history, unwilling to bore the fem if she didn't care for the details. "I come from other lands, from the South. I have traveled alone for near to a year but I find myself weary of the loner's life. I was born to a pack, a pack is where I believe I belong. I'd like to think your pack, specifically, might be that place. I watched the borders, at a polite distance of course, for a few days, caught the scents on your markers. It was the Mountains that drew me though, they are lovely. Something in them spoke to my heart, perhaps, if you'll allow the sentiment." She hadn't wanted to bore her with details but as soon as her maw opened she had bubbled forth like a river bursting over a dam. She stopped, licked her lips and nodded her head.

Her voice felt rusty in her ears, so unused and now foreign. "Excuse my babbling. It's been a time since I've spoken to another." She looked the female over once more, noted that there was a lean quality to her shape. Perhaps there had been a drought here recently. The plants had all appeared healthy enough, but she had noticed quite a large amount of new growth. Whatever it was that had happened here, she had somehow avoided it in her travels. Although hunting as a loner was hard, she'd not had any lacking of prey to hunt. Whether she had actually caught the rabbits or hares had been an entirely different story, however.

It seemed she would not need to pressure the loner for the responses she wanted. She cued into the nonverbal signals Amekaze provided and verbal alike not long afterward, so soon, the answers to why she was here began to come. In fact, many of the specifics she would have eventually pried for came to light right away. She was here to join, was from the south, and was drawn to the mountain. Simple enough. Right now, the dark alpha appreciated it. Even if it was wordier than she was used to and was bound to make her seem almost withheld by comparison. Ame just didn't have quite that much to say.

There was then a tiny margin of slack in her otherwise upright posturing. Her status had been acknowledged, and she was appeased, so allowed that little bit of ease to settle. But, she did remain alert and itching to return to the depths of her territory.

Since she had spoken well of the mountains themselves, that had appealed to Amekaze in an oddly specific way. She understood the pull of it and not everyone could even begin to put it into words. It was why she had come here herself, essentially. "I see, but I understand.. a year is a long time alone," she said firstly, and she meant this from experience although would not delve into these details with such a new face. "And I believe the mountains will speak to those who are worthy of listening. This is Moonspear," she said, gesturing accordingly towards the proud elevations she called home. There was a chance the name had come to her already, but here was the formal introduction regardless. "I am Amekaze. I lead with Charon, my mate. The pack can use strong, able wolves. What skills could you bring?" she asked. By looking at her, she could see no major faults. In fact, almost the opposite. Even by a loner's standard, she looked well-kept, all of which could work in her favor her

A small amount of relief trickled over Pyx's shoulders and down her spine at the small relaxation she noted in the female's figure. Things must be going well, she thought, if the posture was anything to go by. At the very least the female didn't feel threatened. It was telling too of the leadership style within the pack. She'd seen others who would not have given an inch to a wolf in posture or tone until after they'd been well introduced to the pack. Though her opinion mattered little, she approved of the female's handling of her rank. A true leader need not flaunt their dominance, need not constantly posture and snarl. Pyx felt she might have made the right choice with this pack.

Her words spoken she watched the female in a non-challenging way, her eyes popping up to meet with the silvery green only to drift away submissive after only a moment. As the fem replied, Pyx nodded. She could sense in the tone that this female, soon to be known as Amakaze, knew something of loner life. She wondered if this female had come from afar as well, had she ever passed by her parent's pack? It was unlikely, but in such foreign lands Pyx clung to what she knew and until she was more familiar would hope and seek such connections however unlikely they may be.

It made her feel less strange to have the female agree with her about the Mountains. She was not the first that they had beckoned so she was not insane. Pyx raised her head to look at the mountain, to regard it anew now that she had a name for it. "Moonspear." She whispered, nodding ever so slightly. It was a fitting name for such tall and proud mountains. Two other names followed that of the mountain, one for the female herself and one for her mate. Pyx mentally repeat the names to herself a few times, wanting to remember them. Amakaze asked about her skills and Pyx thought a moment before answering.

"I am a decent fighter, though I will admit I've had little test that statement on outside of tussles with packmates. I am a skilled huntress, fast and with a keen nose for scents. Even as a loner I kept myself well fed, though I did not catch all the meals I meant to." She would not lie to the female, nor paint herself as some godly creature. She was a real wolf with real limitations. "I know some about herbs for healing or calming a stomach...though I don't know if the same herbs I know grow in your lands. I have a few skills, though all could do with refining. I would be happy to do so within your lands and to put any new skills I may gain to work for your pack, your mate and any children you might bring." She couldn't know that children had been a recent topic between Amakaze and her mate, but it was a natural thing for mates to want.

