Take me Home(Open, Joining)

[Adelaide]

It had been a long time since the wolf had actually used her nose to track more than simply prey. In fact this time, the young wolf was on a mission. A mission to tie herself down in a new home, to put an end to the constant traveling. She had spent the last year wandering, practicing her healing skills, and just letting the world catch up with her a bit. And it was in that time that she realized, even though she was only two, she was getting older. If she wanted to find herself a good home, she couldn't do it begging at in old age when she was worthless. She needed to do it in her youth, in her prime, when she was still of worth to her pack mates. However, the burden of her old pack was heavy on her shoulders. The murder of her family still glued into her mind. She was taking a risk joining a new pack, but she couldn't be alone anymore. Who was she if she had so much to give, keeping it to herself? If the she wolf was anything, it was not selfish.

That was what brought her to where she stood now. On the brink of a mountain, following the scent of another young wolf that she had heard was starting a pack. She didn't know what the other wolf expected, what she looked for in her pack, but Adelaide was willing tot give it a try. Every pack needed a healer, yes? Someone to pick them up when they are down and protect them for what it's worth. She wasn't the best of fighters, but she could hunt, and she was quite the devil when someone hurt the ones she loved. She was worthy of a pack, she just knew it! And this was hopefully going to be her last stop for a while. It was her second chance. If this wolf wasn't going to give her a home, then she was done looking. It was doing her no good to simply keep wandering in hopes of settling. She would find another source, but at least for now, she was going to try.

The dark colored she wolf continued on until she found the scent markers - the border and warning that she was about to walk into claimed land. Being the respectful canine she was, she stopped right on the edge. Lowering her haunches into a sitting position. And with that, she lifted her head to the sky and let out a long, single, melody of a howl. Summoning the leader to where she sat. The calling was simple. I wish to meet you, come get me.
DEXEROUS

[DEXEROUS]

DEXEROUS.
i want you stuffed into my mouth, hold you down and tear you open
live inside you - love i'd never hurt you.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

The call was lonely, isolating, like that of any call made by a wolf. To the untrained ear, it had an eerie tone to it, as it the universe was so huge and so empty. It was like calling into the dark, and seeing nothing. The blackness would be suffocating, tearing into any soul that dare enter it. Yet you know you weren't alone, you couldn't be. And so the call was blind, it was vulnerable, yet inviting. The question was, what were you calling for? Who were you calling to? What creature waited for you among the darkness?

Copper ears pulled forward, amber eyes narrowing in question. The massive brute lifted his head, drinking in the echoes of the wolf's howl from the plateau. Most of the calls that came from this territory were from that of Cougar Creek's pack, claiming the land as their own, a challenge to all those impeded on it. But this one was different, a foreign tongue. The call was inviting, curious. Dexerous felt the fur along his spine prickle with anticipation and soon his paws were moving across the sodden earth. He lifted his muzzle to the heavens, releasing a breathy howl from his lungs. Her call had been returned.

The vixen was gorgeous, but young. She had a dark pelt with curious white splashes and the most astonishing of blue eyes. The massive brute shouldered forward, his head held high, tail up, and ears erect. The was a note of arrogance upon that copper face and a mischievous curiousness behind those amber eyes. The vixen was younger, maybe two, maybe a little younger, maybe a little older, but not by much. She was conscious, careful, having plucked herself just shy of the border. Dexerous padded forward, undaunted by this stranger. He stopped only when his toes danced along the unseen line that separated Cougar Creek from the outsider. Finally, his maw twisted up into a cunning grin. "It is wise of you not to have trespassed onto our land, for I should have seen you to be my enemy." The brute purred, something of a snicker rumbling deep within his chest. There was a moments pause before he went on again. "Neither of us would have wanted that, now would we?" The grin never faded.

Dexerous rocked back on his paws, lowering his rump to the earth as she had, the only things separating them was that unseen border wall. He put on a careless charade, yet hawken eyes never left the stranger. "Why have you summoned me, outsider?"

╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
you're borne of a jackal, you're beautiful.

[Adelaide]

It wasn't long of a waiting game before a deep, husky howl filled the air. Someone had heard, and they were coming to greet her. The young wolf felt her heart right pick up. The deep thumps so loud that she thought it was going to tear out of her chest. Yet, it remained intact and she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She didn't need to make such a fool of herself when she was about to meet the leader of such a strongly known pack. They were known to be the biggest, the fiercest, and she wanted to belong, needed to belong. As her heart began to settle, the beating rhythm moved to her paws, causing them to dance along the ground as she waited for the other wolf. She had never met with a true Alpha before, only her father who was as vicious as one could come. She could only hope that this wolf was much better as a leader. He didn't have to be some sweet, daisy, tail kissing hunk. In fact, she wanted him to be strong, someone she could look up to! But, not a violent killer who would tear her throat out before she even told him why she had come. Her nerves only seemed to rise as the copper colored wolf came into view - his arched ears and high head telling her the obvious. He was the leader of the Cougar Creek Pack.

