Ankyra Sound Let the masquerade begin

The cliffs were covered in birds. Everywhere he looked there were more feathered beasts either nesting or flying above, cackling and cawing in annoyance as he familiarized himself further with new lands. This one by far was the least of his favorites. Covered by bird shit. It took a while for him to nagivate his way out of the avian invested cliffs and onto something more interesting... A scent. Even longer with the wound on his leg that stung with every step. Damn that woman, he'll find a way to pay her back for this. The blood had long dried, the wound was majorily internal as he could feel the joint is inflamed and irritated. Such a wound for a loner was not something he was particularily fond of.

Dipping his head, he took in the scent which marked a pack's border. It was faint, so he had not come too deep into the territory yet, but if he were to continue and press forward, certainly he would ruffle a few feathers. Toying with the idea of crossing paths and going as deep into the territory as possible until found - another idea took him. 

Remaining at the border, he walked along what he found to be the very edge of the claimed lands, familiarizing himself with the scent. He was careful with his footing as to not make it obvious that his left leg was injured. Every step was planned out, smooth, and any pain was hidden. As many individuals as he could pick out from the border. One... two... three were the most prevelant. Others were muddled in a mix which was hard to pick out, but the pack had enough numbers that even he wasn't stupid enough to go with crossing the border and having a full pack on his back.

Someone was bound to come near if he was patient enough, with their numbers, it was a mere waiting game... There was no need to summon anyone, unless he wanted a crowd - which he didn't.

I'm gonna forward time this to after the fight with Cassiopeia, minor edits were added to my posts but otherwise since he hasn't done much moving, the thread is the same!

Raleska was likely one of the three scents more prominent along the borders. She had always been protective, but with her mother gone on some clandestine mission with Vercingetorix (a man she trusted less than the jaws of a shark, mind you) Raleska had redoubled her patrolling efforts.

It was a scent first that alerted her to a man in their midst; he was impossibly large, towering over her in the manner the sequoias towered over their smaller spruce cousins. Undaunted by this disparity, Raleska threw up her tail and sauntered towards the wolf at a confident walk, her eyes narrowed on the brute. You stand close to Rusalka’s claim. She accused, slowing to a halt with her crown held proudly. State your business.

As he thought, it didn't long at all for someone to come greet him at the border - with what one always gets greeted by at a border. Same questions, same stare - nothing new. Deep within him he wanted to answer with the utmost smug answer he could muster; however he chose a different route.

Take a guess. He took note of her figure. She wasn't too much younger than him, but far smaller. She carried her banner behind her with pride, showing dominance over the situation, to which his gaze narrowed only slightly in response. He fought the urge to take a more defensive stance, but it would against his newly formed plan. 

He waited for her deductive abilities to be shown. He was a loner. He was not a messenger of a nother pack, not one to be trusted at least; and he wasn't trespassing. It narrowed the reasons why someone would be stalking their borders, especially one who made zero efforts in hiding themselves as he did.

At this time he watched her carefully. Her next words were crucial in hiw decision, her actions as well. A little attitude here and there wouldn't bother him. I'm certain you've been through this routine countless times before.

Take a guess, the man replied. Raleska squinted, suspicion shading the dark corners of her gaze. She had endless experience patrolling -- but she was possibly Rusalka's worst recruiter. She had all the pleasant presence of a jelly-fish armed with porcupine quills - not exactly the picture of charming diplomacy.

Her fur was bristling as the man sized her up; she met his stare indignantly, disliking how she had just been visually measured like a piece of fish-scrap. "Most wolves howl." Raleska said pointedly, her tone cold as she awaited what hopefully would be a way more forthcoming explanation.

As her fur bristled, his did not. He questioned why she would be defensive, he showed no aggression. Perhaps she was intimidated by his size - or maybe didn't like him watching her just as carefully as she was to him. Nevertheless, if he wanted to have a safe place to sleep, to rest his leg and let the swelling go down in his joint as opposed to guarding himself with one eye open as an injured loner - he had to behave. Even if it meant going against every fibre of his being desiring to challenge her right back. He was quite relaxed for the time being, tail losely between his legs, his legs lazily holding himself up.

I'd rather not have an audience of more than one, plus the leader. he replied. I wasn't hiding my presence. He pointed out. He would have masked his scent otherwise, or even tried too. Would have stuck to brush and fallen logs to keep himself from being spotted by any wanderer, instead, he chose to openly walk. A lone wolf has to watch themselves in the presence of numbers in a pack.

The truth of the matter was Raleska didn't need a reason to be prickly. She was prickly before Vengeance had ever stepped foot near the Monolith forest; she would be prickly long after. It was just a simple part of her that would always be defensive, and always be on edge.

