Sacred Grove Lovely Beginnings

Elsa gently nosed a bunch of yellow flowers and sniffed them. Their sweet smell was appealing and so she dropped onto her side and settled to wriggling all over the patch until their scent mingled with those that she had in her thick fur. She sneezed and rolled onto her belly. She glanced around as though to be sure no one had seen her before continuing nosing her way along the borders. It had been a plan from day one to wander off on her own to get to know the place as much as she could herself, and then approach the others in hopes that they would fill the holes in her knowledge.

As the Second, she knew that she had many new responsibilities and had yet to act on many of them. She would wait until she got a good feeling and knew more about the pack members before she stepped into her role. She knew that a hunt would be one of the first things she did after she forged a bond with the others, but her first priority would be to gain information. If she were to be appropriately dominant and guide the wolves as a Second should, she couldn't go blindly. And that was why she was studying the lay of the land. If they were to have strangers stalking about, she wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages to every place. It would also help with hunting, as she would remember her studies when she was chasing down a meal with her pack.

She sighed softly and rubbed her cheek and the side of her body against a tree, leaving her mark. Elsa turned her ears this way and that, her golden eyes, which at times seemed to burn nearly orange, turning this way and that for any signs of life. Maybe she would run into guardians doing their duty. It would be a perfect way to get involved with the pack life. Her tail lifted and her mood with it, content and happy with her decision to live among the Swift River wolves-- though she had yet to forge any friendships beyond Indru.

Am obviously setting after the den-building thread, since that's where I had Marsh see her for the first time. I don't know if you've read it yet, but his reaction to her might be of interest! =P For the sake of this thread, though, in the rest of the other thread Marsh will be played as totally civil.

<blockquote>Though it had not been his intention - not at first, at least - Marsh had been watching the new Second for a short while now. His natural defensiveness when it came to Swift River had been kicked up several notches by Corinna's pregnancy, and he likely would not calm down for some time until the puppies were older. Fortunately for the majority of the pack, this only meant that Marsh would be as vigilant as ever.

Unfortunately for newcomers, it also meant that his inclination for suspicion and high-standards came in to full effect.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Elsa's head dropped to the yellow mess of flowers, and from his distant, hidden spot, Marsh watched silently. He had happened to hear her movements on one of his usual border patrols, and curiosity was a powerful thing; as stealthily as he was capable of, he had taken to following her at a healthy distance - enough to witness anything untoward, at least. But she was behaving squeaky clean. Her movement and interest in her surroundings merely spoke of the desire to get to know the territory, a worthy goal, and Marsh read nothing sinister in her actions. It was a good thing. He did not want bad feelings proven right.

Keeping one ear on everything else, he watched as she sneezed and rolled over, glancing about as if embarrassed by the display. He huffed softly to himself, amused, and waited a few moments before rising to all fours once more and pursuing her as she continued her patrol. How long was he planning on spying on his fellow Second, exactly? He did not know - but there was no real time limit.

Until he was sure she could be trusted, at least. It was not that she seemed the ill sort: Swift River just had a poor track-record when it came to ranked females, Corinna aside.

Patiently he followed, for the most part letting her slip out of sight and tracking her by scent alone. He would let himself be discovered exactly when he wanted to be, and he had already decided that it would be soon. Thus, when she next stopped to brush herself against the tree, he continued towards her, steel eyes alert and focused, almost as if he were hunting her. This time, he did not hide from her bright eyes as she glanced about, and instead lifted his head and stepped clear of all obstacles, letting his presence be known. There he stopped, too, staring at her, posture neutral but curious.

Would she suspect his actions? Or just believe this to be a chance encounter? Calmly he eyed her, assessing her health and apparent strengths now that he was not otherwise distracted with den-digging.

Being Second was one step down from Corinna. Only the best could deserve such a place.</font></blockquote>

Elsa hadn't been aware that she had been stalked since she had begun her border patrols. She expected to run into another wolf while she was out here, perhaps several, but to have been ghosted hadn't occurred to her. And so when she looked up and saw the large, scarred wolf, she had to conceal her surprise. She faced him, just as neutrally as he was facing her, as she considered him. He was a large wolf and older, with signs of being injured many times in his life. He was strong and impressive and she didn't doubt that he was of a high rank. But how high? She tried to defuse the tension by gently shading out her thick fur and pacing a step or two closer, her gleaming eyes not leaving him but not meeting his eyes. It was by no means submissive, but she avoided setting off a spark of aggression. Most things could be handled with calm and consideration and so she took care to move herself to a somewhat higher and flatter stretch of ground.

Her nose worked gently as she smelled him. Her tail was half-raised and her head was up with her ears forward. Elsa was comfortable showing her position but made no move to press him or flaunt dominance. Instead she would wait to see how he reacted to her body language.

