Redsand Canyon Wolf Moon

OOC: Malila is near the borders, but not quite. <3 For any Mereo wolf, but special tag for @Germanicus & @Kallik!

She was tired. Tired, cold and hungry. And also, still alone. Weeks of going it solo had yielded no luck. Her tactics didn't improve when it came to trying to catch food. She had been lucky to catch a small mouse, off it's guard, every now and then. Aside from that, her meals came from scavenging. Her streak of bad luck showed. Malila's already miniscule, petite frame had been reduced down to a wisp. Not quite emaciated, but certainly far too lean to be considered in peak condition. The blonde overlay of her coat, luxurious in childhood, dulled to a dry straw.

Hunger was her constant companion. But, having lived and grown up in a pack before, she knew well enough not to test her luck by sneaking past any borders to raid caches. Besides, a wolf like her who knew absolutely nothing when it came to basic self defense, she was as good as dead if she got caught. Her only option would be to flee. In her poor condition, she likely wouldn't get very far.

Winter was upon the land. She headed back east. Back in the direction where Rivenwood lay, somewhere. Back where possibly, she might find her mother awaiting her return. Only, there was one problem. An impossible chain of mountains stood in her way. Mountains she had tested briefly, once before. This time, she arrived to be greeted with the russet, towering rock formations. The ground was split open, like a deep wound. To her surprise, it wasn't desolate. In fact, as she admired natures gateway from a distance, she could smell other wolves. A pack. Her first, since her return. Yet she stood, rooted in place.

another delicate woman, this one scarcely out of girlhood. germanicus found her upon one of his endless patrols, seeking kallik who seemed to have departed for now. with glaukos' punishment still quite new, the imperator hoped he would not have to devise another.

the young wolf at the canyon's borders was given an appraisal by his yellow eyes as he stood before her. "hail," came the roman's low greeting. "you stand at the gates of mereo. what do you seek here?"

she was too starveling to serve as a soldier. and germanicus was becoming uncomfortable with the number of she-wolves congregating here, ruenna notwithstanding.

Again he traced the scent of a stranger not far from the borders. It seemed this area was popular, which meant they had a lot of work to do. He had only just arrived himself and was making his way back home when he chose to seek out the stranger.

His fur kept him mostly protected from the cold, and his large paws helped him make his way through the deep snow. He saw pawprints a little ways from their borders and wondered if they belonged to the scent he could still pick out from the chilly breeze. He followed them until he came upon the thin stranger. 
Her coat was like nothing he had ever seen, even in it's dull state. He hadn't had time to fully build up his icy walls after mingling with the stranger, and her beauty struck him harder than he wanted. He still manged to keep his interest well hidden, though. 

Germanicus was already there, questioning the woman about her proximity to Mereo. Kallik arrived at his side, his shrewd gaze fixed on the stranger as they waited for her answer.

Ever since she had gone missing and then suddenly returned to the Teekons, Malila's personality had shifted. It had been gradual. The change begun in Rivenwood, after Speedy had left. From then on it only worsened. She was no longer the bubbly, bright young girl everyone had been familiar with. Instead she was much more withdrawn, timid and flighty. She still retained her sweet nature, and of course, her naivety. 

When confronted by not one, but two wolves who were quick to spot her at their borders, she nearly turned tail and ran. They were already both imposing enough, especially in comparison to her fragile self. But, they weren't threatening. Not at the moment. The dark one, who seemed the dominant of the two, gave her the chance to speak.

She backed up several good steps, lowering her body in deference while the chocolate of her belly grazed the snow laden ground. Her ears plastered back, a thin tail tucking. While her display of submission may have been a little much, Malila had grown to be incredibly lacking in self worth these days. "I...I was seeking passage through the mountains. There is someone I hope to find..." She squeezed out, her light voice rough on the edges from lack of use.

suspicions confirmed with glaukos, germanicus found he felt the same toward kallik. 

the pale wolf was with them now. he made a mental note to ask the soldier about his extended foray from mereo.

"you do not need to cower. you will not be harmed here." his voice was firm. the eagle lacked the borderside manner of ruenna.

"we are able to grant you passage. but i must tell you that the passes headed across the mountains are choked with snow and lacking prey." she would freeze or starve if she tried to ford them alone. germanicus had no faith that a young wolf in her condition would survive.

The girl was kind of a mess. The winter had not been kind to her, and he had the feeling her days were numbered if she continued on by herself. The thought of another wolf in their ranks who was not a soldier irritated him, but he was not cold enough to commit someone to death simply because he didn't think they belonged in Mereo. 

The imperator implied that she would likely struggle to make it through the mountains. It would be difficult for a properly fed wolf, so it would be practically impossible for her.

