Mountain of Dire he lives his act

<blockquote><b>ooc |</b> :c …couldn’t make up my mind; I’m gonna leave this here though. Been a lil’ too busy as of late keeping Borden amused with things beyond MP territory that I felt the need to bring him back “home.” With Frankie away for a few, I wanted to keep her campaign for pack members going, but had no idea how to go about doing it… Would meeting Alexander’s “Beta“ be a start…? Surely wolves curious about the “pack on the mountain” would draw near, right?</blockquote>

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<sup>Strolling. Walking. Patroling. There were so many words to describe what Borden was exactly doing this particular morning. While Alexander was out and about, probably scoping out the other side of the mountain, Midnight Plateau’s Scout kept to his duty of guarding the territory borders. He strode down an invisible line, walking along an unseen fence that effectively kept outsiders, rogues, out. Through the snow, he sauntered with ease, unaffected by the cold. Pale gold-green eyes scanned his surroundings carefully, hoping to catch a glimpse of even the slightest disturbance at the edge of the forest.

Every now and then, he stopped in his tracks and swept his charcoal black nose across the snow before him. When nothing of interest caught his attention, he resumed his beat…

Even when he did come upon something amusing, he inspected and analyzed the scent, only to find it was merely a wayward rabbit or a random spot where a bird had landed to rest for a few moments. Shrugging his shoulders and continuing to place one paw in front of the other, he moved on. He carried himself proudly with his head held high and his tail parallel to the ground. His dark ears were turned forward to collect the distant hum of everyday life around the foot of the mountain.

Knowing he would eventually yield to his innermost thoughts if he kept ambling around the paths he knew by heart, he came to a halt at one of his landmarks, a large boulder beside a fallen log. He stood beside the frost-covered tree trunk and warily looked about the immediate area around him as though he were expecting something… someone.</sup>

2011 © Grey; Photo © Monty Sloan

<blockquote>It had been quite some time since Atiris had found herself a group to fit in with. Traveling had taken its toll on her and while she had been trim and fit in the summer, the Winter was becoming increasingly more difficult to bear, living on her own. Along th way she'd met others and had traveled with them but had found no permanent benefit from their company and had resorted to a life of solitude as she traversed mountains, valleys, rivers...Anything that became a part of the seemingly aimless path that she roamed. The fiery wolf continued on, even through the winter, bunking down only during raging storms before she continued on, her snow-flecked pelt keeping her warm but in the night, without a proper den, she grew weary and cold. <p>

Her tough feet helped her in the mountain range and she was able to see the lands beyond the peak as she crossed the halfway point, skirting the mountain's peak to avoid a treacherous fall. She paused to see another vast map of land stretch out before her, blanketed with snow and laced with a glistening light. She paused there and licked her lips; She knew the need to join a pack and had picked up the scent of wolves a few miles back, following it to this area. <p>

She had begun to continue on, along the rocky slopes, pausing only when she caught the scent of wolves. It was the scent of an alpha, for sure, and the boundaries of a pack. She was wary of pck borders, knowing that lone wolves weren't always welcome, but she couldn't help but find herself teased in that general direction. The worst thing that could happen, she hypothesized, would be that she might be turned away from a pack. On a brighter note, she might also be accepted to one. She moved off in that direction, following her nose until she caught the scent of a wolf who had been in the area not so long ago. Careful to skirt the borders and not to trespass, the ginger female trotted onward until she saw the figure of a wolf in the distance. A guard, no doubt. She stopped, flicking her ears forward and back and after she licked her lips and gathered her breath she called out with a short, crisp bark, before she lowered her head and allowed her hanging tail to sway gently at her hocks; she wanted to appear peaceful to appease the male, and would not overstep social boundaries on a first meeting.</blockquote>

<blockquote> Making sure Midnight Plateau’s territory borders were reinforced and well-kept was the first thing on Borden’s mind as he stood still. Listen… his mind kept whispering. Listen. Something’s coming… His ears turned forward, his senses continuing to sharpen, blur and analyze. He expected to see Alexander when he glanced over his shoulder, his great gray-and-white pelted figure easily walking across the line the Scout was warily watching, but instead an abrupt, foreign bark greeted him. Turning to look directly at the source of the sound, the male took a good long look at her.

Another stranger – mostly rust pelt, petite physique, polite nonetheless. His brow furrowed as he took in her body posture, studying it with utmost care to determine her intentions. She had stopped a good length away from the path he had left in the snow minutes before and he was careful to note her lowered head and the relaxed wave of tail. Surely, she meant no harm, but the Scout wanted to make sure of it. After his previous encounters with others, he made it a point to fully interact with his company.

