The Sentinels Meeting in Moonlight

Heph had only managed to map out a small area of the forest before her fortuitous meeting with Rhaegal and yet the evidence of death interspersed with the new growth and those old trees still standing strong created a landscape not often seen and she let her gaze and senses sweep over the landscape. She set an easy pace, a light trot so that she could see everything but still be assured of covering a large enough area. Moontide felt so close to forming and yet still so far away and she was beginning to feel that itch to go and visit other packs, speak to Rodyn about what Moontide could promise and she could offer and see more of the world. But she wanted to see the pack settled more than she wished to to see more of the horizon.


@Omnium

It had been mere days since Omnium had taken the first faithful step south of his homelands. They had stuck close to the familiar coast as they slowly trotted their way further and further down. The change in elevation was a bit of a temperature shock as Omnium found himself panting more and more as the days went on, and the heavy coat of fur that had once kept him warm in the cold temperatures was more of a burden in this new climate. They had finally stopped to rest through the night in a thick forest of trees where he could still scent the salt on the air when he opened his maw. He had left Creed in a pale tangle of limbs and set out in search of a sky where trees did not block his eyes from the pale blue. Omnium soon found himself nearing a cliff where he could hear the distant sound of the waves crashing against a cliff, but he did scent something other than the salty air as he continued on his quest. A canine much like himself.

@Heph

Heph noted the approach of the other wolf. He was larger than her, light brown and red and a rich tan to her black and white. But he seemed worn down by the warmth of sea compared to the coolness of the brisk spring air and even the night appeared to do little to help. They were near Moontide territory, just outside the forest but not quite at the Plateau. She turned her head towards him and grinned wide beneath the moonlight "Meeting someone as stunning as you beneath the moonlight - which one of us is the damsel and which the shining knight?" There was a faint laughter in her voice as she spoke, so little intent behind the words but curious nonetheless. He was, after all, very close to Moontide's borders handsome though he was. But her body retained none of that tension, her tail hung loosely behind her, there was no need to assert anything at that moment.

Omnium laid eyes upon the wolf as she spoke to him. A crisp black, white, and grey coat stood out starkly against the greenery that was her backdrop. The coat did very little to serve her here, but the stranger would have faired better than him in his homelands. He was calm and collected as he scented the air to determine if she was alone; he let the silence fill the air between them for a few moments. Omnium smelled the familiar scent of a reinforced border close by, but it was nothing that brought him concern. Finally, his yellow eyes met hers with a calm collectedness. Perhaps you are both damsel and knight, stranger. I do not dance with silver tongues, nor do I shine with armor. Omnium let a hint of annoyance lace his words as they left his mouth. He had little patience for conversations he felt led to nowhere especially after a long day of travel when he was trying to find his bearings.

Heph took his irritation in a stride, she had no desire to provoke war but this wolf's face said annoyed not violent. So she responded with a  laugh, she was certainly willing to play both parts though lacked the gallantry often associated with knighthood. All of that was neither here nor there and she watched him scent the air. Perhaps he would detect the beginnings of a pack scent on her or perhaps not, if he was better acquainted with their surroundings than he appeared he might even tie it to the territory behind her. But she was not trying to invoke fear or authority even if some of her approach was motivated by her pack. "Well if you don't dance do you perchance prefer some more pleasurable pursuits?" She gave an exaggerated bat of her eyelids and flick of her tail but the chortles which suffused her speech spoke to how serious she was - or was not in any case. It was a gentle query as much of a game as a tactic.

Omnium gave the female a raised eyebrow as she laced her words with charm, but he would be lying if he didn't find it slightly comical she kept up the antics after his apparent distaste for them. His face was a shroud that displayed none of his thoughts as he silently studied her after she spoke. His tail shifted from a confident straight-out position Perhaps he could find some use for her after all. She seemed familiar with her surroundings to the extent that he could quiz her on his location, and if things went awry, he could easily make his way back to Creed and hold a better chance together. He shifted his weight and moved to a sitting position a few paces from the dark stranger. Omnium was close enough to speak, but he kept far enough away he couldn't be reached without a few paces to react. Perhaps I could find a pleasant conversation. What is this land called? Where are we? He came off serious with little room for humor in his tone. Perhaps this stranger could assist him in his journey south. The siblings still had little clue where they were located after traveling for so long.

