Larkcall Lowlands if in spite of this

Amber eyes lit with merriment as @Piety's excitement shone through. She was always so eager, so ready and willing to do anything and everything when given the right kind of push. Since his return from the North, integrating back into the pack felt difficult. Wraith still remained at paws' length from the majority of the newcomers, uncertain in how to interact with so many. Though he came from a large family, the majority of these wolves he had no ties with at all. Hell, he wasn't sure if he was asked that he knew their names. Only Piety thus far seemed happy to put herself out there to make friends.

"Good," the brute rumbled with approval, pleased that she took to his suggestion with such a positive reaction. "Learning many techniques allows you to pool together your knowledge base and find what suits you best. I've got a few tricks up my fur, so the next time someone gets a stick up their furry ass and decides to make a challenge, you'll have no trouble ripping that stick out and beating them with it."

Inwardly, he heard his father's laugh and his mother's admonition for speaking in such a manner in front of a lady. But Morganna had long since eased him out of polite speech - she had worse things to say than he would bother with. He doubted Piety would mind.

His approval made her feel like a proud child, but not in a bad or weird way. It let her know that her eagerness was good and that he liked it. Her good ear perked up with the intent to catch every word. She couldn't help the flow of laughter that emitted from her as he addressed she would "have no trouble ripping that stick out and beating them with it." "Oh yeah? Next thing you know I'll be known as the cranky lady waving around a stick and screaming 'get off my turf'!" She kept laughing at the thought of it. Piety had never expected to feel so relaxed in someone's presence.

She nudged him and began to walk again, taking the lead like usual. "I owe you one, you know." The pale Santoro let her tail sway behind her happily. "For putting up with me and not getting grouchy when we get lost together." She chuckled and kept moving along. Her eyes admired the cold tundra. She had never lived in such a terrain before. The meadows had been perhaps the closest thing to this. The willows and cedar woods had been much different. "We should go back to Edge Stone Pool once the cold starts to melt away." She suggested with a glance to him.

Art/Code by Becuffin

# C W T

Her laughter, Wraith was convinced, could be a balm to heal all wounds. It wormed its way into all his broken pieces and filled gaps he hadn't realized still existed. Did she even realize her own power? What a wonderful gift. The black man found it impossible not to marvel at her. In the span of a conversation, she could go from dejected to laughing with her heart.

He canted his head in acknowledgement, grinning wickedly. "I suppose we ought to leave that job to @Morganna then, hm?" Their Alpha was far more suited for such a picture. In fact, Wraith didn't have to imagine it. The feisty female had done that and more on more than one occasion. She was quite a possessive one, whether it be of wolves or territory. Wraith had to admit he was a little surprised the woman hadn't broached him yet about how much time he was spending with the white female of late. Of course, he still served as the woman's second pillow each night, so perhaps she didn't mind.

Wraith fell into step beside @Piety and shook his head. "Truly, you owe me nothing for that. We are pack. It is how it should be between all of us." Though it saddened him to know it, the members of Whitestone were not as close knit as they once were. He inwardly vowed to make a better effort to get to know the others better. He thought of the new pups. Perhaps he should encourage them to join him on a hunt. Use the time to gauge their skills and allow them to have another aside from their mother to bond with. Come to think of it, he'd not made much time for her either. Nor the other female who was since recovering from an injury he knew not the cause for.

"We should," Wraith agreed readily. "We will."

She smirked at his comment about Morganna. "She can't have all the fun." A wink was given towards the large man. "Besides, you don't think I'd look good waving around a stick and giving orders?" The pale female couldn't hold back her laughter. It would certainly be a position she never saw herself having. She was content to be Morg's punching bag or pillow.

Her good ear leaned forward slightly as a smile crept onto her lips. "I owe you something. A meal, extra sleeping room, I'll be your punching bag for a day." She smiled and bumped her shoulder against his. "Just say it and I'll do it." It was obvious she wouldn't accept his no towards this offer.

The pale Santoro nodded her head, happy to hear him agree to that at least. She wondered if the kids might like it there. There were also those two new youngins too. "If we manage a trip before it melts the kids might like playing on the ice. If not there could always be a little trip to play in the water in the spring." Her tail swayed happily behind her form. While Kara picked on her for her one ear and Odin was, well, he was Odin, she didn't like them any less. The two new ones she hadn't had much time with but figured it'd open up a chance to get them all familiar with each other if they weren't already. Perhaps test her skills as a teacher too.

Art/Code by Becuffin

# C W T

Wraith only smiled at her suggestion that she may look good in a position of power. He'd not admit that she would look good in any position, whether it be in control, in submission, in hunting, or simply standing there looking off in the distance as she had been. Missing ear, scars and all, he found her to be incredibly pretty. But that wasn't what she needed to hear that moment. Or at least not what he think she needed to hear. And, a little selfishly, it was also something he couldn't bring himself to say. He had no business thinking of a packmate in that manner.

He laughed outright when she offered to be his punching bag. "I'm afraid I don't take after Morganna's tendencies to take a bite out of packmates' hides for fun. If it's a spar you're after, I'll give you that without a problem." But hurting a packmate just to do it? It never had been his thing. At the very core of Wraith's being was an instinct to protect. It was that very thing that caused him so much grief when he failed to do so with his own family. Though he had been forgiven of those mistakes already on multiple counts, he knew he would always carry the weight of it with him. But since revisiting the Far North and finding his family once more, the burden was easier to hold.

But @Piety was relentless, unwilling to take his offered platitudes. Compromising, he sighed. "Come hunting with me for a day. Just the two of us. We'll see what we can find. Doesn't matter where." Not that he wouldn't do this on any given day, but Wraith made it sound like it was a gift to him regardless.

"They would like that," he agreed with concerns to the pups playing at Edge Stone Pool. "We can invite the other siblings along as well." Like Piety, Wraith had yet to become familiar with the newest, youngest members of the pack. Another duty he was slacking on as Second, he realized with a long-suffering sigh. So many things to do. It was exhausting sometimes.

"Come," he invited. "I'll race you to that rise." Knowing she would soundly beat him there, Wraith used his weight to headbutt her in an attempt to knock her off her paws before taking off. A head start wouldn't save him, but he'd give it his best shot!

Fade if you want? We can start a new one with sparring if you want?