Larksong Grotto Go ahead, make my day

All are welcome! Limit is 3.

What a strange encounter. Arashi couldn't shake the image of the child from his mind. Is that what they did here: just walk up to the unknown and request a meal? To further question — is there anyone who would actually fall for it? The first judgement to be made. So far, the fledglings were noted to be tricky, cunning, and plain fools.

On to the next shred of land, then. 

A similar scent lingered, but another intertwined. Were there two separate coalitions here? Or were they simply near in vicinity? Either way — thus far — neither had stopped him and demanded he change course. 

A second judgement to note: what hogo-sha these groups here had clearly weren't too efficient. That, or they were just lazy.

i'd prefer it if she stays hidden for a few rounds!

She had walked away, but then Diantha had circled back around and started tracking him. She didn't have any real reason to other than it seemed like a good way to get back at him. The girl didn't exactly have a plan, but how could somebody be so heartless. She was careful, making sure she was always downwind from him. Her paws carried her swiftly and quietly so she could remain out of his view should he whip around at any point.

Maybe he would leave some food behind at some point and she could scavenge what was left. For now, she kept back and followed.

There was one detail to be known as a sheer fact: At least those in Aokigahara were more competent then this, regardless of their ruthlessness. Two shreds and still not a single confrontation. What did these wolves do with the time of their day? Or was it that they lacked the proper populace of hogo-sha?

Now he began to wonder if it would be possible to trek the entirety of the region without a single command telling him to turn away and return to the land he came from. An amusing though, really. Such a thought beckoned a crude, coarse rumble to emerge from his throat; his version of a laugh, supposedly.

Fool or not, thus far, he would continue to be dissatisfied. 

He either hadn't noticed her yet or he didn't care. Diantha liked to think it was the first, and she hoped to keep it that way. The way he carried himself reeked of ego, and though she was too far away to hear him chuckle to himself, she did see his sides flutter with motion. It made her pause, putting more distance between them as he continued his march onward.

The girl lowered her body to the ground, taking care to ensure that she was well-hidden from the wolf she stalked. It was an exercise in patience and stealth, two skills she hoped would help her in future endeavors.

So sorry for cutting her hiding time short, but if I continued to prolong his absence of mind, I would be force to continue rambling nonsense, xD

It was as feared.

Ever since departing prior, Arashi had grown the suspicion that he hadn't been alone. 

No, he couldn't quite smell his follower, but a prickle on his spine informed that his suspicions had been correct. Call it a friendly side of intuition, if you will.

Now on for specifics. The child from before... was it her following him? It was the likeliest explanation. She was the only he'd encountered thus far. Who else could it have been? Time to see if he could call their bluff, or if Arashi was mistaken.

I don't hunt for wimpy children. How many times again must I tell you! The mammoth of a man had begun to show his anger. Teeth flared; ears at attention; tail lashing. What more of a warning could be given? He was being driven to the edge of the cliff. Should he fall will be up to the stalker's response.

no worries! diantha out!

Wimpy?! WIMPY?! This guy was really something. Of course, him considering her a wimp was probably better than him seeing her as a threat. But even as he yelled, she could see that he hadn't pinpointed her location. He was trying to flush her out!

No way she was going to let that happen. Carefully, Diantha began to crawl backwards, slinking further away until she was certain she was in the clear. Her fun having been ruined, she once again stalked away from him, leaving him to his own devices. But that was fine, she knew where to pick up his trail. Quietly pestering him was a whole new game she was going to have to play again another day.

Veteran can't see @Diantha or @Arashi, but he can hear Arashi and is assuming that Arashi is yelling at him.

Veteran had caught the scent of an opossum on one of his patrols, and following the trail had put him a bit further outside of Duskfire Glacier than he usually traveled. Since the Glacier wolves were planning to move soon, his mother, the alpha, had told him to start gradually bringing in the Duskfire border. Reducing the size of the territory they defended would allow them to concentrate their energy on preparing for departure. 

He was distracted from his task by shouting down in the grotto. "Who are you calling wimpy?!" he bellowed back at the disembodied voice. The thought that someone could see him while remaining hidden was unsettling. He continued on toward the voice, his gaze piercing through the foliage in an attempt to locate the unseen man.

The voice that chimed in reply was not one expected. This was not the same as the girl prior. His suspicions had been false, as it appeared.

Arashi turned his head in spite, searching for whom had spoken. They were young, no doubt. A mature man would have more bellow; but this one was too adenoidal. It took many tries before the slumped figure of a boy was caught lumbering through the growth. A sly one; trying to remain hidden, though he had failed miserably.

In a few, long strides, the behemoth had closed the space. Taking place of the distance, he now stood over the one who had spoken out.

