Redhawk Caldera I spin, colliding into sound

Snow fell overnight, dusting the caldera and the surrounding wilderness. When Peregrine woke, he yawned luxuriously and took his time stretching before he rose and padded from the den into the cold mountain air. He shook out his jet black pelt, then smiled lightly as he looked around at his pale, sparkling surroundings. He turned to coax his wife out to see it, then saw her peacefully sleeping face and decided not to disturb her.

Instead, the Alpha male began to walk toward the lake shore. When he reached it, he saw that a thin skin of ice had formed over the deep blue water. He broke through it to drink, then began to stroll around the water's edge, taking deep breaths of the wintry air. He caught a scent and realized that @Elwood must be nearby, so he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of his Delta.

Elwood woke in the early morning hours to see snow falling all around him. He emerged from his den into the darkness -- the sun hadn't even risen yet -- and stood with his face tilted to the sky, letting the snowflakes become embedded in his fur. It was frigid and refreshing, and he knew he wouldn't be going back to sleep.

As the morning crept on, he found himself near the caldera. He had only been to the top of the territory once before, at Fox's pumpkin patch party, and he was curious to explore the area more. He was making his way around the lake, his paws crunching in the dry, crisp snow, when he spotted a dark figure nearby. The Delta quickly identified Peregrine, and picked up his pace, trotting towards him. "Good morning, Peregrine," he said, slowing as he reached the larger male.

The gray wolf appeared and moved closer, eliciting a smile and wagging tail from Peregrine. "Good morning. I was hoping I'd find you," he said without preamble. "I haven't gotten a chance to really sit down and get to know you since bringing you back here. Wanna fetch some breakfast with me? We can either catch something fresh or pick up something from a cache. The choice is yours."

The Alpha wasted no time in explaining himself to his subordinate, and Elwood listened with a tilted head and pricked ears. Peregrine proposed that they have breakfast together in order to get to know each other. Almost as if on cue, Elwood's stomach gave a soft rumble, and he affirmed his hunger with a nod of his head.

"That sounds great," he said, then added, "I've been working on sharpening my hunting skills for the gamekeeper trade. If you're up for it, we can catch something fresh." He wanted to earn a trade soon, before the season grew too cold and it became more difficult for him to prove himself. Hunting with the Alpha male could potentially be nerve-wracking, but he was sure that Peregrine would know the best locations for prey.

Elwood's stomach answered for him, causing the Alpha's lips to twitch at the corners. Although he would have been happy to eat cold leftovers, he was secretly pleased when the Delta went for the slightly more challenging option. It gave him an idea of his subordinate's constitution. When he mentioned pursuing the Gamekeeper trade actively, the Alpha's eyes glowed with jade fire.

"Awesome to hear. I'm the only Gamekeeper presently and I'd love to see more who officially take up the trade," he purled approvingly. "Well, let's get to it. I'll let you take point. I'll be your overgrown shadow," he quipped, motioning for the pewter male to take the lead and start tracking.

Elwood was glad to receive Peregrine's approval, and excitement began to flow through his veins as the larger wolf encouraged him to take the lead in their hunt. Though Peregrine was likely more experienced, it would give him an opportunity to prove himself as well as receive some advice from the master. He nodded his head as Peregrine motioned him forward, and stepped up to the proverbial plate.

He wasn't sure what sort of prey animals they would come across at the top of the caldera, having never hunted there before, but Elwood pressed his nose to the ground and began to track across the frozen surface. Slowly, he moved around the edge of the lake, moving in arcs so as to cover as much ground as possible. After only a few minutes of searching, he found the trail of a fox; the perfect size (not too big, yet not too small), but such a crafty mammal could make his hunt difficult.

For a split second, he considered whether or not he wanted to attempt to hunt the fox, and then, in a very un-Elwood-like move, he decided to throw caution to the wind. He looked over his shoulder at Peregrine and whispered, "Fox." He then accelerated, letting his nose and his paws guide him.

He followed the scent right to a gathering of shrubbery set back from the water. There was a rustling of leaves, and then the vulpine shot out from its hiding place, its black paws skimming over the frosty snow. Elwood took off after it, keeping his body slung low to the ground as his feet dug into the frigid earth. He churned up snow and dirt behind him, not taking the time to notice if Peregrine was following him; he simply focused on closing the gap between himself and the fox. It did not give up easily, and he was forced to chase it across the unfamiliar territory. He nearly lost it when he slipped on an unsuspecting patch of ice, but quickly regained his footing and bore down on his prey.

With a final burst of speed, he was nearly on top of the fox, trampling and disorienting it. It tumbled head over heels and Elwood's teeth found purchase on its spine, exerting enough force to snap the bones and leave the smaller animal limp on the ground in front of him.

