You got your finger on the trigger,

Her children fell into an afternoon nap, and the Deorwine figured she had a few hours before they would awaken, and demand a meal. At least there was the sanctuary of the cache when she held trouble to catch, but today she felt rather frisky.. Desired to hunt something. It had been some time since Célnes probably did so, finding that the pregnancy was often in the way for any true game, and the risk was too great to even consider so.

Her nose prowled to the ground, once within the forest, but then leaking out. She momentarily stayed though within the tree's shadows, a gaze watching toward the outside plains. An openess, a long distance that lead a look toward not only the mountains, but the neighboring forest that was far away. Occasionally though were the ones near her own land plagued with a colorful variety of flowers, and often the elk would take a lunch snack, and enjoy such luxury.

Ah, but none of the elk were outside, none except for the boar.. Her body tucked under, she crept with an anticipation toward her hunt. They were small, small enough to be handled alone, but would she successfully capture?

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There were too many wolves here. Or at least, so it felt. He was trying to navigate his way through without running in to too many, still under the assumption that 99% of the wolves out there were complete and utter idiots (obviously Vidocq was part of the 1% actually reasonable people), so it was best to avoid contact unless needed. He didn't have high hopes of being able to continue to do that in such a populated area, and so kept an eye out for what prey he might be able to snag before moving on to somewhere that people found less pleasant. A field like this should be good for snacking on the move -- maybe find some rodents, stumble across a rabbit warren or something, linger for a few hours, and move on with a full stomach.

Maybe five minutes prior he'd accidentally spooked some deer out of a patch where they must have been sleeping, but Vidocq hadn't been chasing them -- the darkish youth had just kept trotting on. It wasn't like he could catch one on his own unless he tripped over a lone fawn. If he had, he wouldn't be trotting along now, he'd be feasting. But nope, so far he'd yet to find a good hunting spot, probably partially thanks to the menu he typically limited himself to.

But a shadow moved at an angle to him up ahead. He froze, ears perking for the sound of movement, a paw up in the air. He wasn't hidden really, but other than that fleeting darkness he wasn't seeing anything else in sight. Maybe there was something off in the other direction, but it hadn't come to be noticed either by scent or sight -- the shadow probably knew he was here before he knew of them.
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Though even if the delight of hunt may occur - the Queen would ignore it all when it came to another upon the land. She was wary, to say the least, especially to strangers coming nearby. Though many simply 'appear' most were innocent, but those who drew near were.. Questionable, to say the least. As she held young and newfound enemies within the basking of elsewhere, a momentarily thought to the gang of betrayers somewhere, as may the High Elk strike them down, she could not be as friendly as she were.

Up from the bush, a looking with a orange gaze, as any prey that were, ran like the wind, "You are in Elkshire Territory."

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He probably could have just slithered through without being much of a disturbance. But apparently that wasn't a thing that was going to happen. The shadow revealed herself as a wolf a value or three lighter than himself. Whatever similarity did nothing to make him more or less comfortable. She was a stranger, and so far no strangers had really proven themselves to be trustworthy. He, too, straightened out to standing, casually posed, there was at least a brief period here of neutrality before something turned him into a little punk.

Vidocq was cautious, pretty much expecting that she, like all other wolves he'd met, had a few screws loose jangling about in her brain -- and thus likely to turn on him despite the obvious overreach into neutral lands. “This isn't pack territory,” and though he was confident in this fact, there was a slight edge of confusion. He had crossed no border -- hell, he'd pointedly avoided them this entire time -- this was just some popular spot where they probably hunted or something. “It's like.. next to it, right?” If she was trying to stop people from moving across the world, then she definitely was loopy -- she couldn't claim the world, and people needed to travel.
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"We claim part of the field," she said softly. As she looked at him he was but just a wandering yearling. The air scented of no others, a lonesome boy within travelling. He held sacred browns as so liked with hints of darkened black, though his tone felt of disrespect, as per' most lonesome young ones were. She somewhat expected any wandering child held some smack within their tone, usually there was a reason they were out in the open, but wouldn't speculate too hard on what past they carried.

"It isn't wise to wonder so close to a packs lands regardless," the Queen warned, for even if it wasn't their land to claim ; not too many would want strangers around.

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So they had their own territory and they were also reaching out? Kinda being a little greedy, weren't they? An ear twitched but that was about it. He shifted in place, uncertain, “I don't end up sticking around where I'm not wanted, but there's only so many places to walk.” Walking up a mountain to avoid a pack was not high on his list if he could still skirt through lowlands. He definitely seemed uneasy.

He was trying to figure out if she was actually trying to warn him off or what. It felt vague. He wasn't eager to be on the other side of teeth if her attitude changed, but he was also wary of anyone threatening to help him too. Honestly, there were probably more ways to make Vidocq wary than befriend him. And though he'd had some thoughts about what to do whenever he was next faced down with a wolf who did want to help him, he wasn't yet sure if he'd do it or just leave because who the hell would want to help him? No, right now he was just silently asking, 'So, what do you want?'
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"Certain land is free to roam with an alignment." The temperate itself was rather bustling, with two power hungry rulers to the claim. Though they currently didn't hold too much power to continue claiming, it has been known they were willing to align to each other to eventually, chase the unwanted out. Those who also try to claim a side of the forests, for all that was seen, would eventually be their own. A grand scheme, that in the end is unknown whether it will fail or not.

She gave such information, yet the boy didn't leave. He gave her what looked to be a dubious expression, and she could only smile with crescent eyes at him. What did he want, continuing to stay onto a land that is claimed by another?

