Sequoia Coast it's a real little chickie!

@Tytonidae + @Juwairiya, cause I figured they'd be close enough to each other. :)

For a moment, Domi thought that maybe this trip to the coast hadn't been so useless after all. A colony of seals hopped along not far from where she lurked, their barks and arfs! both intimidating and inticing. She could smell wolves nearby, perhaps enough to account for a small group, but their scents weren't enough to overpower the thick aroma of blubber, free for the taking. Oh, yeah, Domi whispered to herself as she licked along the extent of her snout. 

A mother and child lingered near to the outskirts, and though Domi was plenty big enough to take the calf on her own, that would surely mean the wrath of the cow. And where there was an angry cow, there was always an angrier bull. Maybe she was thinking too big and the only way she could make it out is if she left now, while she had the chance. But Domi had no limits, and she was determined to do what she'd set out for.

Oops got a lil' carried away!

Tytonidae continued her seemingly never-ending quest to recruit members for Bhediyon. In time, she knew she would find them. She just had to keep going, keep searching, and keep an eye out for them. Those who had pledged themselves to Bhediyon may or may not stick around, but if she gave up, nobody was going to stick around. Wildfire's offer was still in the back of her mind—Drageda—but she couldn't see herself in a pack that had turned Eljay away. The poor guy wasn't much more than skin and bones, and they clearly had the resources to nurse him back to health, but they hadn't. They'd told him to "prove himself," and he was on the verge of starvation because of it.

She had come back to the shoreline, trotting on the line between the waves and the sand. She didn't mind getting her feet a little bit wet, especially with the heat. There had been a few storms here and there today, but not enough to really cool it down. Ty longed for the winter, even though she knew prey would be more scarce during that time. The plateau had a good stock of rabbits running beneath its surface, and she had no qualms moving her lot if they needed to go somewhere else to find food.

Up ahead, she spotted a rather fluffy wolf who looked like she was about to provoke the seals. "I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Ty shouted from a distance, a smile playing on her lips. "I know where you can hunt some small game, though." She was, of course, referring to Ocean's Breath Plateau, but she let the mystery linger for a little while longer as she got closer to her latest acquaintance.

Hm? Domi thought as she turned to see where the voice had come from. Not far off stood a dark wolf, smiling down as she spoke. Company was company, Domi decided, so she called back out. I'm sure the two of us could take 'em on if we tried. She was only half-joking, as she did have a serious craving for some seafood. She looked back at the calf one last time, then turned and began a slow trot to where the other wolf stood. But if you know something a bit easier, I'd happily come along. After all, food was food, no matter where it came from. 

I'm Domi. You are?

Maybe they could have, but Tytonidae didn't want to take any risks when she didn't have to. There was a whole labyrinth of tunnels beneath the plateau that were filled to the brim with rabbits. But Domi (as she soon introduced herself) seemed more interested in finding an easier meal to Ty's relief. She smiled back easily, answering without hesitation with her own name. "Tytonidae Vasanta, but you can call me Ty." Even before she'd relinquished her other surname, it had been a mouthful.

"I'm taking up residence on the plateau," she said, pointing her muzzle toward the slowly upward sloping landform. "There's an abundance of rabbits there. I'm also seeking recruits for those who are looking for a more permanent stay." She didn't outright ask Domi, but allowed her to audible room to answer the unspoken question.

Ty, eh? I like that. Your name doesn't sound much like the other ones I've heard, quite the mouthful. But not moreso than Domi's own name, which she'd long since given up on using during initial introductions. I'd never turn down a good rabbit, so I'd be crazy to turn down a hoard of 'em. This plateau, is that where you plan on settling? Sure, Domi liked the water just as much as the next wolf, but living on one permanently was a bit less attractive. Still, there was nothing wrong with getting a bit more insight. I've gotta admit, Domi laughed, I'm not used to maritime life. What kinda wolves are you looking for?

The cadence of Domi's speech was pleasant in a way that Ty couldn't quite pinpoint. She nodded an immediate "yes" to Domi's question about settling, then thought a moment about the final question. What kind of wolves was she looking for. Her criteria was fairly broad, but she was sure there would be some wolves she would turn away. She wanted driven, hard-working wolves. They didn't have to all be hunters and guards, though she wouldn't reject those types, either.

