Totoka River electric zoo

@Caiaphas - if you're still interested in meeting someone who can tell your toon about the local packs. Otherwise, open to anyone!

While the currently nomadic pack rested near the seashore, preparing to move further north this evening, Junior ventured toward the forks of Totoka River for a drink of fresh water. She thought she saw one of the consorts shadowing her, yet when she glanced over her shoulder, she saw no one. Shrugging to herself, she dipped her black muzzle toward the clear water and drank deeply, then lifted her head and licked her chops as she stared south, in the direction of Stavanger Bay.

She was tempted to visit her second family while she was so near, yet Junior didn't want to stray too far from the group. Maybe once they were settled, she could venture down the shore to the bay. For now, she spun on an inky black heel and began to lope back toward the stretch of beach where the Nereides slept away the hot August afternoon.

Caiaphas had only the vaguest idea of where Stavanger Bay's endless shoal stopped: the tide and the salt did well to mask any sort of territorial marking and she found that most of the beach seemed locked in a state of transience. She was happy enough to trot down the abandoned shore-line and occasionally she would interact with the local wildlife - all of whom were less than overjoyed to bear her presence. She trotted without much purpose, her lanky form and gangly trot with its ground-covering stride made her seem disproportionate and leggy. She would have continued the aimless path she was forging were it not for the inkjet wolf she bespied breaking the monotony of cream sand and dull grey water. She halted immediately, her careless yellow eyes trained on the shadow-wolf. She wasn't sure how to meet the creature, so instead she stared -- awkwardly.

Junior didn't get more than a few dozen steps before she sensed someone watching her again, only from the other direction. She paused, then looked over her shoulder. Mostly expecting no one to be there, she started slightly when she saw a wolf staring awkwardly in her direction. The young she-wolf swung around fully, brow furrowing.

"Hey," the young Outrider called. She wanted to add, What are you staring at? Instead, she asked, "What do you want?" While she awaited a response, she studied the stranger from afar, noting her peculiar markings and electric yellow eyes.

She visibly stared, her posture unmoving save for the rift of fur uplifted by riffling seabreeze. The female turned face and addressed her - Caiaphas stiffened slightly, gaze suddenly adverting as she realized she may have come across as incredibly rude. She couldn't tell from the dark female's tone alone whether or not she was irked by her unorthodox mein -- she flicked a tail in some disarming gesture and proffered an impish smile. They were not that far apart in age, and for a moment, Caiaphas forgot her reservations. "What do I want?" She echoed, as if she were actually contemplating the question and the answer required. "I want a lobotomy. I want an orca for breakfast. I want stoat and I can't find it anywhere. I want this stupid ocean to stop smelling so terrible, I want to know where the flip I am and how I got here! How can I possibly answer that question? What do you want?" Her voice, at once both shrill and hoarse, seemed accusatory and for a moment she met the others' gaze, unsure of where to go from here.

The stranger's strange answer went above and beyond disarming. It made Osprey Jr. uneasy. Was this lady what they called a raving lunatic? Junior licked her lips, which still tasted sweet from her drink, and pondered how to respond. She dug her black toes into the sand, subtly bracing herself in case things escalated.

"I meant," she finally answered, "what do you want from me? You were staring at my butt," she pointed out. "The ocean smells good," Junior added in a slightly defensive voice, "and it's not stupid." She had only been with the Nereides for a few days and already she was picking up on their beliefs. And the Sea was sacred to them.

Caiaphas was only vaguely sorry for making this respectable citizen uneasy: in her mind, she was a perfectly rational creature. It didn't matter to her that her small outburst was somewhat disquieting, regardless of the fact she was practically subjecting a child to her frightful whims. She watched the female lick her lips - was that in unease? -- her brow furrowed briefly, parroting the very expression Junior bore. "Maybe I was looking at it because it's nice." She quipped, a light cackle ushered from her lips. She, like Junior, was mildly uncomfortable -- but for entirely different reasons. Caiaphas had no intention of betraying her true emotions and if this meant being even more bewildering, so be it. She canted her muzzle to the side as Junior valiantly defended the shore against Caiaphas' derision. "Did you grow up here?" That was, in her mind, the only explanation on why someone could possibly enjoy this giant wasteheap.

The youth's eyes narrowed slightly at the comment about her hindquarters, not sure what to make of it. She decided not to say anything at all. Butts were butts and there was nothing particularly wonderful or horrible about her own, as far as she knew.

