Altar of Twilight party time, excellent

For @Wildfire !

Having crossed the winding river and headed for the cover of trees, Eigma took her time to find someplace to lay her head. She rested for a few hours, still unable to drift in to a proper sleep, and was quickly roused by the cawing of crows above her head. Perhaps they saw her as a meal to pick clean? Simply waiting for her last breath to pass her lips. With a grimace towards the chattering shadows, Eigma was up and roaming again. The woman wasn't so weak as to be on the edge of death; she had been traveling for a long while now and would need food, and eventually a real sleep, but she wasn't suffering. 

As she followed the tree line through Bramblepoint, the pale autumn light caught upon the leaves in the trees and ignited them. Beyond a low hanging bough Eigma could spy the blurry outline of the mountains, and before long her paws carried her towards them. She had seen mountains before - they were as common as dirt - but she was curious of the lower slopes. If she was lucky she would find a sheep, or something else to corral in to her belly.

Thanks for starting! :)

The bracing breeze whispered of winter. Wildfire shuddered slightly and kept picking her way downhill, hoping to drop into the woodland at the mountain's foot to find something for lunch. She wasn't the best hunter but she didn't feel quite right dipping into the pack's caches yet. She wanted to add a few things first before she went around using the pack's communal resources. Until that happened, she would have to catch her meals on the fly.

But instead of prey, she spotted a wolf ranging around the grassland just beyond the forest. Wildfire threaded along the trees' edge, her tail flicking curiously as she began loping toward the stranger. He or she was outside the boundary line, so maybe it was just a straggling passerby? Wildfire supposed that she could put her Warrior skills to use and shoo the wolf away, though she felt it would be prudent to figure out the stranger's name and business first.

"Hi," she called, drawing in the other wolf's scent. It was a fellow she-wolf, albeit older and larger. "Can I help you?" Wildfire added, large red ears tipping forward to await an answer.

Eigma watched the clouds drift above her head, watching for any dark swatches of color to hint towards more rain. Everything looked pretty clear - cloudy, but nothing ominous - and that was when she looked ahead to the mountain. Instead of the sheep she intended to hunt down, she spotted something red, and instantly thought of foxes. Mountains were harsh terrain for the lazy little creatures, so the sight of a fox here was curious. Eigma's head lowered, leveling briefly with her shoulders in a predatory stance, until the red animal was closer - and with an abrupt shift in her posture, Eigma halted in her wandering.

It wasn't a fox, it was a wolf. A red wolf? Her brow furrowed briefly, but relaxed as the girl spoke; they seemed pleasant enough. "Help me?" Eigma parroted the girl, her voice coy, ears splayed out on either side of her head. She licked her lips, indicating a brief moment of thought. "I don't think so.." She wasn't in any danger (unless this youngster had some kind of super power), and for a moment she was a bit too stupefied to make the next best leap.

Until she realized that the wolf before her smelled like mountain dust, not like the trees of the forest behind her. "Oh, you must mean -- you live on the mountain?" There were many mountains in this area, so maybe she was judging this wrong. Maybe the girl was from elsewhere, and was just being helpful - but that wasn't common in Eigma's life up to this point, so the possibility didn't even register in her mind.

The stranger took her question quite literally before realizing what Wildfire meant. The teenager favored her with a bemused smile. Her tail began to wave, though it slowed and stopped again at the other she-wolf's subsequent question. It just felt so weird, thinking of herself as a wolf of Moonspear rather than Redhawk Caldera. How long would it take for her to get used to it, she wondered.

"Uh, yeah," she said, realizing she hadn't replied yet. "I'm Wildfire and this is Moonspear. I take it you're not a member then. I'm new," the youth explained. She took a step closer so that the two of them were perhaps two yards away from each other before inquiring, "So, who're you and what're you doing here?"

Wildfire. It was the perfect name for her, at least when taking in to account her vibrant pelt. Eigma wondered if her spirit was just as bright; at the same time, as Wildfire mentioned that this was a pack territory and that she was a member - Eigma stiffened slightly. Her posture turned a bit more submissive, almost apologetic, and she took a step back. 

"My name is Eigma," she responded swiftly, "I'm from outside of this valley, uh," Eigma turned her head as if to look behind her, but then realized mid-motion that she didn't really know where she had ended up, let alone where she had come from. "South of here, I guess." It didn't matter. What mattered most was answering this girl's questions.

