From Sand to Stone [Joining/Aludra]

[Deleted]

The land flashed beneath her paws as she raced forward. Long and angular, the exotic fea moved like a bullet, breaking form only to drive her paws into the ground and propel herself onwards. With every step she took, Emese felt as if her journey to start a new life for herself was drawing ever closer. She relished the feeling of coolness in her fur, and along her travels had delightedly taken to the shifting temperature. Even in winter, the weather of the Vor'asa desert was dry enough to brittle even the healthiest of pelts, and the sun put any wolf in danger of getting a nasty sunburn. But here, everything was much different. The young fea had never imagined that life outside the desert could be anything so wonderful. Her parent's stories of far-away lands could not even compare to this; this was the real thing.

Muscles burning, Emese let herself slow to a gentle lope and lifted her head to gaze upwards. There was so much green here. The wolf that had, only a few weeks before, had never seen a tree in her life was now surrounded by them. The ground was hard, the sun a companion, not an enemy. The canopy of the trees over her head filtered the light into a pleasant afternoon glow. She truly was standing in the midst of a mystery. With an excited yip, the fea let her tongue loll from her long maw. With a slight spring in her limbs and a pup-like grin, Emese lopped out from the grove of trees.

High above, the frosty peeks of the Tia-deli Mountains loomed over the landscape, piercing the sky like the curved spine of some great dragon. Each with a brilliant cap of snow, they were quite unlike anything Emese had ever seen before. These were not rolling dunes of sand; these were towering monuments, great rises of stone. At once, the fiery fea bounded onward, eager to enter this new world.

If she thought the cool ground of the forest was strange, then nothing could prepare her for the strange sensation of rough stone beneath her paws. She noticed it as the trees began to thin and the forest floor became increasingly riddled with fallen stones. The transformation into the mountain range was gradual, but even so, Emese felt as if she had suddenly been thrust into a very alien terrain. Once she was immersed in the new land of stone, the slender fea took a moment to take in her new surroundings.

It was like a maze, with stone walls flanking her on either side and a path ahead that branched and twisted in different directions. All the green was gone, and had been replaced with various shades of grey that matched the solid sky above. A nearly silent whistle lilted around her large ears, a product of a small wind through rocky caverns. The exotic fea from the desert was truly in an alien world.

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Count | 504 words
Muse | Pretty good!
Notes | I’m a little rusty, since I took my break. Sorry for any awkward sentences!

[Toiro]

A faint breeze ruffled the leaves in the forest canopy overhead, the movement dislodging several snow crystals which spiralled lazily down to join their brethren on the frosted floor below. Today was much warmer than what it had been the previous week, and yet winter still held the territory of Shyia under its cold firm grip, the land almost void of the life that was so plentiful in the summer.

With only one designated hunter, the pack was struggling to find enough food to sustain its many members, so the alpha himself had decided to hunt while he patrolled the territory. Of course, this slowed his speed down significantly, what with the detours he took following up scent trails, and it was in fact more like hunting-near-the-border than hunting-while-on-border-patrol. However, he had actually been mildly successful with his efforts, having caught and eaten a couple of decently sized hares earlier in the day.

Right now Toiro was after more ambitious prey; a deer had managed to get itself separated from its herd – its trail slowly meandered through the alpine forest in obvious confusion. The would-be hunter had caught brief glimpses of it far off through the trees as he cautiously stalked it, but it was only now that it had foolishly ventured higher up into the mountains into an open rocky landscape that he’d been able to pinpoint its location and approach to within visual range. Upon getting his first close view of his quarry he’d been disappointed to note that it was only a youngling, born out of season, and with a painfully scrawny frame due to lack of nutrition. But that really wasn’t surprising, considering the harsh winter they’d recently endured, and, whatever its condition, any meat was better than none at all.

So here the Airila alpha crouched, half-hidden behind a mossy grey boulder as he spied on the creature, all senses alert for the movement of his prey. But as the deer turned its back on him again and he made to advance to the cover of another rock formation, an out-of-place sound (real or imagined) caught his attention and he lifted his head just in time to see a flash of red higher up the mountainside.

