Neverwinter Forest music boxes and wind chimes

@Siege  -- also @ anyone who might want to join NWF! I haven't gotten the green light yet, but I'm happy with it just being an unofficial group for now

Grezig had traveled a little over a day since leaving the Plateau. She hadn’t let herself think about much in that time, only focused on getting to… wherever she was going. She’d passed the hot springs, wanting to stay for the warmth despite the smell, but had kept going. When she’d reached the outer fringes of this thick evergreen forest, she had stopped, admiring the trees from afar. As she came closer, she could see that it was relatively dark inside. The canopy prevented most sunlight from getting through—not that there was much sunlight today, anyways. It had been cloudy most of the day.

She stepped farther in and noted the slightly warmer temperature in the air. This forest was insulated from such a thick amount of trees. It was very green in here, too. There was moss everywhere, soft under paw, and slightly bouncy from all the pine needles. It looked a bit otherworldly. Grezig had grown up in a forest, but it had been a mainly deciduous one, where all the leaves turned color in autumn and then fell off in winter. This many pine trees so close together was just a bit claustrophobic. But also… cozy.

She didn’t know if she would stay here for sure, set up a pack here and all that, but at the very least, it would make a good place to stay for now. Maybe she’d spend the winter here regardless of whether she made a pack. At least it would be marginally warmer in here. She didn’t see much snow on the ground either, so finding a dry place to sleep wouldn’t be too hard. With a smile, she began to wander, trying to imagine a life here… away from her family at the Plateau… Her smile disappeared.

He tried to pretend that he didn't have any guilt harbored, that he didn't still regret leaving them alone to fight and probably destroy themselves picking leadership. He tried to act like those sniveling, whining, dependent poor excuses for wolves had deserved it, that maybe abandoning them would make them grow the fuck up. But you couldn't pretend and lie to yourself. He did feel guilty even though he had left because he wouldn't have been a good leader to them, those wolves who did nothing but complain about things and nothing to solve them.

So it was ironic when the first place he found here was a forest of the same trees that grew alongside the ones that had leaves. It was like the world was trying punish him for the bad deed he did. He moved quickly through the darkness, the small bursts of light reflecting in small flashes in his silver eyes. It was dry in this forest, the snow and rain hadn't reached through the thick trees and the scents here smelled strongly of pine. There was another scent as he moved onward, the scent of a female. He ignored it hoping they wouldn't cross paths but unfortunately moments later the woman came into view and he paused, watching her silently.

And yet Siege was watching him as the stranger was watching her.

He had decided to follow Grezig despite being wary of her motives for his company.  He had already intended on leaving the Plateau, and he figured that two lone wolves were better together than apart.

He trailed away from Grezig but never too far; he came up from behind the male and stayed a silent guardian as the stranger studied his companion.

Grezig stopped when she spotted the unknown male. She also sensed Siege somewhere nearby and was thankful for his presence. “Hail,” she called out to the strange man. She did not have much else to say. She had no intention of getting in his way or harming him. She sniffed the air and did not smell any other wolves on him. A loner then. She assumed that he had no claim on this forest seeing as that was the case. “I am finding a place to settle for a while. Do not mind me.”

Laroche was aware of the male behind him, ears flicking as he slightly turned his head at an angle toward his backside and cast a look trying to find the location of the stranger. He remained calm though he tensed slightly unsure if the wolf behind him was there to threaten or intimidate. When the female gave a greeting he turned back toward her, listening in silence as she explained what she was doing. Why did strangers feel the need to explain what their business was to others? He shook his head slowly "That's none of my concern. I don't mean any harm." he said, deep gravelly baritone polite enough. "I don't know what I'm planning. Would it be a bother for me remain in the area?" he asked, wanting to know if she meant to claim these woods.

He catches the look the other male shoots towards him, but is unperturbed; Siege is strong and capable and he is not alone, and he and his companion both still smell like pack wolves.  Worst-case scenario he could bluff, but it looked as if those precautions would be unnecessary.  He stood sentinel, leaning up against a nearby pine tree like some misplaced cowboy as the other two talked (or whatever, maybe Grezig would ask this man for his "services," too).

Siege stayed silent and out of the way, which was good. Grezig had no intention of frightening this male. He seemed nice enough. Or, maybe nice wasn’t the right word. He was neutral and he, too, didn’t seem to have any negative intentions. 

’I don't know what I'm planning. Would it be a bother for me remain in the area?’

Grezig gave him a once-over. “No,” she said, dragging out the n in no. “But,” and here she glanced behind him at Siege. “Maybe we should band together. It is winter soon. Three wolves are better than two.” She needed numbers if she was going to get this pack off the ground. “Would you mind telling me about yourself? Or you may leave, if you do not wish to join us.”

He found it increasingly annoying how the male stayed behind him silent and intrusive as if protecting the female. He gave a slow exhale through his nostrils as the male moved and slowly leaned against a tree, some sort of move probably meant to look cool and menacing but made him seem young and stupid. Laroche snorted and shook his head choosing to fully ignore the silly antics of the male from then on. The female spoke, saying he wasn't a bother and then much to his surprise offering him a place by her and that male's side. His brows rose and he did consider it silently, looking her over and then turning to the male. He smirked, teeth and tongue exposed for a moment before his jaw clamped shut before he spoke again "I won't give an answer right now. I'll stick around these parts. Maybe you should ask your boyfriend here if he minds my presence, since he seems to be over exerting himself trying to be a man over there" he nodded to Siege and half grinned, waiting to see how that would be taken.

Hhhh Laroche is giving me Damon Salvatore vibes.

And while this lone man thought Siege looked young and unindoctrinated to the ways of the wild (despite the fact that they were nearly matched in age), the pallid soldier thought the loner was trying too hard to look like he had his act together.  He found often that this type had a much bigger bark than they had bite, and it was insecurity that caused them to speak out with such pointed venom.  Grown men didn't assert themsleves so vehemently until they felt threatened, and Siege's pride swelled knowing that just his impassive presence was getting under this man's skin.

Siege did not feel threatened, not by his comments or his smug look.  If this man thought he would stand for his ridiculous antics much longer, he was sadly mistaken — if Grezig stood for it, Siege could ford the winter alone.  He wouldn't get into some kind of dick-swinging contest with someone who wasn't worth the time.

Grezig was unimpressed with the man’s answer and didn’t much like him now. He seemed cocky, which was something she surely didn’t need in her pack. At the same time, what they needed now were numbers and she couldn’t afford to be to picky. At least he didn’t seem insane or prone to fits of rage. She glanced at Siege and then walked past the stranger towards him. She said as she went, “If you decide to join us, we will be here. Come and find one or both of us. In the meantime, you are welcome to stay. This forest does not belong to me, yet.” With a nod to Siege, she began leaving, giving the male a chance to think about what he wanted to do.

[Exit?]