Riddle Heights brokering deals

Everything was strange and new. She had never interacted with any of the wolves she was to call packmate with the exception of the man she was the call leader. It was a new experience to dive right into and hopefully, it would be a good experience at that. Being fresh into the pack, just a day old member, she was eager to learn about the territory and discover what secrets it held. She was wandering about the heights, trying to search for something delicious to hunt or perhaps some herbs that she could store before the true winds of winter struck the mountains at the heart. At this point, she was eager to have a permanent home. This wasn't a case of a wolf flooding a pack in order for it's safety and security in the winter months. Those wolves had annoyed her greatly while she had been learning the ropes from her father. Those wolves had been fools.

If a pack takes you in, you don't leave. It was a matter of loyalty to something greater than one's self and it really was that simple. She had decided not to take Andromache up on her offer about the pack that she was to be part of very soon because the woman had seen her at one of her weakest moments. Aesire did not enjoy or care for showing her weaknesses to wolves, especially those she was in a pack with. She'd rather a random wolf in a different pack know one small thing about her than a wolf she had to be around constantly knowing that same thing. She was going to keep herself secret and safe. She was going to do as she had always done.

While she was not going to reveal anything about herself, she was always going to be seeking information about others wolves from each other to store up an arsenal that she hoped she would never have to use. She was a wolf of power and thought but she did not use these skills for it could cast an ill will upon her. That was another reason she was out exploring. She sought to meet some of her new packmates to learn about how they had found the lands and if they had any gossip to share. The mottled girl had not focused on wolf tracks as she followed, in close pursuit, a set of rabbit tracks that were somewhat fresh and looked promising.

Seraphina trekked through the rocky terrain of her new home, determined to find something to bring back for the caches. She had already hunted today, but she knew that she would have luck in hunting under the light of the rising Moon. The tawny woman gracefully maneuvered through the heights, eyes and ears alert for any sign of decent prey. Instead, she caught the unfamiliar scent of a new wolf. Curious, the regal woman made her way over to the source of this scent and was surprised to find a very large she wolf with fur similar to her own. With the fur pattern and the build, Seraphina could have sworn this woman was a Faye, but the eyes were a dead give away. A Faye's eyes were always dark brown or pale gold and this woman's eyes were emerald green. Besides, Seraphina had come very far to get away from her family so the idea of one of them randomly showing up in her new home was preposterous.

Noticing that this woman's scent was also intermingled with the scent of Silent Moon Plateau, Seraphina strolled over to her and in a polite, but guarded voice asked, "Hello, are you new to Silent Moon Plateau?" Quickly realizing that it had been rude to ask such a question without first introducing herself, Seraphina added"My name is Seraphina, but you can call me Phina. I recently joined this pack as well." Seraphina's dark brown eyes assessed the large dappled woman, ready to gauge her reaction. Would this wolf be as hostile towards her as the others had when she first joined? Seraphina surely hoped not. She had certainly been doing her best since that incident to understand the strange culture of these new wolves and adapt to it.

"Speech"

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Gracefully, Aesire turned to find that another wolf had spotted her and decided to socialize. She was, unmistakably, a wolf belonging to Silent Moon Plateau and no doubt on of Aes' superiors. She held the rank of lowest female subordinate (though not the lowest rank itself) because she had been the latest femme to join the pack. She offered the other woman a smile and parted her maw to answer the question before the eager girl introduced herself as Seraphina and offered a nickname of Phina to go with it. Aesire offered her a friendly smile as she finally got to the point of answering the question. "Hello Seraphina, it is nice to meet you. To answer your earlier question: yes, I am new here. I just joined the pack earlier this morning." Aesire answered the question as she silently judged and assessed the other woman. Aesire was taller by her by three quarters of a foot and it did not come as a surprise to Aes. She was taller than most wolves.

She contemplated giving her name, knowing it would be rude to not do so as this other girl, Seraphina, had just given her name. "I'm Aesire, but you can call me Aes." Her words were laced with subtle regal tones that she did not know she possessed. She often spoke like this without knowing it after being raised as the heir to a throne. She had let her tail lower slightly to show respect for the woman of higher ranking and she had dipped her head in greeting. Apart from that, her tail was wagging as she determined that the dappled woman was no threat to Aes.

