Cedarwood Forest Ironwing

((OOC: The GH hunt in Hush Meadow is moving a bit too slowly for my boy to get his paw in the door with the pack before the two-week lone wolf penalty, so unsure if this should be dated before or after said hunt.))

Valtyr had scouted out these nearby lands enough to know that the Grizzly Hollow pack was not far from his temporary den in the cherry orchard. In fact, they were practically neighbors. He also knew, from listening to the pack's calls in the distance, that they were a small lot. They could use another wolf. Or at least, he hoped they would feel the same way. The onyx beast had had a few successful hunts and was beginning to regain his former health and vigor. His muscles were toning underneath his obsidian hide, which was beginning to show its original luster and shine once more. Life was returning to the dark male. He was ready. He wanted a pack life once more. He would start with Grizzly Hollow.

The lope to the edge of the territory was an easy one, one that he had made a few times before while exploring this new place he now knew was called Relic Lore. Now that his health was back, it was also much easier to run long distances without tiring so easily. And so he showed at the edge of the Grizzly Hollow territory, looking off into the woods in eager anticipation. They were nothing like the dense thicket he had found here, away in the north. It was much more open and far more inviting. Valtyr's tail wagged at the hope of living in such a beautiful place.

It didn't seem that anybody was around just yet, and Valtyr knew he might have to migrate around the edge of the border to actually catch up with the alpha. Of her, he knew little -- simply that she was female. The fact did not bother him. Females were also capable leaders in his eyes. But here was as good of a place as any to start seeking her out. Perhaps he would even get lucky and find her nearby. Throwing his head to the sky, Valtyr howled to the alpha of the Grizzly Hollow pack -- his official application for acceptance. His deep voice soared in the chill air, filtering through the cedar trees. When his song was finished, the ebony beast lowered his head and then stared off into the distance with his gleaming yellow eyes. He was prepared to wait. He had been alone for such a long time already. What did a few hours matter?

(This post was last modified: Jan 31, 2012, 11:26 PM by Corinna.)

<i>I was thinking it'd make more sense to have it after since he's a lone wolf to El and Kade in the hunt. During the hunt maybe he decides to think about joining or something...</i>

We're gonna make such fools of ourselves.

Almost morning. Wake up. Walk. Scout. Hunt. Night. Rest. Repeat. It was her daily ritual plus or minus depending on things, but for the most part it was what she did each day. However, this morning she had stopped to take a drink at Jasper Rocks. It as tricky finding a spot along the stream not covered in ice, but it was thin in most places, and easily broken with a good push of her paws. The cold water refreshed her, the chill giving her goosebumps, and making it easy to shake the grogginess from her sleepless night.

Smacking her lips, she withdrew her paws from the running stream and quickly shook out her thick coat. Her pink tongue curled round her jowls, cleaning away the left over drops. Now it was time to see if anything else had changed. She headed away from the stream to Borden's closest marker of Grizzly Hollow. One again she inspected her borders, looking for the possibility of trouble.

Nothing at first was out of the ordinary. No strange scents, and no fresh tracks. It was too cold she felt for many to be out, and about. Quietly she sighed to herself. She had hoped some loners in need of food, and warmth might seek them out, but so far Kade was still the most recent to the pack. That had happened months ago. Trying to tell herself it did not matter, she padded through the snow, looking for the next landmark, though she knew the walk by heart she would not let it stop her from checking each point for change.

Some relief she began to believe there would be no trouble in the Hollow today, and let her tail wag slowly at her haunches in sway with her hips. Or until she heard the call of a male asking for her. The leadess halted to listen to his song, picking out what he could possibly want her for. Did she dare believe he wanted to join? Either way she had a loner at her home's doors, and took off to meet him.

Crown raised high, and her thick tail raised she let the sound lead her to him. He was further from the stream, and it took some minutes for her to find hm. When she did, she halted before showing herself. Quietly, with a careful look she studied the ebony coated male with bright yellow eyes from her distance. He seemed in decent shape, and was already at a lower stance. Perhaps she was wrong after all about having anyone join. Gracefully she stepped from her cover, and closer to large fellow. She was mindful of her distance, and stopped keeping a yard and a half between them. "Hello, I'm Jaysyek. What can I help you with sir?"

((OOC: Good point!))

