Redtail Rise whose woods these are I think I know

Rolled pack roulette for this new character and got RR! @Avicus @Prophet - Mute (not really her name) is voluntarily mute, so she would not howl for attention at a border. I have no idea if it's cool or not that she's just gonna sit there and wait for potentially ever to see if someone shows up lololol. I assume someone would see or smell her when they came to do border patrol...

With a hare clamped tight in her jaws she approached the slopes, and the scent of wolf almost overwhelmed the scent of fresh blood. Now came the tricky part--the part where she waited and did nothing and made no noise and hoped that someone would come to her soon enough. This was a game of patience, one she had not lost yet. She hoped she would not lose it now. She hoped the offering of food would be enough to get her into this pack's good graces... if anyone came at all.

She lay down with the hare between her front paws. Sometimes, in the past, she'd had to wait days.

what the woman lacks in sound, she brings in food.

with seven young mouths to feed, and the caches ever at risk of depletion, Avicus won't quibble over silence—especially given the taciturn nature of so many of her own wolves.

it's good fortune that she's patrolling today, and sees the agouti wolf at the border, hare and all. her hackles raise a bit, but the loner seems to pose no threat. though it is odd that she's made no summons, yet also no move into the territory.

what are her intentions here?

who're you? Avicus queries as she approaches, ruddy tail flagging high and proud behind her.

Questions, questions. Always the bane of her existence. 

She rose to her paws and nudged the hare toward the woman, backing away slightly: Take it.

Noting the woman's raised hackles and tail, she lay down again, making herself as unthreatening as possible, and beat the ground with her own tail: I am friendly.

wordless. not unfamiliar here. Avicus understands the gift and submission immediately, and drags the hare over to the Rise's side of the border, intending on stashing it in a cache once this business is done.

you hunhh', she remarks, observant, not questioning. obviously, the woman hunts. she cocks her head. you fighh'? Avicus continues, then lifts her head and turns to the side, growling, snapping, a pantomime of battle before she resumes her usual cool command.

words aren't necessary. actions are what matter to Avicus.

She had been expecting the question about fighting. She heard the woman's way of speaking and thought nothing of it. She was mute, others were not, some spoke one way, others another. It mattered not.

Sighing--the closest thing to a word or noise she ever made--she rose to her paws again, wondering if the woman wanted a test of strength or skill. Nodding once, clearly, in affirmation, she lowered her body weight, spreading her paws farther apart, tucking her tail against her leg, ears lowered, and waited.

She looked at the woman, then away, then back again, cocking her head in a silent question: A fight? Or no?

submission, again, but a nod in affirmation. another silent question.

Avicus lunges toward the woman's forelegs, teeth snapping—not meant to pierce skin or draw blood, but she did mean to startle the silent wolf off balance.

yes, she ought to test this one's mettle.

whether she cowers before Avicus like Augur had, or fights back like Prophet, will shed much light on the agouti stranger's place here, should she stay.

She was a rock. She had been called a rock her entire life. She gained this nickname because, as the world fell apart around her, as others panicked and fled, she stood and the world beat against her like the ocean against a cliff.

The red woman came for her legs, her heels, and the rock did not flinch. Well. Maybe she flinched, but she did not back away. She let the red woman come, and felt the soft sting of her bite, and when she was close enough, the rock bared her pointy stone teeth and snapped at her head, her face, her muzzle.

Whether her teeth met their target was up to fate, but either way, she had at least proven that she would not run in the face of danger.

if the woman flinched, Avicus couldn't tell. no resistance to her attack—instead, sharp clacks in the air, bursts near her face; the woman baring her teeth and warding her away from her soft underbelly. she feels a catch upon her muzzle, blood blooming, and can't help but bare her fangs in a grin:

impressive.

she tries one more tack, wheeling away and circling, as if she were to take the wolf from behind;

then surging forward, leaping, jaws aimed for the flesh where neck met shoulder, hoping to drag her mock-opponent down thanks to brute strength and the element of surprise in combination.

Being a rock has its downfalls. In this case, literally.

She allowed the red woman to take her down, to pull at the skin between neck and shoulder, and was dragged to the ground. She did not fight it, half because she did not want to, and half to hopefully save herself a worse injury from pulling herself away and tearing skin. She dropped like a stone to the earth, heavily, immediately.

Perhaps this sudden drop and lack of fight would surprise the red woman, throw her off balance. Or perhaps the woman would follow through and hold her fast.

hmmm.

she had expected more fight, but now she finds herself half-atop the woman, holding her down. her brows draw together, puzzled. will she fight back? is this some sort of ruse?

slowly, Avicus releases her scruff and backs away, tail high and thrashing through the air.

dominant, but curious.

what will the stranger do next?

her interest is already piqued. and they can't afford to turn away a strong hunter. but she still waits to see.

She waited.

The red woman released her slowly, and without looking, she could feel the alpha’s tense body hovering right near her.

She made to get up slowly, cautiously, releasing a sigh, as if tired. She rose halfway to her paws, turning to look at the red woman behind her, her body half-turned around toward her—

And lunged for her legs.

the attack comes unexpected.

like a bowling ball toward a set of pins, the woman barrels into her legs, and she tumbles down.

she snaps at whatever soft bits she can find, but she's too pleased to put her best effort into it. her pups need protecting, and this wolf will undoubtedly serve the rise.

crouched in the dust, Avicus heaves up and shoves the newcomer forward, into the territory.

go, she commands. eahh'. 'hhleep. you have a home here.

unless wordless woman were to challenge her further.

that would, certainly, throw a wrinkle into things.

The fight was over quickly after that, and the woman let herself be pushed forward, past the border.

She turned back toward the alpha with a single long nod that was also a bow, then went on her way, a slight wag to her tail.

[Exit]