Seraphina took note of the size difference between her and this new addition and briefly wondered how a fight between the two would turn out. No sooner had the thought entered her mind had the large woman lowered her tail respectfully. Satisfied that her rank had been acknowledged Seraphina allowed a gentle smile to grace her lips. Being so new to the pack made her unsure of her rank within it but having someone acknowledge her rank for the first time tempered any concerns she might have. For now at least. Phina was no fool and knew that it would be in her best interest to keep a guard up when around this other female until she was fully confident that her new found rank was not in danger. After all, she had come to this land to prove to her father she could be a good leader. What would it say if she lost her rank so soon after earning it? No, she planned on ascending when the time came, not being thrown to the bottom.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Aes." Phina nodded her ebony-topped head in a respectful greeting. She noted the woman's regal tone and the confident way which she held herself and wondered what kind of rank she had held in her old pack. Had she been an heir too? Well, technically I was never an heir, Seraphina thought bitterly as she remembered her father and how he had refused to bestow that title on her despite her having been first born and all because she was a woman. What difference did that make!

None of the bitterness that sizzled in Seraphina's heart showed on her calm and collected surface. She had long ago taught herself to conceal her emotions. "I was out searching for prey in hopes of filling up the caches. Did you want to join me?" Phina asked politely, hoping to gauge the woman's skills while hunting and hopefully to learn a little more about her.

"Speech"

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The other woman held a tone of regality to her voice and it had taken Aesire back slightly. Aesire let all of these confusing emotions remain within her shell where the other woman could not touch, see, or hear them. Aes was not a wolf to take up a higher rank or challenge a wolf (unless offered an opportunity) when she was so new. She would not dare to try and rise through the ranks (unless offered an opportunity) for months to come. She would defend her rank with tooth and claw but that was about it. She needed to prove herself. She needed to get her stuff together and make herself a name within the pack. She needed to be a loyal servant and play things back for quite a while more. Then, and only then, would Aesire make that climb for ranks near the top.

The woman spoke of hunting and a smile grew on the subordinate's face. "Of course I'd love to hunt with you! I was just out looking for prey myself. With winter coming, it would be best to stock the caches." She reported everything to the woman who held one rank over her. If this woman did not rise through the ranks or leave, then Aes would end up facing her at some point. That point would not be for quite a while and Aes hoped that this woman would not put up much of a fight when she did. Seraphina did not seem like the kind of girl to back down from a challenge. Aesire turned away and followed the rabbit tracks she had been following. She motioned with her head for the other girl to follow.

Seraphina was pleased to see that the woman was eager to hunt, but her words about winter were foreboding. Winter was coming and the chill in the air unsettled Seraphina. She was used to the cold, but she was also very in tune with Nature. A storm was coming; the young Faye could feel it in her bones.

When the rufescent woman turned away and gestured for Phina to follow, Seraphina pushed aside her concerns about a winter storm and tensed. Was it okay to let her lead? In her home this wouldn't have been a problem. Everyone took turn leading hunts and leading a hunt was not a sign of superiority. But everything here seemed so different. With a sigh, Phina decided that she needed to relax. This girl had shown no other sign of disrespect and so Phina would assume that letting the larger woman lead was not an outward representation of their rank.

Upon following Aes, Phina quickly came to realize that they were following rabbit tracks. If they could both bring back a hare then that would certainly be helpful for the pack. It would feed the pups at the very least. Seraphina scented the air and was pleased to find the scent of snow hare strong on the breeze. They were close. Her chocolate colored orbs darted from one side to the next, scanning the underbrush for any signs of other prey that might be in hiding. For now, it seemed that the rabbits the girl had been tracking were their best bet. "Why don't we try to bring back a couple of rabbits for the pups?" Seraphina voiced her thoughts, curious to see if the dappled woman had anything to say about the three youngest members of Silent Moon Plateau. Had she met the pups? Had the young girl also vouched for this woman?

"Speech"

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Aesire's mind was focused on the hunt and doing anything she could to score a rabbit or two for the children. When Seraphina spoke, they had come in close to the rabbits. Aesire gritted her teeth as the other woman's voice The few rabbits that were there took off in a hurry to get away from the voice of a wolf. Aesire hissed in frustration as she took off after them. Her large size was rather limiting and so she had to push herself to even get close to them. They raced away and she couldn't catch up to them. She turned back to Seraphina, displeasure evident on her face. She fought the urge to scold the woman who's voice had startled the rabbits because it would only make her angrier. She knew what could happen when she became angry.

She thought about how to go about the topic as she returned. "With all due respect Seraphina - please use a softer tone next time we are close to prey." She meant it as a learning experience for the both of them and did not mean disrespectfully. However, if Seraphina were to take it the wrong way, Aesire might be tempted to put her in her place by stealing her rank out from under her paws right there and then. Aesire was very protective of her reputation and demanded respect. Respect might just be the one thing she cared about - especially after the events that had led to her banishment. She had a kind look in her eye and her tail waved softly from side to side in the form of a wag.

