Neverwinter Forest Gone in bloom and bough

This is set in Neverwinter Forest (it doesn't appear on the prefix list for some reason). I will be power playing Junior in this thread.

A few days ago, young Osprey had approached Blue Willow, telling her of a batch of berries she'd plucked in a far-off forest that she hadn't been able to bring back to her aunt. Peregrine had overhead the conversation and taken note of Junior's disappointment. This morning, he surprised her by inviting her to take him to the distant woodland. He showed her a worn rabbit skin he'd brought along to use as a pouch to transport the berries his daughter had painstakingly collected.

Giddy to lead the way on such an adventure, Osprey Jr. bounded ahead and he trotted after her, never slowing until they reached the edge of the unfamiliar forest. Peregrine braked to a halt and set down the soft skin at his feet. His dusky blue-green eyes scanned Neverwinter Forest and his nostrils flared, taking in the spicy scent of evergreen boughs.

"Let's take a look around," he suggested to the aspiring Outrider. "Did you find anything cool here... besides the berries I mean?"

"Talking birds!" Junior reported. "I didn't look around much, except when I was lookin' for a leaf! Where d'you wanna go?"

"Let's head... south," Peregrine chose arbitrarily, nudging the rabbit skin beneath a bush and then motioning for Osprey to resume her position ahead of him as he loped into the shadow of the evergreens.

Sitri was exploring his home, learning the way of things, and he strayed past the borders and continued on heading straight for the never winter forest. He was tired of being in one place all the time, and realized that as simple as he might be, he needed to spread his wings a little bit. He was 4 already and he barely knew anything of the world other than cruelty and pain.

twitching scarred muzzle he stepped into the cool air, beneath the boughs of the trees, in the Neverwinter forest. He continued walking on doggedly, his large paws tearing up the ground as he went, leaving large footprints in the soft moist earth that the trees cradled.

When Peregrine heard the telltale sound of canine footfalls, he woofed under his breath, summoning Osprey to his side. She trotted toward him, sticking to his hip as the two cautiously proceeded through the wood. The swarthy father knew they were about to cross paths with the other wolf, so he stiffened slightly and said to Junior, "Stay close and do as I say."

When the unfamiliar wolf emerged into view, Peregrine studied him from a distance. He wore a typical agouti pelt, though even from here the black male could see the red tint of his eyes and the notches in his ears. The wolf looked like he'd been through hell and back. He was still standing, which meant he was likely a formidable fighter.

Stepping slightly in front of Osprey Jr., Peregrine chuffed to get the stranger's attention. "Hello," he said evenly, hoping there wouldn't be any trouble. He knew these lands were unclaimed, though experience had showed him that it didn't stop some wolves from behaving territorially nonetheless.

Sitri studied the two black wolves that he came across, but he kept himself neutral. He did not wish to fight today. He watched as the older male took in all his scars and his eyes, the two things that drew everyone’s eyes all the time, and the two things he hated most of all. Every scar littered his body for a reason, and the eyes were a feature from his demon mother with her white pelt and her red eyes and her crazy mind, two of which he had inherited. Love genetics.

He dipped his muzzle as he studied them both they must be father and daughter they looked alike. For a brief moment he wondered what he would be like as a father, but soon enough the thought dissipated like smoke on the wind, it would never happen so why think about it.

Hello My name is Sitri. He spoke as simply as possible, but not to insult the other’s intelligence, but because it was hard for him to speak correctly if he spoke to quickly or complexly. You are exploring? it was a question as well as a statement.

Despite his fearsome appearance, the stranger did not appear threatening. At least, he spoke calmly and maintained a neutral posture. Peregrine did not relax just yet, though. When it came to his children, there was no such thing as overprotective in his book. He glanced backward at Osprey, a silent signal that she continue minding him.

"Sitri," he replied, giving a brief dip of his head. "I'm Peregrine and this is my daughter, Osprey Jr. Yes, we're exploring the forest. We came here to collect some berries to take home to our Healer." He paused, deliberating how much to say, then decided it couldn't hurt to tell Sitri, "We're from the plateau. Whereabouts are you from?"

Sitri stood still and watched the glance of protectiveness the father held. Had his parents ever looked at him like that? Or was he just a means to an end to gain favor with the queen. He hoped his father at least had been fond of him at the very least, he thought it maybe too much to hope for love from his father. His mother on the other hand, she could rot in the deepest darkest pit of hell as far as he was concerned. He would have protected her if she had needed it simply because she was his blood, but for no other reason than he owed her his life.

Sitri flicked a tattered ear to and fro, then dipped his muzzle in greeting. well met Peregine and Little Jr. Sitri looked around and motioned towards the right where there was dense growth, There is berries in there, but do not know what kind, just that they are there. he grew quiet again and turned inward to himself as he listened. Sitri is from the Spine, been to the plateau flatlands once, just once. Very pretty there. He didn’t know what else to say, he was a quiet beast by nature and by habit.

Sitri confirmed that they could find berries in these woods. Of course, they both knew that, as Osprey Jr. had already collected an entire batch. Peregrine felt no need to say this, however, so he merely bobbed his head in response to the male's statement. His black ears flicked when Sitri mentioned the name of his pack, which was wholly unfamiliar to Peregrine. Then again, the Alpha didn't get out much.

