Post by temperance on Jun 1, 2008 2:59:07 GMT -5
A meeting between wolves on the plateau goes slightly awry.
Characters
Sierra, adolescent member of Viridian
Hinto, adult loner
Halidari, adult member of Lazuli
Moonbird, Lazuli pup
Setting
The woods seem to dissipate as the slope evens out, the rocks still present, but now for the most part are few large, flat dabs of stone, too far gone into the ground to move, like tectonic plates on the hillside. As the woods slim, the grass grows, and the brush seems to thicken, especially in large patches. Soon, the ground becomes nigh flat, with small undulations over the ground, as smooth as a mountain will get, but nothing slopes much further for now. The plateau stretches for what seems to be miles, the horizon tinted with the look of the rest of the mountain range, and the ground darkened slightly with pockets of stone under the grassy brush. This place is easily one of the largest on the mountain, its wheat-like stalks, leaf colored grasses, and purple-budded bushes creating a calm and happy place, conifers and oaks dotting some areas along the way. As the flats move along the monstrously large mountainside, it eventually leads to what seems to be a far-off outcropping.
Scene
Sierra is probably going to get in trouble for this, but she really couldn't help herself. What youngster can resist ranging a bit far from home, exploring JUST beyond the borders of the territory, seeing 'what's out there'? She's heard all the stories about how Haze ran away, and how Kiva got lost and got hit on the head and forgot who she was...She wasn't going to go that far though. NO sir, just to the plateau where the coyote said she used to live. That's certainly far enough...she can at least probably hear if her mother howls from down here...And so the adolescent wolf merrily traipses around on the plateau, and through pure dumb luck, very nearly trips on a rabbit and manages to catch it after a short chase and very bad luck on the rabbit's part.
Why does he keep doing this to himself? Hinto berates himself for making the second return to these lands. Its not totally unpleasant, but something keeps drawing him back to this place. Perhaps he has doubts about his departure from Lazuli, or maybe he's not cut out for the 'lone wolf' style of living. Hinto hates being alone, he decides. Absolutely awful. And so here he is again, heading back where? Lazuli? He is not certain if they would even remember him. Hinto is a complex wolf like that. He *could make life easy for himself, but then what would he do each day?
Far beyond the borders of home, this is the first time that Halidari has been this far out and honestly has no idea where she's at, which isn't a good thing when you've taken a pup with you or when ones followed. Miakoda was bound to kill her is she knew they were out here. Breaking through the cover of the woods and up the rocky path, the wolfess is grateful to come across something smooth and less painful on the paws. The grass was a good change, but the rocks hidden beneath were something not to desirable. "Moonbird, you sure you want to come out this way?" she asks the pup, looking back at her as she comes to a stop uptop a rock. "This place smells of..." well, she wasn't sure what it smelt like.
Never one for rules unless he's the one making them, Moonbird -- son of Lazuli betas Thorne and Miakoda -- has gone against his parents' better judgment and, like Sierra, strayed beyond his pack's borders. It isn't that he doesn't believe in the Big Bad Monsters that his family members have told him about; during the five days he spent wandering before Halidari caught up to him, he encountered all manners of toothy creatures, from the lightning-quick Rattler to the steel-jawed Wolverine, and if it weren't for the she-wolf intervening when he got just a little too close to a sleeping Grizzly this morning, he probably wouldn't be alive right now. He comes up alongside Halidari, his silver-furred muzzle angled in such a way that his nose can make the most of the breeze and the scents carried on it -- just like he was taught by his elders. "I don't smell anything," he announces in a soft voice, sullen-sounding as always. "The wind is blowing the wrong way."
Sage! Sage, cedar, and tasty-tasty rabbit...that's what Sierra smells, and she loves it. She may have to come down here more often. Her luck-kill was small, probably young and inexperienced, and so she made short work of it. Now, having had a snack to tide her over, she goes back to exploring. And frolicking. Yes she's in high spirits, off on an adventure, and so she proceeds to bound and frolic about the plateau, leaping bushes, tugging twigs off of trees, chasing quail from their hiding roosts. She doesn't quite pay as much attention as she ought to be, and though she's downwind from the other wolves, she's too preoccupied to notice them just yet. Similar to the rabbit, she too is young and inexperienced.
Hinto is possibly the first to notice that he's not the only wolf here now. He sees a somewhat excited adolescent dead ahead. Hinto is not unintelligent, he can tell that this wolf might not be as cautious as most would want to be in the wilderness. Hinto is upwind, why is this adolescent no noticing his scent? With a bit of a huff, the wolf continues ahead, obviously going to be meeting up with this adolescent. Safety in numbers at least, and with an experienced adult this careless adolescent would be more safe. And then Hinto has to remind himself, again, that he is being rather judgmental of others.
The wind was indeed blowing the wrong direction, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything to smell. However, that /was/ just the thing.. there wasn't anything. It was odd and made Hali concerned of the possible dangers lurking downwind or hidden in the smells of nature. "That doesn't concern you..." she questions Moon', looking towards the visible open. Why would it concern him though; it was quite possible that the reason there was nothing to smell was because there was in fact nothing out there. Hali couldn't believe that, there had to of been someone or even something out there she just wasn't seeing. Leaping from the rock, she takes several steps forward before calling Moonbird up. "Best keep an eye out.. come on." Just before she worried over the lack of scent, doesn't mean she's going to back too.
"I can take point if you're too spooked," Moonbird offers slyly. Although his voice carries a slight hint of disdain, it isn't as noticeable as it could be. Halidari has indulged his curiosity, and for that he is grateful; if it were anybody else, he would have been dragged home by his ear, kicking and squealing like a pup half his age. He trots after the older wolf, careful not to trip over his own paws as he hurries to keep pace. If only his legs were just a little bit longer...
Sierra suddenly pauses, having caught an off scent. She freezes in mid-stride, one paw up, tail out behind her. The young she-wolf tilts her head, tipping her nose up to test the air. Wolves! Strange wolves...She takes a few long moments to run over the smells mentally, making sure she doesn't know them from when she was very little and met some other wolves who she hasn't seen in a long time....Nope, strangers...Oh dear, she knew that was likely to happen if she wandered away from the pack borders. She glances back, back toward the muted roaring of the falls in the distance. She's startled to realize how far she's come. Should she stay and hope they're friendly, or hurry back home? End her adventure so soon? She's not quite willing yet...She looks back toward the approaching wolves, ears perked, nostrils twitching, trying to pick out their movement.
Hinto finally gets close enough to speak. "What is a young wolf like you doing out here alone like that?" Hinto asks. "Strikes me as awfully unwise. For all you know, I could be coming to attack you or worse." Hinto says. "Fortunately, I'm not the type to randomly attack innocent wolves, provided, of course, you *are* innocent."
Spooked, preposterous; Halidari had done this many times before with her own siblings, however, it was never this far out. Keeping her wits about her, she just chuckles. "And risk my hide if something were to happen to you.. ha.. I don't think so." Unlike with her brother and sisters, Hali didn't show as much worry this Moonbird... but as with anyone in her pack, she cared and worried for their safety. Hali urges all of the Lazuli young to venture, but never alone. Which is why if you promote exploring, be the one who goes along. Moving further of the beaten trail, stopping every so often to ensure Moon' was still keeping the pace and not wondering off to who knows where; her suddenly picks up the faint murmurs of what appears to be a voice. Ears perks, Hali comes to a dead stop.
