Fear forgot to properly introduce herself to the yellow-eyed girl, and had barely touched her pelt when she found herself braving the mountain, paws aching already from climbing. She didn't know how long it would take to get to the top, whether it was hours, days, or weeks, it didn't matter to her. She was determined to get to the top and to survey the land from there, looking over the forest and seeing what else this place had to offer her. She hadn't seen much and already she was growing bored. The forest, or what she had seen of it anyways, was rather nice, and it would be a shame to have to leave this place out of mere boredom of the place. It was pretty from where she stood right now, and while the looks of the land didn't quite matter all that much to her, the sights were nice on the eyes.

For a moment she paused, she wasn't too far up the mountain but she was far enough up that she wasn't going to turn back now. A quarter of the way and she was already wishing for another gasp of breath, wanting her lungs to be able to hold more oxygen so she wouldn't be constantly stopping for a breather. She would get used to it, as her journey went on, her muscles would no longer ache with the effort of pulling herself up the side of the large landmark. As of now, she was breathless, and her tongue lolled out of her mouth. She was vulnerable, and this would be a horrible moment for another wolf to sneak up on her and to bring her to the ground. They could topple down the side of the mountain and that would be that. One slip up here and you would be dead.

With these happy thoughts running through her head, Murder set herself on the ground, trying to get a decent amount of air in her lungs so that she could continue on her trek through the mountain. As long as no one found her here vulnerable, she would be okay.

After much time, speculation, and travel Honijo had finally made his decision. The mountains had always been a place the male felt familiar and comfortable with. After all, he had been born in a similar setting; why not die here? Not to say that the new leader was ready to fall off the face of the earth any time soon. Not in the slightest. If anything, Honijo was perfectly healthy and strong, save for the haunted thoughts and dreams still taking over his mind whenever he closed his eyes. The image of his sister, Lani, still filled the forefront of his imagination when the night was late and he was lonely. After the fire and the new re-establishment of everything, after the children forged together under the command of Indru and brought together a new pack by the name of Swift River, an odd feeling had cast across the Uncle. He had felt unattached, or rather... that he was intruding on something private that ought to carry on without him. While he loved each and every one of Lani and Rihael's children dearly, the fact of the matter remained: they were not his. They were not linked by direct blood, only oyalty and a history that the older male felt he was no longer bound to. Lani, his darling sister, the one who he fought for and sworn to protect from harm, had been taken by the wrath of a raging fire.

The mottled gray male traipsed idly down the mountain. The slope was difficult, especially so because he had just woken up. The previous night he had found a hidden den not too far away to settle and rest. Now, with the sun hitting the sky and the heat waves hot and heavy, it was his intention to make his way down to a winding stream Honijo had come across in his travels. Today was to prove an interesting and challenging day, one that would include the beginning of marking his borders, perhaps sending out a note or two to the skies in request of other wandering desperado's like himself. What he didn't expect in the slightest was to stumble across a wolf figure, the unfamiliar female scent suddenly strong in his nostrils. Honijo pulled up to an abrupt halt, pausing for a second to analyze the resting figure. She did not seem prepared in the slightest for a potential attack, and he knew if he really wanted to and tried at the right angle, it would only be too easy to jump her and take her down, or worse... send her over the outcrop she was relaxing on. But what was the point in getting territorial just yet?

He had just hours ago claimed the land as his own and was still in the middle of making everything official. Pondering this for a moment, the large male waited patiently for a few more seconds, just watching this strange female from a distance before taking a step into the open. "Must be a good reason for your determination in this heat, ma'am." Since when was he so polite? Honijo racked his brains. Perhaps since first setting off on his own. Rudeness could only get you so far when you were alone and vulnerable, searching for numbers to back you up. Nonetheless, he found it amusing that the girl was focusing so hard on making the climb, looking beyond exhausted in doing so, while he was simply descending for a drink of water. Such opposites. Honijo remained a few levels above the wolf, yellow eyes shining with the light of the sun as he waited for the other to respond.

For a while she just sat there and overlooked the land, examining with critical eyes the place where she had been living for the past few days. She had yet to properly explore, and her adventures had resulted in her sleeping quietly in any place she could find that was secluded and apart from the rest of the world. She didn't mind not having a permanent place to stay each night, for she was used to moving around and finding any place to stay that she could fit herself. Murder actually enjoyed moving around, switching things up each night as to make sure that no one was following her or planning on killing her. She was a spy, born and raised as one and she would be ready for whatever would be thrown at her.

