in all chaos there is calculation [m]

Solveig Sterkr · (This post was last modified: August 10, 2014, 06:12 PM by Solveig Sterkr.)

Anyone! Marked mature for possible gore.

The great white beast prowled along the rocky trails of Gyrfalcon's Peak, two blood-stained rabbit dangling from her jaws. Her muzzle was painted a gory red from the kills and served a stark contrast against the pale expanse of her fur. In the canopy above, the shrill cries of gyrfalcons called out to one another across the mountain, warning of the white wolf.

The trail suddenly switches back on itself, weaving around the trunks of the conifers as it ascends further up the mountain. She climbs the steep slope with sure feet until it opened up into a rocky meadow. A brief smile ghosts across her lips, and she begins to scan the landscape for a suitable spot. She lifts her tail parallel to her back and the tip flicks with each stride; ears perked and swiveling, following the sounds echoing out from the forest.

*Shadow* · August 11, 2014, 05:11 AM

The silver wanderer had followed the river towards Gyrfalcon's Keep, his stomach rumbled softly in hunger. He had traveled from the shores of the sea to this place, he was both tired and hungry but was alert. Ears pricked, eyes scanning. There might be other predators or hostile wolves nearby, but all he wanted was a good meal and rest before journeying back home to the Creek. They might need him.

He crouched down, tail skimming low over the rocky trail and pounced, jaws clamping down on a fat mouse and swallowed. It wasn't much, didn't even take off the edge of his hunger but it was a start. Hopefully something bigger would come by, he wouldn't be able to take down a deer or other bigger animals. That would take a group, but a squirrel or rabbit would be great, or fish and duck. There might be a creek nearby.

The ashen male climbed up the steep slope until it opened up into a rocky meadow. Maybe there was a rabbit or two nearby, or a squirrel though those were a bit harder. There should be a Creek nearby, silently cursing himself for not eating before leaving the shore, he trotted forward, black tip of his tail flicking slowly.

A gust of wind ruffles his fur and brings along another wolf scent.

Solveig Sterkr · August 22, 2014, 11:16 PM

The changing course of the wind does not bring the presence of the other to her attention, and she continues plodding along through the rocky meadow. Large, weather-rounded boulders dot the terrain while smaller rocks are scattered throughout. The grasses are not tall here, and instead remain windswept and low, tucked away against the safe nooks the rockery provides.

Solveig bounds atop a structure of flat rocks and deposits both kills on the stone slab. Her ears perk, and she looks skyward to the kneeing gyrfalcons circling above. They had followed the scent of blood, and now began to land in a wide circle around the she-wolf; at least five of them. Not many, as they were not known to flock, but enough.

She smiles, turns, and immediately her expression shifts to distant curiosity as she catches sight of the gray scale male on the fringes of the meadow. Her paws steady beneath her, and she straightens to stand at her full height and waits.

*Shadow* · August 23, 2014, 06:06 AM

He tilted his head slightly as he trotted forward, noticing the female that he had scented moments before. He watched as she straightened and waited, his paws steady underneath him, he took a few more steps forward, platinum gaze curious as he analyzed her before dipping his head slightly in greeting.

"Hello," he said softly, tilting his head back up, tail flicking as he waited for her answer, it would determine whether or not she was a friendly wolf or an aggressive one. Even when he was hungry, he proved to be a good fighter and he was ready if this female wanted to fight. Hopefully she didn't, he was still rather sore from the fight with the female Sunspire wolf.

Solveig Sterkr · August 24, 2014, 11:05 PM

She continues to watch him with passive interest as he turns and makes his way toward her. The wind here is not biting, but it still plays through her thinned summer ruff, causing the guard hairs to twist and bend like waves of grassland. Both ears remained trained on him, but the skin around her eyes and lips are not tense with early warning. They are relaxed; he has nothing to fear, should he read her non-verbal cues.

He looks quite a state, however. Fresh from battle, or a few days off from it. Her great head tilts a bit to the side, and a bit of blood drips from her chin to splash onto her paw. "Ave, warrior. Have you come to share in this feast?" She asks in a clear voice. Her tone is borderline lofty, but retains an air of faint amusement.

*Shadow* · August 25, 2014, 02:56 AM

He watched as blood drips from her chin and splashed on her paw. "Ave, warrior. Have you come to share in this feast?" Warrior huh? She must have saw the wounds he still had from the fight with The Sunspire wolf, the long vertical cut across his chest and the large one on his flank was visible. In fact it shone out from his platinum fur.

"Maybe, maybe not. Who are you?" he asked politely, dipping his head swiftly to her, a smirk on his features as he analyzed her with silvery orbs, tail flicking as he waited for the loner's reply.

Solveig Sterkr · August 25, 2014, 02:13 PM

The brutish woman smirks at his deflection, showing teeth in her mirth. "You are quite bold." She remarks thoughtfully as she sheaths her fangs and smiles; it reaches her eyes. "Solveig." A pink tongue lashes across her lips, catching some of the blood as it slides back into her mouth. Suddenly she springs off the rock and comes to rest within reach of him, but does not invade his space further. She is equally bold, but does not fear him. His healing wounds are not debilitating enough to prevent attack, but somehow she finds herself trusting his intentions.

"You are a pack wolf. Where are they?" She queries, scrutinizing his wounds with a thoughtful glance and an amiable wave of her tail.

