Blacktail Deer Plateau She's the giggle at a funeral

@Anselm

It was bright and sunny, the temperature was even warmer than normal, and a few brave birds had found their way back to the mild Sunspire region. Saena caught one, a black-capped chickadee, trilling in the boughs of an oak tree just past the plateau's edge. Though she wasn't one to pay a lot of attention to birds, the plump bitch stopped for a moment to enjoy its repetitive call before continuing toward the borders at a leisurely pace.

For once, her intent wasn't to hunt or patrol. She located the towpath without even thinking about it and soon was loping along the edge of the mountain in her home's shadow with her nose to the ground, seeking the scent of her brother. She knew Valtyr was close with Pura, but she didn't want to bother the Sveijarn for his whereabouts, especially if he was having one of his antisocial episodes. Still, it'd been ages since they last spent time together. Saena knew he tended to haunt the outskirts of the pack, so that was where she began her search.

Having spent so many days lurking upon the edge of the plateau - but not in it - it was a wonder that Anselm didn't smell a bit like the wolves that lived there. He didn't have the mark of the Alpha nor any other wolves, but his pelt no longer smelled as light as snow or as blank as ice; the pines naturally perfumed him. It had not been his intention to loiter so long in this place where he was unwanted, but the boy was hungry - and he knew there was food nearby. He knew he could get to the food if he was careful and smart. Perhaps biding his time would be worth it?

With this in mind, Anselm took to roosting among a copse of trees along the northwest edge of the forest. They were somewhat secluded because of the density of woodland around them, but also near enough to one of the paths in to the plateau that Anselm could keep an eye out - which is what he was doing when a stranger came striding by. She was pale; not as white as the northern wolves, but not gold, and as he watched her Anselm noted patches of color upon her.

She was distracted by something, following the trail with her head down - meaning he could remain hidden as long as he was quiet. But he wasn't about to do that. Anselm poked his nose out from around one of his more familiar trees, and cleared his throat, hoping that would be enough. Voyeurism appeared to be one of his driving factors, apparently.

As she scoured the ground, Saena thought she found a faint trace of her brother's scent, as well as Valtyr's. She smiled lightly, knowing the two were getting along. She couldn't possibly understand how bad that actually was for the younger adolescent, so she was glad for it. Valtyr was opening up, slowly. Maybe it was her brother's blunt, straight-forward way of addressing things that helped that develop.

But as she began rooting for another source, the sound of a throaty little cough to her right made her made her freeze on the spot. Slowly, she turned her head and searched her surroundings, until at last she spotted a black head poking out of a copse of trees. Instantly her gaze hardened on Anselm as she straightened and said, "what the hell are you doing so close to my pack?"

Her attention caught upon him, and it wasn't until that moment - with her voice flagrantly opposing his very existence - that he thought the move to be a bad one. But he had wanted her company. Anselm had been watching her for some time, after all. She seemed preoccupied but not worried; and the smile which briefly flickered across her face made him smile in the shadows. But as soon as she called out, the smile vanished. He stepped out from behind the tree and was fully exposed.

And to answer her question, he gave a small shrug. "Watching you. I mean," That sounded like the worst thing he could've said. Oh, hello, yes I've found the place where you live and I've been watching you for a nice chunk of time; you have a lovely smile. Nope.

"I was just nearby, and I thought I heard someone, so I came to investigate. But when I saw you I didn't want to disturb you." His ears fanned out on either side of his head, then slipped back - a wordless apology, as he showed off his awkward apprehension. She was right, of course. He was too close to the pack lands - and he just had to hope she was gullible enough to accept his reason.

"Are you looking for someone?" Anselm abruptly asked - barely giving her time to respond to his own story - and for a moment his usually sullen expression became bright and curious.

When Anselm admitted he was watching her, Saena suspiciously narrowed her eyes and stiffened her legs, only to be given an explanation that was only a little less creepy. Her eyes stayed narrowed as she crept toward him, maintaining a rigid posture that suggested she was uncertain yet in command. She didn't yet let her lips pucker and her teeth show; the male hadn't done anything yet to deserve a request for distance, even though she believed he was pretty damn close.

As he spilled his words, she had no reservations about sweeping toward him, possibly close enough to cause discomfort, assuming he didn't pull away. She was quick to sample the air, seeking any hint of wolves on him, but Anselm was clean as far as Saena could tell. He was a lone wolf, presumably of no importance whatsoever to anyone. That left him completely at her mercy.

Luckily, she was both too small and too amateur to present much of a threat. She was no Warrior or Warden, that was for sure.

Are you looking for someone? he asked not a second after finishing his explanation, to which she replied with, "yes, my brother." There was no point hiding details like that from a loner. It wasn't like he could trick her into anything by knowing that she had a brother, or at least that's what she thought. He was no danger to her by himself... at least that's what she told herself.