Darkness Rolling [Shri/open]

[Kenren]

It was twilight, and even in such a wide, open space, Ashanti seemed like just another shadow rolling through the grasses. Silent, unobtrusive, and infuriatingly self-assured with every long, sweeping stride. She was ember, almost invisible to the naked eye but far from extinguished. A simple breath would set her alight, and it was forever difficult to put her out completely. Ashanti looked skyward with a grimace, darkly evaluating how much time until the soft blues and purples of impending darkness were overtaken by the steel grey rain clouds. They'd been steadily closing in for the past hour or so, and she'd pushed hard to get to the hills before dark. She'd heard of a pack starting there, under the leadership of a level-minded female. While she knew nothing more than that (and information obtained by word of mouth was often faulty), she had still made her way there. She had never been the sort to enjoy living with others, but she also hated wandering without a purpose. She needed... something. And to be honest, if she was going to join up with a pack, she'd rather it not be under some pig-headed, pushy male. Not that females didn't come with their own demons, but she was good at hiding out storms and fits either way. Slowing, she rocked back on her haunches, letting loose a howl in the increasingly humid air. She waited for the rain to fall.

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One could often tell when rain was coming, whether it was by catching a glimpse of approaching clouds from the top of a hill or by the unmistakeable smell which accompanied a shower. And the longer Shri dwelled in the Dove Hills, the more she grew to love that scent. Perhaps it was to be expected, since she was truly starting to see this place as home and not just a territory she decided to claim. It was a nice change after months of traveling without a permanent home and she found herself protective of the land in a way she hadn’t been before.

A breeze damp with the promise of rain brushed through Shri’s grey fur and she closed her eyes to more fully savor the feeling. Chin lifted slightly, she calmly sifted through the scents which met her nose, cataloging and discarding them as needed. There was a fox sniffing around not too far away—hardly a threat —but not much else of interest. With the coming night promising rain, most of the prey animals were most likely searching for what little shelter could be found in these hills.

Shri's lazy contemplation was broken by the sound of a lone howl—that of one announcing their presence to any in the land. Eyes snapping open, her gaze immediately focused on the direction it had come from, but of course she could see nothing. Frowning, she finally rose from the ground. Whoever they were, they were at least being respectful enough to not sneak around in another’s territory. Tilting her head back, Shri answered with a howl of her own before trotting off to meet the stranger before the echoes had even faded away.

The splash of a raindrop against her nose told Shri that the rain would begin to fall soon, but for now the clouds held back as she made her way to the borders of her territory. There her eyes landed on the shape of another wolf and she finally slowed to a halt. "You have entered into Maira pack territory. I would have your name and business." Her voice was firm, though not unkind. Idle conversation was not Shri’s purpose here, but she was not one to chase away a stranger who was simply passing through.

[Kenren]

Large droplets began to fall, but Ashanti hardly noticed them. Her gaze was clear and sharp, picking out the shape of the approaching wolf long before she reached her. She made no move to meet her, deciding it might be considered aggressive - she didn't really know all of the subtleties of interaction, so erred on the side of caution. For now, at least. She'd probably lose patience with it eventually. The female finally reached her, and Ashanti didn't so much as look here over with an appraising eye. Instead she locked her gaze on the other woman's, something that would also likely be seen as aggressive - but as said, she wasn't the greatest at realizing such things. She mostly went on her gut. "You have entered into Maira pack territory. I would have your name and business." Ashanti blinked slowly, and didn't say anything immediately. This female's scent was the same as marked the borders, so she was likely the alpha. She had the right sort of air about her as well. After some contemplation, she finally opened her mouth. "Ashanti. I heard there was a pack here, and I want to join it." Never one for small talk, she spoke briefly and directly, just as direct as her gaze.

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The stranger met her eyes unflinchingly and though there was something to be said for having confidence in oneself, the wolf’s unwillingness to yield made Shri's own gaze sharpen. But she made no move to correct the wolf just yet, instead standing stiff-legged with head high. She would at least wait to hear who this was before jumping to offense.