He debated whether he cared enough to ask about it, when his much more social and exploratory daughter piped up from behind him, "Spine? What's that? Isn't it a bone?" she pressed. Peregrine glanced at her to find her eyes meeting his before they flicked to Sitri, brimming with curiosity. The swarthy male faced the other wolf again, his own gaze a muted echo of his daughter's burning inquisitiveness.

Sitri had not noticed, not that it could be seen that the girl had collected a whole bunch already. He was merely trying to be a little more friendly. It would have been a little different had Jinx still been alive, if she had been there, he would have to chase them away. And by rights he still should, but at the moment he was too tired and shell shocked to do so.

Sitri tilted his head a hint of a smile on his ghoulish mug, making the one side of his face look like Frankenstein, but he couldn’t exactly help that. It is a bone, but it is also my home…the full name is ouro....ouro....ouroboros...Ouroboros Spine. It was led by Jinx and Lecter, but we now have Cara and Kaname as leaders. He didn’t think it wrong to speak of the dead, they were dead, and the pack wasn’t any less stronger for it, they still had strong numbers and leaders, so they would not have any harm.

Peregrine's ears titled backward as Sitri stumbled through the name of his homeland. It reminded him of Pura. For this reason, the Alpha did not think less of the male for his inability to articulate perfectly. He felt a little sorry for him and wondered if he'd always been simple or if he'd gotten knocked around so much in life that it had affected his mental faculties.

The mention of Jinx's name made the fur of his hackles prickle, though he wasn't about to say anything on the matter. But then Sitri implied that Jinx had been unseated from the throne and morbid curiosity drove him to inquire, "What happened to Jinx and Lecter?" even as Junior simultaneously questioned, "Where'd the old leaders go?"

Sitri felt a little embarrassed at his speech, because in all actuality, the male wasn’t entirely simple. He had some issues yes. And he couldn’t speak very well, and a lot of social cues were lost on him, but he knew how to hunt and fight and stalk and kill, so he was able to learn skills it just took him a little bit longer. His mental faculties had certainly been affected, but not by knocks, but rather lack of attention. He had been slave born and blood born and he was not learned.

Sitri stepped backward at the rise of the other’s hackles curious and a little perturbed, he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to fight today. Sitri looked at him and spoke matter of factly dead both dead. Lecter died of poison to join Jinx and Jinx was drowned. he did not mention that she had rabies keeping that to himself, the other didn’t need to know that. The rabies would have killed her it would have, but the other female wolf got to her first. Usurper took her life, Lecter took his own.

When Sitri responded, Peregrine's ears pressed back and he glanced uneasily at Junior. Now he regretted asking the question in front of her, though he supposed it was only natural for his daughter to be exposed to the matters of life and death. This was just a particularly extreme example of ways to die. He thought it morbidly poetic that Jinx had drowned, though Sitri's closing comment implied there was more to the story.

"What—" the young girl began to ask but Peregrine shot her a look and her mouth clapped shut obediently. Facing Sitri again, he questioned for both of them, "This Lecter... committed suicide?" He shook his head lightly. "And who or what is 'Usurper'? I thought you said she drowned?" Something clicked. "You're saying... someone drowned her?"

Sitri hadn't even thought of the words that came out of his maw in concerns to the little mini wolf that stood beside her father. Sitri didn't know what else he could say without causing serious ramifications. If they thought that they were a weak pack this males pack could come and attack them and then there would be a war. and even though Sitri was a fighter and a warrior he was tired of blood.

Sitri nodded yes Lecter couldn't live without his love. And yes another wolf drowned our queen. We haven't found her or him yet. he grew quiet then and waited standing at attention for the other to speak.

Sitri confirmed his suspicion and Peregrine shot another glance at his daughter. He decided then that the conversation needed to either end there or move onto other things. When he regarded the other male, he decided to go with the former option. He really wasn't one to mingle with outsiders anyway. It was time for he and Osprey Jr. to turn around, gather their berries and head home.

"I hope you're able to get to the bottom of it," Peregrine said noncommittally, unaware of his own daughter's altercation with the unidentified murderer in question (she, too, remained oblivious that the wolf she'd chased from the bay's borders had gone on to murder Jinx). "We are going to head back to the plateau now. Take care, Sitri," he added simply before saying, "Let's go, Junior," and nudging his daughter to walk ahead of him.

He glanced back at Sitri once, nodded, and then disappeared toward the other side of the forest, where he helped Osprey Jr. bundle the rotting berries into his makeshift satchel. The pair then left Neverwinter, loping swiftly in the direction of the plateau.

Sitri dipped his muzzle I hope so too, and may the creature stay away from your borders. he did not know what else to say, that was the nicest the male could get. Perhaps he was trying to make up for all the evil he had done in the past.

Sitri stood still and watched them on their way, he returned the nod. He continued to stand there long after they were gone, lost in his own thoughts. He wondered if he would have been different, had he been raised differently and for a brief moment he felt sad and hurt all at once, but he quickly shook his head and the thoughts and emotions filtered away like leaf on the wind.