Lost Creek Hollow it's all a state of mind

@Shikoba (set at the borders so if any loners are in the neighborhood, they are welcome to pop on in)

Jazz had picked up a steady, purposeful jog and the shortest route she knew to bring them to the western border of the Hollow. Admittedly, this was the stretch of borders she knew the least so she did want to brush up on knowing them better -- and there was no time better than the present. She did not know where Shikoba's expertise was at, exactly, but she was just glad to have the company of any sort.

Besides, two sets of eyes, ears, and noses on duty would only double their success and if they ran into anything, Jazz's confidence was sure to be bolstered just by knowing she was not alone. As a wolf, she just felt better with the company of pack mates and she was glad that it seemed to all be coming easily for her here in the Hollow. Fitting in wasn't very difficult, and for that, she was very thankful.

When she reached the invisible boundaries of the pack, she paused and surveyed the sights. At first glance, it seemed quiet here, and she peered over her shoulder to Shikoba before officially stalking on further.

Jazz had led the way, a nice paced jog that Shikoba easily kept up with. They became closer and closer to the invisible borders, the scent clearly stating 'LCH Territory, keep out'. If any wolf dared to run in again such as they large black one had done before, they would be in grave danger with a pair of snapping jaws near their muzzles.

The gamma wolf looked around in silence, the atmosphere was calm for the moment being. Swiftly, Jazz continued to survey the area, Shikoba followed suit and kept her golden eyes peeled. Lightly stepping over twigs and roots, her ears twitched at the noises of fluttering wings and chirping birds.

She flashes Shikoba a quick, wolfish grin as she settles into the task at hand. It comes easy to her because it is probably the thing in her life she's put the most effort into being good at. Even from a tender young age, she'd aspired to be a valued defender of the pack and looked up to those who were. It had seemed to be in her very blood to want to succeed at this, so even if life had changed drastically for her in the last few months, this was something she held fast to even here in the Hollow.

Jazz moves lightly over the landscape but with a purposeful march to her step. She sniffs and scans the area, eventually finding a spot worth freshening the marking on -- which she branched off to do quickly before rejoining Shikoba's immediate vicinity. Mordecai's words about dangers looming in the wilds and cougars attacking wolves hangs somewhere in the back of her mind, but she tries not to let it distract her. Not now, anyway. All she could do was be vigilant.

A grin made by Jazz was flashed towards Shikoba, their words never falling into the peaceful silence. She returned the smile with a soft one, following the marching wolf along the border.

The other left, most likely to mark the border before rejoining the Druid. Silently, she continued her way with Jazz, looking around for any signs of life or other wolves. The time was quiet and peaceful for the two females, Shikoba liked it when there was silence.

Over a peaceful borderland and with just enough company for her to feel secure, Jazz is feeling quite comfortable in her element here. This is what she's good at so even if some grand acts of heroism in protecting their claim was what would really get her established here as a guardian, she still appreciates the serenity of a peaceful borderland. It means their job is easy for now, but also that as a pack they have done a good job in upholding it. Maybe nothing being here means their scents have deterred troublemakers already. Jazz is happy to try to look on the bright side of it, even if the task at hand may seem a little boring and monotonous to someone not as polished in the act as they are.

She's also quite content with the silence they have established too because it keeps her focus more honed, or so she feels as she moves forward over the invisible boundaries. But, she knows that if anything goes amiss, with one word, she and Shikoba would be there to take care of it.

Jazz begins to realize the ground they're covering so far and it is still staying quiet. Nothing has stood in their way and they've been free to attend the duty as needed. 

As the duo continued their path along the borders, the druid and Jazz had the calm quietness. Everything was perfect for the moment in the hollow, though the sound of small twigs snapping and leaves rusting made her stop dead in her tracks.

Instinctively, she lifted her neck and head to gaze around, golden eyes scanning around the border. What made the noise? She turned her head to Jazz, her eyes glued on the other woman and swiftly swung her muzzle towards herself, giving the silent message of "I found something, come here".

Silently, she waited for her companion to follow and took a step forward near the border, trying to peek through the canopy of trees and leaves to find the culprit.

Sorry not sorry.

