This had to be one of his worst ideas ever conceived. Yet he was still going ahead with the plan anyway? That was so typically Weldering with his childlike desires. He was a lone wolf and liked being a lone wolf yet at the same time he was lonely enough to start edging ever so close to the Swift River pack borders just to see if he could find Junai or Ioni. He had already run into Borlla happily but the list of his friendships with the female Tainn's did not end there. It was more of a fact that he was worried about them, interested also to see if they had also returned now that the water was flowing freely within Relic Lore.


Weldering was doing his best to creep around. Making sure to remain off any of the paths and keeping himself upwind from Swift River to try his hardest at not being detected. Though only by Ruiko and Indru - the two wolves he didn't fancy reuniting with anytime soon.

Ever since his return Indru had made sure to scout wider than just the pack boundaries, keen to make sure that any new lone wolves that returned with the water knew that their land was claimed and protected. As the Tainn's steadily made their way home it acted as a reassuring beacon as well — they knew their family was here and waiting for them. He was alert as he prowled the woods, paws treading softly over the familiar ground, ears twitching at the slightest noise to try and identify the cause and his nose lifted towards the air, inhaling the scents quietly.

It wasn't a particularly fresh scent that caught his attention, but it was a scent that had clung to a shrub in passing alerting him immediately of there recent (or potentially current) presence nearby. With a low growl bubbling in his throat Indru started to head in the direction the slight trail seemed to leave. Attuned to the smell now Indru could pick up the slight traces of Weldering's scent as he walked through the Grove, yet this unnerved him as it was not the unworried march of an innocent wolf — he was trying to sneak and travel unnoticed and immediately Indru assumed he was up to another dirty trick.

The trail became more recent and Indru thought he could smell the faint fresh scent of the male so he slowed his pace, trailing through the forest like a ghost as he approached his prey. As soon as he could see the black male he dropped down to a defensive crouch, his fur bristling and his teeth bared. Why are you here? The Tainn snarled, a vicious ripping sound ending his question as his orange eyes stared at him with the fury of a forest fire, you are not welcome. The forest was not officially claimed but any sighting of this male near their home was unwelcome and if the boy had been half as smart as he liked to think he was he would of avoided it like the plague. Perhaps he was looking to lose his tail, as Indru would certainly oblige.

His sneakiness to avoid being seen by Indru or Ruiko was only causing more problems. That had always been the way with Weldering, no matter what he did more and more he seemed to come across as the bad guy in every situation. This time he had been lurking around and spying so that the Swift River leaders would not accuse him of being bold or attempting to challenge them... again. In fact he had not wanted to catch their attention at all but once again his best laid plans were failing and Indru had picked up on his scent and was baring down on him with a warning growl.


Instinctively his own hackles shot up on end, turning sharply to face the timber male with a growl of his own. Straight away Indru wanted, no demanded, to know why he was here. His neck scrunching up protectively as he held his ground. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"I don't have to answer to you. You might own Swift River but as I've said to you before you're not the King of Relic Lore or the other wolves that live here." He sneered, lips curling back to show the tips of his fangs briefly. Yet once he had made his point he begun to calm down somewhat. he had a question of his own for Indru no matter how unlikely it was that he would get an answer. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"Have Junai and Ioni returned? Are they safe?"

The younger male's sheer audacity shouldn't of surprised Indru now, but it did, the fact that he felt he had a right to be so near their home after what he had done. Indru's teeth flashed in disgust at his words and he took a step forward, closing the gap between them slightly. At the question question however Indru almost let out a roar in his fury, vicious snarls ripping his throat before he could calm himself down enough to reply. That is no business of yours. He voice was a low hiss, an undercurrent of a growl distorting his words slightly as he continued to stare with his fiery eyes, his tail curved up and over his back and his fur bristled in a challenge. Weldering seemed to have no normal preservation instinct, after all why return to a place you had already be chased from by force? Especially without his previous ally, wherever she had run off too.

Abruptly a howl broke through the tension; the voice of a wolf not yet mature, but so familiar to Indru that even in his angry a flash of relief and joy shot through at Triell's triumphant howl. It took only a second for him to realise the situation that was Triell was coming here, for it to be replaced with a sliver of fear for him. Would he recognise the scent of Weldering? He wasn't sure, he was only a young pup at the time of the meeting. Unable to howl back Indru knew that the young boy would follow his scent and quickly, judging the area that he would meet them at, he shifted his body, blocking the area from Weldering in order to protect his young brother. Leave now, he threatened, stepping forward again, teeth flashing forward and snapping at the air near the male. Without pausing he stepped forward again, his strong shoulders rolling as he prowled towards Weldering, teeth bared, hackles raised, and dared him to try and stay now.

