It wouldn't be long, Indru knew, until the grove transformed for winter—when snow coated the treetops and the ground underneath it. The grove was even more an enchanting place then and while Indru was eager to see it his was more excited for his pups experiencing their first snow, their winter coats were developing already and rapidly increasing the size of them and soon he knew those final 6 months until they reached near adulthood would pass. The leader was impressively silent as he prowled along his borders edge, pleased to note that his musky, dominant scent permeated the surrounding forest and acted as a sure sign to any potential trespassers—this pack was strong and well defended.
Indru halted midstep when a unfamiliar yet fresh scent breached his awareness. It was clear to see it belonged to a female and a young one, not too long passed the age of a yearling. It was also then not surprising that she was a lone wolf, at around 2 years of age it was a typical age of dispersal and Indru had witnessed his siblings leaving their natal pack at this age too and, remembering his last encounter with a lone female near his borders, felt it was his duty to investigate. A lone wolf at this time of year, with the threat of winter very much apparent, was often seeking a pack and while the leader would welcome them, he wanted to be prepared incase any of them had a more sinister intention. The Tainn deviated from the borders and not long after was rewarded with a glimpse through the trees of his target, a near pure white shewolf with bright blue eyes that reminded him much of a pups. She was large in size, though perhaps not quite as big as he, and when he stepped into her view he made sure to keep his posture neutral instead of hostile, but with a clear sign of his dominance in this territory; a head slightly raised and a tail held just level with the height of his pack.
When the female noticed Indru he watched her pause midstep, her ears swivelling perhaps in surprise and he watched her for a moment longer until she spoke, turning the greeting into a awkward question. She seemed unaware that his dominant scent was the one that was coated through this grove, a clear warning sign to anyone who passed through it—but the female was not hostile and so Indru reciprocated, keeping his posture neutral though fitting of his status.
I'm Indru Tainn,he offered as he rolled his hefty shoulders idly as he glanced over her frame, like most lone wolves she was not in full health as presumably like all she was unable to hunt fully without a pack to assist and nor did she have the security and support that she would among other wolves.I lead the pack here in this forest.To most he would seem such a statement was unnecessary due to the overwhelming musky smell that matched the one on his fur but to clarify he made his role clear—he did not want another instance like the one with the black shewolf.
Do you have a purpose for being here?His tone was polite despite his curiosity, but never the less he wanted an answer—the pack had pups and he was not willing to let a wolf cross through so close to the pack without knowing their intent with his children around.
The female was new to Relic Lore, he was pretty certain already. Not many territories he recognised were scents of her fur like he would expect if she had been here a while and also he knew that the first priority any lone wolf made was to scout out the pack lands and avoid them—unless they wanted something. After her admission she spoke her name in response to his own and he nodded abruptly, though he noted that his question had not really been answered, lost or not she must have a reason for coming to this forest, so near his and his packs home when the forest had so many other places to go.
You haven't been in Relic Lore long then,the statement had a questioning tone to it, but Indru would be surprised if the answer was otherwise. Most veteran lone wolf to Relic Lore (which, with the threat of winter coming, were few and far between) didn't encroach this close to pack lands.Why did you come here Ainoa?He repeated his earlier question though phrased it differently this time; his voice still had a tone that expected an answer but even so it was softer this time he did not expect much of a threat from this shewolf but he kept his posture rigid and fitting of a leader never the less.
The lead male nodded at her response, suspicions confirmed, she certainly didn't smell like she was from this area—yet, anyway.
Me and my siblings have lived here all our lives,and the love he held for Relic Lore, this huge forest, was clear in his tone. Even after the tragedy of the fire this place still felt like home and he knew it would never become anything less. Her next question seemed to bring a small shyness to her and immediately he suspected that she sought something from him rather than just idle passage through this forest.It was a bold statement but Indru appreciated it, a direct answer was one he approved of and it told him exactly what he wanted to know. He watched her carefully for a moment, thinking over the request she had asked of him. She was polite at least—so far she seemed respectful of his position and hadn't challenged his authority of these lands. However, the trust test was if she would accept his role as leader within the pack and only then would he accept her.
What could you offer to the pack in return for our protection and support?It was a fair question, a wolf who was not willing to pull their weight would not be wanted in Swift River and as Indru asked the question his body posture changed slightly, taking on the role of a leader towards a subordinate opposed to a neutral wolf—his tail rising to rest above the height of his back, his head held proudly and his ears perked forward. If she was to challenge his right to lead he knew she would not be suited here.
trying out a table @_@
Living in this place must be paradise. She was jealous of the thought of having a home; a place you lived your whole life where you had friends and family. Maybe Noa could be a part of it too. At his question, her face had quite a genuine expression. I will protect the pack with my life. And she was serious. She had seen the face of death a few times and it was ugly, but Noa was not afraid of death. She wanted to belong and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for a chance to have a sort of...family
It was a good answer and Indru smiled toothily in response, nodding his head abruptly before responding,
well I think we always have room for wolves like that.Loyalty was the key factor of the River wolves— it was that they kept them strong and together, and through the hardships of the winter months it would be even more important. Once you joined the pack and proved your worth you were considered family, blood or not, and if was that camaraderie that had kept Swift River's heart beating for well over a year, like it had Hidden Tree before it.Indru closed the gap between them and dropped his muzzle to grip hers in between his jaws in a gesture surprisingly gentle for the size and strength of him. It was an acceptance gesture, one he knew would bring comfort and reassurance—it marked his position as leader and hers as the subordinate, but most importantly it marked them as both the same pack. After holding the position for a few moment Indru pulled away, licking the top of the females muzzle gently, and then walked down the length of her unhesitatingly, brushing his scent across her and thus marking her with the scent that identified a wolf as part of this pack. Once he had travelled in a circle around her he stood near her shoulder before turning to her, his tail waving softly and a smile on his face,
let's go home, Ainoa.
Sex: Female