existing as if it were in a dream

So far, Shiroshika's return to the tundra seemed to have gone smoothly enough. Even he had to admit, it felt good to see Tsukiishi again. A familiar sense of home was able to come with it, more comfortable than Skelmir's Pass was ultimately--even if the cold took some getting used to for someone like him.

Now that they were here, his objective had been simple so he stayed on the outskirts on perpetual motion. There would be no mistaking their return. Especially with the emperor away regarding drama in the north already, he wanted to keep their presence seen to any and all. So Antares roved the Shiroshikan borderlands, and marked away the hours. It kept him busy, and his mind off anything else. A purpose to the need to move around, at least.

Sunset was creeping close, and nearer every autumnal day. He was still well on the outer limits of their claim, and debated if he was hungry enough yet to change that focus.

It had been a quiet day otherwise. Nothing remarkable, here or on watch earlier. Antares paused long enough to look at the sky's colors, magenta and orange-reds of thickening clouds.

the staff team luvs u

ooc; acceptance/thread timeline was on the 10-15th 
imma snipe this eheheh
 

Unlike some, who loathed the cold, she was quite fine here. Quicksilver had accepted her and Kalvin both into Shiroshika, and she had gathered the boy and placed him into the safety of the pack right away. Now, it was time to earn her keep. She had fished a bit, adding three plump bodies to the cache, before drifting to the borders. Time to patrol, she suspected. Unaware of another here - still learning scents and being overwhelmed - she spies a tall and dark man.

The girl-to-woman is hesitant. She almost decides to return to hunting if to just avoid being around others. Instead, she plants her feet and her mental state. She chuffs a quiet greeting to the stranger. He smells strongly of Shiroshika, and she assumes he is a regular here for some time. While she knew roughly where the border was, it could not be bad to follow someone who knew it better. "Do you need another for your... patrol?" she asked the dark man as she approaches. Not bold, but considerate. Aware she was a stranger here.

Until she wasn't.

the staff team luvs u

When looking at the clouds slowly lost its interest and he knew he must get back to it, he eventually started off again only to pause soon after--this time for a different reason as his ear turned, warranting a focus to follow. He did not recognize the approach any so far, and even eventually seeing her, she was a stranger to him. Antares blinked, but his nose told him no reason to be alarmed. She was.. new.

He knew the emperor had welcomed some into the fold recently, and it was good--maybe even much needed. Now that they were re-establishing themselves up north and winter honed in, more than ever, Shiroshika would welcome them.

He eyed her a bit, all tall and grayscale, and considered the question about his patrol only briefly. “Sure. Can't hurt,” he started to say as he pivoted towards his original route. More eyes, ears, and scents to add to their message on the boundaries would always be welcome on his watch. “But it has been quiet so far today.” he mentioned so she might set her expectation appropriately. The night shift could always bring something new entirely but he was not expecting a lot, in truth.. and if he found a good enough trail, he might be tempted off elsewhere. Still, it could be a good place for her to start and they needed the traffic.

“You're new,” he supposed he meant to frame it more like a question, but the tone missed. “I'm Antares.” the dark Ostrega introduced over his shoulder, and started to walk on.

the staff team luvs u

He gave his permission and she fell in step to the right of him. Unaware of his personal standing in the pack, she assumed they were 'equal' in the sense of gender but not title. Quicksilver's informality need not be universal. "I suspect 'quiet' is good for Shiroshika?" she asked the dark-hued man, giving a sight tilt of her head "has there been any trouble to look out for?" The alpha man hadn't given her any cause for alarm. Still, she wouldn't shy from a challenge.

He would remark she was new.

