Sierra Hills never feel too good in crowds

@Drestig
Patchy rain, 68F, afternoon

Wanderlust was always powerful in the wolf, especially that without a family to anchor him to one spot. Now that Kjors' limb had healed enough for him to travel, he found himself aching for the world beneath his feet and the dust billowing behind his tail. The brief excursion to the mountain with Karina had only woken the dragon up from its long slumber – now that'd he'd been out and shook the cobwebs off, the swarthy male found himself searching for the next opportunity to explore again. While he was no scout, this was true, but he still offered information to the queen when the opportunity presented itself – this was no different.

After informing his denmate that he would be out for a night, the River wolf dispersed from Kingsfall southward. Southward, but careful to veer further east on this particular journey. While his health was steadily improving, he had no desire to tempt fate and run into any of the Waterfall pack members. While many mysteries remained, the relationship could be described as hostile at best – Kjors had no reason to pursue that lead while the risks outweighed the rewards.

Instead, he sought new discoveries. Out of practice, he was open to most opportunities: virgin territories, abundant prey, or new resources for the pack to consume, he would take any of it. (Perhaps he would find a gift for his litter gem – that would be even more opportune.) Once upon the hard, dusty ground of the red hills, the male slowed to a walk, lifting his nose to scent the wind. There was a pack, though not near enough to cause him undo alarm. Perfect. He would scout the land, pick out a saxicoline herb for @Karina (with any luck, it'd be something the princess had never seen before), and be on his merry way back to the forests of towering giants.

Light rain fell from a platinum sky when the silver tainted scout set out that morning, a nice change from the usual, blazing sun. With the promise of a cooler day, Drestig Avalon decided that today would be well suited for another sweep of the surrounding lands, something he had begun doing often after the monsters had been defeated. The Sierra Hills especially held his interest, since Nayeli's captors had come from the east. Oak Tree Bend's second had made a point of patrolling the foot of the russet mountains often, even taking some trips up into their winding paths to make sure no more murderers came down from the heights. Today he headed that way again, following the line of the creek north, past the small falls in the north-eastern corner of the territory, before crossing the water way and continuing into the blood tainted land.

Thanks to the previous incidents in these mountains, they always seemed eerie to the dark lad, his hackles inadvertently rising as he trotted along the foot of the rising cliffs. He felt almost certain that some kind of threat was lurking beyond them, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to fall upon the Bend, and tear up their existence ones again. Given these glum premonitions, the sudden, fresh scent of wolf immediately caught the scout's attention, body freezing in place as he lifted his head to sniff at the air. Someone had passed by here not long ago, just a single wolf, but carrying no scent Drestig was familiar with, certainly not an Oak Tree Bend member. He had come a good distance from the borders, but still he felt that this stranger had come too close for comfort, and decided to investigate; Better safe...

Following the trail through the red hills, it didn't take long before he caught sight of the stranger, a lanky looking male of mixed brown and grey hues, the pelt looking a bit shaggy. Yet he didn't quite seem like a loner, maybe it was the way he carried himself, or simply the general, well muscled and nourished look of his body, regardless, a quick check of his scent confirmed that he carried the scent of other wolves on him, though no wolves the Bend scout knew of. "Oy, stranger!" He called out, in no mood for stalking or beating around the bush today; "May I ask what business you have here abouts?"

Word count: 405

"Speech" Thoughts

WHEN YOUR DREAMS ALL FAIL,

AND THE ONES WE HAIL,

Drestig Avalon

ARE THE WORST OF ALL,

AND THE BLOOD'S RUN STALE.

Even in the furthest reaches of the forest, it seemed he could not go without being bothered by another wolf. At first, Kjors thought to ignore the other canine following his trail – though upwind, he could still hear heavy footfalls on his trail. If they did not come too close, the dragon truly had no interest. This was an errand for his princess, an opportunity to stretch his legs, and nothing more.