What was that? By its movements, it looked like an animal of some sort, but the alpha knew of no regular creatures in Shyia that were such a shade; a fox was the closest he could guess at, but they would still be wearing their winter coats at this time of year. And even from this distance he could tell that it didn’t have the right shape to simply be a brightly coloured deer. So what could it be? Toiro drew in a breath of the cool mountain air, trying to catch the strange creature’s scent. What he could pick up was very vague, but seemed almost wolf-like… The grey wolf’s mind suddenly flashed back to a day, a long time ago, when a lanky russet furred femme had asked to join – she had called herself a maned wolf. She had left though, fairly quickly, the cold temperature too much for her to cope with. No, none of the wolves currently in Airila were like that odd femme, which meant that if that patch of colour he’d seen had indeed been a wolf, it must be a trespasser.

At that thought, the alpha’s tail gave a light wag and his ears perked in curiosity. Most sane alphas would be furiously bristling at the thought of loners disrespecting their boundaries, but the Airila alpha wasn’t too bothered about it. Of course he preferred loners to let him know they were there by howling, and he certainly didn’t want them taking what little prey there was without permission, but he wasn’t the kind to punish anyone with innocent intentions.

Which brought him to a bit of a dilemma. Should he continue hunting, and possibly catch something to eat for his pack, or should he go after the loner and ask them what their intentions were in the territory? Before Toiro had become alpha the choice would have been simple; he wasn’t an outgoing or social wolf, so he would have ignored the stranger and stuck to his own business. But during his time living in Shyia he’d learned to love company. His pack was his driving force, and the wolves within it gave him so much to live for (especially the lovely shaman Aludra, if he was allowed to have favourites). The four year old also had more self-assurance now, perhaps because of his rank, and was no longer so nervous about what others would think of his patchy conversational skills. Now that he’d discovered the benefits of close friendship, he actually liked meeting new wolves and (if they were interested) welcoming them into his family.

Yes, the deer would have to wait. One last quick glance was given to the blissfully unaware animal, and then, mentally promising himself that he would find it again later, the grey wolf turned and bounded off in the direction of the newcomer. Thankfully it had only travelled a short distance further up the mountain, so he wasn’t too puffed as he rounded the corner of the path and came into view of the exotic she wolf.

“Excuse me? How can I help you, miss?” He closed the gap between them slowly until he was about a wolf’s length away, not wanting to frighten her with a sudden appearance. The alpha was a very large male, and was aware that he could appear intimidating to those who did not know him, so although his tail was held high, it wagged slowly in an attempt to convey that he was friendly and meant no harm. In fact, his posture in general was relaxed; he saw no reason for a loner to attack him on his own lands, especially with back up only a howl away, so displays of dominance were unnecessary in his opinion.



.

[Deleted]

The further Emese traveled the border of the mountains, the more the thought of her old home faded from her mind. This is true freedom, she thought as she lifted her muzzle to the solid grey expanse of sky and blissfully closed her eyes. This is the freedom to run wherever my limbs take me. The freedom to discover. The freedom to call wherever I rest home.

A slight wind kicked up as Emese inhaled the chill of mountain air, and the black blaze of fur on her back swayed in the sudden breeze. There was something about this altitude that tickled the senses in the young she-wolf’s nose. It may have been the sights of impending snow; a crisp, chilled sort of air, the expanse of grey overhead, or just the simple freshness of it all that kept the exotic fea’s eyes wide and her steps light. She really did not know what was drawing her to these mountains. Their towering peaks were a far cry from her old home; the flat, burnt desert would never see anything such as this. The scents here were somehow even more earthy than Emese’s trip through the forest below. The stoney trail she traveled on had a smell just as fresh and inviting as the rest of the land, and it was driving Emese’s sensory organs crazy. She could hardly focus on any one particular thing, for the moment she focused her wide brown eyes on an interesting rock formation, or a bird crying out overhead, something else would snap her attention away. She surely had no trouble missing the large wolf that had suddenly come around the corner and into her intended path.


