DotW RP: Thea meets Phen

Tawnwen:

Dragging herself over a huge fallen stump, Phen continued smoothly with her patrol. Sometimes she wondered why she always spent so much time next to the border. Usually, only scouts and guards were ordered to do such tasks, being those who maintained the border and protected the territory. But Phen was just a meager advocat, needed to relay messages to the pack's members. As a matter of fact, she should probably be back at the main den, available if her alphess needed her. But she wanted to explore the outer reaches of the territory one last time before making her way back to the center.

Tentatively, she lowered her muzzle and sniffed a clump of bushes that outlined the border. The trace of scent markings was weak, probably washed away by the rain, and she'd have to ask Lyn to re-mark them once she returned. If borders weren't marked properly, moody loners could come wandering in without realizing they were in pack territory, which often gave guards and scouts extra problems. Phen took a deep breath, just to make sure nobody was near. To little surprise, she picked up a strange, sweet scent nearby. But she wasn't sure what it came from just yet. With her tail waving in the air, Phen picked up speed and cantered in the direction of the scent.

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MatrixPotato:

The rain had subsided long enough for Thea to travel comfortably. She hated the rain- and getting wet altogether for that matter. But it was inevitable as she walked leisurely through the forest. She sighed, feeling as though her stomach and legs may never be dry after the rainy season lifted. As she inhaled again though, she caught scent of a patch of wildflowers nearby. The scent was so sweet and delicious; she couldn't help but turn toward them. Unknowingly, she also walked passed a Chandor scent marker, but the smell of the flowers masked it almost one hundred percent.

As she came upon the patch she smiled and then looked down at herself. She was wet and stank terribly; her muddy paws caked with God-knows-what she stepped through on her way here. Without a second thought, she gleefully hopped into the flower bed and began rolling around in it. The scent of the flowers rubbed against her fur and acted as a sort of perfume to cover her own stink as she continued, giggling happily like a little puppy.

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Tawnwen:

As the scent became stronger, Phen picked up a scent mingled with wildflowers and of a stray wolf. She still couldn't tell what gender they were, or what they were doing in their territory. At least the wolf smelled clean and appropriate, and not some mangled or hostile loner. After a short time trotting past trees and bushes, Phen could hear the female wolf this time. It sounded like she was scuffling around in something, and she could hear her innocent laughter. It was most likely that the wolf had wandered into their territory by accident.

Rounding a bend, she finally locked her eyes on her target. She was close enough to observe her, but far away enough to stay hidden. Despite looking wet and covered in mud, she was a beautiful she-wolf, with elegantly colored fur and smooth features. She was small but seemed a bit older than her, judging from her defined face. Her pelt color seemed to mix well with the shades and scent of the flowerbed she was rolling in. The she-wolf was healthy and muscular. Phen blinked. If this female really was a loner, then she would be a perfect recruit for her pack. Lyn had told her earlier that they were looking for more members, were they not? Good. Phen trotted over casually to her, not feeling the need to have the element of surprise this time.

Walking up to the female, her sweet scent was even stronger, and she noticed she had those rare, ice-colored eyes. " 'Excuse me, miss. Are you aware that you're in pack territory?" she questioned her, sounding rather casual.

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MatrixPotato:

It felt nice to finally be rid of the nasty wet-animal smell that Thea had gained. Now she smelled like a lovely field full of wildflowers, and she loved it. She sighed contentedly and just laid in the flowers now. They were mostly smooshed, but they still felt nice to lie in. But her relaxation was cut short when a voice suddenly spoke out from behind her. Thea was on her feet in moments, now facing the stranger. She hadn't smelled her approaching over the strong scent of the flowers. This female was dark as night and, not menacing, but she definitely had one of those 'mess with me and you won't see tomorrow' type of dispositions.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Thea blurted in response to the females question. She took a step back and dropped her tail submissively, lowering her head to be parallel with her shoulders. "I didn't realize- I didn't smell any markers. I'm so sorry." She took a step back, ready to turn and bolt if she needed. This female might sound casual, but she certainly didn't look like it.

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Tawnwen:

The female wolf got up so quickly that Phen took a step back in surprise. She thought she had made herself heard by walking over to her, but she guessed the she-wolf was too busy rolling around in the flowerbed. Understandable. Phen approved of the loner's apology, so she wouldn't have to take any hostile measures. However, it was evident that this female didn't trust her very well. Her fur stood up on her shoulders and her tail was tense and lowered. Phen was surprised by her reaction and tried reviewing herself. Did she really appear that menacing, or was it because she had appeared out of the blue?