Unfortunately, the stranger didn’t share the subordinate's opinion on the matter of a meeting. The pace increased suddenly – the swarthy male found himself looking for the higher ground when the older wolf called out a greeting…or sorts. Ears swept backwards as he rounded himself, head held high as he sized up the other male. Shorter, in both length and height, though heavier set – his health seemed much the same as the recovering River wolf. A fight was not in his forecast for the day, but he could defend himself, in the need arose.

"Yer askin', whether Ah give y'permission 'er not," Kjors noted dully, one ear flicking out to the side as one corner of his mouth tipped up in a wry grin. He did so love word games, though the stranger's demeanor did not indicate the same affinity for tricks of the tongue. "Though Ah suppose Ah'll answer, all th' same. On an errand, fer me girl. Lookin' fer plants tha' don' grow where Ah come from. S'all." Scenting the air, he paused for a moment, sizing the black wolf up for a second time. He smelled familiar, like the borders he'd noticed on his trail. Damn nosy pack wolves.

"Ain' got no interest in yer borders, if tha's wha' yer wonderin'. Jes' wan' some plants."

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

He snorted lowly at the strangers first comment, leaning back as he took his time to study the other male. Now facing him, what immediately drew the ebony scouts attention was the missing right eye, an empty socket and ark scar tissue sitting in its place. The other one had a warm, golden hue, sharp and piercing, leaving no doubt that this man was a force to be reckoned with. In the end, Drestig retuned the smirk, though his burning ember eyes remained slightly narrowed, showing little sign of amusement. Word games was his forte, but he did not enjoy playing with someone he knew so little about, at least not until he was sure that the other had no ill intentions and his pack was safe.

Raven ears flicked forwards as the other wolf conceded his business, dominant posture relaxing a bit, though he stayed vigilant; Just in case. The murky male paused, seeming to give Drestig the same inspection that he had given him, before finally adding his message of peace. The Avalon nodded, accepting the word and sitting fully back, planting his dark hunches on the dirt. His smile widened some, reaching his eyes now as he relaxed properly; "Well plants we've got plenty of, hopefully some of them will suit your... Girl." He tilted his head a bit, raising a brow as he looked at the lankier chap questioningly. His expression was hard to read, especially with the missing eye, and something about him still made the older male uneasy, but he was confident enough to stay his ground, should the brown stranger prove to be a threat, despite his promises, Drestig was sure he could manage to fend him off.

So he resolved to try and fish a bit, always eager for information, and curious to know where the other had come from. Clearing his throat slightly, he looked to meet the single, gold eye, expression calm and voice slick as he spoke: "But you've put me at a disadvantage here, you know where my border are, but not I yours. Where is it you come from, who is your pack?" His tone was pressing at the end, but then he smiled again, crookedly, raising a brow at the other; "If you will indulge me in another question?" The darker lad straightened up a bit, tail swishing amiably across the rocks behind him; If you wanna play, let's play! Then, knowing that the other would be more likely to offer information if he was given some in return, he stated: "I am Drestig Avalon of Oak Tree Bend, greetings." There was no secret to that information, it was still something he prided himself of.

Word count: 449

"Speech" Thoughts

WHEN YOUR DREAMS ALL FAIL,

AND THE ONES WE HAIL,

Drestig Avalon

ARE THE WORST OF ALL,

AND THE BLOOD'S RUN STALE.

Girl, Kjors realized with a modicum of disgust, sounded so much cheaper when another wolf drawled the title. He would need another way to describe his relationship with the princess, though he himself was at a loss to put words to the bond exactly. It was not parental or paternal, even if it may have started that way. It was clearly not a mateship – Karina was too young to understand courtship or what that entailed, and the male was not interested in any sexual exploitations (much less with a wolf not yet at majority, Mother have mercy). He supposed he might be considered the girl's mentor, but even then, what did he label her? Student? Prodigy?

Karina was so much more than those plain words – she was touched by the Mother herself, chosen for great things well beyond her role among the wolves of Hearthwood River. The yearling was more than a princess or a priestess, she was more than a student or a healer – to him, @Karina was everything. She was his world, his entire universe – the wolf was every star in his sky.