She saw no reason not to answer the question, though. "Not here, specifically. I grew up in a pack further inland. I just joined a group of wolves who's trying to find a place to settle along the coast. There's a dozen of us," she said, which was a small exaggeration, just in case the stranger was considering messing with them.

Deciding to ask a question of her own, Junior said, "Do you have a pack?" Although the stranger was just that (strange), she appeared to be an able-bodied female. And while she had never felt particularly compelled to recruit while at the plateau, she suddenly took that part of her Outrider trade very seriously. After all, she still had a lot to prove to her new family.

i'm loving your fingers of fire!!!

Her quip about the dark female's haunches remained unanswered: this elicited a small frown from the erratic female. She scowled briefly, her gaze focused on the interminable reaches of the ocean. She may have looked distracted, but one ear was sharply pulled in the direction of Junior's words. She realized, perhaps belatedly, that if she wanted any sort of useful information from Junior she should behave less wildly. As if in the hopes to placate the female she slid onto her stomach, rough paws buried into the cold sand. Junior certainly seemed open to discussion, which Caiaphas could appreciate. Knowing Junior probably wouldn't answer much more without Caiaphas sacrificing answers of her own, the female elected to be forthright. "What pack is that? I'm thinking about Stavangar Bay." She paused for a moment, a roll of her shoulders given in a careless manner. "Considering it." She reiterated.

Is it okay if I pop in with Atlas?

The new acquisition was something of an oddity to Atlas, who hadn't been privy to the lives of neophytes while he grew up; they were a mystery to him still, and he was mildly curious about Junior specifically. When she began to wander away from the group he was instinctively pulled along with her, watching in the silently astute manner of the protector. There were a few moments that Atlas was tempted to outright approach her, to ask questions about the world outside of the Nereides influence, but such thoughts were fleeting.

It wasn't until the child was approached by a reedy stranger that Atlas felt compelled to arrive. He had been minding Junior as well as searching the coast for a gift for Akantha - still hoping to earn her favor, an endeavor which had so far been fruitless - when he overheard a voice upon the wind. When he turned to peer in Junior's direction he saw the stranger and forgot all about his trinket hunt. He approached from behind the youth but did not intervene quite yet; so far, the stranger seemed intent on only chatting, and there was no harm in that.

:D

Edit: Shadow-posted! Editing to acknowledge Atlas's post...

When the other she-wolf slid onto her belly, it did make Junior feel a bit better. She took a few steps closer, then took a seat herself. Perhaps three yards stretched between them. If their conversation continued, she might move even closer, yet for the moment Junior was satisfied with their proximity.

"The bay is a good pack. My foster parents rule it," the youngster said. "I was born in Blacktail Deer Plateau, which is ruled by my father and his new mate. She is not my mother," she was quick to clarify, some coldness creeping into her voice. "Now I'm part of the Nereides. At least, I run with them. We're still looking for a place to call home. Somewhere along the coast," she repeated. "Once that happens, I can work on becoming a full-fledged sister," Junior added, speaking in a tone that indicated just how much she looked forward to this and how much it meant to her.

Although she felt a little guilty for robbing Ragnar of a possible recruit, Junior didn't let it stop her from saying, "If you're interested, there's room for you with the sisterhood." It hadn't stopped her from trying to take her sisters from their father either. "What's your name?" she asked, suddenly sounding a bit more open and friendly. Accordingly, she scooted a few feet closer.

Simultaneously, she sensed someone approaching from behind and she turned to see one of the consorts there, after all. She gazed at him a moment, trying to remember his name. Atlas, she thought to herself. Junior tipped her muzzle to acknowledge him, then turned back to face the oddball female.

She felt the dampness of the sand between her paws, feeling it around her elbows and stomach alike: a cool rush that seemed to almost mollify her eclecticism. Junior seemed visibly relieved to see Caiaphas assume a less threatening position: and truthfully, as strange as Caiaphas was, she was not often violent. She was too weedy and thin to be any presentable threat to nearly any wolf. Standing half a head smaller than most wolves herself, it was suitable her prowess lied in areas other than strength or aggression. Her attention fastened on an unknown wolf that approached from behind Junior. Visibly she stiffened, her upper lip lifted in an unpleasant grimace to silently warn Junior of his approach. She was not one to assume every wolf was friendly, and despite his distance, she remained very still and on guard. "There's a wolf behind you." Her beady eyes shifted from the two. "Friend of yours?" The coywolf licked her lips, unsure if she should still be interacting with the dark female. She had noted the coldness Junior's tone when she mentioned her not-mother, and instinctively, Caiaphas targeted that. "You don't like your not-mother? Why don't you have the Nadiddies or what say you get her?" She contemplated this for a moment - that would certainly be a most exciting enterprise. "I am Caiaphas. When you say sister, do you mean celibate?" The mark of concern was worn clear on her brow -- Caiaphas found a life of chastity and piety most unsettling.

