Whitefish River Merlot

Over the next few days, since her arrival at the Blacktail Deer Plateau, Wraen had established that they had chosen a crowded corner as their next settlement. Compared to the Sentinels, where one neighbours resided on an island in the ocean and the other were located in, what could be considered a land "far far away", these she could hear, smell and occasionally observe from the distance. And, while her travelling companions were not a pack and therefore did not have to adhere to the usual rules, Wraen thought that in this case it would be a common courtesy to introduce herself to the pack, who had claimed lands nearby, and see, who they were and how friendly they were going to be to the temporary residents of the forest. 

First she explored the scent marks left along the borders, to get a vague idea of, who lived here, and was surprised to find out that at least two scents seemed a bit familiar. She racked her brain to recall, if any of her old acquaintances had claimed home in the flatlands, but none came to her mind and she concluded that, to whomever the smell passports belonged, must have been someone she had met maybe once, twice at most and a very long time ago. Then she chose a good spot to sit down (a diplomatic and safe distance from the borders, in case the residents were not friendly at all), checked the area behind her, to see, which would be the best route to flee, if it ever came to that, and then tipped her head back and howled for anyone from the pack to come and meet her. 

With this done, she waited.

A chill autumn breeze greeted Aliana when she woke up to...snow?

The first flakes...?
A flurry whirled around as if dancing through the air. Has Winter come or was this just a forewarning of what's to come in the following months? Either way, snow wasn’t about to make her shirk her duties.

Aliana followed along the border, counterclockwise, letting the scent markers left by previous patrols steer her around the territory. She properly left fresh scent marks of her own while she walked, patrolling at a leisurely pace until a howl sounded from farther down, close to the established border. It didn’t sound specific either, making her raise an eyebrow.

Strange… 
Aliana picked up the pace, her leisurely stroll becoming a hastened trot while her mind hastily filed through the possibilities. Could be another joiner like she was, one of their allies, or possibly one of the packs she should be wary of. That would be the intenser one, depending on who they were, she very well might have to chase them off or hope someone comes to join her side.

It wasn’t long before she laid eyes on the stranger standing by their border—a small dark gray she-wolf. At a glance, the she-wolf seemed friendly, but looks can be deceiving so she wasn’t going to judge just yet. 

Aliana approached from the other side of the border, posturing ever so slightly but keeping a general neutral stance, giving them a gentle smile, ❝  Greetings❟ Stranger. What brings you to our borders?   ❞ 

Wraen did not have to wait for too long - she heard the sound of approaching footfalls from her left, raised to her feet and waited for the wolf to appear. She was not afraid, though judging from the noise alone, someone definitely bigger and stronger than her was making it's way towards her. 

She met a tall, bear-like she-wolf and for a moment it seemed as if both measured each other head-to-toe with their gazes - it was decided that for now either could be civil. The other's smile broke the momentarily iciness and Wraen smiled sincerely in response. "Good day to you too! My name is Wraen and me and some of my friends have settled in a forest nearby. It's a temporary home, but I thought I should come and introduce ourselves, since you live the closest," she explained.

"And find out beforehand, which lands are off-limits and where are we allowed to hunt freely," she said. "What is the name of your pack you represent?"

Of course, after having little to no action, one can see the flaming wolf running through the forest with such a smile. She smelled them, the scent of a packmate and someone she did not know! Not too many wander to the borders of Kaistleoki, and as the new Knight Commander, Orlaith was all too excited to meet.

Sadly someone beat her, but nonthless, she came with a large grin, "We are Kaistleoki," the guard said as she appeared from the shadows. Her voice was attempted to be tempered enough not to seem short-of-breathe, since she did run for this opportunity, "I am Orlaith, the Knight Commander."

Aliana pondered this for a bit, she wasn’t well versed in the pack and its ins and outs quite yet. So she didn’t know if Kaistleoki had a Hunting Grounds outside of the Main territory. She was about to reply until another wolf came exploding out of the shadows like they were hunting them, another Kaistleoki wolf. She’s let them proclaim their pack’s name than their own. 

Orlaith, huh?

