Gyrfalcon's Keep Imma shine

Much as she loves the fares of the ocean, Rosalyn had a hankering for something warm.  So she struck out north, running until she came across a lovely little forest that would do rather nicely for the foreseeable future.  She managed to bag herself a squirrel and had settled down to tear in, contentedly gnawing on it as she considered.

She certainly hadn't made any friends yet, though both Smoke and Raptor seemed decent and inclined towards her.  She hadn't seen much of them; likely they were out recruiting.  Perhaps she should do the same; find some bodies that suited her type, so to speak, just in case.  She wasn't feeling this Sandpiper woman much, and got the feeling a clash might come to head one of these days.  Wouldn't hurt to be ready.

Trotting lightly over the land, her long ears swiveled around. The raucous birds made hearing anything difficult. She missed the noises of her home. Seeing a small gathering of trees, she headed for them, the wind ruffling her thick fur. Her long tail swayed as her small paws made no sound on the ground. 
It was beautiful country, but she missed the almost treeless look of home. The trees gently moved in the wind, and she was almost in awe of the beauty. Getting to the edge of the woods, her eyes spied a wolf. Her nostrils widened as she sniffed the air. A female. She looked as if she were eating. Thinking about going around and not bothering her, she paused. It wouldn't hurt to say hello, right? Now what did wolves do again? A thoughtful look crossed her face, then her amber eyes lit up as she remembered. Making sure her stance was nonthreatening, she chuffed, announcing her presence.

It was a beautiful sort of coincidence that, as she sat contemplating recruitment, a stranger approached with a rather friendly greeting.  Rosalyn looked up from her snack, mostly gone as this point, and licked her chops with a satisfied sort of bemusement.  Where had this little trick materialized from?

"Hello to you too," she said, standing and stretching as she did so.  Her posture also invited company; her mood was lighter than it had been in months, and besides, one caught more flies with honey than vinegar.

The wolfess with beautiful fur stood and stretched, and her admiration for beauty made a smile appear on her lips. Her eyes sparkled as the woman greeted her easily. The openness of her stance put her more at ease, and she tilted her head, her tail swishing behind her. 
Her alto voice was filled with curiousity and happiness as she spoke. Holá. Stopping herself, she laughed lightly and shook her head. A sheepish look came upon her face. I mean, hello. Forgive me. English, not my native tongue. Wondering how the stranger would take the language, she watched for her reaction, ears swiveled forward.

Oh shit.  Her greeting brought a similar reaction to the one 'ahoy' had caused only a few days ago, but this time, the rememberance went deeper, and Rosalyn's expression blanked for a minute.  Fuck it had been a long time.

She recovered and appraised the other wolf more closely, canting her head sideways.  It had been a good long while, and doubtless she was rusty, but she had not forgotten her mother's tongue, the one of her first crew as well.  "Holá.  ¿Eres del sur?" She asked, hoping an area would be specified, but wondering.  She was a pretty thing, and didn't seem the type to have run with past devils, but it never hurt to be sure.

Doubt crossed her mind as she watched the wolfess blank. What was wrong? Watching her face, her tail wagged nervously for a moment. As the wolfess seemed to snap out of it, she felt like she might have stunned her into silence. But as she spoke, her eyes lit up as her whole tail wagged. Her voice was excited. ¡Usted habla español! Nunca he estado en este territorio antes. Es bueno escuchar mi lengua materna de nuevo. Para responder tu pregunta, soy del desierto. Mi nombre es Dakini. ¿Cuál es su nombre? 
It had been so long since she had conversed in her native language, she realized she had rambled. Laughter bubbled up from her throat, and she gave her a genuine grin. I am sorry. It has been a long time. Wagging her tail slightly, she perked her ears forward and waited for a reaction.

Forget pretty, she was downright adorable once she got going.  Rosalyn listened with a growing smile as she began rattling off an explanation, missing some of it as her brain accustomed to once again parsing the tongue.  Very rusty.

"Hace mucho tiempo.  I am rusty."  She responded with a laugh of her own, finding herself pleasantly warming up to the woman without her usual sass off upon meeting.  "Rosalyn, de la Islas del sur.  Encantado de... conocerte también." She hesitated a bit on the words, but finished, and her tail swept the sand.  "I haven't heard or spoken since I left.  It has been years.  What brings you to the shore?". She switched, sad to find it was more comfortable, but with a renewed interest.  If she could get this girl to sign on, it would be like having a piece of home.  While not necessarily a time she wanted to revisit, just the language would be wonderful to have around once more.

