Salias stepped into the clearing, it held a strange structure within it. He stepped towards it with curiosity, what was it? It was large and when he pressed his paw against it it was cold and hard. There looked to be a way to get on top of it but the male wasn’t quite ready to do that just yet. He sat down in the snow with a satisfying crunch, over the past couple of weeks he had been wandering around these lands looking at potential places to start his kingdom on. Once he started one and built it up enough no doubt he could drive all these other weak packs out. There would not be a wolf that could escape his grasp or sight once he was powerful enough, his eyes shone with lust at these thoughts. A day would come when all would bow before him and he couldn’t wait for that day to come.

Since just plain avoidance of the mud colored bother had failed her Mara was pondering what she would have to do to escape the persistent little bugger. She was dreading the conclusion that she time and time again was brought to after a great deal of thought. She had to find her brother. It was the only chance Mara would have of ditching Velia. She huffed loudly, sending a cloud of steam out from her lips into the cold air. This was all such an annoying bother to her.

Having just recently hauled herself out of the hollow tree she'd been sleeping in Mara actually couldn't say she was tired just yet, though her eyes remained half-closed in an eternal look of sleepiness and unconcealed annoyance at anything and everything. She'd never grown out of being the pup at the back of the group grumbling about how she didn't want to be here. It was unlikely she ever would. Preceded by an excessively loud yawn she'd mosey her way into the clearing, stretching her long legs as she walked in no particular rush to get anywhere.

It wasn't too hard to spot the wolf sitting in the snow near the massive structure, considering there wasn't much else in this area to really catch the eye. Her half-tail swished back and forth while the woman thought about what to do. Opting to ignore the other wolf for the time being, Mara wandered towards the dark structure, eyeing it with hesitant curiosity. Padding past the pale man clad in dark socks strikingly similar to the ones the pain in her rump who was likely close by also bore, Mara marched her way towards the metal structure, half-tail held just above the level of her back. She wasn't sure what this thing was, having never seen such an object in her life. Shrugging, she'd leap onto it, enraptured by the feeling of the cold hard surface against her paws. Such a strange place... Glancing back at the wolf she'd ask, Do you know what this is?" That was probably her most polite conversation starter in a long time...

That stupid fucking bitch. She was always out to get her off her trail, often hiding herself so that Velia couldn't find her. She really didn't want to even bother with all this, it was far more hassle than it was worth. She wanted her gone, but there was one major issue with that; she was the only key to her brother. That was a wolf that she longed to possess, a cruel and twisted man that would share her lust for blood. But not now, they couldn't know her true intentions until she was able to kill Mara off, and then steal that man for herself. She would claim him, that she knew. A wicked grin twisted on her lips as the scarred woman made her way through the north, easily finding the larger woman's trail through the snow. Her black legs churned up the white flakes as she broke into an easy sprint, letting her face fall into a more neutral look. No one could know her true self, it wasn't the time. When she finally spotted the brown gray lump of lazy wolf, she was surprised to see that she was speaking with a pale man, seemingly looking... normal looking. Keeping the surprise off her face, she dropped into a submissive crouch and crawled her way towards Mara. Good, she had an audience this time. She risked peeking at the blue gaze of the stranger with her wide orange eyes, an innocent look plastered on her features as she quickly looked away. Slaves didn't meet the eyes of others, except to toss them a silent plea. Would the male fall for it? Would he think that she was a lowly, abused girl who has simply fallen behind? Making her way behind Mara, she sat in the snow and looked down at her paws. Best to appear like the good little girl she had taken to playing. She could hide her darker insides like this. Velia had to bite her lip though when she saw the female's half a tail, the result of her herding an angry badger into her den. While Mara had killed it, at least it took half her tail off. Sniffling, she had to cough to hide the laugh that tried to work its way out. Some day, some day her plan would finally fall into place. She just had to be patient. "SPEAK"

Art by Monster

Salias’s ears perked as he heard the sound of crunching snow near him, there was a female walking around the area. While not too pretty he had yet to meet any wolves of this land so he had no idea what they looked like or what they behaved like. He thought it best to try and get to know this female before the chance slipped away from him, after all he would be the king within a couple of years time. He stood up and to his surprise the female spoke to him. She asked him if he knew what the structure was, “I was just wondering the same thing myself, so I am sorry I cannot answer your question as I am rather new to these lands.” A sound reached his ears as he looked off to find where it came from he saw another female approaching from what seemed to be a position of subordinance, it reminded him of how the slaves at his old kingdom approached his king. Was this girl a slave? She glanced at him then looked away, did she know who he was? Did she recognize him as the prince of his home land, this was possible but he found it unlikely. Regardless at the girl’s approach he straightened himself with pride, she looked rather interesting. Sure she had scars like the other woman did but she sported them much more beautifully, she also appeared to be a bit younger as well. He would look at her so he could address the young woman properly. “There is no need for such customs here, we are in a new land without any competent rulers. Stand up, what are both of your names?” he would look at both females “As I am sure your younger companion knows I am Salias Tooth ex-prince of Zutia.”

The level of irritation Mara exuded seemed to slowly increase the longer the other wolf took with his reply. Half lidded eyes rolled skywards while she sneered and remarked, "Goodness! Finally a wolf who can compete with Velia in the department of unnecessarily long replies. 'No' would have sufficed." The first word was spoken in an uncharacteristically high pitch, clearly meant to mock Velia's disturbingly chipper voice. Tail swishing hard behind her Mara moved to jump onto a raised portion of the black object with a clatter that made her flinch. It was too early to be loud. Though she did enjoy the feeling of being situated up above the other two, and leaving Velia down there with the annoying stranger was a bonus.

Flopping down onto her stomach she observed the pale man gazing at Veli with the slightest hint of a smirk. She wasn't entirely sure what the smaller girl would do in response to his words but it was sure to be amusing. She rarely saw Velia break her submissive posture, not since the day Mara and her brother had attacked the younger wolf. Would this little lump of brown hues alter her behavior at the behest of a stranger?

Sliding forward a big so her head and one of her front legs hung over the ledge she was situated on Mara proceeded to ignore the man again, opting to eye Velia with a snicker. Sure this monochrome man was just as bothersome, but at least she could watch them converse before she perhaps fell back to sleep. That might be a good way to upset her tag-along.

It took her a moment to realize that the male was actually speaking to her. Blinking, she looked up in shock, her jaw hanging slightly open. Her gaze flickered over to Mara for a moment, irritated that she was just laying there and not helping her out. Not wanting to break character, she looked back down and twisted her paw in the snow. What the fuck? Why did he think that she knew him? Snorting and passing it off as a sneeze, she looked up and shook her head from side to side. ”I’m Velia, sir. I don’t know who you are, but I don’t get out much," she said softly in her sickly sweet voice. Sometimes she wanted to make herself throw up. Shifting closer to the ramp that Mara was on, she scooted towards the resting woman before she was at her side again. She may not like the woman at all, but she also wanted to tear out this stuck up bastards throat. Who the fuck did he think he was, that she would know who he was? He wasn’t a bloody god or something. Wolves like that drove her insane, and she would be more than happy to rid of his skid mark on this world. Licking her lips at the thought, her sweet, innocent face hid the darker emotions that twisted inside her. Soon she would be able to do whatever she wanted, to smite down anyone who stood in her path. "SPEAK"

Art by Monster