While he waited, Valtyr kept a careful check on the scents that came to his nose, though it would be hard to detect anything new. The scent of the cedar trees was nearly overwhelming to his olfactories. He also kept his ears aloft and alert, and it was his ears that picked up the sound of someone approaching. His golden eyes tried to make out who it was that had stopped in hiding, perhaps to watch him as well. The tip of his tail wagged in anticipation as he rotated one ear to face behind him. For a short while, he was unsure. Was this the alpha? Did she find him unworthy?

As he was about to leave and return to his den to contemplate, she stepped forward from her hiding spot. Valtyr quickly noted her physical features -- a slender female with a coat that was not a true white. It was more of a gray-white, as if someone had sprinkled her with ash. One eye was gold, like his own. The other was a mixture of gray and blue. Altogether, she made for a rather interesting creature to gaze upon -- both unique and, at the same time, exquisite. A <span class='word'>bonny</span> sight, indeed.

He did not have to question if the pale girl before him was the alpha. She carried herself tall and proudly. She appeared confident and calm. He remembered how that felt to be at the top of the pack, the fearless leader.

<b>"Hello, Jaysyek. I am Valtyr Hanar Melian. I come to seek acceptance into your pack."</b>

The onyx beast considered adding to his statement the fact that he had assisted her packmates in a hunt, but he figured she could smell their scents on his hide just as easily as he could. A leader could draw their own conclusions without having a braggart on their hands. No, best to keep it simple and short. It was the way he himself preferred to do business, and he was sure Jaysyek was busy with matters of her own, as well.

<i> I thought that'd be easiest. And I moved you into the ranks already just in case so you wouldn't lose points. ^^)</i>

my weakness is that i care too much.

Straight to the point. What a breath of fresh air. She held her tongue for a moment, letting a bit of silence hang between them. She couldn't be too eager, they needed numbers, but she could afford to be picky. All the same there seemed no trickery in his words nor posture. When she studied him further, with a twitch of her nostrils she came to the fact he had been the lone wolf to help Elettra, and Kade in their hunt for caribou. There was no doubt he was a likely gentleman or least someone in need of a home. She tried to recall if any ill word had been said of him, but knew there had not.

A wisp of a smile stretched along the pale cheek."Valtyr, pleasure," she spoke in her soft, warm tone of sincerity. She had questions of who he was, where he had come from, and why he wanted to live here of all places. They seemed irrelevant. "I believe you helped some of my pack take down a caribou some time ago?"She said sure she was right, but hating to assume. She gave him a short time to reply, and added, "That being said, you are more than welcome to join Grizzly Hollow."

(This post was last modified: Jan 16, 2012, 12:24 AM by Jaysyek.)

(OOC: You rock. :D))

Valtyr watched the alpha carefully, looking for any tell as to what she was thinking. It was apparent to him that she was very <span class='word'>perspicacious</span> when it came to adding members to her pack, and rightly so. No good alpha would take just any loner waltzing up to their borders. But he was strong, and he had already contributed to the Grizzly Hollow pack. That was his in right there. Well, so he hoped. Finally, he caught the faint smile that played at the corners of her lips and nodded as she spoke his name. When she spoke again of Kade and Elettra, the tip of his tail wagged in recognition.

<b>"That's right,"</b> he replied simply to her query. He did not feel the need to supply further information, lest it be deemed erroneous.

As she gave her words of welcome, Valtyr let his head raise slightly. His golden eyes shone with his thanks and his happiness. A pack. Finally. After months of heartache and travelling alone, he had finally found a place to make his own with others. And they all had seemed much like himself -- strong, willful, not ones to mince words. Better luck could not have been found on this fine day.

He uttered a single woof of thanks and cautiously padded up to her and gave her chin a lick -- his formal greeting as a subordinate to his new alpha. Hail to the chief.

<i>awe, thanks. </i>

my weakness is that i care too much.

Her memories, and her mind were still serving her well despite everything that had been thrown at her. Smile stretched along her jawline, quite hopeful Valtyr would help strengthen Grizzly Hollow further. He would likely be the largest wolf in the pack, and seeing as he already worked with Elettra, and Kade the only remaining question was how well was his patience? The pups would be yearlings in the coming months, but they still had much to learn. Something about him struck her he could be a decent teacher, but she wasn't sure what it was nor if she dare trust the feeling.Something else she'd find out soon enough, and her tail relaxed slightly behind her giving a feeble wag at the joy lingering in his golden eyes. She didn't believe such things could be fake, and was more confident she had made the right decision.

