Redtail Rise Mama Leone left a note on the door

working toward guardian specialty

In a matter of weeks, the environment had changed. Given the fact it was Lilia's first Spring (as she couldn't remember the first few months of her life) she was surprised by just how stimulating her patrols became, now that the plants changed with every tour. The leaved grew bigger, casting more and more shade in the forested areas, and the grass grew longer where it was open. Flowers sprouted here and there, teasing her with buds that remained shut until just the right moment when they would burst open. Unusual looking flowers like jack-in-the-pulpit opened in the shaded, wet lowlands, and she wondered if they might be toxic. 

Best not to check.

The border patrols had been uneventful lately, though she didn't think that that would last forever. Hungry to prove herself, Lilia found the lack of excitement a bit tedious. When the scent of a fox nearby was the only thing that could pose any threat whatsoever, she sighed. It was for the best that things were calm; but she did wish something would help her pass the time by a bit more as she ranged, leaving markings along the way.

The fact that other wolves inhabited this space did little to dissuade Glawackus, who had always been described as headstrong, and even if that meant stupid he liked to think it meant brave. Who else was willing to take the more dangerous risks? No risk, no reward - that's what he believed! If you didn't fight for something, what was the point?

These were the thoughts that kept him motivated as he wove across the obvious border. He'd come this way because he could smell others; the chances of finding a quick meal were higher when other wolves were around, even if it meant pilfering a cache. He could get in and out quickly - again, that was his bravery talking. 

There was someone else here, too. He'd watched them from down-wind until the coast was clear, and then cut across. He was quick but not subtle, and was focused on a patch of freshly scraped dirt he'd assessed as a decent target.

Lilia’s focus did not stray from her task. She roved like a hungry animal, from scent marking to scent marking, leaving more behind. And every now and again, she paused to assess the area, turning when a scent crossed the wind or a sound snagged her attention. And on one such occasion, she heard the rushed pattering of footpads. While she could not see them, or smell them, she chose to circle back to investigate.

Only a moment later, she caught his scent, and realized with a snarl that the male was a complete stranger. She looked up just in time to see him veer out of sight, but leapt into action immediately. 

She was swift in her movements-aiming to close the distance between them and once he came into sight, she looked a vicious snarl, and doubled her pace.

There wasn't much time, he knew that. Well-versed in this sort of dash attack, Glawackus hoped to use the shadows, the angles of the trees, and his own tenacious sort of speed to get to his destination before the stranger could double-back; the fault in that logic was obvious enough though: this was their home, not his. No matter how many days he'd spent sulking along the fringes, he wouldn't have the upper hand.

Plus, there were multiple patches that smelled stronger, or looked more freshly disturbed, so it was difficult during the spur-of-the-moment vault across the border to focus on his target. There were so many smells! But he chose a path that looked well-worn, finding his way to a reeking corner of dirt among some roots, and hastily scraped the dirt there.

Just as a rabbit's crooked hind leg came free, and he grabbed for it, the stalking shadow that was the guardian came through the copse and the two wolves locked eyes. He tugged, and the rabbit's bones cracked but did not budge, and hastily he tried again with a stoop to his posture, trying to keep himself away from her without letting go of the prize.

All in all, it hadn't been a worthwhile endeavor.

She caught glimpses of the wolf as he sprinted into the pack’s claimed territory, though every now and again, she lost visual on him and had to drop her head to rely on scent alone. She grumbled and growled to herself, thinking surely this was a targeted attack. Was this an associate of the wolf they’d hunted months ago? Was it one of the pack members come back to seek out vulnerable children?

She hastened her step, and caught sight of him as he partially unearthed a meal. She didn’t t see fear in his eyes, only an obstinate hunger as he pulled on the dirty scrap of food. Hardly something worth the punishment she planned to inflict. 

She made a beeline for him, head snaking low and jaws snapping. For such a trespass, she wanted not only to chase him out, but to ruin him as well so he might never attempt such a slight again.

He did not want to give up what paltry thing he'd unearthed, even though instinct told him that he was in danger - and well, so did his other senses. The stomping of feet caught in his ears along with the snarl of the girl; he watched her advance and tugged, and tugged, and tugged, in a frenzy trying to pull up the rabbit from the earth or somehow disarticulate enough of it to result in a payoff. It wouldn't be a good trade if Glawackus lost blood or hide for a spindly leg - or for nothing at all!

She snaked for his face and he bared his fangs around the rabbit's foot, bit down hard enough to crack a tooth of his own, and pulled, dropping his hips and using the leverage of his whole body to pull. This time something did pop, and backwards flew Glawackus! He stumbled off-kilter in to a shrub, earning some contusions which he would remain oblivious to until he'd had a chance to wash and find the tender spots later.

