Hearthwood River Were you only imaginary?

Since the birth of Inna's pups, Mace had spent a good amount of time in the vicinity of the Baranski's den, filling the role he'd promised when he joined the pack. His priority was serving as a protector for Maksim's legacy. That was where he might have remained if he was only beholden to the raven haired she-wolf, but the reality was that he now served an entire pack of wolves. With that in mind, the Attaya set out for the edge of the pack territory after dropping a fresh killed rabbit in the hollow that served as Inna's entryway.

The mid-morning sun was shrouded only by the regrowth in the canopy, and it was warmer than it had been in weeks. A gentle breeze snaked through the gaps between towering sequoias. A lazy and pleased grin pulled across Mace's lips as he dove through a patch of undergrowth and emerged where the scent of the pack was most strongly concentrated. He rooted around the forest floor with his nose momentarily, snorting as he went and familiarizing himself with the aroma of the typical border markers.

Soon enough, his scent would join theirs as a permanent fixture. The Attaya took several steps to the left, doubled back to the right, and finally selected a spot to begin. Lifting his leg marginally so as not to give any onlooker the impression of authority, Mace left a wet spot on a clutch of rocks near the base of a tree, then began loping northwest along the scattered scent line.

Guardian dem 1/3 am I doing this right?

Hope you don't mind my girl ;D

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thane

Hunger would always be her fuel. She traveled for miles in search of anything worth quieting the groans her stomach would emit and when she couldn't quite fill her stomach enough to satisfaction she would continue on until anything worth chasing down crossed her path. It would be days worth of traveling that brought her to this unfamiliar land but fatigue had eluded her and was replaced instead with a desire to quiet the hunger pains. For once she merely wanted to feel content enough to no longer think of food, but until then she was constantly on the move.

The musk of wolves stopped her in her tracks and she took a moment to sniff the air and wondering if a pack took refuge nearby. She observed the area, watching and waiting for any movement that would confirm that the pack was still a habitat, and it didn't take long for Mace's scent to interrupt the pungent fresh scent of Hearthwood. It was earthy, like the scent of dirt, and she exhaled quickly to expel the scent from her nostrils.

His odor took her aback as she watched him from a distance, his dark figure a sore thumb against the backdrop of lush grasses that surrounded them. He seemed merry with a happiness that she only wish to obtain someday, but this display was interrupted the moment he lifted his leg to return to his duty of marking the territory. It was in that moment that she thought to continue on, hopefully undetected.

Her movement caused a commotion in the background and without realizing, a rabbit fled the vicinity in fear of its life. She watched in both amazement and embarrassment as it zigzagged beneath the protection of the tall grasses, leaving her location exposed, and she turned sheepishly toward the male who had no doubt caught her near his border.  This most likely wouldn't end well.

(This post was last modified: May 18, 2017, 06:55 AM by Rory.)

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

Since the birth of his daughter, Lorcan had spent a most of his time making sure that she and her mother were comfortable. The agouti healer spent every night curled up outside the entrance to their den and during the day he made sure to check up on them often. Whilst the father in him wished to be with them constantly, curled up in the warmth of the den listening to the sound of his daughter’s quiet breathing, the other part of him – the paranoid part – made sure that he was not seen to be too possessive over @Inna and Oksana. To the rest of Hearthwood River, he was simply her friend and pack healer, and Lorcan was determined to avoid promoting any more suspicion surrounding him and the raven-haired female if he could help it. 

The agouti male had noticed @Mace to be a recurring presence around Inna’s den, lingering in the shadows like a watchful guardian, which both pleased and intrigued him. The fact that Inna had asked about him during the throws of her labour indicated to Lorcan that the dark male was someone of importance to her, but how exactly she had come to know him was still a mystery to the young male. Lorcan had still yet to properly introduce himself, aside from the odd smile and nod offered to him in passing. So when he returned to check in on Inna, after inspecting what was left of the medicinal caches, and discovered the fresh scent of Mace along with the recently caught rabbit kill he had left her, Lorcan tracked after him.

Following his scent, which was still fresh in the wind, the agouti male made short work of tracking down the large male. Spotting his dark figure lingering between the tall redwoods which ran along the edge of the territory, Lorcan moved to approach him with his tail swaying behind him in greeting. His movement ceased however as a rabbit rustled through the tall grasses, apparently spooked by something up ahead. Golden eyes shifted from the silhouette of his pack mate and narrowed as he inspected the surrounding forest, a bark breaking the silence as he spotted the stark cream female amongst the undergrowth. 

