Ankyra Sound the voice of sirens three (discovery)

Discovery thread for Ankyra Sound. All welcome, Nereides preferred. Please join if you'll be able to prioritize this thread in the evening hours of Central Standard Time.

Landmark: The Stacks

Their beach was secure, cradled between the tall cliffs they would also claim. It sprawled between the two sheer faces, the pathways back to the mainland all but invisible to those that did not know the sea as well as the sirens. Over the next few weeks, her place would be at the top of the cliffs, marking and defending the area of the territory most likely to be crossed by outsiders; but Aktaiê missed her Mother Sea, and wished to explore the sacred shores that were blessed to them.

Her sisters and their consorts were similarly exploring, getting their scent to permeate the edges of the territories. It would be soon, now, that they truly became a pack; soon, now, that their claim would be strong and irrefutable. She moved along the edge of the tide, turquoise eyes fixed on silhouettes in the distance. They were not rare in Themiscrya, but neither were they common. Sea stacks; places where the Mother had carved away the land, leaving jagged towers like teeth that erupted out of the earth.

She moved to them, breathless in awe, and rubbed her body against them in a catlike maneuver. They would smell like her, and she, like them.

Hope it's okay if I join in here!

Danica wasn't much for the ocean... its salt made her feel dirty and the smell was rather horrid in her opinion. Like rotten fish. But Njal and Tuwawi wanted kelp for the (nonexistant) healers, so here she was, wandering about on the coast. She had already gathered up some and was set to leave, her burden clasped within her jaws, when she came upon the cliffs and the beach beyond.

She had wandered quite a bit more south than she meant to. Looking down, she could make out the coast below, pillars rising up like silent sentinels from the sand. Her curiosity was piqued, for she could see a figure amongst the stone guardians. How had she gotten down there? And what the hell was she doing? Some sort of sporadic dance, from the look of it, wending her way between the stones in an erratic pattern.

Backing up, she looked around, then moved in a promising direction. If she followed the cliffside she assumed she would meet with a path to the beach. It made sense that some sort of way in would lie along the route.

Sorry for taking so long!

Intent upon making the strange pillars smell like her, the priestess didn't notice the body moving along the cliffside at first. Perhaps she placed too much trust in her acolytes, believing blindly that they would keep strangers from encroaching upon the secluded Sound; but they had been the first wolves upon it, and Aktaie felt confidant that the Sea meant them to have it. The stranger was likely further down the path towards the beach when the priestess finally paused in her weaving, turning to scan the landscape of her home.

And then noticing the stranger, far too close for comfort, far too deep within the territory that would be the home of the Nereides. Her posture tensed immediately, tail moving up like a banner, hackles flaring in territorial rage. She stormed to greet the other, likely somewhere along the beach near the stacks, and loosed a warning growl. It was clear that Aktaie would not attack, at least not until provoked, but sought only to make the other aware of their mistake.

Danica was so intent upon her attempt to navigate that by the time she looked back to the beach, the figure had disappeared. She dismissed it from her mind, but it came rushing back when she recieved quite the welcome from the very same individual only seconds later.

Apparently she was trespassing? She'd sensed no scent markers so really wasn't sure what this woman's problem was, but she didn't growl back. That was a practice in restraint from her. Narrowing her eyes, she took a step back, then cocked her head. "Not the friendly sort, are you?"

Her posture might have relaxed if the other had shown more deference, but she did not, and it only served to make Aktaie bristle further. Still, their claim upon the Sound was new, and their numbers not yet great enough to make up for the scent markers they lacked — but soon enough there would be no question as to ruled here. When the priestess spoke, it was with patience and restraint, "You trespass. We've only just begun to make our claim, but these cliffs and this beach belongs to the Nereides."

Danica was aware her lack of respect was causing tension in the other, and she really wasn't feeling a fight, but nor was she about to submit to this woman. Her only superiors lay in the Glacier. Still, she did relax her posture a bit. After all, she was about to ask a favor, something she did not often do.

"It's a lovely beach, if a bit... oceanic for my liking. Don't worry, I'm not a fan of it, so won't trespass again. But do you think you could spare some seaweed? Our healers have need of it."

just throwing a post in here to buffer the thread count/participate. please feel free to bounce/skip me since i am a johnny-come-lately

Caiaphas had only just departed the touch of one such cold stack when she heard conversation -- her torn ears flipped forward and she froze tentatively with her nose in the air. Parsing from the brine of the ocean and the sharpness of the sand she could smell a wolf that was not Nereides -- and with a huff she started into a somewhat agitated lope, following her nose and ears until she found the two wolves standing beneath several large and intimidating stacks.

She slowed to a cautious jog then and flagged her tail, though she was careful not to raise it higher than Aktaie's. Her cold yellow eyes sought out Danica, unapologetic in intensity. She hung back for now, though she walked a wide berth around them in the manner of a slavering hyena. It was clear she was not going to attack, but it was also evident she was awaiting a silent order from the Sea Nymph.

With the other female's shift in both attitude and posture, and the additional presence of Caiaphas, the high priestess' own posture evolved into one more confident and far less aggressive. Thus far, their claim might have been weak and their numbers small, but they were capable of defending it if they must. Its glowing shores had told them that the Sea and Moon had blessed the Nereides and this place; they would not be shaken from it.

"That depends," Aktaie told her, turquoise eyes following the pacing of Caiaphas for a moment, finally returning to rest upon the outsider. "Which pack would we be aiding, and what can you do for us?" When it came to other packs, the Nereides always functioned on a strictly "I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine" basis.

