Post by Therdde on Dec 15, 2009 11:00:55 GMT -5
Characters:
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Quidel - Male Wolf
Allegro - Male Dog
- Field of Flowers -
Her sabbatical, despite having gotten off to a promising start, has not been very productive since the first few days. Oh, she has come to terms with many things about herself and her current situation, but she had so hoped to find Jage. Perhaps it was not so meant to be as she first imagined. Perhaps her encounter with Ama was for her own benefit only. If so... Well, if so, then it will make no difference if Skelaghe abandons the outskirts of dog-controlled territory this evening or tomorrow morning, so the shewolf still rests, watching the sun go down on her eighth day away from her family. Skelaghe has finally given in to her hunger, and the scarce remains of a fat hare are before her. She occasionally, idly licks at one of her paws or at a bone, but other than that, she does not move much.
"Let rogues and cheats prognosticate, concerning king's or kingdom's fate, I think myself to be as wise as he that gazeth on the skies..." The smooth, bass voice echoes over the flowery field, resonating from the throat of one Quidel wolf, padding along and admiring the way the evening light catches on the flowers. He doesn't heed the fact that he can scent dogs here. He's not worried in the slightest. What he is worried about is whether he's cutting a svelte figure or not! "My sight goes beyond the depth of a pond, or rivers in the greatest rain. Whereby I can tell that all will be well..." His gentle singing slows to a halt as he perks his ears, taking a moment to gauge his surroundings and see if he finds something new...
The male wolf's prose give away his location and approach. Skelaghe does not turn her head from the setting sun immediately. Only once it comes to an end does Skelaghe look in the direction where the sound was. The upright wolf stands out much more plainly than does Skelaghe's figure, and she finds herself somewhat surprised to be looking on one of her own species. One much younger than she is. That surprise does not delay her standing up. As she does so, her ears remain perked, and her tail parallel to the ground. "Hello there." Her voice is pleasant as she calls out to him, on the chance that her standing was not enough to draw his attention to her.
"When the King enjoys his own again," Quidel murmurs when he spots the female standing up. A light, graceful smile alights on his lips. "Hello, my good lady," he says in a lilting, sing-song kind of voice. "I thought this place had only dogs. Or did such a striking example of our species as yourself scare them out of sorts?" he says with a gentle bow of his head. "I hope I am not disturbing you with my simple crooning!"
"No. You are not disturbing me." That's the first thing Skelaghe says in response to the male. She pays little heed to his off-the-cuff compliment, other than to give him a slight smile before she continues speaking. "I am no more welcome here than you are, but I have a friend who I suspect may be here." Further in the territory, anyway. Skelaghe would never knowingly cross a territory marking of another canine. "I am Skelaghe, Alphaess of the Ute pack. It is a pleasure to meet you." A simple, kind greeting. The sort of greeting that is easy to give, since she does not have pups behind her that she must worry about, currently.
"Hmm," Quidel replies, tilting his head and nodding. "Searching for an erstwhile companion in a den of thieves... quite a virtuous escapade I must say," he says with a sideways grin. "And an Alphaess. I am honored, truly I am." He bows once more, putting a little more flourish into it by lowering the front half of his body, tail held low. "I am Quidel. My nose is the one that leads me, my tail is what follows, and I am simply bustled along in between them." He rises up again, leaning his nose forward. "But if you don't mind my saying so, shouldn't the pack be willing to endure such travails in place of their leader? Or am I simply honored enough to be in the presence of a wolf who cares just... that... much... for her own?"
"It is not my pack's duty to bend to my will in personal matters, no matter how much they might be willing to do so." And this is very personal. The statement is perhaps meant as much to kindly cut off any further inquiries as to explain why she is here, instead of one of her packmates. It a way, it answers his second question affirmatively as well, since all of her pack is her own, and she would not see them go out of their way to fulfill her own missions. As such, Skelaghe does not bother addressing it, specifically.
Quidel inclines his head and closes his eyes, dropping the questions quickly. "Very well." He sits back on his haunches. Personal is personal, he can respect that. "Shall I be on my way, then? I'd hate to know I was simply getting in the way of something you obviously consider quite urgent."
"My task is not so urgent as you might think. I have been doing nothing more than lying here and hoping that she wanders by." Skelaghe may not have been open to more question, but she sees no reason to see this wolf off, especially since... Well, since Skelaghe has not had the company of anyone in many days, and since she imagines her sabbatical is reaching its end. "What about you, young Quidel? What has brought you here?"