Perhaps Weldering should have fled at the sight of Indru, when he'd been discovered. However it was only one male versus another right now and Weldering's stubbornness made him fearless in that retrospect. Though he could tell that each moment he remained and did not turn away the more angry Indru was getting - which oddly satisfied the black masked male. He nearly took the time to grin but instead kept a calm and level head by holding his defenses. Indru was not happy about his question, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"It is my business." He scoffed, not moving from where he stood as he defiantly refused to leave. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"You can either tell me now whether they are here or not or I can keep coming back." He announced. Which was true, if he did get fed up and went off in the opposite direction he was determined to find out where they were so he could talk to them. That meant lurking around Swift River again and again until he found what he was looking for.


Soon the scent of someone else reached into the air along with a howl. It was not a male voice old enough to be Ruiko - thankfully for Weldering. Yet his attention snapped straight back to Indru who seemed to know instantly by his reaction. More and more aggressive he seemed to get which made Weldering only the more alert and defensive. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"Who is that?" He soon asked not allowing the silence to last for long.

The black males veiled threat was not something that sat well with Indru and the absurdity of it — that he had the audacity to challenge a pack, again — almost made him laugh had it not been that he was so angry. It was easy to forget that Weldering was only a year younger than him as he had the sense of a puppy when it came to dangerous situations, or, really, in Indru's eyes any situation. You come back here boy and you won't have any legs to crawl away on, his words were clearer yet were finalised with another throaty snarl, his nose wrinkling as his lips pulled back over his teeth, his ears forward and his tail was curled over his back. The dominating posture would be threatening to any wolf without the threat of a pack looming behind him as well.

Indru was halted in his first attack, as he had chosen to ignore the idiotic question posed to him (as if he would answer), as Triell appeared and he felt him cross briefly to him and pause at his back leg. The boy was young, it was clear, but he was not far of adult size and though Indru didn't even consider allowing Triell to fight he knew it gave him some advantage that even Weldering should of thought of. Indru knew that Triell would recognise Weldering now, especially by situation he had just walked in on, and also knew that he would have the sense to get Ruiko so they could really show the power of the pack that Weldering seemed to have no awareness of, if it was needed. Determined to encourage Triell to defend himself he prowled closer to Weldering, placing him slightly in front of the younger male as a warning not to approach further, but allowing a deep rumble to escape his throat to demonstrate the boy's need to show that he was not as weak a target that Weldering might expect.

Immediately Indru's full attention return to Weldering and with a barely contained shiver of excited anticipation he leapt forwards towards him, jaw open as his exposed teeth attempted to close down on the male's muzzle in a surprisingly quick movement. This wolf may be more or less equal in size and age, but from what Indru had gathered he had spent his life as a lone wolf for a lot of the time and nothing gives you experience like a pack, and especially not fighting experience except for the near daily not-fully-playful duels with Ruiko for power. Besides, Indru may get injured but he had a pack to fall back on, what did Weldering have? Yes, this boy should run if he had any sense.

It was not exactly a threat, per say, more of a fact. He wanted to know what his friends were doing and whether or not they were safe. Yet Indru's anger and hatred over him was preventing him for finding this valuable information out. Weldering stood and scowled, his black ears pressed back against his skull - not amused. If Indru wanted him to go away so badly all he had to do was tell him what he had come to find out. But no, Indru prefer doing things the hard way and instead took his presence here as a second challenge. Weldering contently elide the threats that Indru spat back at him. For now his blue eyes watching Triell and vaguely recognizing him from the Swift River meeting that had been so chaotic.


As Indru did make his attack it was enough to gather Weldering's attention quickly and also painfully. The timber male's teeth searing into the side of his muzzle as he pulled it back to prevent Indru from holding on. He could already taste the blood on his lips, his own blood. Defenses were held in place with a scrunched neck, his large figure well balanced. Still running did not seem to be an option on his mind, too stubborn for now. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"You are not the Alpha of Sacred Grove." He snarled to show his defiance, his silver and black tail thrashing about behind him. Though without a further second wasted he too reached forward with a snap aiming to grab hold of Indru's chest while he was close in front of him.