Haunted Wood Finding beauty in the dissonance

69°, currently it is misty and set during late in the evening. Located in Great Bear Wilderness, Haunted Woods | ooc notes: set just outside the NW borders, so no trespassing necessary! | tagging: @Merrick and @Astara

Settling himself into the woods, Vengeance was becoming more and more comfortable. Their scent was growing as the borders slowly began to blossom - of course, his putrid scent flourished the most among them all. Soon he would venture inward, they would need to scout out the internal lands further and see what they would be working with... a spot for dens or at least a commonplace was the first on his list. 

Today, he was scouting outward of where the borders would be. The mist of the woods reaching out into the clearing between it and the Caldera's terrain. Carefully he took in the sights and smells, nares flaring as he picked out ever scent he could, swallowing in each detail as to memorize it for future possible use.

the mists rolled, and with it came the skulking backs of two lurking predators. astara, close to merrick’s flank, sensed in the murky gloom some distant, almost ephemeral scent; wolf piss. 

she drew to a halt and canted her head towards her companion, her black nose glistening as she drew from the tepid air any further scents she could.

staying vague about the possible conflict thread

he caught her look and sidled forward, ragged eagle-torn ear twitching toward the shadow with amusement. she was careful, not reckless; silent; cunning. everything merrick had once thought of himself.
but no; he was merely sick with some incurable malady that even now beat beneath his skin like a fever.  drawing blood from one of their own kind had intensified the urges he sought to keep in check; presently he prowled forward into the shadows, for once not considering proper prey in favour of entertaining the idea that a single wolf might be within the forest, a new challenge for the pair to scrutinize.

Uppon his wanderings, two particular scents caught his attention. One female, and the other a male. Neither familiar to him. They wandered closer to the Nightwalkers' borders and in effect, caused him to turn around like a snake in the grass, stalking his prey with the curvature of his spine as his tail followed his path with a smooth gesture. 

As silently as he could, he padded closer, closer, to the pair as they wandered closer, and closer to the Haunted Woods. Eyes baring down on them from behind before booming vocals echoed through the mist. Only death awaits should you continue forward. They were two, and he, only one to defend what would soon be his - his greedy mind already deciding that they were trespassing despite the Nightwalkers barely being considered for a pack due to their sheer small numbers.

astara was not filled (yet) with the same bloodwhetted cunning as merrick, but she prowled on just the same. she would make a monster yet, but her awakening would be a slow dawn, for there was much still for the shade to learn.

she was aware as merrick padded ahead that they were not alone -- but where this shadow lingered, she knew not. her ears turned in constant flux, her fur on end -- and then a voice sounded from behind them and the figure of an impossibly enormous beast materialized. astara whirled around in scarcely composed alarm, standing defiantly before him -- but no sound pressed forth from her tightened jaw.  if he was violent, she would soon find out.. but for now she was ready herself, prepared to lunge at the leviathan if he turned aggressive.

feel free to skip me if i take this long again! <3

rage rose chokingly in merrick as he whirled to face the hulking creature that suddenly towered over himself and astara. he was not fearful — merrick feared only one thing — but his form too was tense as he brushed his shoulder against that of the shadow in solidarity and faced the new arrival.
"we are not afraid of death," merrick cooed, the words somewhat rusted at their edges. since departing the cave, he had lapsed into the usual comforting silence shared by himself and astara. curiosity glinted in his eyes; the challenge of something new.

Don't worry! I'm very slow right now too!

There was an odd calm about the man. Like the calm before the storm, the looming black clouds in the distance threatening to rear its ugly head on your beach day and bring forth with it the floods of God himself. But there was that chance that they would bypass and wander off to a neighboring land - should your luck be on your side. 

The female remained quiet, not a trait that he disliked individuals, but his attention was stolen to the male instead. She was attentive, reacting to his presence, but her partner was more interesting for the time being. 

Then step forward through the mist - I'm interested to see how long you last. That glint in the male's eye caught his curiosity. Something about these two was interesting. They weren't out here trying to impress, nor to try and charm their way through his gates - but instead, they were genuine, and held an air of mischievous about them. What are you looking for, here, at my borders.

her teeth bared, astara returned merrick’s nudge in kind. alongside him, she did not feel afraid. 

he would have to speak for her, as he had always done — yet no matter his decision, the shade would follow willingly. vengeance, for now, was just another stranger to be distrusted; he was given the full bore of her biting indigo glare.

merrick curled his lip and took a series of bold steps forward, contemptuous of the man and his continued challenges. "your borders?" he grunted. "we were passing through." his lone copperburn eye turned toward astara then, as if assuring himself that she had not flown. more and more he needed such affirmations, for all had abandoned him. and there was naught to say that she would not follow the same route.
"what do you have to offer us?" merrick inquired, bringing the inquisitive coldness of his stare back to the great wolf. the borders could not long have been claimed; the yearling knew the worth of himself and astara, for despite their youth, they had shared the bloody bond of murder together.

My borders. He repeated after the younger male had questioned his previous statement. He paid no attention to the woman who had her teeth bared, her warning fell on deaf ears for now but should she act on her threat, he would react instantly. Naturally, he was already ready, coiled, prepared to strike, especially at the borders, more so when faced with strangers or those he had not previously spoken to on good terms.

His tone spoke levels on the situation. He was unimpressed by the boy admitting they were just passing through - perhaps they should have gone around instead, or should change course and do so now instead of challenging what would be a pack after their tails for crossing into their lands.

What does he have to offer them. Vengeance wasn't the type to be diplomatic about anything, what he wanted now was to call Serem and Alice to assist him in tearing these two apart for being so smug and challenging his claim. Freedom to do as you please, with a haven to shelter your misdeeds. But if these two were interested in being a part of their little tribe, then he would give them one chance. But. He continued. If you continue to just pass through, I will be forced to call the others for a hunt. On them.. of course.

astara’s cold stare did not relent; she did not trust this man, nor the miasma of misdeeds that seemed to radiate out from him. 

with merrick as her mouth-piece, astara too stepped forward in unison, unbowed and unafraid. the brute was big, but their bond was unassailable; she nudged merrick again and kept her ears bent forward, firmly watching the man out of feral wariness.

merrick's ear flicked as he weighed the cost of what the man offered. there was no freedom within a pack; he knew that well, not the sort to which he and the shadow had become accustomed. but winter lurked close, and despite their cunning, he and the girl were young. a group would provide protection, caches, a promise of the mask to hide the skeletal grinning creature gaining strength in merrick's soul.
"don't bother," the boy retorted, glancing to astara. "we'll join you." for now, the undertone promised, but the yearling need not voice that. falling silent, he waited for the man's rejoinder.