The wolf, however, didn’t seem to want to reply right away. The soft patter of rain was the only noise heard after Shri spoke and her patience quickly grew thin at the lack of a response. ‘Is it so difficult to give a name? I would think even a pup could manage that,’ she thought derisively. But no, she couldn't reply in such a manner to all who annoyed her, not now when pack responsibilities lay on her shoulders.

At that moment though, the wolf finally parted her lips to speak, giving her name and reason for being here. “I suggest you answer far more quickly next time,” Shri said, words clipped and irritated. But her annoyance slipped away with her next words, instead focusing on what was important. "But that hardly matters now. I am Shri Kanti, alpha of Maira." Her keen gaze swept over the wolf studying her closely. "And what would you have to offer Maira, if I accepted you? What are your skills? We are not a cold pack, but all must pull their weight in some way." Her words were blunt yet interested. A new pack member was nothing to scoff at or treat callously, especially for a pack as small as her own.

[Kenren]

Ashanti let the admonishment pass, neither giving an apology nor fighting the matter. Neither did her body language become aggressive at the question, though her eyes did sharpen just a little. She couldn't blame the alpha, though - as Ash had been feeling out the leader, so now was the leader feeling her out. She gave something of a shrug, finally looking away, but not down. Never down. "I can fight," she said first, and she had the scars to prove it. Most noticeable was the notch missing from her ear, torn loose by a wayward bite. She looked to the alpha's eyes again, head inclining a little. "I can hunt as well, of course, but I'm best put against others of our kind." She perhaps didn't look like much, being toward the short side, but one touch to her coat would reveal the strongly corded muscles. And she was a female on her own, after all. One didn't take that path willingly if they weren't capable of taking care of themselves. Her other talent was staying hidden, but that wasn't the sort of talent welcomed everywhere. Plus, she was sure the alpha would find that out for herself. Ashanti wasn't incredibly social, and especially if she didn't like the one coming toward her or searching for her she was quite good at disappearing, for the most part. She mused idly that a land such as this would make that much harder, being so open, but it was what it was. She sighed. "And I didn't mean any disrespect. I'm not really used to being around others in a cordial manner." Might as well make peace if she was planning on staying here, right? Speech

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There was an air of confidence about Ashanti. She did not immediately ask forgiveness and offer poor excuses after Shri’s reprimand—perhaps taking Shri’s own willingness to move on to other subjects as an indication that it was all right for her to do so as well. She gave little reaction at all, in fact, before her shoulders lifted in a slight shrug and her gaze finally shifted away from Shri’s. There was still no submission in her body language, but she answered quickly enough this time.

Shri studied the wolf at her claim of having fighting skills, noting the scars in torn ear as proof enough that Ashanti had at least been in a few fights in her life. She wasn’t as tall as Shri herself, but she obviously carried muscle on her frame. There were no others with her and Shri was willing to bet that she’d spent some time as loner. It was a life Shri was well-accustomed to herself, and you didn’t live such a life without cultivating a few useful skills.

Shri gave a small shake of her head at Ashanti’s next words. "I'm sure you didn’t, and I will not hold it against you," she replied. It was one thing to be easygoing around friends, but it was imperative to make it clear to any newcomers that while Shri was not one to needlessly hound and berate others, she also would not tolerate blatant disrespect from her pack members. Ashanti had not done so, but she gave the impression of one who would not bow to authority easily. There could be strength there if she was loyal, but it could easily become a problem as well. "Hunters are always needed and good fighters are important—but only when they are woking for the pack, not against it. I will gladly welcome you to Maira as one of our warriors, Ashanti, but know that while I understand being unused to pack life, that can not interfere with the pack’s well-being. I do not expect everyone to like each other, but I do expect cooperation and loyalty." The rain was falling harder now, droplets hanging from guard hairs and beginning to darken Shri’s fur. She glanced at the dark sky before her eyes returned to Ashanti. "If that is acceptable for you, we can try to find some shelter from this rain."