"Those who have a passion for something," she replied, "or the desire to find out what their passion is." That seemed to be the case with Salt, who didn't have any idea what she wanted to do. "As for maritime life, the plateau is only a starting point. I plan on moving us a few times a year so we don't over-hunt the grounds. That, and I'm a nomad by nature." Tytonidae felt like her whole life had been spent on the move. She had no intention of putting that personal tradition to rest.

Domi smiled and nodded her head, as if to silently say, Lead the way, captain! I have a passion for winning, if that counts. She'd always loved fighting and hunting, mostly because she knew she was always the best. She'd been undefeated in her juvenile years, and held a decent streak up until recently, but that was a different story. I'm a hunter at heart, but I have a knack for battle. Reigning champ back at home, as a matter of fact. 

Travel was another thing that she quite enjoyed doing, so when Ty mentioned her intentions of staying on the move, Domi's initial apprehension shifted to interest. Smart move. I just might be interested. If Ty was going for recruits anything like her, then Domi didn't think she'd have many issues; she was in good company, so it seemed. Am I the first one you've picked up? Or do you have some other loners around here, too?

Ty grinned at Domi's response. Tytonidae was certainly less concerned about winning in most regards, though she knew life was a game of survival. She had a feeling Domi would do just fine with her little group. The girl seemed driven, determined, and just plain delightful. Although she had met plenty of wolves she got along with perfectly fine, Ty felt like Domi was a real kindred spirit, much like Earthsea.

"There are a few," Ty replied, "though I'm not sure how likely they are to stick around. It's hard in the beginning." Once Bhediyon was established, it would be a lot easier to recruit and maintain membership. Until then, all she could do was her best. Ty motioned for Domi to follow her with a cant of her head as she began to walk toward the rabbit-rich landform. "Did you grow up around here?" she asked. Domi had mentioned "back home," but maybe that wasn't so far away.

Domi followed with little encouragement, finding her time with Ty to be quite fulfilling. Some folks are dodgy during the rough times, but there's a lot of good ones out here, too. A lot of wolves liked the idea of founding a pack and being a part of that experience, but didn't want to put in the work to see it happen. That had been the case the first few times Domi had set out on her own, at least. This relative area, yeah, but I'm from a lot farther south. This is my first time seeing this little corner of the earth. How about yourself?

"I was born not far from here," Ty explained, "but I spent the majority of my life in the far south." Aside from her first rocky year between Blacktail Deer Plateau and The Sunspire, Ty had been a wanderer and a member of Sedona. The wolves of Sedona had been kind (for the most part), but she couldn't exactly stay there after what had happened with Summer. He had left, and she had foolishly chased after him. Eventually, she had realized that it wasn't worth it to follow him. He was never coming back to her. She would never be good enough for him.

She snapped out of such depressing thoughts, hopefully without notice to her new buddy. "If you have any ideas for the pack, I'd love to hear 'em. I want it to be a collaborative effort." Ty knew they would need leadership, but being open to suggestions was just one of the ways she hoped to be a good leader for her group.

It wasn't really Domi's place to speak on a stranger's woes, so she remained silent on the quick break in demeanor. Coming from the same place, well, we just might be kin. You never know. She gave a gentle smile and a laugh, then a nudge in Ty's direction. I think you've got it figured out, for the most part, Domi sighed as she scanned her mind for any hidden ideas, How do you plan on keeping ranks? I mean, I've seen Alphas rank by age, by sex, experience, what's your plan? 

Back in her natal pack, ranks were based on skill and relative kiss-ass-edness. Every once in a while you'd get a Beta who was a master in all three trades and a loyal member to the pack, but other times you'd get one who'd worked as the Alpha's unofficial slave for months on end. Domi had hated it; everything was so superficial, so meaningless. She could only hope that Ty held similar values.

If Domi had noticed her brief moment of sorrow, she didn't let on, and Ty was thankful. They had, after all, only just met. And even though she felt they were kindred spirits, she really didn't want to go down that rabbit hole right now. Maybe one day she would reveal her past and what had happened, but now was not the time.

