Duskfire Glacier play D6 to block

@Takiyok

She was on the prowl for something very specific. Cyclone had passed many packs, slipping by them without so much as pausing, but none were what she sought. They were all too large, the ones she passed, and none of them were quite right for what she wanted. She did not want that much competition.

Eventually, she stumbled upon the perfect place. There was a pack here, yes, but it was small. The scents that lingered here were weak, but they were established enough for her to know better than to waltz on in. The Blackthorn stood on the border between the wild and the pack, and she tilted her head back to call out for whoever wanted to greet her.

Taki's worries about their numbers only continued to grow. It wasn't that she thought they couldn't handle things, because she certainly wouldn't make it easy for anyone to take what was hers, but there was a certain kind of security that came with numbers. She knew she could handle the uncertainty, but she wondered if it would drive away the few members they had left. 

She spent most of her time patrolling these days since there weren't many others to help fortify their borders. She froze as the call echoed across the glacier. It had been some time since a stranger had summoned her from the borders. She wasted no time heading towards the sound, arriving promptly in front of the dark female. She gave a curt nod in greeting before asking, Yes? She wanted to be hopeful that maybe the other wolf was someone in need of a home, but her suspicion of strangers was hardwired, and so she regarded her with her usual reticence until she was sure of her intentions.

Cyclone regarded the other wolf evenly. She returned the nod with one of her own. I seek to join your pack, she explained, although she had thought that much would be obvious. Her posture remained respectful, but not groveling. The other wolf held herself like a leader, so Cyclone could only assume that she would be able to make that decision. She was large and white with golden eyes. Quite the looker, in fact.

Neasa wondered what quirks this pack would have, if any, but she assumed she would find out soon enough. She was sure the standard questions would be asked, so Cyclone mentally prepared for that part of the interview as well. She would need to list off her skills, why she would make a good addition, and so on.

As thankful as she was for the potential addition to the ranks, she needed to ensure she was capable. Low numbers might make some accept any willing candidate, but the snowy leader wouldn't let the need for members lower her standards. So far, the stranger seemed confident, which Taki thought would serve her well here. But first, curiosity made her ask, What draws you here? There were plenty of other larger packs nearby, so the atausiq wondered what about the glacier stood out to the stranger. She liked to believe only the strongest of wolves were attracted to life in a land of ice, but she was always interested to know what exactly drove others here.

What drew anybody anywhere? The urge to find one's tribe. The urge to belong. The urge to find a place to call home. Cyclone knew almost nothing about this pack except that their numbers were small, and that was what she had been seeking. Your numbers are few, she replied. It seemed to make most sense to gravitate toward a pack with smaller numbers. They were in need, Cyclone sought a place to call home, so they were the perfect fit (or so she thought).

She wondered what Grayson would think of a woman at the helm of a pack. If he did not put Addison in check, it was likely she would be running that place (even if not officially) quite soon. The longer she was away from the Odolfs, the better and more confident she felt in her decision to leave them. She was sure that Addison would be pleased, but Cyclone honestly did not care. She had other things to worry about beyond petty drama.

It seemed she intentionally sought out a pack in need of members; Taki was intrigued by that answer and appreciated the honesty given by the female. She raised an eyebrow. Yes, we are. It is unfortunate. She wondered briefly if the other woman aimed to take advantage of that. If that was the case, she supposed she would just have to deal with it when it happened. For now, she would assume she was just looking for a home and chose a pack in need.

I am Takiyok, the leader here, she offered. Life on the glacier isn't an easy one. she began. It was worth noting right away in case this wolf wasn't fully aware. No sense in letting her find out the hard way. What skills would you bring here? the snowy leader asked next. It was her final screening inquiry. Assuming she had the usual answer, then she would invite her across the borders.

It seemed to be the answer Takiyok was looking for, and that put Cyclone at ease. She was, in fact, the leader, and the words she used to say as much led Neasa to believe she was the sole leader. Not "one of" the leaders, but "the" leader. The Blackthorn made a mental note of this, if only to remind herself that anybody else who claimed to be a leader was not one, and that she would not need to seek out another leader to make herself known to them. Then came the usual questions, which Cyclone had been formulating answers for since she had come upon the small pack.

I'm a decent hunter and scout. The latter might be especially useful to you now, as I could seek out others to grow the ranks. Cyclone wasn't sure what kind of recruiter she would make, but it seemed as though this pack could use one. Perhaps they had only waited for wolves to come to them instead of going on recruiting missions.

They always needed hunters, but the mention of scouting piqued her interest greatly. It was a shared interest-- one she hadn't been able to partake in lately as she was bound to the glacier by her responsibilities. In the beginning, she shared duties with her brother, but now he was still too sick to lead and so she was left to bear the burden alone. She was happy to do it for her family, but it was difficult for her at times to be so restricted. I would very much appreciate that, she replied, stepping back and motioning the female across the borders. That used to be my job, but I haven't been able to leave much for obvious reasons. Next, she dipped her head and added, Welcome to IkKanattuk. 

I can give you a tour or you're welcome to explore on your own. She didn't particularly like giving tours, but she always offered and would oblige if needed.

I'll find my way around, Cyclone replied with a swish of her tail and a dip of her head. She realized she'd left out an important detail: her name. Name's Neasa, the girl added, deciding to introduce herself as much to these wolves. After all, this was a new beginning, so why not give others a different name to call her? With that settled, she took a deep breath and began to make her way into the territory, hoping to get the lay of the land before she went on her first recruitment mission.