Sequoia Coast Birdsong

somewhere called Megalith Forest. @Greyjoy

She had wandered a little out of Stavanger Bay. Onyx was tired of sitting around. There was a lot of exploring to do, and the world was bigger than she thought it was before. She had entered a forested area. She like how quiet it was here, except for birdsong. It was time to hunt. She picked up the scent of a crow quickly. She followed the scent and was quiet when she could see it. She crouched and leaped, landing on it with no problem at all. It was silenced and she set it down. Thank you for providing me your food. Mama had taught her not to hunt for sport, and be respectful to any animal she would kill.

Though they had established their claim formally, there were still many things to do to keep their pack secure from trespassers. One of those things was marking the borders, which Greyjoy was doing this very morning. However, as he paused after marking a tree, he smelled a stranger on the wind, and followed it to its source.

He happened upon a dark wolf hunting, having just killed a crow. Greyjoy barked in warning then approached, his tail and head erect, his fur bristled. It wasn't necessary to make himself look any larger than he already was, but it wouldn't hurt to be safe. "Are you aware you're trespassing?" he asked simply, his deep voice strong and sure. There was nothing brittle or unsure about Greyjoy Orkwood, and there never would be.

A big gray wolf approached Onyx, large and deep-voiced. Are you aware you're trespassing? He asked her. "No." She said. She began to eat her crow. She was a little scared of the big wolf but not so scared as to run away. She ate a bit more, and then realized it must be rude to eat in front of him if he didn't have anything to eat. She stopped eating after she swallowed the bite, and looked up at him.

"Then you must be blind, deaf, and have no sense of smell." Greyjoy took one step forward and growled softly, a warning sign to the female. "This part of the forest belongs to Ankyra Sound, a new pack in these lands. It would be wise to move twenty yards that way," he indicated which direction with a nudge of his nose. "Otherwise, I will be forced to kill you."

Greyjoy was not bluffing, either. He snarled, showing large teeth, and watched the dark wolf with his bright orange eyes. It would normally go against all tradition to hurt a female, but he was protecting Aktaie and the other Sound wolves from a trespasser, and any harm he brought to the female would be justified.

"No, I have all my senses." But her ears flattened to her head in fear, because he was growling. She heard him mention the new pack in these lands. Well, she knew Ragnar didn't like Wheeling Gull Isle, and they were gone now. "My alpha will not like you settling so close, especially such a young pack." She said. It was more of a comment than a threat. "Don't kill me!" She whined and she backed up a foot, not before dragging her food with her. "I didn't know!" She whined again. She didn't want to be killed, but she didn't want to leave this pretty forest. She had a narrow mind, and didn't realize that if she was killed this forest would not matter anymore.

Greyjoy followed the female slowly, one deliberate step at a time, making sure that she did what he asked. She whined and began dragging her food away from him, toward the scent border they had marked, and finally he was satisfied when she crossed it and begged him not to kill her. Bright orange eyes watched her carefully, and although his growling stopped, he still watched her every move with precision.

"Your alpha has no bearing on what we do, wolf," he said, his deep voice booming. He was angry, though not irrationally so. Who was this wolf's alpha to think he had any say in what they did? "We have not crossed your borders, and we will not pose a threat. We want to be left alone." With a snap of his teeth, he finished, "You would be wise to tell your alpha that we have claimed this part of the forest. We do not welcome trespassers."

She was glad that he didn't kill her, but also dissapointed that she couldn't vist here. "What if I visit here just sometimes? It's so pretty." She said, and raised her head to look at the treetops and sky. Birds fluttered their wings and chirped in the trees, and she noticed a squirrel in another tree. Why did all the other animals get to come here and she didn't?

Greyjoy resisted the urge to snort at her, though he surely wanted to. She seemed dim-witted. "We do not lay claim to this entire forest, just the section around the clifftops. Our border is clearly marked." He watched her, hoping she understood his meaning. She could visit the other parts of the forest, just not inside their borders.

A burst of inspiration struck him. "You could visit these lands more often, child, if you joined us." Greyjoy didn't know anything about the pack she was from, though the scent was familiar. "As a female, you will enjoy the finer things in life. First pick from the hunt, power over men like you've never dreamed of. We males are servants of females, and do your bidding without question." Greyjoy bowed then. "If you wish it, it will be so."

