Porcupine Ridge molson canadian coaster - what beer's all about!

@Capriccio

It was on a mountain he had been born, and it was only fitting that it was to a mountain he should return to stake out a claim for himself. Where, he had not yet exactly decided. But as his paws ascended the rugged rocks and combed through the pastures between them, drifting among the stout trees of the forests and tracing the edge of small spring-fed lakes, that question seemed to become answered. A small smile curled his mouth, and he flicked his tail. He only needed now for the wolves to come, either by his invite, or by their own accord if they should be willing to join him. He reposed on a small rock ledge, from where he could survey a great swath of the land, and a small cluster of mountain goat that grazed between the ridges peaks.

Fueled by scraps, Tweed continued onward. Every inch of his body continued to ache, but he could not let himself give up. Not yet. Not when there was still an ounce of hope. He was not sure where that hope came from, nor how long it would last, but it lingered there, keeping him from throwing himself off a cliff, or letting himself inhale water until he stopped breathing. Tweed thought of all the different ways to die, but he didn't dare try any of them. That sliver of hope kept him alive.

He stumbled upon somebody by accident, and his ears pricked forward at the sight. This was no wolf with a sliver of hope. This wolf was full of it. Tweed blinked, staring at him a moment longer. He did not approach, not yet. He stood, he stared, he waited.

Tagg had cast the invitation for her and Terich to join him, and Capri had talked it over with her silver companion. He was a wolf who despised the mountains, given his past, but he had agreed to check it out. Graciously, the she-wolf had stayed by his side, encouraging him as they made their way to the rather impressive mountains and feeling a hint of guilt for asking him as such. There was nothing stopping them from continuing onward – to finding an impressive forest, or valley in which to lay claim – but something about the ebony wolf had felt promising, and so, the two had decided to test the waters.
 
They were young yet.
 
Capri had trailed away from Terich-mir for a bit – following the trail that Tagg had left behind, albeit faintly. She would find him perched upon the steep slopes, his large form impressive not only in size, but the casual dominance that seemed to surround him. As if she could mimic such confidence, the girl sashayed forward, her ears sliding back to her skull as a sign of subservience to the position he made to stake claim on. Her periwinkle yes drifted to another, who lingered nearby, and with arched brows, she cast her frosted gaze back to Tagg – had he been building his empire?

He watched the goats, their heads bowed as they grazed on herbs, mosses and lichens. On occasion they would lift their heads to glance around, but their ease could be seen even from where the black wolf rested, in the idle twitch of their tails and their quickness to return to feeding. Even a small gopher popped out from its burrow to nibble on grass.

The black wolf drawed his paw back, and felt a curled edge of worn nail catch. He turned his attention to the peeling nail, using his incisors to nip at the offending roughness. From his perch, he readily catches the sight of another wolf, and his broad head swings toward him, his ears flicking forward. His fur begins to bristle with possessiveness over this land, but as quickly as the hairs begin their ascent along his nape and spine, he checks himself and flattens them. This is not yet his domain. Territoriality shifts into curiosity; perhaps this wolf might join him.

He rises, and his keen gray eyes catch yet more movement, this time the form familiar and completely welcomed. He favors Capriccio with a wagging of his tail and a smile, and he sees that she too has noticed the other wolf. He lightly shakes his head no to her unspoken question, then he leaps down from the rock ledge, gliding toward the other male, confident but neutral. His tail waved slowly in greeting and he stopped several respectable wolf-lengths from the tan and gray wolf.

"Like this place?" He inquired.

Too tired to run. Too worn to fight. Instead, Tweed simply stood where he was, meek as ever, as the other male approached him. When the other paused, Tweed shut his eyes tight, wincing as he expected the blows to come. Perhaps this wolf would be his merciful killer. That would be easier than the life he had been living for the better part of the month. Or had it been longer. Since the rest of the pack had split, time felt squishy and out of place, like it had never existed at all.

No pain came to him, though. Just a voice. A question, to be precise. Tweed had not thought on it. Not one ounce. He blinked a few times, then shrugged, glancing to the female whom he had not noticed until just now. His (re)actions had slowed more and more the longer he was alone.

Tagg was more interested in the wolf who appeared to be a stranger to him, and the silver-tipped she-wolf followed his gaze to the other. He was thin -- wincing as the large dark wolf closed the distance between them. Her own paws gently followed, though she flanked the ebony regal with a wider berth, so as to not intimidate the other.

He did not respond with words -- her ears cupped forward and she studied him with scrutiny that only stemmed from her desire to aide Taggarik to building a worthy pack. The wolf was youthful and sickly looking -- but perhaps savable, if he found the support he required to thrive. There was a shrug given, and his green eyes fell to her. She stilled, her own eyes locking upon him in a stare, but she spoke nothing just yet.

She wanted to see how this situation was handled before she made any promises to the ebony male.

*slaps self* must... stop... switching tenses lmfao

The corners of his mouth turned down as the fellow closed his and eyes and winced as if expecting some punishment for merely existing in the proximity of the black wolf. Even Taggarik's question seemed to puzzle the yearling, who blinked and shrugged for an answer. A hum of contemplation rumbled in the black wolf's chest, and then he moved forward, his blunt muzzle reaching out to draw the wolf's scent in.