The mountains had been in her blood. She reasoned, they always would be a specific part of her. Born, bred, and raised. She knew it was something originally inherited from her dam, and then something reinforced all throughout her life on the travels that had brought her from the homelands to here. On the mountains, she was at her best and so far, this one ranked as her most prized. Each would always hold a place in her heart, even the smaller stops along the way. For as long as they would be remembered, she'd carry them with her for good.

Nevertheless, she listened. The explanation was honest, yet satisfactorily varied from the hunt to fighting to herbs and beyond. Amekaze found herself nodding slowly while she took in the words, down to the last detail -- the one mentioning her potential offspring, on which she was intentionally tight-lipped about, despite the cord it struck with her.

On a basal, instinctual level, she knew that the pack would need to shift subtly in these next few moons. She would be their focus, or should be (assuming they'd intend to keep their home here and not invoke the ire of a gravid alpha) and when it was no longer only her, it would be the heirs. She was determined to see it that they welcome this world with a pack devoted to their survival already. As her right as alpha, and as her gift to the mountain pack's future, they should deserve no less.

She soon caught such thoughts threatening to wander to Charon, his precise whereabouts included and what she'd need to do to get back beside him, and then she straightened subtly. This earthen-hued female had done well to appeal to her. Amekaze's first impression was all good, and frankly, this pack could use soundness, stability, and a level head -- all of which she suspected she possessed even just by speaking so briefly with her. "It seems as if you have a good variety of skills in your favor, and here there much opportunity to learn. And, to manage as a loner for almost a year -- I cannot help but find that commendable. Here, I value strength and loyalty. So long as I, and the mountain, have that, you are welcome here," she said with a bit more weight on her words. "What may I call you?" she asked, switching her tail softly as she spoke.

Though being greeted by an alpha themselves was strange to Pyx, the conversation that had ensued was not. The female was interested, a strict and detached kind of interested. It did not serve time well to delved deeply into loners at the border. To hear their entire story and all their past only to have them decide to find a home elsewhere before a moon had even passed would leave only hurt feelings and broken attachments. Her old pack had conducted things much the same, finding out the pertinent information first and foremost and cultivating an attachment later. As the conversation continued, Pyx felt her anxiety lessen. The female before her seemed kind enough, and she was self assured enough to not force her own dominance into every aspect of the conversation.

The alpha female, Amekaze, paused to think for a moment. Pyx waited patiently and when the female straightened her posture, (a sign of a decision made, perhaps?), her ears perked forward expectantly. The russet female dipped her head in thanks at the compliments she was paid, smiling softly and gently swinging her tail a few times before resting still again. As Amekaze ended her welcome, Pyx allowed herself a full smile, tail beginning to swish softly once more. "Thank you so much, Amekaze. I won't disappoint you, or your mate. I myself value loyalty strongly." She dipped her head again, lower this time. "My name is Pyx. Short and simple." 

Pyx moved forward a step or so, but did not infringe upon Amekaze's personal space. Here is where she was unsure of custom, for she had heard of other packs doing different things. Would she need to formally and totally submit to both alphas, or even the beta? Would they simply share scents? Was there a ceremony to be preformed? She didn't know, couldn't know, and so she waited for instruction from her new alpha. "Is there anything you need me to do? As far as...joining ceremony? I know many packs are different, so I'm not sure what the custom of Moonspear is." The word Moonspear felt charged on her tongue. She belonged to a pack again, after so long alone. She would meet so many new faces, have partners to hunt and simply talk with. The longing she'd had in heart was slowly being realized, and she couldn't be happier.

Over the course of all the wolves she had met at the borders -- of either here, or on the Sunspire, she had figured out what worked for her. Perhaps it was this ease that granted her a certain kind of air about them that for her, was neither too much or too little. She knew better than to run initial attachments too deep or to allow expectations to get her hopes too up too far. There was always too great of a flux when it came to wolves joining the pack when only a select handful ever really did stick around long enough to truly make a place for themselves in her heart.

