Northstar Vale An Ugly Heart Makes For a Pretty Face

There was little she could ask for, and even then there was no one to ask of.

The sun beginning to set, Pala had grown tired. Days of travel left her paws cracked and her throat dry, and all she wished for was a place to rest.

Mountains were a familiar terrain that she was drawn to, and the scent markings in the vale did little to send her away. She would see what was here first.

He'd become used to the constant streak of tears down his right cheek. Less so, the blurred vision in his right eye. Something was wrong, but he was not equipped to say what. It should've healed by now. 

His brother had been correct, though. With some maintenance, the scarring on his face was hardly visible and the teeth marks had all but vanished, aside from tiny scabs where each puncture had been prior. The bone felt bruised, but that pain was lessening each day. 

Though his sight was suffering, his smell was not. He was quick to respond to the stranger's scent. It smelled too close. He debated on calling his brother, as any wolf deserving of respect would not be so ignorant of clearly marked borders. But he didn't. He could handle this on his own. 

Upon drawing closer, he called out. "That's far enough. You are trespassing." 

He couldn't see her yet, but knew she was near.

A voice sounded out, and she stopped. She could not see the other, yet she was sure they must be part of the markings source. Tail flicking, her eyes narrowed.

She spotted the soot coloured wolf some distance away.

"Is it a pack that's here? Or are you on your own?" The question was straightforward. She saw no reason to step around it.

If the wolf was alone, she would chase him away. If it was a pack it may be easier to wriggle her way in; their scent was not strong enough to suggest a large group. They were likely not in a position to reject her.

He proceeded to her, firmly seating himself in front. It was a way to tell her not to continue. 

"A pack. Can you not smell our clearly marked borders?"

A pack. She would see if she could stay, then. "I could. They are not strong enough, however. You must not have been here long."

Tail flicking, her demeanor did not shift to suggest submission as she stared back at him. "You look too young to be the leader here. Where are they?"

He raised an eyebrow--his good eye's brow--at her regarding the comment. If she smelled it, why did she cross? The next comment almost made him growl. Had she not learned any manners? 

"Give me a reason she should waste her time with you." he said, almost spitting it at her. He couldn't take her. Chaudry could. He debated on calling him now.

A sensitive soul, it seemed. She could understand the hostility, however. "I plan to stay here. It would be rude to do so without meeting the one I should be looking to."

She did not fear the boy in front of her, and so she felt no need to be cautious or to dance around her intentions. She would simply insert herself into the ranks, see what would come of it.

I am sure what you really mean to say is dat you ’ope to stay ‘ere, Tousaint chimed in, as he drew in on the conversation. While he would rather have praised the woman for her boldness and slighted the younger of the two brats, he knew that now was not the time to put his own packmates down. 

Viskani will be de one ‘o makes de choice but…being short wid ‘er son will not earn you any favours. He said, tilting his head toward Chelsey, so she might know to whom she was speaking.

The familiar voice of Tousaint chimed in behind him, causing Ches to roll his eyes. He had this. He didn't need him here. 

Somehow, his anger at the trespasser had been replaced with annoyance for his mother's other favorite. Not even her own son. It was disgusting. 

"No, it won't." he added, working to hide his emotion. "I can take you to her, if that is really what you want." 

That's right. He could. He was fully capable of handling this situation alone.

A new voice chimed in, and she was quick to note the annoyance of the first. There seemed to to be a sense of competition between the two, such things could be of use to her.

If this boy was the son of their leader, however, Pala imagined that she must be rather docile considering his behaviour. "Then let's go, hm?" She insisted. "I wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

She spoke with an unearned sense of importance. In her mind they had little choice in the matter, she planned to stay and wait for Yataghan. She would make herself useful, of course.

I just want to say I’m so sorry- I thought his name was “Chelsey” this whole time and only just realized it’s CheSley ackckckck!

Chesley didn’t exactly warm to Tousaint’s arrival, though it seemed to set the wolves on a path for better success now that there were two of them. Paladé would speak with Viskani, so long as she didn’t trip the featherlight tripwire of Chesley’s temper on the way. 

I be continuing your patrol, den, He said. Chesley would find it harder to brush Tousaint off if he was willingly doing a helpful task, such as continuing the patrol that the man had once been on. He tipped his head to the woman who’d come. Mad’moiselle, He said, before he trotted off along the borders.

LOL It's fine! I've probably mistyped Chelsey plenty of times without realizing

"Fine," he said to Tousaint. "Be safe." he added, though it was unclear whether or not he meant it. 

After the wolf left, he turned towards the newcomer. 

"Yes, she's very busy." 

He motioned for her to follow, then began the short walk to the territory's commons.