Her ash stroked ears fluttered at his woof, and she stood her ground letting him come close soon accepting his welcome, and respect. In return she would brush along his side, letting her scent become his so everyone would know she had accepted him into the Hollow. She withdrew a step back once more checking his dark coat for scars, or wounds. A closer look proved there was nothing. A warm gaze she meet his golden stare. "Sir Melian, I hope you don't mind young ones," she said hoping to fill him in on what he might expect.

(This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2012, 07:06 PM by Jaysyek.)

Valtyr inhaled deeply as Jaysyek brushed her body against his own -- not only to acquire the scent of his new leader and pack, but also because it took him a little by surprise. He had not had physical contact with another wolf, especially a female, for months. It was a bit of a shock to his system. He knew that the contact was not in any way a show of affection besides that which an alpha shows her packmates, but it still unnerved him slightly. However, the obsidian beast retained his composure. How awful would it look to be accepted into a pack and then immediately suffer a breakdown? No, thank you.

It turned out that Jaysyek was full of surprises today. Her statement caught him off guard. Young ones -- pups. His mind could not help but instantly flash back to his own two, Filippa and Jorundur. At first, his heart twinged with grief, no doubt flashing in his golden eyes for the briefest of moments. But he still kept a level head. He had had his time to mourn the loss of his family. The pain would always still be there, and he would always miss them very much. But there was new life to be had, and perhaps a new role within his new pack to undertake, should his alpha wish it so.

Coming out of his brief reverie, Valtyr chuckled softly. <b>"I've had a couple of my own before. I certainly don't mind them at all."</b>

He hoped his short moment of inward reflection had not been seen by Jayseyk, or if it had, that it did not bother her. Every wolf here seemed to have some tragedy in their lives, so perhaps it was not uncommon to her. He did not want to come across as weak now that he was officially a member of the Grizzly Hollow pack.

my weakness is that i care too much.

The mention of children she was not sure what caused him to be still in a distant reverie. Her own lips drew in a tight line, curious and yet worried at the same time. She did not interupt, certain with time maybe she would know what it was all about. She didn't expect a full history on first meet as she would know how hard it was to part with such information. He came to with a gentle laugh, and gave a brief answer, and unmeant explaination. He had his own. Where they were she would not ask. She did incline her head, and her smile grew, much more at ease with the latest member of the Hollow.

"You'll have to tell me about them sometime," she said keeping her tone light not wishing to prod, but hopeful in time he might share. The could have a lot more in common then she had thought. She only hoped he was not with them because they had grown, she sensed either way it was a long tale. she added with a weak smile while gently shaking her head. How fast they had grown, it was a bittersweet thing. They would likely all surpass her in size, or at least catch her in height. Soon she would take them for their first "real" hunt.

She gestured with her nose for him to walk with her. He would need to know where the main den and caches were, and taking him now seemed the best idea.While they walked she decided to give him some detail, "My eldest Hocus, he's, bit whiter than me. And I have two daughters Trisden, and Arlette. Trisden may have inherited my build, but looks like her father while Lettie is pure white. Trisden is usually the leader of the group, and Lettie can often be timid though she seems to be coming out of her shell. I should warn you they may test you, or ask you odd questions. Life hasn't been the kindest, and we have had many come and go. Which I guess should be the most important thing I should tell you," she paused, though kept leading him into the heart of the Hollow trying best how to phrase her next words. With a a sigh she continued,"I'm sure you know I am the only leader at this time, but it will soon be decided who is to stand beside me. My children's father has returned to us, but he is not who he use to be." Was it to much information? Maybe, but if he was apart of the pack he had to know. She didn't want him wondering, and not daring to ask what everything was about.

Valtyr was glad that Jaysyek had chosen not to pry too much into his statement or his brief remembrance that had caused a slight lull in the conversation. While she did pose her interest, she had left off a timeline, and an ambiguous one at that. <i>Sometime.</i> Perhaps one day he would tell her the tale of his own mate and pups and their tiny pack they had had for over a year. Such a happy time. Though he still felt anger at the senselessness of it all, the <span class='word'>slimsy</span> logic that fate had worked out for him, he could still appreciate what a simple life they had all enjoyed together. His rage at the world had subsided, replaced with a more simple frustration. But it seemed that things were turning around for him at last.