Emese could not help but let a small yip of surprise escape from her throat as the unexpected brute came into view. His appearance was so sudden to her that for a moment, she nearly lost her balance. Her clumsy paws knocked into each other, and she struggled not to stumble forward and into the newcomer. Stiffly, she straightened her legs, ignoring the small ache in her front ankles. As she lifted her head, her deep brown eyes locked with his; those steel grey orbs sucked her in and held her for a moment before she was able to pull away. As she averted her muzzle slightly, she could not help but feel uneasy at the authority she saw there. Those eyes did not belong to a subordinate, that’s for sure.


He was strikingly strange-looking to the tall she-wolf. He was large, yes, but Emese’s head would probably clear his if they were both standing tall. Besides that. however, the brute was rather large. His coat of grey and black fletched coat was thick, insulating for the winter weather. His legs were far shorter than hers, and in general, Emese felt it strange to see a wolf so low to the ground. He had barely any height at all compared to her limber form. What was truly large was the way he was carrying himself. The brute held his tail and chin proud. He was in no way way menacing, but Emese could see that this was a wolf who was used to being in charge. Even relaxed, she could see the power in his stance. And those eyes...


What have I gotten myself into? she thought immediately. Then, and the sight of the brute’s wagging tail, Emese reached into herself for a bit of courage and lifted her muzzle to speak.


“I have come a long way,” she began nervously. "I did not mean to cross into any territories on my travels. I sincerely apologize if I’ve intruded."


Although she did not sense any anger or aggression from this wolf, Emese was sure to bow her head respectively as she spoke, flicking her eyes up to meet his in brief passing.

---

Count | 665 words
Muse | Pretty good
Notes | Still trying to make time to focus on posts and get back into the swing of things!

[Toiro]

Toiro hadn’t meant to surprise the she wolf as he came around the corner – she let out a yip of surprise, although it wasn’t long before she got herself back under control, even if she did still look a little nervous. That was understandable. After all, he was the alpha of the territory she was trespassing in (even though he hadn’t yet told her this, she would likely know by his stance that he held at least some power), and it was not often that one came across a wolf as large as him. In fact, he didn’t think he’d ever met anyone who was taller than him, although his lead warrior came very close. This she wolf seemed pretty big too, although she was much lankier, with long skinny legs. Very unusual. That other wolf he’d met a while ago had looked similar though; it must simply be that there was a whole breed that looked that way. Could there then be other uncommon breeds of wolf he hadn’t seen before? Others whose paths never strayed up into the cold mountainous terrain which the grey male had made his home? It was possible, he supposed. The trespasser regained his attention as she replied to his query, dipping her head slightly to him as she spoke, a welcome sign of respect.

“Oh.” Toiro sounded almost disappointed that the she wolf hadn’t intended to cross into pack territory. From first impressions, she seemed like a kind and polite wolf, one who would have fit well within Airila. Of course, that might not be her real personality, but at least she didn’t come across as being arrogant or snappy. “No, it’s alright, you’re not intruding at all. As long as you don’t take our prey you’re fine to pass through.” Toiro was not the harshest alpha on Anikira, not by a long stretch, and he really didn’t see what was so wrong with letting a lone wolf travel through their lands. Of course, he definitely preferred to know that they were there, but now that he’d met this wolf and found out she had a reasonable character there was no problem with letting her continue.

These mountains were a bit dangerous in winter though, and such a short-furred creature didn’t look as though she would have much experience up on the slippery slopes, her body seemingly more suited to warmer climates. Perhaps he should escort her to make sure she didn’t get lost? It wasn’t as though he had anything more productive that he should be doing – the deer he’d been stalking would be long gone by now and he didn’t feel like taking the time to find it again. Anyway, this strange she wolf was much more interesting.

“You must be from far away; I haven’t seen many wolves like you before, none that stay for long anyway…” he trailed off, realising that he didn’t know the name of the wolf he was speaking to. “My name’s Toiro, by the way,” he offered, with a slight question in his steel grey eyes. Some loners didn’t like giving out personal information like names or histories, and since she hadn’t expressed any interest in joining the pack, he knew he didn’t really have much business asking about such a thing. But he did like to know at least the name of who he was talking to.



