[JRP] A new home.

[Zosie]

The two wild dogs had wandered far and wide. It was a certainty that they had seen many things in their lives. They were a pair, mother and son, and though they relied on each other, they had very different characters.

The mother was a small wild dog, who looked no older than her son if truth be told. It was sure that older age had treated her kindly. She walked with the excitement of a young pup on it's first adventure. Her name was Mataka, and she had been the alpha of the Mpinzani pack with her mate. It was disbanded, and whilst she had remained optimistic and rather cheerful, her son had not.

Mtanizi walked alongside her, his white and orange pelt contrasting her black and creme one. He was skeptical. Half his family had abandoned them when the pack split, which was down to the work of his almost military sister. He had watched his mother fight illness, and together they had stumbled upon several possible new homes. But this one, he had to admit, felt different.

They walked together slowly, taking in everything from the scene around them. A little cautious, they knew from their time in the rogue lands that anything could be lurking anywhere.

Seaki

 

[Seaki]

Zohwhee

The pack was still small. Though it was growing, there were roles that were not filled. It was often where Maziwa came in. She couldn't allow their sole guard to stay up at all hours to watch their borders, so she - of course - took on the role herself.

It was her firm belief that she could not ask any of the others to do something she wasn't willing to do herself.

So with that, the bright orange female was on patrol, making her way through the lands. So far, everyone that had come through the lands were friendly, but anything could happen. These were the mountains, after all.  

[Zosie]

The male stopped first. He could see something, or someone. They had heard of the pack here, but were yet to meet anyone. Though it was foolish to have positive feelings about a place you did not yet properly know, the male had them anyway. Mtanizi's colour was similar to that of Maziwa's, which is why he stared a little before he nudged his mother. "There's someone up there!" He nodded towards the other wild dog.

Mataka beamed. She was cheerful and optimistic, but not stupid. Though she was happy to have found the place others had heard whispers of, she knew that they were outsiders. As outsiders, they may not be taken as friends right away. The female trotted up to Maziwa, still smiling, before calling out softly. "Hello there! We mean no harm!" It would appear her years in the rogue lands had made her a little wiser.

Seaki

 

[Seaki]

Zohwhee

Maziwa watched the pair as they came closer - deeper into her lands. They didn't seem dangerous, but she knew very well not to judge based on appearance.

"Hello," She greeted in turn, smiling. "What brings you this far up the mountain?" she asked. Not many came up this far, especially dogs. It could get hard to hunt this high up, after all. She assessed the pair. They looked almost related, but she couldn't be sure. After all, her adopted son didn't have any blood from her family, but he looked very much like her grandfather.

These things happened.

She kept her disposition friendly, though she was a bit wary.  

[Zosie]

Mataka did the talking, whilst Mtanizi kept a little distance.

"We have been wandering a long time, to be honest." Mataka didn't want to bore the stranger with the details of their lives or their current predicament, so she cut it short. "Well, our pack disbanded a long time ago, and we're the only family that's left now. We are looking for a new home, and we heard word of a few packs, so we've been trying to find them." She nodded. Mtanizi narrowed his eyes a little in the distance.

What oh what had happened to Dhati? She had never seen him again, he was gone with all the dust on the wind. Had she been of a different disposition, she may have been living a life in loss, but she was grateful for the time they had had together.

Mtanizi knew his behaviour could come off as a little stand offish, so he moved forward to greet the female. "I suppose we should introduce ourselves?" He suggested to his mother. "I am Mtanizi, and this is my mother, Mataka."

They were similar colours indeed, he noticed. He kept both eyes on the female. He hadn't heard much about the pack at all, and for all he knew it could be a trap of some kind.

Seaki

 

[Seaki]

Zohwhee

Maziwa watched the two closely for a moment before giving the pair a smile. "Well, you've come to the right area. There are three packs in this area. My pack is a bit further up," she told them. She rocked on her paws a little. "I am called Maziwa, and its nice to meet you."

She gave a small pause, glancing in the direction of the pack's lands. "There are two valley packs as well, but I can show you mine," she gave a small chuckle. She was a bit hesitant still. If they decided to stay, she would send Airle to judge them better, but for now they didn't seem so bad. In fact, they were probably more hesitant than she was.  

[Zosie]

Three packs in the area? Mataka beamed whilst her son looked wary. It seemed they were in the right area, and the wild dog they were talking to was the Alpha of one of these very packs. She seemed to be opening up a little so Mataka kept smiling. "That sounds wonderful."

Mtanizi nodded and glanced in the direction Maziwa had glanced in. Would there be many there? What kind of pack was it? He was eager to find out, but had an uneasy feeling in his stomach all the same. Maybe it was too good to be true.

Seaki

 

[Seaki]

Zohwhee

"The other two packs are within the valleys on their side of this mountain," Maziwa explained, gesturing for the other two to follow her into the lands. "We're normally very separated, but we all mingle on occasion."

It was probably a little odd for three packs to be so close to one another, but Maziwa didn't mind. It meant for new ideas and beliefs to be circulated in... as well as new blood lines. At the moment, much of her pack was related, and finding someone to settle with that wasn't a sibling or cousin was difficult at the moment.

"Our pack came up the mountain not long ago. More of a ragtag bunch of different packs that were travelling together, but we've settled here."  

[Zosie]

Mtanizi couldn't help himself, he had to know. He butt in. "What are these packs like?" He tried not to sound too sharp but he wanted to know all the same. Any Alpha looking to take new members in should be prepared to both ask and answer questions, he figured. After the disaster of his mothers pack, and his birth pack for that matter, he had a right to be skeptical. They had traveled so long and so far and although their legs were close to giving up and they were close to settling anywhere - anywhere wasn't good enough. Anywhere could have trouble, and if Mataka was trusting enough to wander into any pack after the briefest of introductions, he would not follow happily. But still, he wanted to make sure she was safe, now father wasn't around anymore.

Mataka looked from Maziwa to Mtanizi with a frown and a sigh. "Maziwa, you must excuse my son." Her bright blue eyes looked to the ground for a second, as if trying to piece together the correct words before speaking them. "We came from a rather, troubled pack..." She started. "Things went a little wrong, and it's all he's ever known, he's been a little tetchy since." The female nodded and nudged her son playfully with a grin.

Mtanizi did not return the same expression and instead looked to the floor blankly. "I don't need you to explain for me." He said, exasperated.

They both looked a little embarrassed as they stared at Maziwa, maybe Mataka had been wrong to reveal her sons past on his behalf.

Seaki

 

[Seaki]

Zosie

"There's one to the south that worships the earth and flowers, and the life it gives. A day-loving pack, and a rather friendly bunch," She told the male. "And there's one in the opposite direction, a pack that follows the stars - a night loving pack. We're sort of caught between the two, and both packs are allied to this one," she explained as they walked. "All are unique in their own ways, of course."

She was glad to explain the other packs, if need be. She wouldn't keep any dog in her pack that didn't want to be within her own. It would make everyone miserable.

She gave the pair a small smile, an accepting one. "It's no worry - I hope this pack will provide some stability and peace within this pack, should the pair of you decide to stay."