When Halidari stops, so too does Moonbird -- right between her front paws. Where she hears voices, he sees shapes, squinting to get a better look at the figures of Hinto and Sierra on the other side of the plateau. This is the first time he's come across wolves who don't belong to the Lazuli pack, but rather than rush out ahead to get a better look, he simply tips his head to the side, opting to study them from a distance. For now. "Do you know them, 'dari?"
Sierra nearly leaps out of her fur when Hinto speaks so near to her. How did she miss that?! She whirls to face him, hackles raised and tail puffed up. "I'm n-not that far from home!" she stammers, then gets a little braver, lifting her head. "All I'd have to do is howl and my pack would come running..." She IS a little far from home, wandered farther than she'd meant to, but running full tilt she could probably get back and safe...hopefully. Distracted by the ONE wolf, she momentarily forgets about the others, deciding to focus on the one closest at paw.
"Lazuli?" Hinto dares to press the adolescent. "At least, I am assuming you're from the Lazuli pack, am I incorrect?" Hinto looks slyly at the adolescent. "You'd send your pack to murder a wolf who hasn't even touched you?"
The voices she hears soon after turn into the same figures in which Moon' sees. With her watchful gaze upon the two ahead, Hali gives the faintest of head shakes. "No. I don't believe so." Squinting her eyes for a better look, she discovers that indeed she does not know them. Halidari knew many wolves, but these two were completely unfamiliar. Debating on whether to move in closer, she scans the area with the hopes there weren't anymore in the area; two is plenty. With it looking to be only the four of them in the area, she looks down to her younger packmate, "What to move in closer.. check things out?"
The odds aren't exactly in Moonbird's favour, and though he's still just a youngster, he has enough sense to know when he and Halidari are outclassed. "Two is too many," he tells her without shifting his gaze from the pair, his golden eyes bright with a morbid sort of excitement. He gets the same look whenever the adults show up at the den with something small and defenseless flopping around in somebody's jaws; there's no way to know what he's thinking, but it probably isn't very friendly.
Sierra blinks at Hinto, ears perking up. She takes a step back, back toward the waterfall. "No. Viridian..." She lifts her head proudly as she speaks her pack's name. She catches sight of the other two wolves again, and is momentarily distracted, head tilting as she realizes one of them is young...about her age. She blinks a few times, curiosity piqued, before snapping back to matters at hand, glancing sidelong back at Hinto. "No, I wouldn't...Not unless you tried to hurt me."
Hinto bows his head. A shame. "Please, stop being afraid, I mean no harm. A lonely wolf like myself doesn't get companionship often. It wouldn't do me any good attacking you...er...?" Hinto says, trailing, realizing he doesn't know this adolescents name. "I'm Hinto. I've been alone all my life, though I was briefly of the Lazuli before my wanderlust took over again."
Halidari wasn't going to force the oup into doing what he didn't want to, and she wasn't just going to leave him there either just because her own curiosity's been sparked. Two was too many for him and fair for her; she gives him this time. "Ok." she says to him with a hint of disappointment. Glancing up from Moon' she looks back out toward the two in the distance, cupping her ears to possibly hear what their talking about if it was anything. With a brisk sigh, Hali then suddenly says, "But if were going to stay here, we're going to have to come up with something to do."
"What's wrong with just watching?" Moonbird wants to know. He eases onto his haunches, taking shelter from the sun in the shadow that Halidari's much larger body casts. "Maybe they're up to something sneaky," he suggests. "Maybe they're part of another pack that's getting ready to move in on Felstride's territory." Or maybe he has an overactive imagination. Mimicking Halidari, he turns his ears, tries to make out what the strangers are saying, and ultimately sets his muzzle into a scowl when he realizes that the only thing he can hear is the low buzz of insects in the grass all around them.
Sierra eyes Hinto again, pondering if she should trust his words or not. But then, he could have attacked her already, right? And if he DID hurt her, her parents would hunt him down. "I'm Sierra, daughter of Viridian," she says, smiling a bit, then tilts her head. "A lone wolf? I've heard of them...I don't know how you could manage without a pack..." She turns her muzzle toward Halidari and Moonbird. "What about them?"
Hinto blinks, then turns to look. NOW who is caught off guard? "I don't know them. I mostly came over to you to keep you safe, if you can believe it. Seeing an adolescent out alone like that, where you weren't even paying attention to scents in the air. You'll need a friend out here." he says. "As for how I manage, its not easy. I should be in a pack."
There was nothing wrong with just watching, but what was wrong with getting a little closer too.. after all they couldn't hear anything right. Not looking down to Moon until he mentions the idea of them moving in on her fathers territory. She raises a brow to him in question, "What gives you that idea..." No one could ever invade the Lazuli, her father would never allow it and neither would anyone else. This, Moonbird probably knows as well. Watching him for a moment, she soon turns back to the two.. then asks, "You don't hear them do you?" See, she told him they should of moved in closer.
"That's what other packs do, isn't it? Old Felstride's hardly got any fight left in him -- everybody knows that. I don't know why my father doesn't just..." Moonbird trails off before he says something that he might regret later. His black-tipped tail thumps a few times in the dirt, clearly irritated. "I'll be alpha one day," he tells Halidari in what he hopes is a casual-sounding tone, "and then everyone will bow down to the Lazuli. You'll see."
Sierra gets a wee bit of satisfaction from Hinto's being caught off guard as she was, but she's careful not to show it. She lifts her head, ears perked, as if trying to hear the other wolves like they're trying to hear her and Hinto. The adolescent looks back to him. "I'm really not that far from home...Thank you though, for wanting to protect me.." She smiles, tail wagging. "I only know of two packs around here...My pack and Lazuli, but you said you were already part of Lazuli before...Won't they take you back? Or maybe you could speak to Father..." She takes a curious step or two toward Hali and Moonbird as she speaks, youthful curiosity too much for her. There are plenty of wolves her age in her valley...her siblings and the coyote's pups, but these wolves are NEW.
Hinto takes several steps toward the other two wolves. "Hello, over there! I'm peaceful!" Hinto says, assuring the other wolves he's not planning to start biting or snarling.
"Not all packs, just the ones..." Hali beings to say in part of Moon's remark. But as he bring up her father in a more direct way she takes it rather coldly. "My father may be old, but that doesn't mean he can't hold his own." Trying not to snap at the pup she takes a deep breathe to retain a calm tone. "Thorne doesn't..." she huffs to herself. "He doesn't because they are friends." Hali is sure that in time, her father will step down and Moon's father will step up to take his place; its what all Beta's do.. isn't it. But till then the current alpha should be honored and respected. With that said, her attention is drawn by a sudden voice coming from the distant two. The wolfess is silent, if only for a moment, then says, "Hello!" Many wolves say their peaceful, but how does she know its the truth. As for Moon' being an Alpha one day.. Hali has no doubt he'll be, and a good one too. But whats the rush... his got plenty of time.
Moonbird flicks one of his ears in response to Halidari's scolding, saying nothing except: "My father is a fool." He steps out from beneath the she-wolf and takes several bold steps forward, hackles raised, tail bristling. If Halidari listens carefully, she might be able to hear the beginnings of a growl bubbling up from deep inside the pup's chest. Fortunately, though, this ire isn't directed at her -- it's aimed straight for Hinto.
