Gyrfalcon's Keep My heart is a warrior

Set sometime on 07/04/14

With her goal in sight and her heart steeled against the wolves she would abandon, Jinx had spent the last three days travelling every inch of Silvertip Mountain she could reach, celebrating her birthday in busy isolation. Although she was capable and fit, she was nevertheless a woman of forests and coastlines, unfamiliar with the mountain terrain. Her paw pads were torn from countless stumbles onto sharp rocks protruding from the lichen-padded ground, and every muscle in her ached. She wouldn't have been surprised to find bruises on the lengths of her very bones. Yet there was an exhausted satisfaction in the Kesuk when she awoke on the fourth day, with her eyes set on Gyrfalcon Keep to the mount's north.

Jinx had only perused the mountain under the light of the sun, and found some peculiar sights. To the south and east, the mountain was hospitable enough, offering challenge to any who crossed it yet rewarding those who persisted in their climb with fantastic views. To the west, the mountain was a sprawling expanse of sheer cliffs and dead-end plateaus, an excellent location from which to scout the sprawling coastline. One day, it would become a training ground for those wolves seeking to harden themselves and find their courage.

Mid-afternoon found the black-footed Beta on a smaller mountain adjacent to Silvertip, from which she could survey the northern face of her inevitable domain. The gyrfalcons for which this mild-mannered mountain was named were nowhere to be seen. Jinx was thankful for that, for it allowed her to get close to Silvertip, close enough to be seated on a ridge looking up at the mountain... Close enough to see the strangest feature of the northern face clearly. Had she been more intelligent and experienced, she would have recognized the peculiar waves of hexagonal, columnar basalt spilling down the mountainside as proof of slow volcanic activity from thousands of years previous, but all she saw were perfectly shaped columns of airy stone that baffled her very comprehension of mountain terrain.

The delay in returning to the quiet of the mountains had been with a consequence she had never expected. In truth, she believed the world to have been simple, and true it was, but with a complexity most unflattering. There were none to blame but herself for this realization, and knowing it made the sense of betrayal settle uncomfortably all the more. Had she not walked from the Vale on her journey, she might have been spared the striking light of the truth and remained forever shrouded in the deep clouds of ignorance. Yet fate had other plans for the wolf once baptized in blissful ignorance; an awakening most harsh that left her impressions scarred. Yet, had the not left her home, the comfort of those she knew, she would have been driven again into the arms of depression that now rested upon her shoulders like a well-worn coat. But she had to return eventually. It was not only her place but duty as its warden, warrior, guardian and keeper. Without the need of her brethren, her purpose was once again lost. And once more the foreign earth beneath her paws would become more familiar than the mountains she cherished. Such was a path she could not travel down again. Not when there was a sliver of hope… however it dwindled in the light of current events. Withdrawing from herself, the woman set her bi-colored eyes forward to the gentler slopes of the mountains and forested paths. It differed greatly from the treacherous peaks of the Ridge adjoining the Sunspire, its height beckoning the cautious to stand upon its ledges and observe the flatlands from a higher point without fear. It was ‘kind’, this mountain road, offering a rest for the weathered without the sacrifice of its majesty. Dare she admit, it was a kinder route toward home than the way she had begun, and the wanderer’s sense of adventure dared to rear itself. But was not fully entertained. Her progress remained gradual seeking not to explore but the safer route by which she could return to the flatlands. Though for a moment, in reaching a steady edge upon the Keep, she afforded a moment of pause to look across the lands and spied but a ways the formidable walls of the mountain that cradled her home.

So opposite were the ideals of the two wolves within the Keep that it might have seemed a comedic thing, the crossing of their paths. While Xi'nuata considered the need of her peers above her own wants, Jinx considered her own wants above the need of her peers. In this way, the Kesuk was an unfit companion and leader, yet she was born in Aries, a daughter of Sos, and therefore full of resolve. She might have been imperfect in all ways, but her ambition and her desires were more than enough to evoke admiration in others. Her insolence was another matter... But at present, it was not an issue, for she was alone.

At least, for a time. Jinx was given a comfortable stretch in which to observe the mountainside and puzzle over the strange, bubbly appearance of its cascading hexagonal face, but it was soon interrupted. Not audibly nor physically, but on some mental and emotional level. Her eye was drawn to movement, and in looking, she saw one of the last wolves she would have wanted around, and started as though to gain her feet and act.