But that was neither here nor there, and Drestig was not worthy of being privy to such deep, emotional thoughts. Deciding the male was of no immediate threat, he decided to be forthright with the requested information. If he asked around, he'd probably get it anyways. "Y'may call me Kjors Sørenson, of Kisla Baranski's service, among th' wolves of Hearthwood River. North a' here, 'mong th' trees. Bu' since we're gonna trade, it seems – who does Oak Tree Bend belong t'? Not much familiar with th' lot."

And the River could use allies.

This post is blech, I'm sorry :/

Of course, he had no idea what thoughts went through the other male's head as silence stretched between them. Then again, he didn't care either, he was all business today. Eventually the murky stranger decided to answer his question, accent thick as he explained his allegiances. The ebony scout's ears twitched, lips curling as his smile turned acidic; "The Bend belongs to all of us." He drawled, tongue slipping out to run over his dark lips. Heathwood River..? He mused, the name meant nothing to him, but he appreciated the explanation. However KISLA..! Drestig's smile changed back to an affable on, tail continuing to wag; "But that would be Kisla Tainn Baranski, I've heard of her. Oak Tree Bend is her birth home, we are led by her uncle Triell." He fully relaxed now, even if this Kjors was a stranger, and one that made his hackles prickle, him being of service to Kisla made him an ally; We won't be fighting today. Part of him almost felt disappointed, it had been so long since he'd last had a good brawl. But friendly relations were more important; Even if they are boring..!

Letting his eyes slide away from the opposer and over the surrounding cliffs, in a show of his ease, Drestig pondered for a moment on the implications of Kjors' words. It would seem it had been a good move to stop the man, this information was important to the Bend. "So Cut Rock River has moved to the north? And changed their moniker? Hearthwood..." He returned his gaze to the bistre man, a tiny, toothless smile on his dark lips. His eyes roamed the other's form again, ne brow cocking as he sought out the single, golden eye; "And you are rather new among their ranks." This was a gamble, he had never actually visited the River personally, and what he knew about their members was rather limited, except for Kisla and her pups. Something about the brown male made him guess at it though, a feeling he couldn't quite place, but probably the same that made him suspicious. He carried himself like a loner still, despite being covered in possessive scent. After a pause, Drestig blinked, asking in a pleasant tone: "How is Kisla? And her mate, her children? It's been some time since we've heard news..."

Word count: 390

"Speech" Thoughts

WHEN YOUR DREAMS ALL FAIL,

AND THE ONES WE HAIL,

Drestig Avalon

ARE THE WORST OF ALL,

AND THE BLOOD'S RUN STALE.

"Ah, alright. This is Anna's pack, then. Ran 'nto her before, up near a glacial lake. Pond? Prolly a pond – ran 'nto her near a glacial pond few weeks back, up in th' northern plains," he explained, realizing at the name Triell that this was the pack in the Spectral Woods the pale scout had mentioned. Funny, he did think, that all these subordinates only mentioned the male, and never his opposite in hierarchy. Perhaps there truly wasn't an alpha female? Or perhaps she was a figurehead, and the other wolves had her figured, understanding there was only one voice leading the pack. It was a curious matter, no matter the truth behind it, and one he wished to pursue at a later date.

Unfortunately, knowledge that Triell and Kisla were closely related was far more important than that small detail at the moment. "Wasn' aware of Kisla's maiden name," he hummed, offering the larger wolf a nod of gratitude. "Her business prior t' th' pack ain't much m' business. But yes – Cut Rock River moved t' th' Kingsfall forest an' became th' Hearthwood River pack, 'nstead. Surprised Anna didn' share this information – seemed she ran 'nto Maksim's scout 'fore she met me an' had this all figured out."

Not sharing information about other, nearby groups with the pack? That seemed like a poor way to run things, though he found himself wondering just how loyal the white waif could be, if she'd abandoned a pack once for undisclosed reasoned. "Ah've been with 'em fer a few months. Invited by their eldest daughter, 'n fact. They're pretty well, Ah'd say – two more daughters this year. Can't say Ah've seen much a' Maksim at all lately…an' seems their prince, Aleksei, is missin'. If y'do see him, point him back home, hm? Think they'd like 'im back."

