Northstar Vale I'm a hazard to myself.

Of all the mountains in all the world, she just had to find the one that smelled like home. Not exactly like home, but close enough; it didn't have her added spice, but then neither did the clan's claim at this point. There had been a small trail by a river which smelled strongly nostalgic to the wandering woman, and on a whim she pursued that trail as it headed up in to the chain of mountains which now rolled beneath her paws. It had taken her all day — rather inconvenient — but as she found a patchwork plateau littered with wind-blown trees, she could see down in to the valley. It was a sprawling paradise, and she immediately hated it.

What she hated most of course, was the flagrant scent of many other wolves along its outer limits. She was bold; striding over them with a kick of her heels, gouging the entry point. It would have been better if she had her escorts alongside, but Hime had ditched them weeks ago — she was a queen, damn it. She did not need any pathetic man to tell her what to do, even if tradition required it; she'd followed tradition long enough to know how to bend the rules she wanted, and now she was here. Trailing further in to the territory of gods-know-who. Except as she got to a patch of flowers, she thought she could smell
— Reiko?

The hell was her sister doing here? Who, pray tell, thought it was a good idea to give her the key to the kingdom? But it wasn't the only scent she detected, just the most prominent; lingering alongside that was an equally familiar masculine aroma which caused Hime's eyes to narrow, and her tail to raise and puff like an agitated cat: Takeshi. What, did someone decide to throw a party in this god-awful place and fail to invite her, the best of the Izuka? Bastards.

Please someone mistake her for her sister, pleeeeeeeeease.

On his typical morning run of the valley, Takeshi's storm blue eyes trailed across the horizon. White wolves were not an uncommon sight- and so, the little faraway smudge was no worry. He came closer, thinking perhaps it was Hiromi, but once he was about a hundred yards off, the glint of blue eyes told him otherwise. Reiko? She looked... slim. Attractive once again. Had she discovered some fancy new diet to retain her figure? Whatever it was, she looked fantastic, certainly better than the other day. 

Takeshi began to trot toward her, with an enthusiac, Damnnn, babe! You look fucking good! Lost a couple pounds?, accompanied by an asshole-esque whistle. But his smile fell short once he got close enough and the foreign stench hit him. He halted in his tracks, a few yards off, eyeing her warily. He knew that scent anywhere. 

H... Hime?

The long echoing vale—resplendent in the spring, wreathed in green as it was, now broken up by her agitated silhouette. Lodgepole pines scattered down the nearest hill while various oaks, elms, aspens each fought for their own place. She saw this but continued to scowl. All that was on Hime's mind was the thought of her sister in power; well, whoever had made that decision was utterly wrong to do it, and she would make things right. It was her duty—plus it wasn't like Reiko deserved it. If anything it was Hime's right.

She had not spent long deliberating over her next move. She turned in time to hear a familiar voice carrying over her shoulders, verbally applauding her lithe figure. Hime froze, letting the scowl melt from her face like a switch being flipped. She knew that voice.

Mmmn, Takeshi. He had stopped striding over, and when Hime caught a glimpse of his face she was amused by the look of surprise there; it was so brief, and mutated in to something cold—very different from that split-second where he thought she was Reiko. 

The woman was demure. They had history of course—Takeshi would know of her fickle nature—but she could have changed in the weeks since leaving the clan. Hime was fussy, unimaginative, but not frigid despite the chill to her gaze. She regarded the man with as much interest as was expected of her, even feigning a humiliating sense of submission as his eyes trailed over her.

I was looking for my darling sister.

There was no question about whether or not she should be here, deep within the vale. If she had found the time, the woman would have dropped and rolled in the scents collected here; alas, she was found before that could happen.