Sleeping Dragon your heart's too big for your body

@Hush or @Lorne? Or both?

Born in Seageda, she’d known the land like the backs of her paws. She knew the in and outs of the ocean, the cove, the caves, the forest the borders them. She knew each neutral territory between their own and their neighbors and those in her alliance. Mapping the surrounding zones of Drageda had been a process and her bones weary but she’d gotten a good feel. To memorize them would take time, to know the exact distance between herself and the outer reaches of the mountain but there’s comfort in knowing and using her surroundings to her advantage.

Instead of exploring more, she remains on the borders of her claim. The next morning, she and Warbone were to set for the west to meet Reek but before then, she’d line the mountain with a fresh scent. Each passing landmark gets a rub of her nose and body and each base of the tree is marked with her individual scent. She paws special attention to the few spots they’d had trespassers lately, reinforcing what scents of waned in the meantime. Thuringwethil doesn’t push herself too hard, however, so the trip to meet Reek in the next day is less of a strain than her tired limbs would allow.

Lorne was within the area, patrolling the area with her usual contemplative silence. She knew nothing of the trip to take place tomorrow nor had she met Warbone. She was just patrolling the border, occasionally rubbing against something to reinforce the scent of her pack.

When she came across Thuring who was also patrolling it seemed, she fell into step with the Alpha. Lorne gave a low chuff in greeting as she padded along beside the woman, who admittedly looked quite tired. "Are you alright?" Her voice was raspy and low pitched due to misuse.

The border had become a familiar place to Hush, even more than the interior of the pack's lands. Day after day spent patrolling the invisible line became commonplace — though not monotonous — to him. His leg lifted in a different place each day, but the pattern was still the same to him. His scent was one of the most prominent on the borders, he thought.

It wasn't rare for him to run across one of his packmates while wandering alongside the border, and today was no different. Both his Queen Thurin and his doppleganger were patrolling nearby. With a bark in greeting, he trotted towards them, his tail wagging as he observed the situation.

While several members busied themselves with the integrity of Sleeping Dragon's borders, Warbone was slowly returning from his stay outside of the volcano's presence. He had spent the previous night and most of the morning in the Hollows nestled in the shadowy crook of his home territory; for while he intended to spend as little time on the slopes as he could, he felt it was also his duty to make his vast presence known as much as possible. In crossing the scent of unfamiliar packmates, Warbone finally garnished a purpose to his steps, and he followed the trail accordingly.

Thuringwethil came into view first, though she was not who he had originally smelled. His tail gave a few faint wags, but his eyes were drawn quickly to two smaller, earthy wolves (nearly identical to one another) in her company. His resolve swelled, and the male approached with his tail arched and his head angled in a position higher than his fellow subordinates. His presence bid respect from them, and if it was not received, then he would take it, as he had promised the black leader he would.

It is not long the young heda is alone; Lorne’s approach doesn’t go undetected. Her fur bristles at the soft sound of paw-steps and the sudden view of her subordinate to her side eases the tension it was potentially anyone else not of Drageda. Her ears twitch at the question and she shoots only a glance before she slows to a stop to greet Lorne. Thuringwethil offers a slight dip of her nose but her expression remains blank and distant.

“I am fine,” she says, turning as Hush approaches with a welcoming bark. With their presence, Thuringwethil allows herself to relax a little and wag her tail a few times arched over her back. Comfort in the presence of her wolves had been a nice thing to achieve. Hush being one of the few members of the remaining founding ones and Lorne hadn’t been long after. Both had easily proved their worth.

Warbone’s approach, however, caused a shift and she glances toward him. The tension does not return but her stiff posture remains, if only tightening up a little more where her comfort allowed relax. His intent is obvious, nor does it surprise her; his ambition has been obvious from the day they met in the woods, somewhere away from Sleeping Dragon. Her slate eyes shift from the large male to the two others and how they’d take the new challenge.

She chuffed at Hush as he appeared, stopping alongside the Heda. She dipped her head in response to the emotionless answer she received. Thuring seemed to relax for a moment, tail wagging. 

That was until the mysterious male approached, tension rising in the air. He was easily attractive to the young russet coloured woman until he stopped near them. His dominance was misplaced, surely he understood the ways of pack life. 

He was larger than she but that mattered little to her, she was higher in rank. She would not submit, not unless he rose in rank above her. She chose a middle ground, stance neutral. She gave him no submission but neither demanded it of him. 

She ignored the dominant stance, letting out a soft bark in greeting.

That awkward moment when Warbone is now higher than Lorne XD

Hush greeted Thurin as he did to all the royalty of Sleeping Dragon: with a thorough bout of chin licking. While Lorne was beneath him in rank, he gave her a gentle lick on the cheek as well, respecting the pleasant history behind them. His greetings done, the hybrid sat back, his posture relaxed. That was until he saw the shift in the air around them. Both Heda and Lorne looked behind him, and Hush turned, a gray and agouti wolf, immensely larger than him and Lorne. Hush shifted his body so he faced the newcomer, seeing his dominant display. Hush snorted in derision; only three wolves outranked him in the pack — the queens and Lucani. He was the highest ranking male in the pack, not this newcomer. Hush didn't know about the wolf's history with Heda, nor did he care. The smaller hybrid took a stance of dominance, his body transforming, becoming stouter and hardier in an instant. His tail curled high over his back, his ears pressed forward, Hush stared coolly at the newcomer as he came towards them.

Well this was before the rank shuffle, so we're gonna ignore that little factoid lol xD Also, just as a note: Hush won the dice roll for this challenge!

The female he doesn't know remained neutral to his approach, and Warbone has the presence of mind to be piqued by her. She is the first female upon Sleeping Dragon that isn't too young to be of any interest to him, and her attitude immediately marks her for a prize well-earned. His tail waved, wanting to know more of her and explore her freely as was his want, but he was deterred by the other male's posturing. He did not respect the presence of the larger wolf and Warbone was fascinated by this. he clearly posed a threat, and if genuine force were used, then his opposer had little chance of besting the timberland beast.

Wishing to test his mettle, Warbone draws his teeth in a menacing display and jerks forward, feinting a harsh snap at the earthy male's direction. He dodged, but just as quickly came with a retaliation, and Warbone is both surprised and impressed by the wolf's resolve to keep his rank. Warbone growled, but stepped back. His posture didn't change, however, but he seemed unwilling to force himself upon the defending male as long as he didn't seek his absolute submittance. Warbone would disrespect that wish from any wolf except Thuringwethil and Gyda.

He stood there idly, the curve of his lip either a snarl or a smirk (it was difficult to tell) and he waited to see if the male wanted to drive his point further, or would let bygones be bygones. Before the moment could escalate further, he said: "you deserve respect, boy. I will not deny you that. But attack me and you shall not leave this space unharmed."

"I am called Warbone— and it is not a title that was merely given to me. I earned it."

Just going to wrap this up here.

Thuringwethil goes between the three wolves. She notes Lorne doesn’t have any interest in securing her title and the dark leader notes that as a loss by default but glances toward Hush that does attempt to keep his. Worry flashes through her mind for a moment, the wolf smaller than Warbone, but their clash goes forward and Thuringwethil takes a step back to watch. 

What surprises her, however, is Hush taking the victory over the beast of Warbone and a hint of a small crosses her features. The silent wolf held strong through the challenge and the larger wolf took his defeat gracefully. Her head lifts and she acknowledges his attitude with a slight dip of her nose before she dismisses them and takes her own leave.