Kjors hummed again, and tipped his head as he considered Drestig. "Mhm, how does Triell feel 'bout his niece, hm? Think the River would like a southerly ally, if th' Bend ain't opposed."

An ear flicked at the one eyed man's response, one brow cocking slightly; Anna? He had to be talking about @Anneliese, but he hadn't heard anything about the blonde woman running into Kisla and her pack in the north, he might just have to talk to her about that. Then again, while he was a, still unofficial, scout, he was not the leader of the pack, perhaps the new member had relayed her information to Triell or Spieden, regardless, he should like to figure that out for himself. For now he simply nodded back at the other, ignoring the comment about Anneliese and focusing on the other information. It was good to know that the River pack still lived, even if it had changed locations; Why though..?

Another question that would have to wait, as Kjors brought plenty of news from the River. Drestig listened carefully, nodding his head lightly to show that he was keeping up. He committed the comment about Maksim to mind, wondering exactly how absent the leader was; He couldn't help but think of the mirroring in their situations. The news of the oldest son made his brows furrow, expression growing solemn as he nodded more firmly, he would be sure to keep a look out for the young man, and relay the information to the rest of his pack.

Finally, the murky River wolf floated the idea of an alliance, and Drestig smiled again, affably. "I'm sure something can be arranged, we have always been on good terms with the River." He said in a pleasant tone, tail waving behind him; "I am happy to hear that Kisla is nursing a second litter, and Triell will be too, please tell her that he has had two new pups this year as well, a son and a daughter." Then the smile fainted, eyes and voice growing more serious; "As for Aleksei, we will be sure to do ours to search for him, it is never good to hear of a young one who has gone astray." He looked to meet the other wolf's single, golden eye, showing his sincerity; "Kinsfall you say, to the north?" He asked to confirm the information; "If we find him, I promise to personally escort him there." A nod was given, as if to validate his own promise, the her glanced back in direction of his home; "I shall be sure to relay all this with my leaders, if they agree, we will send someone to make the alliance official." Then he looked at the other expectantly, to gauge his reaction and see if he had any more to say.

Word count: 439

"Speech" Thoughts

WHEN YOUR DREAMS ALL FAIL,

AND THE ONES WE HAIL,

Drestig Avalon

ARE THE WORST OF ALL,

AND THE BLOOD'S RUN STALE.

This was good. This was all very, very good, he decided. The last two times he'd sniffed around borders and other pack wolves, they'd ended poorly. While his run into @Gent hadn't ended in violence, the Waterfall wolves near made it impossible to escape. @Drestig here was a much more reasonable sort, he decided, and clearly the type he would be interested in allying with. What's more, the family ties between Triell and @Kisla should provide for a stronger bond between the two packs. If these proved to be reasonable, perhaps they could shed the parasite that was Round Stone Crest and avoid any future excursions with the proverbial bull amongst the china shop of Relic Lore's packs.

"Ah'm glad t' hear it. Kisla would be very grateful if her son was returned, Ah'm sure." Whatever had happened to the boy, no one really knew for sure. He was just gone – whether on purpose, a yearling seeking out his place in the world, or on accident, a youth wandered to far and unable to find his way home – his absence was quite noted among the River's wolves. "But yes, Kingsfall, north a' the waterfall. Among th' sequoia trees," he elaborated – if Drestig and Triell decided to send a scout or courier to them, it wouldn't do for the wolf to be lost along the way.

Bobbing his head once more, he took a step back. "Ah think tha' sounds like a good plan, Drestig. Suppose Ah ought t' finish collectin' herbs 'fer me buddin' medic, an' Ah'll be off. Ah'll report t' Kisla – we'll keep a look out 'fer yer wolves," he rumbled, bowing his head once. "Nice t' meetcha, Drestig Avalon of Oak Tree Bend. Ah look forward t' meetin' ya again." Kjors nodded once more before turning, heading back into the hills to finish his original purpose. He would remain true to his word – once he found some interesting plants for his princess' collection, he would relay the information to his alpha forthwith.

One more post from Drestig and we can archive? :3