Broken Antler Fen pазве ты не знаешь, я тебе не годюсь?

i know Aiyy can't technically join officially and i'm not sure how you guys feel about dogs but feel free to chase her away if they would consider her a wild animal/scavenger

Trees clustered on the banks of the half frozen wetlands, their bare branches sheathed in casings of ice that turned the forests to ghostly, fantastical woods of white -- the makings of fairytale worlds. The winds snagged in them like a comb through tangled tresses, clinking together in a wintry melody amidst the symphony of bird calls. The Laika pattered along easily enough, her broad, tufted paws made for crossing snows heavier than this. Her breaths fogged in the air with white plumes of steam, pink tongue occasionally lolling as the piebald loped along. 

After a time, the dog had drawn up along the borders of the everglade Fen, where fresh but noticeable scent markings had been  draped to claim the mires as belonging to a coalition of sorts -- Kuo couldn't be sure what kind though. The scents were definitely canid but they did not smell of her kind, nor any sort of canines she had met amongst the two-legs. As unfamiliar as the sled-dog was with wolves, she understood the sanctity of territory well enough. She made sure to stop well beyond the outlines of the pack's claim and settled in the snow cautiously. 

Domesticated as she might be, the tundrian was familiar with the concept of howling as a means of communication for even her own blood was prone to calling out to each other from a distance. She was quick to announce her presence -- lest she seem suspicious to the Fen's inhabitants -- by tipping her freckled head back and letting a thin howl pierce the air, the sound lacking the depth or strength of a wolf's. Hopefully, it would be enough to get her point across -- she was friendly and she was hoping to join their numbers.

Maia had seen a dog before - she'd had a friend once, massive, with some of the same features.  But it had been a long while, and when she caught sight of this one, she was captivated.  Her ears and build were so strange.  And her coat!!  What was she?  Bernard had still looked like a wolf.  This one did not in ways that made her fascinating.  The howl had sounded strange, and for a second, Maia convinced herself that this was a forest spirit.  They were supposed to be small and graceful, yeah?

She approached with a friendly manner.  Hey!  I'm Maia.  Oh wow she was a leader now, yeah? That meant she should probably, like, represent them or something?  She really should have paid more attention to proper ambassadoring.  Are you, uh, did you want something?  Very smooth.

skip me plz!

if maia chose a questioning route, teya chose an exclusive one. the thing perched at their borders was vermin insofar as the raven was concerned. but she had not come upon the creature first, and now from a distance watched maia speak to it as if it were capable of their speech.

She was not waiting long when two women drew forth from the sparse woodland. The first to arrive was a silver agouti, her deep argent pelt reminding Kuo vaguely of angry stormclouds ticked with hints of silver smoke. But her fur seemed the only turbulent thing about her, her gibeon gaze warm and her tones cheerful as she asked after the she-dog's summoning. It was then that the second arrived, a ginger shadow in the distance -- any disdain that might've been visible on her gentle features undiscernible from the canine's vantage point. It was very clear to Kuo that they were not dogs, as she had thought, and she guessed that they were wolves based on the tales her people had told -- and those of the dogs she had met in this land, waxing fantastical stories of wildling giants living amongst the trees. It seemed the stories were true, and the Laika found herself just as fascinated with the woman before her as the wolf found her.

"Приветствия," the piebald greeted, a small smile of her own unfurling upon her lips as she lowered her bespeckled ears and tucked the feathered curl of her tail as best she could in instinctive submission. Her natal clan's ways were not so different from their fierce ancestors' after all, there had been an unspoken hierarchy -- an order that was kept with the flash of fangs, warning snarls, the occasional clash of bodies and tearing of flesh. "Ah, that is to say: privetstviya. Hello," she added, grimacing a tiny bit as she realized the woman probably didn't speak her language. "I am Kuo."

"I hope I am not intruding. I smelt that there vas a group here and I thought to see if perhaps you are in search of more comrades," the she-dog explained her presence readily, her tail giving a hopeful wag -- never having experienced the prejudice some wolves held for "lower" canines, it didn't occur to the once-priestess that she might be turned away for being a dog. They were different animals, sure, but she just saw Maia as a bigger, wilder version of her own family back in Yakutia.

 

That was interesting! She used a few initial words that Maia had no familiarity with.  Oh, uh, hello!  She tried to remember the term after the fact, but the pronunciation had escaped her.  She couldn't repeat it in her head when she tried.

No! Not at all! I mean, maybe if you crossed, yeah.  But there's no problem being here, especially if you call and all.  This is Brecheliant.  Maia indicated the forest with a proud little wave of her tail.  If the name wasn't official yet, it was at least one she'd taken to.  It reminded her of stories of magic and heroic deeds, and to her mind, it suited the place perfectly.  And yeah! We definitely have room for more.  Where do you come from?  

