Redhawk Caldera Paper moon

@Dove

Somnia was sitting in front of her den in the sphinx position. Although there was still snow on the ground it was unusually warm. That probably had something to do with her laying in a patch of sunlight. The darker areas of her pelt easily absorbed the sunlight. She was sulking in a patch of sunlight, yet wondered why Fox had checked in on her the other day to make sure she was alright. Maybe if she actually did something, others wouldn't think anything was wrong with her. Something was actually wrong with her, but that's not the point.

So, what to do? Fox had also suggested becoming acquainted with the newest recruit, so why not? But at the same time, Somnia was content in her spot. Reluctant to give it up, she considered whether she had the privilege to summon other pack-mates to her. While she knew that there were many things that her higher rank did not permit her to do to lower ranking members, no one had ever told her that as the highest subordinate in the pack she couldn't summon the lowest ranking pack member. Well, she was about to find out. Somnia made a long, low howl that requested that the newest member of Redhawk Caldera come to her.

Though Somnia's howl was not intended for him, Elwood still felt compelled to respond to it. He had caught a squirrel earlier in the day and intended to bring it to her, so this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Besides, he was curious about the wolf whose presence she had requested; though he had been wrapped up in his own life the last few days, he knew through the grapevine that Fox's sister had recently joined their ranks.

So with the carcass clutched firmly in his jaws, he padded across the territory, taking his time. His course led him to Somnia's den, where she was relaxing in the sunlight. He was glad to see her out enjoying the beautiful weather, though he wondered what kind of storm clouds were swirling in her mind.

Elwood dropped the squirrel at his friend's feet and then reclined onto his haunches, yellow eyes searching her face. "How are you doing?" he asked quietly; the minute Dove showed up, this topic would become taboo.

While the wolf who showed up wasn't the newest member, Elwood's appearance was appreciated all the same. However, Somnia's initial thought on his appearance was not that he had came to check on her, but rather to tell her what she had done was not permitted. After all, she had learned from the earliest of her days here that this pack wasn't run like the one she was raised in. In her birth pack, any wolf had authority over those lower than them in the hierarchy regardless of being in a leadership position.

Somnia would not have expected that asking a new member to see her would be forbidden. Sure, the one who wanted to see someone usually sought them out instead sitting on their lazy butt and telling them to find her instead, but it wasn't like she was demanding the newest member's presence. If anything, this left the option of being found up to the other wolf. But, if the leading team of the Caldera saw this unfit, Somnia would abide by those rules.

Somnia sniffed at the squirrel for a moment before looking up at Elwood. "Alright..." She answered. She also stared at her friend's face for a while longer before asking, "Is howling for others to see me allowed? And is my absence from pack life really that conspicuous?"

Dove does as she's told, hahaha. I hope its OK that I post her a little late - I forgot all about the tag here.

She had woken up that day beside the lake, and for most of the morning Dove preened and perfected her look. Something seemed off, as if no amount of care could settle her fur just right. When the call rose up, Dove realized she had spent the majority of her morning just... Doing nothing productive. Nothing at all, except look at herself and obsessively clean and re-clean different areas. She sat up and began prancing on her way towards the origin of the sound - towards the voice she did not recognize.

When Dove arrived, she noticed that it wasn't one wolf, but two. Perhaps she had heard the call wrong? Was there someone else around here with a similar name? But as she drew upon the pair, she saw the grey-dappled boy, and the strangeness from the morning intensified. She whisked her tail, inadvertently spooning scent around. Oh hello.

Somnia still wasn't herself, and that was evident in her body language and her verbal response to Elwood. She said she was "alright," but it wasn't convincing; Elwood's brows knit together and he opened his mouth to pursue his question further. She stopped him with an inquiry of her own, however, which caused him to tilt his head curiously. Why would she not be able to call for pack members?

He didn't quite understand her train of thought as he answered. "Of course, you can call for anyone to come see you," he said, and then he focused on the second half of her query. She had once been an extremely social and ambitious wolf, and so her reclusive behavior lately was likely to have been noticed by other pack members. Elwood hadn't talked to anyone specifically about it, but she already knew that he was worried about her. "I know you're taking some much-needed time to yourself, but yeah, I think people are going to start to notice..."