The curiosity is too much, and it finally overcomes the young Viridian shewolf. She takes another step or two, then starts trotting briskly toward Halidari and Moonbird. Hinto said he'd protect her, right? So if they try to hurt her, he'll be there to help. Or maybe she's overconfident...that's more likely. But still...she yips a greeting, "Hello!"
Hinto makes sure to stay a few steps ahead of Sierra. He hears many things upon his approach. He directs his gaze down to the pup. "Now, that, little pup, is not a very nice treatment for a wolf who declared he's peaceful. Nor is it nice, little pup, to call an elder a fool, let alone your own father." Hinto looks up at Halidari. "Out of good will: I am Hinto. I am... a wanderer who used to be of Lazuli before wanderlust swept me away once more."
A fool.. well thats not very nice to say; even if it is from someone who knows Thorne a bit better than she does. Before she can ask him why, Halidari lifts a paw slightly from the ground as Moon' leaves from beneath her and puts on an aggressive posture. He's growl is first thought to be directed at her and she's not quite sure how to take it, but then realized that Hinto had come closer and it could possibly be directed at him. With her gaze set on the older male, sliping onto the now naring female, Hali stands to take a few steps in front of Moonbird, separating him from the two. "If you are truely peaceful than you will keep your distance." she speaks towards the spoken male as he address's the pup, before turning her attention to him fully. "Once more." A brow is risen to this. "I assume this is not the first you have left then." The name Hinto bares not resemblance to her, and in such she can't remember him ever being a part of the pack.
Moonbird decides to let Halidari do the talking. In the meantime, he'll stand guard and puff out his chest, trying to look as big and intimidating as possible. It isn't very effective -- not yet, anyway. Give him a few more months. Sierra receives a cold stare that, while surly, isn't quite as harsh as the look he was giving Hinto just a few moments ago. She's closer to his size and age, and therefore less of a threat.
Sierra regards the both of the Lazuli wolves with a curious and innocent smile, tail wagging merrily. Until the reception turns out to be cold. She sags a bit, taking a step back, and wondering once again if she should have stayed home. She whines softly, ears splaying back, and glances over her shoulder. She thought these other wolves might want to play, but they don't seem very friendly.
Hinto stops, and even backs up a few steps. He can understand her being protective of the pup, but that bit about Lazuli not being the first feels like a bit of a low blow. "I... did not stay around the Lazuli very long." Hinto says, then measures Halidari's last thought. "Much is it pains me to hear you say such a thing, yes, I've left a pack before. As I said: Wanderlust, I cannot resist at times. I was hoping to return to Lazuli, though I hope that the rest of the pack will be somewhat more welcoming of a lost soul."
Halidari may not of appeared welcomeing, but that doesn't mean that she won't be. Gaze shifting from wolf to wolf, she notices the change in facial expressions putting on a mild smile. "I do not blame you for your lust to see the would beyond.. it captures us all at times." She's seen it many times before. This she says in her usuall calm voice, she takes a step back, closer to the might Moonbird. "Returning to Lazuli may become its own venture." She tells Hinto. "However, upon your return, it is uncertain the mood you'll receive when you step foot upon their land." Many things have changed since Kinto was last of Lazuli, but perhaps he wil have better luck than most. Turning to Sierra she says nothing but ensures with a sincere look that she nor Moon' will do her no harm is none is given in return.
Moonbird wrinkles his nose, sniffing the air directly in front of his face. Now that Hinto and Sierra aren't so far away, he can identify and categorize their unique scents, committing them to that special part of his memory where smells are stored. Rather than surprise him, Sierra's reaction causes a feeling of pride to swell in his belly, his posture gradually becoming more and more confident until his hind legs are quivering in anticipation. If he runs at her, will she flee? And if she flees, could he catch her? As much as he wants to find out, he holds his ground for the time being; Halidari still needs protecting. "/Our/ land," he corrects her.
Sierra watches Halidari as she speaks to Hinto, but her gaze keeps flicking over toward Moonbird. She blinks as he begins adopting a more dominant posture. This wasn't her land, but it wasn't HIS either, and she's the daughter of the One! She lifts her head, ears perking forward, and stands up straighter, overcoming her uncertainty at his behavior. She snorts softly, looking a little disappointed. This appears to be a spoiled Lazuli pup, and is beginning to look less and less like a playmate. She sighs, letting the grown-ups talk, her gaze wandering.
Hinto looks down at the pup and looks uneasy. Halidari may have softened up and became a little more firendly, but the pup worries him. "Do not worry, little pup, we are truly no threat. If we were, I'd likely have attacked your friend by this point. A lone wolf like me does not get very far by attacking wolves he has no issues with. I can understand your desire to protect, however. I am afraid I don't know your names, I am Hinto."
Right, how could she forget. A smirk given to Moonbird she thanks him for that correction. Her gaze still upon Sierra, she notices her attempt to out due Moon's own dominance and she fights the urge to laugh. Each one of them was the child of a title holder... whether it be Alpha or Beta. Hinto on the other hand had nothing. Sorry. It would be hard to bring any of them down with such postures. With the male wolf back in mind as he speaks, Halidari turns to him once more. Moon' does want he wants.. she's just here for his safety, much like he is for hers. XD "Please, over confidence gets you now where. Had you did attack me, you'd be the one at lose." Course anything could happen in fight. "However, I am grateful that you haven't. Both of you." Pauseing for a moment she concers. no names have been given.. only his. "I am Halidari, the young one is Moonbird." No flaunting required..
Moonbird flattens his ears at Sierra's snort. Otherwise, his body language does not change. "You won't get very far by lying, either," he says, gold eyes flicking back to Hinto. "You have claws, and you have teeth -- anything with claws and teeth is a threat, whether or not it means to be." He scuffs at the dirt with his paw like a bull readying to charge. "Don't come any closer."
Sierra follows the movement of an insect while the older wolves talk, easily distracted. She looks back though when names are given. "I'm Sierra.." she offers, glancing back to Moonbird. She giggles at his display, tail wagging. Maybe he DOES want to play.
Hinto is good at that game with Moon unwittingly challenged him to. "If all things with claws and teeth are a threat, then perhaps you should think about your companion. We may have claws and teeth, but we walk the same earth. Admiral your protectiveness may be, you must think about what you say and what you do before you say or do it. Halidari, my friend-for-now, have you teeth, have you claws? Are you a threat?" What Hinto means to say here is, sure, one with tooth and claw could cause trouble, but that's not necessarily threat. Threat includes an intent, at least as far as Hinto is concerned. No, he believes what would be more correct would be: Anything with teeth and claws could be a threat. Could be and actually be. He smiles to Halidari. "You, Halidari, sound like one who enjoys a false battle for fun, am I correct in assuming so?"
Halidari shakes her head ever slightly to Moonbirds added words; always having to have the last word. She says nothing to him however, as he was right. Catching Sierra's name, she gives a light smile, but her attention is drawn on Hinto. "I am indeed a threat but not to him." To hurt one of her pack in a crime she's not willing to recieve the punishment of. "As one of my packmates, it matters not whether I've teeth and claw, to strike one another would be a great consequence, thus he need not worry and in such I need to worry of him." Least she hopes she doesn't. "Do not think me harsh, however, when I say that you, a none member of the pack, are more a threat than either of we are." With Hinto's continued look to her, she raises a brow to his apparent assumption. "You judge me to soon, Hinto. What you may hear is one thing, but is far from the truth."
