The scent of a stranger along the borders set the Imp ill at ease. Too much had happened in too little time for the Alphess to simply welcome the opportunity of another stranger just walking into her land. The philosophy of any are welcome was swiftly starting to be swallowed into the darkness. It was a shame, Iromar had so much to offer to many who chose to embrace it. It saddened her to see the strength used against them. As she investigated the strange scent, she thought about this further. As a warrior, if something was being used against you, you had to change your pose to use it to your advantage. Chocolate tipped ear twitched, and she sneezed in thought. It was something to consider. Eyes looked through the cattails of Iromar, to the neighboring Glorall. The scent of the stranger wandered into the other territory and the Imp dismissed it for now, figuring it would be Glorall’s problem for a while. It was not until a while later, when the scent returned and started to draw closer, that Pine became aggravated.

The day the scent started to linger too close for comfort, Pine had been pacing the flowered fields, ensuring the security of the inner land while every other able bodied wolf circled the outside. Ever attentive, she spiraled out to the outside. Cenna was sleeping now, healing from his wounds and she was taking the opportunity to increase her vigilance. She heard the soft whisper, the words setting her teeth to gritting. It was barely a breath and the wolf continued along the borders of Iromar, as pompous as could be.. Silent in the shadows of the dark, Pine’s eyes blazed in fury. She knew others would be on this wolf’s trail. No one would be unaware of the lurker, and she her actions would be apparent to those who watched. Knowing the wolves of Iromar, she was willing to believe others were already following her.

Baring her teeth, Pine silently slipped through the paths she had walked for her lifetime, keeping the intruder in her sights. She knew this world with an expertise only those who lived here could manage. Years of training in the reeds had her become one with them and suddenly, she was no longer a friendly greeter to a visitor. She was hunting an intruder.

Circling around to approach from the front, keeping to the dry patches of dirt, she froze at the squelching noise. That was no wolf. Hidden in the dark and the mud, one of the scaled monsters of Iromar shifted and moved its great body. Pine looked up at the foolish wolf. You come to our home, insulting and arrogant, in the cover of night and expect us take this lightly? She growled, baring her teeth. No, stranger. Try again. Give me two good reasons to change my mind. Rough personalities she could handle. Blatant disrespect she could not.