Giving her a courteous nod before he scanned the area one more time, he took a single step towards her and gave his tail a friendly wag. He returned her bark with his own, Salutations. What brings you to the mountain?

In the light of the situation, the heaviness in his chest lightened. Perhaps she held something of his current interests, a question or a morsel of information… Any string of words that he could pick apart over and over would absolutely make his morning. It would help mentally bring him away from more confusing things, like why he felt more alone than before now that he had returned to the mountain. Borden’s head tilted just slightly to express his interest as he leaned forward a bit to see if he could pick up her scent.

Capable with only addressing her with his eyes and heeding her with his dark-rimmed ears, he patiently awaited her answer….

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(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2011, 09:19 PM by Borden.)

Well, what do you want from me?

<blockquote>As her breath floated on the soft breeze like miniature, dissipating clouds, Atiris waited, ears cupped forward, for the male to address her. His head turned her way and she glanced just long enough to see his facial features, the strength of his physique and the colours of his pelt. His cheekbones were marked by dusky grey fur, his lips dark against pale white fur. Each eye- the colour of which she was not bold or stupid enough to seek out- was framed by steely fur and his ears were a bit darker still. Compared to Atiris he was both taller and broader, and his coat had much more greyscale colours in it than hers did. He looked healthy, and his fur was thick and glossy; just what she liked to see in another wolf. It meant that he was living well, and Atiris did not want to live in a land where the wolves were half-starved and mangy.<p>

He moved toward her though to no great extent, and this was something she took to mean that he might not have been the alpha of the land. If he had, she expected that he might have acted more bold, more confrontational. His tail waved and Atiris felt a great deal more relaxed, even though she knew that this was only the first sign of friendliness. He asked a fairly general question and one of Atiris' ears flicked back in contemplation before it flicked forward again, decided.<p>

<b>"My legs,"</b> She quipped, but quickly followed those words with a soft smile and a gentle, dry chuckle. Her laughter was quiet and her voice polite; she hadn't meant anything other than to express a bit of humour, and had not meant to mock him. Ice breakers were always best when they were friendly. <b>"Truth be told, I'm a wanderer. The mountain stood in the way, so I have come to pass over."</b> She said. She nodded to him and gestured toward where the packlands were. <b>"Your pack's lands, though, I'll go around."</b> While she'd scale something as treacherous as a mountain, she would not cross through the lands of a pack. Mountains could be deadly, but even more dangerous were the laws that condemned the trespasser. </blockquote>

<blockquote> Deciding to open such an encounter with a light and quirky answer was a bold one. It prompted the male to offer her a kind smile; he truthfully enjoyed a sense of humor every now and then. As she told him that she meant to pass over, he furrowed a brow and his smile withdrew from his features. Traveling wolves usually avoided climbing the grand landmark, evading the possibility of slipping and falling down the rocky slopes altogether. His mind went to work with deciphering her words.

Running along the rivers would be best, he figured. There was absolutely no way he was going to allow her to trespass. Well, come to think of it… Maybe he might. If she meant to pass on through, then Riddle Heights, an area he had yet to fully investigate, might prove to be a suiting route to go. All he knew was that it could possibly hold a myriad of tunnels, one or a few of which could lead her where she wanted to go. If she traced the rivers, she would eventually start heading away from the mountain and possibly back the way she had come.

As a wave of silence washed over them, he considered the idea of letting her through. What became of her would ultimately be up to her... He had already spent most of the winter mapping out the Thicket of Secrets and the Wildwood while Alexander stood guard. Now while the alpha was off on his own, away from his only other pack member, Borden was sure to make certain that his post was not abandoned again. If Vlarindara needed him, she would either have to find her way here or she {and Raigo} would need to wait a while before he could return. It seemed that as the end of winter drew near, more and more wolves were beginning to find their way to Relic Lore – a time that definitely meant Borden could not leave the Mountain of Dire.

Willing to take a chance of allowing her through, Borden dipped his muzzle in understanding, “I see.” As much as he wanted to turn her away, he also considered the idea that she would find the mountain accommodating and lively. Prey had been scarce throughout Relic Lore but the pica and mountain goats, he knew from hunting with Alexander, made ample meals for just the two of them. Still standing tall, he gestured with his muzzle towards the mountain, “Well… If you intend on just passing, perhaps I could allow you though.” Granting her permission to scale the frost-covered ledges, he considered, would be his good deed for the day. If she happened to linger around in the days to come, he would find her and figure her out, discover her true intentions; harboring a drifter on pack lands would be one thing he would not tolerate.