Bewilderment is Moonbird's initial reaction. Sierra's giggle causes him to tip his head inquisitively, uncertain. Even when he's at home with the pack, he doesn't usually take the other pups up on their invitation to play unless he senses an opportunity to bully someone into submission. He's about to bound forward toward her when Hinto's words reach his ears, stopping him dead in his tracks. Without any warning, he rounds on the older male and, curling his upper lip all the way back, snaps suddenly at his face the moment that Halidari is finished talking. Either something he said struck a nerve, or something up inside Moonbird's head isn't wired the right way. Given his previous behavior, both possibilities are likely.
That "first shot" has an immediate reaction to Sierra. She squeaks, taking a step back. These wolves weren't friendly afterall. She frowns, and decides maybe she should go home...but then...this IS her adventure. She can handle bully males. All she has is brothers, afterall, and she doesn't let THEM push her around. She snorts again, "Hey! What was that for? He didn't do anything to you, you big butthead!"
Hinto is about to respond when Moon attacks him! Well, that was certainly unexpected, and he feels teeth sink into his muzzle. But, Moon, being only a pup, doesn't deserve Hinto attacking him, even after such a lapse in judgment as this. Instead Hinto lowers himself to the ground so the pup can get his footing. He can feel the pain of the bite and blood being drawn. "Sierra... calm yourself." Hinto says. Hinto looks at the youngster on his face. He remains calm. No growls or snarls, no threats or angry words, instead he says, "Young pup, how do you feel now that you have drawn blood? Aggression is a terrible thing. I know this, my own history may be proof enough. I am only going to ask you kindly to stop this. If I were a violent wolf, one who did not know better, you would probably be hurt. Think first, act later. It'd save you and others a lot of pain like the pain you're afflicting on me."
Words where always one thing, but to actually act upon them was another. With only Hinto and her's being spoken it becomes quite strange that Moonbird would do such a thing as attack when there was nothing to act upon. Sure he had his own possible reasons; but what where they... Unable to react in time to stop such matters of blood drawing; it happened so suddenly, Hali steps forward approaching both Hinto and Moonbird. "Such actions are not called for, Moon'. Release him." Her tone just below demanding. Evermore.. she is watchful of Hinto.. he may not of retaliated or said that he would, but look are most certainly deceiving. "Hinto.. it is not your place to speak reason with him, so I suggest you don't."
Moonbird doesn't cling to Hinto's muzzle for long; like a striking snake, he has already disengaged by the time the older wolf is down in the dirt. Chest heaving, he backs away while licking the blood from his lips. He doesn't appear to be listening to anything that anyone is saying, but this might be because he can't /hear/ anything except the pounding of his own heart and a shrill voice screaming, "Again! Again!" into his ear. His tongue lolls out of his mouth, and he begins to pant heavily. "First," he mutters feverishly under his breath, "first, first, first..."
Sierra frowns at the lot of them. She glares at Moonbird. That was totally uncalled-for. No, this is no playmate. This isn't even a bully. He's mad. Is this what the Lazuli wolves are like? Is this why her family doesn't come down and interact with them? But Halidari seems all right. Mostly...the whole thing is too much for her. Hackles up, she takes a step back toward the falls.
"I apologize. You are right. It is not my place. Though I must ask if there was something I have done?" Hinto asks. Well, Halidari's admonition of the young one suggests he did nothing. If Moon were an adult, Hinto could have been seriously hurt by the boy. He takes a step or two back. He licks his muzzle. Ouch. That really hurt, come to think of it. He looks down uneasily at the pup. But, unlike Sierra, Hinto does not wish to leave. Lazuli is the closest thing to home for him. But the pup, here. Something must be wrong. "Just... calm down." He can say that at least.
Halidari has seen many thing in her life but this surely rises above them all when it comes to pups. "What.." she questions a bit confused. What does he mean by first.. first what? Hali was unsure of even touching him at this point; what if he struck her as randomly as he did Hinto. Sure she said the consequences were high for attacking one of your own, but still. Ears back she looks at the pup suspiciously. "Moonbird, what has gotten into you... this isn't you, you don't act this way." But then again what exactly was the right way for him to act.
Movement in Moonbird's peripheral vision draws his attention away from Sierra and the adults. Still muttering to himself, the pup turns and wobbles a few meters away, toward a patch of grass where a spiny lizard is sunning itself on a small rock. As suddenly as it began, the fit is over, and -- at least to Moonbird -- it's as though nothing happened.
Sierra eyes the lot of them warily. What the hell was going on? She flicks her pale eyes toward Moonbird, highly disappointed. She had so hoped for a new playmate, but he's nuts. She heaves a sigh, scuffing a paw in the dirt. She decides to hang around a LITTLE longer, and withdraw politely. Otherwise she might look rude.
Hinto realizes what the chants could mean. The pup was repeating one of his own words: He had said "first blood." The pup is... fixated on what he had done, and not in a way Hinto would define as "good." "Good" would be some sort of remorse or realization of what he had done was wrong. "First, first, first." The pup drew blood, and perhaps the biggest nightmare in Hinto's mind plays by, the pup enjoyed what he did, would do it again? He watches the pup, then looks at Halidari, confused. "I said something about 'first blood' to him, could that be it?"
Watching her packmate closely, Halidari is completely oblivious as to what exactly just happened. Following him to where he moves to the spiny lizard, she blinks before asking once more. "You all right Moon'?" she wonders, with a slight nudge to one of his shoulders. Little does she know that he doesn't remember doing anything. Turning her ears back to Hinto she shrugs. "I couldn't really say." She wasn't sure of anything right now.. she's just real confused.
Moonbird settles down on his belly by the rock and rests his chin on his oversized paws, eyes half-lidded against the sun to ward the glare away so he can better watch the lizard. He glances at Sierra, sidelong, and though the nervous energy in his eyes is still there, he doesn't try moving toward her again -- especially not when he hears Halidari approach from behind him. His response is a long and tired sigh, his small body seeming to deflate. "Sleepy," he grumbles.
Sierra grunts. The excitement is over, and it was all terribly disappointing. She sighs, and turns back toward the falls. "I should go home...It was nice meeting you.." she says, observing proper niceties. She is technically representing her pack down here.
Hinto takes another few steps back. "I... think I might wait before I return to Lazuli, it'd be a lot easier to help your pup friend if there's no fuss about a strange wolf nobody remembers." With that Hinto turns to walk away. If Sierra were to join him he certainly wouldn't mind. One thing is certain: Now is not a good time to come home.
Sleepy.. that wasn't exactly what she asked, but she'll take it for now. "Get some rest." Hali tells him, even though she'd rather have him sleep some place closer to home. Looking over to Sierra she nods. "It was a pleasure as well. Take care of yourself." She fails to give safe journies home to the girl as she turns to Hinto who is obviously eager to depart as well. Not saying anything to him, however, she turns back to Moonbird, taking a seat. What a weird day.
Sierra heaves a sigh and begins her trip back toward home. She glances back at the other wolves with a frown, then puts her head down and breaks into a lope. She probably shouldn't have left home at all, but at least now her curiosity is somewhat sated. Will she ever meet other wolves again? Who knows.
