Oak Tree Bend Head Down

Elliot had managed to gain a place within Oak Tree Bend. Clearly, he had acted well enough to ensure that no suspicions arose regarding his intentions. Part of him felt sick with disgust that he had lied for his own gain, that he was no better than his mother, and yet he knew why he was doing this. He would not survive winter alone on the hunt for food, let alone for a wolf. He was thin and tired, something he hoped being a member of this pack would change. Already he had investigated the caches. Well stocked. Clearly, this was a group of capable hunters. He would fit in well enough.

Scurrying much like a rat to a crumb, the swarthy male approached the scent of flesh. Sniffing around, black nose quivering as he searched for the source, Elliot felt his stomach groan with anticipation, his mouth watering ever so slightly. Ever morsel of meat he obtained was like a blessing. Pawing through the snow and dirt, he came to the treasure he sought: a hare. He didn't not hesitate to greedily gulp it down, tearing it apart almost savagely. He stripped it apart, snapped it back. Bones and all. Nothing would be wasted--nothing could be wasted. Everything he could crush between his jaws was promptly swallowed.

Moon above, he craved more ... and yet, he would not push his luck. Not yet. He refused to join and be given a glimmer of hope, only to be kicked out for being a glutton. Settling to his haunches, Elliot gave a soft sigh. There was food in his belly now and that was enough.

@Elliot

Accompanied by only the sound of the soft huff of her own breath and the crunch of frosted snow crackling under her plodding heavy paws, Spieden surveyed the territory. A tantalizing scent drifted towards her on the wind, stale and earthy but unmistakably something edible. And not horrifically rotten like that decomposed thing Serach had caught her snacking on. Sure, she'd gotten over the embarrassment enough that she could at least look the yearling in the eye, but the shame still swirled around in the back of her head. At least she hesitated now before eating things that were obviously long out of date. Further lifting her nose to the wind, snuffling in whatever information she could, she noticed the scent of another wolf.

Spieden's crooked ears flicked against the sides of her head with concern as she wondered just who was out there rifling through the caches. Her easy stride picked up into slow gallop as she followed the scent. She bustled through the forest, and finally found a dark wolf seated near a patch of upturned ground.

Tense and bristling, Spieden was ready to lay out a smack down until she noticed Triell's faint, but distinct scent brushed across the yearling. Turns out he was one of theirs. She stopped her barreling pace up short, pressing all four paws into the snow as she skid to a stop a few meters away. Her pink tongue lolled out in a pant, puffs of steam leaving her mouth like a locomotive well under way as she caught her breath. As her bright amber eyes brushed over the dusky yearling, she noticed the bony lines not quite hidden by his thick winter coat. He definitely looked like he needed the food.

"Didn't realize we had a new member. Welcome to the Bend," She greeted, slightly winded. She let her tail drape down at her hocks, trying to not look like she was about to tackle him like she was prepared to mere moments ago.

@Spieden

Elliot hadn't noticed the approach of the older woman, focused on the warmth inside him. His eyes closed almost dreamily. If he could, he'd groan for the feeling. The thundering of paws suddenly had his attention and he leapt upright, whirling around with wide eyes. A black figure came charging towards him and he stumbled backwards with a stuttered half-shout. "H-hey, stop!" If he had been any younger, he might have soiled himself right there. Thankfully, he had matured with the hardships of life and braced himself for impact.

But it never came. The feeling of muscle colliding with muscle, the thud of skin on skin ... no, thankfully, it--she?--had stopped in her tracks, spraying up snow as she halted. Elliot couldn't help but stare, his chest rising and falling quickly as the adrenaline began to course through him. Didn't realize we had a new member, she said. Well, heaved was more like it. Welcome to the Bend. Some welcome, he thought bitterly to himself. Sucking in a deep breath, Elliot tried to compose himself instead of looking puffed up like a frightened alley cat. "Thanks," he mumbled, eyeing her suspiciously before casting his gaze away--she was higher ranking and that meant she wordlessly demanded respect. "I'm Elliot. I haven't been here long."

He couldn't quite figure out why she had charged at him like he was a matador dressed head to toe in red. "I, uh." He shuffled, almost awkwardly. "Did I do something wrong? Was this-," he gestured to the now empty cache, "yours?"

@Elliot

While Spieden had stopped her charge, the boy still skittered away as if she'd kept on going. She felt bad for startling him, it hadn't been her intention now that she knew he was supposed to be here. It was her job to keep an eye on things, but she wasn't trying to be a bully. "Sorry for scaring you, Elliot," She apologized rather flatly, finally catching her breath. He seemed pretty shaken, so she tried not to stare straight into his eyes but rather at his general form. "I'm Spieden," She introduced herself.

Spieden squinted at him, trying to figure out why he would think she didn't want him to eat. She had frequently wondered and worried if she was doing the right thing or crossing some unseen boundary, either physically or socially. But being on the other end of it was harder for her to understand. What was the point of the pack if they let one of their members go hungry?

Finally, she shook her head. "No, it's no more mine than it is yours. You just caught me off guard, is all." She told him. "You smell like Triell though, so unless that's because you took him out in a fight..." She said with a joking quirk at the corner of her lips. It wouldn't be impossible, but given Elliot's apparent state he didn't seem like he'd be a match for the Tainn.