Redhawk Caldera seven page essay, due monday

The girl had led her companions in the general direction that Alya had pointed out, and sure enough, here lay the border that she had expected. Her gaze shifted to her companions briefly before lifting her muzzle and howling for an audience, lyrical notes fading into the fall chill as she dipped her muzzle again. This place had borders that were just as strong as Moonspear's, and many scents mingled frequently. More of a chance that a mentor would be found here for @Pema, she supposed. She waited, gaze turning to @Aditya as her mind turned to what she had briefed her companions on as they had made their way here. 

She had been quick to pass on the knowledge about the dark place Alya had mentioned, and while she knew that they would surely skip it as they journeyed northward once more, she couldn't help a morbid curiosity with the place. Kidnapping and murder were the stuff of children's tales, and to have such a place south of them had her bristle. It would be a disappointment to visit only two packs, however, and she had bee turning over the idea of a brief mission there, just for some more information on the place. Her companions would not be happy with her, nor would her father, but was it not for the good of the pack that they learn more about a potential threat?

tagging for visibility / interest (?) : @Towhee, @Elwood, @Raven

he marvelled at the scope of the caldera before them, which had risen slowly over the horizon as they traveled south from moonspear, dark and forboding in the sky. he had traveled by such mountains before, blasted apart at the top, trees near its base still ashen and leafless from some cataclysmic event many seasons prior.

redhawk was an intimidating place at first glance, and the scent markers surrounding the place were strong and frequent: another powerful pack to be reckoned with. aditya was more curious than nervous to meet the denizens of this place, as he had been on his last visit.

he saw dawn cast her eyes toward him, and felt as though her mind turned inward toward some struggle. he didn't know her well enough to figure out what exactly she was thinking, or whether it was just trepidation over meeting this new pack. the journey had gone on without incident so far, though, and this looked to be just another successful visit.

Pema was excited that they had reached the border of another seemingly strong pack. She wondered if they would have the same luck as before with Moonspear. This would most likely be thier last stop on their jouney before heading back home, as Dawn told them about the unpleasant stories about the pack further east of here. The things she said almost didn't sound real, which made Pema want to almost see for herself what kind of wolves they were. But if she did at one point decide to venture out and meet the wolves of this place, she would make sure to do it another time, when they didn't need to get back by a specific time. 

She also thought about the Vale. A place they would pass along the way back home. The two packs didn't have the best realationship, but she wondered if they would interfere with their willingness to offer their knowledge. It was most likely a long shot, and Pema thought that maybe she would visit that pack on her own. But unknow to her, by the time she got there the Vale would be no more and all of it's members will have drifted off in other directions.

But for the mean time they were here, and she waited to see if anyone from the pack would greet them at the border. 

They were outsiders, Elwood observed as he approached, but they all shared the same scent, indicating that they came from a pack. They smelled nothing like the odor the kidnappers were rumored to possess, but he still exercised caution as he neared the trio. He kept his head and tail elevated and his senses were alert; he hoped that Towhee, perhaps, would be patrolling nearby, simply because he didn't like the idea of being outnumbered three to one on his own turf.

"Can I help you?" he asked, stopping a few yards from the group of wolves. His voice lacked its usual friendly intonation; in fact, his flat, businesslike timbre probably sounded a little like Towhee's. His gaze swept over each of them as he awaited an explanation.

It did not take time for a wolf to appear in the distance, and with a quick grin at her companions, Dawn readied herself to meet the stranger. When he did halt, his voice was flat and business-like, though the huntress did not allow it to dissuade her. "hello,"  she began, words echoing the ones she had offered at the border of Moonspear.  "I am Dawn, and these are my companions, Pema and Aditya."  She motioned to each with a flick of her muzzle, continuing a moment later, "we're from Morningside; at the northern reaches of the Sunspire. Pema's an aspiring medic, and we're looking to find her a mentor."  She looked briefly to the girl, wondering if she might have anything to add; she truly didn't know much about plants and healing. With any luck, this outing would turn out to be as successful as their visit to Moonspear.

a gray male soon appeared, poised as if some sort of leader or alpha of this pack. he spoke, and adi thought his tone did not match his eyes; he sounded quite flat, but his eyes seemed kind, nonetheless. he gave him a small smile as dawn introduced their group and their purpose for visiting.

throughout her speech, aditya remained quiet. when silence fell over the wolves assembled, he blurted, "how did you come to settle this place? it is quite a sight." he regretted speaking almost immediately, and looked down, abashed, though curiosity still burned within him.

It didn't take long for a wolf of the pack to approach the trio at the border. It was a male with his tail held high displaying his dominance in the situation, and what Pema assumed his role in the pack as the leader or one of the other hight ranks of a pack. Dawn was eager to introduce all of them and answer the males questions. Displaying her ambassador tendencies that Morningside really appricated in her. 

When Pema was introduced she nodded her head to the male and took a few steps forward wanting to add just alittle to Dawn's answer. Adding in what Dawn had said to Moonspear prior, Pema said "And if your pack would be willing and able to provide me a lesson with such a mentor, we would be more then willing to offer something in return." she said with an appriciate smile.

Shortly after Adi popped in and commented on the pack that they stood at. It wasn't necessarily on topic, and wasn't all that formal, but it wasn't as though showing interest in a pack you were asking a favor from would be all that harmful. 

The three wolves spoke in turn, and Elwood had to admit that their manners were impeccable. He still didn't let down his guard yet, though. He believed them, and took note of their names as well as the location of their pack. One of the trio asked a non sequitor which normally might have incited a smile from the Alpha male, but this time only earned a brief response.

"The founders of the pack settled here some time ago," he explained. "I think they just happened on it while exploring." It was true, but very much condensed -- in fact, Fox had been injured here and been unable to travel further while she and Peregrine were searching for a place to call home. Glancing between the two wolves that had spoken of medics, he asked, "Are you looking for lessons right now? Or would you go home to Morningside and return at a later time?" He suspected that Raven would be more than willing to mentor an aspiring medic, but that she would also appreciate being given a little more notice.

He didn't seem entirely open, but then again, she didn't expect anyone to be with strangers on their doorstep. He seemed receptive to their idea, however - perhaps Aditya's comment on the territory had helped somewhat - and she canted her muzzle a moment, considering. "whenever is most convenient for a mentor. Morningside is only a couple days travel away; we could arrange a meeting, if sometime in the near future is not ideal." She suggested, glancing briefly to Pema. While learning all they could on a single trip was ideal, they could hardly ask another pack's healer to drop everything to teach another. They could wait a few days nearby, perhaps, or simply return at a later date.

he nodded as the alpha explained their origins, satisfied with the answer, truncated as it may have been--the gray man clearly had a lot on his mind. aditya fell silent as dawn spoke once more.

in truth, this conversation belonged to the three others gathered. he had tagged along both to explore the land and spend time with dawn. each of these had been achieved, and now, with the talk of mentorship for pema, he was no longer really needed in the dialogue.

aditya instead watched them talk it out, golden gaze fixed on dawn nearly the entire time, only flitting to the others when they spoke.

last post

Luckily Adi's comment didn't anger this wolf, though Pema didn't expect it to. It was somewhat off topic, but with Dawn and Pema being more on the formal side, it was good to hear something more casual to balance them out. When he asked if they intended to have the lesson now, Pema nodded along with Dawn in agreement. 

It didn't have to be now she supposed. It was perfered, but she thought that getting a mentor was more important then learning what they had to offer right away. If needed they could come back at a different time. It was rare that someone could teach someone everthing they knew about a skill in one day anyway. If they had to come back once they might need to come back multiple times after that, and as long as Pema was learning something eachtime she didn't see a problem with that. 

Houkie, the tag is just for reference, and Elwood would tell Raven about this behind the scenes!

They were agreeable, and offered to arrange a meetup between the medics at a later date. Elwood decided that he would leave it up to @Raven, and would go to inform her as soon as he departed from the company of the Morningside wolves. "I'll let our healer, Raven, know about this, and let her reach out to you," he said with a definitive nod of his head.

"Thank you for the offer," he added earnestly, expecting that they would be on their way before too long. There wasn't much else to discuss without Raven present.