<b>"Hello. We haven't met yet, but I've only been here a few days. My name is Elsa, I've moved into the pack with Indru's blessing and have taken the role of Second on my shoulders. Have you been within Swift River for long? Even if you haven't, it would be good to hear some history. I know little beyond that I am not apart of a close family. It will take time until I am able to show my loyalty and desire to remain among you, but I am a patient wolf. Tell me about yourself, if you have the time?"</b> She spoke in her usual, friendly tone and she had to suppress the urge to go forward and bump noses with him. Elsa wanted to be casual and friendly with the other wolves but she wouldn't press any boundaries until she knew she was welcome near.

<blockquote>Her calm reaction was pleasing, as was the level of intelligence in her assessing gaze. He stood still and quiet, allowing her to judge him, and made no move to discourage her approach. He noted with satisfaction how, though her body language shifted to accommodate her rank, she did not meet his eyes. Pack seniority was a powerful thing, and now he knew that she did not consider herself important just because she had filled an empty rank.

These were all good things. His tail twitched upwards to match where hers stood - a subtle indication of where they ranked with one another - and his eyes never left her, watching keenly as she stopped.

Once upon a time, in more naive years, he may have wondered what she planned to do next. More recently, the smooth barrage of words which passed casually from her lips would have aggravated and frustrated him.

Now, Marsh had finally grown to accept that this was the way wolves in this part of the world liked to communicate. Rather than grow angry at his inability to keep up, he listened calmly, slipping into the state which he employed when patrolling with Ice. She had quite a lot to say, but Marsh was able to pick out a few pieces of interest: her name, her rank, and words like 'family' and 'loyalty'. He did not know the context of the latter, but her tone was friendly and open. He believed she was only trying to convey positive things, and so reacted accordingly.

She had barely finished speaking before he stepped forward, quite boldly and without trepidation (he did not feel the need to be quite so precious around newcomers) and, in a smooth motion, moved to place his jaws gently but firmly about the end of her muzzle, to hold her mouth shut. It was not a gesture which had been met with universal understanding in the past, but occasionally it worked. There was no easy way for him to express his displeasure of talking without making pitiful attempts at it, and in his experience, that tended to shift the mood from awkward to humiliating. He was not an idiot, but he had seen the looks in their eyes, the looks which told him that his clumsy words gave entirely the wrong impression.

He kept his gaze on her at all times, even and calm, to better explain that this was not an act of aggression. It doubled conveniently as a display of dominance, it was true. In the spirit of that, he did not plan to hold onto her for long; just as smoothly as he stepped up, he would step back, and watch her in his typical silence, watching for any glimmer of understanding. But if there was not, it did not matter; he could be patient. They all understood in the end. If it came down to it, one of his family would explain on his behalf.</blockquote>

Cali was exploring her new home. There was much to learn and to get used to. Her initial introduction had wreaked havoc on her nerves and she found that moving about the wild territory that she could now call home and taking in every detail soothed her and somehow built her confidence. How far she had come from her previous life, just a year prior. Beloved daughter, to beloved mate, to bereaved loner, to a packmember, unsure of her complete welcome. She hoped to prove herself to those that seemed to doubt her worthiness or her abilities. She would learn all that she could and do her best to show her gratefulness and worth to the pack that had taken her in, despite misgivings.

She caught sight of Marsh up ahead and debated on approaching him. He had still never spoken to her. As far as she could tell, he never spoke out loud to anyone. Although, he did seem to have a way of getting his intentions across quite clearly! A shiver crossed her shoulders as she recalled their first encounter, not so long ago. He seemed to be tracking something and from her distant vantage point, she could see that it was another wolf. The thought of meeting another new wolf was infinitely appealing and she decided that she would brave Marsh once again for the opportunity. She took a breath and trotted in their direction, for while she had debated with herself, the surly male had approached the other, a female.

Her footfalls were quiet on the earth, but she made no effort to hide her approach from the pair. As she neared, Cali marked the posture of the other female and correctly took her to be a higher rank. She dipped her head politely and respectfully as she stopped near the two. She looked at the male, gave him a ghost of a smile and quietly said, <b>"Hello, Marsh."</b> Then she turned to the female, smiled a little brighter and introduced herself, <b>"I am Cali, a new pack member. May I ask your name?"</b> Having already sensed the other wolf's dominance, she kept her voice soft and her head and tail lowered, although she did offer a friendly wag of her thick white brush.

Never Underestimate a Heart of Fire...

Wrapping this up since Snarley left; we can stretch it out to 10 posts if you want, or we can probably just go another round or two. Minor PP of Elsa, just so it's not too awkward.

<blockquote>Whether or not the message fully passed on, when Marsh stepped back, Elsa did not open her mouth again. He watched her carefully for a moment, curious for her reaction, but pleased by her improved submission. They may have been equals through technicality, but as time went by, Marsh had less and less respect for the fickle females who occupied that spot. At least she was able to accept her place, though. Her ability to hang around would show her true qualities, but at least she could submit. Stepping into the Second's spot was not something that Marsh took lightly, and he would let that be known.