Seraphina's brown eyes widened as Aesire's large form shot past her. The Faye princess had not been paying attention to the rabbits, but rather to the conversation with her new pack mate. Hunting rabbits in the mountain was easy for her, but making friends with her pack mates had not been. So when this opportunity presented itself, Phina's focus was mostly on Aesire and not on the hunt itself. Now, however, she realized her mistake. Messing up another's hunt would certainly not earn her any brownie points.

As Aesire came back, Seraphina opened her maw to apologize, but before she could say anything Aesire scolded her for not whispering. Of course, the she wolf had said it respectfully, but it did rub Seraphina the wrong way that the large, dappled woman would say it at all to someone of a higher rank. Always good at concealing her emotions, no trace of this irritation showed on Seraphina's outward expression."Of course, Aesire. I had not realized how close we had gotten. I apologize for interfering in your hunt." Seraphina's expression were rather stoic, but her voice held a sincerity that could not be faked. While Seraphina had been irked that Aesire had 'corrected' her, Phina was not above acknowledging when she was wrong. Knowing that she was wrong and that her main goal was to establish healthy relationships with her pack mates, Phina knew it was best to keep her irritation to herself and gracefully accept Aesire's criticism. Noting the kind look in Aesire's gaze and the way her tail was softly wagging, Seraphina was glad she had not completely ruined her chances of befriending the woman and with a kind smile asked, "Would you like to continue looking? I'm sure we can find some more rabbits hidden in the crevices. Luckily, winter hasn't hit in full force just yet."

"Speech"

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Aesire did care about rank, she really did, but it didn’t matter at this point. They were both lower on the scale where ranks were more fluid. One rank above did not necessarily matter. If Aesire had been the beta female or a rank below and had disrespected the beta female or leader than it would have been a different story to her and she probably would not have made the comment to Phina. The rank system to the woman was like a tier system. The first tier would be the leaders and their pups. The second tier would be the second in command wolves. The third and final tier would be every other wolf in the pack. Of course, Seraphina probably did not have such a ranking system in her mind. To most wolves, every rank mattered. All Aesire knew is one day Seraphina might bow to her and that made her happy to an extent. To be all honest, Aesire wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around.

While the sincerity was present, the tone Sera used made Aesire doubt that she was truly sorry but she brushed it off. Aesire considered apologizing for being so rude and explaining her customs to the other wolf but she hated to talk about herself so when the other woman offered to help her search for more prey, she gave a nod and no words. Her eyes narrowed as she stalked forward along the heights towards the mountain in order to search. She wondered about the other girl’s story. Perhaps she could find information she could use at a later date? In a whispered tone, she asked Seraphina the age old question (in her mind). “So, what is your story? How did you end up here?” Subconsciously she had started to use that regal voice she had held since birth. It was passive aggressive in a way and Aesire spared a quick glance at the other wolf. Things were tense in the situation in Aes’ mind.

Seraphina was trying to make friends with this she wolf, she really was, but it was becoming much more of a chore than she cared to admit. When Phina offered to go in search of more prey, Aesire had nodded without a word. This in itself was not overly rude, but Phina was starting to sense the tension rolling off the she wolf in waves. If the girl was so easily offended, then perhaps she was not worth befriending even if she was a pack mate. Seraphina was impatient and emotionally unsympathetic so a relationship with someone like Aesire might prove to be more work than reward. When the girl asked about Phina's past, not so subtly adopting a regal tone, Seraphina wanted to snort. A mix of derision and amusement swirled through the Faye's mind, but her features remained stoic, never allowing anyone to see a single emotion that she did not wish them to see. Always regal, Phina's answer was effortless and flowed gracefully from her ebony lips, and this time Phina remembered to whisper,"What motivates any wolf to leave their old home and seek a new one: conflict. As for how I ended up here, well I walked." Seraphina smiled playfully, but behind her smile, unbeknownst to the world was a sharp tongue, ready to cut to pieces anyone who might dare try to insult her.

She was a Faye, the embodiment of regality and order, and Aesire's ruffled fur did little to put her out. Seraphina would be kind to Aesire because it was the right thing to do. Though Aesire may have been rude and not pleasant to be around, in Phina's eyes, that in and of itself was not a crime and was tolerable. Phina would continue to be kind to the dappled woman, but she would also be smart about how she handled her. Remembering to concentrate not only on her interaction with Aesire, but also the hunt, Seraphina kept her nose alert. Her ears angled to the right when she caught the scent of rabbit once more. She paused and looked to Aesire wordlessly, as if to offer her the opportunity to lead the hunt.

"Speech"

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