Northstar Vale And pluck till time and times are done

Duskvale aspirants and/or pledges, maybe?

All her life, Saena subscribed to a militant, territorial way of thinking. It was ingrained in her by the parents she didn't remember, and maintained by her own style of leadership. Marking the borders was meant to keep intruders out. She'd aggressively faced and harassed any wolf that dared come too close to the borders of her home in the past, believing it to be like a wall to keep them out. But now that she had opened her mind to the base instincts within her, she saw it more as a sign post. "Beyond lies a pack".

She rounded the northern tip of the vale, squatting behind a tree as she went to mark another place. Soon enough, the entire vale would be doused in the combined scents of Saena and Warbone. She'd spent some time wandering on the outskirts and getting to know the surrounding area, and was content with the knowledge that there were no other packs in the immediate vicinity, but now was time to spend marking her own claim. Warbone had a major head start, but she would make the vale smell as much of her as it did of him in all due time.

She padded another hundred yards or so before squatting again to mark a lichen-encrusted stone.

The storm had come, quite violently so, but Rhys did not turn away a free bath. Yes, he had liked a place to stay clear from the rain at first, but after being soaked he gave up. His coat was already drenched, so what did it matter - those few hours of just drying up in a cave or something? He had better things to do; girls, to be more specific. Anyway, when the storm had finally passed, and he had dried in the early, autumn sun (that had been quite cold) He was on his way again. He finally realized he was walking in circles, and therefore decided to pass through the mountains altogether.

Bad idea... Very bad idea. He said in a whisper to himself when the mountain went downhill to a place that smelled strongly of pack - a scent that was creepily familiar to him. He bit his lip, trying to find a way around this bowl-like structure, but he had no choice but to continue. Perhaps if he was nice, they'd let him pass without troubles.

Just as he thought no one was there, a form appeared on what he thought to be the borders - or perhaps the middle of the territory, he was quite confused. A pale color, much like Liri had been, but without a tail and strange yet somewhat attractive copper markings. He forced a smile, yet stayed clear of walking in her personal space - simply because he almost had no way of escaping. Good morning, missss...-? He greeted in his low, hissed, somewhat sexy voice, clearly wanting a name to call her.

All around the vale, the mountains rose like high walls to keep out the unwanted. Saena had lived in all manner of places: a broad plateau, a high mountainous home of hawks, a deep forest, and an even deeper forest. She'd never lived in a valley, however, and though she remembered naught about why her outlook on it was so tactical, she knew having an easily defensible place to live was important to her. The lingering echoes of a conflict that had threatened her very life deemed it so, though all the details remained foggy, and ever would.

Her ears turned up when a voice, heavily stressed on the S, pulled her attention from the ground to the canid possessing it. While his silver-and-soot coat bore an uncommon pattern, and his eyes were an exotic near-black, his shape was even moreso, and that drew her eye for a moment. The front half of him was built not unlike Warbone, though her counterpart was larger by comparison, but the back half of him was neat and trim. It was probably the weirdest figure she'd ever seen in her life, and it threw her for a moment.

Saena recovered in the next beat and narrowed her eyes whilst her figure drew high and imperial. This was her turf, after all. The niggling desire to attack him for daring to violate her borders, as she had done all her life, rose up like a tide in her chest, but instinct kept it down. Instinct knew that borders didn't work this way. The valley didn't work this way. "Saena," she answered curtly as she propped her ears over her brow. What was a name, truly? It could do her no harm for him to know hers. "You're in my territory," she pointed out, as though she expected something of him for coming into her vale. And she did, of course.

Now that he was in front of her, she could finally take in how small she was. Well, at least compared to him. He was not the biggest of the biggest, but he found himself to be above average. He smiled at her - he always had a thing for smaller females. But this was no time to flirt, he needed to pass - perhaps find a pack before winter hit the mountains. Already was it chilly, and despite his thick coat, he really didn't like the cold. Wait, if this was a pack - what was stopping him from trying to wiggle his weirdly shaped behind in?

Misss Ssaena, I really did not meant to tressspasss. He said, ears and tail lowering submissively. He did not bow easily before any stranger, but this was a desperate cause. He needed a retreat - a place to return to in winter and others to hunt with. His first winter had been in a pack, and he found it only natural to have his second in a pack also. I'm Rhysss - Rhysss Ssepthisss. He hissed.

