green is not a creative colour

The air shimmered with a frigidity typically unknown to the coast; frost clung to the bark of rare sequoias and aspens alike, and the ground was covered in fingers of it and glassy ice. The undergrowth hung heavy with a thin blanket of wet snow, and all was shrouded in a dense ice fog. Even the sun, rising high in the sky by now, did nothing to cut it. These things were observed by the Horizon Ridge Kappa as she travelled the outer perimeter of the pack territory, approximately half a mile past the first scent markings; a wide berth, so that she might catch any wolf that thought they might get too close.

She reflected as she walked of her time in Shearwater Bay, and how much she had hated border patrol. Jinx had always been a more social wolf; the kind who enforced hierarchy, and was well-known by her pack mates. Kaskae had always been better at the forceful stuff like guarding the territory, anyway. Presently, with the air hanging cold and her breath misting relentlessly in front of her, she decided that she still hated border patrol, but the instinct to protect drove her more than the love of it.

She marched along purposefully, her mind wrapped up in the memories of her past, but the rest of her — the physical wolf, driven by primal urges and instincts — was focused on her patrol, and her nerves were drawn taut as a bowstring ready to shoot at any potential threat.

ooc:hahaha oh man, I love the title. It made me laugh... that is such a strange little video.

Rob parted ways with Hawkeye and Pied, letting them catch up on their own. He would return soon, but wanted to explore the changing lands that surrounded Horizon Ridge.

It was warmer today, but a slight chill still cut through his undercoat. The chocolate male cut back the way they had come and saw a white female with black socks stiffly guarding the borders.

He let out a "woof!" trying to startle her, and chuckled at himself. "Well, you are a sight for sore eyes. What's your name? I am Robur Aqua, but you can call me 'Rob'." He gave every wolf that was the opposite gender of he the line where they could call him "Rob". Women loved that stuff, soaked up the intimate feel of being close to someone they barely knew.

Deciding to let her know that he was friendly, he told her: "I am from Blacktail Deer Plateau." A charming smile filled his face as he looked at the female, noting her red-orange colored eyes. Something seemed a bit... strange about her.

OOC: I was listening to it while skiing the other day, lmao. It doesn't make for very good skiing music, honestly, but maaan does it ever get stuck in your head.

IC: A sound off to her side made her swing her head around, alert eyes seeking for the source of the alarum. Perhaps Rob would have succeeded at frightening her, if she had been less alert... But she had been anticipating trouble, almost as though she had felt it coming, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Tension defined the Kesuk woman of late, and it was with tension that she faced her onlooker.

Rob's sense of humour was lost on Jinx, who failed to understand why she was a sight for sore eyes at all. She fixed him with a stare that seemed to ask where she knew him from, but upon deciding they had not been acquainted (aided by the unfamiliar name he gave her), she dismissed his comment as a general ice-breaker. There was nothing about the honey brown wolf that suggested he was a threat, but there was nothing about Jinx that suggested she was reasonable... And so she took a stand against him nonetheless, triggered as much by his presence as by the pack he came from.

After all, Akhlut had not informed his wolves of the pact between Blacktail Deer Plateau and Horizon Ridge, so he was just as much a threat as any lone wolf or any Neverwinter member.

"You are too close to my pack, Robur Aqua," she brusquely informed him, refusing to tell him anything about herself or her pack. It was the way of a guarding wolf to veil any information that could be useful in a siege or coup. If information of her pack leaked out, she certainly didn't want her name attached to it. Additionally, his nickname, while apt — she wanted to believe he was a simpleton who suited a simple name, but in truth, she didn't know enough about him to judge him that harshly yet — was discarded in favour of formality. "What is your business?"

ooc: Rob's such a douche haha

He quirked his head. This woman seemed to not know that they had howled when they entered the lands, which is what Hawkeye had said was part of the pact guidelines. Maybe this chick had little wits about her.

So, he smiled. He knew that his smile had made other simpletons, and even those who weren't, melt. "Hawkeye and I are here visiting Pied and her mate... though I could do better than him." He mumbled the last bit, it barely being audible to himself. "Our packs -- mine and yours -- we have an agreement where we can enter each other's lands freely as long as we howl. We did so earlier, and I wandered off to give those two some... alone time." He paused a moment, looking Jinx up and down once. "Speaking of which, how are you, my lady? I don't recall your name. I bet it's something beautiful to go along with your unique looks." If he had used a different tone, he may have come off as a sleazebag, but Rob had coaxed and seduced wolves since he had been younger than a year.

