Sleeping Dragon It's top shelf, man. It's top shelf.

Since she had broken away from her former pack, Lucia had been wandering as a lone wolf for quite some time. She did not favor the life of a loner at all, constantly being by one's self with only a few to talk to along the way was not her forte. In fact, the girl almost craved companionship or a place that she could consider home instead of constantly being on the move. It may of been the desired life for some, but being a lone wolf was not for her.

She stopped at what seemed to be a border, marked heavily with a pungent, unfamiliar scent. It was likely this was the pack she was looking for, or at least had intentions to join. Lucia stood a few feet away from the imaginary line, tipping her head up to call for a pack member to meet her.

Accepting newcomers was not her responsibility, she knew, but she was close to the borders when the call went up and the Bandrona decided she could probably save Thuringwethil some time by vetting the caller first. Besides, it was part of her job description to represent the pack, which included at their own borders. Moving at a steady clip, the yearling closed the distance between herself and a she-wolf with creamy fur and butterscotch points.

"Hi there," she greeted, a little out of breath. She was smaller than the stranger but she kept her head and tail hitched upward in a show of confidence that was almost entirely genuine. Wildfire had by now settled into Sleeping Dragon and even her leadership role, for the most part. "How can I help you?"

She greeted the stranger with a respectful dip of her head, seeing the signs of confidence that the other she-wolf displayed. "Hi," Lucia said back, glad that the one to be meeting her was not the "stone-cold" type. She immediately remembered that "hi" was not the most formal way for her to introduce herself, but seeing that the other she-wolf seemed friendly, she decided to let it slide.

"I am interested in joining your pack," she responded to the she-wolf's question. The stranger smelled of the pack and came from its side of the border, so she could only assume she was asking the right wolf, despite not knowing what rank she was. Nevertheless, she seemed pretty important.

The she-wolf cut right to the chase, even foregoing a proper introduction before stating her business. Wildfire didn't fault her for this, though she couldn't help but wonder why this stranger had chosen Sleeping Dragon. A few beats of silence passed as she pondered it, then the Bandrona realized it was a totally fair question to bring up out loud.

"Okay," she began a little awkwardly, "what makes you want to join this pack in particular? What do you know about it?" She paused, then added, "I'm Wildfire, by the way."

Lucia grimaced, something seemed a bit off. It was probably because she forgot to introduce herself, but it was too late now. She could only hope that she didn't seem pushy or annoying. The girl waited out the awkward silence, seeing who would speak first. If she was wise, she'd let the stranger to speak first; she had a feeling that she might mess up again.

Thankfully, the stranger spoke first. It seemed to be starting off rocky for her, but overthinking things would only lessen her chances of joining the ranks of this pack. "I was wandering around the northernmost area of the wilds in search of a pack to join," she said, wondering if her cutting to the chase had made her seem more interested in the pack. Truth be told, she didn't know much about the pack at all.

"I don't know much, honestly," she laughed awkwardly, then added, "My name is Lucia, nice to meet you. Sorry for cutting to the chase without a proper introduction."

She didn't seem to have a compelling reason for choosing Drageda in particular, which sort of wounded Wildfire's pride in a way. She brushed that aside, though. Not everyone would have some grandiose purpose in coming here. She hadn't, at first. Some just wanted (or needed) the strength of a pack and somewhere to lay down some roots. Wildfire would not begrudge her this.

Nor would she hold her lack of introduction against her. "It's okay," she assured with a twitch of her black tail. "You should know that Sleeping Dragon isn't just a traditional pack. We have our our own customs, our very own culture. I can tell you more about it... but first I'd like to hear what sorts of skills you have? What could you do for this pack in exchange for membership?"

She let a small sigh of relief slip from her jaws at Wildfire's assurance, listening as the female went on to speak further of her pack. Lucia was curious when she mentioned a whole new culture, alongside different customs that were unique to the pack. Her old pack was a bit too monotonous, so maybe this change appeared to be just what she was looking for.

