Post by Curiosity on Jul 7, 2011 19:09:40 GMT -5
Characters Involved:
Skahla, male wolf
Malia, female wolf
=== Foggy Path ===
It was here, wasn't it? Or somewhere neer here? No doubt, by the time Askuwheteau had been given Skah's message, Skahla had tired of lying under the crabapple tree, and tired even of *gasp!* chewing on sticks, and wandered off, and now that he is in something of a mood for conflict with some strange male wolf, he wasn't eager to look around for his brother. So here he is, alone, traveling as stealthily as he knows how (which is still not very) as he searches for Helaku. Or Tyr. Anyone, really, who might allow him to vent a little of the aggression that he knows enough to not take out on his packmates.
Malia has the pure luck of not being a strange male wolf, but female instead. Rowtag had been left behind at the riverbank in the she-wolf's pursuit of the mentioned pack, following the scents northeast as they grow more potent... Ah! There's a suddenly sharp whiff of alpha markings among the trees, though it's rather faded. The wolfdog did mention the death of his mother; perhaps this pack's leadership is still weak from the loss? The she-wolf makes little attempt to hide herself as she walks along the foggy path, as she's fairly easily visible anyway due to her pale-furred coat.
No. Not a male, though it takes Skahla a moment to recognize that, so that when he comes within sight of Malia, his hackles are raised and his teeth slightly bared. The aggressive posture doesn't last long once he spots the female, but his tone is abrupt, all the same, as he asks, "Who are you?" The young male himself is shocked by the tone of his voice, and in an attempt to recover from it, he lowers his tail a bit. After all, it was not long ago that he was scolding for picking fights where there are no fights to be had.
Malia's head lifts at the sound of approach, instinctively returning the snarl with one of her own. These alpha markings don't smell exactly like he does, after all. She notices the slight drop of his tail, too, before her bronze gaze turns to meet and hold the male's own. "Malia," she answers, and then her eyes drop to consider the rest of the other wolf's frame, both his stature as well as color, rather similar to her own. "And who might you be, handsome?" she inquires in return, a slight smirk tugging at her maw.
"I'm sorry. I-" But that wasn't what the female asked, despite her initial snarl. She wasn't demanding an apology. She gave her name, and asked him. And he knows his name, doesn't he? "Skahla. And this... is Ute. My packlands." Shawnee has already made a decision on their policy regarding guests and newcomers, and if nothing else, then he still has some obligation to uphold that decision, so though he makes it clear that this is not unclaimed territory, as though such a thing needed to be made any more clear, his tone is very nearly friendly.
Malia's grin spreads a little more at the interrupted apology, beginning to pace up nearer to the male. "/Your/ packlands?" she repeats incredulously. "But these markings don't smell quite like you do...and they're so old...and you're so young." Weak, the word almost seems to imply. And the scents aren't /quite/ like the other wolf, but they are similar...perhaps he was related to the wolfdog's deceased alpha-mother as well, and now he's the one in charge. Even though she's not exactly accurate in her knowledge, it's uncannily true nonetheless. "I'm sorry for your loss, Skahla. It must be difficult, taking over so suddenly." The cruel intent of Malia's words is veiled by the apparent, almost oozing, sympathy in her voice.
Unfortunately for Skahla, he is so eager for a sympathetic ear, even if he has no intention of taking advantage of it, that he never thinks to doubt Malia's motives. The newly appointed alpha is just desperate for some wolf who can provide him with some company without expecting things of him constantly. Even Chewy, though she tries to be sympathetic, cannot help it. Nor should she. It's his job. But it's not easy. "It's-" How can he explain his reluctance to cover the last remaining traces of his father's scent with his own? Luckily, he doesn't have to. "Thank you, Malia. It's... well, it's getting better. I think."
Malia continues to pad closer to the similarly-colored male, circling around his front a short distance away. "You're not doing things...alone, are you?" she murmurs in further mock-sentiment as she passes near Skahla, though her tone seems to imply that she'd be happy to become his companion to share that new leadership...at least until Inteus came to take his place, of course. "That would just be /awful/."
Skahla keeps his eyes on the female, though he does not turn in order to do so. His tail remains parallel to the ground, and though he catches some hint of a deeper meaning, he is too happy to assume she's just being friendly. Normally friendly. "No. I have a... mate." It's still strange to think of Shawnee as such, as more than just his best friend, but that, too, is getting gradually easier.