The Alpha trotted in his subordinate's wake, not bothering with keeping an eye, ear or nose out for prey. Rather, he kept his attention focused on Elwood, inwardly critiquing his methods. He would, of course, share his feedback with the male once they were done. For now, he maintained his silence so as not to disturb Elwood's efforts.

When the male proclaimed, "Fox," Peregrine blinked, eyes scanning the winter wonderland for his mate. Then he realized his mistake and laughed at himself. He bobbed his head to Elwood, encouraging him to give pursuit. Although his mate couldn't bring herself to kill foxes—and even though he'd sort of made friends with one himself recently—Peregrine didn't hesitate. Any fox this far up the mount was fair game, including his little "friend" (whose name he'd never actually gotten).

When Elwood managed to roust the fox from its hiding spot, Peregrine came to a stop and observed. When the Delta's chase carried him further away, the Alpha loped after him, keeping tabs on the hunt in progress. He was a little relieved to note that this wasn't his fox, though even as that thought crossed his mind, the black wolf felt silly for thinking it.

The Delta dispatched the vulpine at length and Peregrine kicked his heels and sped up to join the other wolf. "Good work," he congratulated Elwood. "Take your share, then I'll take mine and we can store the rest," he invited, taking a seat. While they breakfasted, he could give Elwood some tips and pointers.

Only after his prey was deceased did Elwood look back at Peregrine. To be honest, he had nearly forgotten that the Alpha was behind him; Peregrine had been so quiet and observant that it was easy to feel as though he was hunting alone. He reclined onto his haunches as the darker male approached, searching his face for approval. Peregrine promptly praised him, and the younger wolf couldn't keep a large grin from appearing on his face.

"Thanks," he said, bowing his head slightly. He then lowered his neck even further, using one paw to steady the carcass as he tore off a share with his teeth. It wasn't a very plump fox, so it wouldn't be a hearty meal for the two males, but Elwood was proud of it nonetheless. Had he made friends with a fox, as Peregrine had, he might have thought twice before pursuing it, but for now he simply thought of it as an opportunity taken advantage of.

He made quick work of his portion of the fox, then sat back to allow Peregrine to finish his breakfast. He then got to his feet, prepared to take the carcass in his mouth in order to carry it to the storage location. "Are there any caches near here?" he asked. Over the past week or so, he had been trying to acquaint himself with the territory as a whole, as well as the packs' communal caches, but hadn't yet had a chance to explore the top of the caldera.

Between bites, Peregrine offered Elwood some constructive criticism. Soon enough, though, they had both polished off their shares and it was time to seek out a stockpile to store the rest. Elwood queried about the closest one and Peregrine glanced over his shoulder. He had just started one near the den he shared with Fox and, geographically speaking, it was the closest. However, Peregrine sensed that his mate would not appreciate finding her dead namesake in their private cache. He would redirect Elwood to the second nearest.

"This way," the Alpha said, leading Elwood around the water's edge until they reached a burrow dug into the sloping shore. It looked like some sort of drainage ditch, though of course it was not man-made. More likely, it was an old badger's den... or even the home of the dead fox's predecessors. It had since been cleared out and fashioned into a meat locker.

There you go, the Alpha's eyes said as he pointed at the storage with his black muzzle, the tip of his tail waving slightly as he waited for Elwood to make his deposit.

The aspiring gamekeeper listened attentively as Peregrine gave him a few pointers, storing away the advice in his mind for later access. He was a humble wolf -- perhaps too much so, at times, as he didn't give himself enough credit -- and was glad to receive the constructive criticism. He thought briefly of his sister, who would have been annoyed by Peregrine's helpful tips, but quickly shoved Avery into the back of his mind.

He collected the remnants of their meal and followed the Alpha to a nearby cache. During their brief walk, he refrained from talking, as his mouth was full of warm meat and fur. But once he had deposited the carcass in the burrow and carefully covered it, he backpedaled and turned to face Peregrine. "Thanks for that," he said, then after a brief pause, he added, "and thanks for giving me a place to stay. I'm really liking it here, and I hope I can be a help this winter." He smiled, a genuine expression of his feelings toward the caldera.

"Of course," Peregrine answered. "You are doing well to earn your keep," he added with a smile. "But remind me where your talents lie, aside from hunting? What other trades might you pursue? And, for that matter, would you care to tell me more about yourself? I know you came here looking for Avery... but what was your last pack like? Do you think you'll go back there?" he asked, taking a seat and looking at Elwood speculatively.