Characters
Sierra, adolescent member of Viridian
Hinto, adult loner
Halidari, adult member of Lazuli
Moonbird, Lazuli pup
Setting
The woods seem to dissipate as the slope evens out, the rocks still present, but now for the most part are few large, flat dabs of stone, too far gone into the ground to move, like tectonic plates on the hillside. As the woods slim, the grass grows, and the brush seems to thicken, especially in large patches. Soon, the ground becomes nigh flat, with small undulations over the ground, as smooth as a mountain will get, but nothing slopes much further for now. The plateau stretches for what seems to be miles, the horizon tinted with the look of the rest of the mountain range, and the ground darkened slightly with pockets of stone under the grassy brush. This place is easily one of the largest on the mountain, its wheat-like stalks, leaf colored grasses, and purple-budded bushes creating a calm and happy place, conifers and oaks dotting some areas along the way. As the flats move along the monstrously large mountainside, it eventually leads to what seems to be a far-off outcropping.
Scene
Sierra is probably going to get in trouble for this, but she really couldn't help herself. What youngster can resist ranging a bit far from home, exploring JUST beyond the borders of the territory, seeing 'what's out there'? She's heard all the stories about how Haze ran away, and how Kiva got lost and got hit on the head and forgot who she was...She wasn't going to go that far though. NO sir, just to the plateau where the coyote said she used to live. That's certainly far enough...she can at least probably hear if her mother howls from down here...And so the adolescent wolf merrily traipses around on the plateau, and through pure dumb luck, very nearly trips on a rabbit and manages to catch it after a short chase and very bad luck on the rabbit's part.
Why does he keep doing this to himself? Hinto berates himself for making the second return to these lands. Its not totally unpleasant, but something keeps drawing him back to this place. Perhaps he has doubts about his departure from Lazuli, or maybe he's not cut out for the 'lone wolf' style of living. Hinto hates being alone, he decides. Absolutely awful. And so here he is again, heading back where? Lazuli? He is not certain if they would even remember him. Hinto is a complex wolf like that. He *could make life easy for himself, but then what would he do each day?
Far beyond the borders of home, this is the first time that Halidari has been this far out and honestly has no idea where she's at, which isn't a good thing when you've taken a pup with you or when ones followed. Miakoda was bound to kill her is she knew they were out here. Breaking through the cover of the woods and up the rocky path, the wolfess is grateful to come across something smooth and less painful on the paws. The grass was a good change, but the rocks hidden beneath were something not to desirable. "Moonbird, you sure you want to come out this way?" she asks the pup, looking back at her as she comes to a stop uptop a rock. "This place smells of..." well, she wasn't sure what it smelt like.
Never one for rules unless he's the one making them, Moonbird -- son of Lazuli betas Thorne and Miakoda -- has gone against his parents' better judgment and, like Sierra, strayed beyond his pack's borders. It isn't that he doesn't believe in the Big Bad Monsters that his family members have told him about; during the five days he spent wandering before Halidari caught up to him, he encountered all manners of toothy creatures, from the lightning-quick Rattler to the steel-jawed Wolverine, and if it weren't for the she-wolf intervening when he got just a little too close to a sleeping Grizzly this morning, he probably wouldn't be alive right now. He comes up alongside Halidari, his silver-furred muzzle angled in such a way that his nose can make the most of the breeze and the scents carried on it -- just like he was taught by his elders. "I don't smell anything," he announces in a soft voice, sullen-sounding as always. "The wind is blowing the wrong way."
Sage! Sage, cedar, and tasty-tasty rabbit...that's what Sierra smells, and she loves it. She may have to come down here more often. Her luck-kill was small, probably young and inexperienced, and so she made short work of it. Now, having had a snack to tide her over, she goes back to exploring. And frolicking. Yes she's in high spirits, off on an adventure, and so she proceeds to bound and frolic about the plateau, leaping bushes, tugging twigs off of trees, chasing quail from their hiding roosts. She doesn't quite pay as much attention as she ought to be, and though she's downwind from the other wolves, she's too preoccupied to notice them just yet. Similar to the rabbit, she too is young and inexperienced.
Hinto is possibly the first to notice that he's not the only wolf here now. He sees a somewhat excited adolescent dead ahead. Hinto is not unintelligent, he can tell that this wolf might not be as cautious as most would want to be in the wilderness. Hinto is upwind, why is this adolescent no noticing his scent? With a bit of a huff, the wolf continues ahead, obviously going to be meeting up with this adolescent. Safety in numbers at least, and with an experienced adult this careless adolescent would be more safe. And then Hinto has to remind himself, again, that he is being rather judgmental of others.
The wind was indeed blowing the wrong direction, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything to smell. However, that /was/ just the thing.. there wasn't anything. It was odd and made Hali concerned of the possible dangers lurking downwind or hidden in the smells of nature. "That doesn't concern you..." she questions Moon', looking towards the visible open. Why would it concern him though; it was quite possible that the reason there was nothing to smell was because there was in fact nothing out there. Hali couldn't believe that, there had to of been someone or even something out there she just wasn't seeing. Leaping from the rock, she takes several steps forward before calling Moonbird up. "Best keep an eye out.. come on." Just before she worried over the lack of scent, doesn't mean she's going to back too.
"I can take point if you're too spooked," Moonbird offers slyly. Although his voice carries a slight hint of disdain, it isn't as noticeable as it could be. Halidari has indulged his curiosity, and for that he is grateful; if it were anybody else, he would have been dragged home by his ear, kicking and squealing like a pup half his age. He trots after the older wolf, careful not to trip over his own paws as he hurries to keep pace. If only his legs were just a little bit longer...
Sierra suddenly pauses, having caught an off scent. She freezes in mid-stride, one paw up, tail out behind her. The young she-wolf tilts her head, tipping her nose up to test the air. Wolves! Strange wolves...She takes a few long moments to run over the smells mentally, making sure she doesn't know them from when she was very little and met some other wolves who she hasn't seen in a long time....Nope, strangers...Oh dear, she knew that was likely to happen if she wandered away from the pack borders. She glances back, back toward the muted roaring of the falls in the distance. She's startled to realize how far she's come. Should she stay and hope they're friendly, or hurry back home? End her adventure so soon? She's not quite willing yet...She looks back toward the approaching wolves, ears perked, nostrils twitching, trying to pick out their movement.
Hinto finally gets close enough to speak. "What is a young wolf like you doing out here alone like that?" Hinto asks. "Strikes me as awfully unwise. For all you know, I could be coming to attack you or worse." Hinto says. "Fortunately, I'm not the type to randomly attack innocent wolves, provided, of course, you *are* innocent."
Spooked, preposterous; Halidari had done this many times before with her own siblings, however, it was never this far out. Keeping her wits about her, she just chuckles. "And risk my hide if something were to happen to you.. ha.. I don't think so." Unlike with her brother and sisters, Hali didn't show as much worry this Moonbird... but as with anyone in her pack, she cared and worried for their safety. Hali urges all of the Lazuli young to venture, but never alone. Which is why if you promote exploring, be the one who goes along. Moving further of the beaten trail, stopping every so often to ensure Moon' was still keeping the pace and not wondering off to who knows where; her suddenly picks up the faint murmurs of what appears to be a voice. Ears perks, Hali comes to a dead stop.
