Set in the Dampwoods, a little ways off from the Inferni borders. :3

Once again, the slender hybrid found herself skulking around the borders of Inferni. She was being far more subtle this night, however, her movements reminiscent of any passerby. Only the most paranoid would have the right to be suspicious—and she had no bad intentions, anyhow. Instead, her curiosity for the clan was rising as she remembered and learned more about it. She’d yet to speak with any of its members, save for that coyote girl who’d warned her against “stinkies,” so still the pictures had been painted by outsiders.

There was little Vesper could gather from this vantage point, barely in sight of the invisible division marked by the scent of several hybrids. All she knew was that she wanted to know more, at least to gauge whether or not Inferni was a dangerous clan. They had apparently caused trouble for other packs, but that could be said of any group of canines; the diversity in Nova Scotia meant that not everyone got along. The hawk-man Niro had jokingly pointed out the coyote-blood-dominant clan wouldn’t have much of a problem with her, and she carried this knowledge with confidence.

The woman yawned as she sat, tucked comfortably against the rough bark of an old tree. It was getting late, but her blue eyes could still distinguish the different outlines of the woods beyond where she was seated. A clump of toadstools was growing by her paw, and she pawed at one thoughtfully as she took in the sounds of the forest around her: hooting owls, chirping crickets, and the more subtle sounds of other nocturnal animals going about their routine.

An autumn wind cut sharply through the night air, ruffling the coywolf’s black-splashed scruff and causing her to hunch her shoulders. Teeth clenched, she scanned the area one last time. There was no point in staying so close to pack grounds this late if she wasn’t going to be learning anything. At most, she could expect meeting a patrol by day, perhaps coyotes wandering far enough off course to converse with a curious loner. Perhaps she’d find other clues about what the clan was like through eavesdropping on conversation, but that was riskier and meant getting closer to the borders than she was comfortable. To avoid trespassing, she had to know where she was at all times—

The coywolf paused from where she’d been walking from the tree, and she took a seat once she’d stepped into a clearing. She tilted her head back, her throat flashing with white as her blue eyes stared up into the star-dusted heavens. Already, her mind was working, picking out constellations, comparing the pinpricks of light she saw now to those she’d seen other nights.

She remained so still that she could have been a statue carved from stone: neck stretched up and slender body positioned neatly on the dark needle-coated forest floor.

Sorry for the shortness!

A scent niggled at her while she had her nose stretched up toward the starry sky, but as entranced as she was trying to place herself in the star map, Vesper did not quite notice the approach of the male. Of course, the moment she heard the footfalls and became conscious of her surroundings, she let out a snarling curse in her head. Outwardly, she simply turned to check out the coyote hybrid that sprang into the clearing.

Other than an interesting dusky coat and a splash of red on his muzzle, the male could have been any other mutt. His scent was what interested her more; overlaying the interesting entwined odors that marked someone who had partial dog and wolf heritage was the musk of the clan whose borders she had been checking out. It was not especially strong, as if he were somewhat new to Inferni, but it was enough to intrigue her.

Almost as soon as she turned to face him, however, her expression interested, he greeted her in a way that filled her with exasperation. Gorgeous, hmm? Her blue eyes became icier, but she would not snap at him unless he continued to flirt; one word was harmless, after all.

“I wanted to look at the stars before I found a place to sleep,” Vesper answered with complete honesty, tucking her tawny tail around her body. “And I was interested to see what kind of clan made their home here.”

She smirked suddenly, a slight cruelty in the line of her lips. “Why ever do you ask?”

*rubs hands together expectantly*

The male said that she had spunk, and her eyes narrowed as she figured they were going to go through the whole “feisty is sexy” kick that most men seemed to like. Vesper had let them know exactly how feisty she was, leaving them with enough wounds to reconsider hitting on the first female they saw next time. She was about to make a sharp retort when she realized he was speaking on, pointing out how close she was to the territory. At that, her bad ear flicked, and a frown settled over her slender features. She’d allow that much, and a threat from a territorial coymutt was something she could deal with.

A slight incline of her head showed acknowledgment for how close she was to the borders. “I wasn’t planning on stepping over. I’m only a loner, and I wasn’t sure if Inferni might be interesting.” She said no more—partially because she didn’t want to make him think she wanted to join right away, and partially because she was intently focused on his motion. The circling trick was enough to intimidate weaker canines, but she only kept him in the corner of her eye at all times, turning her head only slightly if needed. As it was, he hadn’t circled completely around her, instead sitting down and sniffing in her direction.

And then he grinned, and Vesper’s coal-tipped hackles rose. She was about to dissuade him from making any advances when he went ahead—asking her for a little “something something.” She would have been inclined to guffaw and spell out exactly what she thought of him and his kind, but he was encroaching on her personal space very quickly.

No fucking way.

Teeth flashed as Vesper snapped at the asshole’s nose.