What they found wouldn't be too impressive. Not to say that Ward was unimpressive -- she was the queen of this patch of sky, and soon would dominate the entire world! But no, for now there was nothing special about the spot where she chose to roost. Aside from the half-eaten carcass of a vole clutched in her talons, the only oddity in her patch of branches was the long streak of poop that painted a grey swatch down one of the tree trunks (that vole was really hard on her stomach, it must not have been organic or something). Believing that she was well away from the prying eyes of beasts and birds, Ward breathed in a whistle of a breath and, without much warning at all, let out another wave of slippery poop — it splattered on adjacent branches and leaves, eventually hitting the bits of the forest floor that were exposed, and very likely one of the wolves settled nearby.

long work days have been kicking my ass lately so i am the slowmo @_@

In the zone of the patrol, her ears flicked to Shikoba when she pointedly caught Jazz's eyes. She glided over lightly, taking care to move quietly but with purpose in her stride just in case there was something awaiting her at the end of the path. A certain eagerness began to well up and when she saw where her fellow guardian's gaze was directed, she was quick to follow suit. She didn't see the bird overhead before she merrily strolled beneath the cover of the branches it perched upon.

She had to think fast to realize what had happened. Something... wet. On her shoulders, too.. and from above? Her hackles rose up defensively and Jazz hissed an ugly-sounding "Ghhckt" the second it finally dawned on her that she'd been shit on.. or was it piss? it was awfully wet-feeling, and her understanding of bird digestive tracts is limited. She backpedaled and tried to shake some of it off (hopefully without smattering Shikoba with excess), then glared up accusingly, eyeballing the bird with the tips of her teeth-showing now that she had been wronged. Gross.

No worries!

As the two pressed on after seeing something pop it, Jazz was the first to be hit. Her muzzle released a ugly sound, Shikoba turned to see that Jazz had a bit of... white stuff on her shoulder. She was about to give a little laugh, but she felt it on her spine. In silence, she dropped down onto her back and rolled, trying to get the wet stuff off.

After somewhat getting it off, it still left a smear stain that Shikoba would have to wash herself. She turned towards Jazz, who successfully missed splattering it further onto the druid. Her golden eyes cast themselves up to see a large bird, most likely the one who dropped the piece of shit. With her tail flicking itself in annoyance, she let out a rumbling growl.

"Hawk need other hollow" she said in annoyance, giving a bark to the large bird atop the branches. She wanted to scare it off, birds weren't a favorite when they shat on wolves.

If you need help translating Ward, just think -- she doesn't make the 'th' sound or 'ph' sound, replacing them with 'tt' or 'vv'. When she says "Hawk" for instance, she wont be pronouncing the H very strongly, so the wolves might just hear 'Akk', but that's up to you. I can always include translations up top here.

Had this bird been anything smaller - like a kestrel maybe, or a sparrowhawk, even a simple sparrow - perhaps the barking and braying of the wolves below would've frightened her. She heard them clearly through the trees, but did not make any indication. Finally, once her bowels had been emptied, she hopped on to another branch and looked down, head twisting this way and that, like she was scrutinizing a bug.

Hakk need notting, her voice was sharp, with an accentuation to the more dental sounds. Everything was stabby, and nothing softened. Hakk tink wovv neet wata! Kekeke, a tittering laugh poured out of her then, and she opened her wings as if to invite them closer (come at me bro!), knowing she was safe and sound up high in the tree.

Now that her sights zeroed in on the offensive bird, Jazz's displeasure was clear with a low, seething snarl slipping past her lips as the bird spoke. To her, it mostly sounded like gibberish although the general gist of it was clear enough and it did not take her long to feet taunted. Her hackles, a little crusty with the remnants of bird feces, stayed risen in an angry ridge down her neck and back.

Shikoba seemed to feel similarly but the bird wasn't taking the hint. "Go away!" she barked, tail lashing and stomped her front paws on the soil below them -- everything she would find far more effective against a terrestrial foe. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything but be obnoxious at the bird from the ground: a major setback here.

With the tittering and cackling laugh of the bird, Shikoba's eyes narrowed aggressively at her. Jazz wasn't pleased, for her exclamation towards the hawk was a clear message. It even gave off the action of daring the wolves to venture and try to attack.

Shikoba wasn't one to kill for no reason, but the bird had burnt off her last piece of patience. With her growls pouring from her dark lips, she rushed towards the base of the tree and sunk in her dull nails. With a few slippery steps, her front legs climbed up as her hind paws stayed on the ground. Her tail flashed side to side at the bird, her brow arched.

"Wolf needs bird as food" she replied sharply, her tongue running over her ivories. Of coarse she was bluffing though.