Phoenix Maplewood Every step you take

After Citali and Nochtli spoke to Reek about the forest in the east, the Redtail Rise wolves marched with renewed purpose. Saena herself dared to hope it would suit them. Her heart sank more and more every day they didn't find a home, but now it rose as trees loomed in the near distance. Maybe it would be no good for them, but the Redtail dared to hope it would be.

She padded alone now, ahead of the main group. The edge of the forest was like a wall, no thinning of trees but instead a lush outpouring of fronds. The success of such a forest was almost guaranteed, and the naturalist took it as a good sign. That a fire once blazed here and destroyed all was not evident from the present growth. Had she known, the alpha would've chosen this place for her pack right then and there for its history.

She stepped into the undergrowth, brushing past an impressive, sage-coloured fern. Insects darted away from her as she passed deeper into the forest, a further testament to its vitality. The trees were mainly maples and birches, distinct from the shape of their leaves (the maples) and the papery bark (the birches). Few other species.

The alpha wolf pricked up her ears and continued nimbly through the trees.

Bit o' pp, let me know if you want it changed! ;)

His walk was slow but determined, and his graceful gait was still broken by his limp, with his right foreleg barely touching the ground before he would draw it up again. His body was still sore, but he felt it less now as he moved. The wound on his head had begun to scab over, leaving just the center raw and red. It seemed it was on its way to mending, but Luke could not say the same for the landscape around him. He had thought, nay, hoped, that the north had been spared the wrath of the storm, but he could see that it too now bore an angry scar across it. It would take much more time for this to heal.

He could not hasten much, but he hurried to the rise nonetheless. He could smell the acrid smoke from a distance, his heart beat quickening as each step drew him nearer. When he reached the home of his companion, he swayed and staggered, overcome by the fire-scorched scene in front of him. Nothing had been spared here, and his stomach knotted until bile forced its way up and out of his mouth. He wretched several more times as he searched for her at length, sickened with worry. Days later, with no sign of her, he would be found numb and forlorn, his head hanging as he scouted east fueled by hope alone.

He drew in every scent he could as he walked, desperately hoping to catch a trace of her, and by luck he did. He crossed her path, and with renewed vigor her tracked her, wincing through the pain in his leg as he forced himself to move quicker than he had since the storm hit. When he spotted her, among maples and birches, he stopped and stared for a dumbstruck moment. He thought she was gone. With a whine he launched himself toward her. When he reached her side he did not slow, and with complete disregard for his pain he pounced her, tackling her to the ground. He folded himself on top of her, whining as he covered her face in frantic licks before his teeth set themselves in the fur of her neck, grasping tight as though afraid she would slip from beneath him and be gone again.

A tear slipped down his cheek.

Reek watched from a distance as Saena separated herself from the clearing that the pack had temporarily claimed to scout ahead. While she had stayed with the pack at nearly all times, Reek couldn't help but feel the two hadn't had enough alone time ever since their return from the Plateau. However, after the disaster that had befallen the rise, a little bit of privacy was impossible to attain. He waited for a moment and let her pass over the horizon and out of site before setting off behind her in the hopes of giving her a much needed lighthearted surprise.

Upon scaling a small hillock, he spied Saena slipping behind the tree line and into the forest and he doubled the pace of his pursuit. Nochtli had made good on her word and for the first time since the Rise went up in flames, the raggedy alpha beamed like an idiot.  It was so alive, untouched.  A perfect place for their future claim.  

Drifting through the maple trees like a kid in a candy store, Reek was in bliss.  But upon reaching his lover, the happiness faded. His goofy smile contorted into a confused grimace.  Eyes wide and mouth agape, his hackles bristled and a low growl rippled from his throat.  "The fuck is this?" he shouted at the wolf on top of his lover.  Anger boiled in the pit of Reek's stomach. He was already injured, but if he didn't talk— the fucker would die.

A squirrel darted across Saena's path and she snapped at its fluffy tail, almost playful as she darted a few steps after it. She wasn't hungry, had little appetite, but there was the slightest spark of joy in her breast to be among the trees. It was pristine. There were signs of wolves passing through, and many other animals, but no hint of a claim. It was hard to believe it was real. The alpha sniffed, savouring the fresh forest air...

...and yelped as she was bowled over. Alarum flashed across her face and the yelp turned into a frightened snarl as scent washed over her and it didn't belong to Reek. For a moment she bristled, pressed into the earth by a larger figure, and she was mere seconds from lashing out when she suddenly recognized the scent as familiar. It took a few frozen seconds longer for her brain to catch up, and by then, Luke was clutching her with his jaws.

