Redtail Rise Trades for me

Rodyn didn't recognize the scents here, so he made sure to stay as far away from the borders as was possible, while still being seen. He had even caught and felled a grouse. It hung from his jaws limp and dripping. He quickly set it down and lifted a muzzle of inquiry.

He wasn't certain who lived here, didn't know any of them by name, but he was hoping to gather information, share information, and maybe get the stag furs he needed for his bride price.

His mind raced to Sapphique as well, he would need to mention the loss of the pup. Though he doubted a child could get this far. It was enough to ask, as he had promised Meerkat he would do.

She had seemed extremely sad and he wanted to make her happy somehow. She who was friend to Moonwoman and Sialuk.

@Aventus and @Ancelin weren’t far off when Atreus spotted the man standing beyond the borders. He stiffened. He should’ve alerted his father to the stranger’s presence but the young Bearn was utterly distracted by the bloodied bird lying at the man’s feet.

What’s that? Atreus barked demandingly, stomping closer to the stranger.

Please let me know if you mind the mild powerplay, dad and bro!

It was a young one that came to the border. Young and demanding. Though Rodyn paid it no mind. He kept himself dtill and neutral and tipped his head.

Hello. It's a grouse. I bring it in wxchange to speak with your leaders.

He swept his tail once twice in gentle hello then simply waited to see if more would come or if it were only going to be the young one.

A gross? young Atreus scoffed, still eyeing the slain bird with much interest… and more than a little drool, now that he could smell the blood.

His beady gaze eventually drifted upward to take in the stranger properly. He was large and leanly muscled, with dark fur a shade similar to the boy’s own. His eyes were a striking golden color.

Atreus met them in a challenge, tail stiffening and raising above his boyish hips. He ignored what the man had said about hoping to exchange the meat for a word with the rise’s leadership.

’TRUDER ALERT! he shouted at the top of his voice, hoping Aventus would be pleased and Ancelin impressed with his due diligence.

Aventus was indeed nearby, and when his son cried out, his mind emptied of all ability to think rationally.

He came upon the scene in a frenzy of clacking teeth and bristling black fur, the scent of blood only spurring him to move faster and bite harder. It was prey blood, but that didn't matter to the father, who had instantly connected Atreus' shout with the iron stench and assumed the worst. The man's position beyond the scent markers made no difference.

Rodyn would have no warning and no recourse before Aventus lunged for him, enraged and intent on separating hide from flesh.

Before Rodyn could even think. He was attacked. Teeth, growls ripping. He danced backwards not even growling the teeth sunk into shoulder and he tugged. Blood spurting from his shoulder.

What the Heck!! I'm not even on your borders!

And he wasn't he'd been standing as far away as possible and hadn't moved. He continued backwards refusing to engage or return bite for bite.

He kept his body neutral and continued backwards, blood dripping from his shoulder.

If this continued only then would he growl. Thank gods he had hidden his furs further away.

Something rushed past him at such speed that Atreus flinched, despite expecting his father to make an appearance. As soon as he realized it was Aventus, Atreus straightened up again and watched the scene unfold.

As his father forcefully ushered the man further from the rise’s boundaries, Atreus rushed forward to lend assistance. But he stopped beside the abandoned grouse, glancing between it and the dueling men for a beat before deciding the Bitan had the unwanted guest handled.

Meanwhile, he wouldn’t let the spoils go to waste. Atreus latched his teeth onto the nearest part of the bird: a bent wing. He then proceeded to drag it deeper into the territory.

Rodyn's shouting fell on deaf ears. If Aventus had heard, he wouldn't have cared; even if Atreus was calling a false alarm, this stranger had no business loitering about Redtail turf, let alone so much as setting eyes upon one of the resident cubs. The grouse, he had not even noticed.

His teeth snagged on the man's shoulder. He felt blood welling between his teeth to drip down his chin. Aventus released and lurched forward for another snap; this assault would continue until the unknown wolf removed his head from his rear end, took the hint, and fucked off.

Rodyn didn't understand why this wolf was attacking him other than the Child's false alarm. He had stayed far away from the borders. Had even called for leadership to come and meet him long before this. The boy had even been friendly. At first.

Rodyn finally was given just enough space to evade gaping jaws and leap away and then run.

Though he made sure to remember this place and to tell Moonwoman of the assault on his person. He would ask her if she knew of these rabid unwelcoming hounds.