Heph considered the other wolf and his questions. It seemed he wished to mine her for information, she had been on the other side of such queries often enough and found the position amusing. But she had also been a stranger in these lands not too long ago and so she was more than happy to answer. Her tail wagged a bit and she kept the distance between them, content with it, as she replied. Her voice was upbeat but lacked the overt suggestion from earlier. "The broader area is called the Teekon Wilds." Looking around she motioned behind her and and added "The plateau is named Ocean's Breath Plateau and home to a new pack called Moontide," and then behind the stranger "to the east the Sentinels, a forest." Besides east and west the only real place n the wilds to go was south so she also added "To the south there is a large expanse of territories, some of which I have visited and many I have not. Directly south of here is a deep forest." Her playful words returned and she could not resist what she found to be the pleasant conversation "What are you looking for? Another pretty face?" Wolves went on all sorts of journeys and Heph usually travelled for the joy of seeing new places so while she might seek information about new places to visit she rarely had any sort of agenda. While that might change with the formation of the pack she hoped to call home she hoped that the movement would not stop wholly. She might return to some places or seek out packs where she could, but that would come later and she trusted Rodyn and Samani would listen to her if she told them she wished to wander farther afield to seek allies.

Omnium watched her as she spoke. He took note of her body language, and he was particularly observing her tail as it went from wagging to still as she rambled on. He found himself calming the bundle of nerves as he spent some time in this talkative strangers presence. A newly formed pack held less of a threat than most established ones. They were more likely to be looking for wolves to fill their ranks. Omnium began to feel he had little to fear from her, so he allowed himself to give away a few details of their destination. If it were only that easy. North of these lands has not been kind to me, so I am searching for a new land to call home. Hopefully without a pack already settled there. He spoke the last sentence nonchalantly, but he made sure to mention it. Omnium made sure to leave out that he was traveling with his sister. Between Creed and himself, he already felt he was burdened enough by others, and if there was one thing he despised, it was putting up with those who refused to pull their weight. They had done just fine on their own thus far, and Omnium was going to keep it that way. His tail lashed behind him as he stood and once again began to scent the air for the sea salt that had drawn him here. Perhaps you could show me the way to a shore line that would not impede on Moontide. I would prefer to not ruffle any fur with my presence, and perhaps I could feast my eyes with a view that rivals that of your pretty face, damsel. His yellow eyes met hers, but his face left much to be desired if the statement was a compliment or a jab.

Heph listened to his words. It sounded more like he wished to settle down, simply not in a pack. That was fine by her, although she felt that it would be difficult to point him in the right direction without knowing what he was looking for. At any rate her own exploration of the wilds had yielded more than enough land for him to settle in so she simply shrugged her shoulders and answered easily. "Well there's plenty of land like that you'll have your pick stranger." They were near enough the coast and Moontide itself did not have a coastline just a view of it from their territory. She knew there might be or have been a pack east of them, but she was not sure and at any rate he was free to wander either way. "You're near on it - you can go west down the coast to the cliffs, there's a bay and tidepools and a grove that way, or East, another bay and some islands I haven't been to. The scent markers should be hard to miss as long as you stay to the north of them on the cliffs you'll be clear of pack lands." Laughing a bit she added, shaking her pelt and beginning to go the way of the coastline that he requested. "Either way I'm sure you'll find views to rival my own good looks, but if I'm showing you the way I think you'd made a better damsel than I." Her steps set out a moderate pace, unsure of if he truly wished her to show the way or if he would make his own way after hearing her description.

Omnium shook the mulch from his long pelt before he began to follow after the female at a slower pace to give her a comfortable amount of space. He almost found himself smiling at the damsel comment. Almost. He had a keen ability for direction, so he knew he had already traversed what she referred to in the East. The island had been particularly fascinating as the two had followed the coast line. As far as he could remember, it was the first time he had ever seen one rather than hearing tales of it as a pup. They had strayed from the coast since seeing that island to discover what lied beyond, and Omnium wanted to lay his eyes on it once more to determine if he should continue following the coast or traverse further South. Perhaps I would, but where is the fun in that? A wolf who roams these lands would surely know more than I when it comes to traversing them. It seems that assumption is correct given you seem to know what you speak of. Omnium continued to follow her at the pace she set. His eyes were drawn ahead of them as he calculated his steps to ensure they were sure footed and confident in the unfamiliar terrain.

