Spectral Woods This scene is dead

not to self, leaving it a lil vague on the regi front. All welcome!

Marisol weren't no fan of this damn fog. Or mist, whatever it was called. She wasn't scared, far from it, but really wasn't it was supposed to be day time? Where was the sun and it's warmth? Fuck this place, whoever chose to settle around here was a fuckin' idiot...Which, by extension didn't that mean she was one as well? Considering that she'd just dug out a den for herself in those hills not so far away.

Fuck it. It's not like she wanted to be here. The opposite to south was north,and seeing as she'd wanted to get as far away from that shitstorm as possible, well here she was.

She couldn't help but focus on the fact that if it was bad now, all dark and dreary, that it would only get worse as the year progressed. She'd seen snow before, spriklings of it, but she'd never witnessed it pile high on the ground. The mental image alone was enough to make her spit on the ground in contempt. A big ugly wad of saliva, which she quickly stepped over as she continued to push through these stupid tangled trees.

She missed the long sunny days back south, but as much as she wanted to go back it was a no go. With all those naked bears and fire sticks there was no way she'd head back that way. Hell, even if her cabrón of a brother wanted her to go back she wouldn't, he'd have to drag her kicking and screaming. Which, honestly, she could see him doing considering how he used to discipline them on Mumma's behalf.

"Pehh."

Mari has left Relic Lore. I'm in the process of finishing off her threads, those I don't finish will be deaded!

The sun was playing hide-and-seek, as it often did, with the branches of the old trees. Every so often, a few rays would succeed in making it through both the cloudcover and the leafy canopy, lighting up random patches of earth. Serach had taken great joy in showing off Spectral Woods to his children and his joy at watching them pounce through the mist towards the puddles of light had kept him smiling for days. He had left them behind today, but he couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself as he spotted one such piece of illuminated ground.

He was following his nose that day, the curious scent of a herd of deer luring him out from behind his borders. Even though @Ice was still north visiting his sister in Hearthwood River, Serach was considering holding another hunt. They had new members who were remained largely unvetted at this point, and he wanted his children to begin to learn. So the goal was to track down the herd and potentially gauge his strength so he could summon his packmates before the deer migrated too far away.

But along the way, he had gotten sidetracked by the scent of another wolf. Deciding that the deer would wait, he altered his course and followed her trail at an easy pace. They were far enough from the Bend's borders he didn't feel particularly threatened, but it was still his job to investigate - just to be sure. Picking his way through the trees, he made no moves to hide his presence (in his mind, these were very much his woods, even though they were beyond his marked borders). But the mist was thick, and despite his comfort with Spectral Woods, he was having a hard time seeing, so he decided to give up the "chase" and simply call out, "'ello? Who's out there?"

Mari might have made some mistakes in the past but she wasn't stupid. She didn't catch on right away, she'd been too busy mentally smack-talking the north and all of it's wonders. But sooner rather than later she realised she had a ghost on her tail. And in typically Marisol fashion that pissed her right off.

She gritted her teeth, her tail flicking in irritation, just in time to hear the spooky figure call out to her like he expected to get some sort of polite response. Like she was that sort of woman, pfft. The way a man spoke said a lot about his character. And his words were telling, far more than he probably realised. His voice held a tone of authority, like he was a self-proclaimed king, a self-made man. Those were the sort that Mari hated the most, talkers and leaders who thought they were better than everyone else just because they were in a pack. Because they had claimed a place for themselves in this world.

Marison was bitter, there was no denying that, the world had made her so, but it wasn't as though she had struggled against it either. She had allowed it to wash over her like cool spring water. It was her thing, it was what gave her strength when she felt like she had nothing left.

And these days she had next to nothing, aside from that little den in the side of that red hill. And even then wasn't much, nothing to be proud of.

"S'me vato. A nobody. Just passin' through. No need ta get your tail in a twist."

Fuck the man and all he stood for, and all that, but Mari didn't plan on getting her ass handed to her, today or anytime soon. So she was playing nice, or at least as much as he could manage.

Mari has left Relic Lore. I'm in the process of finishing off her threads, those I don't finish will be deaded!

There was no physical movement in response to Serach's call, and despite his eyes squinting and trying to desperately discern a familiar shape in the mist, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. For a brief moment, he wondered if he had been tricked and there was truly nobody there. But the voice that called out, short and snippy as it was, was reaffirmed that his tracking skills were not totally incompetent. Brows furrowing, he flicked his gaze back over his shoulder to look at his tail - not twisted in the slightest. And what was that she had said at first? Sounded like gibberish to him, like something one of his pups would say.

"No need to be rude," he retorted, his previously polite tone of voice making a clear turn towards "curt" territory. Taking a few more steps forward, he craned his neck to look ahead. He thought he saw the outline of a pair of ears in the shadows, but it was hard to be sure, so he decided to hold his ground where he was. "You're passing through my home, after all, nobody," he continued, throwing her words back into the misty air. "Wolves get lost here all the time - if you need help, you just have to ask."

Telling Marisol not to be rude was like asking a fish not to swim, a bird not to fly. It wasn't gonna happen, not now,not ever and certainly not because some rando wanted her to. Yeah, it was true that it wouldn't hurt if she tried to be a little more tactful. If anything it might do her some good, but she-like every over Reyes she knew- was stubborn as a stag and so, had no plans to change her habits anytime soon.

And if this rando wasn't happy with the way she talked then he could keep on walking, she'd done nothing wrong.

"You must be pretty tame if this is your idea of rude."She sneered, wondering just how sheltered this guy really was. Way too much, clearly. Pissy pijo. They were all the damn same.