Pity, that's one easy way into the pack's inner workings that's no longer a viable option. "Does your pack need any help getting back on its paws again? I hope you don't have many little ones...it's always hard feeding extra mouths during the winter," she trails off, shaking her head solemnly. It's hardly more than halfway through summer now, but the scarcity of winter is still an inevitable fact of life regardless. The she-wolf works her wiles to make herself appear invaluable to the inexperienced alpha, someone he can't possibly refuse access to the pack.
It's almost as though she can read his fears. Of course, what else should an alpha as young as he is fear, particularly when a harsh winter killed the pack's most beloved alpha, when he remembers far too well the scarcity that ended his first and second years? "We have my brother and sister, and... a couple others." Pups Skahla has never even seen, forget about being able to name them. "You should not feel obligated, Malia. We take care of our own. But if you wanted to stay here, to help and be helped... you would be welcome." That is the Ute tradition, and one his mate has made clear they're going to uphold, right?
Malia smiles broadly at Skahla's very generous invitation, and she seizes the other's offer. "Of course, Skahla. I'd be happy to help take some of that off your shoulders," she sagely says with a little dip of her muzzle his way. Perhaps part of the reason she can deceive so well is that she speaks the truth, however ambiguously so. "And what is the name of this pack I have just become a part of, hmm?" So that she can think of what to change it to, if it doesn't appease her personal tastes.
"Ute. If you'll follow me, I'll show you futher into our lands. You should meet my mate if you're to join our pack." It is only, after all, polite, and they gave him the same chance to meet Sabin before officially welcoming him into the pack, though it is another of the many things Skahla has not gotten around to, yet.
Malia's friendly facade lingers as the younger male leads her further in the northeastern direction, the scent of wolves growing even stronger as they meander through the trees towards the open hillside. "Much appreciated, Skahla," she murmurs as she follows alongside the other pale-pelted lupine, sending a wisp of fog curling about in her wake with a single swish of her tail. Well, that wasn't too difficult, at least...if she's lucky, it's a sign of things to come.
Skahla, male wolf
Malia, female wolf
=== Foggy Path ===
It was here, wasn't it? Or somewhere neer here? No doubt, by the time Askuwheteau had been given Skah's message, Skahla had tired of lying under the crabapple tree, and tired even of *gasp!* chewing on sticks, and wandered off, and now that he is in something of a mood for conflict with some strange male wolf, he wasn't eager to look around for his brother. So here he is, alone, traveling as stealthily as he knows how (which is still not very) as he searches for Helaku. Or Tyr. Anyone, really, who might allow him to vent a little of the aggression that he knows enough to not take out on his packmates.
Malia has the pure luck of not being a strange male wolf, but female instead. Rowtag had been left behind at the riverbank in the she-wolf's pursuit of the mentioned pack, following the scents northeast as they grow more potent... Ah! There's a suddenly sharp whiff of alpha markings among the trees, though it's rather faded. The wolfdog did mention the death of his mother; perhaps this pack's leadership is still weak from the loss? The she-wolf makes little attempt to hide herself as she walks along the foggy path, as she's fairly easily visible anyway due to her pale-furred coat.
No. Not a male, though it takes Skahla a moment to recognize that, so that when he comes within sight of Malia, his hackles are raised and his teeth slightly bared. The aggressive posture doesn't last long once he spots the female, but his tone is abrupt, all the same, as he asks, "Who are you?" The young male himself is shocked by the tone of his voice, and in an attempt to recover from it, he lowers his tail a bit. After all, it was not long ago that he was scolding for picking fights where there are no fights to be had.
Malia's head lifts at the sound of approach, instinctively returning the snarl with one of her own. These alpha markings don't smell exactly like he does, after all. She notices the slight drop of his tail, too, before her bronze gaze turns to meet and hold the male's own. "Malia," she answers, and then her eyes drop to consider the rest of the other wolf's frame, both his stature as well as color, rather similar to her own. "And who might you be, handsome?" she inquires in return, a slight smirk tugging at her maw.