"Am I... What's the word," her face scrunched up a little as she tried to think of the phrase so many rogues had used in her travels, telling her of the different regions and their structures. "Trespassing? I didn't mean to get too close to your home." The woman slipped a smile upon her face, and though it felt a bit forced on her end, she was genuinely pleased to have found someone at long last.

The instant Eigma lowered herself and took a step back, Wildfire knew she wouldn't have to bust out the Warrior moves today. She shook her head lightly and quickly reassured, "No, you're not. This place is called the Altar of Twilight." Even as she spoke, it dawned on her that she didn't feel nearly as protective of the territory's fringes as she had back at the caldera. As Eigma had said, this was home now and she would have to protect the borders' sanctity from outsiders.

But Eigma truly was well outside the boundary line, so Wildfire didn't worry about it for now. "Are you traveling?" the youngster wondered. Once she had gotten more adjusted to her life here, she would hit the road again, likely with Floki in tow. But she hadn't traveled very far recently and found herself wanting to live vicariously through Eigma. "You mentioned the south. Are you from a pack that way?"

She breathed a quick breath, relief flooding her system when the girl eased her worry. Eigma didn't even know why she was worried - maybe it was the thought that she'd be set upon by guards? There were stories passed throughout her homeland of pack wolves; they were voracious, hardly pragmatic, or so the stories led her to believe. This one seemed to be young but not antagonistic. 

"I am traveling, sort of," she confirmed, her head nodding a little, eyes trained upon Wildfire with an expectant glow. "I left home around your age, and its taken me a while to find the coast." She didn't want to elucidate on the topic of home just yet. It was natural for Eigma to keep information close, and wasn't fond of sharing with anyone, even a friendly face like her current company. At the same time, she wasn't about to lie outright about it.

Besides, it was nice to have someone to talk to.

"I'm not from a pack though. I've never... Been part of one."

"I left home around your age," Eigma said and Wildfire's heart thumped in her chest. It usually took a while for her to warm up to a brand new acquaintance, yet she felt like she had already found a kindred spirit in her fellow traveler. It seemed their similarities stopped there, though; she had never been part of a pack. Wildfire's lips parted in surprise.

It occurred to her that she could attempt to recruit Eigma. It would look really good to her new leadership, a sign that she was an Outrider worth her salt despite only being an apprentice. She had never managed to recruit anyone into Redhawk Caldera, though she was supposed to be starting a new life here. Maybe it could begin with a higher batting average.

"Wouldn't you like to be part of a pack?" she asked, her curiosity in Eigma's response entirely authentic. Wolves were social creatures. How had this she-wolf lived without one for so long?

The look on her face made Eigma want to laugh, but she resisted the urge. Instead her somewhat-forced smile turned more genuine. An answer to her question was quick, but light in tone, "Well, yes actually." 

From what she knew of packs, they worked on a "safety in numbers" concept; one wolf was in charge and the rest were a well oil machine, working to keep everything running smoothly for everyone. There were some fanciful notions in her head which she had yet to prove or disprove, too. Like whether that one leader was a king or a tyrant, and that machine was a thing for war or peace. Perhaps it depended on the individual.

Or maybe a pack was made just so one guy could have all the ladies - in which case, Wildfire was a prime example of that theory. She seemed young and fit, perfect for that lifestyle. Eigma mentioned none of this. These theories welled up all at once in her mind, and faded within moments.

"But I was raised to be... Wary, I suppose, of pack wolves. I was always taught to stand up for myself, rely on my own strengths, and not the wanton desire of a stranger." She explained, and watched the girl; hopefully her words wouldn't dissuade, but if they did and if Eigma failed to meet the standards for this pack, she could find another. "What about you? Have you always been... a follower?"

Eigma answered affirmatively, then mentioned some hesitations. They were only natural. Wildfire had not made the decision to join this pack lightly, nor should any of its future recruits, including the potential one standing in front of her. Wildfire would do her best to help Eigma figure out if joining this pack could be mutually beneficial, though she had no doubt that any worthwhile wolf could find its place here.

"I've always been part of a pack, yes. I was born at Redhawk Caldera, not too far from here." She paused, pursed her lips and let out a low breath. "I just moved here a few days ago. It was hard to leave my family but I'm a wanderer too and I guess you could say my heart wandered this way. That said, I'm no nomad. I like to travel but I also like having a home base. You could have the same, if we decided Moonspear was a good fit.