Her ears pressed forward at the questions she deemed mandatory for the procedure of joining; her skills and what she could bring to the table. She had had some training in fighting, and dabbled just a bit in herbs just out of pure interest. Hopefully having a budding interest in something could be counted as a skill, since she didn't have any others she could think of.

"When I was in the ranks of my former pack, I had training in combat," she said, and added, "I also expressed an interest in healing, if that is a desired trade or specialty within your pack." She would ask questions about the culture afterwards, waiting for the other wolf to respond.

Skills in combat and healing were both valuable, at least in Wildfire's eyes. She was fairly certain Thuringwethil would feel the same. The Bandrona considered whether she should go ahead and call for the commander directly. Lucia had passed inspection, so to speak, and now it was up to the Heda whether they could make space for her in the ranks.

But maybe she should ask a few more questions first? "What made you leave your old pack, Lucia? And supposing you're accepted, what are your future plans?"

Lucia thought back to her old pack, remembering it with disdain. It wasn't like the pack was terrible, but there were things there she didn't wish to relive. She decided telling Wildfire her whole backstory probably wasn't the best plan, so instead decided to go with the basics without revealing too much. Besides, she didn't know the woman well enough to do so.

"My pack was lead by my father and mother. My mother died while birthing my two brothers and I," she explained. "My brothers took to their skills immediately, but I wasn't quite as quick a learner as they were. My father wasn't too happy about that." Lucia wasn't exactly the favorite child in the family. "Eventually, we kept arguing and I, well, left," she admitted, hoping it all didn't sound ridiculous. "It just didn't feel like the right fit." She prayed she didn't sound unthankful -- having a pack was already a privilege to some.

"As for future plans, I plan on becoming a skilled fighter and healer, as well as form close bonds with my packmates if I happen to get in," she replied. Besides that, she couldn't really predict what was ahead for her.

Her responses were nothing particularly extraordinary, though Lucia said all the right things if she was angling for acceptance. She was definitely making a good impression on the Bandrona, who was getting good and ready to call for Thuringwethil. But then she realized Lucia hadn't mentioned any ambitions as far as a mate and family went. Now that she was getting closer to sexual maturity and within a fairly stable (if secret) relationship, Wildfire was beginning to grow protective of her aspirations for motherhood. She didn't particularly want competition, especially when it still wasn't a sure thing. It wasn't like she was the Alpha after all (just dating one!).

"What about a mate? A family? Are those things you'd hope to find here?" the yearling pressed, amber eyes fixed on Lucia's face, their intensity partially offset by her soft smile of genuine interest.

Lucia raised a brow at Wildfire's next set of questions. Oh boy. "Maybe a mate somewhere along the line, but um...." she paused. "Kids aren't exactly my thing," she shrugged with a smile, hoping that wasn't the wrong answer. Unlike most, she didn't have much of a desire to be a mother. As for the questions, they were interesting, and she couldn't help but be intriqued as why they were being asked. Lucia decided to leave that question in her head, instead choosing to think about the culture Wildfire had spoken of.

"Earlier you mentioned a sort of culture you have, along with some customs. May I ask what that may be?" she said politely, her eyes wide with genuine interest.

She should have been happy or at least relieved about Lucia's answer, though the implied distaste for children gave Wildfire pause. This wasn't a trait she found becoming in an individual, something she hadn't even known until this very moment. There were already four pups living here and hopefully more on the horizon (her heart did a tiny flip). How would Lucia deal with that? Would she simply ignore them? Would she be mean to them? Or did she like children, just not want any of her own?

"Do you dislike kids?" she had to ask, then when questioned about the culture, the Bandrona suddenly realized she had sort of given Lucia the third degree here. She blinked, flashed a quick and somewhat apologetic smile for being so nosy, then said, "I actually think the commander, or Heda, will be able to answer your questions the best. And she gets final say anyway, so I'll go ahead and call for her." That was a hint: Lucia had passed phase one, despite Wildfire's over-the-top questions. The yearling tipped back her head and called for @Thuringwethil.