She had to clamp it down right there.  She wanted to ask if everyone there looked like her, or if there was a reason for her strange appearance and size, but both of those questions were rude when she actually spent a moment and paused.

Brecheliant. It sounded noble and mystical, even to her untrained ears. Her fluffy plume gave a single wag, a little thrill of excitement skating along her spine as she committed the name to memory -- feeling a surge of relief when Maia assured thst there was no issue with her being here. "Oh, that is great news," she chirped softly, tail sweeping and brushing at her hocks in earnest now. "From very far, across the sea far to the east," and the she-dog gestured in an eastward direction as she said it. "I vas sent here about a year ago and vas living vith a two-leg before he vas attacked by a bear and we vere seperated."

"Now I seek a home in this land, amongst...vell, not my own kind," a small chuckle interspersed her words," but close enough anyways." She sent a smile in the other woman's direction, hoping she wouldn't take it the wrong way or anything. 

Maia cocked her head.  Two-leg was a pretty weird name for her friend to have, but maybe they had lost a few.  If that was the case, it probably wasn't something she liked having pointed out, so she decided not to comment on it.

That sounds exciting!  Well, not the part where you lost your friend.  Sorry!  But, like... the rest of it.  The slight accent she had only made it all the better, and it added to the feeling Maia had that this woman was more fae creature than wolf. 

She was just thinking to call for someone when she paused and her eyes widened.  Oh my gosh, haha! I forgot.  I'm actually kinda a leader here now.  Oh wow, what a professional way to introduce that fact too.  Embarrassed, Maia shifted her weight.  So, um, I think that means I can say that you can stay?  I haven't exactly... accepted anyone yet.  But I can show you around! And let anyone we run into know!

That made sense, right?  Surely no one would like, attack her or anything, she was super nice.  But just in case (and because Maia was fascinated) she was of course going to offer a tour.

teya out! <3

teya had stood here too long, had let it go on too long. and now maia's posture had softened. she did not wish to undermine her fellow raven; they made decisions as one, after all. but the violet was unsure of how such things worked, and moreover, did not want to insult the sister of wraen.
and so she turned and loped away, ears slanted backward for any sounds that might rise to their disapproving slope.

Not realizing that the Raven thought she meant a fellow canid, she only shrugged lightly, stating, "I vas not too fond of the two-legs anyways. They can be quite cruel." And for a moment, her spotted ears tipped back a bit anxiously as she recalled the sharp words spat her way, the bruising blows of a shoe or some other handheld object, the crushing fingers wrapped around her muzzle or forcing her into the confines of a claustrophobic cage. Bad dog!

"Oh, vell congrats!" The she-dog offered with a few little prancing steps -- excited by the smoky she-wolf's excitement. "Sounds good to me. I can't vait," she murmured genuinely in a cheerful chirp, feathered legs and hocks quivering with her glee. She dared to press closer, moving to stand alongside her newfound friend. She sniffed at the larger lupine, a little hesitantly since she didn't want to offend the leader, and would even touch her nose to the woman's chin in friendly submission if allowed. 

This time, Maia noticed the 'the' in front of the word.  Okay, either it was her weird word for some other kind of animal or it was a less than nice nickname for a friend who wasn't actually a good person.  Either way, at least she wasn't upset by it!  

She almost pulled back as the newcomer came to lick her chin, but she forced herself to stay and chuckled nervously, shifting on her paws.  She did give her one small swipe over the bridge, though, grateful.  It was weird accepting the gesture, but this was the first time since accepting the position she actually felt like anyone had acknowledged or accepted it.  And it felt really nice, a glow of pride in her belly she'd never actually experienced before.

I'll show you some of my favorite spots! And you can maybe tell me about some of your travels?  Or, oh my gosh, if they have stories where you come from? It's been so long since I learned a new one.  her tail waved as she fell into her old comfortable enthusiasm.  But she did begin walking, ready to escort her new friend into the territory! And completely oblivious to Teya's disapproving departure.

we can wrap here unless you want to spin into a story! Either way is fine <3

we can wrap up here and we can always have a storytelling thread later?

The piebald didn't seem to realize she'd made the other woman uncomfortable, such things were normal in her homeland and she hadn't questioned whether it was customary here or not. Her fluffy tail wagged, effected by the enthusiasm in Maia's voice and expression as they headed off into the marshes. "I vould be happy to," she agreed whole-heartedly and launched into the tale of how she had come to be gathered up by the two-legs and shipped across the sea, where she had wandered clear across this wide green land before stumbling across the Fen and Maia as they ambled.