And of course, he had to go ahead and emphasise that this was his turf, that she had to play nice cause he was King of this joint. Sure, by scent alone she could tell that he wasn't lying but he wasn't telling the exact truth either. He might live nearby but this very spot on which she stood didn't belong to him. Unless he'd just decided now that it did. What was he gonna do, storm out of the fog and piss at her feet?

Yeah, she doubted it.

Still, despite her cynical attitude she wasn't looking for a bit of rough and tumble. He claimed he was just offering help but Mari had learned the hard way that sometimes it was best to turn it down. Lest it screwed her over later down the road. Besides, she'd already decided she wasn't the leader of this guy's fan club. Knowing how the world worked she figured he already had one anyway. After all, wasn't power supposed to be sexy?

Yeah...No. It wasn't in her eyes. Let the others swoon, Marisol would do things her own way.

"Preciate the offer and all but...Never depended on The Man before, don't wanna start now. Jus' looking for some food, if there is any in these damn woods."She stepped forward a little, her small form materialising out of the mist. She could see him a little better now. All tall and white, and damn stern looking. "That said, if you're willing to lend a paw, I might be a little more agreeable. Maybe."

Mari has left Relic Lore. I'm in the process of finishing off her threads, those I don't finish will be deaded!

So sorry for the wait! I've been quite sick recently. :/

Truly, he should not have expected more than what he received. The sneering response, and the accusation that Serach was tame was met with rolled eyes and an irritated flick of his tail; not that she could see his response, yet. Although he must not have been too tame, as the followup request was quick to follow. He had to hold back an audible snort. Of course she wanted help finding food. But only after she had made it clear that she didn't think much of his offer to begin with.

He was going to retort that he wanted to see her first, but before he could open his mouth, she moved. He saw the distinct points of her ears first and then followed them down to her face. She was quite small; perhaps she had some kind of complex, that would at least partially explain the harshness in her voice. He took another step forward to match her own so she could likewise get a better look of who she was dealing with.

"There's lots of food in these woods, if you know where to look," he told her, momentarily shifting his gaze to look beyond her shoulder, where she had been headed. He'd been tracking deer, but he didn't feel inclined to help her succeed that much. "A little further south of here is a creek. All kinds of creatures get their water from there and you might be able to find something. I can show you the way - if you want to be agreeable." He couldn't help but smirk as he landed on the last word. It wasn't much, so he wouldn't be surprised if she said no, but it was more than she deserved with that chip on her shoulder.

Hope you feel better soon!

Mari wasn't the sort to say no to a free meal, but she wouldn't beg for it either. Her pride wouldn't allow it , nor did she think it was even worth the effort. This guy, all stern and solemn, didn't seem the sort who'd cave because she fluttered her eyelashes at him. Nah. He reeked of another woman, like she owned him, or at the very least had smeared her scent all over to let the world know he was a taken man.

Marisol was many things, but she weren't no home wrecker. If he had a ball and chain then... good for him, she guessed. She didn't see the allure of it-no one could ever pin her down- but she'd leave him be. In that regard anyway, anything else was fair game in her eyes.

It seemed as though he was willing to help, to an extent. He wouldn't hunt for, or even with her, but he was willing to point her in the right direction. Huh. She should have expected as much, after all only an idiot would go out of their way to help a stranger. But even so she couldn't help but feel a little bitter, like she deserved better. That after all the shit she'd gone through, the least the world could do was throw her a proverbial bone. Was that took much to ask? Probably.

Mari wanted to bitch and complain, to vent all of her frustrations till she felt nothing but tears rolling down her face. But come on, since when did she do a thing like that? Mari was anything but a cop out, she'd rather bottle it all up and hope for the best. After all, those who shared her blood-or rather her Mamma's- were made of sterner stuff. At times it felt as though there wasn't even a good bone in her body, that she was part of the problem, a reason why the world was as awful as if was.

Whatever. She'd deal with things as she always did, with a grimace and a snarky word or two. That's just how she rolled.

Tipping her head to the side, as though she were weighing up the options, Marisol's eyes gleamed in darkness.

"I can be agreeable. Sometimes." If it was worth the effort. Knowing where she could get a bite to eat was better than not knowing. She'd play along for now. "Lead the way...Mr?"

Mari has left Relic Lore. I'm in the process of finishing off her threads, those I don't finish will be deaded!

She was quiet, presumably mulling over his offer...or trying to make herself bite down whatever witty retort she wanted to make. It was annoying, but she had a spark that reminded him of Aponi, and despite himself, it warmed his heart a little bit. The tilt of her head reminded him of his mother - she had always done that when she was thinking, no matter the circumstance - only made him more agreeable to help. But not enough to move him until she finally did speak up, admitting that on occasion, she could in fact be agreeable. Nodding his head, Serach took a silent step forward before following it with another until he was striding past her towards their destination. "Serach Donata," he finished her sentence as he walked by her, pausing a few lengths away for her to join them before they could continue on their journey. "What can I call you?"

Familiar with nearly every inch of the forest, he wasted no time leading them to where they needed to go. Ignoring the mist that covered the forest floor, he led them easily, pausing only once to make sure they were headed in the right direction. The quiet sound of running water rewarded them soon after, confirming his sense of direction to be true. "My pack, Oak Tree Bend, occupies a part of the forest just north of here," he explained at one point. "I was born there and grew up in these woods." So he could appreciate the sense of feeling lost she might have felt, stumbling through the mist on her own, but it was difficult for him to fully empathize with it.

When the creek came into view, Serach slowed his walk to nothing. Instinctively, his nose began to investigate if there was anything here, but he didn't move from his spot, but rather turned his gaze to his companion. She'd been agreeable enough during their short journey, but he'd leave it up to her to decide how to proceed from here.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity