Do you get déjà vu?

@Steady

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Valette had strayed further away from the plains she resided with her sister. Not that they really resided there, but it had been their home base really. Last night, when she couldn't sleep from hunger, she decided to go hunt. Her body had been drawn to the mountains to the west of her. The plains didn't have the prey she could hunt on her own. Valette was fed up with voles and other small prey.

The female had reached the first forest that she came across. This location felt like home. The forest hugging the plains. The best of both words was something that just felt right with her. She wasn't sure why. She moved silently between the trees and undergrowth. She had her eye on a flock of mountain goats before her. There was a little clearing before her where they were busy eating.

Valette kept her eyes on them as she moved like a deathly shadow out of the wind, moving towards the slope and the other side of the clearing, so she had a higher advantage. The woman kept her eye on the sheep, complete focus on her prey she intended to catch for her sister and herself.

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^^ Steady had not stopped his search for Valette. He followed up on the lead from Grayday, but he had never come across Valette's scent, or run into her. That hadn't done anything to waiver his resolve on finding her, though. It didn't matter that there was every chance she simply wasn't here. He would just keep looking.

 He was going through the forested mountains when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He thought it was just a shadow from the canopy above, but then he realized it moved too far for that. He paused a brought the dark figure fully into his gaze. His breathe caught, and everything around him came to a halt as he drank her in. Surely, he was dreaming. How could she just come out of nowhere? Her movements were fluid, and she didn't make a sound. If he was dreaming, he didn't want to wake up.

 A smile slowly formed on his maw and he finally began moving again, this time towards his love. He began at a walk, and worked his way up to a trot, fluidly moving between the trees. Valette! he shouted happily, his tail waiving in a high arch as he quickly closed the distance between them.
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Valette was about to calculate her move. She was on a higher slope, the open clearing in the woods was lighter. She was perfectly hiding in the shadows, and the best of it-- her prey was unaware. The charcoal female crept closer when a voice rang out. She had been so focussed she first didn't think of it as her name. The sheep dashed off in every direction. Seeing the movement, Valette jolted forward but quickly realized they had been scared off. She came to an abrupt halt, the sun coming through the clouds down onto the now empty clearing.

The female glared at the big dark male that came her way. She had known her name, but as she took him in there was nothing familiar about him. He was big, burly, and well, handsome. But that she dismissed because the stupid idiot chased her prey away. Her stomach growled in protest of not having a meal. The only reason that she didn't started to yell at him was because seemed to remember he name. She watched the dominant arc of his tail, she watched him warily and was clearly on guard. A scowl on her face. "Thanks for chasing my meal away," she snapped, her pink-purplish eyes showing no signs of remembering him.

She faced him, that scowl turned into more of a frown. "Why do you know my name?," she questioned sharply then, her own tail flaring up a bit, lifting it a little higher. She made sure adequate space stayed between them, curling her lip at the stranger if he dared to get too close to her. Her hackles had been raised, her whole demeanor alert and on edge.
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^^ The glare did not register in his brain, and he continued to close the pesky distance between them. While his tail began to wag, it lowered as relief washed through him at finally finding her. I'm sorry, love, he said sincerely, not realized that Valette had no idea who he was. I'll feed you, I promise, he added. 

 He slowed, intending on burying his muzzle into her neck, but he came to a stop at her question. What? he said, chuckling as if it was a joke he didn't understand. He watched as her body language changed to something he couldn't remember ever been directed at him. Why are you being defensive? he asked. Valette, he said. It's me, Steady. Steady! Your mate. The curled lip she offered him might have sent some males in reverse, but not Steady. There was no way he would ever retreat from her now that he's found her. He stayed right where he was, searching her eyes for any sign that she recognized him.

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Valette's ears flattened when the other stepped closer, even called her 'love'. She kept her face into a frown, a scowl. This male was crazy, not in his right mind. She stepped back to keep the distance between them. She didn't feel much for a stranger right in her face. She didn't need him to hunt for her, or to care for her. She kept her lips ready to be curled up, warning him to back off.