"Ah," Quidel says, a mixture of amusement and surprise on his face. "That's... something. Really... something. As you might have guessed I'm a rogue. Er, a /nice/ rogue," he clarifies quickly. "I have no intention of doing anything but living. Unwittingly serenading an honorable wolfess is really something too. I came here because, unfortunately, the rapscallions that constituted my former pack deplored my exuberant elocution and my unfortunate birth as... a son of certain male killed by a certain other who shall remain nameless. Never quite sure why, but he despised my presence, aroused my packmates against me and had me ousted. So. Here I am."
What male is not tense to the sons of the wolf he has killed? Skelaghe is not blind to the ways of most wolves. That she would have left Helaku had Helaku ever tried any such thing does not change that she would have understood it. "That's most unfortunate. If it does make you feel any better, though... I liked your song. It reminded me of another old friend of mine." Another wolf with a penchant for singing, who saw Skelaghe through many dark times.
Yawn, stretch. A meander through packlands always succeeds in clearing his mind and setting things at ease, especially since the packlands that he has claimed have proved to be rather peaceful as of late. It makes the Alpha thing rather easy, which suits Allegro just fine. And so this day (or evening) unfolds just as many before it has, until he reaches the areas that mark the beginnings of a border between his lands and the unclaimed. As the blooming field spreads before him, an unfamiliar aroma drifts to his nostrils, one that causes the fur upon his back to instinctively bristle in nervousness rather than outright hostility. Wolf. It's enough to put any dog on edge, and it's with a note of caution that he continues forward, nose wriggling.
Quidel has the modesty to look bemused and sheepish, looking away with a shy smile on his sleek muzzle. Apparently, complimenting his singing really strikes a chord with him. "Oh, well... that? That was... that was nothing. Simply a ballad I picked up while wandering hither and yon," he explains, twirling his paw. "I'm, ah, glad you liked it. So often nobody is around to appreciate it. Being alone... wears on a creature. Even a wolf," he remarks quietly.
"Especially a wolf." Canines in general, but yes. Especially wolves. They are meant to be with others, and specifically, others of their own kind. Despite being so near the border of the dog pack, Skelaghe is not being as observant as she, perhaps, should be. She does not notice that her presence has caught the attention of a dog. Rather, she continues to speak to the young wolf before her. "If the solitude bothers you so, you are welcome to continue to the southeast, where you would find my pack. Should you do so, though, I must caution that you treat all creatures within my lands with respect. Especially my fellow packmates. They will tolerate trespassers, but they are much less tolerant of rude trespassers."
Great. Not one wolf, but two. Allegro's eyes shift from one to the other, ears raptly devouring the words spoken, though they help him little. They don't seem hostile...but then again, they are both wolves and they are interacting with one another, not himself. But these are his lands, and the presence of them is an unwanted thing. And so, with head elevated and ears pressed forward, he continues towards them, steps confident, yet careful. "Speakin've tresspassin'," he drawls as he nears, slowing to a stop a distance away, "seein' how your kind's real particular about whose lands belong t'who, I figure you know you're real close to treadin' on mine."
Quidel's eyes flicker towards the dog. Just one, alone. He doesn't seem particularly worried. What are dogs but silly little wolf cousins, after all? He glances about, making sure he really is on his own. Just his scent on the wind. Subconsciously he steps a little closer to Skelaghe, something of a show of solidarity with wolfhood. "Good sir, surely you don't take us for fools. We have our noses and we smelt your borders. And have *not* crossed them, as you can see."
Skelaghe turns as an unfamiliar voice sounds out. Immediately upon seeing the wolf, her tail drops, though her ears remain erect. The ear nearest her wolfen companion flicks in his direction when Quidel speaks, but her cautious gaze for lot leave Allegro, and once Quidel grows quiet, Skelaghe speaks, "Be that as it may, he has reason to be wary of wolves so near his land, Quidel. I hope you shall rest assured, though, that I am not here without reason of my own, and that my reason will not lead me to violence." Of course, if the dog has any thoughts of becoming violent, here, outside his territory... Well, whether he would be able to run off the older female or not, he cannot run off both of them, and he must know that.