❝  This is Wraen. ❞ Aliana introduced, ❝  She and her group of friends temporarily settled in the forests nearby. She came asking if there were any lands to avoid for when they hunt.  ❞ She explained to Orlaith, in case they didn't overhear their brief introduction and situation.

She turned her head back to Wraen, ❝  I am new in this pack, Wraen. But I'm sure we do not claim any other land besides our own.  ❞ Aliana gave a ‘Right...?’ glance to Orlaith, knowing they had been in this pack longer than her.

The last thing Aliana wanted was to say one thing, only for a scuffle to happen later in the future due to her lack of knowledge. She was going off of what Count Ira had told her and she spoke nothing about hunting grounds. When thinking of her, it made her wonder if she'd feel comfortable with a group of loners nestling so close to Kaistleoki.

Probably not.

Just because Wraen was nice didn't mean the rest of them were and with the pups still walking about. Ira would want to look into this further...

The bearlike she-wolf was soon joined by another wolf - tall and well-built - who claimed to be a Knight Commander. Wraen acknowledged the higher-ranking individual with a polite nod, then faced Aliana to hear, what she had to say on matters she had inquired about. 

It was a relief to know that unlike Moonspear, who considered not only their mountain as theirs, but all of the surrounding areas as their claim too, Kaistleoki seemed to be content with, what they had got. And, since it was early in the winter still, Wraen hoped that during her stay in the plateau they would not have any conflicts about, who is allowed to hunt and where.

"Nice to meet you, Orlaith," she replied, when the time was proper to do it. "It's me, my sister and two family friends in the group. We have taken up residence in the plateau north of here. A temporary one and we will probably leave in few weeks time," she explained. "I hope that in the meanwhile we can be good neighbours. Have your pack been here long?

Because two summers back I lived nearby and roamed frequently in the flatlands and I do not recall a pack with your name being here." 

permission from Ira to have behind the scenes information

Who was this wolf- Orlaith didn't know Aliana. Slightly did she give a narrowed stare to the other, but smelling Kaistleoki, and a bit of Ira, it was easy to deduct it was yet another member, she had not met. Though they seemed more relatively new, as the scent was not as deep compared to others. Was this the wolf the Count briefly mentioned she could help train?

"Nice to meet you too," then the flamed wolf turned back to Wraen, a friendly grin with a prideful stance, "Kaistleoki has been standing shortly after, while not relatively new, new to those who haven't been in the area for a while. Around summer, was when we were created." Orlaith and Ira at times would patrol together, and every so often would a new detail of Kaistleoki drop from the Count. Their history may not be as rich compared to others, but the group was still growing. Now, she too was growing alongside with it.

Though Wraen mistaken one thing- technically not the highest of ranks, as three others were above herself.

"We once inhabited the plains, so while not particulary territorial, it is a place we hunt. Otherwise, neutrality." With a wave of her paw, she explained as so. The group of trade-wolves were not as territoral as some, and mostly kept within their little land. It was quite lush with prey itself, so they didn't have an official hunting ground unlike some others. Being flourished with fish was also a blessing, so meals were always alright.

Aliana sat back and let Orlaith explained to Wraen that though they from time to time hunt in Horshor Plains, they were not territorial about others hunting in it. Understandably as their territory was lush with prey but Aliana knew they would change. When Winter hits fish will be hidden under a sheet of ice, a good chunk of prey will be either sleeping through the winter or traveling for food.

She hoped that their paths won’t cross in the wrong way. Aliana puts the pack first when it comes to food and any other needs especially when it comes to Winter. 

❝  If you don't mind me asking but ... what the names of the wolves in your group? And how many are in your group?  ❞ Aliana asked, rejoining the conversation.

"Kaistleoki is a very peculiar name for a pack," Wraen observed, having learned that usually good name was followed by a story that was just as interesting. "Does it have a meaning in a foreign language or do you adher to some certain traditions that go along with the name?" she asked, hoping that her curiousity would be sated, since she was always so happy to learn something new. 

The bear-like wolf, however, needed a little more convincing, before she would settle in the conversation as easily as Orlaith had. Wraen had no qualms against answering her questions: "There are three others at present - my younger sister Maia and Penn - both grayscale wolves - and Arthur - the black sheep in our group in the literal sense."

Orlaith also agreed on the weird name, but it wasn't her business, "Before our current Count Ira took over, there was a previous one named Evergreen. From what I was told, it was a combination of names that were dear to him, or something like that." Was it as cool as Wraen had hoped? Nope. Was it as cool as Orlaith hoped too? Nope. 

"You guys aren't making a pack or interested in joining one?" It was a big enough group where surely, one could be forming anytime soon. Though at the same time, the knight wouldn't resist trying to tempt some to join their castle-band. Orlaith already expressed the need for more warriors, and while Wraen didn't in particular looked like one, she wouldn't be able to say the same with the mysterious friends and family of hers.

The information eased Aliana’s mind a bit; a small band, nothing to worry about and they seem nice enough. But still, something to keep an occasional eye on, just in case. And when it came to the name of Kaistleoki she was not one to judge the name of a Pack.

She glanced at Orlaith before tacking on something of her own, ❝  As we all know, Winter isn’t exactly a ... ' kind ' mistress. She's nipping at our heels as we speak; won't be long before everything covered in a fresh sheet of snow and prey becomes few and far in between.  ❞ 

It'd be sad to know that Wraen and her group are going to be out there—possibly struggling—in the upcoming Wintery cold. But she doesn't doubt their fortitude as she too had once spent a Winter out there, alone and without a pack, but still survived.

"Not at present, no," Wraen shook her head lightly, though this was not the first time she answered this question, since she had departed from Firebirds. Occasionally that thought entered her mind and theoretically the were a very small pack, but she was nowhere ready to either be part of very structured and rigid group, nor she wished to take more responsibilities as that of just caring for herself and those two - three closest people that were travelling with her. Besides - all of them were adults, therefore she could count on them not getting lost or being kidnapped, or... whatever happened to kids, who wandered away. 

"This will be my fifth winter - I know the mistress well - and it is true on, what you say. The hardest part is still to come," she replied to Aliana's observation. "If it comes to being too difficult to bear, I am sure we will seek a home to join and therefore I will keep your welcome in mind," she dipped her muzzle politely to show her gratitude. "You are fairly traditional then in the pack management?" Wraen asked, realizing that she just could have made her inquiry less complicated. "The reason I am asking - I have met quite a few packs in my lifetime that adher to interesting traditions, even religions. Some are peculiar and some - downright scary," she said.

"I am unfamiliar what is 'traditional,' but we have our Count, Ira, and her two within the council of wolves. Then the rest, such as I, who are skilled in what we are valued in." Even before losing memories, 'traditional' was a vague statement to the wolf who once belonged to a fairy clan. They had the Queen and her fairies, otherwise she did not know what was 'normally' used. 

"Though pretty sure we aren't a cult." Orlaith laughed at the thought of 'religion' being ingrained into this pack. She saw them as being more cultists if the core-region of such a pack was spurned by the religious antics. Surely she wouldn't have stayed if so, and no one tried to do a lecture on Gods or Spirits.

"What packs have you seen?" She asked curiously.

From what Aliana was taught, Packs differ from one another in ruling, but one thing remains the same; there’s an Upper and Lower caste. Ruling and Subjects. In the case of her home Pack, there was an Upper, Middle, and Lower caste. She and her siblings sat right in the Upper-Middle, possibly even Lower- Upper since they were the older litter of the Alphas. 
 
That’s what Aliana assumed what Wraen meant by ‘traditional’ but then she spoke about some packs being scary, her mind immediately went to the Saints and Ursus. She wouldn’t call them ‘ scary ‘, if anything they were just bullies and, at worse, threats and that could be scary to some.
 
Aliana lets Orlaith ask her question first, then she’d ask her own. If Wraen had run into or seen the Silent Ebony She-wolf with purple eyes anytime recently in the area or possible any time during her travels. And if not to warn Wraen of Her and of Ursus. Hopefully, Orlaith was thinking the same thing.
 
