Larksong Grotto Familiar faces, foreign places

@Reek or @Tavi

Her paws thumped the ground softly as she ran, a soft wind blowing her white pelt about freely. Nerves clenched her stomach, would they be willing to take her? She hoped they would, she had left behind her old home for them. If you had told her after leaving her father's pack that she would be following after her pack's Alpha, who was thrown out for adultery mind you, she would have laughed in your face.

The territory wasn't quite a pack yet, but she could smell Reek and Tavi along with others in the area. It was the right place, Larksong Grotto. Now she just had to hope they were willing to let her be their subordinate. She didn't think either would object, as far as she knew she was the only one to follow as of yet. The other maples were still back home.

Sitting outside the new scent marked border she raised her head and howled. It was a howl of friendliness, one that expressed her will to join with them if they would have her.

Initially, hearing Lunar Eclipse's familiar voice brought on an unsettling feeling in Reek's gut in place of happiness. First, it crawled slowly through his very being like a specter— settling in his heart and making his chest lurch with worry. Having not considered a wolf from the maplewood would follow him to his new claim, Reek's first thought as to why his old subordinate had come was to bear news; most likely about Saena and Reek's pups. Knowing that it was too early for birth, Reek couldn't help but worry something had gone wrong with the pregnancy

But, after taking a moment to examine Lunar's tone, Reek detected no sadness within her howl. The worry that gripped him faded, but did not fully leave his tense body. He rose from the banks of the heart of the grotto -- the opalescent lake that served as the territory's centerpiece and crowned jewel -- and roused himself with a shake.

After taking off in a lope, Reek met his old subordinate on his newly established borders. Unlike the first time he had met her on a borderline, Reek regarded her with the warmth of a friend. "Luna... Is Saena alright?" He asked; the first question popping to his mind.

Her tail wagged upon seeing him. She hadn't forgotten the promise she had made him, but now that she was gone she would never get to fulfill it. She shuffled nervously, unsure how he would take her request. 

"Hey Reek. She's fine, that's not why I'm here." Taking a deep breath she hit him with her bomb. "I'm here to join if you're willing to take me." Hopefully he would say yes, she couldn't go crawling home to Phoenix Maplewood, she had chosen her alliances.

"I don't know Saena. I was loyal to you not her, I never even spoke to her until I was leaving. I had no reason to stay," she explained further.

Hearing that the mate he had left scorned and the pups brewing in her belly were physically fine, Reek allowed the rest of his tension and worry to abate on the breath of a sigh. However, if not bringing news, Lunar must have had other intention by showing up at Reek's newly established borders. He waited for her explanation, which immediately brought him a great level of surprise. Reek raised a brow. She would choose him over the Maplewood?

It seemed an odd choice, but Reek was no stranger to these surprising circumstances. He had chosen Tavi and his own selfish desires over his own family, his pack, his mate... and without admitting it, Reek knew he would have done so again. "Of course," he said, nodding. Lunar Eclipse would always have a spot among Reek's most trusted, and while he had wanted her to stay in the Maplewood to watch over his children, he knew there was no going back once she made this decision. Now that she was here, she would never be allowed to return— of that, Reek was sure.  

She continued on, declaring her loyalty to Reek alone. He welled with pride. His stance straightened. "Welcome home Luna," he added; a thin smile adoring his face.

She grinned wolfishly, glad he hadn't refused. She had hoped he wouldn't be angry with her for not staying to watch over his children but thankfully he didn't seem mad. She had been accepted which was a relief. There was no going back to Phoenix Maplewood after her departure, basically choosing Reek over Saena, and if he had turned her away she would be left to find a new pack. That wasn't very likely for her seeing as she had basically abandoned Saena, who would want a turntail?

She relaxed, tension melting from her stance. "It's good to be home," she smiled. Well, at least one could say she was loyal if a bit reckless maybe even foolish for putting all her faith into the hope he would accept her, rather than staying in an already established pack.

