Drooping Willows a wicked game you play

March 2nd, Late Morning, Clear Sky, 40°F, 4°C.
RE: A double rainbow stretches through the sky.

Embla had continued to head east toward the mountain range which loomed up ahead, its snow-capped peaks appearing to rise up from the dark shadowy forests which she wandered through below. The tundra wolf had kept the river to her left, using its snaking sloped banks as guidance as she trailed along the frothing water's edge, stopping to lap at the water every few miles to quench her thirst.

The cedarwood forest had been dark, sunlight had struggled to reach the frosted forest floor through the dense green canopy. As she moved closer to the mountains, the cedar trees began to disperse and willow trees began to dominate. Their widespread branches provided cooler pockets of shade as she strolled between them, the late morning sun gliding its warm tendrils down the length of her back. Black tipped tail swayed contently behind her, enjoying the warmer climate which promised the return of Spring. Unbeknownst to her for now, a double rainbow stretched across the sky; a clear sign of good fortune from the Gods.

Catching a menagerie of scents on the breeze, Embla paused to glance around and noticed the recently disturbed dirt and leaflitter beneath her pale paws. It was clear that a number of other wolves were in the area. The small wolf immediately felt cautious. Deciding then to slip away beneath the curtain of willow branches, Embla opted to satiate her curiosity and investigate the source of their musky stench, whilst attempting to remain unnoticed.

(This post was last modified: Mar 02, 2022, 07:40 PM by Embla.)

Temperatures were warming, and new life was beginning to sprout because of it - a sure sign that spring and the warmer seasons were on the way. After facing most of the winter alone, Alarick was certainly looking forward to it.

Perhaps he was not yet too personally familiar with all of the wolves he lived with, just yet. But Alarick definitely spent enough time out and about, trailing herds of prey and exploring the area, to know when he had come across a scent and a trail that did not belong to one of them, and it was recent. The river was a place he frequented, both to drink from, and to linger alongside, in his never-ending job of tracking prey that would one day, hopefully, feed the group.

And though whoever this stranger was, had not yet intruded on the pack lands, it was curiosity that drove him to pursue the trail for a time. Perhaps they were someone that sought a home? If not, he was also not opposed to a conversation. All of his meetings with strangers so far had been pleasant, and there was no reason this one should not be, either. His primary duty was tracking prey, but he could also try to leave a good impression with any passersby, no matter their intentions.



-hope ya don’t mind if i jump in this! It is up to you if you’d like her to notice Al following first, otherwise, he can probably ‘find’ her in the next round?

Embla was not oblivious to the time of year, the breeding season had rolled in with the return of Spring. Though the young tundra wolf had not yet succumb to the full power of her heat, there were subtle signs that her hormones were beginning to change. There was a dull ache around her nether-regions and a hot prickling sensation which rippled down her skin. Then there was the innate desire to be around others, particularly those of the opposite sex. Perhaps, subconsciously, that was why she felt so drawn to investigate the borders of the pack territories that she passed on her travels.

Stalking quietly beneath the veil of willow branches, the young tundra wolf believed that she had gone unnoticed as she moved towards the pungent scent left by the wolves cohabiting somewhere within the nearby willow trees. Pausing to sniff curiously at a fresh paw sprint left pressed into the snow, the sound of soft crunching footfall behind her alerted her to the stranger's presence.

Instinctively, to her detriment, she lifted her tail to curl it dominantly over her back and her small ears pricked upright and she swerved around to confront the tawny male who had been following after her. Dark hackles along her spine lifted to make her appear larger and more intimidating and her charcoal lips curled back to flash her fangs as she squared off to him. Amber eyes flashed at him as she stared him down through the curtain of willow branches which hung still between them.

"It's bad manners to creep up on a lady, you know? Especially at this time of year." She growled at him, before giving her pelt a hard shake to release the tension that came with being startled.

Al was fairly sure that he was getting closer to the stranger, as the trail veered away from the river, and the prints left behind looked more and more recent. The stranger must have either heard him, or been aware of his presence too, as before he could call out, a figure manifested amongst the trees.

White, small, feminine. Growling, and incredibly angry. And the moment he processed her words, Alarick immediately understood why. His fur prickled with the white-hot sensations of embarrassment and shame that flooded him. He came to an immediate halt, ears turning back, and head bowing humbly.

”I.. do apologize, miss. I did not even think of.. that,” he murmured, hoping that he could somehow explain this, and placate the woman’s righteous anger. Even during this time of year, those thoughts were typically not anywhere near the forefront of his mind. It went against every part of his moral code, to even consider that - and he was ashamed to think that someone might interpret his actions as predatory or iniquitous.

