Sleepy Fox Hollow gain no strength from counting the beads on a rosary
the oath
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Ooc — Siro
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#1
Joining 
Up, up, up into the Sunspire Mountains. Thick, fluffy flakes billowed down from the featureless skies above, obscuring all but the way forward; scents, sights, sounds -- all dampened by the heavy snowfall. A light wind whispered the trees, sending the flurries into a spiral as they whisked away down the steep incline on his left. The pines sagged from the weight, occasionally groaning out in protest as the boughs strained to retain their form. One even succeeded in shaking loose the burden, sending it down in a solid clump where it landed with an audible thwump somewhere off to the right. 

He took another step, and another, then another after that. 

A particular, peculiar, instinct drove him to chase down the hint of wolf, difficult though it was with the dismal weather. Rian paused simply to brace himself and shake loose the snow clinging to his downy mahogany coat before forging doggedly ahead again. He set his jaw against the furtive beginnings of a painful twinge twisting up from his left hock, and lifted it gingerly to shake it loose midstep. The trail shifted, and he turned in pursuit of it, noting how the trees began to thinl; the pines mere memories of the trail in his wake.

The pungent aroma of a border marker hooked into his mind. He stilled, but turned his great head to regard the source, brows pinched in thought. And while concern did well in the absence of continuous motion, Rian cupped his ears, and slowly stretched to investigate. His conclusions came quickly and proved blessedly fruitful. This was the pack he had traced back here. A thrill shot through his spine, hackles briefly flaring with apprehension before relaxing again as he retraced several yards until settling in an open break in the barren trees. 

Rian lifted his voice to the rickety wood in an undulating bid for company.
As ruthless as it all may seem the wild cares not for the weaker beings.
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Ooc — ebony
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#2
lip curled. 
the scent upon the cold wind was that of a male; it struck mahler knifelike through the clouds of heat-fragrance that had settled in heady eddying waves upon the hollow. and he did not pass a day without finding himself addled in more ways than one, lustful, wanting, an ache in his loins at all times.
now protectiveness rose fierce in the general's heart; a possessive ire limned his heavy frame as he attended the masculine call with an alacrity that carried him in a firm step toward the borders. a muscular wolf the darkened color of corewood there stood, and mahler swept down upon the male with a terrible growl of warning seeking death in his chest.
if worth the earth's salt, the stranger would understand the upflung plume and unerring stare of the watchful general, his jealous flickering silence as he waited to be told why this man had come.
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the oath
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#3
it's been a really long time, ebs. <3

The thunderous din of the oncoming storm threatened his resolve, though it was not the heavens threatening to split, but the veins thrumming beneath his mahogany fur. He anticipated a reaction, but none so aggressive as this. Quickly he spun away, darting four odd strides from where he had been moments ago, and turned the width of his body to face the beast who descended upon him from the bone-bare Hollow; open and unguarded. Rian glimpsed the dangerous flames of ire blazing vehemently in the depths of those starkly lilac hues. It left his own tongue barren, and limp, for three seconds too many. 

Rian did not fear the leader's anger for it was undoubtedly born of the season itself. The allure of the feminine scents wafting thickly through the air would draw more to their claim to shadow their borders. A need for constant vigilance made for a weary few months. And while it intrigued him, enticed him even, his ironclad heart wouldn't permit himself the temptation of such a sweet seduction. Not with Hydra so fresh on his mind. Surely, certainly, he was different from the rest. 

"I don't want your women," he stated firmly through grit teeth, though his ears did splay and his gaze lay lightly on the disturbed snows between them, "but I can help you fend off those who fail to act as wisely. I will brave the snows when they become heavy with pups; I've strong teeth, and sharp eyes yet, sir." And you can't do it all alone, he wanted to add, the border betraying a distinct imbalance within.
As ruthless as it all may seem the wild cares not for the weaker beings.
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Ooc — ebony
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#4
forever & a day <3

already his instinct had been mollified by the show of submission from the stranger, but it was the direct address that sheathed the gargoyle's fangs, arrested his forward coursing.
stoneflower eyes cut through the fog of the season ponderingly; the appleglint of the other's gaze briefly intrigued mahler. for a long moment the general was silent, pondering heavily the new respect that had sprung up beneath his ribcage for the raw words.
despite all of his careful-made plans, mahler was aware he had placed diaspora at a disadvantage. it was one in a thousand reasons why he should seek a stepping-down from his ambitions, but 
perhaps new fruit had already found purchase.
lilac stare turned to one of appraisal; mahler did not wish to admit it, but the dearth of able masculine bodies within diaspora was a danger. and so he straightened, flicked eyes over the handsome burnished chestnut fur cloaking the other male.
"this is diaspora," mahler grunted. "from vhere did you come before?"
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Ooc — Hela
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#5
The season and her hurt and persistent anger over the General's plans had driven her from the territory more often than was normal. Her trips had a purpose, though: she still relentlessly searched for her missing children. They would be almost yearlings at this point,  but that didn't diminish her desperate need to find them. She still combed through a different area almost every day now, looking for some sign or clue. Normally, she would welcome any distraction when in the grips of such turmoil, and she was grateful to have a reason to leave Diaspora frequently, but she would gladly give it up and spend every moment here if it meant that her children were returned. The universe had yet to accept her bargain, though, and so she reluctantly returned to the hollow empty handed after being gone for a few days (she wasn't quite sure how many). 