When Halidari stops, so too does Moonbird -- right between her front paws. Where she hears voices, he sees shapes, squinting to get a better look at the figures of Hinto and Sierra on the other side of the plateau. This is the first time he's come across wolves who don't belong to the Lazuli pack, but rather than rush out ahead to get a better look, he simply tips his head to the side, opting to study them from a distance. For now. "Do you know them, 'dari?"
Sierra nearly leaps out of her fur when Hinto speaks so near to her. How did she miss that?! She whirls to face him, hackles raised and tail puffed up. "I'm n-not that far from home!" she stammers, then gets a little braver, lifting her head. "All I'd have to do is howl and my pack would come running..." She IS a little far from home, wandered farther than she'd meant to, but running full tilt she could probably get back and safe...hopefully. Distracted by the ONE wolf, she momentarily forgets about the others, deciding to focus on the one closest at paw.
"Lazuli?" Hinto dares to press the adolescent. "At least, I am assuming you're from the Lazuli pack, am I incorrect?" Hinto looks slyly at the adolescent. "You'd send your pack to murder a wolf who hasn't even touched you?"
The voices she hears soon after turn into the same figures in which Moon' sees. With her watchful gaze upon the two ahead, Hali gives the faintest of head shakes. "No. I don't believe so." Squinting her eyes for a better look, she discovers that indeed she does not know them. Halidari knew many wolves, but these two were completely unfamiliar. Debating on whether to move in closer, she scans the area with the hopes there weren't anymore in the area; two is plenty. With it looking to be only the four of them in the area, she looks down to her younger packmate, "What to move in closer.. check things out?"
The odds aren't exactly in Moonbird's favour, and though he's still just a youngster, he has enough sense to know when he and Halidari are outclassed. "Two is too many," he tells her without shifting his gaze from the pair, his golden eyes bright with a morbid sort of excitement. He gets the same look whenever the adults show up at the den with something small and defenseless flopping around in somebody's jaws; there's no way to know what he's thinking, but it probably isn't very friendly.
Sierra blinks at Hinto, ears perking up. She takes a step back, back toward the waterfall. "No. Viridian..." She lifts her head proudly as she speaks her pack's name. She catches sight of the other two wolves again, and is momentarily distracted, head tilting as she realizes one of them is young...about her age. She blinks a few times, curiosity piqued, before snapping back to matters at hand, glancing sidelong back at Hinto. "No, I wouldn't...Not unless you tried to hurt me."
Hinto bows his head. A shame. "Please, stop being afraid, I mean no harm. A lonely wolf like myself doesn't get companionship often. It wouldn't do me any good attacking you...er...?" Hinto says, trailing, realizing he doesn't know this adolescents name. "I'm Hinto. I've been alone all my life, though I was briefly of the Lazuli before my wanderlust took over again."
Halidari wasn't going to force the oup into doing what he didn't want to, and she wasn't just going to leave him there either just because her own curiosity's been sparked. Two was too many for him and fair for her; she gives him this time. "Ok." she says to him with a hint of disappointment. Glancing up from Moon' she looks back out toward the two in the distance, cupping her ears to possibly hear what their talking about if it was anything. With a brisk sigh, Hali then suddenly says, "But if were going to stay here, we're going to have to come up with something to do."
"What's wrong with just watching?" Moonbird wants to know. He eases onto his haunches, taking shelter from the sun in the shadow that Halidari's much larger body casts. "Maybe they're up to something sneaky," he suggests. "Maybe they're part of another pack that's getting ready to move in on Felstride's territory." Or maybe he has an overactive imagination. Mimicking Halidari, he turns his ears, tries to make out what the strangers are saying, and ultimately sets his muzzle into a scowl when he realizes that the only thing he can hear is the low buzz of insects in the grass all around them.
Sierra eyes Hinto again, pondering if she should trust his words or not. But then, he could have attacked her already, right? And if he DID hurt her, her parents would hunt him down. "I'm Sierra, daughter of Viridian," she says, smiling a bit, then tilts her head. "A lone wolf? I've heard of them...I don't know how you could manage without a pack..." She turns her muzzle toward Halidari and Moonbird. "What about them?"
Hinto blinks, then turns to look. NOW who is caught off guard? "I don't know them. I mostly came over to you to keep you safe, if you can believe it. Seeing an adolescent out alone like that, where you weren't even paying attention to scents in the air. You'll need a friend out here." he says. "As for how I manage, its not easy. I should be in a pack."
There was nothing wrong with just watching, but what was wrong with getting a little closer too.. after all they couldn't hear anything right. Not looking down to Moon until he mentions the idea of them moving in on her fathers territory. She raises a brow to him in question, "What gives you that idea..." No one could ever invade the Lazuli, her father would never allow it and neither would anyone else. This, Moonbird probably knows as well. Watching him for a moment, she soon turns back to the two.. then asks, "You don't hear them do you?" See, she told him they should of moved in closer.
"That's what other packs do, isn't it? Old Felstride's hardly got any fight left in him -- everybody knows that. I don't know why my father doesn't just..." Moonbird trails off before he says something that he might regret later. His black-tipped tail thumps a few times in the dirt, clearly irritated. "I'll be alpha one day," he tells Halidari in what he hopes is a casual-sounding tone, "and then everyone will bow down to the Lazuli. You'll see."
Sierra gets a wee bit of satisfaction from Hinto's being caught off guard as she was, but she's careful not to show it. She lifts her head, ears perked, as if trying to hear the other wolves like they're trying to hear her and Hinto. The adolescent looks back to him. "I'm really not that far from home...Thank you though, for wanting to protect me.." She smiles, tail wagging. "I only know of two packs around here...My pack and Lazuli, but you said you were already part of Lazuli before...Won't they take you back? Or maybe you could speak to Father..." She takes a curious step or two toward Hali and Moonbird as she speaks, youthful curiosity too much for her. There are plenty of wolves her age in her valley...her siblings and the coyote's pups, but these wolves are NEW.
Hinto takes several steps toward the other two wolves. "Hello, over there! I'm peaceful!" Hinto says, assuring the other wolves he's not planning to start biting or snarling.
"Not all packs, just the ones..." Hali beings to say in part of Moon's remark. But as he bring up her father in a more direct way she takes it rather coldly. "My father may be old, but that doesn't mean he can't hold his own." Trying not to snap at the pup she takes a deep breathe to retain a calm tone. "Thorne doesn't..." she huffs to herself. "He doesn't because they are friends." Hali is sure that in time, her father will step down and Moon's father will step up to take his place; its what all Beta's do.. isn't it. But till then the current alpha should be honored and respected. With that said, her attention is drawn by a sudden voice coming from the distant two. The wolfess is silent, if only for a moment, then says, "Hello!" Many wolves say their peaceful, but how does she know its the truth. As for Moon' being an Alpha one day.. Hali has no doubt he'll be, and a good one too. But whats the rush... his got plenty of time.
Moonbird flicks one of his ears in response to Halidari's scolding, saying nothing except: "My father is a fool." He steps out from beneath the she-wolf and takes several bold steps forward, hackles raised, tail bristling. If Halidari listens carefully, she might be able to hear the beginnings of a growl bubbling up from deep inside the pup's chest. Fortunately, though, this ire isn't directed at her -- it's aimed straight for Hinto.