What sorts of skills do you have?" she asked next, her eyes quietly assessing Eigma for the first time. She was lean but muscular and appeared more or less healthy. If she could eke out a living by herself, she would probably do really well with the support of a pack.

It must be so strange to encounter someone without any affiliation. It was strange enough for Eigma to be speaking with this pack wolf, conversing as if they were so similar, when they were worlds apart. It wasn't that Eigma was alone all this time either - she had her mother, and some friends which passed through her life on occasion. Nothing as dedicated as what Wildfire outlined though; living in one place for that long sounded more like.. Stagnation. Her ears flicked back briefly before righting themselves as she experienced doubt, but was quick to kick that sensation to the proverbial curb.

"I'm not sure," was her initial response, quiet and not as self-assured as she usually sounded, but Eigma thought about it quickly and surmised, "I can hunt, track, and fight. I've never had to provide for more than myself or my mother, so I don't have experience with really big targets. But I'm adaptable." Or she liked to think of herself as such. Any wolf could hunt and fight though; having survived to this point through willpower and quick thinking must account for something.

Eigma settled back on her haunches, suddenly aware of a numbness in her legs from standing for so long. Her attention never deviated from Wildfire - she watched her face carefully. "I'm.. Not really sure what to tell you." Listing one's abilities and accolades was not a common event back on her home turf. "Usually if someone wants to get to know me, it isn't through friendly banter."

Although Eigma's skills sounded average on the surface, Wildfire knew the importance of Gamekeepers and Warriors. Hunting, tracking and fighting could be important assets. The most important thing was the word adaptable, though. Charon and Ame could take the basic framework and build the ideal pack mate out of her... if she was open to it, of course. Everything went both ways when you committed yourself to a pack.

Eigma sat but Wildfire remained solidly rooted on her feet as she weighed the female's next words. "What do you mean? How else do you get to know someone?" she queried, head canting slightly to the right and silky black tail twitching thoughtfully.

The girl's comment brought a wave of laughter out of her. A light sound, accompanied by a small shake of her head - like she wasn't going to answer that question. But she did, happily. "When you live on your own for as long as me - when that's all you've ever known - you develop certain.. Habits." Her smile resumed its place upon her face. "When there is food, you take it. Doesn't matter who did the killing or who is currently eating at the kill, you just go and fight and take. There isn't time for words." She licked her lips, appearing a bit distant as she reminisced. "But that's how I've met most of my allies." Allies. Not friends. Eigma was careful to use the right term.

"Facing off against someone can tell you more about them than.. Talking." Not that talking was totally bad; Eigma just wasn't very eloquent or diplomatic. "Scrapping with strangers is dangerous I guess, but when its all you've ever known.. You learn to appreciate things."

She was met with laughter before Eigma launched into an elaboration on what she meant. Wildfire's lips pressed firmly together as she took in each and every word. Obviously, stealing food wasn't a good practice within the ranks of a pack, although she supposed it was one way to try jockeying for rank. It struck her as strange that thieving food would lead to alliances, though Wildfire had never tried it, so she really couldn't say whether or not that's how it worked.

"So, you're looking for a spar?" the teenager wondered aloud, amber eyes glittering with interest. It didn't sound like such a bad idea, especially because it would be a great way for Eigma to prove her fighting skills. Wildfire was a Warrior, so obviously she was game, though she thought out loud, "Maybe I could call for one of my pack mates—maybe even a leader—then we could spar and they could call it? And maybe you'll figure out if you want to join in the process." If she did end up proving herself worthy and wanted to join, then she would also have two wolves right there who could vouch for her.

Spar? The concept of a one-on-one match without food, land, or a nice place to sleep as the prize, was foreign to her. Maybe it was a word used by pack wolves just to mean a fight; and Eigma shrugged her shoulders, not sure if she should accept. She was interested of course - she wanted to learn more about this girl and the pack she hailed from - so for the time being Eigma would have to put aside her "fight for survival" tactics and play nice. Or something.

"I'd be game for that, sure. Call away." The woman finally agreed, expression bright. "It'd be a good old-fashioned introduction between the two of us, hah," apparently that was funny to her. "I always thought if I fought a pack wolf, it'd be entirely one-sided." But that was basing things off of the stories she'd heard; she didn't mention believing a pack wolf couldn't stand on their own two legs, not wanting to insult her new friend.

She shrugged noncommittally, though she didn't seem opposed at least. Wildfire grinned when Eigma urged her to call for someone. Before she could toss back her head, she said something else which gave the youth pause. It took Wildfire a minute to figure out what she meant. She quirked a brow, then smirked, an expression which did not often cross her otherwise gentle features.