Such words of disdain were not meant for you, boy. There had been a girl before, pleading that I provide her supper. Upon my refusal, a suspicion had grown that she would choose to follow me and continue to pester. Since I have found you, it seems I was wrong. The man spoke, tone a bit harsh and bitter. Once his lips were sealed, he took advantage of the silence and observed, studying all aspects of the child.

What is your name and where is it you belong? Arashi decidedly asked. The query was straightforward, but a prompt reply was expected regardless.

ooo, one more from me!

Who are you calling wimpy?! Oh wow, how convenient! Now that ding-dong wouldn't suspect that she'd been stalking him at all. Which would make any future stalking even easier. She grinned, pleased with this development, then continued on her way.

The voice continued to speak, leading Veteran to its owner until the salt-and-pepper coated man came into view. 

He'd said something about a girl. A hungry girl who was pestering him, begging for food.

...Wayfarer?

Surely not..? Surely if his sister was hungry, she would go home before she would beg from strangers. He knew his sister and his mother had a strained relationship, but he was almost positive that Wayfarer wouldn't purposefully choose to starve and beg. 

"You're right," he said, in a much larger voice than their distance truly demanded. In case Wayfarer was listening, he wanted to make sure she heard. "Hungry girls should go home, and ask for food from their family."

He closed a bit more distance, and then he answered the man's question in a normal tone of voice. 

"My name is Veteran Duskfire, and I live at Duskfire Glacier," he said. His eyes flicked in the direction of the glacier, which loomed over all the taiga. "..Sir," he added, recalling that lone wolves were to be treated with the respect that an adult deserves from a child, when they were encountered away from the Duskfire border.

Arashi watched carefully as the boy came further to view. Youth would come off as no threat, but he worried more for a parent or fellow pack-mate who may have been lingering off to the side, watching this exchange.

The large voice slightly startled him. Was the boy lesser of hearing? It was confusing, but he the man had little place to question.

If even family they have, He added, interceding bitterly. The girl had seemingly been to disconcerted in appearance to have family near. She was a lone wanderer, no doubt.

Veteran Duskfire. As a foreign wolf to this region, the family surname was not recognized. When addressed, no familiar reaction was given.

And where is it that this Duskfire Glacier inhabits? This region of wilds is foreign to me. 

Oh, she has a family all right... 

Veteran looked confused when the man asked for directions to the Glacier. How could he miss it? It was right there--? 

He turned over his shoulder, and he realized that the view of the glacier was obscured by the treeline of the grotto. 

"We live beneath a massive glacier. It's in the middle of the Taiga, an hour's trek east." 

Where was he from, if he was so unfamiliar with that taiga that he did not even know the glacier? Could Veteran ask, or was that impolite..?

Beneath a glacier. An hour's trek east. A bit of a ways away, wasn't it?

You've wandered a ways from your home, then. What does your pack think of this? Surely they wouldn't have tolerated such behavior from a child. Comparing from the way Arashi had been raised, he himself found it peculiar. 

Veteran was a bit taken aback by the question. What, did this guy think he was some snotty little kid? 

"I have my mercenary and naturalist trades. I've hunted with the wolves of Moonglow and trained in combat with the Impair-uh-tor of Mereo. I've scouted all the way to the Hinterlands." He could handle himself. "My pack is proud of me." It did not occur to him that this man might not know of Moonglow or Mereo. To Veteran, the whole world consisted of the lands within the Teekon Wilds. The best hunters in the whole world were in Moonglow, and the best fighters in Mereo. Duskfire Glacier was home to the best medics. He assumed everyone knew these things.

Well aren't you special. Arashi thought to himself with a quick eye roll after hearing the many "accomplishments" the boy had made.

It was all good and all, but it still didn't excuse the fact that he seemed far too young to be wandering by his lonesome. However, this was to his pack's discretion, so who was he to mouth off about it?

Aren't you somethin'. The hound scoffed briskly, scuffling a heavy paw against the ground.

Look, kid. It's been fun and all.. but I've got places to be. It wasn't necessarily true, but Arashi would do anything at this point to be freed from the chains he was being held with.

Other than a short grunt of farewell, the man would say no more before turning to leave, hoping the boy would say nothing more to prevent his departure.

"I guess," Veteran responded, mistaking the man's sarcastic "aren't you something" for a genuine question. 

The eye-roll was much more straightforward to interpret. The man didn't believe him. He then quickly excused himself with a dismissive sign-off.

Veteran's ruff rose as his defensive anger welled. Who was this random stranger to judge him? He almost called after the man to insist.. well, he didn't one-hundred-percent know what he wanted to insist. That he was worth the man's time, perhaps. But that would make him appear even more childish, wouldn't it?

"Whatever. Asshole." Veteran mumbled, loud enough that the man would hear but quiet enough that he could pretend he hadn't, if he wanted to just keep walking.