"Yeah. Figure s'why I put the 'real close' part in there," replies Allegro dryly to the male wolf, offering him a look usually reserved saved for the truly daft or immensely slow. His eyes drift to the female next, though he stays rooted on his side of the divide, which has been clearly marked with his doggish scent recently. "Now, I always wondered why 'violence' seems to be the firs' thing you wolves like to threaten don't need to happen. Now, that wasn' the firs' thing on /my/ mind, even though it's my mark here. Haven't smelled nothin' more'n a passin' wolf in these parts in some time, so yeah, I appreciate at least one've you realizin' why I ain't approachin' with a waggin' tail an' belly draggin'," said with a mild and mirthless smirk. "You wolves ain't comin' down to these parts to stay, are ya? Cuz then, we would a problem."
"Dogs? But we're wol-..." Quidel trails off, figuring Skelaghe has control of the situation. He remains at her side (a respectable four feet away, but still), watching the dog for whatever violence he wants to try. "I sense some rather lively hostility from this one," he remarks just as dryly to Skelaghe. *He's* never had a problem with dogs before, perhaps rather naive about this whole border conflict thing. He never lived close enough to them for it to be an issue before.
"Wolves and dogs seldom see eye to eye around these parts, Quidel. It is something that has always upset me, but alas... bad blood still runs deep in these parts." Skelaghe continues to watch Allegro, but she looks no more prone to aggression now than she did in the beginning. "Forgive me. I am Skelaghe, Alphaess of the Ute pack. I seek no entrance into your lands, permanently or temporarily. I have only come to ask if you may know of a dog named Jage."
Quidel's remark earns a half-amused smirk from Allegro, though he does not give any sign of reply other than that. The female seems to be the one holding the reigns between the two of them, so it is she who gains a majority of his attention, though he isn't foolish enough to wholly disregard the wolf male. Alphaess. Ute pack. These words hold no meaning to him, though a relieved feeling does settle upon knowing that a wolf invasion isn't in the words. But, like Quidel's feeling of camaraderie towards his fellow wolf, the same feeling arises at the mentioning of a dog. "..Might be jus' me, but I find it mighty peculiar when a wolf comes a'callin' for a dog," he says, a brow vaguely elevated. "Usually, that don't mean nothin' good for the dog." A pause. "Name's Allegro. Alpha of the Sienna pack, an' whether or not I know've a dog named Jage depends on what you want with a dog named Jage. Y'understand, I hope?"
Oh, a dog! Looking for... a dog. That makes more sense why she'd be right *next* to dog territory. Quidel's eyes widen just slightly in realization. Jage... interesting name.
The fact that Allegro does not simply say that he knows of no dog named Jage tells Skelaghe, well enough, that even if Jage is not in these langs, Allegro at least knows of her. All the same, Skelaghe does understand. "Of course. You should also rest assured that I mean her no ill. She has been a passing friend of mine for many years, now... And this is probably the last opportunity I will have to speak to her." Skelaghe has not left her territory in well over a year, until she took this sabbatical, and in another year... Well, if she is still in this world, she will be in no condition to travel. Motherhood and all of the events surrounding it have taken their toll on the nearly seven year old wolf.
Allegro slightly tilts his head in question. A friend of a dog? That hardly sounds right...or seems right, in his opinion. But if this Jage is the same Jage he's met a few times before... Vaguely does he roll his shoulders back, elevating his head a portion of an inch. "If I see her, I will let you know that you're lookin' for her. This dog ain't one've my pack, so she won't be past my markin's, so I'll be happier knowin' that you won't go crossin' them in search've her," he offers.
Well. *That*'s helpful. Quidel rolls his own shoulders in a gesture of ambivalent indifference. Just an empty appeasement to get the wolves to vacate, he suspects. He looks away, not very interested in talking to a dog who just sees something to chase off. Just didn't befit a magnanimous alpha's image, it didn't.
The elkhound is not here. Not, that is, if Skelaghe can believe Allegro. She has no reason to doubt him, as of now, so she says, "Of course. I would not have crossed them even if she were here." Skelaghe gives almost no pause before she goes on to add, "I've one more thing to ask of you. I should very much like to stay here or near here, for only one night. The sun has nearly set, and I am but one old wolf. You've no need to fear me." Unsaid, but implied, is that she doubts that Quidel would accompany her even over the course of one night.