He stepped alongside the pale girl, keeping his head at her shoulder so they were not completely side by side and she led them both. Though the chatter they were having was friendly enough, Valtyr knew better than to mistake his acceptance for equality. He listened quietly while the alpha spoke of her three pups. They all had such lovely names, much less crude than the names he had grown up with and had chosen for his own pups. He nodded slowly at her warning. He was well aware the quirks of adolescents. Filippa and Jorundur had been that age themselves at their passing. So close to the cusp of adulthood. He wondered to himself why the sire of Jaysyek's pups was not also the alpha at her side. Surely something had gone amiss. But he did not pose the question in his mind.

And then Jaysyek mentioned the very thing he had been wondering about. His golden eyes glanced at her countenance briefly, not getting many answers there. He wondered if the omega he had noted in the pack was the pups' father, fallen from grace. She left the sentence in the air, awkward. Valtyr wasn't sure how to respond. She had not asked him a question, and so he did not feel the need to speak at first. Curiosity about the pups' father plagued his mind, but he was careful not to pry.

Instead, he uttered softly, <b>"I'm sure you will choose a fine alpha to lead with you."</b>

It was his vote of confidence in her decisions, even though he hadn't been a pack member for even a day. Jaysyek had come across to him as a competent leader, even when he was simply scouting the pack. Unless there was reason to question it, he would trust her judgment. Valtyr thought of how much his heart would soar to be an alpha again, but he did not let his hopes get too high. There were others of higher rank than he who would probably make for the more logical choice -- a pack veteran chosen over a new wolf would go over much better with the others.

my weakness is that i care too much.

She was careful to gauge his reaction. He was quiet in his reply merely nodding his head. She felt assured and relieved by the simple gesture. He had been around young ones, and she imagined he had the patience to be among them. It would be nice to have another adult around as the continued to grow, and learn. He seemed like he had to know how to take care of himself getting this far. Though she wondered if her children's "test" might be quite strange for the gentleman. Only time would tell. As for his past she would continue imaging his back story because that was how her mind went, but she would wait for him to share.

She noticed her forwardness on the issue may have caught him off guard. She did not mutter an apology. He had to know the position was open, and where everyone stood at the moment. Her lacking an equal was on the top of the list. He had met Elettra, and Kade. Whether he knew where they stood she wasn't sure. She was probably making more questions than answering them. What more could she say? It was a long story she was not ready to tell. The grief from Prosper, and Theo had just seemed to fade. Borden was keeping to himself, and she still had not figured out how to help him.

"I'm sure you will choose a fine alpha to lead with you." Her steps paused briefly recalling how she had told Ruiko without knowing him he had to be a good leader. How that had spurred on quite the discussion between them. Eyes seemed to appear a warm blem of flattery, and gratitude for an instant moment. It was quick to disappear her logical side jumping in. How can you be? He had just met her, and already was putting such faith into her. She could think he was foolish, or kissing up. She did not believe he was either. He genuinely seemed like he was putting forth a sound of encouragement which she needed. Indru had, after all told her the same thing. She would make the right choice. She could not help but think if Borden had never gone she would not have to be struggling with the future of a whole pack. He would beside her, she would be complete. Sadly that road didn't exactly exist any more. The path was different, and who knew what the destination would be.

A dim smile she picked up her gait where she had left off. "That's very kind of you to say, and I don't take the responsibility lightly," she said her voice carrying a pleased current, yet serious motive. She picked her way through the trees, zig zaggin to and again, knowing the den would be soon be in sight. The little knoll came into view she smiled. It appeared nothing more than a hill, looking closely the mouth of the den would soon be discovered. "Here we are, if you need anything just let me know. Oh which reminds me if you're in need of drink there's a stream a little north." She tipped her muzzle in the direction before turning back with a warm smile, waiting to answer any questions before she went to check where everyone else was. When no words came, she nodded, and left him to his new home.

{end}

(This post was last modified: Mar 12, 2012, 05:21 PM by Jaysyek.)