A SpringTime Adventure (open)

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Endless hills of purple heather stretched out in front of the black wolf. Above, clouds rolled and danced beneath the spring sun, casting rolling shadows upon the ground. the heather, caught in the constantly changing state of light and a breeze, seemed to take on the image of an ocean of violet stretching out before him.

Ever since he had received his powers from Sheba, Remus had set out again to explore the region and unlock its secrets. The black wolf knew that it would take quite a long time for him to fully learn all the mysteries. it coincided well with his long term plans- it would also take a fair amount of time for him to perfect his powers. Though he had been practicing for quite some time after leaving Sheba's cave, there still seemed to be a wall that stood unwavering at his attempts to move large objects. But slowly, that wall was giving away, and Remus found himself becoming more and more capable of moving heavier items, though levitation had not been reached.

For once, though, Remus was relaxing as he walked in the heather. He amused himself by flinging small rocks up from the ground, seeing how far away he could throw them. The light grey mark on his shoulder glowed slightly at each attempt; it had grown brighter since he had travelled from the mountains, so he  had assumed it was a gauge of his powers.  The brighter the glow, the better.

But as he reached the peak of a hill, he stopped; the scent of a boarder met his nose, meaning that there was a pack living in the area. A sudden need to meet them filled Remus; perhaps they knew of a way to improve his powers, or even just educate him on the ways of this strange region. Hoping that they had the same customs as his old pack, he raised his head and let out a mid-low howl to both announce his presence and ask permission to enter the territory. as the last note faded into the spring air, he sat down amongst the heather and waited, hoping someone had heard his call.

[Gyllbane]

Treason wasn't far from the border when the call rang out - despite herself a small smile made its way onto her lips. It had beeen far too long since she'd recieved a summons from the border, and she loped towards the source of the sound. She approached Remus as he came into sight, tail held high and ears forward, but a calm demeanor about her, trying her best to look nonthreatening while remaining her dominance.

"Greetings. I am the alphess of the pack that has claimed this territory; my name is Treason. May I ask your name, and why you have summoned me?" She dipped her head lightly in greeting.

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Remus's ears perked as he heard another wolf approach the peak of the hill. A she wolf was cresting the ridge, her ears and tail held in the unmistakable position of dominance. Remus began to have doubts about coming; although he had spent his life training to fight and dealing with his rivals, he knew that a battle was the last thing he wanted while he was alone; he could not deal with injuries in such unfamiliar territory.  But as she closed the distance, her aura seemed relaxed, and Remus too began to relax, though he remained attentive and alert. When she finally spoke, the reason for her signs of dominance soon became clear.

"The alphess of a pack has come to greet me herself? This is a true honor." Remus said, as he too dipped his head in greeting. “My name is Remus Vale, and I’m new to this region. I’m interesting in joining a pack, if only temporarily. If you’ll have me, I’m certainly interested in being in a pack again; it’d been far too long since I was a part of one.”

[Gyllbane]

Treason offered Remus a light smile, comforting despite her sheer size. She was used to the tense reactions she got from outsiders; her coat and stature did not do much to give the appearance of a gentle creature in the least. She'd learned to offset it with language and gestures, but one could only do so much, and it relieved her a bit to see the young wolf relax.

"Indeed. I enjoy greeting all who venture to my lands; the pleasure is mine." She listens as Remus speaks, though one phrase seems to inspire an almost wary expression, for a moment. When he's finished, she begins to speak again.

"If you have been in a pack before, then certainly you know the expectations they hold for their members. I would be happy to welcome you into the Honovi, but know that I expect no less than your utmost loyalty; we often offer shelter to those in need, but the Honovi is not a temporary home." She seats herself lightly on her haunches, gauging Remus' reaction to her words.

"I ask only that you consider carefully what you're searching for in a pack."

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"I would imagine it to be quite the pleasure, greeting all those who wish to join. In the region where I came from, you were far more likely to meet a full patrol."

A flash of energy passed through Remus's eyes as she continued. Yes, perhaps in a few years, if he had met his goal, he would leave to return to save his homeland, but only when he knew that he had fully prepared for it, and that he was indeed capable of fulfilling his goal. But for the time he was here, which would probably span years, it would serve him better if he was part of a pack.