Did she dislike kids? Not at all, actually. Hopefully she hadn't given Wildfire the idea that she was some sort of grumpy wolf who hated the company of pups. In fact, she enjoyed their bubbly energy and the optimism that they radiated. "Oh no, I just don't think I'd be the best at raising my own," she clarified. "I do well with pups, but being a mother isn't on the list for now." But who knew, maybe along the line, things would change. Doubtful, but possible.

She felt her heart rate become a bit faster when Wildfire mentioned calling the "commander" or in her words, her Heda. Did that mean she had passed something, and now was moving on to the final phase? She celebrated a silent victory in her mind, showing externally as a wide grin. All she could do now was wait for the commander and hope she didn't mess anything up.

Figured we can keep going until Thur pops in here! :)

Wildfire smiled perhaps a little too brightly when Lucia clarified the matter. That was good then. She was pretty sure this she-wolf would make a good addition to the ranks. When Thuringwethil arrived, the Bandrona would be sure to put in a good word for her. Until then, she figured it couldn't hurt to keep getting to know Lucia better. What else would they do? Stand there and stare at each other in awkward silence?

"While we wait, I can tell you a little bit about this place. Thur—Thuringwethil, I mean—can tell you a lot more than I can, though. She was born in the culture, born to lead it." There was both pride and affection clear in her tone. "I'm just the Bandrona. That's a fancy way of saying I'm the head ambassador. Speaking of trades, it's sort of a requirement here in Drageda. It sounds like you'd make a good Mercenary and/or Caregiver. Talk about complementary skills," Wildfire quipped.

sounds good to me!

She couldn't help but notice Wildfire's smile. Well, at least that meant that she had said the right things, or at least she hoped so. Her ears pressed forward at the start of an explanation -- a bit of info on the culture and whatnot of the pack. If she wanted to  join this pack, it was important for her to know as much about it as possible.

She did, in fact, pick up on what seemed to be a nickname for the pack leader, but she disregarded it as a mere stutter. The way this she-wolf talked about the Heda -- or so they called her -- couldn't help but make her smile. "So, are leaders appointed if...anything happens, or is it more of a bloodline sort of thing?" she asked, interested on how Wildfire said Thuringwethil was "born to lead the pack." She didn't know whether Wildfire meant that literally or not.

Bandrona. Drageda. She had never heard these words before. Did they speak in a whole different language entirely, or were there only a few words that were exceptions? Well, she was certainly prepared question-wise when Thuringwethil would arrive.

"Oh? I do suppose the skills are complementary," she laughed. So far, she seemed to be making good progress and was a lot more certain of her future in the pack. However, she still had Thuringwethil to meet, so she wasn't going to be completely certain of anything yet.

Lucia's question about the leadership actually gave Wildfire pause. She knew she should know the answer to this question but if the commander had ever gone over it with her, she didn't remember. The Bandrona felt a warm flush overcome her as she ran her tongue nervously over her lower lip. She didn't want to tell Lucia wrong but she also didn't want to appear as if she didn't know the answer to what was a pretty critical question either.

"I was appointed," she said perhaps a bit too hurriedly, "but I am not nearly as important as the Heda. She could tell you all about the traditions there." Her cheeks felt even warmer. She sounded like some sort of cop-out and she was supposed to be representing Drageda. She really needed to brush up on her knowledge. She'd had many conversations about Drageda and its lore with the commander but she supposed she might have been, well, a little distracted when alone with Thuringwethil.

Clearing her throat self-consciously, Wildfire shifted her weight and said, "She should be here any minute." An awkward pause followed this statement before she blurted, "There're four pups in the pack and hopefully more in the not too distant future." Her face flamed more than ever as she realized she had just indirectly revealed that she, an apparently single yearling, aspired to breed when she came of age. To a perfect stranger. When even her own pack mates didn't know anything about it or her relationship to the commander.

