Drooping Willows least i succeed

OOC: All welcome for WR/anyone!

He had no idea where he was, but that had quickly become a common theme. The vine of which drooping willows hung resembled something from a horror scene but he was hardly bothered, instead he'd become enthralled by the creepiness of it all. Silence was his company--he preferred it that way-- and he walked with the carefulness of a mouse between and beneath vines that drooped so low they occasionally tickled his back. What was this place, and who lived here? He found himself wondering, he supposed the silence was beginning to get to him and he shook his head to rid the thoughts.

His attention focused on the fleeting footfalls of a squirrel, from the looks of it there weren't many guests along this side of the Lore and he reconsidered the idea of continuing forward. His feet stalled, eyes looking and seeing only the sprawling branches of the trees in the distance that gave no indication of where north was-- it seemed he'd gotten himself slightly off track. Trusting his gut, he continued on in search any sign of life with a hope that eventually he would run into someone who could lead him out of these spooky woods.

the devil is & always will

Sven took a moment to survey the man before deciding upon an action. His advantage was in how much more familiar he was with the area, and this kept him downwind and hidden until he chose to reveal his presence. When he did so, it was calmly. There was an air of pride and eminence about him, but that was only natural for a born alpha stepping out from the cover of his own home. The man before him had done nothing wrong to warrant a more aggressive or demanding approach; not yet.

"Be careful not to stray too far," he warned lightly, a smile on his face. "Willow Ridge reigns from these woods."

His paws took him in a half-moon around the man, still at an appropriate distance as his nose worked to uncover what ever secrets might be divulged by his scent. He had a good build to him, though was a bit smaller than Sven even with his winter coat. The only issue were his eyes, a known Lyall trait, but the Archer fought against such trivial prejudices deciding the worth of stranger's. Hopefully, this man had no relation to that cursed clan.

"My name is Sven Archer. May I ask what you're looking for?"

be a gentleman.

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Somewhere close to him a branch snapped and his head whipped in the direction it had come. He could see nothing and no scent came to his nose but something told the male that there was more then mere shadows following him around in these woods--within minutes his guest made his appearance. The stark coat of his company was blinding even in the sheer darkness of these woods and his size was impressionable, the colorless gaze from his eyes made him pause in stride as he questioned whether this wolf was a threat or not, when Sven spoke he could sense that his threat was far from an idle one and he was careful in the words he chose to respond. "I have no intention to make an enemy." he assured the larger wolf, settling to his haunches to show his comrade that he was of no threat.

"You must be from this Willow Ridge Sven, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Deadlock." he gave his name, bowing ever so slightly for pleasantries before continuing, "do you lead this pack?" he questioned with a cocked head and raised brow, having guessed only because Sven was sending major egotistical vibes his way. Surely this male was in no mood to toy with visitors, which in a sense, was his very right.  "I ask because I may be in need of shelter in the coming weeks and this pack might just suit me." he really knew nothing about the pack but the aura in itself was pleasing, for some reason he was enjoying the creepy vibe of the drooping willows and the quietness of the forest. Perhaps this might be a place he could seek to call home.

(This post was last modified: Dec 02, 2017, 07:28 AM by Deadlock.)

the devil is & always will

The other wolf did not seem to find his approach abrasive, but remained wary and mindful all the same. Not a bad quality, especially for a rogue to possess, to be cautious and concise. Sven watched him as each word slipped across the air and into his ears, pleased by the amount of respect shown for his advantage over this wolf. Acknowledgement that these woods were his home, regardless of weather he'd pissed on every single tree or not.

"I'm a beta," he amended to answer the other's questions. If the wolf learned that there were only the two men at all in the pack, he might find the claim laughable, but the wolves of the Ridge knew that no matter how many members they gained or lost, Sven would always be an important and highly ranked figure amongst them. Therefor, he would continue to take pride in his place here.

"I can still answer that question for you, however, if you don't mind divulging a bit; what is it that you expect of a pack?"

If he was looking for something cozy and unconditional, he was barking up the wrong tree. If he respected order and strength, however, then it was quite possible they would be a good fit.

be a gentleman.

He had learned to be cautious at a young age. Nothing rarely got past him and from this small meeting he could sense that the wolf before him held a respectable rank in the pack, even despite his neutral display of dominance. It was his ability to pay close attention to every detail that helped him to excel at each task put in front of him, giving him an advantage over some who thought that taking the time to investigate took too much effort. He hardly flinched when the male assured him that he was the beta of the pack, it suit him well, "I'm sure you're as busy as the alpha around this time." he acknowledged with a smile. Winter often brought plenty of wolves just like Deadlock, looking for shelter.