“Yes, I’m fully aware of the responsibilities I take when I join a pack; I assure you, they are nothing I have not dealt with before. And as for my loyalty, that is one thing you will not need to worry about. But as for my time year, I will not be leaving for years to come. I can still serve your pack faithfully.”
The alphess’s final comment only served to strengthen Remus’s resolve. “I know what I’m searching for,” he said, with a determined nod, “I’m searching for a pack that I can serve, and in turn, a pack that will help better myself.”

Note: Excuse the pitiful post, had a very long day.

[Gyllbane]

Treason studied him for a moment longer; the temporary home comment from earlier still niggled at the back of her mind, but Remus seemed nothing if not determined, and his words were confident. She dipped her head in acknowledgement, another subdued smile playing at her lips.

"Your dedication is clear. I would be happy to accept you amongst our ranks; however, there is one last thing you should know." This had always been the make-or-break part of her job - she was fully prepared for the wide range of responses he might give to the news. "We maintain an alliance with the evil pack known as Frigid Plague, to the southeast in the redwoods. It is a bond that has spanned generations. I understand if you do not wish to join after the news, but I will not lie to you about who we associate with."

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A wave of relief washed over Remus; at long last, he wouldn't be alone anymore. He would have a pack that he could rely on. Though it had been a long time since he had been part of one, and even if he wouldn't hold the same rank as he once had, a sense of excitement that he had not felt since he was a pup rushed over him. He allowed himself to smile, only slightly, to reveal his happiness. If Treason was to be a packmate, than at the very least he could show some emotion.

"It'll be good to be among friends again." He said, grateful to be accepted. As she continued, Remus noticed that she seemed to be preparing; for what, Remus could not figure out. But as Treason concluded, Remus saw why. He could imagine most wolves would not be willing to join a packed allied with darker wolves. Remus felt slightly uneasy himself, but he was not going to show it in front of an alphess. Besides, his knowledge of the regions conflicts was extremely limited.

"I care not of their faction, and I'm sure you have your reasons for allying with them. As long as I have permission to visit their territory and pack, just out of curiosity, I have no objection towards joining a pack allied with an evil one."

Once again, a glimmer sparked across Remus's eyes. If the Frigid Plague pack had powers, even if they were truly dark and evil, Remus was interested.

[Gyllbane]

"Of course you would be permitted. With an escort, of course - Frigid Plague doesn't take kindly to loners on their lands. But accompanied by one of your packmates you'd be allowed entrance." Treason nodded as she spoke - it was a perfectly reasonable request, and one she'd be happy to carry out. "You'll meet the rest of us in due time, though I'm afraid our numbers aren't quite what they used to be."

That was as far as she was willing to admit - the Honovi had fallen on scarce times, as of recently, and many had left or gone missing as the winter grew harsh. She was still unaware of the whereabouts of a few of them, and worry niggled briefly at a corner of her mind before she tamped it down.

"I formally welcome you into the Honovi, Remus. Our dens are that way, and you are free to claim one of them as your own." She pointed with her muzzle in the direction of the stone fields. "And you're welcome to explore the lands as you please. There's a lovely oasis that's good for relaxing near, though it's still partially frozen over." She cracks an honest smile, her tail lowering and swaying a bit, clearly pleased at the prospect of a new packmember.

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"That's good; I wish to learn as much as I can of this strange land, and of all the powers that reside in it.” Remus said warmly. As the alphess continued, Remus couldn’t help but to wonder what had happened to the Honovi pack. She spoke as if the pack had lost a fair portion of its members. But Remus dismissed his doubts; he was glad to be in a pack again.

Remus’s excitement grew considerably when she mention him being able to have a den of his own, though he still made a severe effort to conceal the extremities of his emotions. It had been quite a while since he had the luxury of sleeping in a den; most of the time, during his travels, a shady tree or overhang was his only shelter.

“Thank you, it’s an honor to be a part of your pack. And it’s certainly good to hear that I will have a den in good time. I look forward to settling here, it’s rather lovely.” His last sentence was purely honest; in the north, no flowers seemed to bloom. “The oasis sounds lovely; but first, I’d like to settle in, and perhaps meet some of the pack, if I may.”

He was glad to see Treason relaxing, as she lowered her tail, giving it a slight wag. It meant, more or less, he was truly accepted into the pack, by Treason, at least.

-Onwards to the Rocky Outcrop!-