"You mean because a pack of wolves would totally cream you?" she quipped. "That's the beauty of a pack, though: they'll back you up, no questions asked. When you join a pack, it becomes your family. Anyway, that's another reason I'm going to call someone here: so no one thinks you're some trespasser trying to maul me."

Without another word, Wildfire shot her smudged muzzle into the sky, hoping to summon @Charon, @Amekaze or anyone else who felt like refereeing a sparring match and possibly recruiting a new member. Only the two Alphas could call the shots in the end, so Wildfire hoped one of the two of them would be available.

When he heard Dhole's call, Charon was just patrolling his borders. Mid-rubbing a tree, he looked up, ears perked up, and then started to make his way towards Dhole's location at the altar of twilight. He found her there with a female, which made Charon think of his conversation with Dash the other day about females. Dhole and the female appeared to be chatting, and Charon wondered if she was another new recruit. They were pretty full since forming, something Charon (used to a pack of four) was incredibly proud of, but if she was good then Charon would definitely consider another new joiner.

That was, if she was here for joining at all. Nothing seemed wrong with her though, physically, so she probably wasn't some random stranged in need, and Charon couldn't recognise many other scents on her, so she was probably a loner. "Hey Dhole, what's up?" he said and he shot Dhole a somewhat exaggeratedly charming wink before he looked at her companion, his curiosity growing by the minute.

Feel free to get offended at Eigma's behavior / cut her off at any point, she's being socially inept lmao.

Eigma said nothing when Wildfire responded, because that was exactly what she had been thinking. Pack wolves played dirty, they had access to backup while lone wolves were by definition, singular. The woman wasn't very enthusiastic about waiting around while more wolves popped out of the woodwork, but she faced that fear, sitting placidly while Wildfire summoned someone.

The stranger which arrived was... A boy. Eigma didn't know what she expected; maybe someone well seasoned? An old man covered in battle scars, having taken the mountain under his influence by force? But the pale wolf which so casually approached was very young. It was quite surprising to the three-year-old; Eigma had never thought of herself as leader material, and she was a fully fledged adult. Then there was this boy, not even able to pass his seed, and he ruled a mountain? Bizarre.

The boy addressed Wildfire with what Eigma presumed was a nickname, but before the red-furred girl could respond, Eigma was on her paws and introducing herself. She advanced towards the white wolf with what she thought was friendly posturing, her tail high and waving, her ears pricked and forward, not realizing that these were marks of dominance. 

She watched the boy's face as she said, "She summoned you to meet me. My name is Eigma -" her tail was a grizzled gray banner of peace (or war, depending on your point of view), swaying above her hindquarters. " -we were going to, ah, what was the word? Spar? And if you like what you see.." Eigma grinned, passing a look to Wildfire briefly which highlighted her excitement. Her statement trailed off, as the situation didn't need further explanation.

The leadership did not leave them waiting. When Charon strode into view, Wildfire flashed her young Alpha a smile, then lowered her head and tail and glanced in Eigma's direction. Before she could exchange introductions, the newcomer closed the space between herself and Charon. The Omicron's lips parted in surprise at her body language, her brow furrowing as her lips drew into a thin line of disapproval. Then she remembered that Eigma had never been part of a pack, so it was possible her social skills were even rustier than previously thought, perhaps even nonexistent.

"She's never been in a pack before," Wildfire explained, moving to stand beside Charon so the two of them were facing Eigma, though she pointed her muzzle at the Alpha briefly before refocusing her warm amber gaze on their potential recruit. She felt responsible for the woman and her behavior, so she tried to subtly motion for the she-wolf to stand down. But she wasn't sure Eigma would understand. "She wants to prove herself via a friendly fighting match and I thought you could referee. It's your call, of course," the youth deferred, keeping her head bowed but gazing curiously in Charon's general direction.

Before Charon could fully turn his focus towards the stranger, she was already all up in his face, introducing herself and babbling some things about sparring. There was something decidedly weird about her; she was smiling and looking all friendly-like and she looked pretty relaxed, but her tail was high over her back. A growl rumbled in Charon's throat as he instinctively raised his own tail over his back, hackles rising and teeth bared. Ears fell back against his neck and head rised high while he drew closer to her.