Jinx was by nature territorial, leading to her reaction, but after a moment of thought, she held her seat. If she ignored Xi'nuata, the Kesuk thought the Vale wolf would disappear. Jinx still bore her injuries from the cougar attack, recently exacerbated by Tonravik's challenge as well as her journey here... And in true craven fashion, she knew better than to put herself in harm's way. Only if Xi'nuata tread upon the soils of her eventual mountain would the Kesuk be moved to violence. For the time being, she sought only to avoid contact altogether, that she not have to hear the Vale female's insufferable voice in this, her sanctuary.

She was in no rush to turn away from the scenery, and in fact, let herself become momentarily immersed by it. Always was she fond of what could be formed by nature, even if the more sentient creations served to confuse, complicate and bother. However looking to the tangible and inanimate gave her a sense of peace that not all crafted by nature’s hand was there to cause disruption to an otherwise simple existence. Though its living things were quite a different matter altogether. Breathing deeply, she turned from the view of her home mountain, then paused to the scent of lupine musk upon her nose. Natural in essence, then fragranced by the wilds, yet it was not enough to mask the base by which the perfume was created. Her nose wrinkled disdainfully to complement the furrow of her brows. A single tooth caught the gleaming light of the afternoon as her lips quivered in anger for the transgressions of the scent’s barer. She would find her, on this mountain here? She half expected a shadow to suddenly spring to life, and from it emerge the enraged beast of the Vale to exact his revenge on the trifling female. But he was out of her reach for the moment. A truth she was gradually accepting in her days of solitude. She shook her head, ridding such trivial thoughts from her mind as she was reminded of whom lurked on the mountain same as her. Turning on the tops of her paws, she bound from the ledge to the moss-covered stones to gain a higher ground before addressing the pale female. Her calm disposition turned ill by the very notion of the woman, but her tongue was far from crass as to spare the other an insult. Instead, she inquired as she would have with any other; “Are you lost?”

The auburn-topped female wasn't leaving as Jinx hoped she would. Instead, the Vale wolf adjusted her course to the Keep's upper reaches. In her direction. Scowling as she watched the woman from the edge of her vision, the Kesuk considered her options. She was unaware of how many times Xi'nuata had approached the Creek on supposed peace missions, but nevertheless, she felt annoyed by the other's approach here. Was it not clear from Jinx's previous actions she cared not for the Vale wolves? Was it not clear she did not want to be their friends?

But no amount of poisonous thought could halt Xi'nuata's progress. Soon, the beige female had reached her and was asking a question that, to her, was downright ludicrous. A dozen scathing remarks crowded at her teeth and begged to be unleashed, but she kept silent for a moment, considering her options, before tilting her head to regard the Vale warden with only one eye.

"What gave you that idea?" she wondered, her voice lilting a little too sweetly. She may have been three years old, and she may have very nearly been a mother, but Jinx was just as immature and petty as she had always been. Her intent was not to play nice with this Vale bitch nor treat her decently, even if it meant inciting the other's anger and adding more wounds to her growing collection.

Perhaps she was a fool for attempting to speak cordially to the other, but it could not said that the Vale wolf was without courtesy. Her tolerance extended beyond the realm of most, but even she was not without her tipping point. Disrespect when the contrary had been earned served as an immediate spark to the lengthen fuse, but even then it was quite a while before the inevitable explosion. At least that was what she practiced time and time again. Yet the tone of the female’s voice made the length of the fuse shorten considerably. Again her lip trembled, yet she retained her practiced air of calm through a single deep breath. “The scent of the Creek is nearly gone from you,” quietly she shared her observation. “Only wanderers or lost wolves lose their scent of the pack after time.” Her tail lashed at her ankles as stout ears slanted forward. Though intrigue would not fully reach her eyes, it was apparent by her observation. Had the female been kicked from the pack, she wondered. Alone now with no backing… destitute and aimless? While the warden could very well sympathize-had this been the case, having once been a wandering vagabond herself, she did not share an ounce of it with the transgressor. Rather she was curious for reply more so for her mate’s sake. If she was to return to him with possible news of this female's discharge from the Creek, he might overlook her absence in place of yet another obsession to pursue.

There were many assumptions at play here. The Kesuk didn't think long on it, since thinking about anything was not one of her strongest suits, but she did realize that overlooking possibilities beyond the obvious ones may be one of Xi'nuata's flaws. It was a strange observation that the maple woman made, for in Jinx's experience, a pack's territory smelled like the wolves upon it, not the other way around. How, then, could the pack's Beta lose the scent of the pack, when the pack also smelled like the Beta? But she spared it very little thought.

She didn't comment on it, either. It would be a waste of words to explain how scent worked, and it would be fraught with inaccuracies anyway, since Jinx was not intelligent enough to know, herself. Had she considered it longer, the paler wolf might have realized why Xi'nuata cared so much, but she drew no connection between her potential lone wolf status and her vulnerability. Arrogance swam in her bloodline, passed down through the ages, and dismissed any possible assault.

