With the night as his cloak and the snow his means of sneaking about pack territory, Fenru Tainn had been busy. Aside from constantly making rounds about Oak Tree Bend borders, he was also looking for his lost sister and keeping a mental log on what his younger brothers were up to. These days it seemed the endless string of blizzards had kept them well within their Uncle Triell's markers, but nevertheless, Fenru kept up his beat. He was slowly picking his way along the path both Triell and Ruiko had made when something that sounded like a muffled howl snatched at his ears. His amber eyes narrowed as he peered through the veil of falling snow. Had the sound come from behind him? He peered over his shoulder and turned around as he canted his head to one side. He supposed it couldn't hurt to double-check... Better safe than sorry...

He glanced through the trees on either side of him before advancing forward over the trail he had marked just moments ago, careful to force his paws deep into the frost and leave behind his own unique scent. It seemed he had succeeded, for the sight he discovered was one that he had highly anticipated. There, just off to the side of where he had traveled through the snow to forge a new trench-like highway through the forest, stood a woman with dark, mask-like markings.

His heart, had it not been so carefully held within his rib cage, felt as though it could have slipped down into the pit of his stomach. His nose twitched and while he angled his muzzle into the air, he cautiously approached her. It wasn't his sister. Though the young Tainn was aware of his uncle's plans in recruiting, Fenru couldn't help himself in striding forward in such an intimidating manner with his hackles raised and his tail waving about high above his back. Once he had come within earshot, he stared at her, sized her up and lifted his lips just briefly enough to flash his set of clenched teeth, "What do you want?"

As it was expected of her, she lowered her body into a more respectful stance and the more he stared her down, the more obedient she seemed. Instead of answering his question, she asked him to give him the name of the pack whose borders she had discovered. Not one to particularly give out such private or personal information, he held his tongue, scowling at her through the dark mask upon his face. He could hear someone approaching and the Tainn merely stood his ground, whoever had chosen to join him could very well decide what to divulge to the outsider.

Much to his surprise, the scent of his younger brother hit his nose and soon after recognizing it, he felt Serach at his shoulder, his own brand of duress adding to the scene that was already unfolding. "This is Oak Tree Bend," the young Aesir announced, "I'm Serach, that's Fenru. Who are you?" Had Serach been a few months younger than he was now, Fenru might have stepped out in front of him, a simple but powerful gesture to convey his purpose to the rogue woman, but as it was it was already apparent that, shoulder-to-shoulder and regardless of the age gap between them, Corinna's sons were a force to be reckoned with.

"He asked you a question," Fenru spat, not even waiting for the rust-coated stranger to open her mouth to speak. "It'd be in your best interest to answer it or I'm gonna give you to the count of three to get gone... I'll ask you one last time, what do you want?" Whether Uncle @Triell liked it or not, he and Serach, Fenru decided, were going to be the ones to pass judgement over her should she ask to seek refuge among their ranks. Indru, Kenai, Kinis, Angier, Naira, Aiyana, Rihael, Torrel, Rissa, Cali, Ice, Kisla, Corinna... Fenru had their names placed to memory; the heartache of their loss, betrayal, and memories forever etched in his mind. There was no more room for error and, at any point in this exchange of information, Fenru was ready to question her capabilities in loyalty and allegiance should she utter even the slightest inkling that suggested her wishes for kinship. Surely, in the middle of winter, the care of a pack (and the opportunity to consume all of its resources) was all a lone wolf could have ever wanted before making their leave at the first sign of Spring...

The woman obliged, but it barely took Fenru by surprise. She could have been practicing such a spiel since autumn, but something about how she had offered up her name and chosen her words, made him falter and think twice. He was already shaking his head when Triell had arrived. Don't. Think. Don't think, don't debate, he reminded himself, straightening himself as he kept his shoulder to Serach's. Their dark-coated uncle held his tongue and Fenru could feel Triell's own fiery eyes trailing up and down the side of his head and face. He was at the head of this situation and he was going to handle it... to prove to Triell that he was every inch the Guardian he was assigned to be.

He left Serach's side to advance on Valora and bring his nose within inches of hers. The full plume of his tail was held upright and his hackles rose higher, further encouraging the fur on his neck to stand up even taller. "It isn't your words that we want," Fenru nearly spat in her face. "Where are you from? Who were your parents? If you wouldn't dare to shame yourself then why have you left them?"

His questions should have been a little less intimidating - as it was, his anger and grief, in the fallout of his mother's death, were the current foundations upon which he was acting upon - but Fenru had little patience for anything else. Of all the things he could have asked, he needed to know these particular things about her, and he would not stop unless Triell specifically ordered him to stand down. He glared into the side of Valora's face, his muzzle wrinkled in an ugly frown. His voice hardened and he let loose a resounding growl, "We do not have room for deserters. We do not have room for heartache... for pity. You want to be one of us, you will prove it... starting with telling us every reason why you think you would loyally serve the wolves of Oak Tree Bend."