The sun stretched its arms above the horizon to greet a bright new day. Mist danced in the faded light as it hovered close to the ground, leaving behind drops of dew on the fresh spring grass. Not a cloud was in the sky and Ignatius could tell it was going to be a beautiful day. He lay on his back with his arms folded behind his head, not quite ready to get up from his bedroll. Morning was his favorite time of day and this dawn was an important one. He took in a deep breath that pulled in all the smells of spring: the cool scent of the mist, the sweet smell of flowers, and the earthy smell of the grass and dirt. It was good to be here.

Growing impatient with his delay, Pippa let out a soft whinny, telling him to hurry up. She was right; it was time to get going. Ignatius climbed out of his bedroll and rolled to his feet. He shook the morning dampness from his fur before doing the same for the bedroll. He rolled up his sleeping mat and went to his cart, which had been kept close by to shield him from the cold wind blowing form the north. He tossed the bedroll into the back of the cart and grabbed his cloak, some bread and a bag of oats. He swung the cloak around his shoulders to keep him warm and stuffed the bread into his mouth. The oats he gave to his mare, letting her eat them straight from the bag while he picked up the rest of their little camp.

They had set up camp in the heart of the woods, not far from one of the creeks that snaked its way through the trees. New Dawn’s border lay just a few yards to the east. When Pippa was done eating and had been hitched to the cart, they set off toward the border. Ignatius’ heart pounded in his chest as they drew closer, anxious for the first time in a while. How would this pack receive him? Perhaps they had no fondness for stories or tricks and the coldness of the north had frozen their hearts. He used to tell stories like that to the coyotes of the south after hearing them curse the northern wolves. Those stories had been made up, though, and he had no reason to believe there was any truth to it. Still, he could not help feeling nervous as he drew nearer to New Dawn’s territory.

There were no visual signs to tell him that he had reached the edge of their territory, just the smell of their markers cutting a line through the woods. Ignatius took in a deep breath and gave his mare a look and a nervous smile. “Looks like we made it, Pippa.” He looked to the painting that decorated the side of his covered cart, gaining strength from the scene of laughter he had created. He had come all this way to bring laughter and entertainment to as many wolves as he could. He should not forget that. He turned back toward the border and took in another big breath before raising his nose to the sky and letting out a howl that spoke of visitation and of friendship.

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OOC: Don’t let Zalen scare you off!

Zalen heard the call, and recognized the lilt in the voice to be not one of a wolf. It was a dog calling, and this made Zalen uneasy. Therefore, he ran at a brisk pace towards the borders, once again occupying his two-legged form but using it as should be intended; on all fours.

It was not long before he reached the stranger, and was immediately put on edge. There was a cart, and a horse, and a male dog. All these things made Zalen wary and perturbed, and his fur bristled as he neared. He face did not show any emotion yet, for despite the human nature of this guest, there was nothing that set him into a rage like the last time a dog and cart had arrived. The golden female dog that had come before, she had been a trader he had learned, and one of her trades was in slaves.

But this was different; Zalen was not accosted by the smells of spices, herbs and farm animals, and the cart had a scene painted on it. The call had also been friendly; so Zalen’s curiosity was sparked, "Hello, stranger." Zalen said lifting his head, nearly coming to eye height with the horse, "I am Zalen, Alpha of these lands. What business do you have here?" His voice was a little harsher then he had intended, but he was still wary of what this dog wanted.

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It did not take long before he heard the sound of a wolf approaching and he stayed where he was on the opposite side of the territory while he waited for the male to arrive. The black man smelled strongly of his pack and Ignatius could tell by the way he held himself that he was ranked high in the hierarchy. As the man rose before him, he cowered down slightly, tucking his tail respectfully between his legs. Though he had been raised with the customs of the extinct humans, he was not naive when it came to those that lived by the old ways. His time in the south, among the coyotes and Mexican wolves, had taught him much in that respect.

Zalen towered over him, almost twice his size, but he was not afraid of the wolf. Though he seemed a little callous, that was only to be expected. It was his job to be suspicious of any stranger near his lands and Ignatius was not put-off by the harshness in his voice. His speculation on the wolf’s rank were confirmed when he spoke and titled himself Alpha. He nodded respectfully and lowered his head as he replied: “Well met, Zalen. I have come to New Dawn to offer my services as an entertainer. I wish only to spread joy and laughter throughout your pack and ask nothing more than a place to sleep and food to eat for both me and my horse while we are here.” His voice was soft, courteous and he had a strange accent that sounded like many different accents all rolled together. A reminder of all the places he had been.

