New Opportunities

Mauser stood quietly, observant upon his observation point on the leeward side of the ridge, he suspected that this was territory belonging to a pack, it must be as he had begun to notice small signs for the last few miles. An experienced tracker, he had noticed tracks and the occasional bit of fur clinging to bushes and limbs that had the definite smell of another wolf.

He sat on his haunches for a few moments, scanning the valley below as he listened to the roar of a powerful river surging through the rocks below. From his vantage point, the river was a mere ribbon, glinting like silver in the morning sun. Mauser yawned and stretched, emitting a small whine of satisfaction as his stiff joints and muscles relaxed. He lay, head on his paws in an effort to steady his head, observing the lands below carefully for any sign of movement. An out of place shadow, a disturbance in the foliage, anything to indicate a creature below before he ventured further.

The male started, waking quickly and looking around alarmed. There was nothing there, he must have dozed off while quietly watching the valley below. The sun's rays now illuminated his post, warming him pleasantly. He stood, stretching before setting off at a moderate pace down the slope. "I suppose they'll find me before I find them regardless..." He mused to himself, deciding that taking a chance on finding a better place to live than the isolation of the valleys deeper in the mountains was worth the risk of encountering a threatening male. He knew that most wouldn't fight right off, but would simply run him off. However if things came to that, he could take care of himself.

She had only recently joined the pack, accepted by the beta, Xerxses, who also happened to be her brother. It had been horrible to discover that her other brother, Blitzen, had been killed before she had found them, but she was happy to hear that he had a mate and pups before he was taken from this world and into the next. And at least she still had one brother, Xerxses, who's side she rarely left now-a-days. But today was an exception, and since he'd gone out to lead a hunt, she had decided to take up a patrol and wander the border of the pack lands. She had begun to call Roztok home, and she was happy with the pack that her brother had accepted her into. They were strong and proud, and though she was smaller than the average female, she could definitely hold her own.

Though, when she neared the border, the scent that filled her nose was unfamiliar, something she had not expected to encounter upon her arrival. She frowned, her ears pinning back as she lifted her head to sniff the air once more. Then, with no warning, a feminine howl escaped her jaws, alerting the newcomer that she had noticed his presence and that he had to either present himself or leave the pack lands. She was still well within the borders when she stopped and sat, her white tail curling lightly around her paws as she waited for him to either howl back or appear before her. Until then, she let her eyes scan the trees thoughtfully, hoping that this wolf would not be hostile or intend on harming her or her new pack. She remained tense, ready for anything, though at the same time, she hoped that there would be no violence necessary.

Mauser froze in his tracks when he heard the nearby call. He was in mid-step, a fore-paw raised above the earth. Finding himself in a thicket along the edge of the slope with poor visibility, he slowly moved ahead until he found a slightly better viewpoint. The brute sat on his haunches, tilting his poll back and replying to the femme's call with a long, drawn howl of his own.

"Well I wanted to know if others lived here... Thats my answer" he thought to himself after replying, his ears alert and twitching slightly atop his head at each small woodland sound around him. "She must have noticed me.... breeze is heading towards the valley... must be warmer down there now with the sunrise..." He thought, rising up from his position and moving ahead again. She didn't make a threatening call he supposed, so he would have to see what this was all about.

Moving ahead a few hundred yards, he guessed that he was in the vicinity that he had heard the call come from. Though with the terrain, the steep slopes, valleys and cut backs the sound could travel in strange ways indeed. Mauser found himself atop a large, flat rock that looked out over the valley a few hundred feet below. Close, dense growth had found a foothold in the thin soil along the mountainside, leaving the boulder open to observation for a long, long distance. "Well.. she can undoubtedly see me from here.." He mused, lowering back down onto his haunches, the rest of his body following as he rested his head upon his paws.

It didn't take long for him to appear in her view, a large grey wolf, one that didn't really seem to know exactly where she was. She waited a few more minutes, watching him pause on a large flat rock and then lay down slowly. Finally, she pushed herself to her feet, slowly closing the short distance between them before stopping a few yards away from him. "Hello." She said softly, her voice feminine and gentle, as well as holding a hint of curiosity as well as hesitation. She wasn't sure why he was here, or what he was like, and she didn't trust him. She didn't trust males in general. In fact, ever since her arrival here, the only male she would allow within a few yards of her was Xerxses. Not even the alpha, Ramses, had gotten any closer to her.

She had been through a lot of pain and abuse at the paws of male wolves, had a pregnancy forced upon her, and then had her pups killed in front of her because of their weakness. No, she would not let another male near her, no one other than her brother, who she trusted with her life. This male, though, she did not know, nor did she trust him. The fur on her shoulders rose defensively, and she remained standing, reading to fight or flee at even the slightest sign of aggression from him. But right now, there was no threat in his posture, so she remained still, waiting for a response from him, as well as hopefully a reason why he had entered Roztok territory. Was he looking for a pack? Was he looking for food? Was he just passing through? The questions swirled in her head, but for the time being, she kept them silent, waiting for him to speak and carefully assessing each and every movement he made.