"You have forgotten wolves that scout under their leader's orders, and wolves that track herds along their routes for their leader's knowledge," Jinx informed coldly, aware that neither of these was the reason she herself was out here. Xi'nuata didn't know that, though, and the Kesuk would challenge her assumptions either way. "What purpose I have here is no business of yours," she stated in a clear attempt to tell the woman to get lost without outright insulting her.

“I have not forgotten,” a single browraised in response to the far from amiable retort. Having spoken with the Creek regarding her intentions for a genial hunting agreement, the reasons spun by the woman plucked less of a truthful chord and more one in an attempt to either deviate or infuriate. In either instance, the beige female’s expression did not change. The scowl upon her brows remained intact as did the subtle quirk of her lip over sheathed fang. “Yet word from your leader implied no such tracking would be necessary; you would keep to your own borders to hunt-,” she countered plainly as her tail lashed behind her. “-to limit the risk of crossing paths with the Northstar Vale.” Her ears drew back to rest more comfortably nearer her skull but not to bend. She was far from uncomfortable in the presence of the other, and had no intention of imply otherwise in her pursuit for a more relaxed posture. “Either word has not reached you because of your diligence in serving your lead… or your ears were deaf to it.” Either scenario would have been fine with her. In the end, it meant better news to return with.

Jinx found her feet in an instant when the other female spoke, laying out what appeared to be Fox's intention. Jinx knew better than to think Fox's intention was to be corralled in the Creek with no access to their outlying hunting grounds for fear of the Vale. Of course, Jinx didn't know what had happened between the two, but she was more than headstrong enough to make assumptions. "I believe you've misunderstood," she suggested, facing the other woman head-on now. "What gives your Vale the right to hunt in the vicinity of our pack while we keep to our lands like cattle? Why don't you hunt in your lands?" Swiftcurrent was larger.

But Jinx didn't know that, so she couldn't comment on it. "No, you see, the lands around the Creek are our hunting grounds. They belong to us. You and yours can forage elsewhere, on the other side of the mountain, and there is no risk of crossing." Did Xi'nuata truly think that Fox and her wolves would just meekly give up the surrounding land for the Vale's use? Maybe Fox had let her believe that, but Jinx was still the Beta, and Jinx strongly opposed.

As Jinx turned to face her fully now, she knew she had the other’s attention be it by the recitation of her interpretation from her lead, or the very words themselves that turned their eyes to meet. There coarser hairs along her nape bristled at the sudden change yet the whole of her stature remained as relaxed as intended. Even her quivering lip ceased as her tone lessened from intrigue to a deadpanned expression in the midst of debate. “ ‘…with more plentiful prey, we will stick to our lands more and the neutral less…’”, she recalled with ease as if only having heard it the day before. Not enough time had passed for her to forget that encounter, nor the bitterness it left for the stubbornness of the Creek Alpha. It was the first time, as she could recall, having to take back an offering so carefully caught and placed with good intention. “I do not believe that I misunderstood,” she replied shortly. “And surely a scout under their leader’s orders would know that prey may change their herding grounds. There is more than one side of the mountain. Wild and unclaimed. And we have not limited ourselves to keep more within our own lands while there are mouths to feed. We have every right to hunt as we please,” she stated. “As long as our paws do not touch the Creek ground…” The Vale wolf’s brows furrowed somewhat, having heard, albeit distantly, the relationship of the white wolf with the Creek dwellers. Such passion, she assumed, could only have been incited by one that still held respect for their home. Which raised the notion that perhaps she was still among their ranks. This was of less impress than if the woman was without their protection. She was doubtful such news would distract her mate at all.

Sorry she's so mean. >_>

"As do we," she argued, disliking this woman more and more by the minute. She perceived an incredible arrogance in this Northstar Vale, one made manifest by the sheer audacity to suggest they should do as they please while other packs bowed down to their superior will. Jinx had seen but two Vale wolves, and they were this maple bitch and that unsettling dark-furred dog. She knew the might of the Creek, but had no reason to believe there were more than a handful of wolves living in the mountain paradise.

She didn't understand Xi'nuata's point about scouting. She knew herds changed where they slept and idled, that was why she had made up that lie in the first place. Having not understood it, by fault of her own, the headstrong Kesuk assumed it was nothing but blathering and ignored it. "You would suggest to me that my pack keep to our territory to hunt, whilst you prance about as you please?" Her eyes narrowed and in her throat rumbled a hateful growl, indicating both her amusement with the concept and her simmering anger.