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Lets add the entertainer of the pack to this thread shall we


Another lazy day with little to do. The scenery remained the same, lush, beautiful with just the hint of a late autumn’s chill to incite the senses. Had human terminology been learned by the wolves, this day would have been noted as the weekend, and been loved by all for it. The female was certainly enjoying this day, lounged at the base of a tree, basking in the warmth of the sun. Truly at ease and without a care for once in her long-lived life. But a call roused her. A masculine voice coming from the borders of the lands, commanding the attention of those nigh. An ear raised attentively, swiveling toward the borders and fanning lazily as if dismissing the sound. But her head raised, a dazed look in her eye was cast toward the distance, a yawn subdued by a wrinkled muzzle as she drew herself from her relaxed state. Ignoring the call was beyond her, curiosity had been piqued for but a moment and now she was a slave to it. On creaking limbs, she rose with umber boots scuffing the ground as the legs shook with relinquished fatigue. Now who was calling upon this day…? Her strides were swift, the black form darted through the dense wood with ease as though the towering trees were but a figment and her weaving was a dance of leisure. A favoring breeze brought to her open nostrils the scent of a stranger, heavy musk accompanied it and she came to recognize it as masculine, but also another scent of her own... It was Zalen. Her own alpha was at the borders. She sighed and female’s eyes opened wider, her pace quicken to a staccato rhythm. A sharp detour from her path brought her in sight of brilliant white and tan. Rapid gait reduced considerably and for the first time, she was able to take a breath. Her pants were light and swift, enough to return oxygen to her form. She walked towards her leader and smiled and licked his ears, nuzzling his neck in affection that she would often show. She smiled at the stranger now, her wicked colored eyes gleaming. "Hi there!"

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The man genuflected and greeting Zalen politely, but did not even offer his name, only his services, before he was asking for hospitality. Zalen snuffed and shook his head in annoyance, but would not run this male off yet. He said he had come for entertainment, and despite it's extremely humanistic value, the mural on the cart had caught Zalen's eye. He was about to speak when a familiar scent hit his nose, and he turned to see his Omega come up and lick him upon the ears. He immediately relaxed, Insomnia seemed to have that affect on him, and he nuzzled her in greeting, his stiff tail melting and beginning to wag.

Turning back to the dog then with a more calm demeanor, he spoke, "What kind of entertainment do you offer? You must know that we of New Dawn do not seek out the pleasure of a humanized life." He was hoping that that was not all that this man had to offer, "What is your name stranger?" He then asked, cocking his head to the side and resting back onto muscular haunches.

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Hurr and durr. Omega's are amazing you know. c: AND I AM TO LAZY TO FIND MY TABLES >c

She was dreaming that she was in a field full of flowers. Flowers of ever color, shape and size. It smelled like home, a warm and gentle breeze ruffling through her fur as she took one gigantic bound through her imaginary dream and then another. Wave after wave of colors and scents and sensations washed over the young pups mind as she frolicked happily for these few moments. Moments when she wasn't stared at or complimented on her beauty, how beautiful she was compared to her siblings, how beautiful she would grow to be. How desirable. The small black female grinned at her alpha, her tail wagging behind her.

The brute had said his name was Ignatius, and that his horse was named Pippa. She got up slowly and started to shift. It was a painful shift, just because she had not in some weeks. Once she was fully shifted she walked over to the horse and stroked her face. Whose a good girl... She giggled and went back to her alpha, she knew that he was uncomfortable with the two legs, but she really wanted to pet the horse. There weren't any in New Dawn and she only had seen two others at the winter festival. If it would make the members of your pack more comfortable I would be happy to spend my time here in my lupus form. I can keep my cart and horse away from your main gathering areas, though I would like it to at least be within pack territory. I have many things I do not wish to have stolen. As I said, I am here to bring joy to your pack, not make them feel uncomfortable. I will follow your customs as best I can. At that remark, Insomnia's ears were perked up, her tail wagging fast behind her soft body. She looked at her leader and gave him a whine. Please Zalen, it could be fun! Some of the older wolves could finally do something... She stuck her tongue out and giggled at Zalen.


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The male realized his error and quickly corrected it with a grin and apology. Ignatius was his name, and Pippa was the name he had given the horse. Zalen looked at the beast and saw only food, but that was perhaps because he was quite famished. Suddenly, his hunger revelrie was broken by the sounds of shifted bones and flesh, and his eyes darted over to Insomnia, who was in the midst of changing to her Optime form. Zalen started for a moment, eyes wide and enthralled, before looking bashfully away. He was still not used to seeing others shift, to him it was a most private affair, a moment of weakness only to be shown in front of lovers and close family. But the sable male understood that his was a unique opinion, and that shifting before others was as natural as eating with others.

