Skælingr and his wife headed for the pack border that lay near the lake they'd been eyeing most of the summer. After discussing it for awhile longer they decided to approach the border and see if it might be possible for them to join. They'd loaded up their possessions on each travois and started travelling. So far the autumn weather was pleasant but who knew how long it would last. Skæ assumed the weather in the southwest would be milder and not as likely to receive snow but ultimately it would be their first winter here and it wouldn't do to make too many assumptions. When they arrived at the border Skælingr gave one last look to her wife. If she had any misgivings they could still walk away but he saw the determination in her face and tipped back his head to call on the alpha. It shouldn't hurt to talk. At least he hoped not. "Speech"

Ragna double checked the straps of her travois. She'd spent the morning packing up her healing items before heading on the road after her husband. They were going to try and join a pack today. It was both exciting and nerve-wracking but Ragna felt good about their chances over all. They were both accomplished crafters and had years of fighting experience under their belt so it was more of finding a place that they could fit in than worrying if they were skilled enough to appease a critical eye. When they arrived at the border her husband looked to her and she nodded. They hadn't traveled all this way just to turn back now. Skælingr called for the alpha and Ragna's voice soon joined in, a lovely harmony rising to the sky. She felt it would be best to let the alpha know to expect two wolves in case there were any suspicion of ambush.

Aureus' sudden death had left him feeling adrift and bereft, but more than that, it had filled him with a deep, mad rage. He couldn't simply abandon Aerie, as much as he wanted to walk away and just keep walking. The world couldn't take any more from him if he didn't have anything more to take. But he had made made Aerie his responsibility and he couldn't abrogate that responsibility when they needed him most, even though that very need felt stifling and infuriating at in his grief.

He hadn't even been able to think beyond the more immediate pain to the fact that with Aureus' death, they'd lost their best warrior, and their only Mantle. Eventually it would have occurred to him, but it was brought to mind abruptly when the howls rose from the border, and for a split second he thought it was a raid. Even through the red haze of grief his mind kicked into analysis, weighing who he would be able to field and coming up short. They simply did not have enough warriors to put up more than minimal resistance.

He stood a moment and swallowed back his emotions, tucked them into a leaky barrel marked "explosive, do not touch" in the back of his mind, stood with his eyes closed until only a trace of his rage contaminated his gaze. It wasn't a raid. It was just two wolves, calling for the alpha. He wouldn't be getting into a battle here today (how unfortunate).

With his rage under tenuous control, he strode out of the canyon for the lake border. His gaze, colder rather than his usual neutrality, flickered over the pair waiting there. They carried with them travois filled with a variety of items of interest. Traders? or travelers seeking a home? "Good morning," he lied, for politeness' sake. "I am Eligos Abraxas, Tiercel of Aerie. Can I help you?"

Skælingr gave his wife a reassuring nudge as they waited. They had to start somewhere and this was a lovely territory. He could just picture a den here and a fire ring or two near the lake for crafting and picnicking. Soon the alpha arrived. He was a serious young man who introduced himself as Eligos Abraxas and the pack as Aerie. Skælingr dipped his head in greeting. "Greetings, Tiercel. My name is Skælingr and this is my wife Ragna. We seek to learn about your pack and see if it may be a home for us." They weren't terribly particular as long as the pack they joined wasn't overly soft and would be respectful of their union. Judging from the coolness of the alpha, Skælingr felt confident hey wouldn't have to deal with weakness and people-pleasing behavior in this pack. "Speech"

Ragna grinned as Skælingr bumped her shoulder and she reached over to lick his cheek before taking a moment to take in the gentle breeze and the sunlight shimmering on the water of the lake just in the distance. Their call was soon answered by the alpha of the pack. He was a stern wolf and she got the sense that there was something else going on beneath the man's chilly exterior bu she couldn't pinpoint it. Skælingr introduced them and she nodded at the mention of her name. Skæ stated their interest in joining and she decided to follow up with their skills. "A pleasure, my husband is a crafter and I myself am a healer. We are also both warriors and in the pack in which we were raised we both served in the packs attacking forces." Depending on how full the pack was she figured stating their skills up front would make it easier to determine if this would be the place for them.

Watching how happy the pair were together, how comfortable they were in each others' presence, was almost more than Eligos could bear in his present state of mind. It was a beautiful thing to see, and he wanted to be hateful because of it. But he stuffed that nastiness back into the barrel and nodded a greeting at each of them. And despite his mood he was intensely interested at the woman's recitation of their skills and knowledge. It seemed almost an answer to prayers unvoiced.

"Your skills would suit Aerie well, though I would see to testing you so we know the depth of your knowledge if you choose to join," he said neutrally. "Before you say for sure you would join us, you should know that we are a mercenary pack. Our skills are as much for trade as anything we make, and we may be hired to do things others may find distasteful. No one who objects would be asked to actively participate, of course, but it is what we are. If you would have moral objections to living in such a pack, it would likely be best to part ways now before any of us are too invested." What a shame that would be, though, to lose two fighters when when Aerie was most desperately in need of them, but it was only fair to everyone involved if they were fully aware of what they were getting into before they made the leap.

