Hushed Willows Just Couldn't Resist

@Warbone , if you have time? :) Gonna keep it short so you have room to join before he goes anywhere. 

He couldn't do it. He could not resist the pull to feel the stone of the mountains under his massive paws anymore. He traveled South, crossing the border and heading towards the one that loomed closest to his home. He would be back, of course, he just needed a day in his preferred terrain. He came to a river, crossing it at its most shallow point, and pulled himself up dangerously close to what he would soon know to be Warbones territory. He stayed away from the borders, keeping a few yards from it actually, but was unaware of who lived there. He hoped to find no wolves occupying this mountain, or at least any part of it he could explore. Oh how he longed to be home, leading his OWN family pack,  living as king of the mountain once again. Perhaps one day, if he found the followers for it.

Warbone's approach was tempered by the fact that he recognized the scent on the air. His mouth hung open, tongue dripping as he attempted to rein in his manic protectiveness, born of having built a boundary that housed several others than himself. He stopped stiffly a few feet away from the Seadog, the base of his tail arched in nonverbal warning of the line he threatened to cross. "You are maddeningly near to my claim, Zephyr," the wolf crooned, his voice seductive, though it did not hide the threat of the rusted titan. "If I were not already familiar with you, I would have liked to meet you with my teeth— but as things are..." he mused, cold eyes rolling across the dark male, checking their surroundings for company, and when he was satisfied that they were alone, he looked back at the wolf from across the Ravine. "I am on good terms with the Seadogs, but you are not welcome frivolously near these willows. Speak with me and be on your way, or simply be on your way."

He was not particularly interested in chatting with wolves already dedicated elsewhere.

Zephyr saw the stout male approach, thankful he at least seemed willing to be civil. He smiled, wagging his tail happily, but backed up a few more feet. He wasn't an asshole, and had no reason to dislike the male. He hasn't even realized it was his territory he'd been passing.
      "Hello Warbone, I didn't mean to disrespect. I hadn't realized this was your claim till now. Found myself wanting to feel the rock beneath my paws and the cold wind in my fur. Anywhere you know that isn't claimed that I could spend a few hours?"
He had no wish to go anywhere over or even close to any borders. Even did he not have a pack to keep in peace, he knew he wouldn't want another wolf in his boundaries. But another question piped up in the back if his mind, one that was quickly voiced.
                  "How'd you do it, Warbone? I've been an alpha once before, but I was bred, born and raised and in my pack. How'd you find a claim, find wolves to follow? Decide how much land was enough?"
If he was looking to lead another pack, he would need to know how to do those things. Warbone seemed successful, by the tell of the scents carried on the winds. A few scents came to him, and he assumed them to be his packmates.

Zephyr chose to get what little information he could out of the brute, which was the wise thing to do since Warbone had offered it. The wolf relaxed slightly, but held his position steadfast, and hardly took his eyes away from the white-chested male. "Back across the Ravine, would be in your best interest," he advised stoically, unwilling to send him in the direction of Emberflame Ridge, which would tack him around the entirety of Hushed Willows. "The Watch where the ravens rest is near your territory, and a pleasant retreat. The Wall is even better for those seeking a climb. But too far south of it and you will meet another pack."

He expected this to be all, but Zephyr was further curious about Warbone's claim. He was wary of answering the query. Surely if the Seadog had been an alpha before, then he could claw his way up again, without the advice of a potential adversary. The Solothurn blinked, his tail twitching side to side. "I did not put much forethought into it. I moved around until I found a place that appealed to all my requirements, and everything else simply fell into place. Wolves will follow those worthy of following." Zephyr certainly had the makings of a leader; only time would tell what he would become.

Zephyr listened to his words, weighing them carefully for a long moment. He seemed content with both, nodding and sending the alpha another friendly smile.
      "Thank you Warbone. And good luck with your pack. I'll be sure to keep a wide girth from here."
He did as the male suggested, turning and cantering away with a bounce in his step. Such a happy male, despite all he'd faced in his four years of life. As he backtracked, eventually finding Ravens Nest and following his hearts desire. Warbones words echoed in his mind, along with other from Zephyr himself. He would need to find wolves to follow him, not to mention a place to keep them. As he explored the rocky crags, feeling his worries melt away, he began to plan. Would Rain, Lyric follow him? He hated to leave the already limited ranks of Seadog, but the massive ebony male had already come to the conclusion that he just couldn't be a follower. Depp and Sen had been good to him, taking him into the pack when he just couldnt go anymore. Then, he'd had full intentions on serving and only serving, but the way of an alpha just couldnt be overruled in his mind. He would go back to the pack in a few hours, back to patrolling borders and protecting those who housed him, but for now he would climb the rocks to his hearts content, to plan more later on.

Thanks for the short thread :)

Zephyr took the information, and was on his way with a polite thank-you left on the air between them. Warbone nodded in farewell, remaining quiet and still until he was sure the Seadog had gone, and even then, he followed the trail a few miles out just to make sure.