OOC: This gives me a chance to develop Elwood's history/feelings a bit. :)

IC: In his brief time with the caldera, Elwood had been focusing on earning the gamekeeper trade. But when Peregrine asked him what other skills he might pursue, he tilted his head thoughtfully to one side. He hadn't considered it much yet, but he took a moment to do just that. "I think naturalist would complement gamekeeper. It would be something I would have to work on quite a bit, since I don't know a lot now, but I'm sure I could pick up on the skills quickly. And maybe warden," he said, thinking back to the incident on the borders with the cougar. "Amon and I actually patrolled the border recently, where the cougar attacked Fox," he added.

As for his family and his intentions, this was a more complicated question. Though he liked the pack and was becoming acquainted with its members and territory, he still felt a responsibility to Avery. And he didn't want to say the wrong thing in front of his Alpha. "My pack was essentially just my immediate family...a few aunts and uncles and cousins, but there weren't many of us. My name, actually, is a family tradition -- my dad and my grandfather are both named Elwood," he began. Explaining the source of his name gave quite a bit of insight into the pack's traditional ways. "I...don't know yet if I'll go back there. I feel like I should keep looking for Avery after winter is over, but my parents don't necessarily expect me back. We're all very close, but they were never stifling; once the juveniles are of age, they are given the choice to leave or to stay." He had older siblings who had gone, and he thought of them now. With a sigh, he concluded, "Avery just left in such a huff. I'm not sure what she was even mad about. I felt like I needed to help her, so I followed her, but...I guess if she wanted to go back, she would." He had, perhaps, given Peregrine more than he had bargained for, but in doing so, he was starting to realize that it was time to let Avery go.

:)

Peregrine didn't know much about Naturalists himself but that didn't mean having one around wouldn't be helpful. As for Warden, he naturally approved of that. "I think you're right about Naturalist, though I urge you to pick up Warden first and foremost. We could always use more guardians. I'm a master Warden myself and would be happy to help if you need any defensive training."

Elwood indulged Peregrine's wish for some background information. The naming tradition reminded him of the nomenclature in his own family, as well as Fox's. They would be starting (and continuing) their own naming legacy soon, a thought which never failed to shoot a bolt of excitement through his bloodstream.

"I'll tell you up front that I hope that you will either change your mind or that, by some miracle, Avery finds you. You've only been here a few weeks and already I know you're going to be a huge asset to the caldera. I understand if you end up leaving—it's not like you kept your intentions a secret—but I hope you decide to make this a more permanent home in the end," the Alpha male confessed, hoping that just by telling Elwood this, it might convince him to stick around longer.

"Is there anything you'd like to know about me?" he queried, wanting to make it clear that the questioning could definitely go both ways. Just as much as he wanted to get to know his pack mates intimately, he wanted them to know him.

When Peregrine suggested that he pursue the warden trade first, Elwood nodded eagerly. He hadn't yet begun to plan beyond becoming a gamekeeper, but it made sense that the Alpha would prefer a warden over a naturalist; the safety of the pack and its territory were, of course, important to him. And, as an added bonus, Peregrine was already a warden himself, so he would be able to help Elwood with that as well. "I'll keep that in mind," he promised, making a mental note to begin brushing up on his patrolling once he was an official gamekeeper.

He smiled as the swarthy male expressed his desire for him to stay with the pack. He, too, hoped that Avery would find him, instead of the other way around, but he wasn't going to hold his breath. With each passing day, especially now that he had a place to call home, he was beginning to think that Avery didn't want to be found. As far as he knew, she could have even found herself a place in a pack like he had; she could be starting a new life at this very moment. "We'll see what happens," he said amiably, happy that Peregrine considered him an asset but also recognized that his circumstances could change.

"How long have you been here at the caldera? What made you and Fox want to settle here?" he asked after a moment of consideration; what did he want to know about Peregrine? Those were probably his top questions at the moment, considering that the Teekon Wilds were expansive and full of various territories and packs. He didn't yet know the extent of Peregrine's history with Blacktail Deer Plateau.

Elwood took him up on his offer to answer some questions about himself, starting with his longevity at the caldera and his reason for being here in the first place. The Alpha's tail tapped the ground thoughtfully as he tried to think on how long they had been here. It felt like forever but it had really only been a month or two (although that's like an entire year in doggy years!).

"We came here toward the beginning of autumn. Fox and I actually led a pack called Blacktail Deer Plateau and several of my loved ones—my sister and my children, for instance—still live there. She moved there to be with me and never felt at home, so we went searching for a new place to call home. The caldera chose us rather than the other way around. Fox took a fall and couldn't go anywhere, so we settled here. It's turned out for the best, though, hasn't it?"

Because he anticipated some subsequent questions, Peregrine added, "I had a mate before Fox. Her name was Hawkeye. I had two girls with her. We also adopted my late niece's kids. Hawkeye stepped down not long after they were born in the spring of last year. I ruled in her stead. I was actually Alpha there for the better part of a year. I never thought I would leave, either, but... Fox is more important to me than a piece of land. We did this for each other and for our kids. We want them to have the best possible chance at a happy, healthy future."

