[Solo-WIN] Visitors (Red Leaves, Flicker, Hoarfrost)

[Kyrieko]

He'd been stuck in the same place for far too long. It was time that he went out on an adventure. He had his new trusty sidekick, Other Left, to accompany him! Red Leaves was so excited to get a change of scenery, he struggled with staying still for even a moment! Of course, there were a few arrangements to be made. He wasn't allowed to leave without at least telling his mother... or another sibling, his intentions. Things had gotten a little more relaxed since Other Left came about. But still!

He did manage to get lost.

A lot.

"Come on, Left! Let's goooo!" The young male exclaimed, whining a little. But his bird companion wouldn't budge.

"Just what do we gotta wait for? Mom ain't here, we let someone know we were going out, so what?" He glanced up at his familiar, sitting in the tree. "I really want to go check out our neighbors!" Red Leaves added, looking quite pitiful.

Other Left sighed. "Now, we can go." He informed his wolf friend. Of course, he left out the tiny little bit that their adventure would be joined by another...

Red Leaves didn't need to hear anything else. He was gone in a flash, heading in the general direction of Hornfels Hollow. Their neighboring pack.

------

Flickering Wisp had been dying to go and explore their neighboring pack, Hornfels Hollows. She'd heard all about them from her mother as a wee pup, and now that she was a little bit bigger and older, Flicker was determined to go and check them out!

So, when Other Left had come to do his duty of reporting the expected adventure of his charge, Flicker had begged to join them.

Other Left had been most agreeable.

"Red Leaves, slow down!" She called, sprinting to catch up with her brother. He was definitely in a hurry, but she'd know he was growing anxious from not enough wandering.

"I'm coming with you!" She added with a bark of laughter when he stumbled and almost crashed in to a tree.

----

Red Leaves looked over his shoulder... and yep. It was Wisp. Why was she here? Then she answered him.

"Really?! You want to come with me?" There was definitely a happy perk to his step now. How exciting! He had a travel buddy! Well, one that wasn't just Other Left.

"Hurry up then, lets get a move on."  

[Kyrieko]

Today had started out pleasant. A nice morning with her siblings, then a little leisure time spent just looking out over the trees from a perch higher up the rockface. At least until she'd caught sight of a certain wolf. Her mood was instantly soured and Hoarfrost quickly retreated to find somewhere that wouldn't be tainted by Melting Point.

Grumbling under her breath and deciding to run the pack territory lines, Hoarfrost prayed that he hadn't seen her or would try to follow.

Of course, what she hadn't counted on was that she would run in to someone else.

Hoarfrost hadn't thought she'd gone super far, but apparently her dash to get out of range and sight had taken her to the boundary she'd been closest to. She'd heard a rustling sound, had just enough time to go on the alert when a wolf suddenly bounded into sight. Followed by a bird. And... another wolf.

Her hackles instantly raised and a deep snarl raised in her throat. "Halt, strangers! Who are you? You're trespassing." Great. Could her day get any worse?  

[Kyrieko]

"Wisp." Red Leaves panted after his sister. Who didn't respond.

"Wiiiiiisp!" The young male trotted up to where she was crouched down, staring at something. "Wisp, what are you doing?!" He asked, crouching down with her.

The young female squinted at the trail of ants walking along the fallen limb of a tree. It was fascinating how they stayed in such a straight and concise line. Was it instinct that drove them to do so? Blind drive? What happened if she dropped a leaf in their path. Doing just that, she observed the outcome. And nearly jumped out of her fur when Red Leaves was suddenly right there.

"Red!" She barked, getting to her feet and shaking out her fur. "Sorry. I was waiting for you and Other Left, and I saw the ants and grew curious about how they manage to keep such a straight line and.... Red Leaves, where are you going? The pack should be that-"

Red Leaves yipped in sudden surprise, eyes going wide as another wolf was just all of a sudden there! And they were snarling. And angry looking... wait. Wait they were trespassing?!

"Oh. Hello, there! Are you part of the Hornfels pack? We're from Dawnstar and wished to come and explore our neighbors we've heard so much about. I am Flickering Wisp. That is my brother, Red Leaves Falling. Have we really reached the border of your territory already? My goodness! I must have lost track of our travels!" Wisp babbled on in excitement, looking the other female over with interest.

"Ooooooh you're from Hornfels?! Hi there!" Red Leaves was all wagging tail once more.  

[Kyrieko]

Hoarfrost kept her intimidating appearance, not trusting these strangers. There had been no word of any visitors due soon... wait. They were from Dawnstar? "Our allied pack?" She asked, just for clarification. She knew who their ally was, but had to make certain she'd heard them correctly.