"I am" she confirms. He speaks his name next. Antares. "Edelweiss" she gives him with a short nod of her head "Quicksilver accepted me with a child I had saved in the Tundra. You may see him around, his name is Kalvin." It never hurt to introduce the pup to more members... It meant he left her alone for a bit longer. She wouldn't admit she was liking the new responsibility though. Being in charge and in control of another's life sounded bad. Especially when you said it out loud.

the staff team luvs u

She joined at his side, and with that he was very ready to keep going with this flow. He dipped his head with a nod first, because quiet was good for them. No tigers, no violent exiles, no other northern drama--not on their doorstep, at least. “Quiet's preferred right now,” he began. He had a lot of reasons. “We've only recently returned back to this claim after a few moons away. Sort of the beginning of a fresh start, essentially.” Antares explained the biggest one. It was in Shiroshika's best interest, he felt, but it didn't mean he liked moving much... and he needed a long time to fully settle back in. “So nothing in particular to watch out for, really, yet.” The samurai debated mentioning their past tiger qualms, but ultimately, maybe that one was shelved for now unless she asked.

Beyond that, details came readily, and he nodded slow as he absorbed each piece. Once past her name, in committing this Kalvin to memory, it was not lost on him that her handling of a misplaced child in the tundra varied greatly from his own approach many moons ago. But, for Kalvin's sake, he hoped he was not nearly as deteriorated as the little one he had found once. She would probably mention it, if so. She seemed reasonable enough in all of the few moments he had known her, and too, Quicksilver's judgement was one he was placing trust in now.

Swallowing all thought of that away, he carried on with a glance over his shoulder to Edelweiss: “I see. I'll keep an eye out for him,” he said, thankful for the information. It was good she had granted him the chance at surviving with winter coming. Which also reminded him: he was keenly aware of their other young royalty who were about to face their first go at winter, and in the tundra now, no less. “The empress' brood is young yet too. It might be good for them all, if he's around their age...” he supposed. Another one to learn beside, at least. Likely, the emperor had already considered this and maybe even made such a mention already--Antares was just thinking aloud as he roved on, sniffing occasionally.

the staff team luvs u

"I see."

Edelweiss remarked upon this then and was quiet. Not because she was second-guessing Shiroshika in any way, but because there was not much to add. She was new here, and their safety was their top priority. She was not here to start trouble or make waves. She was here to make sure Kalvin was safe. She'd bite the proverbial bullet in that sense. Antares seemed a logical man anyway; he gave information to her freely, and while she suspected he held back somewhat, she was not going to call it out.

"I am gladdened the first pack I was to join ever places such weight on a peaceful existence."

She may be prickly and anti-social at times but, she enjoyed the quiet. It was better than being on edge all the time. Edelweiss moved with her new packmate in a returned silence, marking the border locations mentally in her head. She'd come back once her scent was stronger to do it herself. Antares knew what he was doing now. She made no tracks to cover his stronger scent markings. It was for the good of Shiroshika. But the man did mention the other pups, and this time she did comment.

At the time of the earlier mention, she had left her ward alone. She could not afford to chat with Quicksilver about his children with Kalvin in the middle of nowhere. "Yes, the emperor mentioned them" Edelweiss inclined her chin somewhat "I am not sure if the boy is ready to socialize... He may feel a bit bitter toward the other pups, having parents... His own mother did not make the attack... I am but a substitute, and a poor one at that" At least she admitted it "but I do agree; pups need playmates. I'll try to nudge him a bit toward them."

the staff team luvs u

In agreeing, these were a carefully guarded time of peace and he did understand: good times to try to raise up young. It was the empress and emperor's prerogatives lately too, hence why Shiroshika catered so strongly to that particular type of quiet right now. He was just beginning to try to appreciate it himself, so used to otherwise, and so mistrustful of such sanctity--he'd turned up in a new world entirely after countless disasters, so it's been a time of perpetual edge, in this lifetime and the last. So forgive the wariness that came ingrained into his very marrow.

Shiroshika's peace, and the return to their original claim after their last few months, did bring him some solace. Again, it was taking some getting used to though. Normalcy, practically. “It comes well earned, so you're getting to know us at a good time, I think,” he supposed as he half-paused over a slight scent, but ultimately kept moving at pace. She seemed grateful, too, and time would tell what it all would make of the boy she brought with her--who he was granted a greater understanding of now, too.

