Cedarwood Forest Weary Traveller

OOC; Orvar's just travelled from his den in the Wildwood and hasn't been very lucky in the ways of food. He is lonely and searching for a pack - I'm new to the site so I hope this works for anyone who decides to respond!

The sound of splintering branches echoed overhead, bringing pause to the loner's step, his gold eyes darting upwards. Only a squirrel... As he continued, doing his best to keep a SILENT presence, he was calmed by the saturated scent of the forest's earthy smell - it was emphasised by the light drizzle that tapped on the leaves all around. His coat was now sparkling with the droplets from the rain, slick in some spaces by his shoulders, and his muzzle was finely decorated with dewy spots, bringing out the silver of his AGING black fur. The entire scene was near picturesque, but PEACE was hardly set in the lone wolf's mind and heart.

From where he had made his den in the Wildwood, Orvar had travelled somewhat FAR from home. Contrasting from the first few days in this territory, the youth in his step had seemingly deteriorated with the lack of proper feed, and every step seemed more and more WEARY. He missed the days when he and his siblings dashed madly through the snow after caribou, watching the masses curve in waves across the open alabaster plains, some drawing up close enough you could simply lunge forth a few steps and snatch it by the side. But THAT was no more. Orvar was thankful for one thing - and that was the current season, when prey was plenty, and small voles and rabbits could be caught without so much as a frustrated mistake. He had filled his belly to content himself, but LONELINESS was the single hunger he could not yet cure, for every living thing either feared him, or was eaten and gnashed by his hungry jaws.

So it had been planned that, today, he would bring himself dangerously close to one of the borders of the surrounding packs, where he would linger just outside the markers, idling, and stroll about to let his FOREIGN scent mix with the earthy atmosphere of the forest. His life could have easily been at stake, but whether he chose to ignore it or was contemplating his choices, it was undecided. And THERE, he began skirting the territory, his head level with his steady spine, eyes darting to and fro, the scents flowing in and out of his snout smoothly. He only HOPED that his discontent with solitude had not disparaged his ability to be respectful, and silently wished that his desperation would stir the traits of amiability for his ACCEPTANCE.

art by ritwell

(This post was last modified: May 27, 2016, 08:28 PM by Orvar.)

Couldn't resist <3
Tagging @Veho, @Oula, @Rook, @Joan, @Ophelia for general fam mentions - have vaguely discussed what Tomen may or may not know about the puppies with Grey, but since he's cool with it anyway, am going to roll with him being fully aware of the situation!

He'd never felt anything like it. The first time Tomen had set eyes upon the little trio of Macieos - and that night they were born didn't really count, it had been too stressful and hectic, he hadn't appreciated it - a strange, heavy sort of love had settled itself firmly in his chest and refused to budge. They weren't blood related, but his dad was going to be their dad, too, in whatever strange way that was gonna work, so that made them all his siblings. Siblings by choice. Tomen didn't put a whole lot of value on family by obligation, since it obviously didn't mean a lot to some people, so this was different. He could choose to be a big brother or not, though there weren't any decision to make, not really.

Desperate to help Oula in any way he could, desperate to be the best big brother that he could, Tomen had barely stopped since the night they were born, always on the move and keeping himself as busy as possible. Whether it was hunting, keeping up his running, patrolling and marking the borders, and hardly able to wait for the day when he would be able to babysit...

Any resentment he might have otherwise felt at the mere existence of his baby siblings', the relationships they represented - both created and destroyed - had melted away, replaced only by the overwhelming need to make sure that they would want for absolutely nothing.

So it was that the yearling was trotting along the borders for what was probably the third time that day (it was so so hard to stand still nowadays) and, having seen nothing of significance the first two circuits, had not expected the third to be any different. The boy almost wasn't paying proper attention, and it was only when his nose told him that someone had passed by here recently did he snap out of his runner's trance. A stranger, so close to home... Tomen's heart began to beat as he paused, head lowered to study it, contemplating what to do. He'd never really confronted loners before. It wasn't... he wasn't... but there were puppies to look after, and he couldn't just call for one of the older wolves and fob it off on them, no. This he would do.