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[Deleted]

The lanky she-wolf met the alpha’s stormy grey irises before pulling her gaze away. For a moment, she blanched, unsure how to respond. The brute was being kind enough, and everything about his posture suggested an non confrontational conversation. Still, Emese stayed weary. She gave him a slightly clumsy bow, her snout bending towards the stoney ground before coming back up again, being sure to remember everything her family had told her about meeting strange wolves. Unfortunately, the moment she found that she needed the information, it escaped her. It was all she could do to bring herself to utter a short introduction.

“I go by Emese,” she said in short. Then, as his expectant gaze continued, “I left the Vor’asa desert moons ago to start a life for myself. I wanted to see what the lands beyond the desert had to offer... and I found this.”

Emese could not help but lift her head to the grayscale heavens and close her eyes in a brief moment of wonder. No matter how long she stayed away from the dry desert lands, she did not think she would ever get used to this new world; with all its dampness and greens, abundance of prey, and gurgling brooks, there was no way the exotic she-wolf would ever become tired of the sensations around her.

For a moment, the long-legged wolf forgot her introduction and simply blinked at the brute before her. “It’s a wonder,” she breathed, and with that last mention of her new discoveries, Emese could feel the coiled tension in her springy limbs relax, and she carefully let her hackles sink back down. The wolf before her had an air of authority that intimidated her, but that was as it should. He wasn’t going to bring harm to her. In fact, the she-wolf now wondered who this stranger affiliated with. Shallowing her weariness, she found it within herself to ask a bold question.

“May I have the pleasure of knowing whose territory I have come to be a guest of?” Emese worded her request carefully, hoping to sound at her most polite. She felt the strange urge to please this wolf. He did, after all, know these mountains in a way she did not, and the last thing she wanted was to become lost in her travels.

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Count | 403 words
Muse | Decent
Notes | I'm not entirely happy with this, but I'm sure my muse will get better as I get back to posting regularly!

[Toiro]

Toiro listened as the maned she wolf introduced herself and explained why she was so far from home. Vor’asa was a place which he’d never heard before; the only desert he knew of on the island of Anikira was the Occasus. Perhaps she had come from across the sea, then, like he had done? He didn’t exactly wish to linger for long on that question, however, as it was beginning to touch on a topic which he wasn’t exactly fond of recalling.

So he was glad when Emese mentioned the wonder of the place, and her delight in the environment around her brought a warm smile onto his face. “Yes indeed, it is a beautiful land,” he nodded. It truly was paradise; it had everything the grey male ever wanted and he was sure he couldn’t imagine a more perfect home to live out his years. The territory itself was wonderful, with high protective mountains to shelter them from the south, a fresh water source which could be relied upon in any season, and a cool green forest with a variety of prey hidden among the trees. And then there was the family he had here. He trusted each and every one of the wolves who belonged to the pack, and was certain that he would continue to form stronger and deeper relationships with them as time passed. Yes, he loved his home profoundly, and nothing would ever part him from it.

He was open to share whatever knowledge he had, so her next question brought another smile. “This is Shyia, home to the Airila pack.” Toiro replied. “The territory goes as far as the forest does, then beyond that are the grasslands of Tiayr and Caurus; those are loner lands.” He supposed that was where she was headed if she had come up from the south.

She would be wanting to continue on her way soon, which was kind of a pity considering that she seemed like such a pleasant and polite wolf… the kind that he believed would get along well with the others. He would love to continue their conversation, but as she had told him she was merely passing though and appeared to have no particular interest in joining, he wasn’t sure what else there was to talk about. Toiro was a considerate male, and he didn’t want to hold her up or ruin whatever plans she might have for her travels by forcing a conversation upon her.

