Corbie moved away from the chaos of the gathering, stiff and aching from wounds as-yet untreated. After the winner had been decided she'd called out for anyone who wished to join her pack to follow her, before moving away from the rest. Let those who had supported Kotori Fatalis comfort him in his loss in relative private, and those who had come only for the drama to disperse as they would. A quiet word to Tam sent the collie off towards home, where he would begin gathering their stock. It seemed that she was going to be steeped in pack politics from now on anyway, thanks to her impulsive decision, so she may as well move them closer to where they could keep an eye on things and know how the tides moved rather than being further away and taken by surprise. She had a fairly good idea of where she wanted them moved to. She would see if her would-be pack members concurred with her decisions on territories, then join Tam to bring the sheep and their inventory there.

Sighing, she sat heavily, mint gaze moving with intensity back towards the dispersing gathering to see who would be following, and who would be leaving.

Mercury was very much surprised to hear the call of a familiar wolf seeking out members of her pack. When they had last spoken she had given no mention of any intention to lead. Curious, and wanting to support someone who he considered a friend, he made his way to the call. He had not been a part of the gathering around the challenge, so he gave no mind to the scents of many wolves, and instead zoned in on Corbie.

He nodded his head politely to the newly made Alpha. “Corbie, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I’m not here to join, but I'd like to lend you a little support regardless, if that's alright? And hear about this new pack” He gave her a warm smile. His eyes swept over her, taking in the damage that had been dealt. He was no healer, but perhaps he could help her get patched up later.


"Speech"

The challenge had been chaotic and Fin felt he had watched for eons before a victor was declared. Eventually Corbie pulled off away from the loser and his family, calling for those who wished to join her to accompany her and discuss. Tyrfing pulled himself up from the clusterfuck of a crowd without a word, knowing nothing of these wolves or their drama and enjoying it that way. Stepping after the monochrome woman and settling in place where she intended to gather, Fin let the newcomer say his peace before speaking his own. "Congratulations, Corbie." She fought well and had earned the right to this ascension. Fin had put himself forward as a potential member to either potential alpha, but he had to admit that the victor being the wolf he had hunted with and gotten to know was his preferred outcome. "I'd also like to hear about your plans." Like Mercury, Tyrfing was unaware that Corbie was trying for a pack of her own. He knew the woman was skilled in hunting, crafting, and now combat, but had little idea what sort of vision he was putting himself forward for. "Speech" "Thinking" "You." table art by nightauctor

Tallulah had come to Boreas to seek a different life. Where packs fell and rose sometimes in their place, she ain't sure what to rightly do. The girl walked closer to the group, picking up bits of information already with clear interest. She glanced at the unknown winner, sensing a sort of leadership quality from her. Not one to be on the outskirts, she marched closer and veered to the right. "Ya lookin' for wolves?" she asked bluntly but not not-politely "I'm curious 'bout yer vision, ma'am. Name's Tallulah Colt" she dipped her head respectfully to all - everyone was included in an introduction "I didn't watch the challenge; didn't rightly come in time" she added as she raised her neck "but ya smell of victory; so congrats" An easy grin spread across her muzzle "but I'll shut my yap and let ya speak yer piece." She chuckled, wagging her tail. "speech here"

It wasn't long before a wolf she was actually familiar with appeared. She hadn't seen him at the challenge, but it had been hectic and difficult to follow what had happened so she couldn't be sure. It was nice to think that he had come just to her call, though, as a friend and not someone who had heard of a challenge and had come to gawp. She gave him a tired grin. "You are always welcome, Mercury. You're a friend, and whether or not you're in my pack or another or none at all that won't change." He's lent her an ear when she'd needed one, though she'd been a stranger to him, and asked the questions she'd needed to hear. That brief interlude had been a relaxing pleasure for her that she'd always be grateful for.

But another had joined them, another familiar face that made her light up. "Tyrfing!" she greeted him. "Thank you. I hadn't expected to be challenging for a pack when I woke up this morning, but I suppose it was meant to be." She wasn't sure if he intended to join or was just curious, but she was well aware of his skills and he'd be more than welcome. Her wariness of the Imperialis and the Saxe after what Chaos had done to her father was still... there, but she firmly believed that it wasn't one's family that made one who one was, and that the past was best left in the past.

The last to appear was a stranger, a blunt but friendly seeming yearling with an accent. "Hello, Tallulah, I am Corbie. You didn't miss much - the fight is never the important part. It's what you do after that matters."

Her mint colored eyes swept around them, but whether from disinterest or indecision no one else had followed her. With one wolf there only for support and not joining, and two only maybes, it wasn't much to start a pack on. Still. Corbie firmed her resolve, lifted her tired head, and drew together the ideas that had been forming for some time now into something approaching a cohesive whole. She took a deep breath.

"I wish for my pack to be a place of peace and rest for those in need," she began. "There are warlike packs enough, both good and what might be called evil, that the world does not need another one. Abaven was a school, a place of neutrality and learning, and it would be a pity to lose that. I am a farmer, and a brewer, not a scholar, but I believe in sharing that knowledge in a place of safety and truce, a place of hospitality. A village, not an army." Her expression tightened slightly, settled into harder lines, and her voice hardened. "That is not to say that I would allow my wolves to become targets for those who would take advantage of us. I am not a warrior, but I will meet violence with my own fangs to protect the peace of my pack and maintain safety for those who cannot. I will defend what is left of the good and honorable in this world. My pack will be a haven."