"Luke," Saena squeaked, overwhelmed by a powerful wave of relief, "what...?" It was almost dizzying. Truthfully, Saena hadn't spared too much thought for her friends in the wilds, but only because there was so much to do; she feared for them when they did cross her mind, and she planned to visit them when things were settled. Having Luke here, alive, hit her much stronger than she would've expected given he hadn't crossed her mind too much in the time between the fire and now.

Before she could say anything else, a voice bellowed through the trees and Saena flattened to the ground, still held below Luke, though their position definitely wasn't suggestive. Nonetheless she felt like she'd done something bad, even though she hadn't really done anything. She peeked around Luke, spotting Reek, and almost winced at the rage on his face.

"He's just a good friend of mine, his name is Luke," Saena rasped through Luke's fur, which found its way into her mouth by the breath of an errant wind. Her eyes sought Reek's, hoping to ease his concern as she said, "Luke, meet Reek, my mate."

Okay, so they hadn't really made that title official, but it might as well be. It was as good a proposal as Reek would get from her in this awkward situation.

Sorry for the wait, I was away this weekend! :) Ryan, feel free to powerplay some Luke-whooping if you want. Just no tearing off his limbs or tail or ears please lmao.

When he found the rise blackened by fire, and when days had gone by and he had found no trace of her, he thought he had lost one of his closest companions. It was true, they had not known each other long, but a seed of great fondness for the ambitious yearling had been planted in his heart the day he met her. Luke loved deeply, and quickly, it was simultaneously one of his best qualities and a character flaw that was destined to get him into trouble, and indeed, had already caused him heartache.

Only when she spoke did he slacken the grip he had on her fur, nuzzling into her with a soft whimper. He lifted his head to stare at her with overwhelming emotion clear on his face - shock, relief, the remnants of fear and sorrow. His mouth parted to speak, but his tongue was slow to form words and by then his ears were twisting to the sound of an angry growl, and words being shouted across them. His head turned to see a disheveled and thin male staring him down. His head was fogged by his emotion, and so he stared back, stunned, confused.

Saena spoke. She knew this wolf. She knew him well, for to Luke's surprise she introduced him as her mate. He blinked, and then winched as he shifted himself upwards so he was no longer smothering his friend beneath him. His earlier disregard for his condition punished him now with renewed pain, and he lifted paw to take his weight off his sore leg. "Mate, huh?" he murmured, looking to her and then back to Reek. Last time they had spoke on the subject, she was not even interested in men.

He waved his tail at Saena's partner, offering a dip of his head and small smile as a greeting, seeking to placate the man's aggression with a bit of light-hearted jest. "You must be some special, last time I spoke to her she was too cool for that dating stuff." He winked.

I don't think that'll be necessary!

The anger boiling in Reek's stomach neared a fever pitch, begging him to tear the stranger limb from limb before Saena even had a chance to respond. But instead of listening to the proverbial devil on his shoulder, Reek opted to wait in silence for an explanation. One was eventually provided; a friend. However, Reek's aggressive glare toward the stranger did not soften. Friend or not, Luke had crossed a line.

What came next took Reek by surprise even more than finding Saena under another man (even as innocent as it may have been).  She introduced Reek as her mate, officially titling them as a monogamous pair.  While a proposal of this nature hadn't gone as Reek initially planned, he was elated— and for a moment, he forgot that Luke was still on top of his wife.  His scowl softened as he shot Saena a gentle smile.  Above all, he trusted her. The stranger on the other-hand, there was no such trust... and he wanted him gone.

Upon hearing Saena's introduction, the stranger pulled away from and echoed what she had said. Mate.  "You're goddamn right," barked Reek at the loner. Luke's feeble attempt to diffuse the situation with a light-hearted display fell on deaf ears.  And while Reek was as jovial as they came, now was not the time for shenanigans. "Out."

Luke finally got to his feet, giving Saena room to spring to hers. She took a step back, mainly to placate Reek, but while Luke took a light-hearted approach to the situation (she knew he would), her newly christened mate was determined to make it tense. The alpha male's command was absolute, but Saena wasn't much of a passive wife, and though she didn't wish to interfere, she did press her ears back with a quiet whine and stepped forward once more, though more in Reek's direction than Luke's.

Given this brief moment, she was able to assess them both. Reek was well as ever, perhaps moreso now that they'd found a suitable place to settle, one that surely appealed to the Amazons that had joined them. Luke, on the other hand, looked like he'd been through the wringer. His leg was held aloft as though damaged and there was an angry line on his scalp that suggested he'd been hit by something. She wanted to ask, but she assumed it was the same reason they were here: that hellish storm.

