Golden Glade Night's Brought New

@Aspen
@Charley Pryor

Where had the time gone?
Darsal, a wolf of her own, had spent the past few months roaming, lone and vulnerable, through the Teekon Wilds. An inexplicable incident had left her without her mate, Mako, the only wolf she'd ever been able to truly communicate with. The lack of information of the whole incident had not only taken her sense of security, but the certainty that she was as sane as she'd thought.
At four years of life, she had left her family, a massive, stoical clan of wolves in a nothern tundra. Now, in the Wilds, she had no one to call her friend or kin, and everyone to call her foe.
Her blackened-gray figure, recently defaced with a gash along her shoulder from a rogue skirmish with three opponents, was now hidden in a secluded crevice of a den in a craggy cluster of stone. A lonesome moon hung over the land with half its face in shadow, casting a silver swath of light into Darsal's place of refuge. Her stare roved outward along the broken skyline, eyes heavy but refusing the wolf any rest.
A low, heaving howl came from deep within a glade nearby. Darsal's somewhat-folded ears, though thick with fur, were able to decipher its chorus: the origin was another she-wolf like herself. Yet, there was a certain beacon of invitation in her voice, a certain... confidence. 
Darsal knew this was not only a declaration of territory, but a call for company as well. She needed no more; she sought the presence of another creature, one who wouldn't try to kill her or flee, squalling like a crow, at her approach. Thus, she rose from her uncomfortable position, and headed into the glade. The slight scent at the border was noted, but the brisk gait of her paws was no less.

Charley was doing one last patrol to strengthen the borders this night, when again he came across the scent of a stranger. Like Shalon, she had crossed the border, and irritation flared in his heart. Who the hell did these loners think they were? Sure, he'd gained one recruit already from it, but would this new woman be the same? 
Paws thundered against the earth and, missing whatever call Darsal had heard, galloped forward with a snarl ripping through his inky maw. Had he not been looking for more to strengthen his ranks, he would have attacked her on sight. 
Finally coming into the view of a grayscale pelt, a growl rumbled deep in the Kings chest as he slowed a few yards behind her.
             "You, woman, can't you smell? You've crossed the borders of royalty."
Holding himself high, ears and tail erect and hackles prickling, Charley swept his angry blue eyes over her. Conditions had been hard on them all, but this one didn't look near death. His words, while harsh and clearly irritated, were not aggressive. Strangers were not welcome, not after the things he and Aspen went through. A pledge to his home, however, was a different story....
                              "I'm Charley Pryor, and I rule here, beside my Queen, Aspen. What business have you here?"

Though vigilant, Darsal knew she would be met before she reached the base of the territory, and thus wasn't affronted when the ground seemed to thunder nearby, and an inky, orange mass of a wolf burst through the brush.
She turned in a less-than-swift, wary manner, facing her encounter. His growl gave her the initial impression of the anger preceeding attack, but he kept his ground, standing at her own height, an oddity for the Wilds. His eyes were level to hers, but his muscular build was closer to the point of thin, and she assumed that he hadn't had the relatively secure diet she'd once had. This was not the wolf who had howled before.
His words could have induced a haughty retort from other wolves, but Darsal was in the habit of reading into others' words before replying. His initial remark of irritation appeared as a guard from his internal thoughts, perhaps those of possible inquisition.
Charley's identification of himself as a ruler intrigued Darsal; maybe she'd come across just the right wolf. She tried to speak in a low tone of minimal interest, but a more hopeful note escaped impermissibly. Greetings, she said. I must apologize for my intrusion, but I came only with the intention of joining your cause. I heard a call from outside the territory, so I can assure you, I mean no harm.

Aspen was doing her duty as an Alpha and trailing her way around the outskirts of their territory marking every tree in sight. Making sure that their presence was known as a pack. She had been growing more and more accustomed to her ranking and the duties that came with it. She had just as much work to do as the rest of the wolves in the court and she was determined to prove herself as an alpha. So that her followers had no reason to doubt them. Her and Charley both.

Aspen listened as Charley howled for wolves to join them and she had a feeling her job was about to get interesting. It wasn't long before Aspen caught sight of her king and a rogue wolf. It took her a minute but her eyes widened as she noted the female was over their borders. Aspen picked up her pace and arrived tail high. "You ust have scented the borders," Aspen noted adding on to the wolf's message claiming she was harmless nudging Charleys shoulder with her muzzle.

Harmless or not she still needed to respect the boundries. Charley had called that was true but still that was not an invitation for all wolves to just stroll into their territory like it was nothing.

Aspen joined his side, and his attention was pulled to her momentarily. She seemed okay with the rouge's presence, giving him a nudge, and again the Queen called off the dogs. He nibbled at her shoulder a little bit, but within seconds his eyes were back on the stranger. His hackles fell, and his irritation did too. A call? He'd heard no call, and fixed her with a confused carribean gaze. 
                   "A call? Tonight? I made no call and I heard none."
He glanced momentarily at Aspen as if to ask if it was her, but it didn't actually matter. She came to join them, strengthen ranks, and that was what needed focusing on. With aa raised brow, he dismissed it. It could have been from anyone, after all.
                            "No matter. We're a forming kindgom, and we need the members.But not useless sacks of fur. What can you provide to Royal Fire Court?" 