OOC: Jinx doesn't dislike him or anything she's just being a good guard dog >_> Sorry if it comes off as mean! Thought I'd clarify it ICly since it might seem like she's just being rude.

IC: "Oh, is that right?" she drawled, not letting up on her display at all. "And I suppose I should allow any howling wolf to waltz into our land and eat our food, all on your word." How could she possibly be expected to trust something told to her by a complete stranger? Had Akhlut made it known to Jinx what the terms of the pact were, she might have balked at his spinelessness and his unwolfishness, and found a better pack, but that hadn't happened. She was in the dark, with the only knowledge of this "pact" coming from a wolf who evidently thought he could sweet talk her. Whether knowing of it would have made her more inclined to allow Robur nearer... Well, that was hard to say.

"Forgive me for doubting you," she said firmly, clearly unsatisfied with taking his word for it. While she was on guard she would not let him pass, howl or no howl. That Hawkeye and Pied were involved didn't matter to Jinx; the former she had tension with, and the latter she wanted to see squirm. Neither of them held any sway over her, so Robur's ties to them made him undesirable, at best. They did nothing to bolster his reputation, so far as she was concerned.

"A wolf's name does nothing to define them," she pointed out, more or less oblivious to his attempts to woo her. Jinx was either asexual or sterile — it was uncertain which was true — and aside from a desire to possess Lecter in a non-sexual way, she was unresponsive to the fluttery feelings of crushes and love, and wasn't won over by pretty words. If anything, the Kesuk believed love was a farce, a flighty emotion for weak-willed wolves, and thought one-liners were funny rather than flirtatious... But she did let up a little on Robur Aqua, who clearly thought himself (and rightfully so) charming and who seemed harmless enough, softening enough to say, "it's Jinx."

He smiled at the white female before him. "Actually, it's on my Alpha's word and not my own. And I am getting kind of hungry, though, now that you mention food." He winked at the female, and wondered if he should mention that he came from behind her and was already technically on their land. He let the thought pass, not willing to anger the little woman. She seemed quiet, and quiet ones were always crazy.

"Jinx is a lovely name, but does that mean that you are a witch and will lay a hex upon me?" Amusement tipped his voice. He use phraseology he learned from a dark arts pack he had roamed with for about a week until he was chased out for mating with the Alpha's youngest daughter. They shouted nonsense words at him and said he would pay, but it had been months since the incident and nothing strange or terrible had happened to him yet.

An incredulous snort passed from nose to air when Robur claimed it was his Alpha's word, and as though to emphasize the I don't care because I don't believe you attitude she presently held, she glanced around herself and pointedly back to him. The lift of her brows said, I see no Alpha here. And his Alpha, if his pack name was to be believed, was not necessarily the most credible of wolves either. Jinx maintained a firm belief that the dark-furred Blacktail woman was at least a little bit insane, but of course, she withheld that thought.

To his other, she managed a wry little smile, but it was quickly replaced by one that was more ominous and admittedly creepy. "I might if you aren't careful," she warned, and though Robur spoke with a coy tone that implied he was having fun and/or trying to get her to open up, hers was still frosty and detached, as though she wasn't interested in games.

Which, to be certain, she wasn't. She was doing her duty as acting guardian, and he was simply amusing, and accurate, in his assumption that she was a witch. Jinx indeed was a witch, though poison-master was a more fitting title nowadays.

Rob held his mouth shut at the snort from Jinx. Was there something that had happened between this odd female and his Alpha? Or was this chick always so disbelieving of other wolves' word? Either way, he felt like she was always trying to undermine and make a fool of him with her eyes.

He bowed low at her words, in the most gentlemanly way he could. "I would always be careful with you, my lady. There would never be a day, rain or shine, that would cause me to not watch myself and my words around you." And he sincerely meant those words. He did not trust this woman, and knew it was the same from her end, but he spoke the words with a gentle and kind sincerity, hoping to win even a portion of her over.