A wolf near the territory. It wouldn't be the first time. And the last time, there was no major catastrophe or conflict. Allegro considers her request in silence, eyes shifting to Quidel after a moment. The she-wolf may be no problem, but the other wolf has already strummed a sour note in the delicate melody of amicableness. "I'll pass the word along that there'll be a wolf near the territory for this night only. Lot've the dogs are skittish 'round you types, so one night'd be best. As for you," said to the male, "you ain't as welcome. But long as you're gone by sun up, you won't get no strife from me."
"Any further strife, I think you mean," Quidel murmurs out the corner of his mouth, but outwardly inclines his head. "I will honor your request, sir. If I so much as let a single ray of light strike my fur next morn, may you call me baseless and unworthy to be shredded by your... mighty canines," he says with no small amount of theatricality. He *does* plan on spending the night, though, if only to keep Skelaghe company. Far be it from him to let a single wolfess stand such a vigil all on her lonesome.
Skelaghe simply nods her head. Those terms are easily agreeable to her. After nodding, she says, "Thank you, Sienna Alpha." After that, she turns, with the intention to go just slightly north before she lies down for the evening.
"I'll keep ya to your word," replies Allegro with a grin to Quidel. No doubt he'll be up before the sun just to...be sure. He nods his head a little to Skelaghe though remains where he is as he watches her go. He settles back onto his haunches and inhales deeply. Well! That went well. No bloodshed. No yelling. He'll mark this as a successful evening.
Quidel turns about to go near Skelaghe again. He's found the older wolfess to be of an honorable and companionable sort. "May I stay?" he asks her in a quiet, timid voice. "You've... well. I'll leave if you like, and... I suppose I'll be gone by morning. But I can keep watch and company, tonight, if... if you don't mind," he says, suddenly unable to come up with any fancy words to embellish his request. "You strike me as a good wolf."
"I'll be leaving in the morning myself." She does not answer his question with a no, but neither does she answer it with a yes. Not directly. "I suspect I will be returning to my pack. If you were still interested, you could accompany me then." And with that, Skelaghe finds herself a place to lie down. The very tip of the sun has disappeared beyond the horizon, and she is very tired, even though there has been nothing more strenuous in her day than hunting down that one hare.
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Quidel - Male Wolf
Allegro - Male Dog
- Field of Flowers -
Her sabbatical, despite having gotten off to a promising start, has not been very productive since the first few days. Oh, she has come to terms with many things about herself and her current situation, but she had so hoped to find Jage. Perhaps it was not so meant to be as she first imagined. Perhaps her encounter with Ama was for her own benefit only. If so... Well, if so, then it will make no difference if Skelaghe abandons the outskirts of dog-controlled territory this evening or tomorrow morning, so the shewolf still rests, watching the sun go down on her eighth day away from her family. Skelaghe has finally given in to her hunger, and the scarce remains of a fat hare are before her. She occasionally, idly licks at one of her paws or at a bone, but other than that, she does not move much.
"Let rogues and cheats prognosticate, concerning king's or kingdom's fate, I think myself to be as wise as he that gazeth on the skies..." The smooth, bass voice echoes over the flowery field, resonating from the throat of one Quidel wolf, padding along and admiring the way the evening light catches on the flowers. He doesn't heed the fact that he can scent dogs here. He's not worried in the slightest. What he is worried about is whether he's cutting a svelte figure or not! "My sight goes beyond the depth of a pond, or rivers in the greatest rain. Whereby I can tell that all will be well..." His gentle singing slows to a halt as he perks his ears, taking a moment to gauge his surroundings and see if he finds something new...
The male wolf's prose give away his location and approach. Skelaghe does not turn her head from the setting sun immediately. Only once it comes to an end does Skelaghe look in the direction where the sound was. The upright wolf stands out much more plainly than does Skelaghe's figure, and she finds herself somewhat surprised to be looking on one of her own species. One much younger than she is. That surprise does not delay her standing up. As she does so, her ears remain perked, and her tail parallel to the ground. "Hello there." Her voice is pleasant as she calls out to him, on the chance that her standing was not enough to draw his attention to her.
"When the King enjoys his own again," Quidel murmurs when he spots the female standing up. A light, graceful smile alights on his lips. "Hello, my good lady," he says in a lilting, sing-song kind of voice. "I thought this place had only dogs. Or did such a striking example of our species as yourself scare them out of sorts?" he says with a gentle bow of his head. "I hope I am not disturbing you with my simple crooning!"