They had a pack, they didn’t have to worry too much about possibly getting jumped out of the blue by one of them, but Wraen only had herself and her small group.

Wraen's ideas of, what traditional meant was within the same line Aliana thought. Ordinary, hard-working people, with values and realistic view of life. Those she had deemed to be scary were traditionalists in some sense, but had a religion or a way of dealing with things that hardly sat well with, what was normal. It was good thing to know that Kaistleoki people weren't freaks and therefore not much of an actual threat. 

"I am not informed much about the present goings and happenings in this valley and the next, but in my time I have met packs that worshipped the sea goddess and the moon, favoured women strongly over the men. I have heard about wolves that have a deity of darkness as their guide and, which excuses every evil thing they do in her name," she told. "There are packs that seem traditional at the first glance, but then you realize they too worship something too - pride and control above all," she explained. "I have been told of packs, where one man has many wives and tough northerners, who raid and plunder, to sate their bloodlust and their bloodthirsty gods," Wraen said. "Then, of course, there are those, who defer to no god, but believe firmly in the non-existence of gods. And yet it is also a form of a belief too," she smiled. "To sum it up - life of wolves is surprisingly diverse."

The more that Wraen talked of these packs the more she thought some wolves had a screw loose. However, at the same time anything that she knew was based on Kaistleoki, and even the usual greek system was something she currently did not know. The thoughts of a pack surrounding the Gods and Goddess's gave a question to the one, who wasn't sure.

Orlaith didn't even know if she believed in a God, for the thought never occurred really. Never once did she pray to one, nor' did she ever scorn and say whoever was above, wasn't real. The thoughts of such entity made her head steam a bit that she had to shake her head to brush such thoughts aside, as it grew too complicated for the simple minded female brute.

"You have a lot of experience- what's your next step?" Curiously enough, someone with so much expertise surely was wasting away by chillin' just nearby. Was there plans ahead for Wraen?

Aliana was curious too but does not doubt Wraen’s fortitude. She survived five Winters compared to her measly two— about to be three. Though whether those Winters were entirely on her own or within a Pack was up for question. Aliana won’t bug her about the details.
 
She waited for Wraen to finish replying to Orliath’s question before speaking up herself, ❝  We should warn of two problematic packs, you could or may run into if you haven’t already heard of them.  ❞ Problematic felt like a bit of an understatement...or maybe an overstatement? 

❝   There’s a pack in the Valley on the other side of the Mountains named Ursus. A vicious group. I’ve had a run-in with one of them—a Black she-wolf with purple eyes. She doesn’t talk verbally, but she will talk with her fangs.  I don’t think they travel beyond the Valley but they could and possibly have.  ❞  She hasn’t yet seen or smelt of Ursus anywhere near Kaistleoki as yet and she wished to keep it that way, ❝  And then there’s the Saints, a pack of rogues that have caused nothing but trouble with not only our Pack but other Packs in the area as well. They’ve done a lot of unsavory things that I prefer not to get into and wish not upon you or your group.  ❞

Wraen took the warning about the two rogue packs very seriously. A day later or so Mal of Neverwinter forest would warn her of the very same people, which would mean that the danger was neither imaginary, nor exaggerated. Neither names of the two groups she had heard before, but it was no wonder - she had led a quite secluded life for almost two years - things had changed rapidly around here. Good packs had appeared as well as potential evil ones. 

"I will be careful," she promised Aliana, who was the more business-like of the two, whereas Orlaith with the privilege of the higher rank could act more freely. At least that was, what Wraen thought she had observed. "Next step - we have not thought much about that yet. We have left our pack fairly recently and I am not ready to jump back to the duties and responsibilities that come along with it. But my two companions are younger than me - who knows, what will happen in lives of young people," she grinned. Maia was one for sure, Arcturus - it was kind of an irony there. He was young physically, but in is presence Wraen felt as if he was a very old soul. Go figure, why was it so. 

"Well, I have kept you two from your duties for far too long," she said, raising to her feet and preparing to go. "It was nice meeting you two and I hope that we run into each other in the future on just as cordial terms as we have had today." 

Then she left.