Elwood's statement trailed off as they were approached by another wolf. He immediately noticed that she had Fox's eyes; this was her sister. Her fur was pristine, as though it had been recently cleaned, and she had a friendly and flirty appearance. She gave her tail a swish, causing a very distinct scent to float towards Somnia and Elwood; the Beta stiffened. "Are you Fox's sister?" he asked abruptly, trying to ignore the smell.

People were starting to notice based off of how Somnia's encounter with Fox had gone. She'd have to try and bring her work level up a notch or two at the very least. Before Somnia could respond though, the newest member of the Caldera appeared on the scene.

Then, Elwood asked if she was Fox's sister. Somnia stared at her for a few moments, trying to see the resemblance. She drew a blank. A questioning glance was shot at Elwood; what made him think she was Fox's sister? If anything, the two seemed to be opposites. Fox was a rough and tumble tomboy with numerous scars to prove it, while she looked to be a total girly-girl.

However, there was one thing that Somnia did notice: the smell. The scent she was wafting around was different, yet it seemed familiar. "You smell funny." She stated blatantly as she got to her feet. Somnia circled around her slowly, sniffing her rudely as she did so.

Are you Fox's sister? The big hunk of gunmetal-grey suddenly said, when getting a good view of her charming side; being recognized was like a breath of fresh air after spending too long in a locker room - more than refreshing, it was invigorating, and the recognition went straight to her head. Her ego was bolstered, and Dove's posture adjusted accordingly, with a subtle raise of her head and a big more swag to her step. But before she could confirm, the other wolf suddenly made an obtuse remark which made her deflate a little.

Excuse me? The cheer drained from Dove's features, becoming hard and sharp, just like her dear sister. It was rude of the other woman to make such a presumptuous statement - especially in the company of a fine young man as... Whoever this was. A derisive snort burst from Dove in the next moment. You aren't too spiffy yourself, toots, but I'm not complaining. Now which one of you called me? She looked from the stupid girl to the pleasantly appealing male, and as he eyes slid across him a smile rooted itself upon her dainty face. I am indeed Fox's sister, Dove. And you are?

Elwood couldn't help but grin as Somnia took a much more direct approach, calling the newcomer out on her odor. The Gamma might have been more polite previously, but much had changed about her attitude in the last week. He watched as she circled Dove, giving her a cursory inspection.

He shifted his gaze to Fox's sister, who wasn't taking Somnia's criticism very well. She seemed annoyed, though she gave Elwood an overly friendly smile. It made his insides churn uneasily. "She called you," he said, gesturing to the prowling Somnia. "I'm Elwood, Beta male," he then added, assuming that Fox would have told her sibling which wolves comprised the leadership team.

Just because Somnia was being straight to the point didn't necessarily mean she was being mean. Just because Dove smelled funny didn't mean she smelled bad... The scent was actually more along the lines of good. Saying someone smelled funny wasn't even that offensive in her opinion at the moment. It had just been stating the obvious, also giving Dove the chance to elaborate on why she smelled that way if she wished to. Apparently some people were just too negative and prissy to see that. "Maybe some wolves believe there's more than what's on the outside.... But no, it seems as if that idea is preposterous." Somnia muttered just loud enough for the others to hear as she finished her inspection.

Somnia stepped back to stand next to Elwood. Her ears were thrust forward and her tail swayed dangerously as she stared at Dove. So far, Somnia didn't like her, regardless of whether she was Fox's sister or not. Besides, she was in a bad mood without Dove's hormones in the air. The additional hormones and Dove's attitude might have been just the thing to set Somnia off, and the - mostly - innocent Dove just happened to be the victim of it. But on the bright-side, the Gamma would be in a much better mood for the next few days after getting it out of her system.

