Visiter beyond the wall

Satisfied that the lands she'd stumbled upon belonged to a relatively safe pack, some of whose members she happened to have already met, Karine moved through the frozen brush with ease, gliding effortlessly over snow and between dead weeds and branches on her way from its border. The likelihood of running into less favorable groups was still at the back of her mind, of course, but at least in these parts, she could rest assured that she'd at least left a good enough first impression on some of the Valhallans to be deemed nonthreatening. And in her quest to find where she belonged, such assurances were precious to her.

A velvet ear flicked at the sound of a shrill caw from above, not unlike that of the hawk that had led her and its presumed owner to viable prey. Yet, as Karine's gaze scanned the sparse trees above and landed upon the source of the sound, she discovered that it was trained on her. Instinctively, her nape tickled with the urge to prickle, and her upper lip yearned to bear defensive teeth, but for now the woman maintained her composure, instead looking around for anyone who might have been tracking her. Whoever it was, they too belonged to Valhalla, for the scents in the air hadn't changed.

That was when she spotted him there, still as stone, observing her from what her nose could tell was another section of the Valhallan border. A guard. Karine came to a complete halt, now, but remained with her side to him, knowing that facing such a tense wolf at his post could potentially trigger something she very much didn't want at the moment. "You and your bird can stand down," she said, tone neutral but firm along with her posture. "I've no interest in causing mischief."

"