But he was not willing to die because of a child who was raised as a brat. An ember of anger and injustice burned in Rodyn's chest, and he didn't like the feeling.

Last from me. Thank you for the thread <3

He didn’t get very far. Atreus wanted to move the prize safely away from the fight without entirely removing himself from his father’s eye line, lest Aventus’s wrath turn upon him. But mostly, he couldn’t handle the prey very well. He kept stepping on it and tripping himself. It was pissing him off.

By the time he gave up and angrily spat a lingering feather from his mouth, the sounds of the fight had ceased. Atreus turned and saw Aventus, but no sign of the stranger. The boy blinked as he realized what this must mean: his dad had won the fight and chased off their unwanted guest.

With one paw still resting on their spoils, Atreus felt himself flushing with pleasure. It was his dad’s victory, really, but he had alerted the Bitan to the threat. They had defended the rise, proving their dominance over the stranger and taking his meat.

He stood a little taller, shoulders squaring as he leered in the direction the man had presumably gone. He bared his teeth, tail slowly lashing, even as his heart danced in his chest.

for once, Avicus hadn't been the first to answer. not even close.

by the time she lopes down upon the proceedings, a wolf is fleeing and there is blood in the air. Aventus, and his miscreant son.

she pulls up with a flurry of dust and dying grass and tosses her head toward her brother, questioning, jerking her chin toward the receding figure in the distance.

wha' happen? she barks. who 'dhat?

she barely glances upon the boy; she already suspects him of trouble. he'd earned himself quite a reputation, after all.

When Rodyn finally turned and ran for it, Aventus drew up and spat blood into the dirt. His ears were sharp peaks over his head that quivered at the tips and his tail was straight as a poker. It took some mental coaxing to relax enough to turn back to his sneering son.

He parted his jaws to speak to Atreus, but Avicus' arrival cut him short of asking. Truth be told, Aventus didn't know what had happened. He had simply heeded his son's warning call and given Rodyn no opportunity to explain.

Aventus did not feel he owed it to some outsider.

Don't know, he said honestly, followed with, don't care. He was loitering. For all Aventus knew, Rodyn had hunted his prey on Redtail land and was caught. He was born and raised of Ursus; his first thought would never be that it was a gift of any sort.

When their Wealda arrived on the scene, barking questions at father and son, Atreus was still riding the adrenaline high. If there was anything accusatory in his aunt’s expression or tone, he didn’t notice.

Chest puffing up with pride, he opened his mouth to answer when Aventus spoke over him. “Loitering” wasn’t a word Atreus knew, though he took it to be synonymous with trespassing. Already, the fact that the stranger had never even crossed the borders was warping in his small brain.

The boy held his tongue until his dad was through, then crowed, We beat up an intruder! And took his meat!

the explanation is lacking, but there. she mentally shrugs it off, then turns her attention to the boy, who elucidates the situation further. pride enters her eyes; this is what they're made and meant for, and Atreus is positively beaming with it.

well 'dhone, she compliments him, and then turns her satisfied gaze toward Aventus, for whom she gives a pleased nod.

intruders are rare, here, though, and so— wahhh' for him, if he come backgh, she warns her brother, then turns away—but only slightly. she'll linger by the borders for a while, waiting for anyone else to test their mettle.

only after the tensions had eased would she return to the rendezvous.

last post from me!

He was unsure how Avicus would take Atreus' explanation that they had stolen the man's food, and was relieved that she found no fault in it. She made him nervous even now, and each time, put him back at ease.

He nudged his son with a soft butt of his head. Good job, son. It was rare acknowledgment indeed, but Atreus had done his due as a Redtail wolf by alerting him to a trespasser. It was a huge improvement from his usual shit disturbing attitude. Aventus wondered if this meant his son could be turned toward border duty as a means of letting out his aggressive energy despite the Rise experiencing few such transgressions.

Do you want to patrol more? He would let his son decide, and he would carry the stolen bird for Atreus.

He smirked when his aunt praised their efforts. It occurred to him that she might lay claim to his hard-won prize. Atreus’s eyes narrowed at the thought, though the Wealda made no such move. She turned to leave.

Aventus praised him as well, even touched him, which actually caught Atreus off guard. For some reason, he hadn’t expected such acknowledgement. It made his insides feel funny. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with the feelings stirred up inside of him.

Okay, he agreed a bit faintly, blinking back to a focus and preparing for a forward march—after they claimed his prize, of course.

I figured we could archive/fade here? :)