The Sentinels Friendlies!

He's technically looking for @Aria, but AW, too! Please allow @Ezekiel to post first.

Steady had enlisted the help of his friend and pack mate, Ezekiel, for this mission. While it was a friendly mission on his part, and Pearl assured him things would be fine, back up was better had and not needed than needed and not had. He intended it to be a quick trip and to get back to Silvertip Mountain as quickly as possible, seeing how it's two Guardians were here now. He didn't expect anything to go wrong in the pack lands while they were gone, but one could never know. 

He tried to keep a steady (haha) pace, providing Ezekiel kept up. He slowed and stopped a respectable distance from the borders, not wanting to alarm anyone who might see them. Looking to his friend to see if he was ready, Steady raised his muzzle upward and howled for the leadership of Donnelaith.

Ezekiel didn't really know what the trip was about, but Steady had asked him personally to accompany him. Zeke really couldn't say no, but inside he felt bad about leaving the Silvertip territory. Steady had assure him a short trip, but still he'd made it his duty to be the guardian. If something bad happened while he was gone, he'd feel guilty even though it wasn't actually his responsibility. However he did expect Steady to keep the promise of short trip, and it could be rather fun to travel by his friend's side. So he'd agreed.

He kept an equal pace alongside his alpha, making sure not to get in front of him though. They soon reached the borders of a forest of huge trees. Much like his favorite Ravensblood Forest, but the trees were somehow bigger and they didn't have red sap. He sat down beside Steady and waited anxiously. He never had liked encounters with other packs, they made him fidgety and wary. Back at his birth pack, border encounters were about threats or skirmishes, never friendly messages. So he waited, prepared for anything. Steady looked back to check up on him, and Zeke nodded stoically. While he may be uncomfortable, he wouldn't disobey Steady's orders and would only be aggressive if it came to it. For now he maintained a calm posture.

The pale princess pauses as she hears a howl for her presence along the border. She turns quickly to move towards it, her fur prickling with anxiety. Who was here? Did they want to join? Were they here of business? Was their pack in trouble? Oh dear. She pads faster the more she thinks, and when she reaches the borders her head drops. Two wolves-- both males. She swallows all the fear she can and stands tall, her white eyes studying them and her head raised hair. 

"How can I help you?" she asks, her ears cupping forward to hear them better.

Having spent a good few busy hours playing with the puppies, Osprey had left them in Dante's care, once he had returned with food, and disappeared in the forest to have a break and avoid the sharp, pointy teeth biting her teats in demand for milk. The sooner they started to eat solid food, the sooner she would be able to deny them the joy of suckling. 

She had been sniffing out the old mousing spots, when she heard a stranger's call at the borders and thinking that perhaps Aria might need a backup, she hurried towards the source. The scene she arrived to was hard to evaluate in the beginning, therefore she came to stand quietly next to their young leader and eyed the strangers distrustfully, while waiting for them to explain their reasons for coming.

Once he howled, Steady made sure to adjust his normally dominant stance into one of neutral submission, his tail low, though his ears perked in interest as a white female appeared. His tail wagged in friendliness as another gray wolf came into view. He hoped his body language would put them at ease that the two Silvertip Mountain wolves were here on pleasant business, and didn't want to cause any trouble. 

Hello, he began with a smile. I'm Steady, Alpha of Silvertip Mountain, and this, he added, motioning to Ezekiel, is Ezekiel, my Gamma. I've come as a favor to a friend, looking to pass on a message to Aria, he explained, not wasting any time in getting to the purpose of this visit. His gaze went between the two Donnelaith wolves, hoping either one would be the one he's looking for, or might be able to call her. While it hadn't seemed a like a dire message, Pearl had asked him to find Aria, and that's who he would pass the message to.

Two wolves arrived, both females. One was younger, snowy white and probably alpha by the way she spoke. The other, who by the look of her, recently birthed, was older with a silvery grey coat. The alpha spoke, clearly nervous but firm. They both seemed on edge, preparing for the worst. Ezekiel softened his posture more as Steady spoke. This was just them passing along a message and nothing to worry about. He nodded when his own alpha introduced him proud of his gamma title. Hopefully their peaceful words and posture would be enough to ease the two girls.

When the man speaks, Aria does indeed relax some, but she holds her proud posture. She doesn't know these wolves and would feel stupid to release any of her power to them. She was going to be ready for anything. "I am Aria," she says plainly, addressing Steady specificly. She glances to Osprey before looking back to the black male. "Alpha of Donnelaith, and this is my Beta, Osprey," she adds. They are a relatively friendly pack, she thought it was only fair to reveal their names and ranks as they had for them. 