She turned her attention directly to Tyrfing, studying him intently. "I would welcome warriors who would help me to make and defend that place of peace for others, regardless of who and where they came from. It isn't our past that defines us, but our actions in the here and now." She broke the intensity of her gaze, sweeping it around at the three gathered. "It isn't much to start on," she said apologetically, "but it is something. I understand if it isn't what you are looking for, and I won't hold it against you if you walk away. I will keep looking." Mercury, she knew, had already stated he didn't intend to join, so it was with no expectation of him changing his mind that she smiled at him, accepting.

The folks around here didn't really react to her, save for Corbie. It stood to reason considering the woman had won her right to lead, a thing that Tallulah wasn't used to. There were no true leaders in the south, save for mayors and folks elected by popular vote. To fight to lead made her somewhat uneasy. It seemed a popular action in Boreas. It would not be the last challenge she would witness. Corbie seemed to be an honest woman, a farmer like she and Pa had been. Seeing as no one else spoke after the woman, Tallulah took a moment and began. "Was born and raised on a farm" she said directly to Corbie  "though I admit, I ain't keen to return to the life. Considerin' I left it, seems like a dishonor on my Pa to join another one" But "yer ideals are good and honest, a sorta thing that should be widespread. Not rare" She frowned, furrowing her brow "I ain't averse to fightin' for a keep and a home, but I'd prefer not to. I'd like to focus on buildin' me skills and contributin' to a community" A village, the woman had said "I'd not be against joinin' yer group, ma'am... if ya can promise I can leave if the wanderlust takes me again." "speech here"

Tyrfing was glad to hear the recognition in her tone, his lips pulling up into a crooked grin as she greeted him. Another wolf arrived, a yearling with a way of speaking that Fin recognised instantly as foreign. Tipping his head curiously as the woman spoke, he wondered where parents the girl spoke of were and why they were not here accompanying her. It was not a question he'd voice aloud - especially when the story might not be a positive one - and returned his gaze politely to Corbie as she began to explain her vision. A village haven was miles away from his own experience of a pack. She'd mentioned farming and brewing which was not far off Fireside's daily life, though it seemed there was a vast difference in morals and ideals. To Tyrfing it mattered very little, he was not an evil wolf at heart and while he'd been content to sit back and be a bystander to Fireside's occasional chaos, discord was not something that drove him forward. There was little difference to him whether or not his talents went to use offensively or defensively, the end was still the same. Corbie's eyes met his as she spoke, and a part of him wondered if her words were referring to something specific. She hadn't seemed to judge him the first time they'd met based on where from where he'd come or what family he'd been born into, nor did she seem the type to be biased toward an individual before she truly knew them. Fin's ears tipped forward, curiosity in his gaze. He'd ask the story another time, swallowing the questions as he did Tallulah's with a mental note to bring them up another day when the timing was more appropriate. "I would be honoured to play a part in securing the safety of your home and your wolves." He gave back when it came his turn to speak. "And if you intend to keep livestock, I can lend a paw there as well. My life was spent alongside bison and honestly, I find I miss the herd." "Speech" "Thinking" "You." table art by nightauctor

Of the two potential members, the first seemed extremely reluctant, and Corbie was somewhat taken aback by her attitude about it. Corbie tilted her head but otherwise unruffled she inclined her head to the stranger. Tallulah. "Of course. I would never keep someone in a pack against their will. That would be immoral, to keep an innocent person trapped simply because they changed their mind after they had joined. We aren't a cult after all." She was wary of a wolf who professed not being interested in their lifestyle but wanting to join them anyway, but she would not turn someone away if they needed someplace to go. She couldn't know what else was going on in the yearling's life that she might need a temporary home. "I'll be happy to have you with us for as long as that may be."

Tyrfing's assertion that he would join them was a relief, really. He was a capable hunter, undoubtedly a capable guardian, and she knew him to be a level-headed and steady man. And all the better, he had experience with livestock. "Your experience will be very much appreciated, Turfing. We will be bringing a flock of icelandic sheep to support the pack, and I am sure many new members will not have that knowledge yet. You will be very welcome."

She flashed Mercury a smile of thanks for his support, and with no other wolves wandering over from the fight, she got down to business. "My plan is to lay claim to the range since Fireside vacated it, and thee orchard beside it. That will give us space for the stock, and the fruits for brewing and for the bees. Eventually I'd like to claim the river that borders the orchard as well, but that would be too much right now " She frowned thoughtfully; the clay from that river was worth making sure that no one could cut off the supply by laying claim to it, since most packs were not accustomed to allowing others use of their lands, but it would have to wait. "Being central to many packs in these lands will be a risk, but I believe it will pay off by allowing us to work more closely with more wolves than hiding."

She shuffled her paws, uneasy and self-conscious. "Sorry, ma'am" Tallulah began, knowing immediately how that sounded "I ain't the type to keep things inside, tryin', to be honest, and upfront here. Though I sorta... fail at expressin' myself" It was bound to come up eventually, if not one on one "what m' trying to say is I have experience with this life...but had come here to experience new things. We only had small-knit communities down where I come from, no formal leader... Havin' a pack structure is a bit foreign and strange to me, saddled with concepts I know." She looked at the ground, frowning. It really was a strange concept. Would it even work? She was a bit wary to throw herself into a new thing combined with old things. Corbie could easily see this. "I appreciate ya not keepin' folk around that don't wanna be in a place" Corbie's ideals shone through and she'd be mad not to take her up on it "and long as I am 'round, I can teach others bout ranching. Craftin', wranglin', keepin' stock of animals" Even if she didn't stick around in the end? She could display her knowledge to those that wanted to remain in a pack for their life "me focus is on providin' a community with resources. I can hunt and track, along with craftin' other things and keeping animals." So, the woman could use her wherever needed. Tallulah looked up, holding the alpha's gaze in an honest manner. It was up to Corbie in the end. She could only be as honest as possible. "speech here"