Quite a niccce placcce you got here. He complimented her, looking around for perhaps a way out to flee to if she were not as friendly as he hoped.

Rhys' submission might have sufficed for a subordinate, but for a lone wolf wandering through her turf, it was hardly passable. Saena's lips skimmed up over her teeth in a silent warning, but he spoke too quickly for her to dole out any sort of punishment. His claim that he hadn't meant to trespass was one she meant to hear... for now. Being that the pack was only a handful of wolves at present, she couldn't be too terribly picky about the severity of submission that she demanded. Saena was ever on the lookout for those who might best serve Duskvale's cause, and who might fit into the ranks of those whose hearts were open to the voice of their wild roots, and could appreciate a little defiance.

But only a little. Her no nonsense stance suggested plainly that one wrong move would introduce Rhys to the sharp points of her teeth. Her mouth twisted into a grimace as he introduced himself, but then spread into a tight-lipped smile when he remarked on the vale. "Indeed it is," she agreed, "but lovely though it is, I'm afraid I can't let you pass through unaccompanied. I will escort you." In that time, perhaps she would be able to learn something of Rhys, and maybe even coax a little more submission out of him. Saena was a small thing, but held herself very proudly. Intimidation was her manner. "Is the serpent-y name the reason you speak like that, or is it just natural?" she wondered, not unkindly, as she gestured for him to walk. She was curious more than anything. Saena had never met a wolf that stressed a letter the way Rhys did.

While he raised a brow at the sudden warning, he did not work his stance by. He had submitted, but if she were seeking a male that would lick the dirt off her fucking paws she could go right along. Rhys was not just any male - he was one of a kind, he told himself every day, and he would not submit fully to any stranger - even if he was found on their land. It would become his doom one day, but at least he could say he had never misplaced his trust in others. He licked his lips, waiting instead for verbal instructions or something.

Owh, I underssstand completely, misss. He hissed, talking highly and proud with eyelids half closed. While he was not one to follow orders if it did not benefit a greater cause his cause, he knew when to just go with what he got. For now, it was a trip through this woman's... garden. Yeah, that sounded right. It came from birth, I'm afraid. He answered honestly. He followed with a nod, looking around a bit as she led him either to a trap or a way out.

Saena's ears smoothed back slightly on her head to listen to Rhys as she led him into the vale, but her shoulders remained rigid and proud as she walked. There was no mistaking her place here, just as there was no mistaking the presence of others by the scents spread throughout. They were four in number now, and growing. Soon they would be an immovable force. Saena had been sent packing from two homes in her life, once by teeth and once by fire, and had voluntarily left the others. This time, she would never leave.

"Hmm," she mused when Rhys claimed his unique accent was natal. She wondered what would make a wolf's tongue pause on a letter like that, but she could guess that Rhys didn't know any more than she did, so she didn't ask. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder and queried, "what brings you to my vale today, Rhys Septhis?" Was it need of company? Mere wanderlust? Or had he merely not expected there to be a pack in the area? All were valid reasons, but Saena wanted to know his reasons, the better to judge his behaviour by.

After all, she was unsatisfied with what she'd received thus far, and couldn't hide the slightest prickle of her hackles in offense, though nothing about her currently suggested she was any sort of threat to his bodily self.

As she took him through her- ... home? Yeah, it must be her home-, he looked around. He had not lied - it was a wonderful place. It only felt a little trapping if you did not know the ways in and out of the vale, and he was not quite comfortable with that. It was too easy to kill him here without anyone ever knowing, and he was far too young (and handsome) to die. He had left his home to found something better, and if death was even better than his quiet home in the forest, surely it had been a shitty place. He bit his lip out of habit, black-like eyes flickering to Miss Saena every now and then.

A storm, I guesss. He answered with a shrug.  If the storm had not hit him as hard as it had, he had not gone this way. Hell, it was a lot of things that had gotten him here. If he had stayed in his former home, there would've been no way for him to know that Saena lived here in a vale, that there was a brute with one eye called Warbone, that a girl would let him fuck her just like that. God, he had done much in such a short amount of time.