Antares' ears fell back, pensive as the youth's story came to light. “Ah you might have a point--not about being a poor substitute,” he slid in this assurance because that was not the point he was trying to make. She was certainly better than a dead mother and he was not about to fault her for making what seemed to be an earnest attempt. “But true he might need more time if he's been through it,” he mentioned. He knew what it was like to be shell-shocked in the wake of great loss. Along the same train of thought: “Do you know what attacked his mother?” he asked.

“If I see him around I will have to say 'hi',” he added. In his way, he would look out for the young packmate, after all.

the staff team luvs u

She huffs lightly. Amused by his correction, no doubt. "I would not have become offended if you did agree," Edelweiss tells the man "I am but a child myself, and have no maternal instinct" She points out logically "I fear I believe it more duty than affection to look after the boy..." She trails off, admitting this freely but also feeling somewhat flustered by it. Perhaps this would change once she got to know Kalvin more.

Antares does pause as if checking the scent at the border. Edelweiss trails behind him, mentally drinking in the location of places she would soon come to patrol on her own — or with others. When the dark man spoke again, she scowled lightly. Her features pulled into a narrowed and disgusted look. "Another wolf," she reveals "he attacked the mother and took the child, headed to the Moors where a leopard intercepted them both." And the woman would later die of injury.

She did not want to know what would have happened if the leopard had not stopped the theft. What did the kidnapper want with the boy? Antares continued to say he would greet Kalvin if he saw him. Edelweiss nodded, thankful at least the boy had others looking out for him. She continued on, asking a question. "Are these old borders we are marking or are we making new lines?" Her eyes glanced from the man to the invisible scent lines. She could not say, either way, not being here before. It was good to learn.

the staff team luvs u

Though he may not truly allude to much, he understands as well as he can. It's duty that keeps the boy alive then, and that makes sense to him. He doesn't have any particular maternal drive either, but it is admirable she has brought him along this far. It is more than some might get out there and now he might have some type of future here in Shiroshika. Time would tell.

He does appreciate the greater insight into the history, though it's an ugly tale with a surprise leopard twist that sets his ears back a bit. It gives him a lot of key red flags to avoid, especially while he's presumably pretty young and adjusting to big life changes. Things he doesn't have to wonder about if he's a little.. reactive sometimes. “Shit,” he seethed quietly, simply, in response to her retell. All kept carefully for later since he intended to meet the boy later.

As for their borders, he considered for the beat of a slow exhale. “Older--roughly. After the fresh move, just needs more traffic out here most of all...” he answered as he moved along. He'd mapped very similar paths before, if nothing else and that was close enough for him to consider them refreshers of old boundary lines. Although, to him, there was more than just that; it rooted in a feeling a lifetime of guarding mountains did to him. “It just comes with where the mountainside says, and it's been best we return with a.. good, firm stance,” he added vaguely enough before he continued guiding their path on through a decent circuit. That was his take on the matter, anyway. He didn't trust the tundra's propensity to invite random issues from nowhere, so there should be no mistaking the claim here.

Antares was quite content to continue on as needed from there, and glad to have the company to go with it.

---

hope a fade-ish thing is okay since it's older thx to meee!

the staff team luvs u

fine with me! I'll archive it after I reply quickly! thanks for the thread, gerra!

---

 

She nodded.

Shiroshika's tactical retreat aside, she added to the blossoming markers now. Antares was a good guide, and she would like to see more of him around eventually. For now, Edelweiss was still getting used to pack life. She didn't want to overwhelm herself and make a wrong move. Some could call her a perfectionist.

"Thank you for showing me." It was all she said as the conversation lulled, content to focus on the patrol. If they spoke again, it was friendly enough. She found his company to be kind enough. Stoic, but she could be the same thing. Even deadpan. Antares did not seem to mind her companionship either. All in all, a win-win.

/end

the staff team luvs u