Through a facial expression, Darsal showed her apologies to the new encounter, a pristine white she-wolf with pelt so bright it nearly glowed in the darkness.  
The male's denial of either of them howling this night confused Darsal. Perhaps it had been a different wolf? Nonetheless, they had not immediately denied her acceptance into their ranks. She kept her stance cool and collected.
At his question, Darsal's pale brow raised, and she suppressed a smile of chagrin. She was not a proud wolf, after all of her mistakes and failures in life, but she did not doubt her value. The ash-black wolf was quite strong and could run for miles without a rest. Not only this, but her childhood struggle to develop a vocabulary had blossomed dramatically into a life of constant poetry. She had an excellent memory and could remember many poems long after she'd written them.
Well, I'm not the most amazing wolf you've ever met, I'm sure, she began, keeping humble, but I can certainly be of use. I know I will prove to be a valuable asset both in battle and in the keeping of chronicles, as I am quite handy with words and rarely forget a thing. As well, I may not be exceedingly swift, but my endurance is exceptional, might I say.

Aspen's ears twitched as she listened to the wolf explain what she brought to the pack. She seemed to have a good memory and was good with words so perhaps she would be a good chronicler as she said. They had yet to have a wolf offer that to them so this wolf sure was unique. 

The wolf also explained she would be of use in battle though she may not be swift like Aspen was she had more endurance. Good for long drawn out battles and would mean she could probably do repeated attacks without loosing too much steam. 

"Do you have a name..?" Aspen said with a slight tilt to her head for a moment. Before continuing. "We don't yet have someone who is pursuing chronicler as a trade and you seem that you may be an asset in that respect. We could offer you a home here on the condition that you work as hard as the rest of us and earn Charley and I's trust. We ask for loyalty and respect and if you give us that you will get the same in return," Aspen stated leaving it open for Charley to add his share if he so wished. Aspen shifted on her paws as she kept her gaze hard on the silver wolf that stood before them.

The stranger gave her skills up readily, standing confident but not vain. Charley's instincts pushed to force her to submit, to bow to the King,but he had to remind himself that they were new, and they needed the members. That and Aspen was now talking, clearly interested. Limiting himself to simply holding himself higher,pushing his ears forward and letting his tail flag over his prickling hackles, Charley's blue eyes bore down on her with both force and curiosity. After his wife was done speaking, his silver tongue came into play, somehow sounding both aggressive and welcoming.
           "Your skills can be of use, as Aspen said, for sure. Just remember your place here and pull your own weight. Nobody at or close to, especially OVER, the borders are to go unchallenged. If a lone wolf cant show the proper submission and respect to those of any rank,don't bother calling for us."

Darsal avoided Charley's staring gaze. To do otherwise would be insubordinate, which was one quality he clearly despised — and she wasn't foolish enough to miff this wolf without hard-pressing reason.
She listened to his acceptance and conditions, having no objections to what he said. I understand. Both of you, as King and Queen — she respectfully acknowledged their positions with a slight bow — have the right to question me or anyone else. If you had shown any less vigilance, I would not have come to believe you pair are as noble the leaders as you have truly proven yourselves to be tonight.
I thank you sincerely for your gracious acceptance. I will follow your orders to the most intricate detail or die trying. She was not the most spectacular warrior the King and Queen could have, but she was highly dedicated when she committed to something.
My name is Darsal, and my native pack lies in a land, north of Snowforest Taiga, called Boli Tundra. Since I left them a couple of years ago, you are the first pack I have joined.

Aspen nodded as Charley added on the part about wolves approaching or crossing the borders seems she may have left that part out. She made sure to remember that for next time. Then she listened as the wolf complimented their leadership adn acknowledged the terms that had been laid out in front of her. 

"Good, I think that's all that needed to be said, feel free to take a look around however do not enter the tunnels unless called for a meeting they are for inner wolves only, once you become part of the inner circle you are welcome to build a den inside the tunnels but for now you will have to find some place within the forest, also don't be shy we have several wolves in the area feel free to mingle with them and get to know them as your new family," she spoke.  The wolf added that her name was Darsal and she mentioned being from north of the snowforest taiga and that since she had left her birth pack she had not actually joined up with any other pack until now. Aspen nodded and added on "Welcome to the Royal Fire Court Darsal." 

She approached the wolf and rubbed her scent onto the new member of the court Charley ws welcome to do the same. She glanced over at him to make sure everything was alright or if there was more to be said. If not there were places to be and things that needed to get done. Like the fact she needed to finish her patrol.

Darsal picked up quickly on his feelings, he was sure, and the Kings demeanor relaxed a little. Aspen took the lead, and Charley was glad to simply nod along with her words. The Queen welcomed her, wrapped up what she needed to know, and he had nothing to add himself. He gave a nod and a smirk to the woman and stretched, turning a warm blue gaze to his wife. He was content to let Aspen spread her own scent, keeping to himself. 
                  "Go ahead and look around Darsal,and welcome to the Court. Aspen, shall we finish this nights patrol?"