Blacktail Deer Plateau Dream State

Following the trail of white wolves, Njord traveled down the coast and then bent Eastward inland through Ravensblood forest. He trailed the footstep of The Wall across the plateau, knowing that Raven’s Watch stood like a sentinel on the other side. That’s where Valmua lived, he thought to himself. It had been a while since the red-tail thought of the golden ruffed woman, but for some reason old memories floated to the surface of his mind like dark, toxic oil.

He exhaled and peered southbound and smelling the cold, October wind. He shouldn’t be gone from Sapphique for too long, the Emerald knew.

Slate had wandered further off than usual. She kept at the campside of Ursus within Akashingo, in the mesa, but today she had gone to a territory claimed by no one. She didn't exactly feel safe here, but she needed to examine the area for a particular plant that calmed the nerves. She knew what it looked and smelled like and she wasn't sure if it had a particular name, so her search began. She didn't even know if it grew in the area, but she had discovered it didn't grow in Akashingo. She wanted this plant for those going to war, calm nerves made a safer warrior after all.

Slate wandered the land with her nose in the air, sniffing for the plan at all times she was suddenly very aware that someone else was around. They were not from Ursus or Akashingo. She didn't like strangers, she hated strangers - well okay she hated most people to be fair. She slowed her pace until it was nothing more than a sneaking manner of walking and she could set eyes upon the other. She didn't know their intention, were they here for war? Did they not know the territory? She pulled her lips upward into a frown and announced herself with a small sound.

"What are you doing here?" She began walking closer, but keeping her distance. She wasn't a warrior or any kind of danger, but she was becoming increasingly aware that Ursus was danger. So were the saints. And Akashingo. These were dangerous lands they were entering. "You ought to be careful around here. A war is brewing." She looked at the stranger who didn't look as dangerous as Merrick, nor as terrifying as some of the monsters she had seen.

She didn't want him to get hurt. "Stranger you need to be careful." This was not a warning meant as a threat. She was trying to protect him from harm and whatever or not he wanted to listen was obviously his choice. But she felt the need to warn him of the dangers that were around here. "Where did you come from?" It didn't occur to Slate he might be a spy, or somehow related to the dangers she was warning him off. He just didn't give off that vibe to her.

Njord was so lost in thought he didn’t realize he had company until a cold voice rang out. What are you doing here? His head snapped to attention too see a dark woman with a dour expression. Was it possible he had missed a boundary line? Her accusatory tone unsettled him, but before Njord could retort the stranger provided a grave warning.

“A war?” Njord echoed, perplexed. Sapphique remained sheltered by the sea, oblivious to the quarrels of their southern neighbors. He had heard of disputes between bands, but wars? Perhaps if he was a younger man Njord’s interest would have been piqued, but he was now a father, a protector… and the thought of vicious fighting made his body tense.

He set his jaw. “I shant tarry here much longer, then… I thank ya fer yer warnin’. I live by tha sea,” he replied… but as soon as the words slipped his lips Njord realized he should be more proactive about protecting the identity of his pack and family. The woman walked closer. An inkling of a memory tickled his brain. “’Aven’t I see ya before, lass?” he asked, but he couldn't quite place her. It had been many moons since Slate had entertained their borders. Never the less, perhaps he could get some more information. “What can ya tell me about this war? Why are ya fightin’ it?”

“A war?” Slate nodded and took a glance around her to make sure no one else was there again. She felt foolish to be so paranoid, this man could be anyone, he could be from anywhere, and she could get in trouble. But then again he seemed oblivious to the fact there even was a war, maybe he was just some stranger passing through after all.

“I shant tarry here much longer, then… I thank ya fer yer warnin’. I live by tha sea,” His accent threw her off as she realized she had heard it before. The male was almost a distant memory by now, but she suddenly realized she had met him before somewhere else. Like Njord she couldn't quiet place him yet and she said nothing. She noticed how his body tensed at the mention of war and she understood the feeling quiet well. She hunched slightly and looked over her shoulder again. No one was here.

“’Aven’t I see ya before, lass?” She looked at Njord again and nodded. "Yes. We have met before. Briefly." She wanted to know more about his home, wanted to know what his pack was like by the sea, sheltered from war and terror in your sleep. “What can ya tell me about this war? Why are ya fightin’ it?” She wondered how much she could tell him without giving everything away, but decided on a trade.

