Secret Falls [bwp] clearing the area.

For my lovely @Askan. In and around the borders. Still raining.  Morning.  37F/3C.

As much as Reyes had hoped the weather would clear after a good, solid sleep, some part of him wasn’t surprised. He peered out of the den with narrow, silver eyes – he sighed loudly. And then he sighed again. And then he huffed a third time. When Askan still didn’t say anything, the large wolf rolled halfway onto his side, rabbit-kicking his mate (gently) to try and stir him back into the present.

“Well, you wanted to have a look around, right? Looks like the rain isn’t letting up,” he groused, hauling himself out of the warmth and into the cold drizzle. “Let’s go check the borders and get this over with.”

With any luck, they’d mark a few spots, and nothing would be amiss. They could return to the comfort of their den before midday.

(This post was last modified: Apr 16, 2018, 03:58 PM by Reyes.)

Though he would deny it vehemently, Askan was a bit of a den-hog. As per usual he was splayed out in the middle of the den, tail flicked out behind him as burrowed against his mate's side, as happy as could be. Night transitioned into morning and still the Selwyn didn't rise, he could have slept for maybe another hour or so, but apparently it wasn't to be. Apparently Reyes had plans.

At first Askan didn't respond to the toes digging into his sides, but then Reyes nudged him again and again, until it was impossible for Askan to ignore his incessant prodding. With a prolonged groan, Askan covered his face with his paws. Nooo, he didn't want to get up, not yet. Now that his senses were a little less fuzzy around the edges, he noticed the continuous pitter patter of rain. So it hadn't let up then? All the more reason to stay inside where it was warm and dry, despicably considering Reyes had been so whiny about the weather the day before.

Begrudgingly, Askan dragged his paws away from his face and opened his eyes. He blinked slowly and once his vision had cleared he shot his mate a sour look before he clambered to his paws. Fine.Following suit, Askan stepped out into the drizzle and bowed down into a stretch, his toes extending as he worked out the kinks that had settled into his muscles overnight. His tail swished behind him as he rightened his posture and stood tall, proper.

What was it Reyes wanted? Physically Askan was awake but it took his mind a moment or so to catch up, and when it finally did he nodded. Yep, border patrols, pack security, all very important stuff. He'd get around to really caring, in a moment.

"Mmm, northern borders first?" He asked, though he was already setting out in that direction. Reyes could follow suit, he always did.

Askan & Reyes

In the distance there is a large pack of coyotes howling.

Reyes fought the urge to roll his eyes – really, he did. Bit the inside of his cheek, stared dead ahead, and waiting for his mate’s brain to slowly kick into gear. Good grief. This had been his idea in the first place. “Sure,” he agreed to the suggestion, moving into a steady trot. It didn’t take the pair too long to reach the northern borders of Shallow’s Edge – Reyes had begun to mark when something strange caught his attention. A sound? He cupped his ears, following it further into the reaches of the mother territory when he realized what it was. Howling. But not wolves.

A chill ran down his spine, recollections resurfacing from his formative years spent further south. He knew that sound. Coyotes. Little thieves. But usually they ran alone, not sounding off in a chorus like that… His tail arched high over his spine as his ears rolled back.

“Well. That’s gonna be a fuckin’ problem,” he growled, voice low. Raspy. “You awake, sunshine? Time to go make our presence known.”

S for swears

For a while everything appeared to be as it should. They went through the motions, side by side, stopping here and there to mark and sniff at points of interest. It was only when they'd wandered some distance-though not too far-from the Shallows did a God awful noise yank at their attention. Any and all drowsiness that remained in Askan's mind was shoved away with a violent jolt. He visibly flinched as his ears flicked up to mimic Reyes'.The fuck? Like anyone who'd ventured out of their birthing den, Askan had heard a coyote's howl before and as such knew how to distinguish it from a that of a wolf but this... It was unlike anything he'd ever heard.

It was a rallying howl, full of bravado and bluster. They were bold, had strength in numbers and seemed to be under the impression that they owned these woods. No wonder things had seemed off to the Selwyn, with all these coyotes scampering about he couldn't blame the other animals for getting the hell of out here. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was more to their chorus than simple bragging- it was a call to arms.

Askan was awake all right, no doubt about it.

"I told you."Askan rumbled as they prowled forward, hackles raised and tails waving high. If these coyotes wanted a fight then they'd found the right wolves for it. "I said something was wrong." Which wasn't to say Reyes hadn't believed him, for it that was the case they wouldn't be there now, dealing with the issue before it tumbled out of control.

As they drew closer their stench managed to override the wet, soggy scent of the forest. From scent alone he could tell that they were easily outnumbered- so what were they to do?

"Do you think we can take them all?"Askan wanted to say yes, his pride demanded it, but it seemed like a bit of a stretch.