As she kept talking, the mix watched as the wolfess's smile grew. Her long tail swished, and she grinned as she spoke. Her Spanish was indeed rusty, but it was like a salve to her soul as she continued. Sitting down, the laughter almost surprised her. It was a sweet sound, and she grinned lopsidedly at her. Ears forward, she caught her name. Rosalyn. Pretty. She wondered what it meant. ,
Hesitating she studied her for a moment. It wouldn't hurt, would it? Her voice was kept light, but there was a slight mix of anger and sadness. My search for my father drew me north. I caught his scent a few weeks ago, but lost it, so I made a detour north. 
Her tail flicked at memories, but she shook her head slightly and her face cleared. But it is beautiful country. I miss my desert, but for beauty, it isn't lacking. Her love for beauty showed in her soft smile.

Oh.  She felt a twinge of disappointment as Dakini revealed that she was here with a purpose.  Why couldn't she be a goal-less vagabond like the rest of these damn wilds?  Ok, so maybe not everyone.  But certainly most of the rogues she'd come across in her travels.

"Your father.  You still seek him then?"  She tried not to let her disappointment show.  "Because if you wanted... we've got a crew forming on the shore south of here."  She shrugged, but tried to encourage.  "Somewhat rough, but the captain's a good bloke.  Me gustaría te vinir." 

She almost flinched at the word 'your', but she nodded at the question. Why was she seeking him again? Oh yes. To...Her thoughts were cut off as she began talking again. Her ears perked at the mention of a crew. She wondered how big it was. She missed her large family. The quiet on her own had been almost unnerving. Her tail wagged slowly as she thought about it. She had been searching for the man for six months. Maybe a break was needed. 
She was confused for a moment and tilted her head. Bloke? She wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it didn't sound like an insult. A grin slowly crept on her face as she stood and nodded. I would enjoy that very much! What do I need to do? A determined but excited look came on her face as she looked at her. She was small, but she could hold her own if they needed her to.

There was hope; she seemed to hesitate.  Then she agreed, and Rosalyn grinned triumphantly.  True, her motives initially might have been less than great in coming here to recruit.  But she honestly felt a friendly sort of kinship with this new girl, something that rarely happened with new wolves, let alone those of her own gender.  There was no feeling of rivalry; only a shared language and a friendly air.

"Let me call Smoke, he'll be thrilled."  Rosalyn winked, then threw back her head and howled.  Hopefully @Smokestep would be close enough to hear, though she supposed @Raptor would do in a pinch.  There was one wolf she specifically hoped would not come, but she got the feeling Piper didn't have the whole welcome committee duty in mind.

The moment the wolfess grinned, a joyful laugh bubbled up from her chest, the sound almost as light as rain on a roof. If the rest of the group was like this one, she might have found a... She still couldn't bring herself to say it, but the hope was still there.
The conversation was easy, the company was nice, and her mood was up as she almost pranced in nervousness and excitement on her thin legs. 
The wolfess named Rosalyn spoke and then winked, and the biggest smile fell on her face as her eyes sparkled. Smoke. Different name. Curiosity pricked at her as the woman threw back her head and howled.

The call rang out overhead, and the pale brute cast his gaze in the direction of it with a curious elation. Smokestep knew that the voice was familiar to him, so he did not hesitate to pull himself from the water and turn toward the summons. The keep was not far from his bay, so it didn't take him long to travel across the sands and into more forested terrain. He knew that the sight of trees meant that he wasn't quite in Kansas anymore, but it did little to bother him when he was on the hunt for Rosalyn and her radiant features. It was safe to say that he was moderately surprised at the sight of another figure when he latched his gaze on the red-hued woman.

Frowning thoughtfully, Smokestep closed the space between them. “Ahoy, lass... an' wot do we 'ave 'ere?” the pirate inquired with a quick glance toward the stranger. She did not so much as smell familiar to him, and so he knew that he had never met the female. Still, Rosalyn thought that it was important enough to drag him from the waters, so he trusted that she would grant him some insight. Pulling his heterochromatic gaze from the outsider, he cast a questioning glance to Roz.