"I'm sorry. I-" But that wasn't what the female asked, despite her initial snarl. She wasn't demanding an apology. She gave her name, and asked him. And he knows his name, doesn't he? "Skahla. And this... is Ute. My packlands." Shawnee has already made a decision on their policy regarding guests and newcomers, and if nothing else, then he still has some obligation to uphold that decision, so though he makes it clear that this is not unclaimed territory, as though such a thing needed to be made any more clear, his tone is very nearly friendly.
Malia's grin spreads a little more at the interrupted apology, beginning to pace up nearer to the male. "/Your/ packlands?" she repeats incredulously. "But these markings don't smell quite like you do...and they're so old...and you're so young." Weak, the word almost seems to imply. And the scents aren't /quite/ like the other wolf, but they are similar...perhaps he was related to the wolfdog's deceased alpha-mother as well, and now he's the one in charge. Even though she's not exactly accurate in her knowledge, it's uncannily true nonetheless. "I'm sorry for your loss, Skahla. It must be difficult, taking over so suddenly." The cruel intent of Malia's words is veiled by the apparent, almost oozing, sympathy in her voice.
Unfortunately for Skahla, he is so eager for a sympathetic ear, even if he has no intention of taking advantage of it, that he never thinks to doubt Malia's motives. The newly appointed alpha is just desperate for some wolf who can provide him with some company without expecting things of him constantly. Even Chewy, though she tries to be sympathetic, cannot help it. Nor should she. It's his job. But it's not easy. "It's-" How can he explain his reluctance to cover the last remaining traces of his father's scent with his own? Luckily, he doesn't have to. "Thank you, Malia. It's... well, it's getting better. I think."
Malia continues to pad closer to the similarly-colored male, circling around his front a short distance away. "You're not doing things...alone, are you?" she murmurs in further mock-sentiment as she passes near Skahla, though her tone seems to imply that she'd be happy to become his companion to share that new leadership...at least until Inteus came to take his place, of course. "That would just be /awful/."
Skahla keeps his eyes on the female, though he does not turn in order to do so. His tail remains parallel to the ground, and though he catches some hint of a deeper meaning, he is too happy to assume she's just being friendly. Normally friendly. "No. I have a... mate." It's still strange to think of Shawnee as such, as more than just his best friend, but that, too, is getting gradually easier.
Pity, that's one easy way into the pack's inner workings that's no longer a viable option. "Does your pack need any help getting back on its paws again? I hope you don't have many little ones...it's always hard feeding extra mouths during the winter," she trails off, shaking her head solemnly. It's hardly more than halfway through summer now, but the scarcity of winter is still an inevitable fact of life regardless. The she-wolf works her wiles to make herself appear invaluable to the inexperienced alpha, someone he can't possibly refuse access to the pack.
It's almost as though she can read his fears. Of course, what else should an alpha as young as he is fear, particularly when a harsh winter killed the pack's most beloved alpha, when he remembers far too well the scarcity that ended his first and second years? "We have my brother and sister, and... a couple others." Pups Skahla has never even seen, forget about being able to name them. "You should not feel obligated, Malia. We take care of our own. But if you wanted to stay here, to help and be helped... you would be welcome." That is the Ute tradition, and one his mate has made clear they're going to uphold, right?
Malia smiles broadly at Skahla's very generous invitation, and she seizes the other's offer. "Of course, Skahla. I'd be happy to help take some of that off your shoulders," she sagely says with a little dip of her muzzle his way. Perhaps part of the reason she can deceive so well is that she speaks the truth, however ambiguously so. "And what is the name of this pack I have just become a part of, hmm?" So that she can think of what to change it to, if it doesn't appease her personal tastes.
"Ute. If you'll follow me, I'll show you futher into our lands. You should meet my mate if you're to join our pack." It is only, after all, polite, and they gave him the same chance to meet Sabin before officially welcoming him into the pack, though it is another of the many things Skahla has not gotten around to, yet.
Malia's friendly facade lingers as the younger male leads her further in the northeastern direction, the scent of wolves growing even stronger as they meander through the trees towards the open hillside. "Much appreciated, Skahla," she murmurs as she follows alongside the other pale-pelted lupine, sending a wisp of fog curling about in her wake with a single swish of her tail. Well, that wasn't too difficult, at least...if she's lucky, it's a sign of things to come.