Skip me anytime since he's just keeping an eye out!

There was a moment upon approach where the stranger's face lit with an unfriendly scowl, and the turn of their lip made Atlas experience a bevy of emotions; on one hand he was urged to scowl back, but did not; on the other, he was inclined to duck his head and pay homage to the woman, even though they were not of his own righteous sort, so well was he trained. He was caught in a crossfire, unsure of what to do - but the split second of indecision was remedied by a small glance from Junior, who acknowledged his presence as well. Her head bob was met with a small bow of his own, and while he took her motion to indicate the passive nature of the conversation, he still cast a careful, scrutinizing look upon the strange woman as he moved a few feet away. If the stranger moved to spoil whatever calm had been instilled here, Atlas would be swift and just in his defense of Junior.

"That's Atlas. He's one of the consorts," Junior replied, then paused when Caiaphas pinned on a few other questions. "No, I don't. But I don't wish harm on her. She's my dad's mate. And it's pronounced Nereides." She paused, trying to remember what celibate meant. Then it clicked and she shook her head, "No, though the sisters partake in a special breeding ritual. I... that's all I can tell you about that," Junior said, as she was supposed to guard their secrets carefully.

She took her turn to introduce herself. "My name is Junior." She glanced at Atlas again, though she'd already introduced him. Her eyes returned to Caiaphas. "Something I can tell you is this: the Nereides place women above men. Even the lowest-ranked female puppy is above the consorts. If you want to join a group that reveres your womanhood, the Nereides might be a perfect fit. And if you joined us, you could learn all of our secrets," she finished with a sort of sly smile.

She regarded the male coldly as Junior spoke; it did not calm her in the slightest that the two of them were comrades. Despite Junior addressing him as a 'consort', Caiaphas could not shake the feeling if an altercation arose or if they chased her, she would be at a great disadvantage. As weaselly and manipulative as she was, she was not incredibly disingenuous; particularly not when she did not possess the upper hand. Was consort another term for body guard? Was he supposed to be some sort of deterrent? But Junior was just as adroit; and Caiaphas fell for her lure hook line and sinker... Nothing pleased the idiot coywolf more than being bossy and superior to men. She wriggled forwards, crawling on her stomach with the most imploring and piteous of faces. "I'm interested..." Her gaze flickered to the consort mistrustfully. Would he obey her if she uttered any sort of commandment? She looked back to Junior, a shadow of disbelief troubling her brow. "Do the Nadi-- Neriddl- you people make sacrifices?" She looked hopeful, and with a slight vein of cruelty, her gaze focused pointedly on the shadow-consort behind them.

Atlas rarely listened in to the conversations between the Nereides, as it was not his place. It was a habit he was loathe to break simply because it was a rule, and rules were not meant to be broken; but at the same time, he didn't quite see Junior as a fully fledged Nereides yet. She was so new to the group - and so foreign to their ways - that he found the conversation to be quite interesting. What fleeting pieces he had gathered so far, anyway.

Junior mentioned her father's mate, which was a curious phrase. It sounded as if the dark girl came from a world where women were the property of men, and that was just ridiculous. That this woman, whoever she was, belonged to a mortal man and not the sea. No wonder Aktaie and Psamanthe wanted to settle down here! The teachings of Mother Moon had indeed been lost.

He turned an ear when the stranger mentioned sacrifices, and as he idly slouched in to a laying position nearby, Atlas found himself suppressing the desire to snort obnoxiously. Perhaps he should shepherd Junior away from this heathen simply to avoid the ridiculous questions.

Junior's nostrils flared and her ears cupped forward at the words, "I'm interested." She resisted the urge to correct Caiaphas again, as well as the impulse to immediately tell her the truth as she understood it, which was that the Nereides certainly didn't partake in sacrifices. She peered sideways at Atlas, aware that he was listening. She just hoped he wouldn't interrupt as she continued her attempt to bait this possible recruit.

"I can't tell you that," Junior said in a conspiratorial tone that heavily implied that they just might do such things. Her eyes glittered impishly. She sensed Caiaphas's hopefulness. "Like I said, you have to join to learn our secrets. Why don't you come with me? I can introduce you to my queen and her sisters," she coaxed evenly, standing suddenly and turning halfway, readying to trot Caiaphas back to the group of sirens.

Caiaphas' intense gaze remained on the male as he settled a distance away - she was not yet completely assured by his presence and for the moment, found him to be a mild annoyance. A flicker of her torn ears suggested this, and with a sharp snap of her head she brought her attention back to Junior, who spoke in the most enticing of manners. But the wastrel thing, however interested, was not yet convinced of their intentions. Her ears pinned as Junior withheld the answer to her question: this seemed most troubling. A soft frown graced her already constantly stormy countenance. She flinched as the dark female stood upright in a sudden manner. "Does this work on every idiot you meet?" She asked scornfully, her blackened gums pulled backwards. She didn't budge. "I'll come with you, only if you humor me a little longer." Her eyes flickered back to Atlas -- and a stark realization hit her. Was he here to abduct her if she declined Junior's offer? Her hackles rose almost immediately, and she rose to place distance between the two. "If you tell me now, and I join, then what is the harm of it? Maybe," She stepped forwards, her eyes as impish as Junior's own --"you tell me everything I need to know and if I don't join, your cohort over there can kill me. That's exciting, isn't it?"

Things appeared to be going swimmingly — and Atlas couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by that. The idea of having to obey the gaunt creature was not something he wanted to entertain, even as a faithful servant to the sirens. Perhaps the stranger picked up on his internalized dislike; she seemed astute enough, albeit a little... Bizarre. The girl was suddenly wise to Junior's efforts and rebuking them with sharp words, even going so far as to concoct an outrageous scenario that she readily voiced. Whoever this was, they were far too corrupted to be swayed back to the Mother — at least in the consort's humble opinion.

Junior was already on her feet, showing an eagerness that Atlas would've been proud of if he had been one of the sisters. But when the stranger rose it was not to follow, but to recoil and snap wild accusations. He couldn't help but feel a tremulous sensation across his body as his earth-toned fur began to spike, and the consort flashed the stranger a careful look - abruptly wary of her intentions - before landing his stoic expression upon Junior: silently asking her with a raise of his brows, is everything alright?

Caiaphas's sharp, scornful words caused Junior's ears to pin backward. They took her off guard, though eventually she protested truthfully, "I don't think you're an idiot..." Before Junior could get another word in edgewise, Caiaphas challenged her to a macabre game of sorts.

"No," the youth replied flatly. "they're not just my secrets to tell. I was trying to take you to meet them so they could tell you more. But forget it," she added dismissively, realizing now that the Nereides didn't need such an unpredictable wolf, even if she was female. Between talk of sacrifices and her strange offer just now, the youth sensed a violence in the woman. Junior's previous disquiet had now turned into full-blown discomfort with the situation.

She was tempted to turn to Atlas and sweep back home with him with nary a backward glance. Instead, Junior stood her ground, eyes fixed on Caiaphas's yellow-eyed face to see how she might retort.

Junior's flat-toned dismissal, in its own way, was just as cutting as Caiaphas's disdain -- and for a moment the fretful female withered, unsure if this was another trick. Her willful eyes flickered back to the consort, unsure of what his true purpose was. His hackles, like her own, were slightly upright -- and the ruffled appearance made her doubly unsure. Caiaphas was then rightfully confused when Junior did not outright leave -- if she was as honest as she tried to make Caiaphas believe, why had she not already abandoned the coywolf? Caiaphas stiffened, disappointed her (skewed) offer had been so hastily declined. "No!" She frowned, her tone sharp though no move was made to stop them. They were, after all, both more capable than her -- and two to one rarely ever worked in the outnumbered's favor. "You should bring me with you." This was, in her own way, an admission she was being unreasonable -- but she wasn't ready to be rid of yet. She was still not entirely convinced their intentions were pure, but in the mean time if it meant she was being amused, she was willing to tag along. "You should tell me about the other packs too, while we're walking. Walking and talking, you see?" The weaselly thing made a motion to walk forward, though she was careful not to do so in the direction of the youth -- making it clear she was not about to become aggressive.