Her gaze was critical as it read the man's features; she did not believe his posture was genuine, but she had no experience or way to articulate it. She only had the shrewdness she was born with, the cleverness inherited from her mother.. something tugged in her gut, but she had no word to describe it.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been a lone wolf." Raleska replied to the male's explanation rather unkindly, uncaring if it was flippant. There had been a brief period of her life where she and her mother had been dispersal wolves, but she had never been by herself. She did not know how lucky she was to always be surrounded by a community. "If you're looking to join, don't you want to know anything about this pack first? And why this pack instead of others?"

I't's why we are speaking now, isn't it? The fact that this woman didn't relax, gave Vengeance a reason to remain standing and vigilant. Who knows if she decided to howl for back up and he'd have to walk away from this meeting, off to find some other border. Are you in a rush? Should we make this quick. He teased a little at how she seemed to want to hurry along in the questioning part of the meeting.

It's the first pack I've come across. He was honest in his answer. Is there something about this pack I should know? In the meantime while he waited her response, he tucked away the knowledge that she had never known the life of a lone wolf. Always with someone else. It made some strong in some aspects, but weak in others. Did she know how to survive on her own? Or was she always reliant on the strength of numbers... At least she never went hungry for long. Even in duos wolves were well fed from his experience.

As well as a companion to help out when an injury would befall them.

Raleska continued to squint, her features pinched. She was a poor ambassador for Rusalka, but in hindsight maybe she was doing them all a favor -- if she chased away all potential joiners, maybe they'd never have anymore member drama (BORING!).

She did not like being teased, and her tail flew up and she stiffened as she caught the jest in his tone. She was supposed to be in control, not this mangy man -- she was about to fire off a heated reply when she thought of how Rosalyn would handle this; Rosalyn probably would not lose her cool, which tempered the girl's tongue.

She elected instead to ignore Vengeance's teasing, brusquely answering his question. "This is Rusalka." Not that he would know what Rusalka was, but Raleska watched him carefully to see if there was any recognition in his gaze. "We were a family pack.. but I guess now we're more of a group of families." She paused and grasped for ways to explain her pack -- what was Rusalka to a loner? "We're fighters, though." She added, deciding that if she had to describe Rusalka, she'd say it was a fierce pack full of strong wolves that did not back down. "We chased off the pack above us all because they gave us a bit of trouble." And killed one of our members, but she wasn't going to say that.

Patiently he waited as she explained her home. Very little of it was interest to him, but he nodded regardless... to keep with appearances. "Fighters" was the only word he truly retained. Well that was something he can get a handle on at the very least. Family orientated however... maybe they'll be intimidated enough to leave him be by deicion of their own. Vengeance was very aware of the fact that he didn't scream come talk to me by appearance alone. 

Rusalka. He reppeated the name to memory, again, masquerading that he was listening all the way through rather than half way near the end. I see. Your turn. What is it you need to know of my character before deciding I'm not a fit. Turning the question back onto her, he once again waited for whatever she may come up with. He assumed the question already. A name. A reason for a pack. What kind of history he has...

If Raleska heard Vengeance's inner thoughts she would have snarked that he would not be the ugliest wolf in Rusalka; that honor went to the six or seven heavily scarred and very scary wolves in their ranks, her mother included. She knew nothing of his thoughts so instead smiled sweetly, pleased he had caught onto the fact this was an interview of sorts that she dictated.

What did she need to know? There was only one thing. Lifting her head, Raleska studied him for a full five seconds, her yellow eyes peering into him unabashed before she spoke. "There is only one thing." Only one requirement to be merited good enough to be allowed within.. Her slender muzzle canted to the side and her flat voice pressed: "Can you kill in the name of Rusalka?"

Can, she says. The right question to utter if she had known him had been; would he kill in the name of Rusalka.

There was only two words he need to utter in response to her question. With pleasure. He cooed; if only he could express how watching the life drain from someone is what gave the beast life. How he didn't need to be given orders so he could rip into an opponent - and to be given a target was just that much more fun.

Now he had a place to rest his leg, to heal... to plot for his namesake against the woman who forced him to find a safe place to rest. For now he would hide his injury until later...

Most wolves would have had some pretty serious blaring red flags about A: being asked to kill, and B: admitting to be willing to kill. Raleska had no such scruples: as the daughter of possibly the most unbalanced wolf in the Teekon, killing was simply the way of life.

So, Vengeance's answer was satisfactory to the Eyjolfur girl. She drew up to her full height, gave the grimy wolf a measured look, and then nodded in acceptance. "Good." She answered, already turning her slim back away from the tyrant. "Follow me," Raleska spoke, making for the Grotto -- there Vengeance would find most of the pack milling about, save the matriarch and Vercingetorix.

I think this can be closed, yes? :>

It seemed he has finally become a pack member. Something he didn't think would happen, but out of the spur of the moment, for the sake of remaining healthy (all things considered), it was the next logical step. 

Once the invitation was given to follow her, he assumed to meet the other members, he followed her steps - still careful to make his wound obvious but looked forward to resting as soon as possible.