The other woman seemed to be flustered for some reason she could not understand -- had she done something to cause Wildfire's nervousness? It was no matter, since the Bandrona's response was in fact a substantial answer to her query. She listened as Wildfire continued to speak, seemingly holding herself to much lower standards compared to her Heda. This only brought up yet another question, though she wasn't sure if she should ask it or not. Did Thuringwethil lead by invoking fear, or was she a caring leader? Secretly, she hoped for the latter, but knew that most leaders ruled with an iron fist.

She should be here any minute. Lucia shifted in anticipation. She could only picture the image of Thuringwethil as a leader with incredible prowess. Perhaps she was even a bit intimidated. Such thoughts distracted her from Wildfire's sudden exclamation, but she tuned in as the woman continued to speak.

"Oh, I'm happy to hear that," she smiled, somewhat aware of Wildfire's accidental reveal of information. It seemed to be personal information too, evident due to the heat that rose to the other woman's face. She decided to look off absentmindedly as if she had not picked up on what Wildfire had accidentally hinted on, for the sake of the woman's peace of mind.

[awkward intensifies]

She chewed her bottom lip, waiting to see if Lucia would press, but she seemed to make a point of not doing so. Perhaps she had picked up on Wildfire's sudden disquiet. In that case, the Bandrona would give her even higher marks once the Alpha female got here. Where was she? It never took the commander this long to make herself known. Was it possible she was out of earshot? In that case, should Wildfire accept Lucia? Or perhaps tell her to come back later? Maybe she could give her a task in the meantime to keep her busy as well as further prove her worth?

Instead, the yearling found herself caught up in the subject matter, though she quickly steered the conversation back into a safer lane. "They're the offspring of our former Viking Queen and the guardian, Gavriel." Wildfire was aware that she perhaps shouldn't go around revealing personal information like this—and she usually refrained from oversharing—but if Lucia was about to join them, then she wasn't exactly some stranger on the street. It might even be good for her to know this as she prepared to settle into life here on the dormant volcano. "They're called Thyri, Hvitserk, Eske and Freyja. They're great kids. I'm sure you'll get to meet them soon enough."

poor wildfire :')

There was a silence, and Lucia braced herself for Thuringwethil to randomly appear out of nowhere. It was not like she was impatient, but she could only wonder if the she-wolf could hear Wildfire's summonings. If not, that was OK too — as she had no issue with waiting a bit longer.

Thankfully, the silence was broken again by Wildfire, this time about the pups. "It seems that they have strong parents, so the pups themselves will grow to be just the same," she smiled, trying to envision the small, energetic bundles of fur. "Those are beautiful names," she added. They were certainly names she had never heard before, but that made them all the more charming. She smiled. "I can't wait to meet them, that is, assuming things go smoothly with Thuringwethil," she said, not wanting to sound too sure of anything yet.

Although Lucia spoke in platitudes, Wildfire appreciated the compliments nonetheless. She was proud of the pups, even if they weren't her own. She was definitely heavily involved in their upbringing, particularly with Freyja as of late. The little lady showed interest in hunting and even some scouting, making her Wildfire's perfect little apprentice. The Bandrona considered the pups her nieces and nephew and loved them with all her heart.

And when still no Thuringwethil appeared, she seized the opportunity to gush a little bit more. "They really do. Both Gyda and Gavriel are sort of strong but silent types. Their kids, on the other hand..." She chuckled, an affectionate gleam in her golden eyes. "Eske is definitely the feistiest. She's ambitious too. But so is Freyja. I've sort of taken her under my wing in particular, since she shows an interest in my specialties: hunting and scouting."

Realizing she was babbling a bit, Wildfire paused and glanced over her shoulder, then faced forward and shot Lucia an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you have to wait like this. I'm sure they will. Go smoothly with Thur, I mean." Er. "Heda." Her mouth clapped shut.