Zalen watched as Insomnia came up to the horse to greet it, and he could help but cock his head to the side curiously and fluff out his rough in discomfort. Gladly, Insomnia did not linger long and came back to his side just as the dog began to explain that he would abide by all of New Dawn's rules and customs if he were allowed to perform his song and story telling. Zalen's ears perked at this, it may be a good idea to let this stranger in just for an evening or so, he was sure many in the pack would enjoy a good story. Insomnia confirmed this suspicion by piping up in her flirtatious, puppy-like manner. Zalen grinned at her, his tale wagging once more, and he turned to Ignatius, "I believe something can be arranged then. Your horse and cart will be protected in the womb of the sunrise meadow. We have driven off nearly all unwanted predators, so you will not need to worry about its safety." Though he made mental note to perhaps have Shadowfang or Augustus keep and eye on the horse, just in case a hungry member decided to make it an easy meal.

Then, continuing, "You may come to our meeting place outside the den, but you may not sleep with us. Instead, you may set up camp where ever else in the territory you wish, so long as you let us know where." This seemed like a reasonable offer, even the fact that he would allow the man deep into the heart of the territory was trust more so than Zalen would have given if it weren't for the fact Insomnia was by him; her carefree nature seeped into him like sunlight.

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The noise one made whilst shifting was a familiar one to the dog but he turned toward the female in surprise all the same. He had not expected it after the alpha had just told him that they preferred to live as wolves did before the infection. He had seen many shifts before, less since he had travelled across the sea but some packs here were more comfortable with it than others. He watched her curiously as she shifted, wondering why she had suddenly made the decision to do so. To him shifting was a beautiful thing and without the virus he would not be able to perform the tricks he loved so much.

Her reason became apparent when Insomnia walked up to pet the horse. Pippa was agreeable to the affection and nickered softly as the girl drew away, begging for more. Ignatius shushed her before turning his attention back to Zalen. What he was offered was no less than what he had been expecting. He was happy with the arrangement and excited to get to know the canines of New Dawn. He smiled cheerfully as he replied. “Thank you, Zalen. If you would lead me to the sunrise meadow I will get my things in order and then come to the meeting spot later today.” It probably wouldn’t be hard to find it; their scent would be strong around the den and gathering area. “I will let you know where I will be sleeping then.”

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Insomnia tensed her muscles under her coat, taken off guard as Zalen gave it the okay for the brute to come. It was rare that she had seen him be this nice to someone. It seemed to only happen when she was around, which of course made her feel important and special to him.

Again she had another feeling, one that perhaps Buboniq was hiding more than he let on, but he was already anxious enough and she had guessed her manners had helped her and once again she had become her silly self. As the new male agreed to her leaders terms, she giggled and jumped a bit. She couldn't wait to hear this man's stories and maybe he would preform for her. She was just like a young pup again. She wish she could control those random outburst of energy but she just couldn't sometimes when she was this happy. This shall be fun!

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OOC: I will put up a pinned topic above for your story telling thread ok? I also suggest that you perhaps have a thread with Shadowfang or Augustus as they will ICly have been ordered to keep an eye on Ignatius.

So it was settled, they would let the entertainer in for story telling and songs that evening. Zalen turned and nudged Insomnia with his snout, "Run back to the den and let everyone know, would you my dear?" He smiled, and then turned back to Ignatius, and stood up erect on two legs, "Come, I will show you way to the sunrise meadow, it is not far." Along the way, Zalen would listen to what the man had to say, and would get a better sense of his personality. The Alpha knew he was taking a risk but letting this stranger into the pack lands, but what Terra had said weighed heavily on his mind. To gain trust one must give trust; hopefully this entertainer will go to other packs after New Dawn, and spread good words about it.

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OOC: Sounds great! I'll arrange a thread with them as soon as I can.

With the alpha’s permission granted, Ignatius took the first step into their territory. He clicked softly and pulled on the lead attached to Pippa’s harness to get her in motion. The cart jangled as they started and Pippa strained to get it moving again on the uneven terrain.

Sunrise meadow, huh? It just so happened that sunrise was his favorite time of the day. “Sounds like a lovely place. Is there, by chance, a lovely view of the sunrise from that meadow?” That would be a good reason for it to have that name. If that were the case then he would probably spend his nights there. It would be weird to be away from his horse and cart anyway, after sleeping next to them for most of his journey. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of sleeping alone and exposed, especially in his lupus form. It was bad enough he would have to strip himself of his pants and gloves.

He was determined to lean more of this packs culture, even though he felt slightly awkward walking next to Zalen as the man loped along on all fours. He tried not to look down at the alpha as he spoke, instead focusing on where they were going. “So, tell me more about your pack Zalen. They seem a friendly bunch if you and..” He never had gotten her name, had he? “..your pack mate, are any indication.” He already knew they rejected human things and liked to live in their lupus forms, though they did shift on occasion. Therefore, they were not against the infection, just against living the way humans had. He had met quite a few packs on his travels that had the same sort of philosophy but he hoped not all the packs here were like that. His most stunning form of performance required the use of hands and he would be saddened if he never got to show off for these northerners.

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