Mount Apikuni Wicked Games

A majestic dawn did little to soften the appearance of the great mountain ahead. The morning light cast harsh shadows over a barren, craggy face, making the ridges and cliffs appear sharp and foreboding. Approaching from the North, she saw that the right side of the mountain was scarred and gloomy. It seemed to open up into a tight valley, or perhaps a canyon, but Valkyrie did not trust what she could not see. She opted instead to redirect her route to swing around the Eastern face. On that side, a thick, emerald forest glimmered, the vibrant pigments stark against the white of winter's accumulated snowfall.

With her hefty coat and imposing physique, she was not deterred by the windswept dunes of snow. She ploughed on withour concern, reaching the forrested base of the mountain just before noon. At the peripheries, she took a moment to scout the area, cornflower blue eyes narrowed with skepticism. She could either try to hunker down for the rest of the day, or press on in the hopes that the other side of the mountain would yield a more favourable environment, rather than simply a small outcrop of trees.

rolled 3, where odds determine to stay, and evens to go.

Hope it's okay if Gwen joins in here!

Gwen had been patrolling the borders, but decided to go and scout the area a bit further out, to clear her head. Too much stress had been put on the she-wolf's shoulders and she wanted to get away from it all for a bit. Her best friend (she had no idea what else to call him, as they had an odd 'relationship') Knew had been great fun, but for now she wanted to be alone. 

As much as she liked her pack, one day the wolfess would most likely have to leave the Keep, and she was confused. She'd grown fond of the pack and had already learned some of the best hiding spots for prey, and she felt attached to the land, and yet she felt a connection with Knew. He wanted her to leave the pack and go with him. She longed to do that, but something was holding her back.

Sighing, the ivory wolfess trotted through the snow, only stopping when she saw a figure not too far away.

In the end, Valkyrie decided that it was better to stick with what she knew. After all, she was not much of a risk taker. A nomadic lifestyle had taught her that, while she had no permanent pack to return to, she should prioritize her safety and health. As she she came to that conclusion, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the snowscape shift. Giving pause, she turned, noting that it was not snow, but rather a creature as white as their surroundings. From a second's glance, she had already been able to tell that the creature was smaller than she, although distinctly wolf.

Now that it was clear that they had both spotted each other, it would only be polite to acknowledge the other. Ears cocking forward in a relaxed, but curious manner, she tipped her head, and lowered her torso in a brief, formal bow. A single wolf posed no threat to the wandering warrior, but Valkyrie kept her wits about her, in case there were more hiding among the snow drifts. Nonetheless, she offered a friendly wave of her tail, standing her ground to see if the stranger would meander over, or simply go on her way.

Gwen paused as the figure turned to face her, but relaxed again. This she wolf didn't seem to pose a threat, so she smiled and nodded her head in politeness. "Hello," she said, with a wag of her tail. The ivory wolfess had not expected to see another wolf, though as she thought about it she realised how stupid that assumption had been. "Uh... sorry if I startled you..." 

Gwen paused for a moment, then added "Just out for a walk... to clear my head."

The stranger seemed uncertain, but without ill intent. Valkyrie rolled her shoulders in a casual manner, the faintest trace of a smile quirking the corners of her lips. "You didn't startle me." She reassured, tone smooth and even. As a predator, she was not one to readily feel a sense of flight. Nothing hunted her, after all. To spook so easily would be unbecoming of a warrior.

"I've been walking for days now, and my head doesn't feel any clearer." She chuckled softly, expression indicating that she was only being playful. Jaws parting in a quick yawn to diffuse further tension, she added, "Do you think it would be helpful to talk with a stranger for a spell?" Canting her head, she set her expression to an unreadable neutral, waiting patiently for a reply, never moving from where she stood.

Gwen sighed, relaxing slightly. "Oh. Good." she said, smiling in an attempt to be friendly. She'd only met two other lone wolves, besides this one, so she wasn't exactly sure how to begin talking. The stranger made a joking comment, and Gwen couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly. It was kinda funny, but also kinda true. Often when she went on her own to clear her head it didn't really help. 

Though, before the ivory wolfess could say anything more, a question came out of the strangers jaws. It had seemed like a normal question, until the mention of a spell. The absurdness only made her blink in suprise. "What? A spell?" she tilted her head in confusion. She'd heard tales and myths of magic, etc, but for someone to talk about it in anything but a story was.... different.