Though a one-eyed man had dissstracted me long enough for me to get hit by it. He followed, finding his first answer quite a vague one. Then again, if I had not heard the birdsss feeding on hisss kill, I would not have wasssted my time there. He explained a little further, a bit too deep in thought. Your firssst quessstion had been far easssier to anssswer.

His answer prompted Saena to look to the sky, but there were no signs of a storm that she could see. Realizing he must have meant the one that passed by earlier, by nodded her head and said, "that'd do it." There was protection in the vale. With mountains on all sides, Saena thought they would need never fear a lightning strike even in the heart of one of their forests. The only danger to them living in a veritable bowl was flooding, and should that happen, there was no shortage of high ground to flee to. She felt quite safe within her mountain valley, and she could see the appeal to any wolf who stumbled across it as well.

Rhys went on to speak of a one-eyed man and Saena smirked. "You've met Warbone," she assumed, for having only one eye was not a trait common to many wolves. In retrospect, Saena knew of at least two—Warbone and Fox—but only the former garnered her respect for it. In the latter, she considered it a weakness. She supposed it was a weakness for Warbone as well, but she was ever biased, and he had strengths enough to outweigh it. "You found him to be a waste of your time?"

That didn't bode very well for Rhys as a potential recruit, but Saena wanted the confirmation from him. She was a wolf who easily misunderstood and mistook the intentions of others. It was wise of her to ask.

It had been some time since the storm, and it was no miracle that it was now gone. The weather changed like intentions, changed like them - why the fuck was she even checking to see the sky? Still, he did not dare insult her, afraid she might call her wolves on him and he'd be slaughtered without producing offspring. He needed the Sephtis line to continue, no matter what - had to force their ways upon them without hesitation. Some said it was cruel, but Rhys knew better. It was the best way of learning who your friends and who your enemies were - a sophisticated way of learning the ways of the wolf.

Yep, that was his name alright. He nodded. The specific nature of the man's name had made it stick to his memory, but he was surprised miss Saena knew him as well. Was he part of the vale - oh shoot! He had mentioned owning the vale before, and that he'd have a place here for Rhys if his journey ended up not taking him to a pack that would accept him. Was Saena his mate? Or did they just rule together? Not totally. He said honestly. He said he owned the vale - said I could come here if my journey would be fruitless. He informed.

Rhys' confirmation brought a faint smile to Saena's lips in recognition of the man, but it didn't last overly long when the man continued to imply that Warbone hadn't been fully worth his time. She didn't say anything on the subject, but she thought it was an awfully arrogant way to think. Even though she was biased toward Warbone and would claim he was worth anyone's time, Saena didn't often think many wolves were a waste of hers, and for someone else to think so, even a little bit, wasn't an attractive feature where she was concerned. But she remained mum on that subject.

"Do you expect that it will be?" she wondered instead, though she didn't even know what Rhys' journey was all about. She supposed it didn't matter the content; a journey was a journey, and it would either end in success or failure.

He could deny being selfish and bratty all he wanted, but it was what he still was - just a boy with a big ego, hardly mature enough to even be on his own. He had to give credit for even making it as far as he had on his own, and it was this fact that made him think so highly of himself. If he had made it this far - how far could he push others to do what he wanted? How far would they allow him to go - would life allow him to go? Surely far - high, and out of this world. He was the one - the only one who could ever shape his life, and so, conversing with anyone except himself was a waste of his time, even if it was in little ways.

Yesss, misss. He answered honestly with a sigh. I don't want to fail, but I fear I have chosssen the wrong time to leave what I called home. I won't make it on my own in the cold monthsss, I know. He committed finally, both to himself and the lady by his side.

Saena could understand that. There was a very good reason she'd never been without a pack for long. Wolves hunted well in the winter, in her experience, thanks to the spindly legs of their prey, but it was still hard alone. A deer hindered by snow was still a deer, and still very capable of harming a wolf who attempted to take it on solo. The smaller mammals hid away in the cold months, so of course a solitary wolf would struggle where a pack would flourish. All her life, she'd had the sense to never be alone during winter.

Rhys seemed to at least understand that he wasn't in for a good time, but Saena didn't know what to offer him. She wasn't fond of his attitude or way of thinking, and unless he had an express interest in joining up with her group and submitting properly to her and Warbone, she wasn't likely to carve out a place for him when they had many other subordinates who conducted themselves more respectfully. Those of Duskvale followed the old ways, including proper respect in place of petty squabbles over rank or pride. Whether a wolf like Rhys could fit into the greater structure of Duskvale with his particular outlook, Saena sincerely doubted, but one could never really tell without trying. She was not dying for members, however, and said nothing of it. It would be on him, if it happened at all.