Of course, she wasn't expecting the being behind her on the slope to speak, or to even be there. She spun around slowly, trying not to make it obvious that she had been surprised by the appearance of the male. He was handsome, a few years older than her, and quite large. It would be smart to run from him if she saw any sign of him being hostile. She would stand no chance in a fight against this male, and her small size would only help her in evading death in a tight situation. "I merely want to survey the land, that is all." She said with a smile, sitting sideways so that she could see the land out of the corner of her eyes while also being able to see him while she was talking to him. "What is a male like you doing out on a day like this on a mountain so steep, anyways?" She asked. Hopefully he wasn't an assassin, he didn't seem like it, but one could never tell by the looks of another. She was one, and you couldn't really tell with how she looked.

She let her eyes wander back over to the landscape, seeing how large the place where she now lived was. It was incredible, how small she was compared to e verything else. But an ant in a huge land that could easily choose to destroy her. She turned back to the male, her eyes examining him. While he may not have been approved of by her quite yet, he was okay. He had not attacked her yet, and that was good. "It's wonderful, isn't it. How large this land is that we live in and how small we are." She spoke her thoughts, turning back to the view after a few moments of looking at the male. What would he say in response to her words?

Survey the land? Well he supposed it was a good enough excuse. She looked simply famished, and he didn't have the nerve, nor the cruelty to chase her down the mountain. When he made his presence known, Honijo waited, standing prideful on the top of the rock. She could survey the land; he would survey her. He watched as the female turned her back to him, although it was evident she was keeping a watchful eye on him. Minutely, the brute noticed that they seemed to have similar eye shades. Both yellow, alit with wonder at the Ruins of Wildwood below. It was just that-- ruins. Even from such a far altitude, the crumbling remains of what had once been his home tore him to shreds on the inside out. If he had been trying to run away from it all, why had he chosen such a close place to start this new pack, to call home? Curious, but there must have been something symbolic there. Maybe deep down Honijo liked the idea of keeping watch of his old pack, of being their Guardian even though he was gone. He was still above them, still had a clear view, would still be able to see if smoke billows up over the treetops again one day. This time he would surely be there in a flash.

The male grunted in response to the she-wolf's question. A male like him? Ha. And what on earth did she mean by that? Bright eyes narrowed as he took another step closer, not quite right beside but enough to give her space, nothing to scare her. "Oh you know, nothing in particular. Just claiming some lands. No big deal." And just like that, he lifted his leg and marked the nearest jagged bolder. Black lips pulled back into a slight smirk, but it vanished almost instantly as he trod around the perimeter of the area. He had a boastfulness about him, something that would surely help now that he was intending to start a pack. Just up above where he had came from, there was a plateau that would serve its worth. Well hidden from any potential intruders, you had to slink past a deadened tree slanted into the rocks to enter the den he had picked out. It was sheltered well from the elements and not too far a stroll to the nearest water source. Another head tilt to the side, and the male decided it was only proper to introduce himself, "Honijo Ithil." He said it in greeting, nodding his head down once before forcing it back into the air with a low guttural sound, a powerful and loud howl which would carry down the slope of the mountain and hopefully everywhere around. In it was a message for every lone wanderer, every broken heart, anyone who needed a home, a place to call their own. Somewhere to rebuild and start anew.

When he howled, the call sounded young and promising. Happy. Honijo felt elated and excited of what would or could possibly come. When he had finished, the male snapped his jaws shut tightly, clapping his white fangs together before yawning. Then, he turned to face the she-wolf who had yet to introduce herself, "Terribly sorry miss, but if there are no intentions for you to prove yourself to me, I would kindly suggest you take your leave now." His eyes were hard, yet soft as the male folded himself into an almost feline-like sitting position. For a male of his size, it was a difficult task to perfect. There was an unspoken challenge feasted in the front of his eyes as he surveyed the female onlooker, just waiting for her to get peeved and frustrated with his lack of tact. Her resting spot would soon become the place where the first wolves of Midnight Plateau assembled. She could either walk away now, or stay for the party.