Indeed, it was good to be home. With each added wolf, Reek felt the grotto was becoming more and more homey... especially after adding a familiar face to his ranks. The grotto was shaping up to be a nice little home; as much as any territory could be aside from the Maplewood. Of course, Reek would always long for what he had left behind, but there was only one direction to move— and that direction was forward. He motioned for Lunar Eclipse to follow him in that very direction; forward into the territory.

"Come on," he said after placing one paw in front of the other. "Lemme show you around." The grotto wasn't necissarily as vast as the maplewood, but there was still a lot of ground to cover if Luna was to get aquainted here and now. "It's a bit different than the Maplewood," he contineud on, however, this fact was obvious from just looking around the rocky, rugged landscape. "Lot's o' rocks on the outskirts, but there are some trees in the heart of the territory." He planned on leading her right to the lake in the middle of the territory. While the rocks may have been hard on the eyes, he was sure the crystal blue lake lying in the heart of the territory would make Lunar's jaw drop with awe.

She stepped over the boundary, feeling a slight sense of homecoming knowing that she would be helping patrol it rather than standing outside it. She didn't bother with words, only nodding along where she felt appropriate. 

The territory wasn't the Maplewood but she hadn't expected it to be. It was a rocky terrain filled with birds and a few other mammals, and nothing like anywhere she had ever lived before. She quite liked it that way, a fresh start. If only Esaro could see it. She did miss her friend but she wasn't going to look back. She would see if he would follow to the Grotto. 

She followed after Reek, letting him show her around his territory which she supposed in a way was her own now too. Hers to protect, or help protect as she had done the Maplewood.

While Reek led Lunar Eclipse deeper into the territory, he didn't stop speaking. Not even once in their walk was there a lull in their one-sided conversation, and with almost every step, Reek regaled his old subordinate with factoids and tidbits of information about her surroudings. From rocks to ridges to plants he had catalogued, Reek spared no break in his onslaught of information. Of course, if Luna was to make her home here— she would need to know this place just as much as she had the maplewood. Perhaps even more-so, as Reek wanted the connection she felt to be deeper.

Not long into their walk, however, Reek fell silent as they finished ascending a final rocky ridge. The crystal blue lake that served as the centerpiece of the grotto now laid sprawling before them in full view. Reek smiled. Looking to Lunar, he nodded, "Now, look at that!" His first reaction had been one of awe. Reek hoped Luna would feel the same.

She listened politely as he spoke, storing the information he gave her away for later use. She marked a few areas in her mind that looked particularly promising for one reason or another. An abundance of herbs, a promising den site for herself, etc.

When Reek grew quiet she glanced up, wondering why the talkative male had suddenly grown silent. She followed him over the rocky ridge turning to look at the blue lake as he suggested. Her maw opened in awe as she looked out at it, it was particularly blue as blue as a summer sky. Even from her it looked crystal clear and glistening in the sun. "Wow," she breathed out as she stared at it.

We can go ahead and fade this here so we can get you all titled up! Don't foget to post in the pack's claiming howl thread!

 Her reaction had been just as he expected; awestruck. Reek grinned and welled with pride over the land he had claimed for himself. In this whirlwind of emotion brewing in his gut, he found the sadness lingering from what he had left behind in he maplewood briefly forgotten. This was home now.

"Here's where I leave you," he said, concluding his tour of the territory. The borders needed marking, and if he was to keep the schedule he had planned, they needed to be finished by nightfall. Their claim would be official by nightfall.  "There'll be a howl tonight. You should be there." With that, Reek bid Lunar Eclipse farewell and he descended the ridge to return to the border where his work could continue.

She nodded, "I'll be there." She turned back to look at the lake once more before beginning her ascent down the rocky slope towards it. She was eager to explore and so she left him to his newfound duties. Well perhaps not newfound but new to this place. She decided she would do something useful and begin stockpiling herbs or prey, but for now exploring.

last from me. I'll archive it