"No. You are not disturbing me." That's the first thing Skelaghe says in response to the male. She pays little heed to his off-the-cuff compliment, other than to give him a slight smile before she continues speaking. "I am no more welcome here than you are, but I have a friend who I suspect may be here." Further in the territory, anyway. Skelaghe would never knowingly cross a territory marking of another canine. "I am Skelaghe, Alphaess of the Ute pack. It is a pleasure to meet you." A simple, kind greeting. The sort of greeting that is easy to give, since she does not have pups behind her that she must worry about, currently.
"Hmm," Quidel replies, tilting his head and nodding. "Searching for an erstwhile companion in a den of thieves... quite a virtuous escapade I must say," he says with a sideways grin. "And an Alphaess. I am honored, truly I am." He bows once more, putting a little more flourish into it by lowering the front half of his body, tail held low. "I am Quidel. My nose is the one that leads me, my tail is what follows, and I am simply bustled along in between them." He rises up again, leaning his nose forward. "But if you don't mind my saying so, shouldn't the pack be willing to endure such travails in place of their leader? Or am I simply honored enough to be in the presence of a wolf who cares just... that... much... for her own?"
"It is not my pack's duty to bend to my will in personal matters, no matter how much they might be willing to do so." And this is very personal. The statement is perhaps meant as much to kindly cut off any further inquiries as to explain why she is here, instead of one of her packmates. It a way, it answers his second question affirmatively as well, since all of her pack is her own, and she would not see them go out of their way to fulfill her own missions. As such, Skelaghe does not bother addressing it, specifically.
Quidel inclines his head and closes his eyes, dropping the questions quickly. "Very well." He sits back on his haunches. Personal is personal, he can respect that. "Shall I be on my way, then? I'd hate to know I was simply getting in the way of something you obviously consider quite urgent."
"My task is not so urgent as you might think. I have been doing nothing more than lying here and hoping that she wanders by." Skelaghe may not have been open to more question, but she sees no reason to see this wolf off, especially since... Well, since Skelaghe has not had the company of anyone in many days, and since she imagines her sabbatical is reaching its end. "What about you, young Quidel? What has brought you here?"
"Ah," Quidel says, a mixture of amusement and surprise on his face. "That's... something. Really... something. As you might have guessed I'm a rogue. Er, a /nice/ rogue," he clarifies quickly. "I have no intention of doing anything but living. Unwittingly serenading an honorable wolfess is really something too. I came here because, unfortunately, the rapscallions that constituted my former pack deplored my exuberant elocution and my unfortunate birth as... a son of certain male killed by a certain other who shall remain nameless. Never quite sure why, but he despised my presence, aroused my packmates against me and had me ousted. So. Here I am."
What male is not tense to the sons of the wolf he has killed? Skelaghe is not blind to the ways of most wolves. That she would have left Helaku had Helaku ever tried any such thing does not change that she would have understood it. "That's most unfortunate. If it does make you feel any better, though... I liked your song. It reminded me of another old friend of mine." Another wolf with a penchant for singing, who saw Skelaghe through many dark times.
Yawn, stretch. A meander through packlands always succeeds in clearing his mind and setting things at ease, especially since the packlands that he has claimed have proved to be rather peaceful as of late. It makes the Alpha thing rather easy, which suits Allegro just fine. And so this day (or evening) unfolds just as many before it has, until he reaches the areas that mark the beginnings of a border between his lands and the unclaimed. As the blooming field spreads before him, an unfamiliar aroma drifts to his nostrils, one that causes the fur upon his back to instinctively bristle in nervousness rather than outright hostility. Wolf. It's enough to put any dog on edge, and it's with a note of caution that he continues forward, nose wriggling.
Quidel has the modesty to look bemused and sheepish, looking away with a shy smile on his sleek muzzle. Apparently, complimenting his singing really strikes a chord with him. "Oh, well... that? That was... that was nothing. Simply a ballad I picked up while wandering hither and yon," he explains, twirling his paw. "I'm, ah, glad you liked it. So often nobody is around to appreciate it. Being alone... wears on a creature. Even a wolf," he remarks quietly.
