Blacktail Deer Plateau Skip to the good bit

This is set right after this thread.

A look of consternation held steady on Pied's face as she trekked southeast along the riverbank, heading back to the plateau. Her thoughts swarmed, reflecting on the words exchanged between herself and Jinx only moments ago. She tried to decide how she felt about her former leader; did she hate her outright or did she mostly feel sorry for her? Mostly, Pied decided she just felt apathetic toward Jinx. She'd felt concerned, angry, bitter and indifferent in turn in the weeks since Jinx's disappearance. She was incredibly unimpressed by her explanation—or excuses, rather—just now. Yet it was all in the past and didn't really matter anymore, did it?

All the same, Pied knew that Hawkeye would be interested in this development. Once she reached the foothills just underneath the plateau and began to climb upward, she threw back her head and called for the Alpha's attention, asking Hawkeye to meet her on the ledge that overlooked the river. Pied then loped that way, arriving on the outcropping in just under five minutes.

Hawkeye's face and paws were covered with dark mud. She had been busy trying to extend the Dragonwatchers' old den into something new and better for most of the night. The black wolf wetted her nose, tasting the dirt that blanketed her mouth and nostrils.

Her left ear tilted, but she ignored it for a rustle in the bush -- something she didn't care to investigate at the moment, for she was busy. The mottled wolf has called for you, midnight one the male voice spoke into her right ear. She groaned, both annoyed that the fact that she couldn't hear Pied's call herself, and that the male had interrupted her task. The gigantic wolf stepped back, checking her progress before turning and trotting to the only place she figured Pied would beckon her to; her favorite ledge, looking over the river and the rest of the valley.

Arriving just as her freckled friend was settling, Hawkeye licked her nose once more. "You have called me, Pied?" She had a slight impatient edge to her voice, still bothered that her work was interrupted, but mostly annoyed at herself for her poor hearing.

When Hawkeye arrived, Pied immediately sensed the Alpha's agitation. In response, she lowered her entire body, particularly her head. She glanced up through her lashes, trying to gauge whether the leader's irritation lay with her or elsewhere. She saw the mud slathering the other wolf's muzzle and tentatively guessed that Hawkeye was possibly cranky from excavating a den site for hours on end.

"Sorry if I took you away from your work," the shrunken Delta said. "I just wanted to let you know that I ran into Jinx. She's alive and well and presumably living elsewhere in the valley now." She let that information hover for a second before adding, "Evidently, the gods called her away and she's pissed at all of us for not waiting around for her." The way she spoke clearly indicated to Hawkeye just how incredulous Pied felt about this.

Hawkeye stiffened. She felt... odd. Numb, was it? How dare she be angry with them when she was the one who abandoned them without a word. No sign. Nothing. She left them alone, waiting. They had waited for weeks, a month nearly. And her excuse were her stupid "gods"?

Red flashed in the vision of Hawkeye. She growled and paced, unaware, while frustrated thoughts boiled over in her mind. Her mouth parted and she mumbled angrily. Suddenly, she stopped and looked at Pied. "And what did you do? I assume you had a few choice words for her... I cannot believe her nerve. Blaming us when it was she who disappeared!" The large wold began pacing again. "She leaves us and then begins a new life like nothing ever happened. No apology or anything. The nerve of her. I could just--I should go snap her tiny little neck." Hawkeye threw her head back and howled in an explosive anger. Hawkeye would easily take the small white wolf easily, being nearly twice her size. She groaned, still frustrated and pacing.

When Hawkeye began to pace agitatedly, Pied moved further back, giving the Alpha space. When Hawkeye addressed her, the Delta's ears flattened at the accusatory implication, though she didn't think her friend meant it that way. Her thoughts flew back to the encounter with Jinx, replaying all the details, particularly the words exchanged. She wondered if Hawkeye would be disappointed in her for not hounding Jinx more aggressively, yet it just wasn't in Pied's nature.

"I told her she was a shitty Alpha but nothing would convince her that she's anything but the gods' gift to earth—almost literally," Pied said lowly, sullenly. "I was reasonable with her, giving her so many opportunities to redeem herself. She failed absolutely. She doesn't care that she left us in the lurch, that she violated our oath and that we had no choice but to move on for our own survival. She's the worst wolf I've ever met."

Hawkeye's explosive howl startled Pied into silence and she cut off her grousing, shooting the infuriated Alpha female quick sideways glances but unwilling to risk angering her with a direct look. Pied let her gaze drop to her feet, staring at her blotchy toes for a moment, before her gaze slowly lifted again. Although Hawkeye's agitated state intimidated her, she knew it was not directed at herself.

Still, it took three swallows before she could manage to eke out a burning question. "Will you seek her out and mete out punishment?" Pied wondered, trying to decide whether or not she favored that idea. "I think she probably does deserve it—at the very least, she deserves someone to wring her neck—but she's part of another pack. We could have war on our hands..." she mused aloud before letting her voice trail off.

ooc: Hawkeye has never been to the sea ...why she is so confused on what sand is :p

Hawkeye became quiet at Pied's question. She pursed her lips in thought. "I am not sure whether or not I will go after her. Maybe it will drive her somewhat mad never hearing from us again. At least, one can hope so." Hawkeye smiled, but her eyes stayed somewhere far away.