Skælingr nodded as the alpha stated that he'd need to test their skills. Skæ figured as much. Fighting would be straight forward enough though he wasn't quite sure how the man would want to test their other skills. He listened as Eligos explained that they were a mercenary and they might be asked to do unsavory things but that didn't bother him too much. Having served in the attacking forces of their previous pack he was well used to violent and unsavory tasks. "I don't have any objections to being part of a mercenary pack. I've gotten my paws bloody before." He glanced to Ragna to see what her thoughts were though he doubted she'd feel any differently. After all, it was in serving for the attacking forces that they'd first met. He resisted the urge to grin at the memory. "Speech"

Ragna listened attentively as the alpha explained what they'd be getting into by joining the pack and also that they would be tested. She understood. She hadn't heard anything that put her off and if her husband were still willing to join this pack then she would be to. He looked to her and she nodded. "I'm still in, if you'll have us." She was glad Skælingr hadn't gotten cold feet but then she hadn't expected him to. She knew her husband well enough to know what might put him off and having heard nothing she was certain he'd be fine with joining. Ragna was curious how they'd be tested. She felt fairly confident in her skills as well as her husbands but there was always the chance one of them might be off their game. That made her a bit nervous. She expected it went without saying that they were a package deal.

Both wolves expressed their comfort with what Aerie was, and given what they brought to the table Eli was mortally glad that they hadn't taken offense to the idea of being part of a group of mercenaries. Aerie certainly needed them now more than they had ever needed wolves before.

Reining in his raw emotions before they could set off down a path that he'd regret right now, he nodded at the pair. "That makes good hearing," he told them both. "You can consider yourself members of Aerie, in a provisional manner until your skills can be tested to see where precisely you'd be ranked. I can rank you now as unaffiliated adults, and your status in the paths you choose can be determined later."He could test their skill in fighting now, but he didn't trust himself to not let his rage get the better of him in the heat of battle. Better to have another test them while he watched and could judge their fitness for a rank. Riva could test the woman's healing skill when she had the chance, and the man's skill in crafting or lack thereof would be evident in anything he made.

"Please, walk with me," he said as courteously as he could, gesturing to indicate for them to join him in pack lands. As they did, he gave them a quick explanation of the ranks and rules so that they'd be able to tell him what exactly path or paths they wished to follow.

Skælingr grinned as Eligos stated that they'd be accepted as members on a provisional basis until they could be properly tested. He glanced to his wife and nudged her gently. He felt confident he could at least impress the alpha as a warrior. Crafting was a skill he'd acquired later in life and without seeing what the level the packs crafters typically worked at he wasn't sure how he compared and if his skills would be considered sufficient to be placed among them. Eligos invited the duo to walk with him and Skælingr fell in pace behind the other man as Eligos explained the ranks. "My initial thoughts are to take up the Path of Fang as an Accipiter. I have served in such a capacity before and feel confident in my abilities to do so again. If it is possible to take more than one path I would consider becoming a Broadwing as well along the Path of Earth." "Speech"

Ragna grinned as the alpha of Aerie accepted them as members, her husband nudged her lightly and she felt a sense of relief. It was true that they were only provisional members but she felt confident enough in her abilities that she did not fear being tested. She'd gone through quite a bit since coming to Boreas and as long as Eligos did not intend to test her again some massive reptile she'd be content. Her skills in healing had really blossomed and she could tend most run of the mill illnesses and injuries.

The alpha beckoned them to join him in a walk and she fell in step beside, right along next to her husband as Eligos explained the ranks. Ragna was torn as she debated between a healer or fighter but if she understood correctly it sounded like both ranks were an option. Would she have enough time to devote to both? "I second my husband in the Path of the Fang as an Accipiter. As a healer, however, I also feel drawn to the Path of the Leaf as a Kestrel. Is there anything in particular we would need to do to walk both paths?"

Under other circumstances, Eligos would have been almost giddy with relief. In the form of these two members he was getting, potentially, two fully trained fighters, a fully trained healer, and a skilled crafter. It was a coup for Aerie and even in the midst of his grief he was aware of that. It was just hard to be happy for it. Still, he was Aerie's alpha and needed to act as such. "We do allow our wolves to pursue more than one Path, if they wish," he assured the pair. "It is more difficult than specializing in a single path, but you both already have training in the skills you require, so it would be less of a hardship for you. You could be called on to perform duties for both Paths," he went on to warn them, "But I will work with you to be sure that those duties don't conflict. With young pups nearly ready for their own training, it will be good to have more trained adults to guide them in whichever Paths they choose."