Lucia grinned. "Well, I can handle feisty," she said, raising a brow. "I guess they are somewhat the opposite of their parents, then?" Or were all pups energetic and constantly up to no good? She didn't really know, but she could only assume. She'd never met a gloomy pup but knew that one probably existed somewhere.

She listened as Wildfire continued to speak of the pups and even mentioned her specialties too. A hunter and a scout sounded pretty cool, seeing that she only knew a few of the trades and specialities. Her attention was brought to the woman once more as she seemed to be apologizing for Thuringwethil's absence. "No, I don't mind," she said earnestly, picking up again on what seemed to be a nickname for the leader. Was everyone allowed to call her that, or were the two pretty close? She didn't estimate anything more than a close friendship, though. "I've had a lot of time to get to know you, so I would say it was time well spent." She didn't want to appear as ungrateful -- waiting while having company was much better than waiting alone anyway.

It is only when the second call has been made that Thuringwethil uproots her position. Gavriel came to relieve her of her duty in watching the puppies so she can attend to the matter but her gait doesn't increase in speed. Most times it is she that greets the wolves on the borders when their numbers are limited, without having the appropriate wolves for the position, but it is not something she concerns herself with in the moment. Wildfire taking up the responsibility doesn't cause worry, either, as she hides the strangers time until her approach.

She only catches the tail end of what they are saying, perhaps for the better, and missing some of the exchange. She looks first to Wildfire without much of an expression and she smoothly transitions to the light colored loner. Dark slate eyes rest heavily upon her features as she quickly scans, making her own assessment with what she can see. Heda slows to a stop, head squared above her shoulders and with enough space from both of them that separates her power.

After a moment, she looks to Wildfire first in order to speak their business.

The tips of her ears warmed pleasantly at Lucia's kind compliment. The woman was no dummy and seemed to be aware of Wildfire's blusters, without judging them or otherwise calling attention to them. Perhaps the two of them could become friends, if she passed muster with the commander.

Speaking of the Heda, she finally glided onto the scene. Some built-up tension left the Bandrona's body as she nodded professionally to the leader, then glanced at Lucia and promptly said, "Heda, this is Lucia. I've questioned her pretty thoroughly and she seems like she may be a good addition. She's both a fighter and a healer. She's very interested in learning more about the culture of Drageda." She left it that, falling silent and stepping back to stand by Thuringwethil's hip as she wrapped things up with the possible new recruit.

Lucia could smell her presence before she had even appeared, and when she did, she was as striking as she had imagined her to be. Definitely a wolf of power, definitely the Heda. Her thoughts were confirmed as Wildfire spoke on her behalf, moving to the side of the dark she-wolf. She knew she was being evaluated, in a sense, catching a glimpse of Thuringwethil's eyes but not making eye contanct.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you," she smiled, trying to take the nervous edge off her tone. Her pose was not challenging -- stance lowered and tail down, though still attempting to seem friendly instead of scared. Admittedly, she was pretty intimidated. She waited for Thuringwethil to speak before saying anything herself, not wanting to start blabbering or rushing ahead.

Once Wildfire begins speaking, her gaze turns to the new wolf. Lucia. She’s given the run down, the basic necessities to join and what her skills might be. There isn’t much one needs to become a member of Sleeping Dragon, as long as they are able to contribute and remain loyal—something most of her wolves have accomplished with a few sparse in between—and so Thuringwethil nods her head once the ambassador finishes speaking. Lucia speaks up then and she nods a second time in her own silent greeting.

“Drageda thrives on the contribution of our own and your rank depends on your primary skill set. As long as you contribute, and you are loyal, I don’t think you’ll have a problem fitting in,” she says, glancing to Wildfire since she’d done most of the questioning but her opinion is often cemented early in meeting another. The stranger at her borders is polite and spoken of her skills. “You won’t get a rank right away,” she says, turning back to Lucia as if she were going to finalize everything Wildfire put her hard work into. “Once you’ve proven to us you can do what you say, you’ll be rewarded, and if not—” she pauses, flicking an ear, “it won’t be a problem, will it?”