*Shadow* · August 26, 2014, 05:44 AM

"You are quite bold."

At those words, he smirked at her, silver eyes gleaming. "Solveig." she said, so that was her name. "Solveig huh? Nice name." he said, winking at her once as he tilted his head slightly, gazing at her with platinum eyes. She sprang off off the rock and landed within reach of him.

"You are a pack wolf. Where are they?" He eyed her curiously. "You mean my packmates huh?" he shrugged. "Nowhere near, they're back at home, kicking healthy warriors out and I'm here exploring and traveling." he flashed her a bright smile. "But of course they didn't kick me out, I'm too valuable and awesome."

Solveig Sterkr · August 26, 2014, 07:36 PM

The sun woman listens with both ears peaked while both eyes shift between his individual silver ones. It is clear she is ascertaining whether or not he speaks the truth, and does not bother to hide this from her expression. She soon comes to an unspoken conclusion, nods, and the skepticism all but vanishes from her face. "Seems your pack is only concerned with eating its own tail." She comments offhandedly, "You should leave if you are so valuable. Prevent the prolonged suffering of the body as it withers."

Solveig turns away from him and hauls her weight back up onto the rock. She reaches down, drags one rabbit away from the pile, places a paw on it's head, and tears into the flesh. She rubs her muzzle in the oozing blood, and licks at her lips once more when she glances over at him again, waiting for his reaction.

*Shadow* · August 27, 2014, 07:07 AM

"Seems your pack is only concerned with eating its own tail." said Solveig, "You should leave if you are so valuable. Prevent the prolonged suffering of the body as it withers." He laughed softly at her words, a smirk gracing his face. "I am that valuable and I will leave soon. Or not." he chuckled coldly at his own words.

He watched as she turned away from him, and hauled herself up the rock. She grabs a rabbit and tears into the flesh, rubbing her muzzle into the blood. A glint of amusement flickered through his platinum eyes, the smirk still on his face as he flicked his tail slowly and yawned.

Solveig Sterkr · August 27, 2014, 05:11 PM

His reply brings her pause, and Solveig angles her muzzle toward him with a heavy look. "Are you incapable of committing?" She questions icily; her eyes dance over his scars once more, finally settling on the smirk. Her own shifts to a frown. "Or will you find yourself at the mercy of fang and claw should you try to leave?" It was not unheard of from where she came from. Traitors and deserters often got their throats opened before they could get far.

The woman suddenly reaches for the spare rabbit and takes it into her moth. She tosses it towards him unceremoniously. "Take it, eat." She grunts, "In return for this gracious gift, I ask your name."

*Shadow* · August 28, 2014, 05:39 AM

"Are you incapable of committing?" He shook his head, the smirk still on his face. "Or will you find yourself at the mercy of fang and claw should you try to leave?" He shrugged. "I'm gathering followers for my own pack and they'll probably won't kill me. I have friends that are still in the pack even though most have been kicked out for stupid reasons. I see no reason for staying there any longer."

He watched as the woman tossed him a rabbit. "Take it, eat." she grunts. "In return for this gracious gift, I ask your name." He looked at her surprised before dipping his head gratefully. "Thank you for this gift," he said to her softly. "I am Shadow."

Solveig Sterkr · September 04, 2014, 09:11 PM

Solveig could not understand the smirk. They were on the brink of the cold season, and he found mirth in his situation? Perhaps not mirth. Was it just a mask? That she could sympathize with, but there was not much need of it with her. She was a stranger; his fate did not matter so much to her, but she was curious all the same. It was in her nature to question, poke, and unearth the secrets of the world.

He spoke as she was tearing off another chunk of flesh, and she nodded thoughtfully, but waited until he introduced himself to reply. "Shadow, then. Where would you settle? This place seems crowded, and if your leader is as cold as she seems, I doubt this place would prove very fruitful for you and yours." The sun-kissed female smiles, "There is room to the south. Or to the north, if you fancy."

A beat, and then, "If you prove your resourcefulness, I might be so inclined to add my strength to yours in the future."

*Shadow* · September 05, 2014, 05:42 AM

"Shadow, then. Where would you settle? This place seems crowded, and if your leader is as cold as she seems, I doubt this place would prove very fruitful for you and yours." The sterling outrider twitched his ears as he listened. "There is room to the south. Or to the north, if you fancy." He lifted his head, "I know but I rather find a suitable home wherever that is."

"If you prove your resourcefulness, I might be so inclined to add my strength to yours in the future." A potential pack member, huh? He looked up, a faint smile decorating his face. "I will be looking forward to that," he said simply.

Solveig Sterkr · (This post was last modified: September 07, 2014, 07:17 PM by Solveig Sterkr.)

Would you like to wrap this up and do a follow up where stuff formally happens?

Solveig smiles, but there is a flash of hesitation that flickers behind her eyes. She lowers her muzzle to the kill and laps at the rock, cleaning up the rest of the pooling blood. The offering would have to wait until nightfall, when the gyrfalcons settle, and night descends. She raises her eyes to the sky, tracing the wheeling birds as they circle. "I will be here, if you find need of me." She remarks absently.

The sun-kissed woman steps down from the rock a final time and approaches Shadow. She meets his silver eyes with her own, waiting a moment, before reaching past him and touching his shoulder with her nose. "Valebis, Centurion. Be well." She murmurs, kissing his fur, before brushing past him toward the forest. She walks slowly to allow him room to speak one last time.