The weariness of the boy's body had not gone unnoticed, but withered fat and muscle could be rebuilt with a stable routine and a few good meals. Sickness, however, was a different story, but as Taggarik's nostril's twitched with his deep and purposeful inhales, he detected none. His tail swished, and satisfied with his appraisal, he stepped back to afford the timid wolf his space.

"I will be claiming this ridge for myself and my own," he stated, casting a sidelong glance to Capri who was standing quietly off to his side. "You can stay, if you wish." The wolf's usefulness would have to be proven in the weeks to come, as would be required of anyone who accepted his offer.

The female only observed him, though she seemed to be at least somewhat familiar with the other male. Green eyes flickered back and forth between them, the gears in Tweed's brain slowly creaking and clicking into place. The darker wolf spoke again, this time offering Tweed a place to stay. That was something that caused his eyes to focus a bit more, his ears to perk up, and his posture to straighten. "Your own?" he asked, voice obviously rarely used for the past several weeks.

His eyes settled on the female, wondering if that was his only other recruit. If that was the case, did Tweed really want to join up with just two others? He sought stability, not something new and untested. Three wolves against the world was not enough, was it?

Taggarik, who had extended her a gracious meal on her first introduction to him, did not disappoint in this moment either, and the silver-tipped she-wolf studied the wolf she had officially determined to call  her leader. Caring before suspicious, the Roux-Abrhen held no doubt he was also one to not cross should the situation call for it, and settled with this decision, her frosted eyes would tip back to the o9ther wolf, wondering what his words would be upon the invitation.
 
The silver male did not seem convinced -- if anything, Capri admired his hinted question in the sense that one could not choose a home so simply. Had she not backed away from Ukko's invitation for this matter as well?
 
"Terich-mir and I will be joining your pack," she spoke, her tone lilting as she took the silent moment to inform the ebony wolf.. and perhaps offer the hint to the stranger that this was indeed a plan that would form to fruition. "If the offer still stands," she tagged on, her muzzle canting only slightly t the side as her pale eyes sought him out now.

His offer of a home appeared to capture the wolf's attention, his ears lifting in response and posture straightening. "Your own?" he asked, and Tagg dipped his muzzle with a quiet hum, and as he started to sweep his muzzle toward the silver and soot female, she spoke up to say that she and her travelling companion would indeed be joining him. Taggarik's tail made several pleased swishes, and he smiled broadly toward her, giving a nod to confirm that his offer still stood.

"My own," he said, turning his attention back to the gray male. "Like her and Terich. Any wolf who joins me here will enjoy what the ridge and a pack offers." He paused just long enough for the words to settle. "So, will you be joining?"

So the two did know one another. Again, Tweed glanced back and forth between the two. But he wasn't convinced by the answers they offered. "No," he replied. Perhaps it would have been easy to join them in their quest to form a group, but Tweed could not stand going through what he had been through again. He had trusted the wolves of his previous pack down to the bone, but he didn't know these two (nor the third wolf they spoke of) one tiny bit. He wasn't about to trust them with his life... no matter how little time he had left in this world.

Smart enough to know when to skedaddle, Tweed did just that. Without so much as another syllable to the two wolves, he bolted as quickly as his weak muscles would take him away from this land they claimed to be claiming. He no longer had any reason to stick around, nor was he in the mood to pick fights.

Her eyes remained upon the other -- his reply was succinct, and with it, the silver male turned and left. Her gaze watched him as he went, though she made no movement to follow him, lest Taggarik determine he remained a threat. Instead, a gentle chuff was released from her muzzle, and giving a light swing of her head, her shoulders lifted in a light shrug.  Another body would have proven beneficial -- but it was not the end of their world.
 
Her eyes drifted from the disappearing form of the stranger to study Taggarik now, her form maintaining its level of casual submission as she waited for his response.

Last post for me :D

Taggarik flicked his tail. He would not have chased the young male out, not while his borders lay unmarked, their claim not yet official, though he would have been warned him of their impending claim, that their tolerance of those unaffiliated with them would wane. But he had no chance to say anything. The hungry loner gave his answer and bolted, likely anticipating an aggressive farewell.

Turning to the silver and black female at his side, he too rolled his broad shoulders in a shrug. "Oh well," he said, a bit baffled that a young wolf in his condition would turn down such a generous offer. "Come, let's have a look at your new home." He winked at Capri, and swept his muzzle in invitation as he walked off, tail swishing with contentment.

Survival of the fittest was something to be witnessed more tan just physically -- and as Taggarik muttered an 'oh well,' Capri would only offer a gentle chuff of agreement. It would seem the wolf was quite the gambler on his life, but already he was forgotten by the silver-tipped she-wolf who was not so reckless.
 
Her muzzle tipped slightly at the rumble of her newfound Alpha's voice, and at his amicable invitation, Capri gave a small smile and nod as she swept forward, waiting to travel close to his flank as he would offer her a brief tour of her new home. "Terich will come shortly," she offered in brief explanation to where her silver companion was. The two were best friends indeed, but they were not glued to one another's hips constantly.
 
So, for now, she would explore Porcupine Ridge beneath Tagg's helpful company, finding herself at ease in his presence.