Taking a deep breath, the young wolf moved cautiously along the border, following where this stranger had walked, clearly loitering at the edge of their territory - but for what? Hopefully just for a bid to join and nothing nefarious. Tomen couldn't deal with nefarious. When the large, black figure came into view through the cedarwood trees, the yearling paused and gave a bark of greeting, a polite alert to his presence. His tail rose to wag calmly, feeling weird about showing any dominance when this loner was clearly so much older, so much stronger, but this was Tomen's home and he had the right, right? "Uh, hey," he offered, manner cautiously friendly, wondering how leaders did this sort of thing on a regular basis. Maybe you just got used to it.

@Tomen Thank you for this! Tomen's responsibility will definitely ring well with Orvar omfg

Long before Orvar's yellow eyes had locked on the smaller wolf, he had caught its scent, a scent much more prominent in the misted air of the forest where he stood. With loaded muscles, the male remained STILL, his large frame tense, and black fur slightly bristled as if to catch onto every draft of wind that passed him. AT LAST, the younger creature made its presence known through the trees, and there was a slight level of anticipation that lowered, allowing Orvar's baited breath to release and let his ribs collapse in EASE. The packmember appeared to carry NO threat; that meant that what ever lasting energy Orvar had saved for the day was most likely now stored for hunting.

A yearling. It was so obvious, even in the way the young male held himself, but an aura of responsibility radiated from him enough for Orvar to respect his presence and prove to be harmless. After a LONG day, this looked to be a most relieving encounter, and the lowered end of Orvar's tail waved slightly from left to right in a stunted way, displaying a cautious character. He DARED NOT take a single step closer, to respect the dominance of the young one in front of him, to show he acknowledged the territory boundaries, and to highlight his acceptance of his place as LONER.

It had been so long since the last time he had spoken up to someone, and the thankfulness of interaction glowed in his gaze as his head bowed down. What was a most DISGRUNTLED character on a regular basis had now been whittled down to something more like a whelp asking kindly for attention. He began with simple introduction, and his low voice rolled from his mouth in a measured way... ❝ GOOD DAY, young one. I am of no pack, and am of no threat to you or your people... My siblings and I were separated long ago, and I have no pack I belong to any longer... PRAY tell me, what is the name of your allegiance? ❞

art by ritwell

No problem, can't leave a thread like this lonely! Any senior members of GH are welcome to pop in at any time and relieve Tomen~

When the dark-coated stranger met him with a respectful manner, Tomen felt a number of knots loosen in his gut, a little more confident that this was not going to be a difficult encounter. Holding his head a little more proudly, a rather basic instinctual reaction to seeing the hints of submission in the older man's movements, Tomen managed an easy smile, mind slowly turning over with the possibilities of what could happen here.

He had no authority whatsoever to do anything other than turn the stranger away, and why would he do that when the man wasn't being unfriendly? Maybe Oula wouldn't like having someone new around with her children so young, and the pack was pretty full... mostly of Mizunos... but another able body to hunt and protect the land could only be a good thing, right? He didn't envy Veho the decision, and was only further reminded that he didn't really aspire to this kind of responsibilities himself. Tomen was quite happy as he was in life, right now.

His ears perked up at the deeper voice of the larger wolf, and if he had felt out of place before, it was certainly amplified now; the greeting was so formal and smooth, so at odds with the boy's more halting, hesitant way of talking. His throat tightened as he began to re-adjust in his mind the sort of words he would normally use, and those which were more appropriate for such dignified company. Tomen took note of the mention of siblings, of a pack long parted from, and felt a little sorry for the man. The idea of being split from everything and everyone he loved was one of the things he feared most. It was a little strange, maybe, that he would mention that he was no threat... did that not go without saying? Was it a good or bad sign that the man made sure to point it out? Was it up to Tomen to decide?

"Um," he started, and immediately knew he'd messed up on trying to replicate this stranger's cool tongue, and in so doing proceeded to stumble over his words a little more before (mostly) finding his groove: "I mean, uhh, this is Grizzly Hollow. My name is Tomen Attaya-Lyall, my... um. My family run this part of the forest. Are you - do you need something, sir?" Sir? Man he felt silly trying to mimic the loner's formality, but it felt weirdly cool at the same time, so he was totally happy to roll with it.