Askan & Reyes

Honestly, it wasn't often that Pietro was willing to fight. Usually, in these kinds of situations - wandering outside pack borders, looking for herbs, and coming across a stray coyote or two, - he would just leave them alone. But this... this sound was bone-chilling and anxiety-inducing enough for him to put down the hellebore he was carrying and go to check it out.

He was glad he did.

The young wolf arrived onsite just in time to hear Askan's question that was directed at the other alpha, his ears angling forward and his white-tipped tail sweeping in just a bit of annoyance. Were these two truly so boneheaded that they would try and take on so many coyotes with just the two of them?

With his catlike gait, Pete was able to pad up behind the two older wolves silently. In fact, it was unlikely that he was detected before he responded to Askan as though the question had been directed at him. "You won't have to," the younger wolf whispered, moving up beside the other two. He did like his dramatic entrances. "You shouldn't have even considered it, really. It'd make my job much harder to have to put the pieces of you both back together." Amusement laced his words as he glanced over at the two. "But I think we could all three do this if we worked together."

“This ain’t the time for fuckin’ ‘I told you so’, Selwyn,” Reyes snapped, guard hairs bristling. Yes, he was wrong. Yes, that fucking stung. But did his mate seriously need to mash his face into it right now?

His tail arched high above his back, the older wolf considering his options as the coyotes continued to sing in the distance, when Pietro seemed to appear out of the boggy mist itself with a whisper. The fuck was up with the whispering? Reyes was pretty sure the coyotes knew they were there, or they wouldn’t be howling like that.

After a moment, he snorted. “We’ll just yell right back, then,” Reyes decided, ignoring the Archer’s implication that coyotes would take he and Askan apart. Truly, in what world. But he didn’t need to say it.

Instead, the alpha threw back his head and howled.

If Askan's teeth weren't on display before they certainly were now. His lip twitched up into a grimace as he gnashed his teeth together, he'd only been making a point- a moot one, but still- there was no need for Reyes to get so fucking pissy. That said, he was sort of throwing rocks in a glass house, wasn't he? As his ire towards the coyote's all too easily redirected itself at Askan's mate- like old times, really. Some things never changed.

Before he could spit back a venomous retort, Pietro slipped onto the scene, whispering as though the coyotes hadn't yet noticed them. Pfft, as if. Either that or they liked the sound of their own voice. Perhaps it was foolish of Askan to want to take them on, to drag the pests down a notch or two with tooth and nail, but was it really Pete's place to say as much? Did he really doubt their ability to hold their own, Askan and Reyes weren't a pair of pussies who fled at the first sign of a scrap. That much was obvious by just looking at them, by taking in the sight of their burly, well built frames.

But whatever, Askan cast that idea away with an irate flick of his tail as he dug his nails into the muddy earth. So they were just going to yell back at them? Dispute their claim to these woods with some noise of their own? This wasn't how Askan wanted to deal with the situation, it seemed cowardly, weak. He opened his mouth to say as such, disapproval gleaming in his bright yellow eyes, only to snap his jaws shut when Reyes tilted his head skyward and let out a call of his own. Whatever. He was half tempted to seal his lips and refused to add his own voice into the mix, but if he did that wouldn't be doing the coyotes a favour?

"Fine." Askan huffed and squared his shoulders as he took a thumping step forward, he tilted his head back and let out a gruff-moody- howl.

This would be their only warning, if they didn't get their furry arses out of here they'd do things the other way, Askan's way.

Askan & Reyes

(This post was last modified: May 03, 2018, 10:45 PM by Askan.)

Sachiel wasn’t always late the party. In fact, he was usually early or right on time. He’d been patrolling the borders when he heard a strange chorus call out through the trees, causing his paws to stop abruptly as he glanced around nervously. It didn’t sound like any of the Edge wolves—heck, it didn’t even sound like a wolf. His nose twitched as he took a hesitant step forward, his ears cupped forward. Reyes and Askan were nearby; perhaps they had a better idea of what was going on. He headed north, as he’d been trailing along the eastern borders, his over-sized paws carrying him quickly through the forest.

He was not the first Edge wolf to arrive. The dark, silver-eyed yearling that had once been part of the Vale had joined the Edge Lords. Sachiel had appeared just in time for the dark leaders to toss their noses to sky and call out, no doubt to scare the group of mangy canines away from the borders. So, without hesitation, the agouti youth lifted his own snout and combined his voice with theirs. Bugger off, mutts!

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

He could see why Askan and Reyes were so close - they were both so pissy and quick-tempered that it was almost... cute, in a way. Or as cute as two older, larger male wolves could be. Pietro certainly swung that way, but he much preferred wolves his own age - thank you very much.

Oh thank god. They might not even have to fight after all.

Before he could join in on the howl, one of the pups hurried onto the scene. This one was the former Quaking Vale wolves - the one he had had to break the news of Castel to. He gave the younger wolf a respectful nod, a small smile forming on his lips, before he tilted his head back and let his own voice join the howl.

Maybe this would deter those mangy mutts.