Mauser's ears moved slightly, hearing a small sound only moments before the femme moved into the open where he could see her. "Surprising... She must be quite the huntress..." He thought, remaining still as he heard her speak, her calm words contrasting the defensive posture, the hackles raised along her back.

"Hello...." He replied, his head slowly lifting from his paws as he glanced over towards her "I'm Mauser.... Im not from around here..." He whuffed softly, tilting his head as he watched her. 'God that sounded stupid.. of course you're not from here.. moron...' He thought, chiding himself for sounding like an idiot. "Am I intruding on your land? I was just wandering... food's scarce up in the higher elevations..." He tilted his head over his left shoulder, indicating the ridge off in the distance, topped by fog and stretching for miles north and south, effectively hemming the western side of this valley that she apparently called home.

She studied him carefully as he lifted his head and spoke, retaining her defensive posture as her ears flicked backwards slightly. "These lands are owned by Alpha Ramses, leader of the Roztok pack." She said softly, her tail flicking behind her as she watched him suspiciously. She was about to ask him why he was here, but when he mentioned food, she understood. She had been nearly starving when Xerxses had found her near the borders, and the pack had helped bring her back to health and fed her enough to make her strong again. She stood before him at full health, and though she was strong, she could be quite fierce when she needed to be. Right now she was simply defensive and suspicious, as he had done nothing to threaten her, yet.

"Lone wolves are not permitted to hunt within pack borders." She said, stating clearly that the prey within pack lands was for pack members only. They needed to feed themselves, after all. Their pack was not enormous, but it was large enough to need to protect their food source at all costs, especially against lone wolves that wanted their food. Was that the only reason he was here? To find prey? If so, she had absolutely no reason to allow him to remain within their borders. But for now, she would wait and allow him to speak and explain himself, or even leave by his own will. She knew nothing about this male, nor did she know what he wanted other than food. She couldn't trust him, and she didn't want to. Her posture remained defensive and suspicious, her eyes never leaving his form as she waited silently, her fur still raised and her tail swaying slightly behind her.

Black and brown patches mixed together in his fur, giving a darkened color all over his body. His eyes were a dark gold-yellow color, almost orange like the harvest moon. His large maw opened as he released a yawn from his muzzle. His pristine white teeth glistened in the light. He had planned the day in his new pack to be one of rest and relaxation. Still learning his lands, he would explore more. Ramses showed great promise as a young wolf, which must have been why the spirits came to him and commanded he take Alpha male of the Roztok Pack. Ramses did not know much of the spirit realm, nor what they could do, but he knew he better listen to them and do as they told him. Taking his place among the pack seemed, easy almost effortless. The others seemed to respect the commands of Blitzen without question. The large brute walked out from his den, searching the pack clearing for any wolves to speak to. Finding none in sight, he decided to walk his border, asserting his authority over the land. His massive paws moved slowly, causing his body to skip over the cold ground.

He pushed through the branches of low trees, the tall grass tickling his stomach, and the damp cool ground against his pads. His tail curled over his back, resting against his spine. Slowly he moved into a trot, covering more ground than before. Before he had time to patrol the whole boundary, two scents attacked his nostrils. One scent was a fae, a hint of the pack on her, but the other was new. Ramses knew it would be a loner, but what would bring him to the border? Did he wish for a new life? A family? Or to hunt on their grounds? Ramses was all about new beginnings, after all, he was given a second chance. As he approached them, he listened. The white fae seemed to be telling him the basic information of the pack. Ramses stood by, hiding within the brush. He knew all members of his pack could hold their own in a fight, but just in case the brute pulled anything, he would be here to talk down the altercation, possibly fight if needed.

Mauser remained resting as there was no sense in making any sudden moves to startle the assertive, bossy yet slightly attractive femme. He simply nodded his dial in response before speaking. "Of course . . . . . You wouldnt permit me to thin the prey that you and your fellows intend to use to get through the winter." He wagged his tail slowly, lifting his head a few inches from his paws "I was thinking if I could stay a little while until the weather breaks enough for me to move on." He looked back over his shoulder again at the distant ridge from where he had entered this valley. The top of it now obscured further by the growing grey clouds.

He glanced back over at her, tilting his head inquisitively as he continued: "Weather up there was awful. Most snow I've seen in my life thats for sure... Nothing to eat, Nearly ended up here via your river when I tried to take down a buck. He and I went in, almost froze before I found a place where the current was weak enough for me to get out..." He licked his lips, seeing a small ground squirrel dart within reach of the fae, but did not move. After all, she said he was not allowed to hunt here.