The curiosity is too much, and it finally overcomes the young Viridian shewolf. She takes another step or two, then starts trotting briskly toward Halidari and Moonbird. Hinto said he'd protect her, right? So if they try to hurt her, he'll be there to help. Or maybe she's overconfident...that's more likely. But still...she yips a greeting, "Hello!"
Hinto makes sure to stay a few steps ahead of Sierra. He hears many things upon his approach. He directs his gaze down to the pup. "Now, that, little pup, is not a very nice treatment for a wolf who declared he's peaceful. Nor is it nice, little pup, to call an elder a fool, let alone your own father." Hinto looks up at Halidari. "Out of good will: I am Hinto. I am... a wanderer who used to be of Lazuli before wanderlust swept me away once more."
A fool.. well thats not very nice to say; even if it is from someone who knows Thorne a bit better than she does. Before she can ask him why, Halidari lifts a paw slightly from the ground as Moon' leaves from beneath her and puts on an aggressive posture. He's growl is first thought to be directed at her and she's not quite sure how to take it, but then realized that Hinto had come closer and it could possibly be directed at him. With her gaze set on the older male, sliping onto the now naring female, Hali stands to take a few steps in front of Moonbird, separating him from the two. "If you are truely peaceful than you will keep your distance." she speaks towards the spoken male as he address's the pup, before turning her attention to him fully. "Once more." A brow is risen to this. "I assume this is not the first you have left then." The name Hinto bares not resemblance to her, and in such she can't remember him ever being a part of the pack.
Moonbird decides to let Halidari do the talking. In the meantime, he'll stand guard and puff out his chest, trying to look as big and intimidating as possible. It isn't very effective -- not yet, anyway. Give him a few more months. Sierra receives a cold stare that, while surly, isn't quite as harsh as the look he was giving Hinto just a few moments ago. She's closer to his size and age, and therefore less of a threat.
Sierra regards the both of the Lazuli wolves with a curious and innocent smile, tail wagging merrily. Until the reception turns out to be cold. She sags a bit, taking a step back, and wondering once again if she should have stayed home. She whines softly, ears splaying back, and glances over her shoulder. She thought these other wolves might want to play, but they don't seem very friendly.
Hinto stops, and even backs up a few steps. He can understand her being protective of the pup, but that bit about Lazuli not being the first feels like a bit of a low blow. "I... did not stay around the Lazuli very long." Hinto says, then measures Halidari's last thought. "Much is it pains me to hear you say such a thing, yes, I've left a pack before. As I said: Wanderlust, I cannot resist at times. I was hoping to return to Lazuli, though I hope that the rest of the pack will be somewhat more welcoming of a lost soul."
Halidari may not of appeared welcomeing, but that doesn't mean that she won't be. Gaze shifting from wolf to wolf, she notices the change in facial expressions putting on a mild smile. "I do not blame you for your lust to see the would beyond.. it captures us all at times." She's seen it many times before. This she says in her usuall calm voice, she takes a step back, closer to the might Moonbird. "Returning to Lazuli may become its own venture." She tells Hinto. "However, upon your return, it is uncertain the mood you'll receive when you step foot upon their land." Many things have changed since Kinto was last of Lazuli, but perhaps he wil have better luck than most. Turning to Sierra she says nothing but ensures with a sincere look that she nor Moon' will do her no harm is none is given in return.
Moonbird wrinkles his nose, sniffing the air directly in front of his face. Now that Hinto and Sierra aren't so far away, he can identify and categorize their unique scents, committing them to that special part of his memory where smells are stored. Rather than surprise him, Sierra's reaction causes a feeling of pride to swell in his belly, his posture gradually becoming more and more confident until his hind legs are quivering in anticipation. If he runs at her, will she flee? And if she flees, could he catch her? As much as he wants to find out, he holds his ground for the time being; Halidari still needs protecting. "/Our/ land," he corrects her.
Sierra watches Halidari as she speaks to Hinto, but her gaze keeps flicking over toward Moonbird. She blinks as he begins adopting a more dominant posture. This wasn't her land, but it wasn't HIS either, and she's the daughter of the One! She lifts her head, ears perking forward, and stands up straighter, overcoming her uncertainty at his behavior. She snorts softly, looking a little disappointed. This appears to be a spoiled Lazuli pup, and is beginning to look less and less like a playmate. She sighs, letting the grown-ups talk, her gaze wandering.
Hinto looks down at the pup and looks uneasy. Halidari may have softened up and became a little more firendly, but the pup worries him. "Do not worry, little pup, we are truly no threat. If we were, I'd likely have attacked your friend by this point. A lone wolf like me does not get very far by attacking wolves he has no issues with. I can understand your desire to protect, however. I am afraid I don't know your names, I am Hinto."
Right, how could she forget. A smirk given to Moonbird she thanks him for that correction. Her gaze still upon Sierra, she notices her attempt to out due Moon's own dominance and she fights the urge to laugh. Each one of them was the child of a title holder... whether it be Alpha or Beta. Hinto on the other hand had nothing. Sorry. It would be hard to bring any of them down with such postures. With the male wolf back in mind as he speaks, Halidari turns to him once more. Moon' does want he wants.. she's just here for his safety, much like he is for hers. XD "Please, over confidence gets you now where. Had you did attack me, you'd be the one at lose." Course anything could happen in fight. "However, I am grateful that you haven't. Both of you." Pauseing for a moment she concers. no names have been given.. only his. "I am Halidari, the young one is Moonbird." No flaunting required..
Moonbird flattens his ears at Sierra's snort. Otherwise, his body language does not change. "You won't get very far by lying, either," he says, gold eyes flicking back to Hinto. "You have claws, and you have teeth -- anything with claws and teeth is a threat, whether or not it means to be." He scuffs at the dirt with his paw like a bull readying to charge. "Don't come any closer."
Sierra follows the movement of an insect while the older wolves talk, easily distracted. She looks back though when names are given. "I'm Sierra.." she offers, glancing back to Moonbird. She giggles at his display, tail wagging. Maybe he DOES want to play.
Hinto is good at that game with Moon unwittingly challenged him to. "If all things with claws and teeth are a threat, then perhaps you should think about your companion. We may have claws and teeth, but we walk the same earth. Admiral your protectiveness may be, you must think about what you say and what you do before you say or do it. Halidari, my friend-for-now, have you teeth, have you claws? Are you a threat?" What Hinto means to say here is, sure, one with tooth and claw could cause trouble, but that's not necessarily threat. Threat includes an intent, at least as far as Hinto is concerned. No, he believes what would be more correct would be: Anything with teeth and claws could be a threat. Could be and actually be. He smiles to Halidari. "You, Halidari, sound like one who enjoys a false battle for fun, am I correct in assuming so?"
Halidari shakes her head ever slightly to Moonbirds added words; always having to have the last word. She says nothing to him however, as he was right. Catching Sierra's name, she gives a light smile, but her attention is drawn on Hinto. "I am indeed a threat but not to him." To hurt one of her pack in a crime she's not willing to recieve the punishment of. "As one of my packmates, it matters not whether I've teeth and claw, to strike one another would be a great consequence, thus he need not worry and in such I need to worry of him." Least she hopes she doesn't. "Do not think me harsh, however, when I say that you, a none member of the pack, are more a threat than either of we are." With Hinto's continued look to her, she raises a brow to his apparent assumption. "You judge me to soon, Hinto. What you may hear is one thing, but is far from the truth."
