Stavanger Bay The night so black that the darkness hummed.

If anyone wants a Warden thread, he's passing through and ignoring the warning signs.

Njal had never been this far west, from what he could recall. But by following the coast, he invariably moved westward alongside the roar of the ocean. There was a familiarity to the sound of the sea, although he did not dwell upon that; thoughts of his previous life, before this, before even the Seahawk, were limited. He had been a young man then. Barely old enough to fend for himself, but fend he did. With each roar of the ocean he felt his pulse quicken, his pace become more ibibed by fury; and before long Njal was running full-tilt along the ridge. A pale streak of fur which, with one wrong step, could go tumbling to its end.


When he stopped, he was exhausted. The heat of summer may not have affected him as strongly as another, but he was still built for the cold of the north. His thick pelt had yet to shed. He lumbered along at a slower pace now, dragging his heels more or less, and took great gulps of air. His heart was pounding ceaselessly. And finally, when the man decided to stop and gather his bearings, he found the scent of other wolves. This made his pulse spike once more, as if Njal had not stopped running - but he was too tired to move now.

Slurping his tongue back in to his head, Njal tried to calm down his racing heart by holding his breath; this only made his chest hurt. He tried to breath at a more rhythmic pace, but every subtle sound in the forest made him forget this - he sat alert, scrutinizing every shadow, in case someone familiar were to burst forth. He was in no mood nor state for a fight, but if one found him.. He would be merciless.

It wasn't often that Thistle Cloud was on the borders lately. Not much at all since Ragnar had passed. Though today she found her pace unbroken, as she trudged along it. Alert and open for any warning signs of others, or perhaps even just a glimpse an inkling of the wolf that had found and murdered her husband in cold blood. She sighed softly, and continued on. Her ears going forward in irritation as she smelled another. She took off at a steady pace to get there.

She turned the bend to find a behemoth of a man standing there. She growled lowly and slicked her ears back to her skull. Her tail up above her back, she didn't give a care that this wolf was bigger or badder. He was near her home, near he babies and she wasn't having it. She growled again, What are you so near us for Stranger! She clicked her teeth together, her hackles raising, her body lowering slightly more into an aggressive stance.

I wasn't sure if you were on the borders or just near darling. Good to have you though :D

Someone did burst through the unfamiliar shadows, but not someone he recognized. She was smaller than himself; perhaps the same age, though, and likely a mother. Upon seeing her body transform in to an agitated and defensive posturing, Njal grew defensive himself - although he remained silent, even after she demanded answers. It felt strange to be the one traipsing around someone's lands. Njal had always followed the unspoken laws of the wolf - to keep out of trouble, leave others well enough alone, only take what was needed - but he was flouting those laws explicitly here. Even her brazen display of superiority (with the raised tail and obviously commanding tone) could not sway him to obey.


The man bared fangs. He did not strike out at her or act aggressively in any other manner - only warned her to stay back with a grimace. He had no purpose here, and Njal had not intended to trespass, but he was tresspassing now. Clearly ignoring the signs of other wolves (and the now pungent aroma of this specific woman, which littered the territory - yes, she was the leader here - but alone? How strange). With a huff, he hid his fangs away.

"Only passing through." He drawled, sounding somewhat cranky that he had to explain himself at all. "Not here for food or anything. Just walking." Njal turned away from her - fully turning his back upon the woman as if she were not a threat at all - and began to stride through the trees. "So go away."

Thistle didn't give a care that he was larger than she. He was too near her home, too near her family. And having lost her husband just recently in the wake, she was not a happy wolf. Especially since it had been a trespasser that had ended her husband, albeit a familiar one clearly. Though who she did not know. 

Thistle did not appreciate being told to stay back. You have no right to bare your fangs at me. You are near my land. Be off with you. Thistle didn't give a damn what others thought, as to why she was alone. They didn't deserve ot know as far as she was concerned.

Thistle took offense to his tone and tired of constantly being berated and cast off. She lowered her head to cover her throat and barreled forward, intent to go straight for his hocks and she wouldn't give up until he stole her breath. Granted she wouldn't go far, her whole intent was just to get him a way faster. She snapped at his side, irritated and angry. You have no right to command anyone to do anything. Especially not on land that doesn't belong to you.

No right? Wolves knew nothing of rights. There was no true law to adhere to, no political movement towards the equality of the species. Njal was as abrasive as he needed to be; which meant, at this time, he was going to bare his teeth in defense of himself. Especially when the woman chose to chase after him - throwing herself in to his path without a care for her own safety. She snapped at him as she drifted close, not choosing to sink her teeth in to his skin but rather, dismay him from his course. Her teeth caught air very close to his hips.