"Anyways.. I am Mauser.. what is your name? And do you think I could hang around a while? I could be of some help if your pack is low on manpower.."

The small female remained tense and suspicious as the male wolf spoke, carefully studying his expressions and letting her fur finally lay flat on her back as he said he wanted to stay temporarily in their pack. The idea made her frown, after all, it seemed like he just wanted to use them to get food and then when the prey increased and the weather became warmer, he would leave them again. But his last words, about helping the pack if they needed it, made her relax a bit more. Now she, as a warrior, could not accept new wolves into the pack, but something was telling her that Ramses was not far. In fact, as the wind changed, the powerful alpha's scent washed over her, making her perk her ears and turn in the direction that it had come from.

She took a deep breath, confirming the scent, and then turned back towards Mauser, obviously uncomfortable. One male was enough, and he had been calm and relaxed. But now that Ramses was here, there were two males, and she was much more uncomfortable than before. "I cannot allow you access to our lands, however, Alpha Ramses can decide the answer to your request." She said, glancing back in the direction that the alpha's scent had come from. He was close, and she wondered how long he'd been watching them. Either way, though, this decision was his to make, not hers.

Mauser caught the movement of her ears, the quick glance over her shoulder and immediately knew that the rest of the pack must be near. "It is their land, I'm sure word gets around quick about a newcomer..." He mused, before slowly rising and padding slowly forward, making an effort to not seem threatening. "Well then, do you think we could go find them? Its cold... I hurt and I'd like somewhere to go to sleep..." He huffed softly, now only four or five yards from the smaller canine. "I know it isn't your choice to make.... But in your opinion, do you think your leader will allow me to stay? Or should I be planning on sleeping and leaving at sunrise..."

The Alpha watched from the darkness, covered in shadows. Soon he pushed through the twigs and brush which protected him. His large form towered over the fae and was much bigger than the brute as well. He moved closer to the brute named "Mauser" than to Trilogy. He knew she was uneasy around brutes, wondering why she had come in the first place. But he had to admit she was reliable. She stopped the brute from hunting in their lands without being accepted into the pack. Ramses would not acknowledge her good deed until they were alone or at least within their territory. His voice was calm and alluring, "I see you have met Trilogy. I was watching from the dark, making sure no harm was brought to a member of my pack. I am Alpha Ramses and you have journeyed to the border of Roztok. We are a small group, but do not misjudge our numbers for our strength. If I allow you entrance into my land, and acceptance within my pack, what will you do for us? Will you pledge your life to save the lives of those living within these lands?"

As he stood before him, his body was relaxed and very calm. His eyes were warm like the harvest moon, looking to the other. His tail hung behind his legs, no need for a show of dominance or aggression. That was not the way of the pack. It was not how he wished to rule. His head, however, was held higher than them both. He would wait for the answer, hoping Trilogy was not freaking out too much. In time he hoped, she would be almost as comfortable in his presence as she was with her brother, Xerxses. But he would win her loyalty and friendship in due time. For now, he focused back on the male who stood before them.

Mauser shifted his gaze as the alpha emerged from his concealed position. He glanced back at Trilogy for a moment as he listened to the male's statement. Giving Ramses the equivalent of a shrug, he replied: "Of course there wasnt going to be any harm to your friend. But then, you didnt know that did you.." Mauser wagged his tail idly, displaying confidence, as he was not intimidated by the slightly large male. He stood silently for a few moments as he chose his words. "Well, thanks for your consideration Ramses... But you do not know me yet, and I do not know the members of your pack either so wouldn't you think it strange if I made that commitment without knowledge of what I am getting myself into?" His ears perked slightly, as he continued with his explanation. "However, I would like to stay here, and Join your pack, but that requires a knowledge of the threats you have to deal with here. As you said your group was small, is that a problem? Are there other packs around here that are dangerous? If so, then I am glad that I was lucky enough to meet you two first..." He woofed softly, hoping that his explanation would not be taken as a refusal, but just as a cautious reply.

Mauser thought quietly for a moment, deciding to explain to Ramses where he had come from. "I suppose you might like to know, that I havent seen any sign of any other canines on my journey here. I have come down from the towering mountains off to the west, and had spent a few years there until this winter as game is incredibly scarce. If things are as scarce here, then perhaps you do have reason to be cautious of newcomers, and of any other packs that could be in the area." He sat, finished for the moment with his exchange with the alpha and waited patiently for the male's decision.

Though she had known that Ramses was nearby, the small female tensed a bit as the dark male emerged and approached them to speak with Mauser. She was nervous and uncomfortable, yes, but at the same time, she was also slightly relieved. At least he was a pack member, someone she knew that had pledged themselves to protecting her and the rest of the pack. This Mauser, on the other hand, had not. However, as the males spoke, she found herself drawing back slightly, a few yards away from the two of them and watching on silently. Ramses's words were simple and to the point, yet Mauser seemed to be dancing around the idea of joining and the idea of leaving. And she could easily tell by his posture and behavior that there was little submission to the alpha of the lands he now stood in. It annoyed her a bit, but she decided to keep her mouth shut, especially since she was outnumbered with males at the moment. Even with one, though, she wasn't sure she'd actually interject or say anything anyways.