There were a lot of details missing from the tale; it was a very basic summary, really, but hopefully it gave Elwood some insights about the pack's history and the constitution of its leaders.

OOC: I wasn't sure if El would have heard about the tension between RHC and BDP...so let me know if you think he should know instead of asking about it and I'll edit my post. :)

IC: Elwood listened as Peregrine spun the tale of Redhawk Caldera, beginning with the fact that he had once been leader of Blacktail Deer Plateau. He and Fox had decided to break away and found their own pack, as Fox had never felt comfortable with Peregrine's former pack. It turned out that they chose the dormant volcano as the site of their new pack after Fox sustained an injury and was unable to travel, a fact which didn't exactly surprise Elwood -- so far, in his experience with the Alpha female, she seemed to be a bit accident prone.

As it turned out, Peregrine still had a handful of family members and friends who lived at the plateau, but in spite of that he and Fox had made the decision to move. It was what they deemed to be best for each other and for their relationship at the time, and Elwood nodded his understanding. He couldn't help but smile as Peregrine pledged that he wanted to give his future offspring the best life that he could. "I think it's great that you and Fox followed your hearts and your instincts," he said; though he didn't know it, his outsider's perspective could potentially be refreshing to Peregrine, who had been under a microscope as of late. "And you're on good terms with the plateau?" he inquired.

This works jusss fine!

Peregrine gave a small smile of thanks when Elwood gave his blessing to the pair's decision. It did mean a lot to him that his wolves saw the value in relocating. It was refreshing to have a largely outside perspective. But, of course, Elwood wasn't to remain in the dark for long. The Alpha male bit back a sigh at the inevitable question. He didn't hold it against the Delta whatsoever, though it did make his lips fall into a grim line.

"No, actually. Not everyone there agreed with our decision. I did try to mend the bridges we burned by leaving but... as I've recently found out, some there still don't want anything to do with us despite that. I've actually been asked not to set foot near the plateau. We all have, though at least it doesn't affect most of you guys much."

He rolled his shoulders and glanced thoughtfully into the distance before refocusing and managing another smile for Elwood. "We don't need them, though. We'll be okay—more than okay. This pack is already doing really well... because we have wolves like you, Elwood. Sorry to be cheesy, man, but it's true."

OOC: I'm listening to Jimmy Eat World. :')

IC: Elwood's brows raised as Peregrine confided that he had recently been banned from visiting the plateau. Though a series of questions raced through his mind -- why? What about his family and friends? Was it really just because he and Fox decided to forge their own path? -- he refrained from asking them; it was evident by Peregrine's expression that this was still a tender topic.

He frowned; he couldn't help but feel a spark of anger ignite in his belly, directed at the plateau wolves. He didn't know a single one of them, by name or by face, but it annoyed him that they had treated Peregrine so poorly. Granted, he didn't know Peregrine all that well, but he had no reason to have anything but a positive opinion about his Alpha. Not wanting to force him into a conversation that he didn't want to have, Elwood simply gave a guttural response: "Hmmm."

Then, as Peregrine lightened the conversation (and drizzled some cheese on it), Elwood smiled and bobbed his head. "I'm not worried about us at all. And, all cheese aside, I think we've got a great group here," he said, thinking of the wolves he had gotten to know over the past few weeks.

ARE YOU LISTENING WHOAAAAAAAoh oh

"We definitely do," the Alpha concurred, thankful that Elwood did not press him further about the plateau. He would much rather linger on a positive note by focusing on the caldera, rather than the ruins of his relationships with the plateau wolves. Worrying about them was like sitting in a rocking chair and hoping to get somewhere: a futile waste of time. Anyway, the ball was in their court.

"Now that I've had some breakfast, I should probably fetch some for my mate. I'll see you later?" Peregrine said, meeting Elwood's gaze for a moment before glancing into the stockpile. Fox wouldn't eat fox meat, yet there was a small rabbit he was able to tug free.

"Was good catchin' up," he said around the rabbit's leg. "Let's get together sometime for some Warden training. Later, Elwood." He nodded, then trotted away around the icy lake, kicking up a sparkly cloud of fine powder as he headed back toward the Alpha pair's den.

Elwood nodded as Peregrine indicated that he was going to bring some food to Fox for breakfast. He watched as the Alpha pulled a rabbit's leg from the cache, then excused himself with an invite to patrol the borders and work on Elwood's warden trade. "Sounds great," he said with a wave of his tail, inclining his chin slightly as Peregrine departed.

He lingered for a few moments longer, taking care to cover the stockpile and make sure their hard-earned food was hidden. He then began to make his way down the slope, intending to fill his day with more hunting and caching.