Domi asked how she planned to organize, and although this was something Ty had thought about, she hadn't really nailed down the details. "I suppose," she said, continuing toward the plateau, "it makes most sense for those who are most skilled to be ranked the highest." Ty knew that there were a variety of skills, and not all of them were hunting, fighting, and beating up baddies. "Leadership is a skill, and of course leaders would have the most authority," she went on. "I don't think they should have all the authority, though. If anybody disagreed with something I'd done, I'd want to hear them out and take their suggestions."

She was mostly thinking out loud here, but she glanced to Domi to see what she made of all this. Perhaps her newfound friend had some feedback on this plan—good or bad.

I like that, Domi said, but does that mean wolves can be leaders without having any trade skills? 'Cause sure, leading is an entire practice in and of itself, but with that model, wouldn't just anyone be able to climb up there? She had always been able to respect authority with some substance, but even she had to admit that following a tradeless or generally inexperienced wolf would be difficult. Then came another thought, Who would pick the leaders? Ty had made it clear that she wanted to have the voices of her subordinates be heard no matter what, so did that mean that they could veto a decision in ranking?

Sorry to bombard you, I just like to get as many details as I can. Find it makes me a lot less anxious in new situations, ya know? Besides, when deciding whether or not one would join a pack, knowing what they were getting themselves into was an important part of the process. Domi had seen enough wolves come in and out of her natal pack to know that taking something at face value didn't always work out.

Ty pondered that. She felt that she was a decent scout at this point, and she was well on her way to proving herself as an ambassador for Bhediyon. Not only that, but she felt she was slowly picking up on this whole "leader" thing, too. Talking to Domi was definitely helping her think through things in a new, more challenging way. "No need to apologize!" Ty replied with a toothy smile. "These are all awesome questions." She meant that, too.

"I think... I think if there were no other options, we might end up with a leader who had no skills, but it wouldn't be ideal. And those leaders with more refined skills would obviously have more authority over the others. If and when the time came that we needed more leaders, for whatever reason, nominations sound like a good idea. Then the current leaders could choose from those who accepted their nomination." That seemed like a fairly solid plan. The members of the pack would be responsible for creating the pool of potential leaders, but the current leader(s) would have the final say.

I sure am glad you think so, Domi said with an added chuckle, My quick mouth has gotten me into a bit of trouble. She thought that from the looks of things, Ty would do fine as a leader. Inwardly, she hoped she hadn't insulted her by asking about leaders and trades; in hindsight, it might have sounded like she was assuming Ty was without. It was the exact opposite, actually! Domi thought that Ty was plenty capable. Democratiam, a democracy. A solid path. 

Domi's hunger was beginning to catch back up to her, though she didn't even have a chance to mention it before a low grumble came from her belly. She laughed and whistled, Goodness, excuse me. I could take down an elk and still be hungry. That's alright with me; I don't mind frequent hunts. That was one thing about Domi — everything that she took, she made sure she put back.

Omfg Domi's the best. Can't wait to have a billion more threads with her. <3

It would be more of a republic, but Tytonidae wasn't about to get into semantics. They had bigger fish (or rather, rabbits!) to fry (or rather, to chase!) and they were nearing the plateau with relative ease. In fact, by the time Domi had finished talking, they had come to what Tytonidae considered the eventual boundary of Bhediyon, and she gestured on ahead. "There's plenty to eat here," she said, "I'm not particularly hungry, but you're welcome to as much as you can catch. I think I'll make a quick round of the borders to freshen things up, then head out and look for more recruits. You're welcome to stay here and let others know of our intended settlement, or you can venture out to look for more pledges. In either case, I'll be back in a few days or less to check in on everything."

Ty paused, wondering if there was anything else Domi wanted to add before they (temporarily) parted ways.

Absolutely! Seems like some good can come from this.

Domi took in a deep breath as they neared their destination, then turned to nod her farewell to Ty. You can count on me, captain. I'll see you soon. She gave a final nod before departing, her nose to the ground in search of a rabbit trail...