Welcome to 'Souls and Crimson Dreams! 300+

The sun had peaked out from behind the heavy curtain of rainclouds and Savina had taken the opportunity to head out of the manor for a quick bath and a run. The mother hadn't gotten much of a chance to wash the dust of winter from her coat and she was ready for the opportunity. Brusquely she walked from the house to Rabbit Lake and once she was there she let her form slip into the welcoming clear waters. A small shiver ran through her body at the temperature change, but soon she became acclimated and comfortable. Taking a deep breath she slipped her head beneath the surface, floating in suspension until her lungs cried out for air. With a burst of water droplets she resurfaced and gulped in the air, shaking the water from her head. The Commander took a few more minutes to dog paddle around and let the stress seep from her muscles, listening to the chattering of the birds and squirrels in the trees above.

Finally Savina moved back to the pebbly shore and shook out her ebony pelt, sending crystals of lake water in every direction. The usually graceful looking fey now looked like a wet, bedraggled mess, but she could care less. She trotted forward until she reached solid ground and then took off at a dead run towards the southern tip of the Dreaming territory. Her paws moved as if on air. Oh, it felt so wonderful, to run with abandon. It had been too long since she last had. First winter had come and then her pregnancy. The Marino took this moment to be free though, soaring like a raven through the lands.

Gradually she came to a halt, panting hard, coral tongue hanging from her mouth. As she stood and regathered her breath though an unusual scent came to her nose and immediately she became alert and somewhat tense. Sleek, dark head lifted to the air and sniffed with more purpose. It was a stranger, and from the strength of their smell, they were inside the borders. Eyes becoming hard she galloped her way towards Cinlia Hollow and soon came upon the figure that was only slightly lighter in hue than herself. Tail rose over her back and she looked critically at the man. "Do you realize you're trespassing on claimed lands?" she questioned, tone hard.

Approaching as fast as she had she couldn't blame him for going on the defensive and becoming tense, but her body responded in a similar fashion. The long black hairs on her neck and between her shoulders raised and her emeralds burned with a slight fire. She may have been a female, but if he wished to fight he would get more than he bargained for. Nothing was quite so vicious as a mother and alpha fighting to protect what was her's. The Italian's lips twitched, threatening to reveal the ivory fans beneath if things become more hostile. As he spoke and sighed though it seemed that this wouldn't come to violence, at least not yet. Still, the Commander stayed alert and her posture remained dominant as her rank dictated.

The woman looked him over curiously, letting the silence reign for a moment or two before answering his query. "These are the lands of the Crimson Dreams pack, and you speak to its Commander." Her voice was not quite as sharp as it had been at first, but the caution was still clearly there. This was the second loner to stumble into their lands without announcing themselves. The girl had been forgiven, for she had been badly hurt and in need of assistance. Aside from appearing a bit lean, this man seemed in good health, and should have known better than intrude so far. She wasn't aware that he had been traveling in the underground tunnels.

As soon as she stated her rank he appeared to understand and respect the situation more fully. Savina wasn't one to throw the weight of her rank around to those inside of her pack, or even to those outside of it, but in times like these it was important that that fact be known. The loner needed to understand who he spoke to and what all was at stake. He gave his apologies, and his posture became somewhat more submissive. This relaxed her some, but outwardly she showed little sign of it. There was still much she needed to learn of this man before she could become casual in his presence.

The Italian fey listened to his explanation, one brow raising curiously as he finished his little speech. Her tail flicked at a passing fly before returning to its high place over her back. "Well Caedres, you being where you are is more understandable now. I'm glad to learn you didn't blindly ignore our marked borders," she stated evenly. "As to your request, I must admit I am a little confused as to what you asking for. Do you wish to join my pack?" If that were the case then she would need to talk with him further to make a decision. If he were asking anything outside of that though, well she wasn't sure. She would much rather escort him out instead of having a loner running around her home.

He seemed to consider her question and she let him quietly contemplate his answer. Caedres sat down and looked at his surroundings, clearly trying to get a feel for the lands he had unexpectedly found himself in. It wasn't that she disliked the male, he wasn't rude, she was just more high sensitive towards outsiders with her young pups about. They were beginning to explore the world outside of the mansion and she wasn't going to take any chances with their safety. Anu was pregnant too, and she needed to be kept safe. It was the Commander's duty to make sure the safety of Crimson Dreams was intact.

Finally he spoke, and his body completely submitted to her authority. Savina's eyes softened, and she reclined back onto her haunches, letting her tail wrap around her feet. "Alright then," she said in a kinder tone. "Our borders are open to newcomers, but what is it that you can do for my pack? What skills do you possess?" Being a part of a pack was a lot of give and take. You got a home and protection, but you needed to contribute something to the greater pack as well. Nothing about Caedres seemed disabled though, and she was sure he would have something he could offer them.

I'll go ask to get you titled up! 300+

As they came to an understanding, the tension in the air dissipated substantially, almost completely. A few electrified waves may have still been buzzing in the air between them, but both wolves seemed to know that neither of them were in any immediate danger from the other. This was good, and helped Savina ease back into the person that she normally was. Being so tense was definitely not something that she enjoyed. His answer to her question made her brow rise slightly, but not in a bad way. "I see. Well, we are not a pack that seeks conflict, we value our peace here. However that doesn't mean that we don't need people to defend us if the time for that ever came. A hunter would most likely be more helpful at the current moment in time. I have a young litter of pups to care for and my second in command is expecting her own litter soon enough. There are many mouths to feed." She let this information sink in, and listened to his own quieries.

"Crimson Dreams has been a pack for almost two years now. We are a very tight knit group and many of our members are family. Those that aren't related to one another by blood are basically just as close as kin. As I said before, we strive for peace here, and we do not pick fights with the other packs around us. Such trouble making is a serious offense." It was important he knew that up front. Not all warriors thirsted for battle and war, but he needed to know right away that no such urges would be permitted here. "Our borders encompass a large area. To the south they run all the way to the sea and to the north they butt up against a large forest. We have a lake that we hold mostly within our jurisdiction, as well as many other terrains and buildings."

"If you are willing to live in a place of peace, then you will start as a Basic Officer. From there you will move up the ranks as you prove yourself." Finally, a smile curved the fey's lips as she decided to finally introduce herself fully. "My name is Savina Marino, by the way. If you're to be my newest member it's only right that you know it."

sorry for the wait D: want to continue this or end it?

It would be good to have another in the pack that was knowledgeable in the martial arts, in case trouble ever did come knocking at their door. Jazper was of course very well equipped for the job, but having another could never hurt. She was sure others in the pack could hold their own in a fight, herself included, but no one was dedicated much training or thought to the matter. It might be nice for Jazz to have another to discuss such things with, and she had no doubt that the large male and Caedres would get along well.

He listened to her attentively as she explained how the pack worked and what the territory was like briefly. Just looking at the storm colored man she could tell that his mind was always working, always planning, always thinking. It was an interesting thing for her to see so easily, but if he had been a loner for long and a warrior on top of it, well she shouldn't be surprised. Surviving on one's own was no easy task and required skill and intellect. It was quite clear that Caedres had both of these.

"I hope you can as well Caedres, but I don't have many worries on that subject. You seem a smart and capable fellow," she said with a grin. Savina rose back to her feet, shaking out her ebony coat before looking back to him. "I can show you back to the mansion where most of the pack resides if you wish, or you can take a look around the territory on your own. Either way though, I must return back to my pups." She'd already been gone longer than she had planned and didn't want anyone worrying over her.