He wondered what she would choose, and he studied her closely as he waited for her to speak.

Her eyes of blue and gold grew less fearful when the man spoke, assuring her no harm. His voice was firm, though not entirely unkind. So, Malila slowly shifted out of her crouched position, but did not stand up to her full, meager height. 

He was willing to grant her passage. But it came with a warning. She would find nothing but snow and land barren of prey on the other side. Such news made her ears fall, whilst she chewed at her lip nervously. If that was indeed the case, then what was the point of even trying to cross then? Rivenwood hadn't felt like much of a home, and if anyone there were truly concerned for her, they would have come looking. And besides, the chances that Speedy was there, were slim.

Just as were her chances of survival, if she continued going it alone. Her eyes gleamed. A flame of thoughtfulness as she looked back up to Germanicus. Well, what the hell? Why not try her luck while she was already on their borders. "Would...you have room in your pack, by any chance? This...Mereo...what is it like?" She asked, hopeful.

annoyed by his suspicions about kallik, germanicus thought coldly of the fact that once more. a civilian was seeking a home in mereo.

"we are divided into soldiers and plebians. the former are like myself and this man. the latter are skilled individuals who are not ranked military."

germanicus wished to turn her away. but ruenna would not find his actions charitable. and he was attempting it for her sake.

It seemed the imperator's words had made her hesitant to continue on her way. She seemed intelligent at least. 

When she asked about Mereo, what it was like and if they had room, he glanced to Germanicus who explained how things worked. He didn't, however, answer her other question. He hoped it was because the imperator was going to tell her no. Although he wondered if he would, considering what it would mean for the starving girl. 

The auxillary fixed his gaze on the stranger once more, curious again what she would say.

She deflated internally, and somewhat visibly, at the rundown of what kind of pack this was. Exactly the kind I won't fit into... She thought, as she glanced away to the side, wrestling with whether or not she dare move on. But no. She had come so far as to inquire. She might as well go out on a limb here.

"I...doubt you would have much use for someone like me." She began, her voice quiet. Frail, with no trace of confidence. "I have only ever studied medicinal plants and the healing arts. But...not extensively. Not enough to put anything into practice."

She looked up at them again, briefly noting the pale, silver-white youth to the side. Her eyes flashed. Not with anger or bitterness. But resolve. Determination. "But I can learn. I want to. I am sick of being so useless. Of being sheltered all my life. Please, give me this chance to change."

the continued crouch made germanicus uncomfortable. she spoke honestly and he wanted to shake his head. the pack had ruenna and aquene now.

she asked for a place to earn her keep. to learn. the imperator stared at her for a long and pregnant moment, then stepped back. "i will accept you as a civilian. you will answer to my wife, lady ruenna. she is our matrona."

there was little more to be said. he stepped back, preparing to usher her with kallik into the heart of the territory.

She sounded insecure when she first started to speak, putting herself down before even asking for a place in the ranks. 

But then her energy shifted. The auxiliary saw her determination to learn. He had the same determination. Mereo would grow that feeling for her. And she would see that for herself now that the imperator had accepted her in the civilian ranks. 

Kallik was no longer needed here, so with a curt not to each of them, he turned and trotted off.

OOC: We can wrap this one up. <3

Had Malila had any clue as to what the man was thinking, she might have been angry. To be cast back out into the cold, where she had a slim chance of survival. To be turned away, despite her want to learn. She could adapt. Plants were her passion, but the run in with the maniac man in the forest was a severe wake up call. She needed to learn to stand her ground. Not tuck tail and run. These wolves could teach her that.

After a great stretch of silence, the man accepted her plea. She would be a common civilian, answering to his wife. A woman named Ruenna. Although, she did feel a little insulted that neither of them introduced themselves or asked for her name. Maybe they had too little faith in her to care. She straightened, finally back to her natural height. Not looking quite so pathetic. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate this chance. I will seek Ruenna out first thing." She promised.

he nodded. "i am germanicus. that was kallik. what is yours?" settling the girl was something ruenna would handle. the imperator was ill-suited to situate a young girl. "there are the communal dens," he said quietly, motioning to a wide passageway off to their left. "please find one for yourself."

the imperator nodded to her. once she had given her title, he would move off after kallik, leaving the girl with a full if brusque acceptance.

With a quiet nod, she memorized both of the names, matching them to their faces. She felt a twinge of hope when he asked for hers. She could already tell, that this Germanicus would take some getting used to. "I am called Malila." She stated, following behind him.

To the left she glanced at the left, where he motioned. There she would be able to pick out a den of her choosing. Another nod. "I will. And thank you, again." She called as he left, ever the polite mannered girl. Then she would go about finding herself a space of her own, get a few hours rest and seek out Ruenna afterwards.