"I did call you," Somnia repeated while glaring daggers, "I'm Somnia, and I'm the Gamma here." She announced as if pulling her higher rank into the situation would help. "I actually called you because Fox suggested that I get to know the newest members of the pack to take my mind off things. So as you can see, I called you so I could meet you. And, I was going to check to see if you needed any help getting adjusted." While her words may have been nice, her tone said otherwise.

Elwood? That was a funky name. Maybe it was a nickname for... Something. Dove's brow raised after the boy introduced himself, and her gaze slipped across him the way a hungry cat looks at a mouse; lingering briefly near his rear-end. She was about to make a witty remark about wood when the grumpy girl's voice cut her off, and Dove was made to interact with her again. She heard the commentary and cast Somnia another bitter look, but said nothing.

I'm Somnia, and I'm the Gamma here. The salty dame stated, and all Dove could think was, 'Well lah-dee-dah, am I supposed to care?' It was entirely possible that this sentiment was reflected in her bored expression; however, the pale girl continued with the neutral stare-down until something of importance surfaced in the little girl's effort at conversation. I actually called you because Fox suggested that I get to know the newest members of the pack to take my mind off things. So as you can see, I called you so I could meet you. And, I was going to check to see if you needed any help getting adjusted.

Oh, how charming! Dove chirped without missing a beat (although she recognized the tone of Somnia's voice rather quickly, deeming the so-called Gamma as another individual to keenly avoid in the future). I would love some help getting aquainted - er, adjusted, But not from this catty little nobody. As she spoke, Dove turned towards Elwood and gave him a playful little bump - clearly more interested in him than in the lady who called for her attention. So whaddaya say, El?

There was a strange kind of tension between Somnia and Dove, and it was beginning to make Elwood feel a little awkward. Not to mention Dove's permeating scent -- he couldn't deny that it was intriguing, but an interest in lady parts had gotten him in trouble once recently. He resigned himself to discreetly breathing through his slightly parted lips in an attempt to ignore the sensation.

The Beta focused instead on the not-so-playful banter between the two females. Somnia gave the reason as to why she had called on Dove in the first place, and though it sounded friendly enough, her tone indicated otherwise. And Dove replied with just as much snark, though she swiftly directed her attention toward the bemused Elwood.

He sidestepped as she bumped him, moving away from the amiable -- perhaps too amiable -- touch. Giving Somnia a glance out of the corner of his eye (with an expression that combined "Watch it!" with "Help me!"), he cleared his throat and said, "I think we would both love to show you around. Right, Som?"

Her tail lashing now, Somnia was fighting the temptation of trying to do some physical damage to Dove. Luckily, she caught Elwood's gaze and made a harder effort to resist the thought of turning Dove into chopped pieces of meat. If she did that, chances were she would be kicked out of the pack for violence - not counting the fact that Dove was Fox's sister! Somnia's spot in the pack was worth more to her than getting into a fight with this nobody!

Turning her urge to act into words, Somnia helped Elwood. "He's not interested in you, obviously." There was still a bit of unnecessary snark in that sentence, but it was still better than starting a fight. It was a shame Somnia didn't know about what recently happened between Finley and Elwood, for a response of, "He already has a girlfriend, would've been much better.

Elwood's statement that she would love to show Dove around came with that strained tone in the end that told her she had to agree, so she did. "Right. I'd just love to. Just like I'd love to tear her into pieces, but that's not an option." Somnia muttered through gritted teeth. With that, she walked right past Elwood, making sure to brush against the length of his body. The best part was she had no idea where she was heading yet.

The action didn't hold any significance when it came to Elwood; it was more about dealing with Dove. The hope was that Elwood wouldn't step away like he had with Dove. If he didn't, it would send some sort of signal that he belonged more to Somnia than to Dove. While Somnia didn't have any interest in Elwood when it came to the topic of romance, it was in her nature as a wolf to be territorial. Elwood was hers (at least when Finley wasn't around), and Dove had to know that. To sum it up, the action was mostly asserting her dominance over Dove.

