Nova Peak You let me get a bite, out of sight, out of mind

@Wylla
set for early morning 11/11

She wandered along the borders just as the sun was starting to paint the sky orange and pink. The air was chilly and heavy with moisture, and it made her breaths come out in white plumes around her face. She stopped to inspect a collection of boulders along the edge of the territory, the Eisens' scents strong there. She didn't note anything that said a stranger had been there recently, so she lifted her head and kept going. 

This was her routine along the borders, no longer burdened with the responsibility of marking anything—she could just inspect for intruders and be on her way; it made things more efficient and so she made sure to inspect a different section every few days just to make sure nothing was out of place. She left the boulders far behind and headed farther along the eastern side of the peak, enjoying the quiet of the morning as she often did.

Wylla spent a lot of her time on the western edge of the territory of late, driven by her paranoia about Rosalyn and her band. If she wasn't in the Tangle laying scent markings and generally being a nuisance, then she was doubly and triply fortifying Sagtannet's borders where they faced the sea. But after about a week of that, she deemed them sufficient and headed out east with the dawn, eager to stretch her legs without the accompanying rigidity of knowing there was a potential threat lurking just beyond.

The cold, humid air cut easily through her thin fur, making it difficult to keep her teeth from chattering even though she proceeded at a light jog. It was only a matter of time before she found Takiyok heading the opposite way, and with a gentle wag of her tail, Wylla turned back the way she'd been coming in hopes of accompanying the Griff on her patrol. What was the point of going further this way if Takiyok had already taken care of patrolling that way?

Sooo, said Wylla in a slow, measured breath, how'd you meet Taikon? She'd already drawn a few probably incorrect conclusions about their relationship, conclusions which put Wylla significantly more at ease with Takiyok. Enough to be teasing about it, at least.

She scented the Eisen before she heard the steps of her approach. Her company was welcome, and she slowed down to allow Wylla to catch up. 

She didn't pick up on the tone of the question if it was obvious, and instead took it at face value. We met in the mountains back when Sagtannet was still in Sawtooth, she answered. We talked for a long time, and he came back later, after we moved, to warn me of the Saints and check to make sure I was okay. She still wasn't sure what to think about his concern for her. She cared about him, sure, but something about him specifically seeking her out to check on her caused a pang in her chest anytime she thought about it. Best not to dwell on complicated feelings—that had never gotten her anywhere good, and she like the uncomplicated and supportive friendship that had begun to form between them. I ran into him near the mountains after we moved; he told me of Whitebark Stream and how he did not have a pack anymore. I knew he would be good for Sagtannet, so I invited him to join us. 

I know he will be a good addition, she added. He would pull his weight and not cause any drama. Of course, she was also glad to have him here as a friend she could talk to.

A simple tale of supportive friendship. While Takiyok talked about how she'd met Taikon and what had led them to here and now, Wylla wondered if she had ever had a friend like that. She didn't think she had. Mahler might cross mountains to try to warn her of danger, but these days it seemed like the more she opened her heart to him, the less of her existed in his. There was Stag, of course, but Wylla believed the boy was so attentive because of his connection with Phaedra.

No, she didn't think she'd ever had a friend like Taikon was to Takiyok, and it was depressing to think about.

I agree, said Wylla, bobbing her head. I've never met a wolf that was so polite and proper at the borders of a pack. Most of the ones she came across were insubordinate in the physical manner of wolves, and after Grimnismal, she knew she didn't want any wolves in the pack who could not at least respect the hierarchy, regardless what they might think of her. It'll be a lot of fun to watch him teach all the pups to hunt, she mused. Do you think the plains to the south would be better? Or maybe the ones up past the grotto? Both of them were suitable practicing grounds, but she was still undecided which one to use for that eventual lesson.

i keep laughing about how polite she thought he was XD

Taki nodded. Yes, he is always very polite, She offered in return. At least around her, so she wasn't surprised to hear that Wylla picked that out from everything else. 

The plains past the grotto would be safer, Taki answered. They are closer to home in case anything happens. Hunting could easily turn dangerous, especially with children involved, and it would be better for everyone if the rest of the pack was just a call away. And I think the pups will enjoy learning from him. She actually didn't know how he would be with the children, but he had agreed to help teach them, so he couldn't have minded too much. 

And of course, I would be happy to teach them about the borders and how to protect themselves, she offered. she didn't have her own pups to teach this year, and she missed it very much.

You're right, said Wylla, grateful for Takiyok's input. As much as she liked to think she was a capable and competent mother, Wylla's second litter was the only one she'd had any real experience with. It pained her to think of it now, but Lusca had been as much involved with Tiercel as she had, to the point where Wylla rarely had to think about things like her eldest daughter's safety. She wasn't a seasoned hunter even before losing an eye, either, and appreciated a second opinion on which hunting ground was more suitable.

That would be great, she said, equally pleased that Takiyok was willing to help teach the children as they got older. On matters of guarding territory, Wylla felt quite capable in her abilities, but organized fighting wasn't something she was ever exposed to. She wasn't very good at protecting herself, as evidenced by the scarring still obscuring her empty eye socket. She could dive into a fray and throw a few punches, but she didn't have much patience or the mind for tactics and probably took more hits than needbe. Takiyok's lessons on self-protection would be beyond valuable.

She walked with the winter wolf for a time, speaking of the growing children (including Marble, Calcifer, and even Astraeus) and future lessons they might be interested in before parting ways.