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 Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:00 am
Jaqueline smelled the moment they crossed into the Aves territory and immediately fell a few paces behind Shalise. Sure, the point of the journey had been to get here, but Jaq wasn't so good with the meeting new wolves thing. A silent prayer went out that the meeting go smoothly and that she and her two companions be accepted gracefully into Aves. Clemens was a fair way off, and it would be a long trip back... not to mention the embarrassment. Going back would certainly draw attention, and she didn't want to draw too much attention, especially from the higher-ranking males of the pack.
She noticed Shalise turn her head back to look at her and moved up until she was almost alongside the female again. She just didn't want to be prominent when the welcoming committee showed up. She was happy to let Shal, or the messenger, take care of the first greetings.
"Sorry," she said softly to the pale blue female, flicking her ears back for a moment and looking sheepish.
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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:19 am
Well, Shalise thought, She technically is...
"The alpha of Aves is our alpha's daughter. No male, no strangers. She was from Clemens once too, so we aren't strangers. There's no reason to think they won't want us here."
Shal still didn't really know Jaq's reasons for coming to Aves, but her own didn't leave her room to worry about "could be"s. Aves would accept the additional hunters, even Iris, for however long they were all staying. In some cases, that stay might be longer than others. Her new project this trip, once she realized that Jaq was making overtures of friendliness-- very vague overtures brought on only when Shal was being pointedly nice-- had been to try drawing her out more, to instill a bit more dominance in her. However, it would take longer than a month to make Jaq less shy. She'd been lucky they were a traveling pack of females. From what she'd gathered, her friend didn't do so well with those of the male persuasion. And Shal, in her part, apparently did too well.
"Iris, how far do you think the den site should be?" Shalise asked, more to draw her attention away from her thoughts than anything. "I still haven't seen a border patrol, though we passed the markers already."
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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:45 am
Iris' heart still raced, and her breath came fast, tongue lolling. "I think" she panted "we're not that far now". She had run off to a high rocky outcrop she'd spotted, to see if they were all headed in the right direction and her golden yellow eyes had spied what might be a den site. "It looked" pant gasp "like once we pass the edge of this ridge" wheeze "we should be almost there".
Despite her lack of breath, the deep-purple-hued female was cheerful. She'd been waiting for an excuse to leave home and this had seemed the perfect opportunity. She hoped she could be of use, here, of course - that her decision to come wouldn't be too much of a burden - whatever, she'd make the best of it.
Unlike the others, she figured she could happily run all the way back home, if she had to. Not that she wanted to go home, but the pace here had been awfully slow for her and the small trip out to the rock had not scratched her itch to run long and far.
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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:14 pm
Shal nodded and looked ahead as if she could see the dens already. True to Iris's prediction, the den sites didn't take long to reach at all and the first wolves came into site, though none spoke to the new strangers. Shalise simply continued past them with a polite smile and a nod, ignoring the heat of Jaq's breath against her back leg. There should be a central area, or some kind of officiating wolf who would be able to greet them and take them to the Alpha, or offer them lodging. That was the wolf they needed to find in order to get their story out and themselves hopefully settled into the pack.
When she felt Jaq beginning to press up against her, Shal stopped entirely and turned to look back at the other wolf. The one trait the travelers shared, their eyes, burned yellow holes into one another for a few seconds before Jaqueline dropped her gaze and stepped away. It wasn't that Shalise minded the closeness, but if they were to make a positive first impression, she needed to at least stand on her own. Plus, it would be very odd looking for one wolf to be nearly tipping over because the other was pushing her so hard.
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:20 am
Mu'sha made her way south, her trust companion and mentor by her side, chatting about inconsequentials until they neared the pass. The pass was a long strip of land between two long mountain ranges and through which all visitors to the Aves land must pass if they wished to come to the main dens. Orion and Ely, out on patrol together, had spied three wolves coming up the valley from afar and had estimated how long it'd take them to arrive.
Wary of southerners, but needing more warm bodies for the hunt, she and Jove had decided to head down to meet these newcomers and put their best paw forward, as it were. Ely and Orion had come too, but were staying back a ways to watch and see. If there was trouble, they'd come running but otherwise they'd stay out of sight.