In the back of his mind he heard Dhole say some things about a spar, but the words were distant, as though he had his head dipped in water, his focus entirely on Eigma. "Stand down," he warned through gritted teeth. He was an Alpha now, and even though there was something weird about her — as though she didn't realise what she was doing — she was also a wolf and Charon's instincts forced him to right this situation before they proceeded, one way or another.

She didn't know why, but the boy growled in her direction, startling herin to stepping back - her tail naturally curving down. Eigma's ears fell against her head and she shot Wildfire a sharp look, but said nothing. The woman's natural reaction was to puff up a bit (although her thin fur and diminutive weight meant that the raised hackles were easy to miss). It felt like things were going sour already, and she couldn't fathom why. Maybe this wasn't the leader after all, just some punk kid? But his warning growl was convincing enough, and his command corrected her behavior. It also tied her tongue, as Eigma was quick to decide she did not appreciate the rebuttal - not realizing how valid it was - and that meant she would let Wildfire clear the air herself; unless of course this was some kind of pack wolf thing. Some kind of game, or a trick, in which case she'd simply leave.

Eigma didn't seem to notice her subtle gesturing. Perhaps she would have to spell it out for her... if it wasn't already too late. "When you approach a superior, like Charon here," she began, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the Alpha's growl, "you need to keep your head low, tail down and eyes averted out of respect." It felt funny, explaining it out loud, and it struck Wildfire as strange that Eigma didn't seem to know the first thing about body language. Even if she had never been in a pack, wasn't this sort of thing largely instinctual? That led her to wonder whether instincts were the product of nature or nurture.

"See how I'm holding myself?" she continued after a pause, making a show of keeping her head bowed, tail limp and eyes on her feet before glancing up at the pale she-wolf. "That's how it's done... unless you're trying to challenge him, of course." Wildfire meant that last part as a joke but either way, the implication was pretty clear: doing so would not end well for Eigma.

Finally some sort of reaction followed when Charon growled and the stranger seemed to realise her inappropriate behaviour. Her tail fell down, which was good, though she looked more confused than she should have been. Charon glanced at Dhole as she verbally explained, though it displeased Charon that the stranger needed explaining at all. He did not comment on it, though, deciding to let her correct her behaviour on her own.

"I'm Charon, Moonspear's Alpha," he introduced, even though Dhole had already introduced him indirectly anyway. If she were to correct her behaviour as per Dhole's instructions (though she'd already done so halfway; it seemed her instincts were not entirely dead after all, then), Charon would let them get on with the spar, curious to see what she could do to compensate her errors here.

Eigma's instincts were that of a hungry animal: alone, striving for survival, taking what was wanted whenever possible. Having to appease anyone - with words or body language - had never been a facet of her upbringing; and while most of her reactions were ingrained, she did not like the way her body buckled so willingly to the threat of Charon's growling. She also did not particularly care for Wildfire's instruction, but said nothing. The girl was only trying to help.

She did as she was told, further lowering her tail so that it swept the ground, and looked away from Charon while he introduced himself. Her ears flicked towards his voice briefly, before falling back to her head. Was this how pack wolves lived? Afraid of their betters? Did they all bow and curl their tail like dogs just because one wolf told them to? It was an alien concept and one she instantly disliked - mostly because Charon here was so young. Why did he deserve any respect, let alone the fealty of grown adults?

"I'm sorry." her level voice rose up, rolling over her shoulder as if she were speaking to someone adjacent to her own body, as her head was still turned away from Charon. "Can I stand up properly now?" Eigma was doing her best to emulate what Wildfire had said she should do, and maybe took it a bit farther by hunching her entire body away from the alpha. If looking away was respectful, then obviously turning as far away as physically possible would be a perfectly acceptable response.

Wildfire lapsed into silence after her little quip. She looked to Charon, waiting for him to give a cue of some sort. Would he tell Eigma to forget the spar and scram? Or would he give her a chance to correct her posture, then prove herself via a mock fight? The youth felt hopeful for Eigma's sake (and her own, since a successful spar and recruitment would reflect very well on her too), though she knew Charon might not relent. Maybe because he was so young and with more to prove than an older Alpha, he tended to be a little on the tough side. He also had quite a few capable pack mates already, so he might not want to sign up for the possible headache Eigma might bring to Moonspear.

She glanced at the other she-wolf, pursing her lips and giving a silent nod of approval when she adjusted herself to a more appropriate pose. Eigma had actually overemphasized it a bit, to be honest. Wildfire held back a snicker at her seemingly innocent query, silently wondering what Charon would say and do in response.