Alarick did not raise his head as he took in a breath to speak again, but leveled his gaze with the other, hoping it might demonstrate sincerity. ”My pack lives near here. I sought only to greet you and discover your intent, in case you had business or.. something, to attend to, with the pack, or someone else I might know, in it.” Whatever the case was, he had made an awful mistake and a terrible impression. Hopefully, that was reversible.

Embla eyed the tawny male with suspicion.

Even as he halted and lowered his head to appear less threatening, she was not sure if she should trust him or his apology. She remained on edge, keeping her paws squared and her tail and hackles high as she stepped through the veil of willow branches to cautiously approach him.

As their amber eyes met, hers narrowed. She stopped a safe distance from him, inhaling his musky scent from afar as he went on to explain his, apparently innocent, intentions.

Still, she did not feel entirely comfortable in his company just yet. Not wanting to hand over any power just yet, she remained guarded, and sought to extract as much information as she could from the stranger.

“What is your name?” She responded, the question sounding more like a demand. Giving him a moment to answer, her first question was quickly followed by another. “And what sort of business does your pack deal in?” Her head tilted as she looked at him expectantly.

His words did appear to have some positive effect, as the woman stepped forth slightly, but maintained a respectable distance between them. In what he hoped would be a further display to indicate he was not a thread, Al sat back, placing himself in what he knew was a more vulnerable position. A calculated risk, but as it were, if this woman had been irritated enough to attack him, he probably would have let her.

”Alarick,” he spoke in response to the first question, which was followed quickly by another. It felt more like an interrogation, but he could not blame the female for her skepticism. The follow-up was slightly more difficult to answer, however, and his brows knitted together slightly in thought.

”Uh.. regular pack stuff? I do not know some of them very well yet, so I merely wondered if.. maybe you were related to someone, here, or something.” The slightest of apologetic sighs escaped Al at that, as that answer sounded less than satisfactory even to him, but it was the true extent of his intentions. To consider more was utterly abhorrent and shameful. He was just regular, duty-bound, and boring Alarick. No threat to anyone at all.

The male's attempt to make her feel more comfortable did not go unnoticed by Embla. She watched him closely, her confidence growing by the second as she began to view him as less of an immediate threat.

Alarick.

A single ear twitched to catch his name, and her dark amber eyes blinked as she mentally digested it.

The tawny male's answer to her second question piqued her interest. It got her thinking...

"So you are new to the pack?" She confirmed, before adding. "Perhaps you have heard of someone I am looking for? Their name is Katna, Katna Valle." She approached him a few steps closer then. Engaged in conversation, she did not immediately notice herself succumbing to her primal urge to be near him. She inhaled his musky scent again, her white tail swaying as she met his amber gaze.

A nearby creek is full to the brim with fish. +3 Health

Thankfully, it seemed, his actions were having a positive effect. The woman chose to advance closer, posing two more questions. Notably, though, she did not share her name in return, so they were not to that level of trust yet. Alarick was not yet sure if things could be salvaged completely, but as long as someone did not walk away firmly believing he was some horrible, amoral predator, he would consider that a win.

Alarick bowed his head slightly in a nod to her first question. ”I am the newest one, so far,” he confirmed, making a note to himself that he really needed to take some more time meeting with the others.

Her second question intrigued him slightly, though, in how she chose to word it. Their name? Did she not know if the wolf she was looking for was male or female? That seemed a little suspicious. But as it so happened, he had quite a while ago, heard of the Valle name, if not the specific wolf she was looking for.

”I have not heard of Katna specifically, but I have heard of the Valle family. No one by that name lives here, but you might try the pack just north of us, or the one across the mountains.” Recalling that conversation with Levi, and piecing together what knowledge he had about other packs and the lands, it made sense that they would be one with one of the other two packs he knew of. If not that, someone else there would surely be able to point the woman in the right direction.

So, it seemed that Alarick's pack was recruiting, considering that he had only recently joined their racks. "What is your pack called, and how many members does it currently have?" She wanted to gather as much information as she could. Embla knew that one day should would need to security of packmates around her, though for now she was happy to wander. Spring seemed like the worst season to settle into a new pack, considering the seasonal mood. She did not feel like tussling with other hormonal females over a male just yet. She prefered knowing all of her options.

When the tawny male mentioned hearing of the Valle family, Embla's small white ears pricked up. "You have?" She asked, with obvious enthusiasm as her eyes widened in delight. "I came across the pack borders to the North, but I didn't encounter anyone." She told him, half thinking out loud. "I'll backtrack there first, then I will investigate the other pack." She mused, before blinking and meeting his gaze again. "Perhaps, if you are free, you could escort me to the pack across the mountains when I travel back this way?" She offered Alarick a flirtatious smile and swayed her tail softly behind her in anticipation of her answer.