Willow Ridge the voice within you screams

OOC: @Skoll & @Wraith I sure hope I did this right! Ive never started a thread before.

Ayla followed the dark prince swiftly. She was uncertain about what awaited her as they reached the pack borders. She was nervous and her hackles had began to raise slightly. Ayla kept her head low as she glided across the snow crusted terrain, inhaling deeply taking note of all the scents. Her pale emerald orbs darted back and forth watching her surroundings for any new wolves. Maybe following the two males wasn't a good idea, but she was here now. It was to late to turn back. The only thing she could do now was keep her guard up and stay alert for threats.

Ayla took a deep breath in attempt to slow her racing heart. Her pounding pulse resonated in her dark ears as they swiveled constantly towards every noise. Again she turned to Wraith with questioning eyes, her nervousness reflecting off of them. She had heard his sigh when she spoke and decided the best move right now was to keep quiet and lay low for now. She wondered how Skoll would introduce her, or even if he would just be leaving her there like a lost unwanted pup. With a inward chuckle she guessed the latter was the more likely with this guy. She looked at the man again, he had a willow like limbs and a pitch black pelt with only a small amount of white near his muzzle and chest. She was studying him more that she had before and was intrigued by his behavior. He acted rather rude at first but by the end of their conversation invited her along. Why would one do that so quickly especially a prince? She had not proven anything or had not tried to impress the young man in anyway and had not expected the act of kindness. No, kindness was not the right word. Skoll had a plan for Ayla, whether it was good or bad was unknown to her. She only hoped that it wouldn't be to harsh. Ayla didn't trust the lanky man at all. His actions and words were confusing to her. He did not seem to mean anything he said but it wasn't sarcastic. His words just had an undertone of untruthfulness. Never the less here she was standing being him at the borders of Willow Ridge waiting for the unknown to happen.

The closer Skoll drew closer to home, the more confident he became. The scents of his pack and family bringing him the sort of reassurance he needed now that he was back at home. Since leaving the edges of the Marsh, he had not spoken a word to either of his companions. He still had a mind to abandon the two of them and retreat back to his hideaway in the heart of Willow Ridge. If it weren't for this whimsical need to make sure his younger brother had been minding pack borders, he might've been sound asleep by now in the middle of the day - like he was supposed to.

When he stopped at last to take a look at the two of them, his doppelgänger and the near look-alike Piety, he scowled. She seemed to be looking at @Wraith for a sense of certainty. It almost made him laugh; truly, in the prince's mind, the only thing she ought to be afraid and wary of was him... The killer of Hollowheart Keep's Leader, the murderer of his own cousin, the manipulative man of a mate, the smiter of the true Queen, the preacher's son whose divine intervention never, ever came...

He gave Ayla a particularly judgmental glare as she stood there, waiting for instruction from either of them. She might as well have been a lamb lined up for the slaughter. His head tilted subtly to one side. On one thought, he supposed he could just dump her into Grizzly Hollow's - Rook and that gray fellow's (@Veho's) territory - backyard. If it had become such a sanctuary for Piety, then maybe Ayla would find it just as suitable. Maybe. But, first, the Archer royal had a test to conduct with her. Just a test. After that, she was welcome to leave, unless something became of what was soon to come.

A sudden smirk appeared on Skoll's ivory muzzle and he finally eyed his fellow pack mate, "You can start looking for the little brat if you want, and I'll catch up. Don't want to bore you with this... initiation stuff." His lips drew into a harsh line as he waited for an indication over whether or not the man would remain.

(This post was last modified: Feb 03, 2016, 02:54 AM by Skoll.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

OOC: You inspire loyalty, @Skoll  x3, Good luck @Ayla  Wraith will stick around just in case she needs help. :P

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As they walked on, Wraith found himself struggling with unease himself. He couldn't conjure up any good reason for Skoll to have invited Ayla along. It was clear from their interaction that he didn't much care for her. And now it seemed he wanted to invite her into the pack? Or something. Wraith hadn't developed any reason to trust him save for the fact that he owed the male the loyalty befitting any pack mate. While he hadn't the patience for the female today - he had hoped to spend the day on his own - he certainly didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

The way she continued to look to him for some sort of signal left him feeling even worse as he couldn't offer a truthful answer one way or another. What he knew of the wolf was limited to exactly the interaction she witnessed herself. That both of them seemed to lack any trust in him didn't help that gut instinct that something wasn't exactly right. Perhaps he was being too judgmental, too harsh.

When Skoll turned to him with a smirk and suggested he start off without him - leaving Ayla alone with him - the dark male's hackles itched fiercely. While it hadn't been an order to go on ahead, Wraith had the impression that it was quite close to one. Initiation stuff, hm? He'd never had any such thing save for hunting alongside Craw to bring down prey for the pack. Rather than openly question his superior, the male smiled and inclined his head obediently. "I'll get started then."

He padded out of sight, paws moving as quietly as possible through the snow so he could still stick close enough to hear if anything out of the ordinary took place. It was wholly against all that Wraith knew to have infighting within the pack, but he knew if something were to happen, he very well may break that personal rule if only to save the naive female from ill will.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Ayla's eyes narrowed slightly as Skoll spoke. A prickling feeling began to develop along her spine as she stood looking at the prince. No she did not trust him and his words seemed to have another meaning. The woman could seem her ink dipped tail raising slightly and her neck beginning to arch. Her ebony ears were shoved forward in alertness as she watched Wraith leave her side. Her emerald flecked eyes seemed to be smoldering with anticipation and something else, determination? She spoke loudly and clearly now, "What initiation are you speaking of Prince Skoll? I did not realize I was trying to join your pack, as I or you never mentioned it. You had mentioned tagging along to find 'the brat' Niles." her words were laced with sarcasm and a smirk played on her dark lips. She was not feeling so happy to lucky or friendly at the moment. She was on the defensive now and was uncomfortable. She scanned the pitch black man for any sign of his intentions but found none just a smirk that gave her a chill.

Catching Skoll's glare she stood her ground. Yes, he was bigger but she really didn't want to look as weak as she had made herself seem thus far. She knew she seemed innocent and defenseless. It was a gift and a curse, she was always underestimated. A sly smile began to form across her elegant features as she looked at Skoll directly now. The air around her had a different feel now. She felt herself regaining her composure and confidence once more. She lifted a brow slightly as she looked at the dark prince expectantly. Ayla spoke once more, her tone was cool and calm, "So when does the Prince become the King of Willow Ridge? You seem to hold yourself in a way a king should. If I didn't know better I would say you were already King Skoll." her voice was velvety. She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him without a smile for the first time.

Don't mind grumpy guts, she's just cautious about white(ish) chicks ;)

As luck (or perhaps misfortune) would have it, Morganna was traversing the borders as a familiar voice teased her ears. Eyes narrowing with suspicion (who was he speaking to out here and about what?), she diverted her course to approach her sibling in a round about fashion, dark ears picking out the voice of Wraith. She almost relaxed, until a more feminine voice joined the discussion as the dark furred subordinate made his way, seemingly unknowingly in her direction.

She tipped her chin up in silent greeting to @Wraith, quietly closing the distance between them, a silent nudge to his cheek and a flick of her peachy eyes imploring him to stay close while she worked out what was going on. The woman's tone began as insolent and the hackles along her spine rose in response, her shoulders going rigid as her tail arched over her back. She crept forward to lay eyes on the stranger from the cover of the willow trees, white. Why were they always white?

She rolled her eyes, setting them right in her skull before she broke from the cover of the trees. From the roll of her hips and the confidence with which she approached, right down to the strength of her own scent about these borders there would be no questioning just who she was.

She approached @Skoll first, pushing her muzzle under his chin with a low fond growl of greeting before bringing her flank around to rest alongside his, all but ignoring the stranger for now. If she wasn't here to join then she was wasting Morganna's time, and she would give her brother the greeting he deserved before addressing her.

Finally when her gaze fell on the other woman it was devoid of any warmth. She looked too much like the other one. It wasn't the loner she addressed, but rather her brother, in a hushed voice only he would hear clearly. "More ears fer my collection? Yer shouldn't have." It was as much a warning as it was a tease.

(This post was last modified: Feb 03, 2016, 12:33 PM by Morganna.)

With satisfaction, the royal watched as the still nameless man, his "friend," walked out of sight with a simple, "I'll get started then." The tip of his tail flicked. Most excellent... Before he could even do or say anything else, let alone really look her over, Ayla seemed to find herself. She was no longer a mouse but a lion. His glare kept on his face. It was bold of her to open her mouth; even then, however, Skoll was not impressed. "I was speaking to my pack mate," he enunciated every word as though he were trying to speak to someone who had trouble hearing. Each syllable ringing loud and clear. "I offered you a place to stay; if you want a place to stay, you have to be cleared by my superiors. Niles is my concern, not yours."

Stupid, he scoffed silently in head. What a waste. Obviously Hecate, his current main squeeze would find no challenge in Ayla. At least, not intellectually or, perhaps, even physically. Shame.

Her gaze had hardened and the prince gave her no signs of letting up. He might not have been awed with her in the slightest but he was sorely mistaken in thinking that he could pull off the whole "nice guy" shtick - and, now, he wanted nothing more than to be relieved of Ayla's presence. He would just tease Hecate instead, verbally claim that he met someone at the Marsh and gauge her reaction then. Her question caught him off-guard, but her slick tone definitely rubbed him the wrong way and it showed. His hackles came up and his tail began to rise from its already tense position at his back.

I AM THE KING! he had nearly roared in her face, but he knew the outcome of that decision would only drown him in humiliation if his mother or sister heard him utter such a thing. No, he wouldn't say it until he reclaimed the position back from his uncle... Save his breath and spare him the time and unnecessary emotions.