Russet ears pinned forwards and his tail curled up from its neutral position to wave more dominantly above his back as he moved to approach closer towards the edge of the marked borders, his golden eyes locked onto the female as he waited for her to state her intentions.  

Guardian demonstration 1/3

(This post was last modified: May 18, 2017, 04:14 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Perhaps it was the comfort of being part of a pack after so long on his own, or perhaps it was simply him lapsing into his mind, but somehow, he missed spotting the woman hidden away in the grass. He moved steadily along the border, head down and nose keenly seeking out places where the scent was fading. He was about ready to leave another mark on a tuft of short grass a pebble's roll from the most recent scent marking when a rabbit suddenly broke cover and fled directly by him.

Distracted, the swarthy wolf lifted his head and watched its progress, and only then did he truly notice both Lorcan and the intense way the "midwife' was staring out past the borders. His tail swept lower and his ears pulled back out of respect for the man's rank, but it was curiosity that made him turn and realize what a daft fool he'd gone and become.

There, crouched sheepishly just beyond the borderlands, was a flash of white. Upon closer inspection, it had a wolfish shape and was staring up at him with a wolfish grin. Mace's shoulders tensed as he stared down the female hidden in the grass and wondered to himself how he hadn't spotted or smelled her before now. Some guardian he was, letting a lone wolf lurk so close without even realizing she was there.

What are you doing? he boomed, pitching his ears forward and taking several steps toward the white wolf in an effort to intimidate her. Not to truly scare her, but maybe to cow her into admitting why she was lurking at the pack's borders like some kind of urchin. It was also, unbeknownst to him, an effort to recover from his own inattentiveness. To draw attention to the lone female and away from the fact that he probably would have kept going merrily along the borders without ever noticing her had Lorcan not been there.

Guardian dem 2/3

(This post was last modified: May 21, 2017, 04:54 PM by Mace.)

gorgeous set by kydnt

@Mace and @Lorcan

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thane

Her expression morphed almost instantly when she noticed the approached of another wolf, this one was also male and much more angry than the wolf whom she had initially met. Her eyes switched from Lorcan and Mace, then back again uncertain of who to focus on until the darker male made the first move. His voice caught her off guard but the question was relevant, and she thought to answer honestly with hopes that either one would go easy on her.

"I was just passing by..." her voice was light and airy compared to that of the male before her, probably because unlike him she didn't have a home to guard, an honor to uphold, or an ego to boost; from the looks of it the other male was someone of importance. When Mace took a few steps toward her she crouched lower in an attempt to seem smaller, she wanted nothing more than to hid from the men but running would only cause them to give chase, if signified that she had something to hide and she definitely wanted to leave this meeting in one piece. "I don't mean any harm, I don't want any trouble." she pleaded, hoping either male would have some sort of compassion.

"What's this pack called? she wondered finally, hoping that she didn't seem to be overstepping her boundary.

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

Lorcan failed to notice the submissive stance Mace offered him, his golden eyes already fixated upon the lighter creamy figure of the female partially concealed within the underbrush. Russet ears pricked upright assertively as the agouti male caught the pale yellow gaze of the potential threat, his bark working to warn the female and to focus his pack mate’s attention upon her. Whilst his muzzle did not wrinkle, his tail did curl above his back and his golden eyes were sharp with suspicion as he eyed the loner. Mace was the first elicit communication between them and the female, his question a valid one. 

Golden eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed, casting a partial shadow across his face, as the female breathed her reply. Lorcan could sense that she was nervous, the way her gaze flickered back and forth between him and his fellow subordinate was indication of that their presence intimidated her. Whilst the healer refrained from moving closer, not typically someone who enjoyed igniting fear in others, @Mace took it upon himself to step closer. His large dark figure worked to encourage the loner into a more submissive stance and it was only once she was under this additional pressure that the female went on to explain herself further. 

The agouti male’s expression softened as she assured them both that she intended to be of no threat to them or their pack. Lorcan was inclined to believe her, but he glanced across to Mace for assurance. Black tipped tail then fell from its dominant height and lowered to sway more neutrally behind him, though his golden gaze soon returned to the nameless loner, not wanting to let his guard down completely. Now that their pack now harboured pups, the healer would always remain cautious. At her question, Lorcan’s head tilted curiously, eager to unravel her intentions. “Hearthwood River.” He stated simply, before continuing. “We have pups around, so you can appreciate our concern when we find wolves so close to our borders..” He said, his voice not threatening, but calm and serious as he eyed her. 