"Reek, please," she softly begged, trying to calm him down or at least ensure that Luke wasn't met with hostility, "I think he's just glad we're safe. He's hurt." She hoped that maybe this would appeal to her healer husband's better nature. He wasn't an altruistic creature and Saena wasn't stupid enough to think he suddenly would become one, but she hoped to at least keep him from straining her relationship with Luke by chasing him away. At the end of the day, Saena would comply with her mate's wishes... but not without stubbornly trying to change his mind first.

Luke was a calm sort most times. There were few things that could agitate him to the point of anger, and most of those things came with some sort of build up, a progression that wore out his patience. However, rudely being commanded out had an instant effect on him. He did not take kindly to some scruffy man ordering he leave his companion, his companion whom he had believed dead up until a few minutes ago. Mate or not, this was foolish, insecure behavior and the white wolf would not tolerate it.

He set his jaw, his eyes becoming cold steel. The fur along his nape and back bristled, and his muscles were tense, made ready by ire. A low, quiet growl began in his throat, but it was then that Saena stepped forward with a soft whine, and pleaded with her hot-headed mate. Luke's tail flicked, but he forced himself to settle - for her sake, only. He drew a breath and regained his composure. When he spoke, his words were calm.

"Look, she's a dear friend of mine. I came up here to see if she was okay after the storm. I found the rise scorched black and thought she was dead, so forgive my excitement in seeing her. I'm an affectionate guy." He chuffed at this, giving a shrug. "Why don't you come over here and I'll give you a cuddle and some kisses too." He lifted his brows, his lips quirking into another smile, one small but playful.

Insecurity, thy name is Reek.

Something about finding Luke atop Saena had struck a chord hard and deep. By Reek's own admission, Luke was an attractive guy. Someone of Saena's caliber so to speak. Whereas Reek was an eyesore with an inability to stay in his lane. Thankfully, she had shown that she wasn't shallow in that respect— but the worry still lingered all the same. He buried it deep, but insecurity would always remain on it's base level. How she had fallen for him, he hadn't a clue.  But now that he had her, there was no way he would let go.

His hard glare tapered away as Saena intervened. As much as he wanted to chase Luke from the spot, Reek finally relented in his aggressive posturing in favor of his mate. "Fine," he sighed, "I can look him over and asses the damages." Altruism didn't come naturally to the raggedy wolf... but love did, and he had fallen fast and hard for his red tipped beauty. If that's what it took to show her that she held his trust, so be it.

Turning to address the loner, Reek admitted, "This makes me uncomfortable— you have to understand that. But if you two are friends... I guess—" He paused awkwardly and scrunched his brow. "— I'm sorry." Like a winning lottery ticket, Reek's apologies were finite and scattered. Little did the loner know how much that meant. "But, I think I'm going to turn down those cuddles," he finished, managing an uncomfortable smile.

Saena stiffened when she heard the faint stirring of a growl from Luke behind her. Given two options, she would always defend Reek first and foremost, even against a dear friend like Luke, and so she sincerely hoped it would not come to blows. She didn't want to severe a friendship over something like insecurity (though she knew if she saw Reek on top of another woman she would react far, far worse than he had).

Thankfully, Reek's posture dropped to something a little less provocative and the alpha female let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't expected her healer husband to actually look Luke over, only to let him go so he could tend his wounds, but the alpha male seemed willing to do her one better and she admired him all the more for that. She shot him a warm, grateful smile before turning to face Luke, hoping that Reek's relenting would encourage him to relax as well.

Reek's apology came as a shock to Saena, who glanced back at him questioningly—why, she wondered, did he feel apologetic for being defensive? While she didn't necessarily want him attacking her friend, she couldn't fault him for his reaction either. But this exchange was between Reek and Luke, so for now she stayed quiet, letting them feel out their comfort zone with one another and recognizing that it would probably be a shallow comfort at best.

So the guy was not up to accepting his offer of cuddles and kisses, but at least he simmered down. Luke did not fault him for his protective, if not somewhat possessive reaction, though the blue-nosed wolf did not care for it himself. He was an open sort, and did not like the unnecessary boundaries that many relationships put on preexisting friendships. Trust was said to be the foundation for a relationship, but it seemed to be in concerningly short supply when it came to matters such at these.

Not a lick of tension was left in his body now. His plush tail swayed amicably in the air as he rose to his paws and stepped forward, dipping his head to Reek. If his leg had not been injured, it would have been extended for a friendly fist bump among bros. "No problem, buddy!" he said brightly. "Nothing to apologize for. You were just lookin' out for your girl. I'm okay by the way, I had some crazy-talking fellow check me out. I just need some time for the soreness to ebb."