Being oblivious to Robur's thoughts, Jinx had nothing left to say... Until he lowered himself somewhat into what appeared to be a bow. Jinx was familiar only with play bows and submission crawls, and not necessarily with gentlemanly posturing for the fancy of the opposite sex or equals in strength, but something about the display was sufficient to appease her. His head was lower than hers, something always pleasing to a dominant wolf, particularly one defending her own turf. She seemed to relax visibly at this, drawing in any tightness in stance so that she stood more neutrally, and appeared less threatening.

Now that the introductions were more or less out of the way—inadvertent or not, she had been unable to avoid them—and she had identified him as mostly non-threatening, and made certain he knew she would deal with him if he tried anything, she could calm down. According to him, Hawkeye and Pied were somewhere nearby, and while she wanted nothing to do with any of them, she had to believe on some level, neither wolf was stupid enough to allow this Robur to pull any funny tricks on her.

"Why would you accompany Hawkeye?" she questioned, with an interrogative narrowing of her eyes, as though to expand on her what business do you have here or, more accurately, why did he have business here. "Those two are lesbian lovers," she added with a voice sly as a fox, "and you're missing out." The joke was dry on her tongue, and though it did on one level sound like a joke—of course they weren't lesbian lovers, and Jinx didn't even know about their personal relationship at all, and if they were she may have vomited—it also sounded convincing. She hoped it might throw him off a little bit, or at least drag him out of his comfort zone somewhat.

A rumble surfaced in his chest, coming out of his toothy grin in a chuckle. "You know, I had asked to join them, but little miss Pied got offended at my comment. These things seem to annoy and amuse Hawkeye, but I know for certain that the small one now has a serious distaste for me and might threaten me with her mate -- who I definitely wouldn't be intimidated by."

He took the moment's pause to scan Jinx's body with an overly perverted look (in a joking manner). "Now, if I could watch you three, that would make for an interesting show. What do ya say, Jinxy?" He waggled his eyebrows at her, and added a wink on the end. He was happy that she seemed to have relaxed in her stature; she did not seem the type of wolf to ever loosen up or have fun. He would change that.

<style type="text/css">q {font:13px Georgia; color:#BA6D00;}</style>The female snorted as well when Robur revealed their meeting; to her, it was no surprise that Pied had treated him as some sort of sleazebag. It had a lot to do with personal bias, since she could have had no idea what Robur had said to the Omicron, but Jinx was just bitter enough to believe that it hadn't been something terribly harmful. So far, the male had done nothing but mince words in an attempt to... Well, she wasn't really sure. Be funny, she supposed.

Little miss Pied has a stick up her ass, she pointed out with a tone indicating they clearly weren't very good friends. As for her mate, well... Jinx had at one point in time enjoyed Kisu's company, and hadn't really seen him since, but she didn't doubt for a second that Pied had opened her big fat mouth to him and ruined the Kappa's reputation with him as well. It seemed to have occurred with almost everybody else, to the point where Jinx couldn't help but think Pied was a rather self-righteous blabbermouth, but she often forgot that "everybody else" encompassed maybe three wolves, all of whom had reason enough to question her.

When Robur suggested Jinx got in on the action, her mouth twisted into a grimace of serious displeasure. She was more-or-less asexual, possessing instead of sexuality a primal habit of objectifying others and coveting them, but that was not something she was consciously aware of. That would be gross, was her reply. They both probably secretly have teeny tiny man parts, and they'd try to touch me with them. It never occurred to her that lumping Robur's Alpha in with Pied in such a gross fashion might actually offend him, because Jinx rarely thought about anybody but herself. It had been a long time since she had joked with anyone, let alone in so vulgar a fashion... But Pied and Hawkeye were far away, at least relative to the two of them, and there was no harm in it.

Still, she could not seem to get the humour beyond her mouth, for her eyes were as sharp and serious as ever they were, and even her little smiles seemed tight-lipped, as though "humour" was a concept that she could manage to replicate in words, but not entirely comprehend.

He shook his head, laughing. "Oh, they definitely smell of female. Both of them are soon to arrive at their first heat. I like them younger; that way I don't have to worry about random puppies that look like me. Although, I am sure some of them could be out there..." He broke off, pondering on the fact of him being a father, and he laughed again.