"Especially a wolf." Canines in general, but yes. Especially wolves. They are meant to be with others, and specifically, others of their own kind. Despite being so near the border of the dog pack, Skelaghe is not being as observant as she, perhaps, should be. She does not notice that her presence has caught the attention of a dog. Rather, she continues to speak to the young wolf before her. "If the solitude bothers you so, you are welcome to continue to the southeast, where you would find my pack. Should you do so, though, I must caution that you treat all creatures within my lands with respect. Especially my fellow packmates. They will tolerate trespassers, but they are much less tolerant of rude trespassers."
Great. Not one wolf, but two. Allegro's eyes shift from one to the other, ears raptly devouring the words spoken, though they help him little. They don't seem hostile...but then again, they are both wolves and they are interacting with one another, not himself. But these are his lands, and the presence of them is an unwanted thing. And so, with head elevated and ears pressed forward, he continues towards them, steps confident, yet careful. "Speakin've tresspassin'," he drawls as he nears, slowing to a stop a distance away, "seein' how your kind's real particular about whose lands belong t'who, I figure you know you're real close to treadin' on mine."
Quidel's eyes flicker towards the dog. Just one, alone. He doesn't seem particularly worried. What are dogs but silly little wolf cousins, after all? He glances about, making sure he really is on his own. Just his scent on the wind. Subconsciously he steps a little closer to Skelaghe, something of a show of solidarity with wolfhood. "Good sir, surely you don't take us for fools. We have our noses and we smelt your borders. And have *not* crossed them, as you can see."
Skelaghe turns as an unfamiliar voice sounds out. Immediately upon seeing the wolf, her tail drops, though her ears remain erect. The ear nearest her wolfen companion flicks in his direction when Quidel speaks, but her cautious gaze for lot leave Allegro, and once Quidel grows quiet, Skelaghe speaks, "Be that as it may, he has reason to be wary of wolves so near his land, Quidel. I hope you shall rest assured, though, that I am not here without reason of my own, and that my reason will not lead me to violence." Of course, if the dog has any thoughts of becoming violent, here, outside his territory... Well, whether he would be able to run off the older female or not, he cannot run off both of them, and he must know that.
"Yeah. Figure s'why I put the 'real close' part in there," replies Allegro dryly to the male wolf, offering him a look usually reserved saved for the truly daft or immensely slow. His eyes drift to the female next, though he stays rooted on his side of the divide, which has been clearly marked with his doggish scent recently. "Now, I always wondered why 'violence' seems to be the firs' thing you wolves like to threaten don't need to happen. Now, that wasn' the firs' thing on /my/ mind, even though it's my mark here. Haven't smelled nothin' more'n a passin' wolf in these parts in some time, so yeah, I appreciate at least one've you realizin' why I ain't approachin' with a waggin' tail an' belly draggin'," said with a mild and mirthless smirk. "You wolves ain't comin' down to these parts to stay, are ya? Cuz then, we would a problem."
"Dogs? But we're wol-..." Quidel trails off, figuring Skelaghe has control of the situation. He remains at her side (a respectable four feet away, but still), watching the dog for whatever violence he wants to try. "I sense some rather lively hostility from this one," he remarks just as dryly to Skelaghe. *He's* never had a problem with dogs before, perhaps rather naive about this whole border conflict thing. He never lived close enough to them for it to be an issue before.
"Wolves and dogs seldom see eye to eye around these parts, Quidel. It is something that has always upset me, but alas... bad blood still runs deep in these parts." Skelaghe continues to watch Allegro, but she looks no more prone to aggression now than she did in the beginning. "Forgive me. I am Skelaghe, Alphaess of the Ute pack. I seek no entrance into your lands, permanently or temporarily. I have only come to ask if you may know of a dog named Jage."
Quidel's remark earns a half-amused smirk from Allegro, though he does not give any sign of reply other than that. The female seems to be the one holding the reigns between the two of them, so it is she who gains a majority of his attention, though he isn't foolish enough to wholly disregard the wolf male. Alphaess. Ute pack. These words hold no meaning to him, though a relieved feeling does settle upon knowing that a wolf invasion isn't in the words. But, like Quidel's feeling of camaraderie towards his fellow wolf, the same feeling arises at the mentioning of a dog. "..Might be jus' me, but I find it mighty peculiar when a wolf comes a'callin' for a dog," he says, a brow vaguely elevated. "Usually, that don't mean nothin' good for the dog." A pause. "Name's Allegro. Alpha of the Sienna pack, an' whether or not I know've a dog named Jage depends on what you want with a dog named Jage. Y'understand, I hope?"