With a sigh he sat back down, the lightness of his voice coming down a few notches, his words softly spoken and sincere. "I'm just relieved you're okay," his fond gaze shifted to Saena, lingering a moment before it shifted between the two of them as he asked a question. "Where will you live now?"

Luke's bright demeanor may have been something Reek would have particularly enjoyed if he had met him under different circumstances. Truthfully, they were more-or-less the same in many ways; both were irreverent jokesters and hoped to squeeze every bit of enjoyment out of life as possible. However, Luke's brimming positivity soon found itself to be grating on an already uncomfortable Reek.

While Luke's demeanor was openly playful, Reek stood like a stone. Unmoving and brash. Although he held a terse and uncomfortable smile, the rest of Reek's body language said— no, screamed, leave, and the longer he stuck around the more the tension in Reek's gut grew. Thankfully, someone else had already done the duty of looking Luke over, and while Reek promised he would, he didn't particularly want to.

"Mhm," he replied curtly before Luke turned his gaze back to Saena, where it lingered, which was duly noted by Reek. Jealousy reared it's ugly head in the raggedy alpha who met Luke back with a stare of his own. "Here," he grumbled. Letting Luke know where they planned to make their home wasn't something Reek entirely wanted to do, however, he had fallen in love with the maplewood at first sight.

The two males couldn't have been more different, or at least that's what Saena surmised just by watching them. While Luke was quick to put the situation behind him and return to his positive demeanour, a trait that Saena admired in him, Reek seemed determined to be increasingly sullen about the whole thing, a trait that Saena herself shared. The alpha female had prevented her mate from running Luke off but there was nothing she could do about the look in the black-haired wolf's eyes when he responded in single words to Luke's questions and concerns.

Saena was happy for Luke to stay—hell, she retained a hope that one day he might come to live with them here—so she overlooked Reek's tension, choosing blissful ignorance instead. "A couple wolves joined us from another pack here and they knew of this place. They suggested it to Reek, so here we are!" She took a deep breath of the forest air, shooting her lover a warm smile, and said, "it'll be great for him as a healer. One of the women who joined us is also a healer and we have a newer member aspiring to be, so between the two, they'll have quite the stores."

It wasn't missed that Saena and Reek's pack was exceedingly lucky to have not one, not two, but three wolves with healing capabilities. She didn't mean to brag, but it was hard to keep a boastful edge off her words when she spoke of them.

Poor Reek... *pets him* Love the character though. :)

It was not lost on Luke that Reek was disinterested in moving forward, that he wanted the blue-nosed wolf gone yesterday and was going to stand there and stew about it until he left. Unfortunately for him, two things: Luke had travelled a considerable distance to see Saena in the first place, and then spent days worked up believing she had perished in the fire that consumed her home. He was not about to hastily depart his friend just because her jealous mate showed up. Besides, he had news to share.

He grinned broadly as Saena spoke about their future here in this woodland, not blatantly ignoring the scruffy fellow but not paying him much attention either. "That's great!" He cheered. Realizing he may have trespassed, he quickly added, "I'm sorry if I missed your borders. When I caught your scent, I just..." He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. Nothing has existed to him while he tracked her. He was certain she would understand without him having to explain further.

"On the topic of new homes..." His tail wagged. "I'll soon finally be settled in. Not too far from here, actually, southeast in a forested hollow with a beautiful stream and waterfalls at its heart."

Thanks!  Luke's one of my favorite characters, I totally stalk all of his threads.  To be honest, it's hard for me to make Reek be mean to him because I'm uber biased :p

And stew he did.

Obviously, the very simple message that Reek's body screamed had not been heard.  Luke remained firmly planted on the spot, perfectly content to shoot the shit with Reek's mate. Locked in an internal war, Reek struggled to hold his tongue and not lash out at the lingering loner. But, as much as he wanted to spit and scream— he knew it would only be derisive between him and Saena. Unfortuantly, he was in no position to cherry-pick each of Saena's friends personally.

He swallowed his pride and remained silent, allowing the two to speak freely. Instead of dwelling on it, Reek focused on their future claim. Dull orange eyes flitted about, inspecting every element of the maplewood in sight. If only they had gotten there sooner. Gotten to marking. If there had been established borders, then maybe Reek would have had a proper excuse to maul Mr. Steal-ya-girl.

Upon hearing that Luke had set up camp not so far away, Reek visibly grimaced. While he resigned himself to not interfere in Saena's frienship, he hoped for a bufferzone between the two. Unfortunately, the close proximity would only add to Reek's worry. However, he trusted Saena not to act out... Luke on the other hand, that was a different story.