Although, she really didn’t seem to mind, and he saw no impatience in her manners which would suggest she was eager to leave. And what was there to stop two wolves conversing with one another, even if one was an alpha and one was a loner? It often felt very lonely living by oneself, Toiro knew, and although his last experiences living without the comfort and security of a pack must have been several years ago now, he could still recall the dark days he’d spent wandering with no purpose, with not a friendly soul to talk to for miles around. Not to assume that that was the situation with this wolf, but she certainly didn’t seem resentful of his company. In fact she seemed to have relaxed considerably since he first startled her; he hoped that meant she no longer found him to be a threatening figure, as that was definitely not the kind of alpha he was or wanted to be.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Emese. If you need a guide through the territory I would be happy to show you the way. Or, you are welcome to remain a little longer, that is, if you don’t need to reach your destination in a hurry. I have nothing planned for the rest of the day,” he shrugged, trying to convey that it wasn't a big deal for him either way. After all, he didn’t want it to seem as if he was desperate for company, but it would be rude to appear to be eager for her to leave. Being an alpha was difficult sometimes, especially one who was apprehensive of offending anyone, and wasn’t the smoothest in social circumstances in the first place.



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[Deleted]

The kindness of the grey wolf touched Emese. His friendliness was a welcomed change from the other wolves that she had passed on her travels. Before she reached the forest at the foot of these mountains, many a wolf had come near to her path of travel, only to steer clear of her in the end. Their clear avoidance left the she-wolf hungry for some company. Her travels had been far too lonely for her liking. She was a social wolf after all, and although she craved adventure more than anything, companionship was always close behind in her mind. This new wolf had startled her, but she had since realized that no harm was going to come to her while in his presence.

As he spoke of the lands beyond the mountains, a slight shadow passed over her heart. "Loner lands" he had called them. That may have seemed interesting to her when she had been back in the dessert, but now it only made her feel a little sad. The idea of a new pack seemed much more pleasing too her. Don't get ahead of yourself, she thought, a silent warning to her own bubbling ideas. You do not even know who these Airila wolves are.

"I do not have a destination actually," she said kindly. She hoped her hint of wanting to linger in the beauty of these mountains was not too painfully obvious to this intuitive brute. The last thing she wanted to do was seem too clingy. But she had, after all, been traveling for quite some time. This pack that Toiro mentioned seemed all too enticing. "The Airila, that would be your pack?" Emese asked. Her large, cupped ears turned forward, and her brow raised in a curious arch. She wanted to know as much as she could from this brute.

She hoped he was an alpha. He did seem to have a strong air of authority. The way he stood with his head and tail tall, his stormy grey eyes somehow still managing to sparkle. If she was lucky, he would be able to tell her more about these wolves. By his kind gestures thus far, she had high hopes for a warm, welcoming pack. Maybe even welcoming to newcomers... The pads of her paws tingled as she tried to contain her bubbling excitement.

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Count | 400 words
Muse | Okay
Notes | I really want to start getting my posts longer. But I can feel my muse coming back, so hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later!

[Toiro]

Toiro waited casually for the she wolf’s reply. He didn’t know why he cared so much about whether she stayed for a while longer or left right away – the pack wasn’t in dire need of members anymore, so he didn’t have to try to desperately persuade every loner he met to join. Ah, those were the days, Toiro chuckled inwardly to himself. He’d matured so much during the two years he’d been living on Anikira, and had the ability to make much better choices now. He knew now that members shouldn’t just be accepted to make up the numbers; they needed to be able to make a contribution to the pack and be committed enough not to get bored and wander off a few months after joining. The grey alpha had learned the hard way that those who were persuaded into joining generally didn’t stay as long, mysteriously disappearing into oblivion. Airila had plenty of members now; the male could finally relax and begin building stronger relationships within the pack rather than spending his time on the borders seeking more wolves.

And yet, when the foreign she wolf told him that she had no destination in mind he felt oddly pleased. Emese seemed interested in the lands she had found herself in, and he was always glad to share his knowledge of his beloved home – he realised that his tail was wagging gently behind him at her decision not to continue on immediately. “No plans at all? Are you… are you looking for a pack?” Toiro shuffled his paws, hoping that that had come across as a casual question.