But, Pyx, as she now knew her, was making all the strides she could forward in this moment. Amekaze had no qualms and she nodded, almost fondly (as much as she could for a new pack wolf) for the one that had checked out remarkably well. The dark alpha chuffed softly. "You are welcome," she said as she turned on her heels, skimming her sights of

From there, Amekaze welcomed her questions. She usually had to ask, and usually, wolves had very few so it wasn't always easy to gauge how she would be leaving them to the territory itself. Then again, she understood that some new wolves would need time to recuperate after the traveling life. "There is no formal ceremony, necessarily, but I try to steer wolves towards settling -- learning the mountain itself, and then the noteworthy faces here along the way." She believed that it would all be obvious with just a little bit of integrating, and hoped to inspire her wolves to learn independently. They would be the best for it. "It varies for each individual, though." she smirked, and began to cut a pathway for further into the territory at a loose walk. She assumed Pyx may join her, so didn't necessarily conclude their conversation just yet.

"We are on what I hope to be the back-end of a famine, so I have been encouraging wolves to hunt whatever they can find. The greenery is returning but the prey are slow behind it. Steady.. but, I am still hopeful," she said, honest in her briefing of the mountain's exact status, because that was important for her wolves to know if they were to be their best. Although it didn't exactly fit, she almost thought to mention Charon's thrall -- the pack's thrall, rather -- but did not yet.

Amekaze chuffed softly, almost approvingly, to Pyx's ear. The alpha female, Pyx's alpha female, turned on her heel then, facing back towards the mountains. As the female began to walk, Pyx understood to follow. She picked her pace up until she was slightly behind and to the right of Amekaze. She kept her shoulder even with the female's flank, though she still respected the other's personal space. As they walked, Pyx could not help but glance towards the mountains and all around the terrain that they passed. She looked from tree to tree, from rock to rock. This would be the first time she saw the land, the last time she would view it as foreign. It would be her's now, she liked to think she would come to know the paths and rocks as well as her own coat.

This informal method that Amekaze spoke of appealed to Pyx a great deal. She was yearning to explore the peaks, more so than she had realized before. Now that her pads had truthfully touched the dirt and rock of Moonspear, she wanted to know more - - all. The mention of famine drew her eyes back from the majesty of her new home. Her ears flicked backwards and she shook her head. "I am sorry to hear that. What was the cause?" Her voice was soft and respectful, there was no way for her to know how many wolves they had lost. In her old home they were in danger of storms setting fire to dead trees, a forest fire before her time had nearly destroyed her pack. It had caused a great relocation, and a famine. Many families had died out. 

As they walked and she observed, she let a moment of silence settle over them. It was in part due to the craning and turning of her head as she tried to observe all of the land. Finally another question rose from her lips, the single stone loosing a few more. "How many wolves reside within your pack? Will I need to share scents with you when we part, so as not to make other's suspicious of my presence? When I do set out to explore the lands...are there any areas or any things I should be wary of? Any specific dangers?" The last referred mainly to crumbling walls or shared borders, perhaps areas where large predators might dwell. "I apologize for all my questions. I like to be prepared...and I admit I am more than a little excited to have joined your pack." She saw no reason not opening up to Amekaze. This was her alpha female now, she was supposed to trust her and be honest with her. Besides, it had always served her better to be candid than it did to attempt to conceal.

The famine had beaten morale down low, but slowly, just like the lands, they were mending. She approached it from a lighter standpoint herself as a naturalist now that the plantlife was reestablishing itself seemingly without apparent issue. A muggy several weeks with good rainfall (neither too much or too little) had helped. For a while, she had worried that something may come of it if they were truly that unlucky. So far, it had not.. "A locust swarm.. almost two moons ago now. They ate anything green, so prey vacated," she answered. The conclusion was clear. With nothing green, even these upper-tired predators struggled.

But.. but, the land was healing and was it ever one of the greatest reliefs she'd known.

More questions gave her more focus, and she slowed briefly just to scent the trail underfoot. "Ten, us included." Amekaze replied after a mental headcount. She hesitated when she thought of Mitanni, the other former Moonlit Hills wolf apparently with a brief stay among them. Since they had no old or young at the moment, she didn't bring it up. "You will have my scent on you," she smirked, stealing that as an opportunity to brush her shoulder against hers -- just like that. "And my wolves are an attentive lot. They will know," she assured her.

"There have been bears here in the past. Few weeks back I had trail on a suspected mother with cubs, but I have found nothing recent. No one else has reported anything, either.." she said, feeling her ears angle back at the thought. It was possible they were somewhere else in the nearby range, though, so it was still worth keeping in mind and she did not intend to lose more wolves to their claws. "Most of our neighboring packs are a decent enough distance away. Neutral, for the most part, but prey shortages have had everyone extra guarded. Our borders are not often contested -- a geographic advantage, I suspect," she said, realizing the almost-lengthy answers when the topic matter was well into what she understood. "No, no it is fine. The questions are good, so no need to apologize for it." she said, sniffing into the winds then.