Saena understood, perhaps too readily. Had it been anyone else except maybe Lasher or Blue Willow, she wouldn't have been welcoming of their presence in her home. If they were a stranger she certainly would've attacked. But Luke was another story. He was far from a stranger and was, in fact, among the closest wolves in Saena's life. When the pack was properly established he would be held to the same rules and standards as any wolf, but until then, she would not turn her fang on him if he passed over their threshold. She wasn't sure she could do it even if they were solidified.

But, of course, Saena was a wolf and so her nature would prevent that as well.

"Oh, Luke!" she exclaimed when he stated that he was finally settling down. While disappointed he hadn't come to live with them here, Saena was pleased. "I'm really happy for you!" And he was joining the north. Maybe he wouldn't stand for the aggression that existed between Redhawk Caldera and the forming Phoenix Maplewood, but that was far from her mind. She trusted he would stand with them in the final confrontation should it ever come. "Who's leading it? You?"

I appreciate that! I am a Reek stalker lol. Lol @ finding it hard to be mean to him haha.

In order to content each facet of his heart, there would need to be three of him. One to live aside Lasher at the plateau, one to support Harlyn in her dream to found her pack, and one to watch Saena grow and flourish as an ambitious alpha. His easygoing nature could find happiness in either place, but as he had promised the druid first, he would follow her. Down the trail, perhaps he wound find himself with one of his other dear companions. Either way, he would be seeing them from time to time.

The white wolf shook his head. "No, not me," he said. "Her name is Harlyn, and along side her will be her beau, Mordecai." Perhaps she knew of Mordecai, but he did not bother to extend on the subject, deciding then it was time for him to move along, though he was loathe to do so. But he did not wish for his companion's mate to turn to broth, what with all his stewing. It did not go unnoticed by him that the sooty man had grimaced at the mere thought of Luke as neighbor.

"You should stop by sometime," he invited, with a wave of his tail. He looked then to Reek. "You should too." It was a genuine offer; he did not wish to find himself at odds with the fellow simply because of his overly affectionate nature. "I should be getting back there myself, to make sure the storm didn't gobble it up on me. Take care, Saena." The devil alighted in his eyes as he looked again to Reek, thinking for a moment he ought to plant a big sloppy kiss on the guy's cheek and run off before he could react, but he was in no condition to run, and so simply said, in a good-natured tone, "Later, Reek!"

He waved his tail, and then made his exit. Normally, he would have gave his red-pointed companion a nuzzle or lick before departing, but he decided to spare her ragged mate any further torture.

One more post from you, and that should do it!

Back and forth, the two spoke of home and plans, all-the-while Reek continued to stew in uncomfortable silence. Unfortunately for Mr. Bluenose, Reek held no plans of visiting him at the hollow, and he hoped that his mate would do the same.  However, if she wanted to go— Reek wouldn't keep her from her friend.  Instead, he would reluctantly accompany her.  

Eventually, Mr. Steal-ya-girl turned to limp away and Reek breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The uncomfortable tension that had built in Luke's presence immediately melted away. With every haggard step Luke took away from the Maplewood, Reek could feel the tightness in his chest begin to fade; one he was only a silhouette on the horizon, Reek could breath easy once more.

He turned to his mate and planted a sloppy kiss on the side of her cheek. "Mate huh?" he asked with a much more comfortable smile.  "Let's go get then rest of the pack so we can get this claim started... we can talk all about it on the way."

Saena was surprised to hear the name Mordecai. She remembered him, having hunted with him back at Blacktail Deer Plateau. It seemed that Luke's budding pack would be yet another offshoot from Dante's pack, which was quickly becoming THE pack. The one other wolves dispersed from. The mother pack, as it were. Of course, many of the packs in the wilds didn't originate there, but Redhawk Caldera and her pack both did, and soon there would be a third.

Reek broke her reverie with a lick to the side of her face. She crinkled her nose and almost said, not anymore, you drool monster! but, remembering how her last "prank" about something serious had gone, she kept her mouth shut. She did giggle, however, and turned her head to swipe the now drenched cheek against her shoulder. "Thanks for not attacking him," she said after Reek's back as she trotted to his side, the pair of them making a beeline for where they'd left the rest of their friends and family. Maybe it wasn't in Reek's nature to view affectionate males as anything but competition, but Saena was damn grateful he hadn't driven his teeth into Luke to make that point. He was a good guy, one she would be proud to call "mate".

As they walked, Saena lifted her head and sang loudly for the pack members, letting them know they were on their way back.