Blackfeather Woods in the end

They were gone.

It was with grief that he stood at the frays of the woods, feelings mixed, put in a blender and shaken up. There was no emotion on his face as he stared into the light from the shadows. He had thought on how to help Malice — and Burke, if he wished it so — escape from the Woods' depths, but it seemed his help was not necessary. Yet without saying good bye, he could not help but feel melancholic of their departure despite their mutual intents.

Wherever they were, he hoped they were well. Cicero closed his eyes and sighed, inhaling the forest's familiar scent. Things were well and as they should be, for now, yet he could not help but feel as though a part of him was missing with the departure of two wolves that he considered friends.

set at the borders.

Gonna tag @Damien in this for visibility but Im gonna start off Canine here :3

Canine had traveled long and far to get here, though he couldn't tell you where he was from. In truth, he could tell nothing. He was a thing of the wild, a wordless creature that spoke only the language of the body. Perhaps he could be taught, but not a soul in the pack he was born to knew the language of today. It wasn't that the shaded boy was stupid, or couldn't, he just didn't know the words. With a zest for life, the yearling had set off just a few days ago and come forth into the flatlands, making a beeline in the direction his instincts drug him. By chance, it took him towards the scentline of the Dark Brotherhood, and right for Cicero. His red ears and muzzle reached forwards in curiousity, and his equally as red tail wagged low behind him in friendliness. His aqua gaze swept over this male, but at once he could tell that this was not the one in charge.

As he gazed from between the dark trees and shadows, Cicero saw the approach of another. At first hope lurched in his chest, but soon rational thought reminded him that Burke, Malice and their children would never return. It was another wolf, he then realised, one that approached with friendly enough demeanour, although at the borders of another pack would do well to show more submissive attitude.

Despite his narrow, thin frame with bones sticking out and weak health, Cicero's lips peeled back to reveal teeth in a snarl, tail rising slightly. "What does the wolf want?" he asked, tone not unfriendly. Cicero was generally a friendly sort, but at his pack's borders he felt defensive, especially in his weak state and with all that had happened. He would not be eaten.

Cicero reacted to him, and the dark wolf was quick to change his posture to please the creature that was, though clearly upset, spewing noises of which he'd never heard. His tail stilled, lowered, as did his colored ears, and his head lowered towards his chest. The tip of his head and the confusion wrought in his eyes made it clear this wolf wouldn't speak: but perhaps it could be mistaken that he wouldn't. 
Luckily, instinct had taken control and now Canine crouched, slinking forwards in a fully submissive movement. Should Cicero allow him, he would lick at the corners of his mouth and show that he wanted to be a part of the pack, loyal, and that this black and white male was indeed his superior.

After a tense moment between them the wolf finally submitted, and Cicero relaxed somewhat, feeling at ease knowing that the wolf had no poor intentions, as far as he could tell. He allowed the wolf to crouch closer and looked upon the wolf. It was his brother that he needed, though, and so Cicero lifted his nose to the air and called for @Damien , hoping his brother would have time to come by soon. Cicero did not know for sure if he interpreted the signals right, but time would tell. Cicero could not imagine any wolf out there with no scents of other wolves rubbed over him was not looking for a home in these times.

Canine had been right in assuming this was not the alpha, but had clearly done the right thing, because the male he was now submitting to called for someone with authority. Shuffling to the side and sniffing around a patch of eart, Canine eventually looked back at Cicero with questioning eyes before sweeping the aqua orbs elsewhere. Coming to this male had put him over the borders, and the dualcolored male was highly aware of it. Charcoal paws fidgeted and every so often the man would shift a pawstep back towards the scent line, ever watching the ebony packwolf for a sign he was out of place, ever holding his body in a half-crouched position.
 Would the alpha be here soon? Would he, too, be receptive of the loner and perhaps take him in? 
Would this new alpha be one worth serving?

I'm here!

Damien was never too far away when he noticed Cicero was not in the den. He was conscious that his brother had started to gain weight, but Damien had become very protective over his brother. He was in no state to be wandering alone in Blackfeather Woods.