A sound behind them made him turn. It was the new girl - one of them, at least. Her minor show of submission was not quite enough to satisfy Marsh, whose eyes narrowed as she approached. Her head was low, but she was not nearly respectful enough of his position. Did she plan on greeting Indru and Corinna in this lighthearted manner? Not to mention the fact that she appeared to grow meeker at the sight of <i>Elsa</i>, a totally unproven Second whose rank meant nothing, over <i>him</i>.

That would not do. His lip curled, and he gave Cali a warning growl before marching up to her, tail over his back, legs stiff and head held high. Elsa, wisely, chose not to respond to Cali's casual question for the moment, and instead hung back quietly.</blockquote>

Cali's smile quickly faded as Marsh turned to growl at her and approached her full of superiority and dominance. <i>Hadn't they already been through this?</i> All she had wanted to do was meet another pack member. While her thoughts were confused, her reaction to his display was not. She lowered her head and tail more and lay her ears back, unsure of what she'd done wrong. She looked to the other female but she seemed to be hanging back, wanting nothing to do with Cali's own predicament.

She got the message...Cali was on her own. Just as she had been this entire time. She didn't deserve his anger. He was overreacting to some perceived slight. Her green eyes returned to his as she tried to decipher what more he was looking for from her. While she kept her white form in the properly submissive position, her mind was working furiously. Was he angry because she'd been submissive to the other female? Her initial show was for both of them. He was second only to Corinna and Indru, after all! She held her posture low and waited for his next move, her body tensed and her heart beating rapidly.

Never Underestimate a Heart of Fire...

<blockquote>Fortunately for everyone, Cali was not completely hopeless. She lowered herself appropriately at his advance, finally, and he came to a haughty stop in front of her, making his demands of her submission obvious. He could tell that she didn't relish it, which agitated him, but there was time for her to get used to it. When submission was demanded of him, he gave it without thought - and he gave it without it being requested, too, damn it. Not only was she two ranks below his, but it was a rank he had held for over a year now. These females came and went with no respect whatsoever; he would demand what he was owed.

Perhaps treating them a little rougher would weed out the bad ones quicker, too. Perhaps if he'd been harsher with Naira...

Reaching forwards to gently grab her muzzle, he sought to cement in her this desired behaviour. The growl had long been silenced; she had reacted well. Letting her go, he stared at her for another moment or two before snorting dismissively, and without another look to either of them, the Second turned about and left. There was no reason in belabouring the point; he had more important things to do.</blockquote>

Cali straightened as the fearsome male left. Her brows furrowed slightly as she mulled over what had just happened. Marsh may not use words, but he sure had a way of getting his meaning across. She would be sure to react more appropriately from the start next time. She glanced over at the other female who had done nothing and decided that she wanted nothing to do with her, after all. Straightening her posture a bit more, she dipped her head in a brief acknowledgement to her and continued on her way, alone.

Well, at least she could continue learning the land and walking the borders. She left in the same direction that Marsh had taken. She had no intentions of following him, but it was as good a direction as any. Her nose took in the scents around her and her eyes scanned it, while her mind whirled in her head. She had no real problem with Marsh. He demanded respect and she could understand that. He had worked to get to his current rank and to keep it. His loyalty to Corinna had been unmistakeable and that was commendable in her eyes. Loyalty meant a lot to her. She only wished that she could show that to her new pack. In time, she supposed. She would just have to be patient.

A new scent drifted to her, distracting her from her deep thoughts. <i>Rabbit! </i> The wind had shifted and brought them to her attention... two, at least. Crouching low, her body instantly tensed and she began to move towards them in slow motion. She couldn't see them yet, but her sensitive nose led her on. The tall strands of wheat colored grasses helped to blend her pale coat. She'd had to truly develop her speed and tactics when it came to hunting due to her pristine white pelt. The colors that would soon blanket the land were not her friend, much as she enjoyed their beauty! Keeping her focus on her quarry, she inched forward, pausing every now and again to be sure her prey remained unsuspecting. Finally, her eyes picked out the pair of brown rabbits, well blended with their surroundings. Nearly there... Almost... With a lightning fast lunge, she bolted forward, aiming for the plumpest creature. It darted to the side, incredibly fast, but not fast enough. She'd been prepared for the move and was waiting for it.

Cali clamped her jaws down with an audible snap and broke the rabbit's back instantly. Giving a sharp shake of her head, she ensured that the job was done. She glanced around to be sure that she was still alone then relaxed the tiniest bit, sitting down to enjoy her fresh kill. It had been too long since she'd had a tender rabbit and she relished her impromptu meal. The blood quickly stained her white fur, but she paid it no mind. She would worry about that later. For now, she tore off chunks of warm meat and just felt the wildness that was being a wolf wash over her. It didn't last long for the rabbit was nothing but bits of fur in short order. Her pink tongue bathed her muzzle carefully, until there was no evidence of the encounter on her perfect white fur. Cali stood and was ready to return to her duty, such as it was, of learning about her pack.

Never Underestimate a Heart of Fire...