Tjikiju was a little unnerved by the reaction she received from the she-wolf. She had thought her approach relaxed and friendly, but the female had withdrawn like an admonished puppy, fearful and submissive. Tilting her skull a little to the left, Ti considered her new companion a moment before choosing her words, knowing that a fearful wolf was often more dangerous than a brave one. A wolf that was afraid for it's life was a creature that had nothing left to lose. "Hmm, very shy, indeed. I mean not harm, come come, stand tall. I Tjikiju, tyee-kee-yu. Friend say Ti, much easier. Now you say?" A half smile graced the she-wolf's fine features, her attempt to seem less threatening and more of a friend. She also lowered her stance, keeping her tail relaxed and her shoulders loose in an attempt to seem smaller and thus, less intimidating.
As she waited patiently for an answer, Ti caught sound of a strong howl deeper in the packlands. Another tilt of her head was given as she analyzed the message, realizing it was from the new alpha almost instantly. From the tone of the howl she could tell that her waiting on the border was a pointless activity. The new leader had invited nearby strays inside and Ti had no intention of sitting around. With a cautious sniff that told her of nearby activity, the she-wolf stepped over the scent-line, throwing a look over her shoulder as she went. She hoped the other wolf would follow her, she almost felt responsible, or at least slightly pitying. It had occurred to Ti that the she-wolf hadn't spent much time around her own kind and would need time to adjust, something which would be made easier with a friendly pack to help out.
Taking up a steady trot, Tjikiju passed further into the pack territory, skirting dens thick with wolf-scent and old pathways worn into the forest floor. It was a new experience for the northern she-wolf, much of her youth had been spent huddled in sparse forest or chasing through deep drifts of thick snow. The closeness of the trees would be something to get used to, it was almost unnerving how their branches traced patterns through her pale gold coat. Ti's tall, thick-furred frame was built to run without hindrance, dance in snow drifts and leap on the backs of white-speckled bison. Not to weave through trees and dodge fallen branches.
As she neared the gathering, Ti gave a calculating sniff, scenting the wolves before she saw them. Four female scents and five male told her the gathering was relatively even, the musky, blood-tainted odour of one female reinforcing the position of alpha. With a reassuring smile directed towards her follower ( ooc: I'm assuming Wings is following her here xD ), Ti closed the gap and appeared on scene, just as the dark russet and white male threatened the smaller white female ( I'm having to guess her colour here, there's no mention of it in her posts and I've yet to learn how to read minds.... ). Her own mis-matched gaze rested on these two for a moment, taking in the scene at a glance. She idly wondered why the youth of today were so brash and self-righteous, choosing to rebel rather than accept what fate had in store for them.
With a small shake of her skull, Tjikiju passed her amber-gold and silver gaze around the rest of the gathering, her curiosity piqued. A large golden-eyed male, tan fur peppered with black, cream and grey, long legs encased in creamy hues. Another male, grey eyes set in a vibrant agouti coat, hues of gold, russet, pepper and cream giving him the look of a creature touched by Autumn. Ti decided on a whim that she liked this male, if only because of his speckle-gold fur and steel eyes. After losing the sight in one eye, the heavily scarred she-wolf had learnt to appreciate the colour and beauty of life. Passing her gaze further around the gathered wolves, she took their colours in, matching them to those strong scents. Two other males were there, a male peppered in hues of grey, white and silver, yellow eyes standing out in stark contrast to his coat, and a tawny-caramel male with pale eyes, his own coat an unusual blend seen more often in wolves of warmer climes.
Ti now turned her attention to the females, three she could see and one she could only smell. Though she wondered why that one was hiding, she wasn't too bothered by it, she knew she wasn't the only one to have noticed. Perhaps the she-wolf would have to do a better job at sneaking in bushes next time. The young, snappy white female appeared to be related to an older creamy female, Ti could smell their similarities in their scent, as well as the aroma of a wolf in estrous. She wrinkled her nose slightly, before finally turning her attention to the most dominant wolf in the group. While she had only lingered for mere seconds on the others, Ti focused fully on this impressive female, drinking deep of her copper-tinged scent and committing it to memory. This white and dark russet female with those pale eyes was the one she had to impress, the one she would serve if she was accepted, the one with whom her loyalties would lie. The Alpha.
Taking a few measured steps forward, Ti lowered her tail, relaxed her stance and dipped her head in greeting, hoping her nameless companion was doing the same. "Skaitik, greetings, missie. Excuse our, uh, intrusion, I figure your call is invite to us also? Do we come at bad time?" She indicated the rebellious youngster with a flick of an ear, her head slightly tilted to allow her good eye to rest just below the alpha's eyeline. "Young have not respect these day, no?" This was spoken in a lower tone, a polite but warm smile accompanying it. Ti was a relatively old wolf, nearing the end of her prime, and while she would soon begin to lose her physical strength, her mind was as sharp as ever. If there was one thing she had, it was that kind of wisdom that came with age.
[[[ Heh, that was a weird post but my hands are freezing and I was interrupted when the cat randomly fell off the sofa xD I'm a lil' rusty anyway. :3 ]]]
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