She was pleased when he stopped so she dropped her upper lip, covering her teeth again. The male continued to speak though. Asking her why she was defensive. She stepped away, further back from him. Though she stilled at his last words. Her mate? She wanted to bark out a laugh. Silly man. "You are clearly mistaken as I never had a mate, nor do I want one." It was her sister and herself. They had each other and she definitely didn't need a man. Surely not this one that thought she was his mate.

His name was Steady. Her mind came up blank, unfortunately for the male. She shot him a glare. She didn't remember him, she only remembered her and her sister. Those stones. Her stomach growled loudly now. Her ears flattening once more. She should go back to her sister, even if that meant she came back empty handed. "Your clearly confused. Leave me alone," she told him and then turned away from him, moving towards the forest that would lead to the plains. She was mostly grumpy that a possible good meal had been ruined. As she walked away she kept him in her vision though, so she would be prepared if he wanted to harm her, or something.
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^^ The moment she sheathed her glistening white canines, he thought all was well. He was so relieved to have found her, and that she seemed to be in good health, albeit a bit hungry, but he would remedy that with no problem. If he could just touch her, he would know this wasn't a dream.

 He was visibly taken aback by the words that not only did she not have a mate, but that she didn't want one! What game was she playing at? For days on end, he had done nothing but search for her, and now she's playing like she didn't remember him? He did not have the patience for this, and was about to tell her just that when she accused him of being confused, and ordered him to leave her alone.

 Steady. Ordered to leave the love of his life alone. 

 Not on his life.

 She turned to leave, and she got a few steps before Steady bounded in front of her. How do I know your name? he asked her, giving her only a moment to consider her answer, not hardly long enough to form a response. You are my mate, and I vowed to protect you, to love you, and I promised to never leave you, and I promise you now, again, he went on, his voice stern, That whether or not you remember me, I will keep those vows. He left no room for argument. Now, I know you didn't forget me on purpose, but I am sure that once we spend some time together, you will remember me. There were no other options in his mind. Until then, I will not leave your side, Valette. Whether she liked it or not.  

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The roan woman had left home early that day, paws taking her down the jagged slopes to where the moss and patches of grass sprouted from the cliffs. She had been inspecting some thin trunk wedged into the ground. From its sides sprouted a bright material that was now worn from the elements and flapped freely in the breeze. The colors of these..."branches" were unlike those she usually found amongst leaves, so it was with curiosity that she snatched one and pulled.

Despite the size, it did not come easily and instead bent the trunk with her prize before the tattered cloth was ripped from its stake. The white piece was spat out quickly as she sniffed and scraped at it until the sounds of voices caught her ear. Ira straightened, ears swiveling to try and pinpoint the noise before she quickly left her discovery to inspect further later. As she traveled it was clear that the voices belonged to other wolves, two of which came into view shortly where she'd stop her pursuit, instead favoring watching the pair from the treeline before she would make her presence known.

She had missed most of the conversation, but it seemed that between the two, the woman was less interested in their exchange favoring leaving the woods than listening to his words. Had they both left maybe she wouldn't have even bothered, but the male followed insistent on stopping her as he stepped in front to block her path. At this point, she had seen enough, and if they were to linger any longer then it was best they knew whose land they sat on.

Breaking from the treeline, she trotted quickly to the other two, tail raised as she stopped a few feet away from the woman, her own gaze locked on the man. “Halt. What is your strife?” Her gaze had been stern, not necessarily aggressive, but demanding all the same. Then the golds of her eyes dipped to the woman, only softening an inch, “Does this man trouble you?”

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Valette glanced at the male. There were plenty of reasons how he could know her name. He could have been on the plains with her. Perhaps being the stalker that he was, listening in on her conversation with Miriam. She could also just look like another Valette. She figured she wasn't the only one with that name and it could be a mere coincidence. She didn't respond before he continued, almost passionately so. She looked skeptically at him. It was admirable at least that he was so dutiful to his mate. But she was not his mate. "I think I would remember if I had a mate," she said with a hint of an eye roll.