She asked him if Airila was his pack and he nodded a reply. “Yes, I am the alpha of these lands.” Would that knowledge affect her judgement of him? He hoped not, and continued to hold the same relaxed and friendly stance that he’d held throughout their conversation. Toiro was not a dominant wolf by nature, and as such didn’t find much pleasure in seeing a wolf cower before him. In fact, it had been somewhat of an accident that he’d become alpha at all, and apparently a miracle that he’d led Airila for so long. Alphas were not supposed to be kind and generous gentlemen; they were supposed to be big tough males. Well, at least he was two of those things, but he certainly wasn’t strong. In fact, most of his warriors would probably be able to beat him in a fight – Airila was held together through loyalty and friendship, not strength.



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[Deleted]

He had said exactly the words she had been hoping to hear.

A flood of possibilities broke free in her mind as that simple question left the alphas maw. "Are you looking for a pack?” No, she had not been looking for a pack. No initially. Emese could feel the fur of her neck bristle as she bent her neck towards the steel grey brute. She had been looking for someplace to welcome her. A place that was new, and full of possibilities. She had been looking for a place to belong. Back in the desert, she had always been bound to leave. She had wanted more; more land beneath her feet; more stories of her own to tell; more companionship; more adventure. Maybe a place like this could give her what she wanted. A new start.

Could this be what I have been searching for?

Not only had she come across such a beautiful and mysterious stretch of mountains, the humble she-wolf now found herself being welcomed by an alpha of an unknown pack. She could see kindness in his stormy eyes, and the way he stood was anything than what a powerful leader should be. He was relaxed. Like the sky above their heads, he was open. This was a place she wanted to be, and if she could, she would want to be under this wolf's leadership.

"I would love an opportunity to be able to stay in these wonderful mountains," Emese finally managed to breathe out. With a slight fumble of her long limbs, she took a step forward and nodded her appreciation to the older wolf. As she caught herself from falling forward onto the stone, she couldn't help but let a sheepish grin slip onto her muzzle. Her excitement was just too great and it was causing her clumsiness to show. As she glazed up at Toiro, she could feel heat rising under the fur of her long spout.

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Count | 336 words
Muse | Okay
Notes | I'm currently in between two month-long trips right now. I will not be able to post after next week until mid-August.

[Toiro]

The slim russet-furred wolf moved towards him slightly at his question about whether she was interested in joining a pack, some unknown emotion visible in her brown eyes. Toiro stood still as she observed him, unsure what she was looking for, but not feeling threatened by her gentle demeanour. When she spoke up once more, her voice was softer, but he could clearly hear the words. He was somewhat confused by her statement though. Was it a request to join? Hope fluttered in his chest as he carefully extended his offer further. “Emese… I would be happy to welcome you into our pack, if that’s what you would like.”

The grey alpha’s left ear flicked nervously; he really would be pleased if she had decided to make her home in Shyia, but was still afraid that that hadn’t been what she’d meant by her slightly vague comment. It would be very embarrassing if she had just meant that she wanted to stay here for a night or two before moving on. But when he saw the eagerness in her movements, the barely avoided stumble and the sheepish grin that followed, his self-consciousness began to melt away and a smile broke out on his own maw. It almost seemed that she was just as shy as he was – perhaps they had both been avoiding direct statements which could be taken the wrong way.

If that was the case, he should have nothing to worry about, and consequently, after a short pause, he continued with a wag of the tail. “Do you have skills in a particular area, or would you rather remain as a subordinate for a while, until you decide which rank is suited to you?” His words were spoken much easier now that he had relaxed more in her presence, and his interest in the subject could be picked up from his voice. There was something special about welcoming a new member into the pack, a feeling it gave him deep inside of content and excitement for the future. He could hardly wait to introduce her to his packmates; he was sure that she would fit in, and thus be able to contribute to Airila as one of its members.


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[Deleted]

As she saw his tail give a gentle wag, her heart soared. He was asking her if she would like to join his pack. It was more than she had hoped for, especially with her clumsy way of going about things. She knew he would read through the way she avoided directly asking him to stay, and for that she was grateful.