"Near your land, or on your land? If I am near -" He kicked one of his back legs like an irritated colt, not to strike her, but to shrug off her incessant worrying. " - If I am only near then you have nothing to worry about, woman." Njal snorted and his ears pinned, growing more and more irritated by her constant attempts to annoy him. "Let me pass freely."

If his temper took hold - and Njal had grown attached to his, feeding it with every shred of guilt he once harbored for himself - then he did not know what would happen. Likely the man would lose control; he had no issue with defending himself, even against an Alpha, or a potential mother (the thought of her being a mother protecting newborns only just entered his mind, but instead of saving her from his sour mood, it only made it worse).

"I mean you no harm." He reiterated flatly, while trying to skulk across the terrain. How much of the coast did this woman and her family lay claim to? It was entirely possible that Njal had crossed over in to her lands by this point - and thus his idle threats would become an immutable folly of his own creation.

Charon picked up Thistle's scent while he was on his way to the borders for a patrol, and he decided to join her; maybe she wanted to patrol together, or maybe he could take over her patrol so that she could go back to the pups if she preferred. The adolescent walked proud, with his coming-of-age rapidly nearing and already he felt top dog in Stavanger Bay.

When Thistle came into view, he noticed instantly that another wolf was with her. Charon froze, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he noticed Thistle's not-so-friendly stance. Trespasser.

While he'd given many brave stories of his run-in with the monstrous dog in Dawnlark Plains, in truth Charon had wet himself and run like a baby. While older now, Charon remembered it vividly.

Then he thought back to the time he had chased of a wolf to rescue his brother, Levi. He couldn't let Thistle Cloud down, now; she was all his little siblings had. Charon tried to channel all the adrenaline and bravery he'd felt when he had rescued Levi that one day and approached with his tail curled over his back and head held high. While at full size -- an average sort of size -- the signs of youth still lingered around Charon in the shape of his lithe frame and youthful features.

Without a word, Charon trotted towards Thistle and the stranger, blocking the stranger's path deeper into Stavanger Bay's territories and fully intending to attack if he needed to defend his land and siblings. He wouldn't let the stranger pass.

Do we want to assume Njal is in the borders or away?

Thistle growled softly again, saliva dripping from her muzzle. She wanted him to turn around and go away. Turn back the way he came, couldn't he see that. He was too close for comfort and she didn't like it. She had a family to protect. THey were a tiny pack, but they were hers and this wolf was troubling to her. Turn around and go back the way you came and around. I won't have you this near my borders. Not when my family is inside.

She growled and ghosted forward on tiny paws. This wolf might be able to beat her, but she be darned if she wasn't going to take some of him with her, to Valhalla. Give it to her king as a consolation prize. Show him exactly what she could do as a shield maiden and a queen.

i'm just going to assume that Njal left so we can continue/finish this, as it's old anyway. one more from you @Thistle Cloud & then i can fade it? :)

With Charon's arrival, the wolf seemed to realise that it wasn't worth invading another pack's lands for; he turned away and left, even though he contained his arrogant nature. Charon had been ready for a fight, but was glad that it had not happened. He preferred not to spill any blood today.

Relief flooding through him, Charon turned to Thistle Cloud. "What was that all about?" he asked curiously, while he looked after to where the wolf had vanished off to, back into the Wilds. Luckily Charon had arrived on time, before a physically altercation could happen.

Thistle watched the male go, irritation still causing her hackles to raise. She turned to Charon a glare fixated on her face, but not at him. I don't know but it was irritating. Do you think we have enough wolfs to have extra patrols Charon? Or no? The numbers escape me at the moment. Or perhaps you and I could make an extra one maybe. He was to close for my liking. She snorted once and turned tail and headed back the way she came, though slowly waiting on Charon and his answers.

Charon nodded as Thistle said that she thought the intruder too close for her liking. He looked like he was about to walk straight into their territory if Thistle and Charon had not been there to stop him. "I agree," Charon said. He wasn't sure they had the wolves to keep up with it, but they'd just have to.

Thistle suggested both of them take up an extra patrol. Charon shook his head and said: "I'll take two extra." Thistle had to focus on the pups; she didn't need to patrol extra. "I'll go right now," Charon said and with a nip to Thistle's chin he told her good bye and disappeared along the borders, intending to go for a patrol.