To release unnecessary tension, she let her tail drop from its usual position and even wagged it a little to show she wasn't here to murder her. She still kept her face blank and her posture high, however, to retain her dominant position. "Understandable. Please, there is no need to be nervous". Phen paused for a moment, gears turning in her head, wondering how to word her ideas. She obviously didn't come here looking for a pack, so it may be impossible to convince her to join. Nonetheless, she had to try. Sitting down comfortably like she did during long conversations, she tilted her head and looked out into the wilderness, past the pack borders. "What are you doing wandering around in these parts?" she asked calmly. "I hope that storm wasn't too much for you to handle". Although the she-wolf smelled pleasant now, her belly was still wet and caked in dirt.

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MatrixPotato:

In all honesty, Thea thought that this wolf would bark at her to get out, but instead she just sat down casually and asked her about the storm, like they knew each other already. That had never happened before. Thea blinked in slight confusion before she finally relaxed a little. She cautiously sat as well, absentmindedly wiping away some of the dirt from her legs and chest.

"Oh, I just wander really. I've only been around here once or twice before and it wasn't claimed then." She looked toward the border; had she really missed a scent marker? She couldn't tell now; the aroma of flowers was still pretty overpowering. "The storm wasn't too bad, but I traveled a long way so I didn't really give myself time to dry off or anything." She smiled sheepishly.

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Tawnwen:

Phen was glad when the female finally relaxed a bit and sat down. It wouldn't be ideal if she were ready to bolt if she offered her to join. She seemed surprised at her friendliness, but in reality Phen was simply trying to gain the female's trust. The female had been here awhile it seemed, even before Lyn had claimed this area as her own. Phen supposed that she couldn't blame her for not noticing the newly set scent borders.

"Yeah... I hate all the mud too", Phen responded quietly. She didn't like getting dirty, either, but she did enjoy the rain somewhat. It brought out the earthy, fresh smell from the ground. She looked the female over again. What was a nearly full-grown and proper female like her doing trekking around without any friends? She seemed to get along well and was quite carefree, judging from the way she launched herself into that flowerbed. Phen imagined a she-wolf like her would have been accepted into a pack already. Additionally, she imagined a she-wolf like her would have been looking for a pack to join as well. "So you're a loner, hm?" she spoke her mind. "Have you ever considered settling down in a pack? There are many friendly wolves around here, and it's much easier to have support from others". It was true; Chandor was a peaceful pack, and even though they had fewer members than other packs, could sustain themselves just fine.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea chuckled a little. Yes, mud was definitely something she hated- though even that was an understatement. Being dirty was something she couldn't stand. It ruined her nice fur! Not that she was conceited or anything; she just preferred to be clean. Silence passed between them for a few moments and Thea continued to wipe away the dirt. She had successfully gotten rid of most of it, but she still had dark stains where it had been. She would need to find a river nearby or something to bathe in later. Her head shot up at the shewolf's next question. Join a pack? Oh yes, that was definitely something she wanted to do.

"Well, I.." She started uncertainly, glancing away. Could she pass up an opportunity like this? But could she take the chance of history repeating itself? Her old pack was peaceful as well. "I would...like to join a pack." She said slowly. "But, at the same time, I wouldn't." She looked back up at the other female, her ears dropping back slightly in an apologetic manner.

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Tawnwen:

Phen's ears twitched with apprehension as she waited for the female's deciding response. The fact that she barely knew her made it unlikely anyways that she would accept, but it was still worth a try. The wolf actually seemed to consider it for a moment, but there was a hint of distrust or insecurity written on her face. Phen leaned forward, searching for an explanation, and also encouraging the female to finish her sentence.

Indeed, her response surprised her. She raised an eyebrow, looking at the loner in a confused way. What was holding her back from joining? Their pack had warmth, food, and shelter from all this annoying mud and rain. Perhaps she was hesitant because she was still suspicious of her? "Oh... What do you mean by that?" she pushed lightly. Her voice was gentle and she wasn't forcing her to spill any information. "I assure you that our pack would be quite welcoming to you, and my Alpha is in fact looking for new members". Her tail trashed about the ground once she had finished speaking.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea hoped that that answer would have been good enough, but the other shewolf obviously wasn't satisfied with it. She didn't sound pushy and it didn't sound like she was forcing her to, but Thea thought that it would be rude to just leave her hanging.