Visions of ripping Jinx's throat out filled her mind and sight. Blood splattering upon something soft and yellow. What was that stuff? It was softer than dirt and completely different from any grass she had ever seen. Hawkeye caught herself from asking Pied what the grainy stuff was -- it was bad enough she was already half-crazy, what would her friend think if she knew she had bloodlust visions in lands she had never been?

Suddenly, it dawned on her. Pied had left without telling her. "Pied..." she started slowly. "Why did you leave the lands without telling me? What if something had happened to you? And why did you go there in the first place?" Hawkeye felt like a child asking so many questions, but she wanted answers and was upset with her friend for leaving without saying so. Was she that bad that Pied could not come to her for these things?

Pied had to admit, she felt a measure of relief when Hawkeye said she might not go after Jinx, after all. More trouble than it's worth, she concurred in her head, though she didn't say so aloud. She opened her lips to say something else, however, when Hawkeye cut across her with a question that stopped her short.

"I... I didn't realize you wanted me to ask permission to leave the lands. I made a point of returning within a few hours." Pied felt her skin prickling unpleasantly. She felt like a scolded puppy. Worse, she felt a strange sense of entrapment implied by Hawkeye's question. Although wary of testing the Alpha's patience, Pied said slowly, "I'll be sure to mention it to somebody before I go outside the pack lands next time..." She then waited to see whether Hawkeye would try to forbid her from leaving without her (Hawkeye's) express permission...

Hawkeye looked into the mismatched eyes of her friend. Could she not tell that she was worried? She thought for a long moment before opening her mouth to speak. "It's not that you are not allowed to leave, but it would be nice to know where you are. What if something had happened to you out there? What if there were other wolves and you had been attacked? I understand that you are fine... but I will always worry about you and others who desire to journey away from the pack, even if only for a few hours." The black beast spoke with a gentle voice, hoping that Pied would understand her concerns.

The charcoal wolf was on her haunches throughout the small speech directed at Pied. She now arched her back in an effort to stretch. The she-wolf felt restless and like she needed to explore herself, but did not want to wander from her lands. An Alpha should always be present in case she was needed; whether it was to welcome a new member, fight off enemies, or meet potential allies. She wouldn't leave like Jinx had, not for a moment.

The Alpha didn't make any indications that she intended to forbid Pied from traveling freely, which allowed the Delta to relax. She listened to Hawkeye's concerns and replied, "I understand where you're coming from. I've never been a huge wanderer but I do like to explore from time to time. Back in the Seahawk Valley, it wasn't uncommon for the wolves there to go on jaunts outside the territory for a few days at a time. I don't plan on doing that," she added quickly.

"I promise I'll be careful if I leave and return within the day," she promised in the next beat. "Like I said, I just like to explore a little... and I'm curious about the other packs in the area. I think it might be a good idea to touch base with them. I wonder if anyone here's interested in becoming a scout, messenger or even an ambassador? Even if we don't necessarily try to form alliances or anything, it's always good to stay on top of what's going on around us..."

A though popped suddenly into Pied's head and she found herself asking it before she could think it over in any depth. "How do you feel about outsiders visiting? Should we make them stay at the borders or are they welcome to come into the territory, provided they're accompanied by a member of the pack?" Hawkeye would almost certainly press Pied to know why she asked but she didn't explain yet, instead waiting to hear the Alpha's reply.

Hawkeye took in Pied's words carefully and followed what she was trying to convey. "I have allowed Vires to scout around not far the borders for other packs and possible food sources in case the herd disappears somehow. She seems to enjoy travelling and is a wanderer at heart; I do not wish to make anyone in the pack unhappy by keeping them here. It seems as if Leto has wandered off somewhere, and I fear too much freedom -- but also smothering too much -- will make others want to wander."

The female stood back up. "And that sounds like a good plan. Wolves should assume that they are not welcome anyway, but this will be a course of action that will create some stability in our rules. Maybe one day I will travel outside of pack lands, but I am not so sure... Is there anyone else that you have met outside of the borders?" The Alpha questioned Pied carefully, not wanting to make the small white female uncomfortable. Hawkeye trailed off, wondering if she was missing anything staying in these lands. Her stubbornness could be a downfall.

When Hawkeye mentioned Vires, Pied's lips parted slightly. She would run into the dark she-wolf soon enough, yet she hadn't seen her around in quite a while at this point, likely due to the other female's apparent penchant for exploring. The Delta didn't verbalize a response about her or Leto, either, though she nodded at Hawkeye's deductive reasoning.

As expected, Hawkeye questioned her about who she'd met from outside the pack. Heartened by the Alpha female's gentle tone, Pied smiled slightly and said, "Actually, there's this wolf named Kisu... we're just friends and barely, at that; I hardly know him yet. I promised him we could get to know each other, though." She paused, debating whether to mention the next tidbit to Hawkeye and deciding her friend would probably find it harmlessly funny. "He asked me to be his mate, actually."