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But after her reply, his attitude had changed, instead of being wary, his expression had clouded. He wore less of his thoughts on his face. His pose, too, had neutralized. “It's not pack territory. You wanna try to restrict people from walking through, maybe you should just claim it and quit messing around.” It was a curt sort of reply, and apparently all he had to say. What all she'd said had shaped Vidocq's opinions of her (and her pack, in turn), and apparently it wasn't that she was somehow his savior.

And after a breath he started walking again on the same path he'd been taking, keeping her in his peripheral vision. He wasn't planning on going close to her, and he wasn't dismissing her entirely (he wasn't stupid) but he also hadn't gone looking for her, so he was just gonna go back to what he was doing before she popped into view, which was... Walking somewhere else, wherever that was.
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She quietly looked back to see if either @Remus, @Niklaus or @Nikitas would show up, or should she howl for them so, "Either to join, or to leave ; though do not stay too closer if your choice is so." The Queen so warned as he continued his pathway, but she did not know if it were to continue upon the range. Though all that may be, she led a small but ploy of an offer if he so choose. While voice was that not of respect, she remembered there was far worse ; from now of the time of adelhiem, and that of before..

All can be dealt with, with proper leading and respect to be given.

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He guffawed, “Oh, that's cute. Way too late to make that offer, lady.” He continued walking, giving her a kind of vaguely dismissive look as he passed, unimpressed at the entire world at this point, “Do I have to spell it out for you? Your pack is weak. Too weak to claim the land you obviously think you should own and I don't got time for that sort of trouble.” What was she gonna do, scold him? She was still alone, after all. Kind of hilarious she only now was looking for whatever goons might live wherever the actual territory was. This was all a waste of his time, and more evidence that basically everyone out here was dumb as a box of rocks. Seriously. There had to be some wolf out here with a higher than room temperature IQ, right? So far, every encounter pointed to no -- except maybe that one chick that gave him food, assuming that thread doesn't go sideways too.

His current path was angled slightly away from the direction she'd come. If he kept on that path it was unlikely he'd be any closer to the actual territory than he was now. “So bye, and stay bye.” He had already been leaving after all, she just had to go and run her mouth more. He couldn't even consider it a fair invitation when it simplified to join or else, and it wasn't even a thing he was confident she could rightfully act on. An ear kept on her for any movement, but otherwise he looked away and focused on his path.

Vidocq continued on his walk away from her, off to wherever.
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^^To put it simply, it was as if Nikitas did not have a life outside of stalking the queen, but he was not an over-protective guard. He knew that the queen could handle her own, and therefore stayed in the background until she made it known that she required further assistance.

So when she took her eyes off the disrespectful fool and went searching for something, Nikitas took that as his que and made himself known; stepping forward with a deep growl and moving to the two canines with his hackles raised and eyes narrowed. “And what do we have here?” Nikitas spoke in a series of growls and grumbles, ready to pounce and tear at his delicious flesh, should the queen desire it.

^^
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Of course Remus was near by, and approached the queen's flank at her call, it was his current duty.  Watching his bastard employer 'Negotiate' with the passerby was a common occurrence. Though, this time the other party finally put up an attitude, and Remus would silently find himself amused, agreeing with some of his points.  Though for the time being his employer was the queen.   

Curiously, Remus had not yet met the other guard that had recently came into the group.  He had heard a bit about @Nikitas but had never spoken to him as of yet.  Remus simply chalked that up to another point of failure on @Célnes leadership, keeping her assets separated, for ease of control.  It was an admission of weakness really, a ruler who would sacrifice cohesiveness of their fighting force, for social ease.  

Side eyeing Nikitas, Remus figured he looked capable enough, but the way he carried himself was unprofessional.  Remus could remember when he was a young whelp and would act like that.  When he used to get exited and emotional for a battle. Now it was only a job.
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She commented nothing, only but a smile ; for a loner held no words when they had nothing to them. They may disdain and talk the talk of what another pack holds, and yet it always remains.. That they do not have anything, compared to what little she may hold. Her eyes followed the pathway he took for a moment, before her smile faced to the gargoyle of the forest, "but a wanderer with a tongue. Make sure he doesn't linger." She so asked, a side-glance to Remus as well, assuming he would do automatically. Most of the time.. She didn't need to tell him much, for he went off and did it. Suppose she appreciated that part, and yet held but some bitterness of his reluctance to her from the gathering.

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Vidocq has exited!

---

Vidocq was well on his way out, as he had been doing. He wouldn't stick around to answer any questions or deal with them. Not worth his time, his effort, or anything. If they chased? Well, he'd have fun leading them all across the countryside. They seemed stupid enough to take the bait. So, he'd just leave. Not his clowns, not his circus. Then again, he thought that about just about everyone, so this wasn't exactly out of the ordinary. Just another step along his path, with pissed off people in his wake.

As he disappeared through a thicker patch of shrub, he kept an ear back to listen if he was followed, but otherwise melted into the shadows to continue his aimless drifting elsewhere without much concern.
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^^And then the excitement was gone, fleeing into the forest. Nikitas’ eyes narrowed as his nostrils flared, watching that brown flank until it disappeared from his view. He didn’t quite think the boy was worth his time or energy, or he hadn’t given chase. Instead, he just stood there, hackles raised, staring off into the direction he’d gone, to make sure he was actually gone. And once he was sure, he sat down and glanced at Remus and his queen.

^^
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