Oh, a dog! Looking for... a dog. That makes more sense why she'd be right *next* to dog territory. Quidel's eyes widen just slightly in realization. Jage... interesting name.
The fact that Allegro does not simply say that he knows of no dog named Jage tells Skelaghe, well enough, that even if Jage is not in these langs, Allegro at least knows of her. All the same, Skelaghe does understand. "Of course. You should also rest assured that I mean her no ill. She has been a passing friend of mine for many years, now... And this is probably the last opportunity I will have to speak to her." Skelaghe has not left her territory in well over a year, until she took this sabbatical, and in another year... Well, if she is still in this world, she will be in no condition to travel. Motherhood and all of the events surrounding it have taken their toll on the nearly seven year old wolf.
Allegro slightly tilts his head in question. A friend of a dog? That hardly sounds right...or seems right, in his opinion. But if this Jage is the same Jage he's met a few times before... Vaguely does he roll his shoulders back, elevating his head a portion of an inch. "If I see her, I will let you know that you're lookin' for her. This dog ain't one've my pack, so she won't be past my markin's, so I'll be happier knowin' that you won't go crossin' them in search've her," he offers.
Well. *That*'s helpful. Quidel rolls his own shoulders in a gesture of ambivalent indifference. Just an empty appeasement to get the wolves to vacate, he suspects. He looks away, not very interested in talking to a dog who just sees something to chase off. Just didn't befit a magnanimous alpha's image, it didn't.
The elkhound is not here. Not, that is, if Skelaghe can believe Allegro. She has no reason to doubt him, as of now, so she says, "Of course. I would not have crossed them even if she were here." Skelaghe gives almost no pause before she goes on to add, "I've one more thing to ask of you. I should very much like to stay here or near here, for only one night. The sun has nearly set, and I am but one old wolf. You've no need to fear me." Unsaid, but implied, is that she doubts that Quidel would accompany her even over the course of one night.
A wolf near the territory. It wouldn't be the first time. And the last time, there was no major catastrophe or conflict. Allegro considers her request in silence, eyes shifting to Quidel after a moment. The she-wolf may be no problem, but the other wolf has already strummed a sour note in the delicate melody of amicableness. "I'll pass the word along that there'll be a wolf near the territory for this night only. Lot've the dogs are skittish 'round you types, so one night'd be best. As for you," said to the male, "you ain't as welcome. But long as you're gone by sun up, you won't get no strife from me."
"Any further strife, I think you mean," Quidel murmurs out the corner of his mouth, but outwardly inclines his head. "I will honor your request, sir. If I so much as let a single ray of light strike my fur next morn, may you call me baseless and unworthy to be shredded by your... mighty canines," he says with no small amount of theatricality. He *does* plan on spending the night, though, if only to keep Skelaghe company. Far be it from him to let a single wolfess stand such a vigil all on her lonesome.
Skelaghe simply nods her head. Those terms are easily agreeable to her. After nodding, she says, "Thank you, Sienna Alpha." After that, she turns, with the intention to go just slightly north before she lies down for the evening.
"I'll keep ya to your word," replies Allegro with a grin to Quidel. No doubt he'll be up before the sun just to...be sure. He nods his head a little to Skelaghe though remains where he is as he watches her go. He settles back onto his haunches and inhales deeply. Well! That went well. No bloodshed. No yelling. He'll mark this as a successful evening.
Quidel turns about to go near Skelaghe again. He's found the older wolfess to be of an honorable and companionable sort. "May I stay?" he asks her in a quiet, timid voice. "You've... well. I'll leave if you like, and... I suppose I'll be gone by morning. But I can keep watch and company, tonight, if... if you don't mind," he says, suddenly unable to come up with any fancy words to embellish his request. "You strike me as a good wolf."
"I'll be leaving in the morning myself." She does not answer his question with a no, but neither does she answer it with a yes. Not directly. "I suspect I will be returning to my pack. If you were still interested, you could accompany me then." And with that, Skelaghe finds herself a place to lie down. The very tip of the sun has disappeared beyond the horizon, and she is very tired, even though there has been nothing more strenuous in her day than hunting down that one hare.