Even though she was feeling her nerves, she had it locked up tightly. Instead, her excitement flowed into her eyes, but she managed to stop her flighty paws from bouncing all over the place. Swallowing all her nerves, she let out a smile that seemed to meet the brute's grin. As he stood tall, she lowered her ears and tail, though she did not drop to her knees in submission. However, she did give a little bow of her head. It was enough to show that he was the superior here, but she had enough self-respect to not throw herself at his paws. She was proud of herself, but not conceited. Just the right amount of confident and submissive in the mix. After her silent introduction, she listened politely, studying with icy blue eyes as he spoke up. She could have laughed at his comment, yet instead, she found herself curving her lips from a smile into a smirk. "Oh no, sir. Anything but that." She purred back, as much taunting affection in her sweet and young voice as he had put out into his words. Now came the more serious conversation and she made sure that he could read her transition from flirting and joking to seriousness. Something she had been so good at doing.

For a moment she sat in the silence, which luckily wasn't as awkward as she had expected. She wanted to word the response as securely as possible, but not appearing prideful, as she was not. Mentally, she took a deep sigh and then turned her crystal eyes onto the males, proving that she was not afraid of him, but she did respect him as well as his authority. Another light, deep breath. "I have come to your pack, hoping to take part in it's members, and in return, I believe myself to be a worthy asset to such a pack. I have spent the majority of my life on my own. The first year of my life I was involved in enough physical fighting to know it was not my strong suite, and I needed a better focus. It was then I spent the next year practicing hunting, and in all the respect, which I will prove, I have learned to be not only strategic, but able to take down prey three times my size, cleanly, successfully, and most of all individually." She paused for a moment, as though to let the words she had said seep in. "However, as good as a hunter I can be, my heart lies within healing, rather than harming. I have been studying herbal remedies and injuries ever since I could leave my nursery. I am still learning, therefore I shouldn't have the rank all to myself, there is still more I could learn from older wolves. It is in my blood and if you would have it, that is what I would like to do. Though, when I am not healing or without patients, I can show my worth by supplying food for the pack." She gave a light smile to the brute once more, flicking her ears and dipping her muzzle as though she was embarrassed for all the words she had just said.

Inside, she was cringing, but she rose her icy eyes to meet the males copper ones once more. "Oh yeah, and I'm Adelaide." Real smooth, her mind purred as she cringed once again inside her head.
DEXEROUS

[DEXEROUS]

DEXEROUS.
i want you stuffed into my mouth, hold you down and tear you open
live inside you - love i'd never hurt you.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

Her body responded to his presence like water moving around a rock. The authority he carried pulled respect from her as she dipped her head and accepted his leadership. Dexerous liked that, he liked her subtle submission yet measured self-respect. The vixen didn't roll over like a dead dog; she met his eyes with pride, as though to stand her ground, yet remained unchallenging in his advance. When she spoke, she was charming and flirtatious, earning a snicker from the large brute. But as he ventured on, growing more serious in his inquiry about her presence, so did she. The vixen paused, as though to run over what she was going to say in her head. Dexerous looked on with mild interest.

Finally, the loner spoke. He was surprised by her composure, yet impressed by what she brought to the table. Yet Dexerous couldn't make this easy. He led a pack, not a charity home. Amber eyes narrowed as he measured her words, calculating and weighing his options in his head. At last, the vixen introduced herself as Adelaide. "My name is Dexerous, I lead Cougar Creek Pack." As if that needed to be said. He watched her with unwavering eyes, pausing before he went on again. "Becoming a member isn't an easy thing. Tell me, Adelaide, why should I trust you? Your skills mean nothing to me, if I do not have your loyalty." All cleverness and mischievousness had vanished. Now, Dexerous assumed the role of alpha and it was down to the business.

"I will tell you now that Cougar Creek is not for the faint hearted. You loyalty comes above everything. If you are not willing to defend this pack and make if your own, you have no place among us." There was a soft snarl in that undertone, a warning as though to say that betraying this method would have dyer consequences.

╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
you're borne of a jackal, you're beautiful.

ooc: i apologize for the shortness of my post!

