Watching The Sunset.

[dapple]

Sunset~

Sunset sat down, pleased with herself. It was chilly, but she fluffed up her fur against the wind. Her gray-black dappled fur was a sharp contrast to the red and orange fall colors. Sunset wanted to join a pack, maybe find a mate. Soon. At winter she would be forced to go back to the water, otherwise she'd be away from it while it was sealed under the ice; which was impossible due to her pure-blood Cael heritage. She grumbled to herself, then stood up. The border was passed, so this was definately a pack's territory.

Sunset waited, then considered howling. She shied from the idea, because the pack would think she was an old wolf, or at the very least a timber wolf with some sort of wounded throat. Sunset sighed, then sat back down, deciding to bide her time.

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5669/fitdangit.png] An reddish-orange and black wolf was soaring upon raven black wings near the border of the packlands. His blue eyes were squinted in the cold wind that ripped over him. Grumbling he decided to take a break. His bones ached a little, his early morning scouts started to take his energy with the weather change. He angled his great wings a little and began his decent. He liked landing near the meadow, it was unclaimed territory so he didn't have to worry about rival pack members taking advantage of him when he needed a rest. His black socked legs brought him tenderly to the soft grass. He shook out his orange pelt. His black maw parted as he yawned and stretched his wings before he folded them stiffly to his sides. It was hard to believe that he was eight years old now. There was a little gray and white beginning to speckle his face. His lion-like tail whipped around slightly as he remarked one of the border marks. He clawed the dirt a little and sniffed the air warily. His dark ears twitched as he caught a scent close by. He let out a short bark of warning to any within ear shot. He stepped around a bush and his tall form cast a long shadow near the stranger. He glared a little at the female in front of him. At first glance she looked like a lupus, " Who are you?"

[dapple]

Sunset heard a muted landing, however she thought nothing of it. The breeze ruffled her fur playfully, it's gray-black speckled coat colouration keeping her warm with the extra absorbed sunlight. She flicked her ear at a buzzing insect when a large shadow loomed in front of her. Sunset looked up, started. The booming voice of a male set her heart pounding, and the words had gotten farmiliar since she'd left her water-side home.
"Ah--" Sunset gaped, her ears back. She raised herself off the ground a little, but did not stand fully. Sunset's stance was submissive, a little off a crouch.
"I'm... I'm Sunset." Sunset replied, her voice quavering with slight fear and determination. She did not want to be kicked off, or away from the peaceful looking environs. Her tail brushed the ground like a painter's brush might brush a pallette.

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5669/fitdangit.png] The tall, lean male looked at the startled female. His blue eyes examined her carefully, she seemed very plain for a lupus, then again the last lupus he had met was similarly plain. Her eyes caught his attention, they were metallic, like Sirens. He didn't like having to think of the Queen at the moment so he shook the idea out of his head. "Sunset, " He repeated, his words becoming oily as he gained his tongue. "Well, relax a little, you are on the border of my packlands, not in them yet." There was a slight edge to his voice, showing that he did not trust her, even if she did look harmless. He had gotten into the habit of claiming the lands as his own. Sure he never did that around Draugur, being a coward and all, but he liked the idea of having all the power in the pack. Of course if someone asked he would tell the truth, lest the High Chief heard of it. His white tufted tail twitched a little, "What are you doing here? Not looking to cause any trouble are you?" His black lip curled in a slight snarl at that, the last wandering pair of lupus...well one of them, almost destroyed half of the meadow when he came in uninvited. Rey had been a little more on guard since then, especially since his daughter and wards were old enough to wander the lands on their own.

[dapple]

Sunset regained her composure, her metallic eyes becoming blank, slightly with the hint of coldness to them.
"I left my... pack a while ago." She said, looking away over the grassy meadow for a moment. Her pause would not go unnoticed.
"But I mean no harm. I look for a pack or at least a mate to settle down with. After months on the dust road relying on yourself, you get lonely." Sunset's ears seemed to lay back slightly, giving her the expression -- combined with a tiny tooth exposure -- gave her the look of a lonely, sad and hungry Lupus who wanted nothing more then what she said.
"Enough about me," Sunset continued, "Who are you?"

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5669/fitdangit.png] He listened at least to the point that he at least gathered everything she said. He never really bothered to ask people about their pasts too much, part of it he didn't care other part he had no way to gain from it. "Well, I don't know about a mate, persay, " he gave a sly grin, " But I can offer you a pack to join." He gestured over his shoulder to the entrance of the valley. "I'm Reynard, the Chief of that pack." His lion-like tail twitched and his dark wings fluffed up a little. He sniffed at her a little, "Who knows...maybe I can relieve you of that loneliness at some point." Always the opportunist for some personal gain or pleasure he threw that out there. Then, as if waving aside his comeon, he spoke again "What could you bring to the Children?"