Onyx was glad when he said that only some of the forest was theirs. But then he continued with more info. It was confusing but it sounded satisfying and, for a girl, wonderful. She thought about saying sure but her mind paused. She had only joined Stavanger Bay a month or so ago. And even though Ragnar was grumpy, nobody was mean, and Thistle Cloud Loðbrók had answered her questions and was kind to her. "Am I expected to make up my mind right now? Or may I think about it and come back if I decide to join?" She asked. She felt pressured, and she didn't want to be a traitor again, but it sounded so great here. Then her mind swiveled to another topic. "Why do you guys serve the girls?" She asked curiously.

"There is no need for an answer now," he purled, rising from his bow to look at her. She seemed strong enough, though she was rather suggestible. If it meant another recruit for Aktaie, then he would take it. "You may think upon it and return within two weeks." The time frame wasn't really necessary, but he didn't want her to go off and tell her alpha all about how he tried to lure her away. He hoped with the ability to think about it, she wouldn't spread rumors.

Her next question, however, was an interesting one. Servitude was ingrained in the fabric of his being, but that did not mean he was incapable of thinking or acting for himself. He had free will, and that free will was used to serve Aktaie Nereides first and foremost, and the other females after that. "We serve because it is our sacred duty to serve. We were given life to protect the lives of women, and we do so willingly and gladly." Greyjoy didn't mention that those too weak to obey were killed or castrated, depending upon the severity of their transgressions.

She nodded. Time limits made her feel nervous and rushed. Now it would be on her mind often- trying to sort out the pros and cons, trying to decide if it was better to live a nice life by betrayal or an okay life by loyalty. She listened to his explanation, and honestly, she was still confused. But she didn't want to seem stupid so she didn't ask again. "I-I, um.... I don't think I'll tell my Jarl...." She said, nervous about saying it aloud.

Greyjoy watched her carefully, wondering what she was thinking. Did she understand that it was his duty, as a lowborn male, to protect and serve females? Though preference was given to the Nereides, if she asked it, he could perform a simple task for her.

"Until you make a decision, it is probably wise to not tell anyone." Not that he was threatening her, but Greyjoy hoped she would keep her tongue. "Do you have any questions about life here?" Though he had first come upon her as a trespasser, he might get a recruit out of the ordeal. The iron captain was surprised at the turn of events.

The way he worded it scared her a little, but she had already said that she probably wouldn't tell Ragnar. He asked if she had questions about the life there. Onyx had a lot of questions, but she started with two. "Who's your alpha and what's the pack called?" After a moment she thought of another. "Are they friendly?" She asked. If she was going to join, she should at least make sure they were nice.

Greyjoy saw no harm in telling her the basics, since it would be common knowledge soon enough. Though, he had already told her the name of the pack, but in her terror perhaps she had forgotten. "This is Ankyra Sound. If you join, your alpha will be Aktaie." That seemed to be enough, though she soon asked another question. Were they friendly?

He had to consider for a moment before answering. "They are friendly to females, as long as they do not try to disrupt their traditions. If you were male, they would be less friendly toward you, but not cruel. Never cruel." Greyjoy had met many cruel females in his time, but he had never let it get to him. Leaving the main Nereides branch behind had been the best decision of his life. "You would be welcomed with open arms." As long as she was going to be loyal, there was no need to treat her any differently than the Nereides-born.

do you want to finish this up?

Onyx had indeed forgotten it in her fear of the big grey wolf, who she didn't fear so much anymore. She listened as he answered her questions. She wouldn't want to disrupt their traditions, so they would probably be nice to her. Her alpha could be called Aktaie, she hadn't heard of that wolf. She was glad that she might be accepted among them. She seemed odd sometimes compared to others her age- she was shy and childish and honestly, not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She didn't know what was wrong with her though. She only had two weeks to make her decision, and it put a lot of pressure on her. "I need to think about this." She said quietly.

Sure. Thanks for humoring him. Greyjoy is a turd sometimes. :)

Grey wondered what the woman was thinking, but decided it truly didn't matter at that point. He would either see her again as a packmate or an enemy. The black wolf would not come to bear any part in his life other than a wolf he successfully fended from their land, though she was slow to respond to his warnings at first. He hoped that she learned a lesson from this.

"Very well. I look forward to your answer." He bowed low to her, giving her one last sweeping glance, before he turned to disappear behind a wide tree. Then he circled around in the shadows and watched her, to make sure she truly left, before he descended to the beach to tell Aktaie of his find.