Keeping her eyes on the entrance to the pass, still idly chatting about where elk had been spied and how Var and Orion's training was going, she and Jove settled down to wait.
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:29 am
"Look, there they are!" Jove said, interrupting Mu'sha mid-sentence. His eyes scanned the trio as they passed by the last lip of rock and he raised himself up to get a better look. Jove was a big wolf, confident in his abilities and in good shape. In the late prime of his life he wasn't as wary as 'Sha was and it was with a confident stride he moved forward to intercept the newcomers.
Whilst not unfriendly, Jove was very much business-like in his approach to others. He saw most wolves in terms of skill and ability and respect was the currency of his favour. He definitely wasn't going to be especially friendly to some lax southerner just because they wanted for a few hunters. He wasn't entirely on the same page as Mu'sha when it came to welcoming newcomers with grace, but he was, at least for now, willing to give them a shot.
Something about the three gave him pause as he came closer, though. Something familiar about that pale girl... "By the spirits, they're Clemens! Or.. at least she is, I think" he motioned to the stripe-backed wolf who seemed to head the group. "I'm sure she's Vari's sister's daughter". Jove rarely forgot a face - especially if they'd been one of his students or relatives thereof.
His gruff greeting died on his tongue and he marched forward with a slight smile, homesickness gifting him a momentary cheerfulness. "Spirits welcome you!" his tail wagged, surety that they were from home growing as he got closer. Spirits take him, he missed home!
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:12 am
The pair of wolves surprised Shalise, although the length of their approach had given the trio some warning. Mu'sha was recognizable immediately and Shalise felt herself straighten instinctively and tuck her tail slightly so as not to appear menacing. The male beside her took a longer time, but she assumed it must be Mu'sha's mate, or one of her betas.
His enthusiastic greeting was another surprise, but Shalise smiled, pleased that they were receiving such a pleasant welcome even though (she assumed) they had no clue their new visitors were from Clemens.
"Spirits blessings," Shalise replied easily, pausing a respectful few feet away. "Please forgive us for entering your lands unannounced."
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:28 am
Jaqueline eyed Iris's return with quiet interest, but by the time they had breached the first areas with life in them she had closed off and literally become a sidelong shadow of Shalise. No speech escaped her, and her steps fell in time with the other female. With no one approaching, she managed to stay calm and project some illusion of competence, but that didn't last for long. Two wolves headed toward the travelers with purpose in their stride, a large brown wolf breaking ahead to come greet them. It was impossible not to recognize him as a dominant male. Jaq immediately fell back several steps to allow Shalise to take the lead, her tail tucking under her in a swift movement. She had said no males! Why hadn't Jaq considered that the betas may not be female, even if the Alpha was? Her eyes didn't linger on either the male or the female-- the Alpha, she judged by some familiar markings-- for very long, and instead darted between the ground and the pair when her gaze left paw-level at all.
When Jove's voice greeted them, despite the friendliness, Jaq most likely would have shrunk back if she hadn't done so already. Still, the best option, she knew, would be to stay quiet until Shalise or one of the others called on her to do or say something. And besides, Shal was already talking to them now. She could handle the introductions and the greetings, or even Iris, since she was the messenger. Not from Clemens, no, but still, wasn't it her job to talk? She certainly always had the energy for it.
Jaq glanced over at Iris, to check if her overwhelming energy was still present, and then returned her eyes to the ground in front of Jove's paws so it would look like she was paying attention. That was always the best way to avoid notice: do what everyone else was doing.
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:30 am
Iris stepped forward with enthusiasm, eyeing the older male appreciatively. He was cute, she thought: older, but still a decent hunter by the looks of him, and pretty confident. She gave him a warm smile before greeting him and Mu'sha as she arrived alongside, introducing herself and her companions.
"I'm Iris, this is Shalise and that there is Jaqueline" she said, nodding to each as she said their name. "We've come from Clemens and Tempus".
"I've brought messages from your family, and some news you might want to hear from the last big meet" she added, her tone relatively serious given her usual rambunctious manner. She loved running, travelling, crossing the land at breakneck speed. She was even a half decent hunter if someone pointed her in the right direction. Her job, however, had always been to carry messages. She was well suited to it and even since her youth had often outstripped more experienced messengers. She was reckless and headstrong, but she always seemed to pull it off, nonetheless.
