Another pack had cropped up. He had heard wind of a place called Avalon, its flag raised after some sort of challenge for the right to claim. Wolves were strange creatures...but perhaps not too much different than his own kind. Granted, they preferred to roam as opposed to claiming lands the way wolves did, his species had their share of quarrels, too. Not that he really had any. It seemed equines of the intellectual variety were rare. But the wolves? All over the place. He decided he would check this newer pack out. Having searched to no avail for a true herd, perhaps it was time he integrate into the lives of the canines...as long as they weren't a threat to him, of course. He walked slowly towards the pack borders, now familiar with the way wolves worked and what they did to their territories. Their scents were all the same to him, but he eventually paused where he assumed the border to be and the fresh scents that overlaid the scent of grass and whatnot. He had called for their kind before, but...he turned and motioned to the howler monkey. She was loud enough, and would surely get the attention of whoever had been successful in their endeavor to lead this pack. "Speech"

The unholy screech that echoed from the border nearly startled Corbie out of her skin. She had no idea what that could have been, but it bore investigating. She had sheep and a pack to protect, after all, and anything strange could be a threat to them. Nodding for the Caucasian shepherd to follow her - though the sardonic look on the dog's face said clearly she would have followed anyway - Corbie set out to discover the source of the odd call.

She was surprised to find a horse waiting there. It was certainly not the horse who had made the sound, but... After a moment of visible confusion, she spotted the monkey that accompanied the stallion. Ah, that made more sense. The horse seemed to be actually specifically waiting for her, though, which was unusual. She eyed him with confusion and decided to go for polite and friendly, with an animal that she would normally have hunted. "Hello. Is there something I can help you with?"

Her call was loud and obnoxiously so. No doubt whoever heard would come to investigate, and it seemed he was right. A smaller wolf (then again, they were all small compared to him) showed up, another canine at her side, though he appeared slightly different than what wolves look like. A common dog, perhaps? The she-wolf appeared confused, however, and he supposed he could understand why. It wasn't often that an animal such as himself called for an alpha. But he supposed he was different than most of his kind. It's not like there was a herd he could join, so this was the closest he could get. Depending of course, on what kind of pack this was. She greeted him, and he dipped his head in greeting before turning a keen brown gaze on her. "Sorry to disturb you, I'm sure it's not everyday you get a horse on your borders," He flicked an ear, the monkey on his back peering around to take a look at the canines while his hawk circled above. "My name is Balian. I heard that you beat another for the chance to claim a pack, so, congratulations are in order I suppose," But that wasn't the reason he was here. "As strange a request as this might sound, I've actually come to look into joining. Of course, I only know your pack by name...but I don't know what your ideals and goals are. It's near impossible to find a decent herd, and a pack that fits my ideals is likely the closest I'll ever get to one." It was a tough thing to accept. But one that he had accepted a long time ago. "Speech"

It was an oddly surreal feeling to be standin there talking to a horse and having it talk back instead of panic neighing and running away, but Corbie gave herself a mental shake and focused. She found she sympathizednwith his plight - horses were obviously not meant to be loners, and she rarely saw one alone. For that matter, she thought there might be something about the wild horse herds that was... off. Some spark of intellect or soul that was missing from those who were merely prey versus the prey animals she had actually seen interact with wolves. She wondered why thar was, why some elk had a real hlture and intellect and some were just beasts. Perhaps that was why this horse struggled to find someplace. "It is unusual, she agreed. "But if you are willing to join Avalom, I would welcome you here. We are a haven for all, after all. I must ask though, to be sure. We do keep livestock for food, among other purposes. You do not have... Moral objections to the practice? She wanted to be sure that the horse knew, so it did not come as a surprise when they butchered the excess lambs next season. What an awful thing that would be for a prey animal, to unexpectedly witness such a thing.

She was quick to let him know the pack's name, which he had already heard of but at least she confirmed it. And what they did. She was willing to welcome him into their haven, and even though they slaughtered other animals, he supposed he was okay with that. They were wolves, after all. They weren't on a strict vegetarian diet like his kind was. "I think I can handle it. When I first came to these lands, the very pack that used to live where your pack does now had livestock. Fireside, I think it was. Bought me at a slave auction, but eventually worked my way to freedom." Not something he was proud of in his life, but it was something he had been past for years now. "I'm aware of what your kind eats. And that it's necessary for your survival just as much as the grasses are for mine." While he wasn't keen on the idea, he wasn't going to shove his ideals and way of life down their throats when they were two completely different species who needed two completely different things to survive.

The horse showed a depth of understanding that she did not think many wolves would have returned for his own kind, and she dipped her head to him both in acceptance and in respect. He had indicated he was not sure what their pack stood for, so she took a moment to gather her thoughts to explain to him what she had planned. "Avalon is intended as a peaceful pack, a home for those in need. A... village of sorts, where all members work together in harmony to support one another. We are to be about cultivation, not destruction. Cultivating one another, the bonds between, and more mundanely, farming and caring for the land and forests we claim. It is not easy work," she admitted, "but very little worth having comes easily."

Corbie explained to him the general ideals of the pack and honestly, he had yet to find anything quite like this. A peaceful farming village? Sign him up! It certainly sounded like something he could get on board with and had absolutely no problem with it. In fact, considering the courtesy and respect she showed him despite him being a species her kind was probably used to eating, he felt inclined to perhaps offer his help in tilling fields or carrying heavy loads if need be. "It certainly sounds like something that I would like to live by. If you'll have me, I would like to join and help. I imagine a horse would be quite useful in tilling the fields and moving heavy loads from time to time. I can also offer protection for live stock," he flashed his retractable fangs and pounded the ground once or twice with his now cloven crystalline hooves. He was certain he could be of good use here.

The horse, Balian, expressed that he was truly interested in joining, and Corbie smiled a welcome to him. He mentioned his willingness to help with tilling fields and carrying heavy loads, both of which would be immensely helpful indeed given that he was stronger than probably five good sized wolves combined, all by himself. He also offered to provide protection for the stock, and showed off some very impressive fangs and... cloven, crystalline hooves that she had not noticed in the surprise of being approached by a horse at all. She blinked, startled, but her smile didn't waver. "Of course, I would be happy to have your help in whatever capacity you can provide. Welcome to Avalon, Balian." She paused, then cocked her head to the side, her smile of welcome morphing into a grin both of chagrin and a surprising spark of mischief. "I think it would be wise for me to introduce you to the pack so they all know you're a member, and not stock, so there are no misunderstandings. I'm sure you can take care of yourself, but I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt because they tried to hunt you."