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Well, what do you want from me?

For several days he had awkwardly been lurking around the Mountain of Dire. Mostly sat up upon the Riddle Heights gawking down at the scenic plateau below. His tail swaying lightly against his heels as he watched the view below, sat back onto his powerful silver coloured haunches. After much deliberation the brute finally roamed down the side of the steep path that he'd traveled up in the first place. Now lingering dangerous close to the borders of the Midnight Plateau Pack. The scent of Honijo the former Alpha was long gone but in it's place was the Beta that he could remember... Alexander. Unsure how the pack was faring his curiosity was now getting the better of him and when he could overheard voices up ahead he did not continue on his way but instead stopped. Weldering found himself compelled to listen and even edge closer to the pair, one bared the scent of the pack while the other seemed to be a loner. His thoughts confirmed by the sound of her voice, claiming that she would go around. Still he did not carry on walking, in fact the opposite as he slid forward into view of the two wolves.

His dark painted muzzle dipping low in greetings but also respect - not wishing to run into any trouble today. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"I'm sorry for interrupting, I couldn't help overhearing you mention Midnight Plateau." He muttered. Pausing as his icy blue gaze looked between them both - neither he recognized. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"Is Alex the Alpha?" He then asked hoping to get an answer to his assumptions.

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<blockquote>He was quiet and from what Atiris could discern, he was considering something. He might have been thinking of more questions to ask her, to find out more about her background. Atiris had no ghosts or skeletons in her closet, and held few details locked away, secret from others. The male stayed quiet and Atiris' greyish blue eyes gazed toward the heights of the mountain and then out toward the pack lands, along the plateau and further. Her nose twitched and she lowered her head to sniff the borders again while he thought, and the whiskers on her muzzle twitched; she could smell only a few wolves here, where otherwise she had expected that there would be more.

He spoke, willing to allow her to pass through the packlands, and she wondered why he might seem keen to do so. She'd said already that she was a wanderer, and would have no qualms with skirting the borders. Speeding through the lands was not her goal, though she wondered if he didn't simply want the company. She gazed past him for a few moments, trying to figure out exactly why he was so willing to let her, a perfect stranger, pass through.

She knew she did not look intimidating. She was a small wisp of a wolf and while she looked every bit as powerful as she actually was- with tight muscle rippling beneath her pelt and a wiry, tough look about her- she knew that he likely expected her to be fairly tame. She'd seen her reflection before and while she had been told that she looked somewhat impish when she smiled, she knew that she did not appear bloodthirsty or malignant. He was investing a certain amount of trust in her, but part of her hoped that he wasn't doing this because she looked harmless. She wanted him to want her company.

She didn't show any inclination of whether she wanted to pass through or continue on around the pack's boundaries yet. She hadn't had any intention of doing so before, and knew that even if she refused to go through, she would not regret it or feel as though she'd lost a gift. She'd been prepared to go the long way around and would not be disappointed if that was the route she needed to take. She inhaled a breath again and continued to gaze into the pack lands, her expression mild. She was about to ask a fairly pointless question when a dark male approached, and interrupted. Atiris did not mind, but turned her gaze toward him. He was a dashing fellow, dark and quite vivacious. He spoke, and she stayed silent, turning her eyes again toward the male who lived in these packlands. New information had been placed on the table and she wanted to hear him answer the new male's questions before she asked him her own. </blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2011, 10:52 PM by Atiris.)

<blockquote> Swiveling an ear towards the sound of approaching paws, the Plateau wolf’s attention tore away from the female as a large, dark male threw out a question. Alex, he had said. Borden’s eyes narrowed warily, unsure of whether to trust him or not. Not only had he mentioned Alexander, but voicing his name was short, as though it had been clipped, similar to the way old friends would call each other nicknames. The scout’s tail curled suspiciously before holding itself from him, precisely parallel to the ground.

Examining the newcomer, he held back the temptation to wrinkle his nose and express his suspicion openly. “As a matter of fact,” he stated, meeting the male’s stark blue eyes. “Yes. Why?” When her question reached his ears, he didn’t look at her at first, not wanting to turn away from Weldering. Though, when he did pay attention to her, he bit his tongue, almost hesitating to answer. “Number isn’t important,” he said in an even tone. “A pack of two is able to survive these harsh conditions just as well as any other pack, even one of six or more.”