The demon prince was about ready to simply storm off when the two were joined by another dark figure. It wasn't @Wraith, though, like he had anticipated, but his sister, the current reigning monarch of the Ridge. He cursed under his breath, the actual word camouflaged by the sharpness of his inhale. Morganna growled at him, as was customary, and he rumbled back in return. To any outsider it might have sounded like a challenge or a means of disobedience, but between siblings, litter mates no less, this was how they loved and respected one another, no matter who was in charge. Skoll's eyes were kept trained on Ayla; only the swivel of the ear closest to his sister showed that he was paying any mind to the Queen.

"More ears fer my collection?" she teased, the words hushed against his eardrum. "Yer shouldn't have." Skoll's muzzle wrinkled and he turned to her, speaking normally without a care about whether or not it affected Ayla at all, "No, not this one." His voice was agitated and, finally, the fur along his spine fully bristled. He swept across Morganna's path, lifting his tail to hit the underside of her chin, stopping at the edge of the borders with his back to the two women. "I've changed my mind."

(This post was last modified: Feb 12, 2016, 10:05 AM by Skoll.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

Wraith clenched his teeth at the woman's voice snapping out at his packmate. He wouldn't very well protect her if she was disrespectful. In that case, she deserved whatever bite came to her hide for it. Naive and lacking respect was a lethal combination and not the kind of helpless the black wolf could stand in defense of for any length of time. Fear, he knew, could have a part in it. The emotion had a way of making tongues wag faster than they should. He shook his head, tail lashing once with frustration.

Dark ears turned to capture the relatively quiet approach of Morganna. He breathed a soft sigh of relief. Surely she could cool Skoll's temper some. He bowed his head at her greeting, his muzzle brushing beneath her chin after she nudged his cheek. Her unspoken request was understood and Wraith nodded.

Forced to watch her sneak closer, the male felt like a pup left in the den while his mother got to go walkabout. Annoyed with the thought, he shook out his partly frozen fur.

As Morganna joined Skoll, Wraith had the sinking feeling that Ayla now stood before them as an injured doe. Against Skoll, he could reason fighting. But Morganna had allowed him to join the pack. With that, came loyalty. As he thought on it, the male knew he should have more loyalty to Skoll as well considering he was also part of his pack. This stranger was owed none, no matter what his gut said.

Ayla shook her head at Skoll in disbelief and irritation. 'What a piece of work!' she thought disgusted. She turned away from the dark man and turned her attention to someone who actually had the authority. She bowed her head deeply and avoided eye contact. Ayla spoke in a professional manner to the Queen, "My name is Ayla StarRiver madam. I am looking for a pack to join when I came across Wraith and Skoll. Skoll invited me to tag along with him and now here we are. Well, here I am I suppose. I have a few attributes that I could contribute to a pack. I am a hunter, built for running down prey. But I also know healing. I would like to join your pack if you find me acceptable. If not then I will leave immediately." When she finished she lifted her head out of her bow but kept it well below the woman's. Her tail was low if not slightly tucked from the hard cold gaze she had received. Ayla's dark ears were flat against her head showing complete submission to the Queen and respect for her authority. Her emerald flecked orbs stayed locked on the dark woman's paws not daring to look up any farther. Ayla's stomach was about on the ground as she began to feel her pelt brushing the snow. Her breathing had become quieted and she didn't realize she was beginning to hold her breath.

Ayla was shaking internally. 'Skoll had just dumped her off like garbage and said he changed his mind about her. What a jerk!' If she was granted to join Ayla knew she would have to harden herself. This was not a pack that would tolerate her normally happy nature. But she was used to adapting to around her and joining this pack was no different. She would keep her morals though. Ayla may have been born to be the heir to her family but she was also taught how to be respectful and obedient from her parents. So that was all Ayla could do at the moment was try her best to show her absolute respect for the obvious Queen of Willow Ridge and hope Skoll's comment wouldn't belittle the already small ivory woman.

Three simple words were all it took. Not this one. She hid her smirk as her teeth playfully clicked after the tail that had so casually hit her chin. Doe eyed dolts like Piety were one thing, at least she had some manners and knew her place. She was about to chase after @Skoll and perhaps make a playful swipe at his hind legs when her attention was diverted by the woman's words. She inhaled sharply as she looked back at the loner, annoyance painted clearly on her face.

Healers and hunters they had aplenty. Clearly there had been no mentioning of her specialities when she met Skoll and Wraith. Lacking a gift for her mother and with her brother changing his mind she snapped back at the stranger "I though yer had no intention of joinin'?" The question was a barb but not an instant dismissal. 

"We've got plenty o' healers an' our hunters'r sufficient... But yer see, we're quite poppin' at the seams... If m' brother won't speak fer yer, who will?" she raised her voice to offer @Wraith an opportunity to step forward. If he chose to remain out of sight then the deal would be done.