Junior appeared to have enough sense that the stranger's antics could not go without rebuttal, and she was evidently skeptical of the odd girl. Atlas caught the look she passed to him and was ready to intervene, but then the dark-furred neophyte chose to stand her ground and face the oddity before her with determination.

You should bring me with you. the stranger's voice grated in his ears, and they flicked back in mimicry of Junior's brief expression. If she chose to take this creature to the others it was her choice - Atlas had no say in the matter - but he hoped that they didn't have to meet this foul thing. While waiting for a decision from Junior, Atlas chose to lift himself up and take a few steps away from the pair - but he kept his attention locked upon them both, with twisted ears and the occasional glance towards the dark girl's stationary figure.

Caiaphas seemed to repent a little, insisting Junior and Atlas take her with them after all. The youth's eyes narrowed, becoming little more than slits as she proposed they walk and talk. She's not a good fit, her instincts warned. Her eyes cut to Atlas to see what he made of the idea. He seemed noncommittal, likely deferring to her. Junior was still unused to this, though her chest puffed up as her gaze returned to Caiaphas.

"I can't stop you," Junior said at length, mostly because it was true. "I won't vouch for you. It's up to the matriarch and her sisters whether you're worth their time." She reminded herself that just because she brought Caiaphas by to meet the sirens didn't mean they would accept her. Junior just hoped they wouldn't hold it against her for bringing such a loose cannon to them. "You'd better be on your best behavior if you want a chance," she said sharply.

Without another word, Junior turned and began marching back toward the pack's temporary campsite. "Come on, Atlas," she said, trying to sound imperious but failing because she was just too new to this. "What do you want to know?" she asked of Caiaphas, her lack of patience showing in her clipped tone as she strode rapidly along the strand.

Caiaphas was somewhat offput by the male's unremitting silence -- had he nothing to contribute to the matter? Did he not care if she was committed to his fold? Her ears laced back briefly, but she refrained from articulating her disquiet. Junior had already taken the helm, marching in swift cadence in a direction Caiaphas had yet to travel. As if meekly, the Varkentje followed. She swung her gaze back to the male to see if he was following -- she didn't care for the idea of having a stranger bring up the rear (namely hers) but he had been noninvasive so far. Junior spoke, her tone flippant at best -- and Caiaphas quickened the pace so the two of them were marginally abreast; her long stride suggesting predatory elegance. "I just want to know who we are up against."

Not sure if you guys are going to have another thread with a higher-up Nereides or if we're waiting on someone else, so I just tagged as I wrote. :D

He was indifferent until Junior bade him to rise, in which case the consort was swift to assume motion. His strides were quick at first to make up for the distance between them, but once they began to move, he fell in to an easy, almost lazy lope that would afford the girls some privacy to continue their chat. The only thing Atlas was needed for, in this case, was to protect Junior in case the volatile stranger became absolutely intolerable and aggressive. So far, she seemed only mildly combative; however, she seemed eager enough to learn about the Nereides as their ways. The beast followed after them in continued silence, shadowing Junior as they began to search for one of the adepts. Perhaps @Aktaie would greet them, or @Psamathe - either one would easily see the harsh nature of this girl (although some part of Atlas believed that Psamathe would find it endearing).

We should probably fade this in the next round or two, then Lauren may want to see if anyone's interested in/available for a follow-up thread? You'd be welcome to power play Junior off to the side if so. :)

Caiapha's choice of words earned a cutting sideways glance from Junior, whose lips pursed for a moment before she retorted coolly, "'Up against'? The packs here leave one another alone." She paused for a few breathy strides, then said, "There's Stavanger Bay, Blacktail Deer Plateau, Swiftcurrent Creek, Ouroboros Spine," she listed, fumbling slightly through the spine's pronunciation, "and The Sunspire. Those are the packs I know about, anyway. There might be more around," she added with a shrug.

"None are at war," she repeated after another pause. She glanced backward to make sure Atlas was following, then looked directly at her female counterpart. "Sorry if that's a disappointment," Junior added with a touch of sarcasm, having sensed Caiaphas's bloodthirsty preferences from their exchange thus far. "The wolves at the spine have the bloodiest history, I think, if that's what you're looking for. Murder and suicide and stuff." The Outrider faced forward now, having spotted her would-be sisters up ahead.