Lost Creek Hollow gotta watch what i say,

her claws idly dug into the earth. there was nothing urgent pressing on her, no immediate threat or task to distract her, but the stillness itself felt heavy, like a weight pressing on her chest. she hated that. she needed something to do besides going for a hunt or taking a nap.

it was cold enough to feel the sting of the air in her lungs without any real effort. snow clung to the edges of her fur, but she didn’t bother shaking it off. no real reason to—the snowfall would replace it as quickly as it came off.

with a sharp exhale, she finally moved, shaking the tension from her limbs and muttering under her breath. may as well walk—keep out the cold, if she could. there was no one around to offer anything better—at least, none that she’d noticed.

still, the thought that someone might approach wasn’t entirely unwelcome. If nothing else, it would save her from her own mind for a while.

Kirain moved silently, every nerve on edge since her last confrontation. Doubt crept into her mind, unraveling the confidence she’d once had in her companion’s words. Were the packs in this valley truly as open to outsiders as he had claimed? It didn’t feel that way.

She grimaced at the memory of the massive brute she’d faced, his harsh demeanor still fresh in her thoughts. At least now, she was alone. The snow blanketing the ground worked in her favor, her white pelt blending seamlessly with the frozen landscape.

Her focus was razor-sharp, every step deliberate as she prioritized remaining undetected. The last thing she wanted was to provoke another encounter. Yet, as she moved, her senses caught the faintest trace of a scent clinging to the earth beneath her paws.

She froze. Instinct urged her to find an alternate path, to avoid whatever, or whoever, lay ahead. But curiosity tugged at her, refusing to let her retreat so easily. With painstaking care, she lowered her body and began to follow the trail, her sharp silver eyes scanning the terrain ahead. She searched for any sign of movement, determined to uncover the source of the unfamiliar scent while keeping herself hidden in the process.

slight edit! I mistook this thread for being in Wapun meadow <3 no actions have changed, only her sentiments heh

When she awoke and took a drink of cool stream water, she felt a fluttering deep within her abdomen. She paused, and drank again; the cold water was a shock to her stomach, but seemed to trigger a slight, but noticeable reaction from within her womb. She smiled, and licked the moisture from her lips. The familiar fluttering was a welcome symptom.

While she had commissioned Tvar to tear some neighbouring coyotes into shreds, it seemed the scavengers weren’t the only ones who had begun to frequent the meadow. She would leave the pests to the man who would be promoted if he fulfilled her quest; she, instead, roved out toward the meadow in hopes of putting an end to the other hunters coming near their borders.

The scent of the valley wolves poured out into the meadow and crossed over and over like a web. The most recent trail she could find belonged to Twitch, the newcomer who promised she would fill in wherever she could. Now, she supposed, she should get to know the woman further- and the two of them could further establish the Bearclaw’s extended hunting grounds. If not by law, then by scent, and by might. 

She wandered beyond the realm of Kvarsheim; Ameline was reminded that she really should stop by, and see how the young leader, Sven, was doing. It was easy, though, to settle into old habits as a scout- and continue following her packmate's scent, exploring the wooded lands that lay North of the Valley. 

It seemed her keen newcomer had found the trail of another wolf. Ameline hastened her speed, catching sight of Twitch in hunt mode, crouched and stealthy. Ameline scanned for movement- and in seeing none, she belly-crawled closer, hoping to catch Twitch’s attention with a soft click of her teeth. 

A bird, nestled in a nearby bush, startled into flight. Ameline’s gaze rose with it, and settled upon another form in the distance. One she did not recognize, but was curious if this might be one of the wolves Tvar had told her about. 

The Regina stood, then, knowing her own cover would be blown; she had no shame in being in this place; this land belonged to no one, and with allies close, both Bearclaw wolves had every reason to feel safe.

twitch’s breath came slow, measured, as she crept forward along the trail, muscles coiled beneath her frame. The scent was faint but undeniable—someone else was here. her ears flicked the sudden, soft click of teeth. she turned her head just slightly to catch the form of ameline closing in, slinking to her side as she padded through the foliage, only a few paces from the trail.

the rustle of wings stole her attention, fern-hued eyes flitting to the creature as it took flight, and then—there. a figure stood at a distance, barely perceptible against the snowy backdrop, their pelt a near mirror. pale as snow, unassuming and unaware. a loner passing through, most likely. not careless enough to be some desperate scavenger. 

she straightened a few moments after ameline did, letting out a bark to signal their presence. if they knew they were trespassing, they'd likely leave without fuss. twitch did not want to startle them in any case.

At the sudden movement of the two she-wolves before her, Kirain’s ears flattened against her head. Maybe, just maybe, luck was on her side, and they hadn’t noticed her. But the sharp bark from the gray dame crushed that fragile hope.

Tension coiled in her frame, quickly giving way to anxiety as she scrambled for a way to proceed. She hadn’t noticed the second wolf before, a troubling oversight. If this escalated into a full-blown confrontation, she’d be at a serious disadvantage. And that was the last thing she wanted.

Drawing in a steadying breath, she straightened to her full height, not that it was particularly impressive.

Greetings! she called, keeping her voice as pleasant as possible. My apologies if I startled you. I was just… curious.

The admission felt foolish, but honesty was her best chance at proving she wasn’t a threat. Her tail flicked behind her, betraying the nervous energy buzzing beneath her skin.

The wolf's first reaction was crucial- and gave Ameline all the information that she needed to know about how their encounter could go. While she fantasized about a full-blown conflict for a moment, it became clear in an instant that the woman would have none of it, and shrank against the cool earth to emphasize that fact. She was small, already- but tinier still when she crouched. 

She spoke, her voice bright, in spite of having been startled- she resorted to kindness rather than fear, Ameline noted. Either she was an optimist, or she hadn't had that habit curbed by force. Regardless, the Regina would not be the one to teach her that lesson. 

She nodded to Vanja, and shook out her pelt to diffuse the tension. Th'alright, She called out casually as she began to move closer, so it would appear perhaps a bit less as if they had been stalking her. You ain't a cat, tho...You'll thurvive the curiothity, She mused. Her packmate, it seemed, had found the woman curious as well. Hell, curiothity'th a good thing, anyway. She decreed, but added as an afterthought- Motht of the time.