He was asked a question that made him think a moment or two, the wheels of his mind rolled as he considered what a pack could offer him besides the usual. This obviously wasn't his first rodeo and he knew that this male was looking for something other than the usual response of a place to keep warm and food for his belly. He actually needed more than that, considering he had been fairing quite well on his own doing those exact things. What he really needed was a family unit. "I am looking for a place to call home, where I can fit in without feeling left out. I don't want to feel like a number, or that I am a position that I occupy. I want to matter, and in return I will serve the pack as it needs." he had never experienced a tight packed family unit and encountering one had been harder than he expected. "is that something I can expect here?" he wondered with a raised brow.

the devil is & always will

Sven waited patiently for his answer as the man took a few beats to mull things over in his head. Deadlock, he mused as he waited. What a curious name.

His ears tipped forward as the wolf's jaws parted again to respond. A home, an identity, meaning. They were desires that Sven could easily relate to, and he wasn't at all disappointed to here them. The way that nonna spoke, the Ridge had once been a tightly knit unit before her eldest children had done their dirty work to tear it apart. Sven wanted to remake his grandmother's vision.

"If that's what you're willing to make for yourself," he responded. Perhaps the answer would seem useless, but Sven was very deliberate with his words.

"The Ridge does not give; each wolf there has earned their place and their bonds. If you're willing to work for the home that you want, you'd fit in well."

Just being invited into the pack did not make you a seamless and integral addition. Any who did not take initiative would not be kept within their ranks; Sven would be sure of that.

"It's something to think about, I'm sure."

There would be no hard feelings if the man did not like Sven's answer.

be a gentleman.

Deadlock was no stranger to hard work. In fact, he was the type to busy himself in work in order to keep himself from growing bored, stale, and anxious. He desired a pack that kept him on his toes, with activity that allowed him to use his brain and his brawn and this pack seemed like it could be the perfect one; for a price. Something about Sven's response made him wonder just what of himself, or how much rather, he would have to give up in order to feel like family in this pack. Was it his morals or his dignity? "You make a great point, and hard work has never scared me." he assured his company, another smile eased along his lips as he continued. "has this pack been around long? Has the leadership exchanged hands many times?" he wondered just how loyal its members were here, and whether the wolf he spoke to had seen many changes since his time here. Speaking of, he wondered if he had been there long? "and what of you? Have you been here long?"

the devil is & always will

His company made his agreement clear, earning a small but sincere smile from the pale Archer. Deadlock then went on to ask more questions, ones that were more historically directed. While Sven was not about to blab on about all the details of his pack to a man that was still a stranger, he certainly didn't mind sharing the details of the Ridge's legacy. After all, the wolf was smart to seek intel before making any sort of decision.

"We're nearing our sixth year. The pack was founded by my grandmother, Elettra Archer, and leadership has remained in the family. You're likely to hear the name often if you stay in the Lore."

Especially now with the offshoot packs that have been formed from the Ridge's own strength. He supposed if the scattering had done any good, it was in getting their name and their blood out there. Archers held a unique potential, in Sven's opinion, and so it wouldn't hurt to have the new generations spread across the land.

"I was born and raised here. I know the pack, it's lands and it's wolves like the back of my paw. What of you? How did you end up here, without a pack?"

It was only fair that he was able to ask his own questions.

be a gentleman.

He was impressed to say the least. Sven named off facts without pause, and Deadlock listened to each word without fault, a smile played along the lines of his lips and his head nodded when needed to assure the male that he was in fact listening. "That is a long time. Your pack is strong, I like that. I can use a pack that has deep seeded roots, it would make me feel more confident in my decision." he acknowledged Sven's words with his own, adding a bit more to the laundry list of good that this pack held. There was no doubt in his mind that Willow Ridge would make for a great place to call home.

Sven talked about himself next and Deadlock was a bit more reserved with his words, talking only when the male asked him why he was in the Lore without a pack. He supposed it would come up eventually and truthfully he didn't mind telling the male why his own story but he knew that they didn't have nearly enough time to discuss it all so he told him the shortened more interesting part. "I came with my parents and siblings blessing. I am apart of a large family and like the Ridge we have ruled our homeland for years, passing it on for generations. I wanted something else, my own, a story of my own that I can tell to my children and a pack that I can say I earned with blood, sweat and tears. I think they'd honor their name more that way." he shrugged, wondering what the male would think of his honesty. "the pack sounds awesome. I think I could fit in here. I'd have to think things over a bit first though, are you the only pack out this way?" he wondered, the warning words of Reiner coming back loud and clear to stay clear of the pack from the South.

(This post was last modified: Jan 21, 2018, 05:58 AM by Deadlock.)