Smokestep came swiftly, far quicker than Rosalyn had imagined, and she felt a flush of flattered pleasure her call had brought him so soon.  Either he was the type of Captain who was always on call or he counted her a priority, and her own self esteem marked the latter the much more favorable option.  She stepped over and greeted him with a nip and a grin, then looked back at Dakini, excited to have her officially signed in.

"This un's interested in joining us.  I got a good feeling about her."  She stopped there, stepping back to allow Dakini room to introduce herself and Smoke to get a feel as well.  As she did, she felt a flash of trepidation, though she did not reveal it.  Nuh uh, Rivaini, she thought to herself with bemusement.  Don't you dare.

First catching sight of him, her brows rose. He was...tall. His physique was impressive. He would be a strong leader. So he would be the one she would be answering to...right? As he spoke, she couldn't help but grin slightly. She liked him already. Straight to the point.
She watched as they greeted, and her tail wagged slowly, a little nervous. Hoping he would accept her, her face turned determined and friendly as she glanced at him them away. She tossed a confident grin at Rosalyn and stepped forward. Her accent was a bit thicker, as her determination and nervousness mixed. 
Flicking her tail, she smiled at the tall one, looking slightly up at him. Instinctively, she averted her eyes and spoke. Holá. My name is Dakini. Mother was a coyote, and I was the runt...if you were wondering about the size. Her smile held no malice as she finished.

At Rosalyn's words, Smokestep turned his attention to the stranger with them. If the she-pirate insisted that she had a good feeling, the Captain did not believe that he would be disappointed. Still, his two-toned gaze roamed over the female before she introduced herself and he sized her up. She certainly was smaller than he had expected, but he believed that to mean that her blood was not entirely wolf. That didn't matter much; his father had held no hatred toward the coywolf kind, so he had been raised to accept them just the same. When she did offer her name and some of her lineage, Smokestep chuckled softly and nodded his head.

“Ye are small, lass. Ye spent much time by the sea?” the corsair inquired with a careful cant of his skull. It was important to know how well versed in the art of the ocean she was, for he imagined that she did not have even an ounce of experience in her. Still, he knew how to train them and he was willing if Roz felt that it was a good cause for them.

As she finished speaking, she smiled lopsidedly as he chuckled and nodded. Taking that as a good sign, her long tail swished slowly as hope grew and warmed her small chest. As he spoke the next few words, her eyes widened slightly, and she tried not to let him see her prick of disappointment. Why disappointment? Not even an hour ago, she was content to be alone to continue her search. 
Blinking slowly, her tail stopped, and she spoke, holding her voice steady. No, señor, I have not. But I wish to. I have, over the past few days traveling down the coast, the smell of the sea..It is calming. I am willing to learn if you deem me worthy. Determination edged her voice, and her eyes matched as she glanced up at him then glanced at the wolfess. She would learn.
The sudden intense longing for companionship made her accent thicker, but her smile was still hopeful as she took in a deep breath, hoping to smell the salty air.

The woman Dakini spoke with an accent that was entirely unfamiliar to the young pirate. His ears swiveled atop his crown as she spoke, careful to pick up the peculiar ways that she pronounced different words, before he had even started to formulate a response. The young lad felt moderately sheepish for having focused on the imperfections of her own words, when he had been told numerous times that he was challenging to listen to. Smokestep supposed that it didn't matter much where she derived from, as long as she was willing to learn their ways and adopt the pirate lifestyle, she was worth a chance. Before he would grant her permission to join his crew, he knew that she had to be made aware of their codes. Without it, she would be walking into a life-long contract without knowledge.

The corsair eyed her with a calculating stare, rolling his gaze up and down her smaller frame. “Aye, she smells lovely, but the sea is nothin' ta feel safe with. She's a wicked temptress and she'll swallow ye whole jus' as soon as look at ye,” he warned her with a stern nod of his skull. Smokestep had an undying love for the ocean and her beauty, but he knew her dangers all too well. The young hound had watched countless bodies get pulled into the depths, never to return to shore.

“Oi well then... I dunno yer worth, miss, but it seems like Roz will vouch fer ye. I need ye to know before ye make any pledges to me crew; once yer a pirate, yer always a pirate. If ye abandon the crew, we'll be quick to hunt ye down. Ye understand, miss?”

As he eyed her, she planted her feet firmer. She knew she could do this. Her long ears turned towards him as he started talking again. As he talked about the dangers of the 'temptress', her eyes widened and excitement put a spark in her eyes, and her tail started wagging slowly. He nodded, and she tried to look serious and stilled her tail, but the spark never left. The idea of being a part of this group, this pack...A strange feeling of yearning, of wanting to belong spread warmth through her. Maybe it was because of her father, who never seemed to want her. Maybe she wanted to prove herself. 
Whatever it was, a strong sense of determination flowed through her small body.He began talking again, and she saw the genuineness, the seriousness of his words. They would hunt her down. A look of thoughtfulness crossed her face as her mind raced. Could she give up the search for now and learn their ways? Was she willing to? 
Before he had stopped talking even two minutes, she stood taller and, with a look of understanding and resolve, she spoke, her tail wagging slightly, her eyes sparkling. Entiendo. Me sentiría honrado de unirme. I completely understand. It would be my honor if you would let me join. She pronounced every word clearly, as if she wanted him to know she meant every word. As she finished speaking, her voice went silent, and she waited, muscles tense, for his answer.

Smokestep out! You guys can continue this if you'd like. Starr you're more than welcome to throw Roz back in, obviously.

Dakini listened to the most important code they had as pirates and she mulled it over for a brief moment before deciding that she opted to commit to the life. The girl had opted to pledge her life and soul to the Ironsea crew, and so he would allow her, but he had given her fair warning. If the young lass should ever leave their lands or the crew behind, she would be followed and killed. Dead men told no tales, he reminded himself solemnly.

“Right then, welcome to tha crew, miss,” he told her with a swift nod of his muzzle before turning to Roz. “Ye can show her tha ropes. See if ye can teach her ta fish to fill caches,” he suggested to the red-furred woman. Then, with a wink and a swish of his tail, the pallid seafarer departed from the scene and left the two women to chat about whatever it was that fine women chatted about.

Rosalyn was silently impressed when she signed on to the gig as described; crew could be a lifetime thing, yes, but even she got antsy thinking about it.  Her own past experiences had been less than that; some coastal wolves didn't deal well in loyalty.  

She wondered briefly if she would live up to it; this hadn't, after all, been the spiel she was given.

She watched Smokestep leave, somewhat pensively (and somewhat appreciatively), then smiled at Dakini.  "Welcome to the fam!"

Her eyes sparkled at his acceptance and welcome. Yet his words spoken to Rosalyn made her tilt her head, her ears alert. 'Fish to fill'...what? Her confusion showed on her face for a second, but was replaced by a grin and nod his way as he left. 
Turning towards the woman as she spoke, her tail swished excitedly. I am glad. This is so exciting! Gracías, Rosalyn. Thank you for telling me. Giving her a quizzical look, her head perked to one side. What did he say before he left? She looked almost sheepish, but her face was curious.

"Ahh... la pesca.  It's a bit different, with the waves n all."  Rosalyn wasn't sure about introducing her to the beast that was the ocean quite yet, but if Smoke thought it was a good idea, who was she to argue?  "Livin on the coast, we get a lot from the ocean.  But like he said, la mar is rarely kind."  If they didn't die of old age, most wolves Rosalyn had known in her youth were lost to the waves, either by their own stupidity or by failing bodies to weak to resist her pull any longer.  "I can show you, if you like?"  She wasn't sure she would catch anything here, but pointers at least she could give, things that would keep her somewhat safer.  She was small, yes, but Rosalyn was not large herself.  She would manage fine, the woman was sure.

Confusion cleared off her face as she began explaining. She was glad the other spoke her native tongue, or she would have been completely in the dark. Her face lit up at the prospect of learning something already, and her fluffy tail swished in excitement. ¡Sí, sí! I would love to learn so I can be more useful. She hoped her skills would grow quickly to aid this woman she was already growing fond of. Swiveling her ears towards her, she almost danced on her feet as she looked up at her. Where do we begin?

((I'm gonna fade this if that's ok!! Feel free to respond or archive <3))

Excellent! She would show Dakini the way of the waves, pitfalls such as the tides and how far out was safe.  Hopefully by the end of this (and maybe some future lessons) the girl would be as salty a beachcomber as she and the rest of them.  Rosalyn had taken her residence on the coast as long as she could remember; the waves had been her playground as a child.  It wasn't hard to learn so long as you weren't stupid, and Dakini seemed the opposite of that.

"Alright! Let's see if we can rustle up a fish or two.". She led the way  towards the coast, excited to begin to show her newfound friend how amazing the ocean could be.