Redhawk Caldera Every road they let you down felt so wrong

@Eske

Anticipation kept him from settling down much, often lingering along the borders and keeping watch, despite the pack not being his own. There were members of Drageda staying there, however, so he didn’t feel quite so out of place by doing so; it was the same as being on the outskirts of the coastal territory, minus the salt in the air. Besides, it felt more unusual being within the bounds of the pack, as both it and the wolves inhabiting the land were unfamiliar to him. They were welcome there, he kept reminding himself of that, but was still unable to fully accept it. At any point they could all be cast out, despite the reason for them being there—at least, that was what he continuously told himself as a way to fend off the temptation that was seeking out the heart of the territory; it reminded him of Sleeping Dragon, attempting to lure him in, whilst simultaneously making his heart ache over the memories made there.

With a short patrol having been completed already and his desires squashed, for the time being, he was at a loss on what to do. The looming threat of the war made him unable to rest immediately, pacing back and forth for several minutes before his body finally gave in and he plopped himself down in the snow. It was an unconscious decision and pull towards home that had his body facing the north, though to onlookers it might seem as if he was simply being cautious by watching the woods in the distance.

The others had arrived and, apparently, for the moment, were hunkered down here.  Colt hadn't been there long enough to hold much opinion on this subject, though he wondered at it.  What sort of pack did this Blackfeather have to be to piss off not one, but two different other groups? He was almost impressed, in an unapproving way, of course.  He was a dick sometimes but he definitely didn't gel with torture.

He had just finished answering nature's call when he spotted one of the new fellows seated in the snow.  Colt didn't mind winter, honestly, the cold weather somewhat agreeing with him.  Better this than miserable heat.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" He called out, coming a bit closer but not approaching fully yet.  He wasn't sure if the fellow wanted company, and if not, he'd continue merrily on his way.

Eske has been torn between wanting to confront Hvitserk and wanting to pretend like he does not exist. Yet, the betrayer’s scent is every where she goes even in a pack that is not her home she cannot escape him. She stays close to Heda as Eske had when she held the rank of cheka but in lieu of giving her Commander ( and Furi ) space Eske finds herself pacing within this foreign territory, set on edge. Whether it was an edge at the dawn of the impending war or edge because she has wolves at her back that she does not know and one that she certainly would not trust with her life she does not know. Perhaps it is a mixture of both. Eske seeks Hvitserk out after deciding that he was going to provide her with the answers she was going to demand out of him. It is a good plan, she thinks, and has her striding forward with purpose only to be hindered by the scent and presence of a Caldera wolf who appears to be attempting to rope her ex-brother into conversation. Eske eyes the Caldera man before her gaze narrows upon Hvitserk and a fresh wave of distrust and loathing washes over her. He looks pathetic without Freyja, she thinks crudely. Pathetic and low. He should not be here, Eske thinks. Should not be here to fight for a home and wolves that she has a hard time believing he actually cares for.

“Hello boys,” Eske greets the two males with a twitch of her tail against her hocks. She wishes to speak to Hvitserk alone but as she is a guest in the Caldera man’s home Wanlida does not deign to let on of the storm that rages beneath her breast towards the Branwoda. It is a private matter and not something she cares to share with strangers she is about to fight side by side with.

srry for late post, @Eske & @Colt. and possibly off grammar—it is late

His time alone was short-lived as a voice reached his ears, making them slick back as he turned to find the source. With his nose pointed upwards, he took in a few deep breaths of the air, assessing the wolf from where he laid—male, a member of the pack. Hvitserk pushed himself up to his feet and regarded the man in silence, a tilt of his head being the only indicator that he was curious: what do you want?

It wasn’t long after that when they were joined by another, though her face was one he recognised as his sister; her shedding of him as her brother was unknown to the young male, nor would he have cared either way. At the end of the day, they had shared not only a womb, but a mother and father and home—even if he’d left that home behind some time ago, it was still the place he’d been born into, and the area that, to this day, he felt most comfortable in. But he said nothing of this—nor anything, for that matter—he merely stood there and stared at Eske, knowing she would understand his refusal to speak.

—or perhaps she wouldn’t, as it had always been Freyja at his side during encounters with strangers. Either way, he made no effort to say or do anything, leaving the two of them to either converse with one another in his presence or leave him there alone.

Hmm... friendly bunch.  But at least the woman seemed open to a check in.  "Hello," he returned, flashing a small smile. "You are from the mountain pack, yes?"  Perhaps a dumb question, but who knew with his sister.  Maybe there was a third or fourth they would be fighting with as well.  "I'm a little new to the war situation, but I'm excited to see what y'all got."