If not for having been confronted by Fox mere days prior, she would have instantly taken this information back to her Alpha. She was certain that whatever Fox had said had not literally meant, "come, hunt in the neutral land near us, we won't bother you!" Such arrogance! Jinx was riled now, a rattlesnake, and unwilling to compromise. Her blood was boiling. "It is simple. You stay on your side and hunt in your land and on the surrounding mountains, and we stay on ours and hunt the surrounding prairie. There is no we get to do as we please. Come within several dozen miles of the Creek with your lofty do as we please attitude, any one of you, and I will personally fuck you up."

“…personally?” True interest touched the brows the female for the first time, altering her position almost instantaneous from its relaxed slouch. In the midst of blathering rage she held fast to the words that brought her the most pleasure to hear. Her confidence in the strength of the Vale was unwavering, regardless of the numbers or changes that had occurred within. If not only her strength, but the warriors as well. Numbers counted for nothing when it was fortitude and will that mattered the most. To hear the woman’s threat almost roused a smile… She hadn’t an exact idea what the latter portion of her threat meant, but she could certainly guess considering the level of anger brimming to the surface. “Should prey take us in the direction of the Creek,” she continued softly, “ I assure you, we will do as we please for the survival of our own. You and your brethren seemed to have come out of doing so relatively unscathed while in our territory-“ if only by her show of mercy “-and if it is only you we should have to look forward to, I can see the same becoming of us. If not better…”

"Should prey take you in the direction of the Creek," Jinx strove to interrupt, taking an ominous step toward the other woman, "you will turn the other direction, or you will find the jaws of nearly twenty capable wolves latched around your imbecilic throat." She felt no need to mask how many wolves the Creek had. They were fifteen strong, with two extremely skilled warriors at their head, a solid warden at their back. "We are not weak-willed as you. We will not allow you your freedom with a slap on the paw for your transgression." Sure, if Xi'nuata and Raheerah hadn't released her, she would have died that day, but if Jinx was grateful for that, she certainly didn't act it.

"I assure you," she added in mockery of the other, who thought that the word personally had meant singularly (what Jinx had meant had been more a promise that any wolf in the Creek's vicinity would be caught and wounded for it and she would make sure of it), "if I see you or your ilk anywhere near the Creek, I will call down the pack on you and I will kill you. Your preservation means nothing to me. You will not approach us. Stay away, and you will not be bothered." She raised her head, breathing hard through her nostrils. "You may hunt south and to the east of the mountains. You may not come north." It went without saying the Creek wolves would not range far for their food, but even if Fox was going to tolerate the Vale's attitude, Jinx was not. It mattered not that she had sought to steal from them; it was as much a test of their vigilance as anything, and they had passed that, at least.

There was little point in mentioning her plans to uproot and come here shortly. That would only make Xi'nuata's twisted perception of reality, in her opinion, that much more twisted. No. Best to let her believe the Creek would always hold in its ranks its capable Beta female.

“Twenty capable… I do not believe so,” she countered pointedly, and took a step toward the female in turn. “As there is only one that I have seen of your many that warrant my caution.” Her tail swept confidently at her heels undoubtedly fanning the flames of aggression of the other female. “But I do thank you for your warning,” keeping her eyes upon the other, she dipped her head slightly in a mock gesture of appreciation. “It has given me… very little to consider, but increased my need to return.” She raised her head to fit comfortably atop her shoulders. “I think a hunt to the north is long overdue.” She did not turn completely, as only a fool would brandish their side to an agitated foe. Rather, she retracted her steps, backpedalling a short ways til a weathered paw graced the edges of jagged stone. Only then did she slip down to the soft dip in the earth below and walked at her leisure along the descending path of the mountain. [Exit?]

"It's your funeral," she said ominously, rolling her shoulders and dogging the other woman for a few steps. Perhaps things might have been different if Xi'nuata had used Njal's name. Jinx would inform her how she had bested the warden not once, but twice, and won her Beta title. Jinx would inform her that even Fox warranted more cautious than Njal in his current state. But just as Jinx would believe no word that this woman uttered, she did not expect her to believe, either.

Yet Jinx did not underestimate Xi'nuata alone. She had seen the woman's impeccable footing on mountain terrain and witnessed firsthand her speed. Perhaps the most fatal mistake the Vale wolf could make was underestimating Jinx, but arrogance did that. "Your funeral," she muttered, more to herself this time, though her lips quirked into a wicked smirk.

Xi'nuata might think she was hot shit, or so her manner implied, but Jinx was a Kesuk. She was hot shit. She would meet these Vale wolves head-on when they came, for she believed they would come, and show them what a true-born warrior could do.