Redtail Rise Uneasy silence

Rodyn found himself at the edge of the rise. A rising of his hackles along his shoulders and he felt anxious and wary. He had been here once before and had been set upon by a child that had lied. He looked about him in suspicion. But he lifted his nose to the sky. Requesting a visit so politely.

A deer hide at his paws, with him anchoring it to the ground. He didn't want them stealing it as they had stolen his food. Then he waited, as calmly as he could. Unsure.

A tilt of an ear forward.

@Mulherin @Redd @Mountain Boulder @New Snow

he hadn’t run into redd yet, but upon re-acceptance into the rise he assumed his duties as usual.

he would’ve expected her to have intercepted this stranger earlier.

mulherin finds yet another unfamiliar man waiting patiently at the border. the flocking of strangers to his lands has him on edge.

at least he seems to be passive, only bearing a deerskin.

his black tail, flagged behind him. 

who are you?

He was not greeted warmly, but he was also not attacked. So he counted this a win. Especially given his former visit when the child of the leaders lied.

I am Rodyn Ardeth alpha of moontide. I came with trade if interested and an invitation to a group hunt in the fall.

He tilted an ear forward.

the berserkr has never heard of moontide. his demeanor eases at the revelation that this man was a leader.

he responds with his own name and title.

mulherin, berserkr.

diplomacy is still foreign to him. he mulls over the invitation in his mind. 

in the meantime, he lets his curiosity get the better of him.

what do you have to trade?

We are near the sea and the forest both.

Rodyn shifted and showed the deer hide. Today I only carried a deer hide. But I have other items nearby if this is not to your liking. I normally trade in seashells, other furs, the fat of seals and some herbs. Though furs are the norm. As I am a hunter.

rodyn, he learns, is an avid trader.

mulherin finds himself drawn to the deerskin that the man shows him; he has never seen anything made with such craftsmanship. the skin itself was slightly off-putting to him in a way that was both indescribable and intriguing.

most importantly, he noted, it seemed awfully comfortable to line a den with.

shells and herbs he had no use for, and he did not have the patience to wait to see more furs. 

his tongue swipes over his nose in a way that is almost serpentine. 

the hide, he asks, gaze flicking up to rodyn once more. how much for it?

Rodyn enjoyed that his leadership allowed him to move about. That he had loyal and kind wolves at his back. So that he could do this.

Rodyn could certainly understand had the man told him of his misgivings with the pelt. Rodyn himself had felt much the same when he had first met teh Moonglow wolves and then had done this. But he had learned to treasure the art.

Rodyn looked down at it. I would take any meat you wish to share, herbs that we may not grow in our village that is useful for healing, or a hunt, a pelt for a pelt.

his eyes gleam, tail swishing for a beat as he comes up with an offer.

we've got plenty of caribou, you can take some meat. c'mon—this way. he suggests, beckoning rodyn to follow.

how big is your village? he asks as they walk.

Rodyn followed carefully carrying the prize for the man. Listening with a flick of his ear. Caribou meat was always a plus.

We have 16 wolves, we welcomed over 8 pups into our pack this year. How about yours?

Rodyn realized after he spoke that truly his village was a large and strong one. He should not worry as he did. But he couldn't quite help it.

sixteen! that number was closer to an army.

he wonders if mountain boulder’s youth would choose to stay with the rise once they grew older. maybe then they could build such numbers as moontide.

that’s a lotta mouths to feed. he replies. we’re about half’a that.

and it is not long until they near the cache. mulherin reaches beneath the sprawling shrubbery and begins to unearth the remains of a carcass. only sounds of gnawing can be heard before he drags out a large, severed caribou haunch.

he turns to the man. here—this should be enough. 

Rodyn was blessed with numbers. But where numbers were so were more dangers more work more mouths to feed.

A nod. It is.

A nod a smile. That is more than enough.

He pressed the pelt closer to the man. For him to take and only then would Rodyn take the trade leg offered. He had to be sure the other man was pleased with this trade.

it was a simple exchange.
 
when rodyn offers the pelt he takes it easily, offering for him to take the leg in return, which he takes similarly. they exchange a look of finality, the transaction is complete.

he bid the man farewell, watching until his silhouette disappeared from sight.

with the newfound skin in tow, mulherin sets off for the hearth of the rise.