"I'm loathe to leave my pack for long," Saena admitted, coming to a slow halt and gesturing with her snout toward the rest of the valley. "You're in the clear here." More specifically, Duskvale was in the clear—Rhys was now far enough from their kill and temporary caches to be of no concern to the wolves—and so he had nothing to fear from them. "If you continue on you'll reach the mountains eventually, and beyond there, a flatland." She smoothed back her ears, displaying a semblance of relaxation and well meaning, before asking, "anything else you need from me?"

The more he thought of the cold - of leaving the mountains and slipping down if it were to snow soon, the more he just wanted to stay here. At least it would be a surprise for Warbone, since Rhys didn't think the male had believed him when he had said he would think of it. And Rhys was absolutely full of surprises - good and bad. Perhaps under the rule of miss Saena and Bone-y he could finally flourish and be part of something bigger. Being alone was, well, lonely. Plus, it would take some effort to find a whole other pack and earn their trust - here, he already knew the two alphas. Hmmm...

He halted when his tiny travel companion did so, and followed her gesture. His stomach turned and he felt sick when he thought of really going over the mountain. The stones would be as cold as ice. A flatland sounded cold too. He sighed. Misss Ssaena, I think I've made up my mind. He hissed with his ears draped over the back of skull. I'd like to sstay here... He admitted. If you want me here, of courssse.

Saena smoothly arched an eyebrow when Rhys changed his tune, and adjusted her stance to something just a little more authoritative. She'd had no intention of inviting the serpent into the vale, truth be told. She didn't like what she'd seen of his attitude, for one, and him thinking Warbone was a waste of time inevitably implied that he would think the very same of her and everyone else. Her intent had been to simply drive him through the vale, like cattle, and see him off on his journey through the mountains. Saena never expected him to ask to stay.

She couldn't very well drive him off when Warbone had made an offer and Rhys asked after it, though. "Only if you change your mind about what a waste of time it was to meet Warbone at all," she decided. "You'll find we are not a waste of time here." That was her hope, anyway. Some wolves, the more civilized and less wild wolves, might consider Duskvale a sort of primitive waste of time. They were inefficient about protecting their borders by the standards of others, lazy about enforcing their territoriality, and being around each other all the time was sure to get old. That's what she would have said in her past about Duskvale.

But she knew now that traveling together throughout the vale was the most efficient way to enforce their territoriality and their borders. They were never spread too thin to take on a threat and easily overpower it, yet they would never have to deal with a threat if it didn't wander near to them. It kept them safer. Out of necessity, they buried their food only in the area they were already in, and consumed it or unearthed it for the scavengers before moving on. There was no incentive for trespassing into the vale, for to find food, you had to find the pack. To hunt in land currently unoccupied by the pack didn't put a dent in the pack's food supply, since they were elsewhere. Nowadays, Saena thought it was simply genius, and she expected Rhys to come to think similarly, rather than viewing them as any sort of waste.

He awaited her response, not sure if she would accept him despite Warbone having said that he could stay if he wanted to. Females were tricky when it did not come to physical pleasure, and he did not think he had pleased her at all with his presence here. Still, to not accept him while Bone-y had said he could come would be terribly rude - and she seemed to know that as well. He wanted to roll his eyes at her, but refrained. That was still bothering her? Geez, someone get that lady another hobby.

Very well. He said with a dip of his muzzle, afraid that he would be chased off (however small the miss was) if he did not change his mind. Still, one could see their whole life as a waste of time. It seemed everyone lived to die, and the time between the two events did not truly matter. Depressing, but true. I take it back, then. He said, bowing before her while biting his tongue. He hated this part of getting into a place.

If the first female was even remotely aware of Rhys' inner thoughts on the matter, she didn't give any indication of it. Rhys took back his previous implication that Warbone had been a waste of his time, and Saena nodded in acceptance. "Very well then, Rhys," she said, and gestured for him to follow her on a slightly different course to where the pack awaited. "Welcome to Duskvale."

Fading here! If you want a new one just lemme know!