Still not fully backing down, Hoarfrost did straighten a little, though her ears were lower and her hackles raised. But at least she wasn't snarling.

"You are correct. This is Hornfels territory. Why are you here?" The other female had said something about exploring?

So they had never been to her pack before? Hoarfrost knew some of the Dawnstar pack had come to visit. And there were the initial two who she'd heard had offered the alliance in the first place.

"Well, if you've come to explore, you can't do it unattended." She paused, considering the options available. If she left them be, then someone else would find them and wonder why no one had reported them here. And there was the possibility that she would run in to certain wolves she rather not see. Alone, anyway.

"I will be your guide." She stated, making her decision.  

[Kyrieko]

Flickering Wisp had a little more sense about her than her brother did, most of the time. She observed the other female, sensing... not hostility, but definitely distrust. "Yes. We're from Dawnstar." She stated once more with a nod. "We both wanted to have the opportunity to meet our neighbors and see your pack."

"That's right! Neither of us are scouts for our pack and we don't get out quite as much. But I really wanted to go out adventuring and Other Left always has my back. Then Wisp wanted to come too." Red Leaves babbled, tail wagging in his excitement.

Flicker just rolled her eyes and sighed. "I am Flickering Wisp. You may call me Flicker or Wisp." She wagged her tail. "And that would be so amazing if you could be our guide!"

"I'm Red Leaves Falling. But everyone just calls me Red Leaves. Or just Red." He was almost beside himself with the need to go look around and move.

Other Left flew a gentle circle around the trio of wolves. "I am known as Other Left. The navigator of Red Leaves and third member of this little exploration party." The crow chuckled.  

[Kyrieko]

Okay, she was starting to think that these two wolves were a little weird. The young male was always fidgeting. The female... okay she wasn't so bad. Hoarfrost nodded her head in acknowledgement of where they were from. Her blue eyes widened slightly as the reddish one went on about not being a scout and the siblings just wanted to come check out their neighboring pack.

Innocent enough intentions, she supposed. But one could never be too careful. Especially with outsiders.

"Well, that's a good enough reason, I guess." Her ears had flicked upwards, a little of her distrust ebbing away with the prospect of new friends. Who weren't Melting Point or his siblings.

"My name is Hoarfrost. One of my grandad's is sort of the alpha....it's complicated, but, so it's sort of my duty to be a guide." Wagging her tail the tinniest bit, she nodded to each of them in turn.

With a budding bit of excitement, Hoarfrost turned and gestured for them to follow. "C'mon! I'll take you on the grand tour. Show you some of the fun spots."

Okay, so maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.  

[Kyrieko]

Red Leaves was right at Hoarfrost's side, that bounce never leaving his step and tail never ceasing to wag. He looked all around, feeling the light touch of Other Left gently tugging his fur before flying higher. He panted, tongue hanging out in the goofiest of looks.

"This is so cool. Now I'll get to tell everyone back home I made it to Hornfels." Without getting lost, he didn't add.

Flicker filled in the blank herself, laughing a little, bright eyes taking in the other female.

"We appreciate this, Hoarfrost! And it's so nice to meet you. If I'm not being so bold, are you around my age?" She had the common courtesy to not point out the obvious. She and Hoarfrost were clearly in the awkward, not quite a puppy anymore but definitely not an adult, stage. Red Leaves was just awkward. Period.

He puffed up. "That's right. I'm your big brother." This was all ruined when he made a silly sound as Flicker nuzzled him and it tickled.

"Wiiiiisp!" He whined, embarrassed.  

[Kyrieko]

Yep. They were a strange lot. Hoarfrost eyed Flickering Wisp as she spoke, not all that offended by the question.

"Huh, I guess you and I are closer to the same age." She admitted. "Oh! You can see some of the main pack just up ahead." There was a little pause as Hoarfrost scanned the wolves she could make out. Good. No ambushes today.

"We're pretty family oriented here. And... we're a pretty big family in general. But we've gotten some new faces lately and it's kind of exciting!" Okay, so she was still young herself. But the way she spoke, it was as if she'd been around for ages.

"I'll have to introduce you to my siblings. Or, well, a few of them. I have... a lot."

"Oh! Over there, that's one of my favorite places to just come and lay to watch all the goings on of the pack. It's kind of relaxing to do." Hoarfrost took them to a nice little patch that wasn't hindered by much and allowed for quite the nice view of where a lot of activity seemed to occur. "It also depends on the time of day. Sometimes, there's more activity in the dens. Others... well, I haven't been on a hunt just yet, but I will soon!"

And so, the rest of the day went much the same. She'd find a fun spot, share it with her new friends. Tell them all the gossip about this or that wolf that happened to pass by. And, like a good guide, she did take them around Hornfels and show them around.