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:44 am
Jove's immediate friendly reaction had told her right away where these wolves had come from. He was a traditionalist at heart and only those of the extended packs he thought of as family would elicit such a warm response from him. With a smile she stepped up beside him and added her own greeting.
"I'm Mu'sha, pack leader of the Aves. I welcome my sisters from our homeland". It was a bit formal, but came to her naturally, her gentle smile showing that she truly welcomed them and was not just saying as much because it was duty. Sisters, yes, but younger than herself, she figured. Maybe a little older than her own children? She couldn't tell what age the one who held back was, as she could barely see her, but maybe a bit older?
"You must have so much to tell us" she addressed all of them, though she recognised Iris instantly as a messenger. It had been such a long time since they left, and noone had come since. Why now? she wondered. "But please, come to the nearby den - you must be tired coming all this way".
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:52 am
Jove paused midway to saying more, eyeing the young pale lilac striped female again. Shalise? That wasn't the name of Vari's sister's daughter, she was called, what was it now... Kalia? Yes, Kalia.
Well, now he looked again, she did seem a bit young to be... "Are you related to Kalia, girl?" he asked Shalise outright. "You look just like her" he added, to explain his interest when Mu'sha raised an eye.
He allowed himself to be herded towards Kalain's den by Mu'sha as he queried Shalise, excited, himself, to hear news from home. He also questioned the other two. "Some of you are from Tempus, you said?" he asked Iris, looking at her and Jaq. He wasn't sure he remembered Jaq, though there was something vaguely familiar about her. Maybe she, too, had a relative he had known 'back in the days'. Ye spirits he was getting old, he grumbled to himself.
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:20 am
Shalise looked at Jove in surprise as they followed Mu'sha. She should probably have expected that someone would know a member of her family, but the male's mind must have been a steel trap to remember someone from so long ago. She beamed pleasure regardless, happy to be reminded of her family and that she had such a clear association with their colors. She was always told she had little of her father's looks in her, unlike her other siblings.
"Yes, my mother is Kalia. You know her?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:31 am
Jaq followed at the very very back of the group, staying a good few paces behind Jove and Shalise, and to the opposite side of Shalise from Jove. She listened to their conversation with an attentive ear, but her eyes were inconspicuously set on Mu'sha, to see where they were going, or on the ground before her paws.
Of course Jaq recognized Jove. She had been on plenty of hunts with Aves during his last year with Clemens, although she always acted as part of the group and never to stick out, of course. He had always been a good leader and a great hunter and very... male. Strong and competent and... really frightening.
She risked a quick glance at the pair beside her, as much to get a second look at Jove as to make sure she wasn't going to step on Shalise's back paw. She quickly moved a little further away to avoid any embarrassing incidents. Shalise wasn't having an issue with his maleness. Maybe it was because she was younger and hadn't yet seen Jove hunt.
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Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:37 pm
"A little aye, I knew her sister better" he confirmed. "But Mu'sha is right, let's not sit around here and jabber away all day - come and rest!" it came out more commanding than Mu'sha's invitation had been. He wasn't really used to 'asking' people to do things, but he was feeling rather cheerful and magnanimous at the moment which lent an enthusiastic tone to his words.
Without another word, expecting them to follow alongside, he turned and made his way towards the nearby den - Kalain's, sadly, but that was normal for visitors. Them and 'strays' as Jove thought of the southerners who kept turning up...
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Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:44 pm
Mu'sha rolled her eyes at Jove's back, but she was smiling. The visitors had seemed to take years off him - perhaps just that little taste of home was lifting the worries from his mind for a little while. She was beginning to feel a little festive herself, and wondered if they could, perhaps, have a storytelling at the shrine tonight or some other sort of celebration...
"So what brings you here, how long are you planning to stay?" she asked, sticking to basic chit-chat as the small party's inertia brought them towards the stone overhang that the shaman and his acolytes called home.
As they walked past, Mu'sha discreetly motioned to Ely and Orion, telling them to go on and let the others know the group were on their way. Kalain was rarely ever taken aback by random visitors, but it did good to have everyone ready and not, say, covered in mud from digging up plants for Gaias' garden as they had been doing the past few days...
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