Hurrying along through the trees, Borden began to scope out the plot of land that served as Cedarwood Forest. He had never ventured this far before and everything was new – the bark on the trees were different, the river rushing along somewhere nearby offered a change in atmosphere, and the scent of pine needles mentally sent him into a mood to explore. With the little bit of the forest he had set out to claim he hoped it would be ample enough to provide his pack with what they needed. The shelter he had discovered was sufficient for now; the water from the river seemed to be sticking around since its return at the start of the season, but the game inhabiting the region was the factor that made him worry. Spring was usually a time of abundance, and he anticipated the woodlands would offer a variety of prey compared to the pikas, mice, and mountain goats he had survived on for the past three months.

Once every two dozen steps or so, he made sure to rub up against a tree or raise a leg and thoroughly mark the area. He was sure to also etch his claws along the trunks and the soil between the roots of the towering cedar trees. Visual as well as aromatic markings were in order; he wanted to be sure that those who stumbled into his territory would think twice about trespassing. Just like he had done for Alexander, for the wolves of Midnight Plateau, he would piously guard these borders and chase off anyone who managed to slip through. Since his departure from the pack den, he had managed to establish one-fourth of a wide ring around it by mid-afternoon. Setting his nose to the ground the bridge of his snout wrinkled as he took in the scent of a lone wolf. The stranger, presumably a male, had just been there but he had been quick to run off upon hearing Borden’s advancing steps.

Marking was a tedious task. He wondered how his father or Honijo or even Alexander managed such a chore. Relieved to find the banks of the river, he stopped and took a moment to take a deep breath. At least a quarter of the job was done and life here would be more manageable. His patrols – and the paths his eventual scouts and guards would take – would consist of a course that simply led him in an uneven circle, not back and forth or up and down like the trails he had traveled around the base of the Dire Mountain.

Ears held high and tail waving proudly behind him he strolled along the muddy trench; every fiber of him alert as he strained each of his senses to fully take in his new home. The sounds of the forest were still foreign, even strange, and every single rustle of a shrub or unexpected noise – like the creaking of the trees or the gulping of the fish in the river – made the hair along his spine stand on edge. Sidestepping a large stone he stopped and lowered his muzzle into the water to quench his thirst; thirst was probably toying with his mind and he couldn’t afford to lose his concentration in memorizing the land ahead of him.

O O C | Yay! :D Aisling is Borden’s 15th acquaintance. <3

Once he had licked his lips and gotten rid of most of the water that had soaked his chin, he seated himself next to the large rock he had been careful to avoid. A silent sigh escaped his nostrils and he cast his gaze over to the other side of the river. The place was beautiful for the first few days before spring, and he hoped the forest would become even more charming in the weeks to come. The sun filtered by a thin cover of silver clouds shone down upon him; hopefully soon they would be replaced by more meaningful clouds (perhaps those that brought a healthy dose of rain to Relic Lore) or just be scarce all together. Relic Lore could benefit quite a bit from a rain spell or two, Borden thought; it would rid the ground of what little snow was left and would encourage the plants to grow (if the temperature warmed up just enough during the day).

Oblivious to the spies who stared at him from behind and within a nearby tree, he wrapped his tail around his hind legs, not wanting to move from his spot just yet. His ears pivoted to the sides atop his head and he closed his eyes to absorb the sounds of the woodland behind him. It would take a while to become accustomed to his new home, but for now he wanted to relish every bit of ‘newness’ he was given. Soon enough, he wouldn’t have to be so aware of each little singular sound. The word “no” was picked up somewhere to his side and his eyelids quickly withdrew from over his dull yellow-green eyes. Someone was near…

He scanned the area in front of him first before turning his head towards the general location where the sound came from followed by a murmured statement that he couldn’t exactly pick up. Borden’s head tilted curiously as he eyed the tree closest to the riverbank, his eyes going up to its branches at first before lowering to its trunk. “Hello?” he called out.

Hello,” he repeated back, though this time it was more of a genial tone rather than a questioning one. One of his ears swiveled back and he quirked a brow. The face of a white wolf peered out from behind the tree and he managed a simple smile. He must have skipped over a portion of territory during his initial round about the place, or she simply walked over his markers. No big deal though… He’d just have to remember to go back over his path before he went back to the den tonight.

A forepaw inched forward and Borden got up before turning and glancing around. When his gaze settled back on the ivory female, he wrinkled one side of his nose before his muzzle went back to the way it was, smooth and composed. “Just passing through?” he asked, raising his right paw curiously as he stood. “Or… do you live here… or?” His tail rose to some extent in a friendly wag. Sure, he was to be the alpha and owner of this place, a small portion of this evergreen forest, but he had no intentions of scaring her away by arranging himself into a rather dominant stance. She was already close to the ground with her ears pinned back and he had done nothing more than address her.

A measure of silence followed his question before his companion’s stutter answered him. Borden listened intently, giving a small nod as he took in the information. A hill… near a patch of berries… He ought to check out the area sometime, perhaps find out if it’s anywhere near here. She returned the nod then offered him her own question before seemingly panicking. Her petite figure, which had dropped closer to the cold soil, toppled over and she laid there at his feet.

His eyes widened in surprise. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “M-miss… I… It’s okay.” His ears dropped to the sides of his skull, feeling terrible for frightening her. He probably should’ve asked how she was before wondering if she was “visiting” the area or from this part of the forest. He sighed quietly and stepped forward to nudge one of her forepaws with his muzzle. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intimidate or startle you. I do live here, b-but, I’ve… my family and I have only just arrived.” A whine escaped from his throat and he tried to manage a reassuring smile, “Please get up; you didn’t seem to mean any harm so no harm done, really…” His eyes brows rose and he sat down, “Besides… I’m quite sure one would enjoy having you to stay for a meal rather than be served as one.” He wanted to chortle at the statement, but decided against it, one thing he didn’t want to do was make it seem like he was mocking her rather than making a light-hearted joke. Instead, he gave her his warmest, most amiable smile.

Curiously, he watched as she straightened up and sat down. Borden waited to hear what she was going to say next, but of all the things that could have fluttered off her tongue or through her teeth, he didn’t expect that. His eyes widened with surprise. She knew Jayse…

Unveiling that simple fact with a direct question only made him mentally take a step back, rather than spiral into thought and shock. “Y-yes,” he replied with an astounded smile. A part of him wanted to know how and when they had met, but, really… why bother? She was apparently in a happier mood and he didn’t want to pester her with any more tedious questions. “I’m Borden,” he smiled, his own tail waving about behind him.

Eyeing her quietly, he bowed his head in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss…?” His words drifted off at the end in hopes of learning her name, gaining her acquaintance. It seemed that his mate had left quite an impression on her and he merely wanted to do the same.