Heph laughed, that was fair. While she almost always enjoyed company on her travels she rarely needed or even sought out her own guide, more than enthusiastic enough to explore herself. But she could appreciate those who did not make a life out of wandering wishing to have someone who knew the lay of the land to tell them where danger was likely to be lurking and where the best passageways were. "Well I'm a bit of an explorer so I'm just as surefooted here as I am somewhere I haven't seen before. Maybe I'm just pulling your leg." There was a teasing lilt to her tone at that last sentence, but it was not serious. Maybe close friends she would be willing to pull a small prank or two, but for those less familiar with her and her ways she found it to be more mean-spirited than anything most of the time.

Her voice turned a little bit more even, that hint of laughter only barely behind it. She heard the tell-tale slap of the waves against the shore to tell her she had led them true, and that they were near. It was reassuring to know she had judged the distance correctly, it spoke to her familiarity of the area she hoped to call home for many years to come. "If I was trying to though I'd say I made a pretty good guess. We'll be up to the water soon, it'll be high but the tide should be going out." She noted the last matter of factly, she might get out of sync with the tides if she left, but since she had lingered she was more than familiar enough with them to know at what stage they would be. While she was not sure what he wished to do she would hate to have to go fishing for a wolf if the high waters pulled him out.

Omnium's yellow eyes settled on the side of her face as she teased. It took him just a moment to decipher the lilt and drift back into the calmness he had been experiencing in their journey beforehand. If this stranger was indeed pulling his leg, he felt little concern in the predicament. She had done nothing to concern him thus far, so he even found the conversation slightly enjoyable. Not that he would admit it, but it was nice to speak to a wolf aside from his sister. 

His ears perked at the sound of the water, and the increase of the salt on the wind gave him the hint before she spoke up. Omnium sped up to where he was now shoulder to shoulder with her. He was a little surprised at the discovery that she was a bit smaller than Creed was. Perhaps it was the big personality that made her seem larger to Omnium. He bypassed her quickly enough to be the first to lay eyes upon a familiar sight of the ocean. The clear sky amplified the calm waves as the mulch turned to sand on the shoreline. He trotted just to the edge of the surf, allowing the foaming water to lap at his front paws. Just as he had suspected, he could see the shoreline evening out. Omnium and Creed would leave the shore now and head South inland as they had planned. He looked back to the black and white stranger. It dawned on him that Creed was most likely awake by now, and he didn't want to keep her waiting for much longer. Thank you for your assistance, but I should be returning to my journey soon. Perhaps might I know my saviors name?

Heph grinned, she was glad that the initial irritation had faded away to some sense of humor. While she would not change much for anyone she always appreciated when those around her played along with her games. "Anytime for good company like you." There was a wink accompanied by her words but she had genuinely enjoyed the time spent. Though she no longer lacked for wolves to share her time with now that she was part of a pack she still would take the time to meet new faces and share words in those brief flashes of contact that brightened her days and nights.

Realizing she had not introduced herself she let out a short chuckle at her own manners before answering honestly, tone genuine and wide. "My name is Heph, if you call at Moontide's borders we trade in furs and meat and sometimes more depending on what is needed and if I'm not off being a vagabond I'll likely be there." While she could not invite him within their lands she felt confident that Moontide would be willing to meet traders who respected their boundaries, or hoped so anyways so that she could avoid an earful from Samani or Rodyn or whatever else they decided.

She also did not know his name was found herself curious. "Might I know your moniker as well?" Her tone was light and moved upwards to indicate the question but lacked the force behind it to make it anything more than a question. The air of moonlight and darkness before the sunrise gave the entire meeting a mystique that she was willing to ruin for her own curiosity but would not be sad to see maintained.

Omnium looked upon the smaller black and white female before him. While it was tempting to give away information, his mind drifted from it. If she was a vagabond much like himself, he felt sure he would meet her again. The world was only so small, after all. He focused yellow eyes back in on her face as the dawn streamed colorful light from the east onto Heph. A name that he was not soon to forget. One traveler knows another, Heph. We will meet again, but perhaps keeping my true name from you might help you remember me. Omnium slowly broke into a wry smile. His own personal way of getting under others skin was merely with a silver tongue.

Perhaps I will fulfill the call to be your knight one day, but you can call me by that name until that day comes. Until our next meeting, where I hope to be able to show you the way. He bid her politely before he took off down the coast. His trotting steps throwing up little puffs of sand in his wake. He knew Creed would likely be irate at the absence of his presence for so long. She was surely awake by now, and the thought of her pettiness kept his pace brisk.