[dapple]

Sunset smiled, a little barking laugh came out as Reynard said, "Who knows...maybe I can relieve you of that loneliness at some point." When he asked what Sunset could bring, she smiled wider.

"What do I look like? A lupus, correct?" Sunset said, standing. She walked over to a stream by the border of the meadow without waiting for an answer. She hoped, but didn't force him, to follow her. She sat down, curling her tail around her paws, cocking her head to the stream, so one ear faced Reynard while the other faced the stream.

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5669/fitdangit.png] He smirked a little at her smile. Maybe he still had some slickness to him even in his older age. He raised a brow at her questions. What did she look like? She answered for him. Bringing that to his attention could only mean one thing. A bloody cael. His lip curled slightly in distaste she she turned to head toward the water. His dislike of the breed was solely because of the Queen. And Draugur's blatant dislike of them. However, he did not let this show. They needed more in the pack, and perhaps she could prove to be more useful than the forgetful Siren. As they neared the stream he looked down at her. " I meant what skill set do you have, cael or not, you should be able to bring something to the pack. " He did not plan on turning her away, he even considered cautioning her to not transform too much her first few weeks in the pack, lest Draugur judge her too fiercly for it.

[dapple]

Sunset could see the dislike when he curled his lip, but when he asked what she could bring, the smile that had disappeared came back slowly. She ignored his slight disgust, turning back towards the water.

"I know what you mean, but you did believe I was a Lupus, right?" Sunset asked, flicking her ears again.
"I can act as a regular non-magical Lupus, and no-one would think more of me then that. I could gather information if needed, and..." Suset trailed off, knowing she was probably sounding like a fool.

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/15hivqr.jpg] He raised a thin brow to her, why did it matter what he thought she was? The fact she kept bringing it up made him suspicious. He looked at her warily. "I don't care if you look like a lupus or not, that has nothing to do with your skill set." She mentioned something about gathering information. He could honestly not see how that would be useful at this point in time. However, he said nothing. She seemed overly nervous as it were. "Look, I see no reason why you cannot join our pack, aside the fact you are acting a bit suspicious. I'll accept you in, but try anything funny and your out." It was almost an empty threat, he rarely went through with threats. Draugur however....he had a brief memory come and go.

[dapple]

Sunset knew she'd messed it up, mainly because... well, she just felt like she was stumbling over herself to explain why she would be useful to be brought into the pack. Sunset looked away, ashamed. Her ears trained on him, especially when Reynard said she would be able to join.

Sunset's heart pounded with joy, she looked back at Reynard, fully excited but the fact he thought she would pull something over him still dampened her ecstacy a bit.
"Don't worry, Chief." Sunset replied, forcing a smile.
"I'm not the kind of deciever you take me for." Sunset stood, then lapped some water quietly, her eyes scanning the orange and red leaves on the trees and the slightly brown grass. Sunset's eyes trailed to the earth beneath her feet. She looked up, then licked her muzzle and looked back at Reynard.

"Sir, I hope I don't sound... er, shall we say overly pushy, but when will I see your Pack?" Sunset asked, cocking her head a little and pulling her mouth down into a slight frown.

[Reynard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/15hivqr.jpg] He watched her for a bit, then glances over the adjacent packlands that were his and Draugur's. He thought that he really should get back to patrolling and remarking the boundaries. His black ears flickered when she addressed him again. "Well once you actually enter the packlands you will have better luck at meeting them. I would suggest heading toward the den site." Not that many actually made their dens there anymore. It was a sort of commons though. He turned toward the Valley and gestured in the direction of the central packlands. At least it was frequented. "Just head that way for a bit, the scents will get stronger. I need to finish patrolling odds are I will head there once I'm done."

[dapple]

Sunset smiled, she was accepted! She flicked her tail, a ripple running from her head down her back.
"Thank you, Reynard." she said to his comment.
"I owe you much." Sunset barked to Reynard, then followed his lead. Her eyes trained on the direction he had pointed out for her to follow.

Sunset's mind was racing, mainly becuase she'd finally been accepted, even though she knew she would have to deal with others that might not be as friendly as the Chief had been to her. Maybe she could make some friends, at least get to know other in this new pack she'd managed to join.

Sunset, as soon as she walked to the edge of the clearing, burst out into a full-tilt run, exuberance flowing through her bones like water through it's carved pathways. She was in a pack, she was starting afresh. Now to prepare herself for those who were not as... welcoming as Reynard was. But the main question that plagued her:
Will the Alpha accept her as readily as Reynard did?