It was an opener and an invitation; if they took it to converse, he would stick around, but if not he would depart.  He got the feeling the male wasn't chatty from the way he'd brushed off his greeting.

eske took note that hvitserk didn't seem to have any desire to converse with the caldera man. it is on the tip of her tongue to command him to be courteous or leave ( just because she could ) but sticking to her previous conviction that she does not wish to show division in the ranks between her and her emancipated littermate she offers colt an apologetic smile for hvitserk instead. "he's a little ...socially awkward," she speaks for hvitserk, offering colt an explanation out of what she feels is necessity. eske doesn't know if her words are true or not and frankly doesn't care. though she isn't one to talk because until recently she could be counted on to greet everyone she didn't know with prickling hostility and bridled aggression. in that respect, at least, she's grown and was taught some diplomacy. she implores those learned skills now ( likely soaked in during her brief stint as fleimkepa ) and reluctantly find that, at times, they yield better results then hostility ( not always, but y'know sometimes ).

mountain pack? "we are drakru," correction: she was drakru and hvitserk was a traitor to their people. "drageda is on the dragoncrest cliffs on the coast." she offers the information freely enough. if she's to trust the strangers at her back she might as well start by offering them a small token of it beforehand. at this point, eske ignores hvitserk almost completely, though she keeps him in the corner of her eye if he chooses to stick around. "i am eske; i bear the rank of wanlida. in your tongue it translates to roughly to bringer of death," a title she had coveted since she was young and one she bears with the utmost of pride now. her penchant for war has gone nowhere and it likely never would. "i am tasked with overseeing our warriors and guardians." though wocha yet eludes her as a title but has not faded from her eye as the next step in the rung. she is the team leader beneath the boss whom is, naturally, beneath the big boss. "our warriors and guardians are more the capable." she brags just a little, unable to keep the pride from seeping into and coloring her tone.

i don't mind keeping this going but if we wanna wrap that's fine too! It's a little old ;D

"I'm getting that chatty vibe," he answered with a grin, appreciating her presence at least.  He was always down for talking, especially to an attractive woman such as herself. True, they might all be dead in a week, but wasn't that all the more reason to enjoy now?

He fought the urge to say 'gazundheight' to her depiction of the pack name; he felt it wouldn't probably go over well from the pride she took in saying it.  At any other moment he wouldn't have cared; but they didn't need infighting now.  "Is that right?  Got a mighty pretty face to be bearing a title like that."  His smile grew a bit, with a rascal's lilt.  "I like it."

He didn't doubt their abilities, honestly he doubted them less than Finley's own pack (mostly because Redhawk seemed more... familial? Less war ready.). So he nodded.  "Like I said, if there's one thing that's good about times like these; perfect time to be showin off."  He'd enjoy seeing them show their skills.  In fact, why not now?  "If your up for it, why not give me a taste here and now?". He set his paws and looked at her, challenge clear.

i'm cool with wrapping it up. :-)

colt calls her pretty and though the grin that tugs the edges of eske's lips upwards is appreciative ( because who doesn't like being told they're pretty? ) it is sly and secretive in it's nature. oh, he's charming and if he'd have been her type she might very well have been charmed. "haven't you heard that the prettiest things are often the deadliest?" she teases him lightly. "i know it's true because i once knew the prettiest girl and she was definitely deadly to me." she speaks it lightheartedly now but speaking of kendra, however vaguely, still brings to eske's attention that she misses her. they might not have been together ( at least not officially ) but eske had been in love and a part of her had died with kendra. eske doesn't linger on those thoughts long, however, and respectfully returns her full attention back to colt.

he makes his challenge, and eske's sea blue-green gaze gleams with unspoken excitement at the prospect of being able to test his skills and hone her own in the process. never one to back down from a challenge she responds, "impress me." she accepts with a challenge of her own and a cheshire grin to match seconds before she takes the initiative and steals the first move, lunging for him.

ok!! Last for me then!

She took the compliment well, and even returned a bit.  Which took Colt a minute, but when it hit, a silent 'ahhhh' sounded in his brain.  Well, he couldn't blame her; obviously she had good taste to be chasing the same sort as he.

And even with what he now suspected, he still relished the chance to show off a bit for a lovely wolf.  Especially one with such a big mouth. "Alright," he said, dropping and circling.  Then he lunged in, attempting the first move.  In the following he would spar his best; he was a quick and dirty fighter when able, but his skill did not match, so he would not best her.  Yet he hoped he'd at least show the Caldera had skill to offer as well, if a bit less refined.

colt took it well — or rather, eske took his silence on the matter to be 'taking it well', at any rate. regardless, at the end of the day his opinions on her sexuality didn't matter to her. it was her life and she would live it however she damn well wanted to. still, he was respectful. didn't fuss, didn't question and she thought that if they survived the coming war she might like to try to be his friend. she isn't very good at 'friends' but that was her own fault ( that's what she gets for being a hermit ). they spar and eske emerges the victor. "good fight." she compliments around her pants as she attempts to catch her breath. "i should see if heda needs anything. i'll catch you later." she parts from colt, offering hvitserk ( whom hadn't jumped in on the fight ...which was likely a good thing ) a cold look as she moves past him in her search for thuringwethil.