It was promptly that Damien answered to his brother's call, telling him he was on his way, and his thinning paws took his as fast as they could (which wasn't very impressive) all the way to the borders where he found his brother blocking the way of a russet-coloured wolf. He eyed his brother as if requesting an explanation, and said nothing as he examined the loner's unimpressive figure.

Whenever the loner would pass towards the borders Cicero would warn him, his lips lifting to reveal a snarl; he was not yet approved, and so he would not yet be allowed to pass onto Blackfeather Woods territory.

An ear slid backward as he heard Damien's approach behind him. Cicero exchanged a glance with his brother before he shared, "Cicero thinks this one wishes to join the pack, but he does not appear to speak." It had not been a problem in the past, however, and so he guessed it was not so now. Cicero looked between Damien and the wolf, waiting for what was to come.

The returning call reached his ears, and as the colorless man approached Canine lowered himself nearly to the ground on the other side of the border. His aqua eyes were on Damiens chest, careful not to make eye contact but clearly interested. No sounds came from the male, but would he have understood Cicero's vocalizations he might have agreed with a nod. 
Alas, he could not, and so the man crouched to await the alphas commands.

Ah, so this was another mute, it seemed. Damien remembered the last time one of those came to the pack, she had been useful at the very least, but she had disappeared from the forest long ago. That memory was telling Damien not to trust the red wolf, but the need for members pulled equally hard.

"Do you understand speech, wolf?" Damien asked after his brother fell silent. If he did, why did he not speak? But if he didn't, how could Damien make use of him? It was a fact that speechless wolves were handy spies as there was no way for them to disclose the Brotherhood's secrets, but if he couldn't understand speech then how would Damien give him instructions?

my last post (:

Damien took over and turned towards the wolf without speech. Cicero was sure that he could handle the situation and so he nosed Damien's neck briefly before turning away from the borders and deeper into Blackfeather Woods territory. He had nothing more to do there and so he would return to Damien's den and rest there for a while.

Canine looked up at Damien with a mix of confusion and curiosity, and the noises that came through his throat were far from words. Some mix between a bark and a whine, a soft yelp perhaps, and to top it off the male tipped his head; all without moving from his crouch before the border. The other male, the one he'd greeted, made his leave, and Canine's aqua eyes followed his movements till he couldn't anymore. Cicero respected this one, that was sure, and it made him more inclined to want to join forces with Damien. He glanced back at the alpha before again turning his eyes to slide across the dark forest.

"Thanks, brother," said Damien as Cicero brushed past him and back into the forest. He Felt better now that Cicero was going back to safety, and away from the borders where anything could happen.

His pale eyes drifted back to the red wolf, which was staring at Cicero while he walked away. Damien noticed how his eyes locked with his for a moment before drifting away into the forest once again, there was a clear message in his body language. By that point Damien had figured out that words were useless with this one, and so he tried to communicate in the same way as the other one.

Damien stared down strongly at the male, a request of submission. If the wolf acknowledged Damien's command, and probably licked his chin in a show of respect, then the dark prince would give him a chance to show what he could do.

Clearly, this man was understanding of Canine's language, and in fact spoke in a way the charcoal male could understand. He demanded that this stranger bow to him, and bow he did. His red furred features dipped to the ground, and Canine took only as many steps as needed to put himself under Damiens maw before rolling onto his side and letting his paws hang in the air. Like Cicero, he reached up and licked at the alpha's jaw and mouth, ever silent. It wasn't something he liked, submitting, but if it meant gaining a worthy master, so be it. The mans aqua eyes bore into Damiens paws, chest, anything but the silvery eyes staring down at him.

Last post!
Welcome to BFW, R.M.! :D

The russet wolf did exactly what Damien was looking for, licking Damien's chin in respect and rolling to his back as a demonstration of submission. This he could work with, and although the communication was bound to be a challenge, Damien was sure he could make good use of a mute if it was diligent and stayed around long enough.

The dark Prince's tail started swaying softly, a sign that the wolf's presence had been accepted. Then, Damien turned and walked into the forest meaning for the new recruit to follow.

His new master was pleased, but when he backed away Canine stayed a little longer on the earth just in case. When he turned, though, he was up on his inky paws and trotting happily after Damien, aqua eyes taking everything in at once. This place would do for a home, yes, these woods were protective and dark. Now, to get to know the rest of them.