Sun Mote Copse if we bump into each other

she joined a pack-- a blackfeather woods-- unaware of their reputation, and left still hopelessly naive. she followed in her sister's footprints, happily traveling without a care in the world. what did she care of those she left behind? if they were so distraught by her leaving, they should've come with her. 

but no one ever did... corinna knew better than to wait around for someone else simply because they asked. if they cared, they would act like it. weeping did not fix broken hearts. 

as trees began to close around her, corinna noticed the scattered scents of wolves... but not a pack, no, the scents were not cohesive. but wolves had been here, their scents were strong. it drew corinna in, deeper and deeper into the copse. her delicate feet crunched gently into the pale snow beneath her, her ears pressed forwards, intense gaze unwavering from the path before her.

wolves had been here, yes, but were they still? 

maybe someone from the SMC / redhawk crew? @Phox @Wildfire idk who else is in there lol

if someone else wants in feel free to pretend they were along! Bein vague in case

Kiwi had taken to roaming the Copse, and she was beginning to take an almost territorial liking to it, mainly because it was something she could call hers.  In a collective sense, but... Drageda had always been nomi's.  The plateau was theirs, whoever they was.  Redhawks or Quixote or whoever else.  This was hers and mom's and Sequoia's and it was special because of that.  

Sometimes she took company, and sometimes she didn't, but other times she ran across strangers.  Today seemed to be that third rarer case.  She was snuffling after a snack when she stumbled on Corrine, and her ears flattened as her smaller form puffed up a bit.  Who're you and what are you doing here? She asked, as if she didn't have the right to be here much as anyone else.  To be fair, ambassador training was a little lower in her priorities right now.

a small, but stern, bark interrupted her thoughts. corinna was pulled from her forward motions and forced to turn and look at a child who stood behind her, puffed up like a little brown pinecone. a gentle smile spread across her features, which were pointed and angular. corinna was not of a soft appearance herself, no, she was sharp. as long and full as her tail was, the rest of her might as well have been carved by stone. her colors, however, softened her edge. 

"my name is corinna, and i am walking," said corinna in a steady voice, her ringed tail giving a single way, "do you have a claim to this wood?" probably, but not officially. corinna would never pass over a territory with a well-kept scent marker...

Why was she smiling? She shouldn't be, this was serious business.  She was a little offended that it felt like she was being laughed off, though Corrine's expression didn't exactly suggest that.  Kiwi tended to read what she would.

Yes.  Well.  I will. Her tail stood up stiff, and she affected a slight scowl.  Her voice stayed haughty as ever, though.  So you can't stay here unless you agree to that.  As if it were as simple as that, and she had any call to be asserting herself.  You had to hand her one thing - she didn't lack confidence.

"agree that you have claim to this wood?" asked corinna kindly, her ears pressing forwards. what a silly thing to request of her-- mostly because the comment was so strangely worded. you can't stay here unless you agree to that. agree to what? what? corinna played her confusion off as her own brand of haughty, since this child was so insolent. "there are so many scents here already-- how do i know you're not just some passerby?" she challenged with a flick of her own tail. 

"if this land is yours to claim, then you would know about the legend of the treasure that lies somewhere in this wood, hmm?"

Yeah. Right?  Kiwi felt on some level like that was how it worked, but the way she responded made her second guess.  She'd never done much recruiting and didn't know how the spiel went.

She opened her mouth to very abruptly argue, but clicked it shut when she went on to talk about treasure.  Oh no way, this girl was definitely messing with her.  Who did she think she was?  There's no treasure.  I'm not stupid, she said somewhat darkly, her eyes narrowing.  Honestly, the response kinda, well... hurt her feelings.  She was holding up a claim here and this girl was treating her like a kid (she is a kid).  She was little but she wasn't a kid (you are a kid kiwi god).

She lifted her head up and straightened her shoulders, but she still didn't nearly match Corrine's size.  You should go. She said, her voice a whole lot more confident than her mind right now.

her eyes flashed as the little girl dared to tell her she was lying. so old for her age! but so haughty-- therefore so immature. corinna knocked the girl down a few pegs, making note to return to this spot, and this wolf, to see what had become of her as the area grew. if she was so possessive over it, corinna could only assume that the time to claim it would come sooner than later. "fine."

but i'll return for the treasure, corinna said with a lash of her ringed tail, mint gaze hardened on the child. if the brown girl chose not to believe her, that was fine, but corinna wasn't going to go back on her lie just because she was called out on it. that was called bad lying. corinna was skilled. you have a fine day now, sweetie, she added in a much brighter tone, expression loosening up. and then, corinna turned to pad away, tail waving, appearing unbothered.

She left!!! Kiwi didn't feel a bit of shame as Corinne turned to go, and instead was buffeted with pride.  She told her to go and she went! Obviously she was intimidating enough to protect this place, despite being smaller than the strangers who might come.  Artaax would be so proud of her.

That thought was a bit of a downer, but she sniffed and turned, stalking away from the direction Corinne had gone without a parting word.  Let her come back, that was fine.  Kiwi would just stop her then too, no big deal.  

Guess who was not going to be thrilled with her mom's recruitment choices?