Ears projecting forward, he took a few steps back in order to look upon them both without having to crane his neck. Somewhere within, he wished the alpha was near, but nevertheless, he stood his ground and attempted to address the two with respect and consideration. He spoke as though his superior were watching him, stowed behind the snow-covered rocks or hidden away among the trees that lined the foot of the mountain. If anything, he did all he could to act properly, to show these visitors exactly what the wolves of Mount Dire stood for.

Rendering oneself as weak or unsure would definitely portray Midnight Plateau as a feeble pack, and Borden, after taking a moment to readjust his stiff posture, held his head high with his forepaws neatly aligned with one another. He glanced from Weldering to Atiris as though daring either of them to move. If they had any more questions, he was more than ready to answer or act upon them now.

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(This post was last modified: Jan 25, 2011, 12:45 AM by Borden.)

Well, what do you want from me?

The use of nicknames was nothing new to Weldering, in fact his own nickname Welde was used more often then not by everyone that knew him. He did have a strangely long name and his little short version of it was friendly and easy on the tongue that was for sure. Though with Alexander - he'd called him Alex the first time he ever repeated his name and from then on it had stuck like glue. The white masked brute had never rejected the nickname so he continued to use it time and time again. Weldering could sense the awkwardness of the situation. Trying desperately hard just like Borden not to wrinkle up his nose or make any prejudgments. Pack wolves he did not know always made him feel uneasy due to his past - though he already knew the Alpha of this pack and knew that he could get along with him, trust him even. It helped, helped a lot.

It eased his mind to hear that Alex was indeed in charge, the corners of his ebony lips tugging slightly into the faintest of grins. Though he still felt awkward and rather rude in fact. Glancing over to the she wolves as he shuffled slightly on the spot feeling nervous as her eyes rolled over his silver and black pelt. She seemed to be full of questions for Borden and now he had butted in and spoiled the mood. He was beginning to feel that the suspicions he had now created was making Borden feel more defensive and scrutinizing rather then content and relax. Sure he was a large young male but it was not as if he wanted to challenge and takeover Midnight Plateau was it? Though... having said that he said the same about Swift River but ended up dueling Ruiko and Indru for the packs leadership last season.

Calmly sighing softly and whisking his black tipped tail to and fro a couple of times in a gingerly fashion he thought it was perhaps best to explain himself to this Beta. Considering he had just admitted there was only two wolves in the pack his rank at that point became blindingly obvious. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"My name's Weldering." He first introduced, looking with his steel blue eyes between the other two to see if they were willing to share their own names. <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"I lived in Relic Lore, in Midnight Plateau, before the drought. Honijo was the Alpha back then and Alex was the Beta..." His voice trailing off, it seemed that he was not the only one in the pack to leave - several had. had they also all left due to the lack of water? <b style="color:#0d5b8c; font-family:geogia; font-size:13px">"Well anyway I'm back now. I'm an old friend of Alex." He finished explaining hoping that it would now set Borden's mind at ease. Tainted black ears lifting slightly as he shot a curious glance toward the she-wolf. So what was her story, he mused to himself, having missed the beginning of this conversation.

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<blockquote>With the arrival o the sterling and ebony male came a tension which was palpable in the air. Atiris knew that she herself had hardly been a threat, but now with this other male, there were two lone wolves versus one pack wolf, who admitted that his pack was only made of himself and another wolf- presumably the alpha. Atiris did not mean for her question to be threatening or to elicit suspicion, but her curious nature sometimes got the better of her and now, faced by two lone wolves, she suspected that Borden might be feeling cornered. His alpha did not seem to be nearby and he was alone.

It seemed as though while Weldering knew the alpha, Alex, he did not know the male before him. Weldering had lived here before, but had left, and she presumed that Borden had joined sometime in his absence. Having never lived anywhere near this place before, Atiris felt somewhat as though she was a stranger or the odd one out and was not sure exactly how she felt about this. She stayed quiet for a few moments after Weldering introduced himself, allowing the pack wolf to answer him and ask him any questions.

From what Atiris gathered, this Weldering had come to join the pack, and Atiris' interest was perked. She caught the sterling male's glance and returned it with a quiet one of her own and smiled. She raised one eyebrow and looked back toward the pack wolf. <b>"Atiris."</b> She announced, finally, with a bob of her head. <b>"Are you accepting new members?"</b> She asked then, her question pointed toward Borden.</blockquote>