Hideaway Strath an unmarked hundred grand

AW, special invitiation to any AG peeps Rue han't met yet. Tag is for the reference. :)

One look up at the sky this morning was all Rue needed to see that it was going to pour rain all day. Again. Well. That pretty much did it for any scouting plans she might have made; she would find something closer to home to occupy her time. She had discovered that the canopy of trees protecting Asterism Grove was thick enough to keep out most of the rain, as long as there wasn't too much wind. 

Halting at the edge of the group's rendezvous site, Rue uncovered a small cache she had been building on her own. It surprised her to see that there was more buried in the cache now than when she had left it yesterday-- someone had found her little hidey-hole and had been adding to it in her absence. Probably @Dingo, if she had to guess. As much of a chatterbox as he was, Rue had to hand it to him-- he could get work done just as fast as he could run his mouth. 

Rue removed a rabbit-- one that she had caught-- from the cache and began the tedious process of skinning it. There wasn't much else to do when the weather was like this, and the pups would enjoy having a rabbit skin to play with.

Just realized how contrived this post is lol

Rain. Again.

Rain was good, ecologically. Who knew what the summer would hold for them all? A few more good spring torrents could make the ground damp enough to lessen the threats of wildfire. But rain could also be a danger on top of an annoyance. Floods, for one. Insects for another. So Orson scowled as she looked up at the sky. smelling the damp already permeating the air.

She hurried to the grove of trees she saw in the distance, eager to find some shelter before the rain came to ruin her day again. But, it would not be so easy. Fuck, she hissed. Wolf-scent dominated the area. It was not strong enough to be a complete deterrent for her, but she became cautious, crouching down and moving into the wind as best she could. It was awkward however since the wind would be pushing her out of the grove rather than in or adjacent. She decided to push forward anyway, her muscles tense and ready to flee if need be.

In another unfortunate event, she practically stumbled into the woman skinning a rabbit, so caught off guard that she could only mutter a Ah, hello, in greeting.

A stranger pacing around the outskirts of the Strath would have been understandable-- especially with the relentless rain that had muddled the budding pack's border markers. Rue was often willing to give a hapless intruder the benefit of the doubt, especially if the trespass seemed like a genuine mistake. However, Rue would have a hard time believing that an outsider would wander this far within the Grove-- this close to where the children stayed-- purely on accident. 

"Greetings," Rue returned coolly, drawing herself to her feet. Her tail swished stiffly behind her-- it was not a friendly gesture, but rather one of agitation and anticipation. She cleared her throat and continued, leveling her gaze at the woman. "I trust you have permission to venture this far into claimed territory?"

Luckily for this woman, Rue liked to get her facts straight before jumping straight into an attack, but she had packmates nearby who would not grant this stranger the same luxury. Rue would not be surprised if such a packmate had caught the stranger's scent by now and was on the way to investigate. The fur the back of Rue's neck rose as she waited for the woman to explain herself.

She was genuinely surprised to hear the woman's gentle voice. Most trespassers could expect harsher tones than her casual greeting — well, it was not entirely casual. She could hear the sting in the woman's voice. She kept her guard up regardless, looking the pale woman over.

I don't, Orson said. She did not use her Scottish accent, settling instead on something more common to this area. I was trying to escape the rain, the rain had not come yet at all — there was every chance that the rain clouds were just passing through and would not release over Teekon Wilds. Sorry for bumbling in,

"I don't."

Rue blinked. She wasn't sure whether this was meant to come off as honest and straightforward, or as bold and challenging. Rue decided on the former interpretation. No need to continue winding up the tension in this situation-- particularly since this newcomer seemed keen to dispel it, quickly offering an excuse and an apology. Both seemed a somewhat lacking to Rue, but she nodded in acceptance regardless. 

"Our claim on this grove ends at the river. Once you cross, you'll find a sweep of dense cedar trees that should provide you adequate shelter." Rue nudged the half-skinned rabbit back into the cache, making a mental note to come back to close up the cache later.

"I'll escort you. I know the best place to cross the river," Rue added. She used a chipper, offhanded tone, as if it were merely a friendly offer. However, the same sharpness from before still tugged at the corners of her expression. If the newcomer was even slightly astute, she would understand that she had little choice in the matter.

Despite the shock that played across the pale woman's face, she continued to be civil, giving her directions of all things. Orson listened to her, drinking in the information while also blinking in shock at her tone. She had trespassed many times in her life. Sometimes out of spite or in need of information, sometimes on accident, as she had done now. But never had she had such an encounter before. 

The pale woman rose and offered to escort her. Orson burst out laughing. You're kind. she nodded to the woman, falling in step alongside her. Was spectin' more of a tougher response. Though, she knew that at any moment something wrong could happen. She did not know whether this politeness was her true nature, or a facade, hiding something fiercer.

Rue tilted her head, a half-smile playing lightly upon her features as the woman laughed. She dipped her head, accepting the praise, although in truth Rue's offer to escort the woman did not come from a place of kindness. Rue's presence would protect the woman of course, but it also served to prevent her from wandering further into the Grove's territory. 

She was expecting a tougher response? "Not my style," Rue answered simply. Rue's voice was tinged with an air of humor when she spoke again. "What, did you want a fight? I don't want to disappoint you."  Rue was only half-kidding. She was well-fed and rested since joining with Asterism Grove; she could probably put up a good fight if this stranger was up for a friendly spar.

Not her style, the woman said. That's a first. Perhaps it was really down to Orson trespassing too many times. Even the most lighthearted person could get possessive over their territory.  

Nah, Orson shook her head. Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. A light-hearted spar was one thing, but a light-hearted spar in a claimed territory with a wolf she had just met didn't sit well with her. She was more than likely able to hold her own against the pale woman — she didn't have all that bulk for nothing — but it was uncomfortable for her to imagine that fight going well for either of them. She wanted to keep off people's radars — well, at least as a physical threat. What is this pack a'yours anyways? she had yet to establish a list of the packs that lived here, having only taken a bite out of the land.

Rue couldn't quite figure this woman out. If she had been expecting nothing less than an aggressive response, why had she trespassed in the first place? She didn't seem to be looking for trouble or trying to pick a fight. Was she some kind of spy, then? Rue had heard of such things, but she couldn't see for the life of her why Asterism Grove would attract spies. They were brand new; they didn't have anything to hide yet. Or so Rue thought, at least. 

"Asterism Grove," Rue answered. "We're one of three sister packs in the area. The Frosthawks claim the Glade just west of the cedars, and the Firebirds claim the copse just north." So in other words, if the stranger chose to stay in the cedar sweep, she would be pretty much surrounded.