"Skills?" she asked after a moment. He was watching her with what looked like a spark of excitement and clear eagerness, but she was not sure how to answer him. Back in the desert she had no need to contribute to her small family pack. They simply spent their time working together, all contributing to the hunt and bonding time. Frankly, she had never really had any interest in learning any special skills. Maybe this was her chance to learn something.

She dipped her head politely and said, "Well, I do not have any special skills. However, I will be willing to learn whatever skills I need to be a good pack member." As the words left her mouth, Emese couldn't help but to raise her head proudly and give a long swish of her fiery red tail. Already, her excitement was boiling over and it was getting harder to keep it bottled inside. Her very own pack: it was what she had been longing for. And these mountains - they just held a certain air of magnificence and adventure. How could she ever be bored in a place like this, especially when she was certain to be meeting some new wolves soon.

And ones that will not run at the sight of me, she thought. For a moment she remembered a small group of wolves she had seen in the distance as she had been traveling the outer reaches of the desert. She had called to them, but as quickly as they had appeared, the group had fled over a large sand dune. Similarly, she had experienced the same close to here, in the forests. It was a relief that not all wolf packs were to treat her the same. Emese was sure that this was where she belonged.

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Count | 370 words
Muse | Good
Notes | I'm back from my vacations and will be on regularly from now on!

[Toiro]

Toiro waited for a response to his invitation to join, his heart lifting when the russet female in front of him wagged her tail and gave her reply. It seemed as if she really did wish to join, and was excited to be able to do so, but she somehow managed to keep her voice calm and polite when she spoke. Toiro nodded understandingly as she told him that she did not have any special skills; if she had been a loner for a while there would have been little time for her to specialise in one as she would have had to have been adept at both hunting and fighting in order to be able to survive in the loner lands for long.

“That’s perfectly fine. I’m sure you’ll find something that interests you once you’ve settled in. Anyway... welcome into the Airila pack, Emese!” Toiro grinned at the new subordinate, pleased with her choice to stay, and also pleased that he himself had had the courage to make the offer in the first place. Although it didn’t sound like much, it really was quite a large achievement for the shy male; perhaps he was finally getting used to his alpha position after all.

Chance, of course, had played a part in their meeting too; if he hadn’t been out hunting they wouldn’t have met and she would have probably continued straight on through the territory and into the loner lands beyond without a second thought. He was glad that he had decided to let that deer get away so that he could meet this femme; in summer, deer could be found almost any day in Shyia, but it was rare and special to have this kind of encounter with a fellow wolf.

Toiro was eager to introduce her to his other packmates and see how she could contribute to the pack – even though she had told him that she didn’t have any particular skills she had expressed a willingness to learn, which was very promising.

“Do you want me to show you around, or would you like to explore the area by yourself?” He figured that that was the best thing to do next; now that she was a member of Airila, she should get to know the territory which would be her home.

[Deleted]

"Airila," she whispered. The word still felt foreign on her tongue. Untested. But as she spoke it, she could feel the fiery hairs on her long limbs stand on end as if electrified. The mountains that towered around her - dwarfing the two wolves in the stone clearing - were grand and mysterious. She did not know what sort of wolves she would meet here in this pack, but watching the mist roll over the grey sky and curl itself around the rounded peaks above, Emese found herself thinking she would never want to leave such a place. This was her fresh start, and Toirio had made it possible. The handsome alpha had been nothing but kind to the young fea. He had no reason to be so open to her, but she was grateful. His peace made her skin blush.

Home has a name now.

Normally, such a bold decision would make Emese weary. But with Toiro standing boldly before her, his tail wagging to a swift beat and his mouth slightly agape and relaxed, her fears were not about to surface. Too much excitement and expectation bubbled in her veins, churning her blood. He was offering her into his pack so openly, and allowing her to meet her future packmates. Immediately, she wanted to go with him.

"I would love it if you showed me the territory," she pipped with a slight grin. With a small, springy bound, Emese turned tail and loped down the stoney path. For a moment, she forgot her manners. But then, stumbling slightly over her own paws, she turned and bowed her head to her new alpha as she waited for him to take lead.

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Count | 286 words
Muse | Excellent
Notes | .