The cause of the famine was revealed as they walked. Pyx nodded but she herself had never seen such a devastating amount of locusts before. She'd seen the insects themselves, of course, annoying little things that they were...but never large enough to cause a famine. It had been the same issue with the fire though, after the initial burn the lands were barren. Though her pack might have survived the flame, they couldn't survive without food. They had relocated in hopes of finding more, but the travel itself to untouched lands had taken some time. She wondered now if that area of forest was regrown. It had been before her birth, a while before her birth. She wondered idly if her pack would move back to it's home or stay where they were. It was a question she'd likely never get the answer to.

 Ten was a good number, Pyx thought, a nice even figure. Speaking of her scent drew Pyx's eyes in time to catch the female bumping her lightly in a friendly manner. Pyx laughed, leaning into the rub. "Fair enough." The conversation about dangerous areas quieted her as she tried to commit what her new leader said to memory. She dipped her head in thanks to Amekaze's dismissal of her fears about the questions and took that as permission to ask a few more. "Does Moonspear sleep together, as one, or in separate dens?" She'd heard of other packs that slept in one place. Her own pack of origin had multiple dens, but a designated meeting place. Everyone knew where the other dens were, so food could be provided should pups come.

"I believe that I will be happy here, Amekaze. I thank you again for the chance to be a part of your family, your pack." She smiled at the other again, tail waving through the air.

It seemed that the answers she gave worked for Pyx, as the agouti female pressed the subject onward towards newer topics, all relevant to life on the Spear though. Amekaze didn't exactly have as concise of an answer for their sleeping situation since it was variable. She didn't den communally, preferred small caves, solitude, and had a tendency towards irregular hours anyway. "Separate, mainly. A few do group up. More in the wintertime," she replied. Here in the summer, denning wasn't normally one of her priorities. Time would change this soon, perhaps, but instinct had not yet pressured her in that manner and when it did, she would probably just be secretive about it at first anyway.

Nevertheless. "It is good to hear that, really," she swayed her tail softly, markedly more relaxed now that things were growing more familiar between them and the borders were not so near. "You are welcome," she smirked, knowing that further words on her behalf would only fall short, but she meant it to the fullest extent. New pack wolves were always a toss up. Some stuck, others didn't. She never wanted to get too attached from the get-go because of that. Pyx was making that rule somewhat difficult, came a creeping realization.

"If anything else comes up, for any reason really, I am usually not far away when it comes to here. A howl away, at best. Others are too," although she didn't doubt that Pyx would find out soon enough and that she would encounter her again soon. For now, distraction was threatening her and she was thinking this served as a suitable end-cap. Above all, she was satisfied. "Our paths run close for now. But, business elsewhere calls," she said with a coy click of her teeth then took off for the freshest trail she had for Charon's whereabouts, leaving her newest packmate to settle in on her own accord. Just as she had said, she wouldn't be far.

Amekaze's answer about denning made sense to Pyx and she nodded. She shared a smile with the female, before turning her head back to the path before them. She realized Amekaze was bidding her farewell, letting her loose to explore the lands. She was excited and nervous at once, but assured from all that Amekaze had said. Pyx dipped her head to the female once more, smiling. "Safe travels, Amekaze." For fear of being repetitive she did not thank the female again, though the desire was there. She paused in her walking now, watching as the alpha female of Moonspear disappeared from view. 

Once Amekaze had bound out of sight, Pyx danced in place for a moment, her composure falling now that she was alone. She looked around her, absolutely buzzing with anticipation, excitement...she was ecstatic to finally have a place to call home again. Lest she be caught behaving like a pup she stilled herself, but the smile did not leave her eyes. She started forward, giving one final swaying twitch of her hips, to explore the lands that she could now call home.

The territory lay before her undiscovered in a way it never would again. She did know where to begin, but decided for politeness sake, she would head away from Amekaze's path. It would be embarrassing for her to have seemingly followed her new alpha female after being bid farewell. So she turned her paws onto her new path, squared her shoulders and started forward at a trot. She wouldn't spring through and miss anything, not just yet. She wanted to take everything in. For now, she'd try to follow her nose to the nearest water source to get a drink and rest for a short time. After that, her real exploring would begin. As Amekaze had advised she'd travel the lands and hopefully meet her new packmates.