Valette was about the continue, comment on the fact that she wouldn't allow him to stay with her, when a grey pelted female stepped forward. She was large in stature and stood there with her tail raised, authoritative. She directed the male first through before addressing her if he had been bothering her. Valette felt that the male was a complete lunatic if he thought she would keep a stranger in her life that only seemed to scare off her prey. She glanced from the female at the male. "He is annoying me more than bothering me," she told the other female. Her pink eyes traveled over the grey female once more. "I appreciate the concern but it isn't needed," she said with a light scowl. Mostly still annoyed that she had to go hungry for awhile longer.
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^^ She went back to the whole didn't remember having a mate thing and Steady wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't. Oh, yeah? Do you remember how you got in this place? Do you remember where you were before? Who you were before? He knew she had to wake up just like he did. Because I don't, he admitted. He wanted to step forward, but he knew that would only lose ground with her. He dropped his voice before adding, I only remember you.

 The presence of another wolf, uninvited into their conversation, annoyed him to no end, and his expression showed it. He didn't like being asked questions when the other wolf demanded answers. Answers that he wouldn't give. Valette answered, and it almost gave him hope that she was coming around to him. He gave the stranger a "go away" look. See, I'm only annoying, not harmful. Now leave! His gaze went back to his love, and his pride for Valette deepened when she told the other woman she didn't need her help. He couldn't help but grin. He had missed her so much. He wanted to go into details of her, prove that he knew her, but he wouldn't do it in the presence of a stranger. He felt that would have been more disrespectful than helpful. 

 Let me get some food for you, he asked. A hungry Valette was a force to be reckoned with, and he knew he would get nowhere while she was still hungry. The stranger was all but forgotten in his mind, as his only focus was Valette. 

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A quick reply was given, the man was more of a nuisance than any true threat, though where she should have found relief Ira found her own annoyance. In her own opinion, she had only the best interest, but she was met with a glare and an edge to the other woman's tone. To make matters worse, the man spoke as if he was shooing her away in her own territory.

The corners of her lips twitched a silent threat in which her fangs glistened if only for a moment. She would compose herself though, a light snort as she raised her head, “Then on to my next concern. This land is under the watch of Vanderfell Woods. Hunt here and I will call for my people. I believe it would be in all of our best interests if you take your leave. Now.”

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Valette glanced at the grey pelted female. And while she had offered her help, she seemed to make it clear that this was her territory and that of her pack. Valette raised her brows, because there hadn't been any scent marks. The female's scowl deepened. She really didn't want to battle a whole pack over this. But she disliked to be send away from a meal. Valette abruptly turned around on her heels, walking off away from the female without a goodbye. Honestly normally she did have better manners, polite even, but today was just not her day. She decided.

Perhaps even if she had caught the meal that stupid grey pelted female would have taken it from her. It was decided that she wasn't going to eat today then. Valette was done with the male claiming he was her mate, but also with the female that felt so high and mighty as to claim a territory next to her own. This was some bullshit. Her tail flickered in annoyance as she trotted off. Though she had a feeling that the male was going to follow her even if she didn't want him to follow her.
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^^ Steady's full attention turned to the stranger, who claimed land that... wasn't claimed by the pack. What sense did that make? Valette was visibly irritated and turned to leave. Yes, Steady would follow her, but not before speaking his mind to the gray female. You're going to call a whole pack away from their actual territory to defend land that isn't theirs? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Good luck with that in the future. He didn't wait for her reply, and instead turned to follow Valette. 

 He made a special note in his head regarding this territory, though it may not have been the note that Ira wanted to send.

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Her declaration would not win over the hearts of these wolves, nor had she believed it would. They did not respect her, that much had already been made clear, and as such there would be no room for further discussion. The woman only deepened her scowl before turning and marching off, the man a beat behind as he approached her. Even with his taunt, she would not move, head sturdy atop her raised neck.

If he chose to fight here she would not leave with empty promises. She knew well enough that she could hold her own until others arrived, but that would not be needed. Not today. She watched with a hardened gaze at both set off towards the plains. Perhaps she had made an enemy out of both, but as she saw it that was of little concern now. She sought Ullarcraig Run as Vanderfell's hunting grounds and Vanderfell's alone.

Their pelts would be burned to memory should they dare try again, but for now she would return to her peaks and spread news of the two with her pack.

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