"If you will answer my questions about your home, I'll tell you everything I know." She waited to see if he would agree and if he did she would begin to speak. "Ursus - my pack. Had their queen slaughtered by the saints of the dying light. Akashingo, who live in these mountains are Ursus' allies. I do no not know their exact part in this war, but they too seem to have a grudge for the saints. I don't know much more than that I am afraid. I only recently joined."

She walked a little closer to Njord and then with nothing more than a whisper she began asking her own questions. "What is your home like? Are the people there kind? Do you have healers? If yes, how many?" Her ears had perked up and she was quite interested in knowing everything about this pack. Slowly she remembered the scent of the ocean and a figure by the sea. Njord. She had tried to join his pack many months ago only to lose her courage at the end. She swallowed in insecurity and wondered if she should have gathered up more courage back then.

She was thinking that Ursus wasn't her home more and more often, but that wasn't something she could say out loud to them. Not to Merrick. She hoped he would forgive him one day.

The woman looked around nervously and Njord was infected by her paranoia. Suddenly the danger felt very real and he knew he needed to leave the Plateau and return to Sapphique at once. The woman offered a deal, which Njord reluctantly accepted with a nod, not wanting to divulge too much information about his beloved family to a wolf associated with war.

However, he listened closely. Ursus’s alpha female dead by the hands of a pack called Saint of the Dying Light. Akashingo. Animosity. Revenge. Njord tucked away this information carefully in his mind. He had the lucky privilege of being completely ignorant in his safe haven on the coast. The seafarer hadn’t even heard of these pack’s names before.

A silence lulled between them. The woman stepped closer as her voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. “My home is verra nice and the people are kind,” he affirmed. “We want nothin’ ta do with war or violence,” he told her with a look as if to say ‘so you better not tell your pack about us.’ Njord continued on, following through with his end of the bargain. “Our healer is our leader, an’ she is tha bes’ around.” Our son is training in her footsteps, he wanted to say – but withheld that information. This wolf didn’t need to know about his vulnerable children. “Why ‘av ya joined a pack goin’ ta war?” he asked, perplexed. Slate would have been happy in Sapphique, but now her motives seemed deranged to him.

Sorry for being slow

"My home is verra nice and the people are kind,” She listened intently, making sure to get every word he was saying. “We want nothin’ ta do with war or violence,” She didn't know if that was plausible to avoid for eternity, but it sounded peaceful and good. Revenge never brought anything good with it, she knew that much. She knew Ursus was chasing a ghost, they wanted Nyra dead, but that wouldn't bring their queen back.

“Our healer is our leader, an’ she is tha bes’ around.” A healer for leader? That was new to her, and she liked the idea of an experienced healer leading a pack. It made sense in some regards, but not every aspect. Slate didn't speak but listened to his words unaware he was withholding information.

“Why ‘av ya joined a pack goin’ ta war?” Slate flicked her left ear slightly, scared, paranoid but aware she had to answer. She didn't like her own decision anymore and she didn't know how to word herself properly. She wanted to play her cards right. "I - I don't know anymore. I guess." She stopped for a moment to think before continuing.

"I guess I thought I would be needed, as a healer. To be useful to someone. But I've been wrong." She sighed as her body eased up slightly, feeling like she could talk freely for just a moment. This man had no business with Akashingo or Ursus. He was her ticket out.

"I regret turning around on your border. I should have stayed. Away from this - revenge plot. But I needed a home. I am getting older and I need the protection of a pack. Merrick, the alpha of Ursus. He -" She took a quick look around to make sure he didn't suddenly turn up behind her. "He is giving me the creeps. The way he looks at me. It terrifies me."

She wanted that ticket out.

"Take me with you. To your home. I promise I'll be useful and do my part."

I am the slowest, I am sorry ;__;

The woman’s resolve quickly crumbled and her words became tangled as she tried to reconcile the reasons why she stayed with her warchief. She spoke of regrets and danger… her leader, Merrick, sounded like a vile, sinister man. Was she not a free woman to leave this pack? Njord’s ears pinned against his skull as he took a step back to make space between them.

Take me with you.

Was she a hostage?

The sound alarm bells rang in his mind and Njord knew that, by bringing this wolf to Sapphique, he would welcome danger to his hearth. “I canna do that,” he resolved with a sharp shake of his head. “You are indebted to this pack, an’ by takin’ you I will slight yer leader. I canna risk brinin’ trouble ta my ‘ome. I’m sorry…”

Njord swished his red tail. Maybe he should be the hero. Help this woman. Maybe at another point in his life he would have. Thoughts of the children drove his decision, and Njord turned sharply away and ran back towards the coast.