@Tomen I apologise for the lateness of this-- been dealing w/ some stress, but I'll be on more often now c:

The older wolf seemed to find amusement in the young one's mimicking of FORMAL expression, and without showing any step down from respectfulness, Orvar smiled and remained receptive to the very end of the wolf's words. INTERNALLY, his thoughts were relieved - he had come across a kind and WELCOMING member of a pack, which was a blessing compared to running into those who were more hostile. ❝ It is a pleasure to meet you, Tomen, as it is an honour to be greeted in your forest, ❞ he began, addressing the introduction with RESPECT. He continued with the same regality, stating his purpose.

❝ I have come to these woods in search of a pack. My name is ORVAR NORDSKOV, Arrow of the North Woods. While I understand some packs are much less accommodating towards loners, I also come with the proposition that I might provide ample protection and genuine loyalty towards all members of a pack. ❞ During his explanation, Orvar's sturdy frame had relaxed, and he watched the younger wolf quietly, however NEVER making direct eye contact.

❝ However, if you refuse my request, I might ask if you could kindly direct me towards another pack that might have more interest, and I mean NO offence by this. ❞ His desperation had certainly paid off in softening his often GRUFF attitude...

art by ritwell

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2016, 12:56 PM by Orvar.)

The scent of a stranger caught Veho’s attention, perhaps long after it should have.  The children were wandering now, and even with Rook and Oula to keep tabs on the trio as well, the man certainly had his hands full.  If not providing for them, it was time spent with his mate and his partner.  If not with them, he was spending time on pack duties.  Somewhere in the middle, the man would sneak time to rest, and it was from such a nap he woke and found himself greeted by a foreign smell.  As he began to move, he realized it was tangled with one well familiar.  Tomen.

His heart leapt into his throat, a thousand thoughts springing to mind.  Was the boy okay?  Had the stranger attacked?  What if they were so bold as Blitz?  But Tomen was a smart boy, surely he could handle himself.

Not willing to take any risks, the alpha set into a brisk lope, bounding through the forest until he came across the pair – the pair of wolves have a formal, if not friendly, conversation.  The silver male exhaled softly, but up his tail flagged, and he approached the men with a soft chuff.  “Orvar, is it?  I see you have found our patch of woods.”  He drew up besides Tomen and gave the yearling a friendly nudge, clearly pleased with his efforts.  “If it is a home you seek, tell me what a pack means to you.”

Sorry for the wait!

Unable to keep completely cool, Tomen's tail reflected all too clearly his joy at being told that it was a pleasure to meet him, an honour, and for those brief moments the young Attaya-Lyall considered that... yeah, he could see why someone would want this. Being treated with this kind of respect, enjoying this formal exchange, feeling like an equal and someone of importance. Yeah, he could get behind that.

He listened wide-eyed and attentive-eared as Orvar introduced himself, in possibly the most smooth and effortless way that Tomen had ever heard ever. He found himself imagining his father reacting to this well-spoken gentlemen, for he knew that Rook could be as careful with his words, but perhaps his perception of his parent was tainted somewhat as it didn't quite fit. Veho would probably match it quite well, though. "Oh, it's not really my-" he'd started, in response to Orvar's last remark, but then the man in his thoughts only seconds previously appeared. Tomen felt both relief and disappointment, because with the arrival of the pack's leader, Tomen himself was now nothing more than another yearling subordinate, and any of Orvar's honey-rich words would surely be directed at the wolf who most deserved them.

Veho didn't seem displeased, though, his small nudge and posture suggesting that Tomen had done well, and the boy smiled shyly in return as he felt himself slip back into the normal persona of ordinary-boring-Tomen. It had been fun pretending to be something better in those brief moments. Falling silent, he let Veho take over the conversation and address the suave black wolf, content to just smile and provide some solidarity.

(This post was last modified: Jun 09, 2016, 06:55 PM by Tomen.)