"But wouldn't you prefer them to have 'man parts'?" He inquired and hoped that her answer wasn't a no; if it was, he was wasting his time here, though maybe he could make a friend for once.

Jinx seated herself in the snowy loam, content now with Robur's presence and certain he would do nothing foolish. If he did, she was poised to regain her feet in an instant to intercept him; she had maintained the upper hand thus far, and would not let her guard drop. Nonetheless she had identified him as no threat to her home, and couldn't very well chase him off, seeing as they were at minimum half a mile from where the scent markings were most concentrated, and Hawkeye was reported to be nearby. She would not risk her Alpha's ire by pissing off the other Alpha.

When Robur spoke next, she felt a tendril of disgust curl into her stomach. From his account he preferred sex with underage wolves, something which was not only gross, but unnatural. A queer feeling of distrust prodded at her gut at the thought of this—what underage female would allow such a thing, given their bodies were not receptive to that sort of attention?—as she wondered whether Robur had used force on them or not.

Suddenly, she was less comfortable. Her spine tingled with a mixture of trepidation and alarum, as though her image of a forceful Robur had made itself reality, even though it hadn't. When he made a quip about Jinx's preference, she fought to keep the distaste from entering her voice when she said, No matter what parts they have, all of them are disgusting, she confirmed, speaking aloud for the first time ever her distaste for sex and sexuality altogether. Sex was disgusting, underage sex een moreso, and sex between wolves of a like sex was the most heinous of all.

At least, that's how it was according to the Kesuk, who was queerly incapable of feelings of love or lust.

Rob frowned. Well, this one is a lost cause. Better wrap things up and head back soon. "I do not think I should be grouped with the rest there, even if we don't have relations. I seem to have amused you in our conversation and I say I deserve at least a little credit." He winked at her, knowing it would probably have no effect on the she-wolf that seemed to have no emotions besides malicious ones.

The brown wolf spoke once more. "I mean, you probably disagree but I think 'friends' would be a nice term to label us with." It looks like you need some he continued on but kept in his mind.

Robur seemed to conclude his introduction and subsequent session of amusement with a plea for credit, which lifted Jinx's face into a smile, albeit one that seemed sinister on her. Everything seemed sinister with her, no matters its intent; there was something about her eyes, the way they caught and held with intent focus and persuasion, that made everything she did feel... Well, "evil". Jinx wasn't "evil", no more than any other wolf was "good", but that wasn't to say she wasn't immoral.

Granted, she replied, letting her ears drop to the sides of her head as she gave him the credit and title he seemed to long for. We may be... Mmn, friends. There was nothing wrong with having friends, of course, and once Jinx had had many. Now, she kept more to herself, displeased with the small talk others made in farcical attempts at civility. Jinx was a wolf and cared about wolf things: interesting scents worn on the fur, the state of boundaries and outsiders, prey, and other such concerns. She had never been particularly fond of talking about clouds and flowers and other empty fluff.

Robur, at least, had mostly avoided fluff. He had brought up two of the most unsavoury wolves in Jinx's personal contacts, which did ease her mind, somewhat. Allow me to escort you back to your Alpha, she said, and though it sounded very much like an offer, when Jinx turned her body to direct him back in the direction he'd come, it was clear that he didn't have the option of going alone.

He smirked at her show of dominance. "It would be an honor if you escorted me back; I would probably get lost on the way anyway." He mentioned the last part in attempt to make her feel even higher and mightier, and figured it worked because wolves like she thrived on indirect compliments.

Rob fell in at Jinx's flank and trotted the way back to his Alpha. On the way, he heard a howl from Pied and thought perfect timing.

His flattery went a long way on Jinx, who was easy prey for things of that nature: flattery, be it empty or not, and bribes were Jinx's biggest hooks and sinkers. She would fall for them every time, so long as they presented enough of a benefit to her to outweigh whatever her current situation was. She didn't mention his pretty words as they walked back, but nonetheless they made her pride thrum through her blood.

When they were sufficiently close enough that the voices of Hawkeye and Pied could be heard carrying on the air, but not close enough for Jinx to be noticed, she parted ways from Robur, with a look that said she didn't expect to find him skulking around somewhere within Horizon Ridge an hour from now. With that concluded, she swung around to retrace her steps around the perimeter back to where she'd began, not wanting to come into contact with either of the females presently on the borders.