While she sat, her tail curled around her paws and her head tilted slightly, like it always did whenever she was listening intently to someone speaking. She wanted to know what would happen here, and she wanted to see what Ramses's reaction to Mauser's words would be. The entire time, though, she remained tense, ready to spring away to safety should a fight break out between the two males that were still uncomfortably close to her. She stood little chance against Ramses alone, but if another male were also thrown into the mix, she could easily be injured, or even worse. So basically, her best bet was to sit on the sidelines and wait quietly until the Alpha made his decision.

Mauser quietly noticed the female's unease. He kept his attention focused on the alpha, but could not help but be slightly distracted as he watched Trilogy ease herself slowly away from the two males. "She doesn't think that this is about to be a conflict does she?" He wondered quietly to himself, as his tail thumped lightly on the ground. He glanced over at her for a moment, then back at Ramses, wondering if the Alpha was going to introduce him to the pack, and allow him to make a decision on if he wanted to stay or not.

Peering over at her again, Mauser asked her softly. "Trilogy? No need to be shy. Noone's going to bother you.." He woofed softly at her, and proceeded to lay down on a rocky outcrop nearby, stretching out in the weak sunshine. He looked back over at Ramses, inquiring curiously "So... Ramses, do you think I can meet your pack and then we'll see if you want me to stay or not?"

Being the very understanding brute he was, he watched the other carefully. His response was witty and not exactly what he had expected. In previous packs, wolves that wished to be accepted into the pack did not just behave in this way. No, they were respectful and more times than not, would devote their lives to be a family again, even if they had not met the other members yet. The main purpose of a pack is unity and protection. You treat one another as family and friends, no matter their background or how they treated you, for when it came a time to rely on them, they would be there. However, this wolf did not do any of that. Had he been like other Alphas he had seen in the past, this wolf would have been chased from the border, or worse even. He looked to Trilogy for just a moment and then back to the male named "Mauser".

His harvest orbs laid upon the body of the male. "It appears to me you lack discipline and a sense of respect. Normally an Alpha would not accept such behavior. You are requesting to join this pack. If you choose you do not wish to provide answers to the few questions I have asked you. Do you not trust us? I am going to need real answers in order to accept you at this time." His eyes stared at the other, never looking away. He was not angry, just displeased.

Mauser could see that Ramses was not pleased, perhaps even slightly irritated. Seeing that the alpha was kind enough to give him a chance to explain himself, he replied: "Perhaps I do lack discipline, having had no encounter with another canine for... Oh dear.. I don't really even remember how long it has been...." He fell silent for a moment, thinking to himself before continuing. "However, I do not mean to disrespect you. I simply would like to know a little more about you," He motioned his muzzle at trilogy "And your friend, and the others in your group before I agree to be part of your pack, of a family. As much as I would love that, I just feel that it is best for me to tell you exactly what I think, so as to eliminate the possibility of miscommunication. So, I do want to stay, but I'd just like to know a little more about you and your pack before I make a permanent decision. Im sure you can understand that... yes?"

The male remained sitting, comfortable on his rock, and not wishing to startle Trilogy, or appear confrontational to the leader of the group. He perked his ears, attentively listening and waiting, hoping that Ramses would see the wisdom of his request. After all, it would be far more dangerous for the Alpha to accept strangers into his group with practically zero knowledge of who they are and what they represent.

The white and gray female was finding herself shifting slightly closer to Ramses, a male she knew and trusted, and as she listened to the exchange of words between the males, she let herself relax slightly. Ramses was taking care of things quite nicely, and right now, there didn't seem to be any reason to be uptight and worried. In fact, the young female was thinking about getting up and leaving at this point. There was no point in staying here, plus, she'd be much more comfortable elsewhere. Slowly she pushed herself to her feet, exhaling slowly and looking over at Ramses, her head and tail low in respect. "Alpha Ramses, I am going to head back to camp. Do you need me here?" She asked softly, making sure the alpha was the only one that could hear her hushed tones.

She didn't want to insult the newcomer by just leaving, but she also could no longer take sitting here close to the two males. At least there were other females back at the camp, and she wanted to get some more time in alone before she re-introduced herself to social life. She had a lot on her mind since she'd found her brother's pack, and now she found herself wondering where Xerxses had gotten off to. The large white male was the only one that she trusted, and she found herself seeking out his attention more often than that of any other wolf in the pack. But right now, she didn't know where he was, and as she waited for Ramses's answer, she wondered whether or not she should go looking for him.