She then tilts her head slightly, a silent indication for Steady to continue. 

Skipping Osprey with their permission.

He smiled softly when the white female introduced herself as Aria, glad he had gotten her right off the bat. He nodded to the Beta, as well. Nice to meet you both, he said pleasantly. Turning his gaze to Aria, he got down to business, simple as it was. I've brought a message from Pearl, from Broken Antler Fern. She invites you, and others, to visit her.

It was an easy message, and one he was happy to carry on. He waited, to see if Aria had any questions about he may be able to answer, though Pearl hadn't given him any more information than that.

Ezekiel nodded respectfully, seeing as he was talking to the alpha and beta. He remained quiet, as usual. It wasn't like he had anything to say to this Aria anyway. He really didn't know why he was here, he just came along to back up Steady. It didn't seem however, that the alpha would need backup. This Donnelaith pack seemed friendly enough. Steady spoke humbly of Pearl. Ezekiel had heard the name, but not sure from where. He had forgotten that he'd hunted a bear alongside her and her pack during the famine. He hadn't found their names important, but he was thankful to them.

He waited patiently, eyeing both the alpha and the beta of the other carefully. Strong women, he could tell. Perhaps this Donnelaith pack would make a good ally for the Silvertip wolves.

"Does she?" Aria asks, her ears perking. She licks her lips in thought before nodding to the two visitors. "Well, thank you for relaying this message. I'd offer you a meal for your trip down here, but our caches are still healing-- I don't have anything to spare," she adds, and glances to Osprey. She wonders if they'll have anything else to say, or if they'll be on their way.

Osprey felt a little disappointed that it had taken her so long to figure out, why the name "Silvertip mountain" sounded so familiar to her. It had not been that long time ago, when she had met a boy called Mason and they had spent a good afternoon playing adventures and then the time, when he had come to tell her that his father had died and she had been there for him.

Therefore she waited until the two alphas were done exchanging messages and then she asked: "I had a friend in your pack. Mason was his name - do you know, how is he doing now?"

Steady quickly shook his head side to side at the mention of paying them for their trip. No need! This trip is my payment of debt to Pearl for allowing us to hunt with her and her pack during the famine, he said, hoping Aria felt better about not having anything to spar. Even if this wasn’t a favor to the Alpha female of Broken Antler Fern, Steady probably wouldn’t have taken her offer.

He turned to Osprey when she asked about Mason. It seemed his nephew had gotten around and made quite a few friends. How had Steady never noticed him gone all the time on his trips? He frowned before answering her question. Unfortunately, Mason is missing. His sister, June, passed last month, and we haven’t seen him since. We’ve lost a lot of family because of the famine, and I’m not sure if he left because of grief or if something happened to him. It was obvious that he hadn’t touched base with the friends he made and that unsettled Steady more. If Mason had run off, he thought he would have gone to a friend, or another pack. As no one had seen him at all, Steady feared the worst.

Ezekiel waited patiently as the other's spoke, his frame was now completely relaxed as it seemed there was a mutual trust between them. The female's expressed their gratitude, one asking about a wolf named Mason. Ezekiel had heard of him, but never met him. Fitz's kids had left before Ezekiel had arrived at the mountain. The conversation was not one that the large male had much say in, so instead he lingered behind his alpha and watched.

ooc: since this is getting old, I will skip Aria. Also last post from Osprey. 

"That is very unfortunate - I am sorry for your loss," Osprey said and dipped her muzzle respectfully. There were few packs, where famine had not taken it's toll. She could not decide, whether she was more sad about the potential friendship that hadn't had a chance to flourish, or the fact that so soon after losing his father, Mason had lost his sister too. Maybe both.

There was a shrill call from the densite, which meant that it was time for her to return to her three needy children and husband that hadn't had a good nights sleep in a very long time. She therefore quietly excused herself and left to see, what fires she needed to take out.

Thank you. I am for yours, as well, Steady said softly, for Osprey had obviously lost friends, too. With his message delivered, Steady made his exit. If there's anyone you need, just let us know. We'd be happy to help. And thank you for accepting us at your borders. As the meeting was over, Steady gave a glance to Ezekiel and then turned to head back home, hoping the trip going back would be as uneventful as it was coming.

Ezekiel, you can archive here, or with your post <3