Bewilderment is Moonbird's initial reaction. Sierra's giggle causes him to tip his head inquisitively, uncertain. Even when he's at home with the pack, he doesn't usually take the other pups up on their invitation to play unless he senses an opportunity to bully someone into submission. He's about to bound forward toward her when Hinto's words reach his ears, stopping him dead in his tracks. Without any warning, he rounds on the older male and, curling his upper lip all the way back, snaps suddenly at his face the moment that Halidari is finished talking. Either something he said struck a nerve, or something up inside Moonbird's head isn't wired the right way. Given his previous behavior, both possibilities are likely.
That "first shot" has an immediate reaction to Sierra. She squeaks, taking a step back. These wolves weren't friendly afterall. She frowns, and decides maybe she should go home...but then...this IS her adventure. She can handle bully males. All she has is brothers, afterall, and she doesn't let THEM push her around. She snorts again, "Hey! What was that for? He didn't do anything to you, you big butthead!"
Hinto is about to respond when Moon attacks him! Well, that was certainly unexpected, and he feels teeth sink into his muzzle. But, Moon, being only a pup, doesn't deserve Hinto attacking him, even after such a lapse in judgment as this. Instead Hinto lowers himself to the ground so the pup can get his footing. He can feel the pain of the bite and blood being drawn. "Sierra... calm yourself." Hinto says. Hinto looks at the youngster on his face. He remains calm. No growls or snarls, no threats or angry words, instead he says, "Young pup, how do you feel now that you have drawn blood? Aggression is a terrible thing. I know this, my own history may be proof enough. I am only going to ask you kindly to stop this. If I were a violent wolf, one who did not know better, you would probably be hurt. Think first, act later. It'd save you and others a lot of pain like the pain you're afflicting on me."
Words where always one thing, but to actually act upon them was another. With only Hinto and her's being spoken it becomes quite strange that Moonbird would do such a thing as attack when there was nothing to act upon. Sure he had his own possible reasons; but what where they... Unable to react in time to stop such matters of blood drawing; it happened so suddenly, Hali steps forward approaching both Hinto and Moonbird. "Such actions are not called for, Moon'. Release him." Her tone just below demanding. Evermore.. she is watchful of Hinto.. he may not of retaliated or said that he would, but look are most certainly deceiving. "Hinto.. it is not your place to speak reason with him, so I suggest you don't."
Moonbird doesn't cling to Hinto's muzzle for long; like a striking snake, he has already disengaged by the time the older wolf is down in the dirt. Chest heaving, he backs away while licking the blood from his lips. He doesn't appear to be listening to anything that anyone is saying, but this might be because he can't /hear/ anything except the pounding of his own heart and a shrill voice screaming, "Again! Again!" into his ear. His tongue lolls out of his mouth, and he begins to pant heavily. "First," he mutters feverishly under his breath, "first, first, first..."
Sierra frowns at the lot of them. She glares at Moonbird. That was totally uncalled-for. No, this is no playmate. This isn't even a bully. He's mad. Is this what the Lazuli wolves are like? Is this why her family doesn't come down and interact with them? But Halidari seems all right. Mostly...the whole thing is too much for her. Hackles up, she takes a step back toward the falls.
"I apologize. You are right. It is not my place. Though I must ask if there was something I have done?" Hinto asks. Well, Halidari's admonition of the young one suggests he did nothing. If Moon were an adult, Hinto could have been seriously hurt by the boy. He takes a step or two back. He licks his muzzle. Ouch. That really hurt, come to think of it. He looks down uneasily at the pup. But, unlike Sierra, Hinto does not wish to leave. Lazuli is the closest thing to home for him. But the pup, here. Something must be wrong. "Just... calm down." He can say that at least.
Halidari has seen many thing in her life but this surely rises above them all when it comes to pups. "What.." she questions a bit confused. What does he mean by first.. first what? Hali was unsure of even touching him at this point; what if he struck her as randomly as he did Hinto. Sure she said the consequences were high for attacking one of your own, but still. Ears back she looks at the pup suspiciously. "Moonbird, what has gotten into you... this isn't you, you don't act this way." But then again what exactly was the right way for him to act.
Movement in Moonbird's peripheral vision draws his attention away from Sierra and the adults. Still muttering to himself, the pup turns and wobbles a few meters away, toward a patch of grass where a spiny lizard is sunning itself on a small rock. As suddenly as it began, the fit is over, and -- at least to Moonbird -- it's as though nothing happened.
Sierra eyes the lot of them warily. What the hell was going on? She flicks her pale eyes toward Moonbird, highly disappointed. She had so hoped for a new playmate, but he's nuts. She heaves a sigh, scuffing a paw in the dirt. She decides to hang around a LITTLE longer, and withdraw politely. Otherwise she might look rude.
Hinto realizes what the chants could mean. The pup was repeating one of his own words: He had said "first blood." The pup is... fixated on what he had done, and not in a way Hinto would define as "good." "Good" would be some sort of remorse or realization of what he had done was wrong. "First, first, first." The pup drew blood, and perhaps the biggest nightmare in Hinto's mind plays by, the pup enjoyed what he did, would do it again? He watches the pup, then looks at Halidari, confused. "I said something about 'first blood' to him, could that be it?"
Watching her packmate closely, Halidari is completely oblivious as to what exactly just happened. Following him to where he moves to the spiny lizard, she blinks before asking once more. "You all right Moon'?" she wonders, with a slight nudge to one of his shoulders. Little does she know that he doesn't remember doing anything. Turning her ears back to Hinto she shrugs. "I couldn't really say." She wasn't sure of anything right now.. she's just real confused.
Moonbird settles down on his belly by the rock and rests his chin on his oversized paws, eyes half-lidded against the sun to ward the glare away so he can better watch the lizard. He glances at Sierra, sidelong, and though the nervous energy in his eyes is still there, he doesn't try moving toward her again -- especially not when he hears Halidari approach from behind him. His response is a long and tired sigh, his small body seeming to deflate. "Sleepy," he grumbles.
Sierra grunts. The excitement is over, and it was all terribly disappointing. She sighs, and turns back toward the falls. "I should go home...It was nice meeting you.." she says, observing proper niceties. She is technically representing her pack down here.
Hinto takes another few steps back. "I... think I might wait before I return to Lazuli, it'd be a lot easier to help your pup friend if there's no fuss about a strange wolf nobody remembers." With that Hinto turns to walk away. If Sierra were to join him he certainly wouldn't mind. One thing is certain: Now is not a good time to come home.
Sleepy.. that wasn't exactly what she asked, but she'll take it for now. "Get some rest." Hali tells him, even though she'd rather have him sleep some place closer to home. Looking over to Sierra she nods. "It was a pleasure as well. Take care of yourself." She fails to give safe journies home to the girl as she turns to Hinto who is obviously eager to depart as well. Not saying anything to him, however, she turns back to Moonbird, taking a seat. What a weird day.
Sierra heaves a sigh and begins her trip back toward home. She glances back at the other wolves with a frown, then puts her head down and breaks into a lope. She probably shouldn't have left home at all, but at least now her curiosity is somewhat sated. Will she ever meet other wolves again? Who knows.