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Thea said with a small smile. The smile soon vanished though and she bit her lip, trying how to best word it. She didn't just want to spill her whole past to this stranger, but she also didn't want to leave her hanging. How had she put it before? "It's just..well I've had bad experiences with packs before." She started slowly. "Well, with the alpha, more specifically."

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Tawnwen:

Something bothered Phen about the she-wolf's voice. Although she smiled for a moment, it quickly disappeared. She seemed to be contemplating how to word things, as if this information was dangerous to give her. It bothered Phen a little, but she brushed it off, thinking it was nothing. Maybe this she-wolf was just shameful for refusing her offer?

Phen nodded as if she understood her completely, but in her head she was still thinking. She knew that not all alphas were fair rulers like her own. Some could be harsh tyrants, like the now-withering alpha of Blutwald. She had heard of their leader through a young she-wolf named Skins, whom she had met earlier. He apparently called himself some sort of demigod, and had executed many wolves for unfair reasons. His policies were extremely harsh. "Yeah, I think I know what you mean", she huffed, though she wasn't completely sure what the female was talking about. "Our leader is a very kind female, but not all pack leaders are like that". As she spoke, Phen seemed to cast a dirty look in the direction of Blutwald. "You should stay away from that eastern pack if you don't like bad rulers. Their leader, Roman, is a complete tyrant. His guards will kill any loner who wanders there unprotected. He even has this group called a... a harem, whose sole purpose is to give new blood to the pack". Phen shivered. It didn't sounds like a pleasant job to her.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea nodded at the shewolf's words. Yes, she knew very well of the Blutwald's leader. But she was a little surprised to hear that this pack was led by a female alone. It was an oddity, for sure, and one that rarely happened. It was reassuring to hear that perhaps this female wouldn't take advantage of her like her previous packs leader had, but Thea was still quite cautious. She'd have to find out more about this pack later, as well as the other new one that sat just beyond the mountains.

"I understand." She said, noting the angry way that Phen glanced toward east. It was truly horrifying to hear of how Blutwald was run, and Thea had made it a pointed priority to stay as far away from it as possible. "I sincerely hope I'm not offending, but I don't feel quite ready to join a pack just yet. But when I do, I will definitely take yours into consideration." She bowed her head slightly, out of respect and apologies.

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Tawnwen:

Phen nodded and bowed her head very briefly to match the female's posture. She understood why she wouldn't be comfortable joining a pack out of the blue. Even she'd do the same. But it was worth a try, anyways. "Nah, don't worry about it", she said simply, giving a brisk smile. "I'm sure you'd need time to think it over. It is nice of you to consider it, however". Phen stood up from her position, feeling blood rush back to her legs even though she hadn't been sitting for very long. After giving her fur a quick shake, she turned back to the female. She still had one more thing to ask her, and it was strange that she hadn't asked her sooner.

"Name's Phen by the way. And who are you?" Phen asked. She forgot wolves very easily, even if she knew their scent and fur color. If the loner did happen to pass by again, it would be useful to remember her name.

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MatrixPotato:

When the other female stood, so did Thea. She was glad that this encounter had turned out so pleasant. She would have to learn to not judge so quickly- or maybe remember to smell twice before running into a patch of flowers, no matter how nice they might make her smell. She gave the female a genuine smile and a few wags of her tail.

"It's nice to meet you, Phen. My name is Thea." Phen, what a lovely name. Somehow, Thea thought it matched the female quite well.

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Tawnwen:

Phen let the name soak into her mind for a moment to make sure she remembered it. She liked the name; it was simple, but rather pretty and suited her quite well. Phen gave her one last smile and turned slightly towards the main den, where she would return. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I'll see you later if you ever stop by!" She flicked her tail as a good-bye signal and began a slow trot back home. It was nice to talk to others once in a while, even though she preferred to be alone. And she felt like she had done something useful for once; confronted a loner and convinced her that they were a friendly and open pack. It would be wonderful if Thea came back in the future, after everything was sorted out.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea gave Phen one last final nod and smile before the black shewolf turned away, waving a goodbye with her thick tail. Thea was glad that that encounter had turned out so well. Perhaps someday she would come back. She turned away and began to venture out of Chandor borders, knowing that this pack was one she might be able to trust in the future.