Danica couldn't stop a small smile from escaping when the other proposed a trade of sorts. Canny. She was constantly aware of the other's circling, but ignored her. It was clear she was only the backup here.

"Nothing without word from my superiors, I am sorry to say. I am from Duskfire Glacier, pack of Njal and Tuwawi. We are new as well, but strong." She shrugged. "I do not know what you have need of that we could offer you."

There were always other beaches.

She skulked, shrewd eyes trained on Danica. She saw out of her peripheral vision Aktaie's shift in posture -- and she seamlessly echoed it, though never once did the magnitude of her vigil slacken.

While Danica was swift to discard her presence, Caiaphas pulled slightly closer -- listening with clipped ears the exchange between the two. It occurred to her to speak up and ask for knowledge in exchange for kelp -- though she bit her tongue lest she seem impudent or worse, out of place.

Caiaphas was proving to be both a loyal and useful asset to the Nereides, definitely eager to provide the sisterhood with whatever they required, determined to learn of their ways even if the time had not yet come for their typical rituals. Aktaiê was beginning to develop plans for the dark female, but she would slowly and patiently mold the dark outsider as the Sea molded the cliffs. Although she was not barred from speaking, Caiaphas remained silent in her pacing, and so the priestess continued.

"A strong pack knows what they have to offer," the siren said with a raised brow. "Perhaps you could tell us of the other packs in the area; but if you must convene with your leaders first, you would simply owe us a favor for later claim."

Danica grinned at that. "Technically, a strong pack needs no favors either. So I guess, if you get down to it, neither of us are strong as we would like to think." This encounter had been interesting, she had already had enough entertainment out of a single conversation to make the trip worthwhile.

Danica was no outrider, so her knowledge of the surrounding areas was less than ideal. "Sorry, no can do. The best I can do is offer a personal favor, I can't really speak for my pack at the moment. Take it or leave it, I can always go elsewhere." It wasn't really a problem. She'd already traveled this far, what was a bit more south? She'd remember this spot, though, and ensure that her pack was made known of a new order forming.

this is my last post in this thread, heading to bed now and will be uberbusy tomorrow! sorry

Caiaphas looked to Aktaie' questioningly as Danica spurned what seemed to be a reasonable request. A dark frown threatened to overtake her countenance with volatile volition -- it was during times like this that Caiaphas often stepped in to strongarm the opponent. While she was neither stalwart nor immense, she posed a threat vitriolic enough to often be reconsidered.

But for now she made no move, content to hang on Aktaie's order. She thought the outsider stupid for not even proffering a little tidbit of knowledge; even Mordecai had been forthcoming with the expanse of the valley. She thought the exchange of neutral knowledge was harmless, but it was apparent Danica did not share that conviction.

With a quiet huff that announced her opinion she pulled closer to Aktaie and awaited for either an order or a dismissal.

Her turquoise eyes glanced to Caiaphas, turquoise eyes alight. Although neutral knowledge would have benefitted the Nereides, it would have been the easy way out for the stranger before them. Agreeing to a undefined, personal favor was far more valuable. In a second, that glance was over, and she smiled warmly at the outsider. "Perhaps not," she said agreeably; though she silently argued that favors could only make a strong pack stronger.

"If that's the best you can offer, I suppose I must take you up on it," Aktaiê conceded, "We can't allow your healers to be without necessities. Who shall I ask for when it is time to collect?"

Fortunately Danica's penchant for not explaining herself properly didn't get her into hot water here. The subordinate's derision at her response was obvious, but apparently her opinion did not matter, for the other accepted it without question. Perhaps it was a mistake, offering herself like this, but it was a deal she was willing to make. If the favor went against her loyalty to her pack she could always refuse, but that was the only line she really drew. Danica didn't make a fuss about it but she wasn't the most morally upright creature around.

"Danica. If you need me, I will be north." She indicated the direction of the Glacier. "An ice-topped mountain marks our domain. You will find me there." She did not often stray.

Aktaie nodded in response to the information Danica gave, looking suitably appreciative — fair was fair, after all, and at least now the Nereides would be just as aware of the foreign pack's whereabouts as it would be of theirs. The priestess would treasure this favor, saving it for when it was truly needed; that there were no real terms attached to it meant it was squarely in the control of the Ankyra wolves.

She took a step to the side, motioning towards the shoreline, "Take what you require, and we will escort you back to the borders."

Danica trotted past Aktaie to the shore, eyes casting about before lighting on a good size deposit of the awful stuff. Grimacing slightly, she picked it up, collecting as much as she could comfortably carry before making her way back to where her escort stood.

Nodding, she prepared to be led out. If she was lucky the favor that had been asked would never be collected on. Even so, she had put it off for a while, and would cross that bridge when she got there.

okay for real my last post

Caiaphas hawkishly watched this wolf, her cold gaze trained mercilessly on her figure as she trotted towards a rather bulging crop of swollen kelp. She stood alongside Aktaie and waited, ever watchful for any order -- though her posture remained at best neutral.

She had learned once it was not her place to act without permission -- and while this protocol was widely disregarded in the absence of authority, for the moment Caiaphas was steadfast.

As soon as Danica was finished she stepped crisply behind the female and lead her back without a word. She committed to memory the woman's features, her name, her pack -- and decided eventually she would owe the glacier a visit.

Once Danica was well away from the pack perimeters, the skeletal creature would resume her cache-replenishment.