As she crossed over the borders, she was met with the scent of stranger, and her muscles tensed. It could be a loner, needing a place for the winter, but it could also be an intruder, wishing to raid their food stores or take advantage of the season. So she followed it, slowing once two forms came into view. One of them she recognized as Mahler, and she immediately regretted her decision to investigate the unknown scent. Anger spiked in her chest, the memories of their fight and his words resurfacing and making her relive every emotion she had felt that day. She wanted to turn and walk the other way or rush forward and attack the General. Both were irrational responses, though, and she didn't avoid conflict ever, especially if it meant ignoring her duty. So she calmly walked forward, careful to keep her face blank as she came to stand next to Mahler. She kept a comfortable distance between them, though, her body vehemently opposed to any part of the General in her space. She fixed the stranger with a shrewd gaze but kept silent. She had come just in time to hear the question he had been asked, and now she waited for his answer.
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the oath
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#6
Something shifted in the air as the General came to a halt near enough for Rian to feel the heavy thunder rolling through the wild lilac fields of the other's terrifically tempered stare. The judgement he now faced depended on the will of this man, but his restrain gave rise to hope within Rian; that he would treat with reason, and not pass a terrible sentence without due cause.

He claimed a hastened breath, nose flaring—the arrival of another missed entirely until the white of her fur materialized from the snows, and the severe gleam of harvest orange eyes raked astutely across him. His ears slicked flat against his heavily-furred neck to acknowledge, and submit, to her presence. The first spoke, voice accented thickly with origins he couldn't place, and a tremor of intrigue ran through one splayed ear at question and intonation alike. 

"I come from the Frosthawks, pack two days southwest of Silver Creek," he answered, wondering if it would spark recognition within either, or both, of the Hollow wolves. "My brother's eldest are going into their season so out of caution, and respect, I've returned to the Teekons."
As ruthless as it all may seem the wild cares not for the weaker beings.
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Ooc — ebony
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#7
takiyok.
she flared into his consciousness like a ricochet of lightning; mahler held tight his rein and showed no sign of the inner explosion.
they had always presented a united front to outsiders.
now would be no different.
the watchful joiner gave a reason, holding no names that mahler recognized, but solid enough for the general to shift his weight.
the man had come too late to avoid it here, the gargoyle noted with an amused tweak at the irony. 
"vhat is your name?" came his inquiry, holding time for takiyok to make her own judgments, question the stranger with her own words. it was their way.
mahler studied the man as he waited. more than only hale, he was intelligent. respectful. he was still a man, however, made to be tempted in the new season.
but the general knew there were more than a few ways to test the resolve of a new foot soldier; he was ready to allow himself the challenge of his great ambition.
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#8
So there were still wolves left who had the ability to respect the ones the supposedly cared for, and he respected his family enough that he set out on his own to ensure there were no accidents. She was intrigued. Her face remained blank aside from a slight curious raise of a eyebrow. That's very considerate of you, she replied when he was done. You came here on your own where you do not know anyone? she asked. Or at least she assumed he didn't know anyone. Why else would he be here requesting a place within their ranks? 

Mahler spoke again, his voice brushing against her senses and causing longing and anger to burn through her with equal intensity. She hated the effect he still had on her, but she knew it would take a long time to feel differently, especially since she couldn't just leave and permanently free herself of his presence. She wasn't going to let him make her a deserter. She quickly pushed the confusing feelings and thoughts aside, not wanting them to affect her ability to properly judge the stranger in front of her. Again, she settled her astute gaze on him while she waited for his name.
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the oath
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#9
The woman spoke with tones which shed no light on the intensity of the emotion within, nor the conflict between the two. Rian did not read into it; he presumed them to be the leaders (correct), and their relationship, like their pack, stable (incorrect). But his own eyes shifted, briefly flashing across her face, and then to the trampled snows underfoot. "No one here, no. I caught your scent downwind, and thought to ingratiate myself with an offering of game, but the recent snows have sent them all to ground," he admitted with a wry twist of his inky lips. 

And now to Mahler, though he did not point his muzzle in the direction of one or the other, addressing them both equally: "Rian Frostfur."
As ruthless as it all may seem the wild cares not for the weaker beings.
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Ooc — ebony
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#10
mahler liked the man. takiyok queried him; he hung on the cadence of her words, wanting to ask more of their joiner so that he might stand beside her a while longer.
foolhardy; he swung his lilac eyes toward the schneesturm for a long moment, then back to the man.
"i am mahler," he told to this handsome rian frostfur, signaling his acceptance, but one that could only be conferred by takiyok's agreement.
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#11
She could tell Mahler was reserving judgement until she had passed her own; it was the same song and dance, one they had done multiple times. But she couldn't help but wonder why he even bothered. Clearly her opinion mattered very little to the General. He would do as he pleased regardless of how she felt about it. She wanted to make some snide comment that implied as much, but refrained in the presence of a stranger and soon to be subordinate. Instead, she offered a curt nod and added: Takiyok. 

She stepped back some, inviting him to cross the borders. We can find some other way for you to ingratiate yourself to Diaspora, she added. His admittance into their ranks would not be without a price, as it was for all who had come before him, requesting the same.
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