Her blue eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no other movement from her to indicate irritation. "A while." She amended, beginning to feel her patience wane. A wolf of actions rather than words, she struggled to remember to be selfless and kind at times. It was hard for her to remember that not everyone was well traveled, or a brave warrior prepared to face obstacles head on. To think of such things made her sullen and surly.

"You don't belive in magic, do you?" Her words were weighted heavily, and she could not help but scoff at the notion. There were many wolves who believed in things beyond their knowledge, but Valkyrie was practical, and frequently found that she lacked patience for such superstitions.

Gwen just became slightly more awkward as the stranger narrowed her eyes. Was this wolf friendly? The ivory pelted she-wolf shuffled on her paws uncomfortably and was glad she was still fairly close to The Keep's borders. She didn't think this wolf would attack, but one could never be too sure.

"Well... I don't really have an opinion on it to be honest." She said, truthfully. Magic was not something she though about often, and she had never been asked her own thoughts on the matter. True, it was most likely just a myth created by someone, but you never know. Perhaps magic did exist - or perhaps not. Either way, it didn't much concern Gwen.

Her company was ambivalent, which suited her just fine. There was no use in getting worked up over a wolf who could very easily become her enemy. A lone wolf during the winter was at a distinct disadvantage, so Valkyrie bit her tongue until she had the mind to change the subject. "Have you a pack nearby?" The stranger was proving to be less and less useful, but the shewolf was certain that she could glean some valuable information from their interaction. Sooner than later, she would have to give in, and settle down somewhere.

Wooo! Gwen's 100th post! xD

There was a small moment of silence, in which neither Gwen nor the stranger spoke, but it was soon broken. "Yes - Marauder's Keep is nearby. That's where I'm from. It's a good pack." The wolfess knew that wolves didn't really ask those kind of questions unless they were genuinely curious, and perhaps this stranger was looking for a pack herself? "Though I'm pretty sure there are others around here too." She added, knowing that there were indeed. Though as of yet the epsilon hadn't come across any of them yet.

"I'm Gwen, by the way." She said, out of politeness, besides, it couldn't hurt to share her name, right?

noice! congrats!

She nodded appreciatively, glad to know there were good wolves nearby. As a wanderer, she was careful to stray too close to the scent of a border, for fear of injury or being chased off. "Valkyrie," She offered, without flourish. "I have traveled most of my life, but I like this area, and I think I would like to settle down eventually." Her explanation was vague, with just enough detail to fully make her point clear. "Perhaps there are other packs further south." She suggested, shrugging her shoulders. "My goal is to venture on for several days or so, to ne certain of where I want to go. I thought I ought to rest for the night here, for it seems fairly comfortable." If there was a pack of wolves close to the area, however, they might not take so kindly to a lurking stranger. Valkyrie would find out soon enough.

Gwen's previous small smile returned to her face. Perhaps this wolf - Valkyrie, as she mentioned - was friendlier than Gwen had first assumed. She nodded to Valkyrie's next statement, then again. "Yes, I'm sure there are." A thoughtful look crossed her face as she tried to remember some pack's names - a few sprung to mind but she had no clue where any of them were located.

"As long as you don't stray too close to the borders I'm sure you'll be fine!" she said, and her smiled turned a little warmer. Of course, it didn't seem as though the two would become friends or anything like that - unless of course she wanted to - but she might as well be friendly in return. Valkyrie didn't seem to pose a threat.

It was a little discouraging not to be able to get any information of other packs, but it could have been taken as a good sign that packs were not crammed too close together. More often than not, Valkyrie had been told such situations caused strain and stress.

"I'll be sure not to impose," Valkyrie reassured, although made no guarantees. "I'll continue south tomorrow." There was nothing particularly interesting about the pack Gwen belonged to - at least not from what she had been told - that encouraged her to learn more. "Thanks for the tip." With a polite wave of her tail, she turned to set out in search of a good place to spend the evening.

Gwen nodded and yawned slightly. "No problem, goodbye," she said as rhe other wolf began to walk away. The conversation between the two hadn't been particularly interesting, but it didn't matter. Gwen was tired and wanted to get back to the keep, so she turned and began to walk away, trudging through the snow.