The large she-wolf did not hide her expression of shock and then amusement. "You met a possible mate? And right under my nose!" Hawkeye laughed. "We can we welcome that daughter of yours to the world, Pied?" The key-lime eyed wolf winked at her friend, wondering who the male was that she spoke of. Apparently, Pied had been busy outside of the lands.

She wondered of her own prospects as well. Oracle was the only wolf, but he had potential with his kind eyes and handsome features. Hawkeye did not want ugly little pups. She laughed once more, thinking of little mottled Pied's running around the plateau, but was saddened when she thought that Pied might not even be on Blacktail Deer lands if she and this Kisu were to become mates.

Hawkeye seemed amused by the news and began to tease Pied, who laughed lightly, all the while feeling a slight flush hidden beneath the snowy fur of her cheeks. "I'd love to have pups, as you know, but I did tell him no," she said laughingly. "Who knows, though? Maybe we'll get there someday. He's not affiliated with a pack, so the next time he visits, maybe I can convince him to stay here." She hadn't felt strongly about this before, yet even as she spoke, Pied realized she would like him close by.

Of course, she didn't realize that, since their last encounter, Kisu had laid down roots in Horizon Ridge, Akhlut's pack, removing any likelihood of his joining her in the plateau's ranks. Presently, she blithely assumed that perhaps when he returned to visit with her again, she could simply suggest he stay. And she felt certain that he would do anything she asked.

Hawkeye nodded at Pied's words. "Well, I hope he is worthy enough of you if you choose to say yes. I want to be the first to know." Her tone had a slight tease to it, but she was overall very serious. It was exciting that Pied had found someone, and the black wolf had already decided to do away with traditional rules that only higher ranking wolves could have pups. She thought it to be silly, and she had never liked rules much anyway.

"I hope that this Kisu is a warrior of sorts. We need more males in this pack, and a good hunter and fighter would be an addition that I could agree with." Hawkeye searched Pied's eyes for reactions to what she had said. She wondered if her friend would possibly leave the pack if Kisu refused to stay, but then abruptly wiped the thought away knowing that Pied's loyalty lay with her.

"You'll be the first," Pied promised, little butterflies dancing her stomach. She wasn't certain anything would happen with Kisu yet but the entire notion of mate-ship excited her. She wanted romance and, more than anything, she wanted the results of it: offspring.

"I'll ask him about his skills when I see him," Pied said with a nod. She felt Hawkeye's gaze probing hers and she returned it for a split second before diverting her eyes. Nonetheless, she sensed the question in the Alpha's lime-green eyes and voiced their mutual thought: "What should I do if he doesn't want to settle here? Should I just—forget about it?"

ooc: aaaaand I accidentally posted with Kisu again

And Hawkeye's desire to see her friend happy outweighed anything else. "No," she spoke quietly. "Nothing is greater than love. You fight for it, Pied. If my parents had taught me anything, it was this. And if you must go, I understand. If this male it worth it, then you stay with him and have the family that you deserve."

She smiled gently while looking into Pied's mismatched eyes. Would this be the last time she saw her friend? No, of course not. Even if she stayed, she would come visit. She wasn't the type to abandon forever.

Haha, it happens. :P

She expected Hawkeye to ask that she put her loyalty above her desires. The dark Alpha surprised her by saying that nothing was more important than love. She found Hawkeye's words so generous that she wanted to protest, insist that fealty to her pack meant more than any silly romance. Yet Pied couldn't make her tongue work. She felt almost moved by her friend's compassion.

Looking back into her friend's face, Pied quipped softly, "Well, I'll just have to make him join me, no matter what. I'm not sure I could leave you or this place." Her eyes dropped, then lifted again as she moved toward the Alpha and nuzzled her chin, then her cheek, in a gesture of gratitude and friendship.

Hawkeye nuzzled back for a moment before pulling away. "Why don't you and Vires go on a scouting mission to the sea? I know that you miss the ocean, and I know that she would love a new adventure."

She scanned the surrounding forest, deciding that she may go on an adventure herself soon. No far, but she would cross the river and roam the valley for a few hours. Everyone else seemed to be getting away on little trips, and she figured that she deserved one as well.

Let's wrap this up here? :)

Pied couldn't remember if she'd mentioned her adoration of the sea to Hawkeye directly, yet she didn't think about it much. Nor did she put much stock into her Alpha's suggestion to scout with Vires. Her mind was suddenly filled with the possibility of a vastly different future than she'd pictured for herself a few weeks ago. She had to admit to herself that she'd been re-imagining parts of it ever since Kisu's proposal; she just hadn't accounted for this drastic of a change...

"Sure," she said a bit absently, then laughed when she withdrew with a smear of mud on her nose. "I should let you get back to your work. Better yet, I should help you." Pied rose onto her feet to show her readiness for the task, as well as the idea of spending some quality time with her Alpha and friend. Because, as much as she didn't want to dwell on it too much now, their time together as pack mates might be limited.