Guardian demonstration 2/3

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2017, 08:06 AM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Mace didn't like this, not one bit. He chocked it up to instinctual protectiveness in the wake of Oksana's birth, but he considered it fishy to lurk so close to a pack's borders without announcing oneself or at least making oneself easily found. That Rory was concealed in the grass made him uneasy and unwilling to take her at her word. His face crinkled in a severe frown as he considered the blonde slip of a she-wolf crouched in the grass. His first thought was to banish her with a flash of teeth, and his hackles rippled as though to convey his intent, but Lorcan spoke and saved both of them from that interaction.

Mace's head fell level with his spine as he prowled sideways a few paces, turning his shoulder to the girl and watching her warily with a turned neck and rigid ears. He was still but for a sharp yank of his head toward Lorcan when he revealed that the pack had pups—stupid man, he couldn't help thinking—to the complete stranger at their borders. His lips lifted marginally, revealing the tip of a canine tooth as disbelief crept through his breast and darkened his features. True, a wolf could smell the scent of youth on the air if they drew close enough, but outright saying it was one way to invite suspicious persons to cross your threshold.

He melted into the background, serving as Lorcan's shadow for as long as this interaction took, prepared to be the bad cop to Lorcan's good should things go south. Nevertheless, his pale blue eyes lingered on the back of the medic's head as he veritably bristled, warring with himself on whether to reprimand the man when this was all over or not. Lorcan was his superior, but had given sensitive information to a total stranger who, for all they knew, could be in the business of stealing pups from their beds. Rory looked harmless enough and Mace had no doubt they could handle her if they had to, but nevertheless, he felt it was a foolish and possibly costly mistake to make.

(This post was last modified: Jun 03, 2017, 03:17 PM by Mace.)

gorgeous set by kydnt

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thane

She so badly wanted to disappear from this situation, or at least turn back the hands of time up until the moment before she tipped off the fleeting rabbit so that she could avoid the pack border all together. She hated this, being the middle man or the cause for commotion, and yet it seemed to be happening more frequently. Perhaps she needed to find a more secure location, and actually remain there.

The older male spoke to her all the while her thoughts were racing. He explained to her the reason for their abrupt and intimidating appearance--all of which made sense-- and she thought it was wise to remain completely still, in case sudden movements were a cause for them to give chase. She appreciated the fact that they were calm enough to hear her out, she hadn't meant to cause alarm, and was grateful that the older male was in attendance as well, because from the looks of it, Mace wanted nothing more than to toss her out on her behind with a possible tooth mark as a reminder. From first glance, she assumed he was their guardian.

She tried her best to avoid Mace's gaze, not wanting to create more bad blood but something about the way he stared at her made her turn toward him, her eyes seemed to beg for his forgiveness. It seemed that her appearance had brought him more trouble than he deserved, and for a second time she wanting nothing more than to make it all go away. "I understand your need to be protective. And again, I don't want to be an enemy of Heartwood River, if you would allow me to leave in peace I will be much more careful in avoiding your border." she pleaded, her head was low now, attempting to avoid both males gaze. In fact, she felt her body fall closer to the ground in submission, tail low at her hackles in hopes that they accepted her plea. this is horrible, this is the worst.

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

Guardian dem 1/3
Hope you guys don't mind Ayti here <3

Aytigin had been on high alert at the borders ever since the arrival of the first of the pack's puppies - Kisla's litter - and had only become more of a workaholic as more pups had been born. So it was no surprise that he was nearby when the stranger arrived, and he felt that it was a good thing he came when he did. The pale woman was clearly scared, Mace was clearly bristling, and Lorcan was clearly... very serious. Not that that was any sort of a surprise.

The younger man walked up with a flash of a smile in the woman's direction, brushing his fur along Mace's flank to hopefully calm him a bit and lowering his stance when he got up near Lorcan. He waved his tail at the woman and perked his ears. "Hey," he greeted cheerfully, willing to be the more friendly presence among the Hearthwood men gathered around. He'd heard Lorcan's comment about the pups, and inwardly cringed - that wasn't quite the smartest move, in Ayti's opinion. But he wasn't going to speak out against the higher-ranking male.

Instead, he decided to just be himself - albeit far more respectful than he'd been when he first joined the pack. "Poor thing's scared to death," he commented lightly, butting his forehead against Lorcan's shoulder but keeping himself lower and as unassertive as possible. He didn't want a repeat of the Lachesis incident. "We could be a little nicer to her, right? I mean, it's not like she's doin' anything wrong, are ya, sweetheart?" Hazel eyes looked between Rory, Mace, and Lorcan, the first a more comforting glance - coupled with a trademark wink, - the second a smile, and the third an approaching look. He wanted both men's opinions on the subject, as he hadn't been there from the start.

He just wanted to ease the tension, really.