A laugh pulled out of him — more out of desperation and panic than mockery, although it held the screeching quality of a hyena all the same — as he tried to keep his distance with the rabbit's leg jutting stick-like from his smile. Glawackus had been so focused on getting in, getting out as fast as he could, he hadn't planned precisely what route he'd take — so when he bolted again, the girl's snapping teeth drove him deeper in to the claimed lands by mistake.

it was an unfortunate move on the part of the stranger.

with the absence of bobcat, augur traversed more around his densite and that of red woman, keeping on high alert.

the newcomer blundered.

the huntleader caught first the interloper's scent, then that of wolverine. he went to meet them immediately, a bristling mass of heavy muscle and heavy jaws as he ran headlong toward she and the trespassing individual.

Just when she thought she had him, the man was bowled over backwards when he finally managed to haul the cached rabbit out of the ground. His laughter egged her on, but chilled her as well. Madness, she thought- but she knew so little of the lethal disease to have suspected that perhaps he might’ve been carrying it. 

Madness could exist in a perfectly healthy body, too.

She whipped after him, loosing raucous barks to alert any others in the area to the situation. And as of on cue, Augur came bounding toward them, bursting through the shrubs as a bison might plough through heavy drifts of snow. Lilia took advantage of the surprise and made a grab for the thief’s flank, aiming to fetch his step so they could descend upon him.

Thinking he might narrowly escape after all, Glawackus was filled with more than adrenaline, but something akin to mad hope; until the baying of the shadow brought forth another contender, this one large and pale and gunning for him.

Glawackus twisted and bent but could not move quickly enough to offset the boarish charge of the man, and so in swift succession he was knocked off-balance; the man colliding with his hip and reaching to snap at him, either to hold him or to draw blood and take a pound of flesh for his transgression - he only knew he had to escape.

With the giant beside him and the shadow closing in fast, Glawackus had to make a snap decision - to save his hide he'd have to try throwing the rabbit as a diversion. The rabbit being his prize, and the reason for him to delve across the dangerous invisible line to begin with, he was loath to entertain the thought — but at the same time, he had to try something before they could sink their many teeth in to him.

So he did the unthinkable: throwing the rabbit hard, sideways, in the face of the girl as he spun to snap defensively at the pale shape of the man, weaving back and trying to find his footing so he could put distance between himself and them, and hopefully fly free across the rocky terrain!

in retaliation, augur's own teeth clacked and slashed.

the stranger had put a small distance between he and the redtail wolves.

the hunt-leader was not in a merciful mood today. hackles flared, he gave chase, reaching to tear the straining flank if he got close enough.

let the young one run: with wounds. he knew wolverine would follow.

Just as she expected, the trespasser realized just how much trouble he was in once another wolf showed up. When the rabbit's haunch was tossed at her face she smartly caught it, snapping it out of the air with a clack of her teeth hard enough to split it in two, and she then let the pieces fall. She never let her gaze drop from him. 

With the taste of blood on her teeth, she bared them and bolted after the trespasser, leaving only a few feet of space between herself and Augur so that they might flank him at any misstep, and harass him until he was well away from their borders.

He knew when to opt-out of his venture, and plunged through the greenery in a bid for freedom. The dark wolf was on his heel with hasty snaps, more agile than the bulwark that was the pale-coated wolf, but either way Glawackus was harassed until he was well out of range. It had not been a smart move on his part to seek food within claimed lands — but it wouldn't be his last attempt either.

Exit!

the stranger had been chased away.

augur stopped beyond the borders of the rise, hackles a cutting spike from shoulder to tail. a howl followed at the heels of the trespasser: what he had done, his appearance, his age.

all conveyed to those of augur's pack.

he would not leave the border for some time, inviting wolverine to patrol the far side of it. the cache must be moved, augur felt. and the bird was carrion, insofar as he was concerned.

the yellow eyes were hard.

The angry girl chased the offending wolf until he'd crossed out into the plains, where he could really stretch out and open up a gap between them. There, she huffed, flicking an ear back to hear Augur's howl, informing the rest of the pack that there had been a trespasser. Kicking a bit of dirt in the direction of the plains with her heels, she spat, and mumbled all the way back to the Rise, where she sought out Augur once again. 

They roamed in silence for a time, before Lilia growled. "'F he evuh cometh back, I'm gonna tear him a new one." She huffed, and felt a little bit better after getting that out. She was still enraged that the wolf had been almost proud that he'd managed to sneak a snack from the earth- that sort of arrogance was dangerous. 

She had good reason to suspect he would come around again- and when he did, she would show no mercy.

last post for me :3