When the potential boy-toy deflected the suggestion away (including Somnia in the process for some godforsaken reason Dove couldn't fathom to understand), the pale girl pouted lightly in Elwood's direction; she wasn't particularly hurt by his behavior, but she would play the part. Except, Somnia was swift to take up the offer - not enthused about it, but quick to assert herself. Again. As if that was necessary.

He's not interested in you obviously. She chided, to which Dove rolled her own eyes and prepared a comeback of equal strength; but Somnia was muttering something under her breath, and Dove was eager to catch it - in case it was a real zinger which she could use to her own benefit. But she wasn't so lucky. The most she could do was hastily snap, Just give me five minutes~.

The gray girl slid herself up beside Elwood and marched on by, lurching along as if the task at hand was a real chore. Dove just snickered to herself and waited for Elwood to start moving - so that she'd get a fine view of his rear end (it was far more interesting than the trees and rocks and rocks and trees and... Whatever else was around here).

I want threads with both of you again soon! :)

A situation that had begun as slightly uncomfortable was worsening by the second, and Elwood didn't like it. Somnia verbally struck out at Dove, informing her that Elwood wasn't interested in her -- he was simultaneously appreciative and annoyed that his friend had spoken for him. He didn't comment on that, however; it wasn't until Somnia acted out, rubbing her body down the length of his own, that his irritation became more visible.

"Okay, okay," he said sharply, his brow furrowing into a frown. Since when had Redhawk Caldera become a pack filled to the rim with crazy females? "I'm not interested in anyone here -- enough with the catty bullshit," he continued in a manner atypical of the usually soft-spoken Beta. If they were going to act out, then he didn't see any other way to respond.

He took a few steps back, putting plenty of space between himself and the two she-wolves. Shifting his gaze between him, he tipped his chin just slightly; this was done mostly to remind himself that he was the highest ranking in this little group. They had to listen to him, right? "Look -- I have other things I need to do. So I'm going to let you two work this out...whatever it is," he said. He had no desire to participate in their girly nonsense any longer. With that, he turned and briskly exited the scene, fully intending to track down Finley instead; she was the only emotionally unstable girl that he had patience for.

Don't worry, I don't think Somnia will let this sit for too long, and that goes for both of you. *Eyeballs the open thread with Dove in it*

The way Elwood responded shocked her. Somnia shrank to the ground, ears pressed against her head as his words washed over her. Emotional damage occurred as she watched him walk away.

The first part of it was that Elwood was her friend, and being really empathetic at times, knowing others were hurt sometimes hurt her a bit too. To make it a hundred times worse, Somnia had been part of the reason for him getting upset. Then, there was the sense of betrayal creeping in. While Elwood was the Beta, first and foremost he was her best friend. Weren't friends there to help you when you got into arguments, whether it was supporting your side, making you see reason in the other, or just trying to settle it all? Even if taking sides was difficult with him as the Beta, wouldn't it be within his best interest as a Beta to stick around and make sure things found a peaceful agreement. When he said they could settle things themselves, that could turn into trying to tear each others' throats out. That definitely could be seen as a solution in some wolves' eyes.

Speaking of working things out, Somnia wasn't ready for that. Much more emotionally unstable than a few minutes ago, things could end up taking a dangerous turn. With one last sulky glance that was slightly accusing at Dove, Somnia just got up and left. Where she was going she had no idea. Most likely the first isolated spot she could find, so she could pace nervously as she went over her thoughts in piece.

It was just a little game. The same game Dove had played back home, with all the silly boys. Poke around a bit, bat your eyes, speak softly and sweetly, get them all coiled around your little finger. But the game here had been spoiled as soon as Somnia had opened her mouth.

No matter what Dove did to reclaim it, things just got worse - and then the boy was the one in retreat, turning tail and escaping before any further conversation (if that's what this even was) could be had. His words made the Gamma shrink and pout, much to the chagrin of Dove, and then Somnia was off as well - looking at her with quite the acidic expression - leaving the pale girl on her own.

With nobody left to appease her, Dove shrugged and began moseying on. She seemed totally unaffected by the encounter, and went about her business.

Well that went well.