[Adelaide]

She had earned a light snicker from the brute, and that was enough to send her heart reeling inside her. She had earned some kind of acceptance, even if it was only for that brief moment, it was worth every second. As he continued to speak, she calmed her excitement, proving that she could be serious and take into account everything that was going to be expected of her. Dexerous, as he was called, told her exactly what she expected to hear. Getting into his pack wasn't going to be easy, she had expected that, and she was pleased to actually hear it. She wanted a strong Alpha, not someone who was going to take whatever wolf came crying to his border and whined like a little puppy on their back. Adelaide was not that kind of wolf. She knew what she could do, and she wasn't going to keep it to herself. She also wasn't going to take her abilities to the pack in the canyon that was known to take the rejects of the Cougar Creek. She waited for the Alpha to stop speaking before she gave her muzzle another dip, showing that she had heard what he said, and she was willing to take that risk. "If I were of the weak hearted wolves, I wouldn't be standing at your border, I would be over by the canyon, exposing my belly and whining for the leader to take me in, as I am a lonely pup who can't take care of myself." That might have been a little far, showing her obvious distaste of the other pack,  but it also proved she wasn't going to be running over there and spilling secrets. Her eyes held it all.

Why could he trust her? She had to admit it was a fair question. In her mind, Adelaide knew she was as loyal and protective as one could get, yet Dexerous didn't. He was seeing her for the first time. "I came to you looking for order, for passion, and something to devote all the abilities I can prove." She began, icy blue eyes flicking to the darker hues of the Alpha, her young voice hard and sincere. "If I wasn't worth your trust, I would not have vowed my weaknesses to you in bland daylight, or tell you my dislikes. By presenting myself here, I am already putting my life on the line, for your acceptance." Her ears pulled back. They were strong words, but they were simply that - words. It was going to need to backed up by proof, and she had no intention of slipping in the cracks and leaving this border not a member of  a pack. She wanted this, needed this. A wolf was nothing without other wolves, simply existing was not something she wanted to do. She wanted to live, to protect, to conquer. To mean something to someone. And most of all, she wanted a purpose. The purpose that is given when belonging to a pack. "Give me 3 sunrises," She told Dexerous. "I will prove my words as you can not just take them on a whim. It's the one reason you have my full and utter respect." And with those words she silenced herself, yes dropping to his paws as she awaited the outcome of her efforts. And it was one deadly wait for the young wolf.
DEXEROUS
OOC: No worries! (:

[DEXEROUS]

DEXEROUS.
i want you stuffed into my mouth, hold you down and tear you open
live inside you - love i'd never hurt you.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

The vixen dipped her muzzle in acceptance of his words and when she spoke, it was enough to plaster a wicked grin upon the brute's maw. By god, he liked her already. It was like music to his ears, Adelaide had spunk, he'd giver her that. She countered his words in saying that she was not what he had accused, claiming that if she had not been up to the task she'd have dragged her sorry butt and surrender it to Grand Canyon Pack. Dexerous despised the enemy - that's what they were - and made no efforts to conceal his ill notions of the competing pack. Grand Canyon wolves were weak, push overs and mutts. Call it biased, but Dex believed only the superior belong in Cougar Creek's ranks, and by the sounds of it, Adelaide saw it the same way. So she thought she was strong enough, did she? Well, Dexerous would see about that. "Hm, it's only a matter of time until those Grand Canyon mutts run themselves into the ground, isn't it?" The brute mused with a snicker, half to himself. 

Adelaide said all the right things in an effort to prove she would fit into Cougar Creek livelihood. Dexerous watched her carefully, drinking in every last syllable of her words like a crow scavenging the bones of a carcass. She highlighted the exposure of her weaknesses, flaws, and dislikes alike, once again coaxing at the brute's ego for authority. She wanted his acceptance, but in order to gain that, he needed hers. She didn't need to accept who he was, she needed to accept the risks and the dangers of pack life, the loyalty and dedication it required, and the authority she would need to abide by. Her ears were slick to her skull and her words oozed with seriousness. For a young wolf, Adelaide had some dedication to her; the way good, it was what Cougar Creek needed if it were to survive.

She was at his paws now as Dexerous stood unmoving in her presence. He paused, as though having contemplations in his own. Though in actuality he'd already been won over, to a degree, perhaps he was softer than anticipated. Still, words were cheap, Adelaide would need to prove herself a valuable member to the pack if she intended to be a part of it, and the vixen seemed contented doing just that. Finally, Dexerous stepped back, an unspoken word of acceptance to the vixen. "All wolves are expected to be commendable at fighting, strong suite or not. As such, you will be expected to refine your skills." Dexerous remarked matter-of-factly. "Three sunrises, if I find that I you are suiting for our ranks, you will be apprenticed to the Healer, where you will learn the ways of our pack. Loyalty is your number one priority, is that clear? We do not take kindly to traitors here." 

╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
you're borne of a jackal, you're beautiful.

[Adelaide]

Adelaide listened as the alpha seemed to approve of her remark on the grand canyon pack as a huge and wicked grin tore onto his lips. She listened to the way he spoke of the other pack and it was obvious that he felt the same exact way. The confirmation of it caused the young wolf's tail to twitch, a small wag at the very tip of it. She ran her tongue over her lips. It wasn't until she felt like she was going to fall over that she realized she hadn't been breathing. Sucking in air as unnoticeable as possible, she listened as Dexerous spoke about her compromise. He had accepted it and was giving her three sunrises to prove that she was worthy of his pack. Adelaide could of jumped for joy, yipping her glee about the opportunity, but of course, she could not. That was just immature and to be in this pack, she had to give that up. 

However, her eyes highlighted all of the emotion she was keeping locked in - the fear of letting the alpha down, the excitement and pride of getting into the pack for even three days, and the determination she felt burning in her soul. Still, she kept herself composed. There was no time to break down and express all her emotions. Not yet at least .Instead, she lowered her head once more, this time a bit lower than before, then she raised her head back up and cast her blue eyes back to Dexerous. "Thank you, Dexerous. You will not regret this decision." Her muzzle curled into a sly smile that eventually caved into a smirk. She was a little crazy, this was obvious, but in the end, she knew it would all fall in her favor. How could such a determined wolf fail at something she had already been doing her whole life? She just couldn't! And if she did? Well than she wasn't going down easy.

She took her gaze off the alpha for a minute to finally calm down enough from her emotions to look at the land around her. It was beautiful and she felt the pride of finally having the opportunity to make it her home. She had completed the first task in becoming a pack wolf, now she just needed to secure it. Another smirk curled onto her lips and she gave her tail a small wag, returning her icy blue hues to the Alpha."Well, your highness," She purred, bending a foreleg  to bow and return to her paws before throwing her head to the territory. "Take me home." Her eyes danced with humor and lightly tinged with excitement. Adelaide waited for Dexerous to turn in the direction to the pack lands and she would follow in an easy step behind him, eyes wide and tail and ears erect for the excitement to come.

DEXEROUS , sorry, it's pretty short >.> After Dex responds to this - cause I wanna see how he reacts to her joking around with him xD we can archive this and start a new one if you like or just wait a bit. All up to you:)

[DEXEROUS]

DEXEROUS.
i want you stuffed into my mouth, hold you down and tear you open
live inside you - love i'd never hurt you.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

Her eyes were alight with fire - a determination and enthusiasm that betrayed her composure. That, and the slightest twitch of her tail that might reveal to Dexerous of the eagerness that threatened to run off with her mannerisms - he pretended not to notice. The pretty little vixen lowered her head, lower this time, as a comrade would greet their alpha. Yes, Adelaide would fit in quite nicely. He felt the muscles in his shoulders relax, his posture becoming a little more natural instead of the rigid soldier he tended to assume. She was no longer an enemy, at least not for the time being. Packs were a delicate balance of stratification and trust. Members could not have fear that their alpha would betray them, just as much as he could not fear them for the same. If Adelaide was truly to be a vital member of the pack, she needed to trust him just as much as he needed to trust her, ego aside. "Just don't give me a reason to regret it." Dexerous remarked sternly, watching that coy smile of hers twist into something of a smirk. He simply couldn't hold a stern expression any longer as he choked back something of a laugh, attempting to conceal it with a firm shake of his fur. By god, the vixen was crazy! - She'd fit in just fine.

When Adelaide had looked back up to him, the smirk had returned. Her tail set a light pace and any tension between the strangers had dissolved. She spoke in a silken, offering her forepaw and bowing her head in a dramatic gesture. "Well, your highness, take me home." Something of surprise painted the alpha's face - yes, crazy was the right word. Dexerous' ears burned, and when he'd regained his composure, amusement sparked in his eyes. He snickered, scoffing playfully at her dramatics. "Your highness?" The brute echoed in playful disbelief. "You know, I just might like the sound of that." He purred and mischievousness followed. Dexerous snickered to himself, shaking his head as he turned away now, beckoning her to follow deeper into the heart of Cougar Creek.

╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
you're borne of a jackal, you're beautiful.

Adelaide - never be apologetic for the length! mine haven't been all too helpful in that regard. and i'm up for whatever you are!
EDIT. i swear this table is being the worst pain!