Of course Sparrow had heard of the mountains. Of COURSE. But she hadn't really gone to see it. And seeing was different from just... y'know, hearing about it. Up close it was much larger than she expected. She expected it to be large, but wow, this large? Why some pack would want to own this land was well beyond Sparrow, but she was glad she no longer carried Fireside's scent on her pelt as she navigated safely on her side of the border. Did they claim the back side too? Would someone let her climb it if she asked really nicely? Maybe?

Wendigo Klein

So that was a stranger. Wendigo wandered over to Sparrow. He stopped in front of her and looked up at her, a feat that required him to lean way back since he'd gotten close, and then his gaze swept down to stop at her paws. It was a quick full body look over that didn't give him nearly enough info so he did it again. The second time his eyes were on her paws he noticed they were different. Naturally his focus went there. "Oh yours are better than mine!" He held up one his his paws so she could see his stubby, dull nails. They had been worn down by his frequent climbs up and down the rocks and were so short the hair that grew around them nearly hid them from view.

screams | actions | whispers

Table coded by Scarlet

Recluse had just gotten her litter down for a nap, or well... all except her little chaos magnet. He was conspicuously missing, which meant she was now very much on the trail of her child the most likely to burn the entire pack down without supervision. Her heart skipping a little as she realized Wendigo's scent was heading towards their border, her pace picking up, images of her little boy running off to who knows were running through her mind. Luckily for her, the boy was still within the pack lands though she wasn't all that happy to find he'd spotted them a stranger, skirting their border, yes but she wondered if the woman was here for a reason or just passing by. Recluse narrowed her cherry gaze and approached her son. "I hope my son hasn't bothered you too much." Recluse said, her tone light but not friendly, though her face softened as she glanced down at her boy, gently scooping him a bit closer to herself. "I hope it's not too forward to ask what it is a stranger is doing so close to our borders... and without making her presence known as might be considered... polite." There was an edge to her tone as she spoke, making a point that if the woman was simply skirting by she could be forgiven but if she planned to linger the fact she had not called for the alpha was noted... and not appreciated. "Poisons" & Venoms

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As Sparrow craned her neck up towards the mountain, she didn't pay much attention to the pup- mistaking its size and noise for a rodent of some kind. When it spoke, Sparrow nearly punted the thing all the way up the volcano. Spooky goblins- she really needed to stop getting surprised by pups... The splotchy dude reminded her of someone... but who was it? Either way, he said her paws were better than his and she nodded sagely, "They are. I had to steal them from a lion." Okay, that was a lie, but she wasn't against giving pups grand ideas about fighting lions. Besides, rumor had it her grandmother had stolen a lion's tail so who's to say she couldn't steal some paws. "They let me climb trees." That was only half a lie- she was much to big to painlessly go flinging from tree to tree, but if she really needed to, then she could get up there.

Of course after the pup, came the mother. Ahhh yes... this woman. She halfheartedly said she hoped he hadn't bothered her and Sparrow scoffed lightly, "Nah, we're on our way to becoming best friends." The woman then criticized her not calling out or whatever and Sparrow offered a paper thin pleasant smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you owned this side of the world too," she shot back. "Should I call you anywhere I go if you think it's too close? What's even the point of borders then if I can be just outside of them? Besides... I never claimed to be polite, I was raised by wolves." Sparrow finished rattling on and then flashed Recluse a smile and maintained a disarming body language to show that behind her sharp tongue, she didn't mean any real harm. "Anyway, strangers? Miss Reclusive Spirit, I'm offended. How's the slave girl, anyways? Didn't you f-" her eyes cast down to the pup- "Spend some time with my father. Speaking of which... uh... this kid's by no chance a sibling of mine... right?"

Though they had just met, the woman's paws gave her many cool points in Wendigo's eyes so he was looking up at her like she was one of his favorite monsters when Sparrow said she'd gotten her paws from a lion. Instantly Wendigo's eyes went wide. She'd gotten them? As in if he found a lion he could keep its paws too? And use them to climb trees? This was the best news he'd heard all day! "Really? Where do you find lions? How do you put the paws on? Do you have to cut yours off? What-" Wendigo was interrupted by his mother and instantly his hopes of getting his questions answered were dashed as the adults went off on a conversation he struggled to follow. His dismay was momentarily forgotten as his mother pulled him in close. Wendigo leaned into her chest and beamed up at her as she spoke, oblivious to the implication she'd made about him being bothersome. Her and the cat-foot lady began to talk like good buddies which filled Wendigo with hope for possible cat-foot-acquiring conversations in the future. With the way this was going maybe his mom would invite the lady in. Oh, he hoped so! He wanted to talk about cat paws and tree climbing, maybe show her the lava. Everybody loved the lava. "Best friends!" he confirmed before whispering to his mother, "I want to show her the lava, mummy." Wendigo's brow furrowed as the woman said something about being one of her siblings. "You don't look like any of my siblings." He held a paw up to show the differences in their height. In a knowing tone, he added, "You're too big." She never would have fit in his mother's belly with the rest of them. It was silly to even consider. No way they were siblings.

The woman was nagging at the back of her mind, maybe she wasn't a stranger as she first assumed... The woman couldn't help the slight tug at the corners of her mouth that the statement from both the woman and her son gave about being friends... She nosed at the top of Wendigo's head as he spoke. "Maybe in a bit love." She whispered back, planting a kiss on his skull. She wasn't in the habit of letting wolves just come into the pack to visit but she figured it might not be the end of the world if the woman got a glimpse of the volcano, though not too much... She was nothing if not the kind to guard her things jealously. Recluse fought back the urge to roll her eyes at the woman, though her irritation was visible enough. No she didn't own the world beyond her borders but if the woman legitimately thought any alpha wouldn't be suspicious of anyone loitering around their borders without calling for the alpha then she'd be mistaken, and Recluse wasn't about to risk a potential spy just because she technically didn't "own" the land beyond. Finally, though the mystery was solved as her visitor called her a familiar nickname, her eyes lighting up with recognition. There was a flash of irritation again as the useless woman she'd fought for was mentioned but it was replaced soon enough by amusement and she chuckled as her son took the initiative to answer for her. She shook her head. "Though you are correct about your father and myself... he is correct." She gestured towards her son. "My children are a little too young to be your father's." Of that she was more than certain, besides none of them resembled either members of the woman's family she'd met. "As for the 'slave' girl... can't say she was worth it." There was an edge of bitterness to her tone, after all, she'd exerted energy to take the woman into her pack only to have her up and disappear. "I apologize, as you can see many things have happened since our last run-in and I do not know where my mind was to forget the pirate king." She paused, openly running her gaze over her. "Any chance you've decided to continue our discussion on drinks?" It was an open fish for information on why she was there... even if it was wrapped in several layers of obvious flirting. "Poisons" & Venoms

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Sparrow waited with the dumbest expression she could muster while things slowly clicked into place for Resin. Sparrow saw the light in her eyes flicker- ahh there it was. Sparrow's idiotic expression alit with a more mischievous playfulness as her tongue stuck through her teeth just a tad with anticipation at the answers she so craved. Resin detailed that the pups weren't the right time and stuff and Sparrow made a big deal of sighing, "Mannn, too bad," she looked at the pup, "We coulda been siblings."

The alphaess went on to detail that the slave wasn't worth is and Sparrow sent her a wink, "Hey, but you got lai-" fuck, there was a pup here, "-zy ole Ashmedai as a 'friend' that day, so maybe it was worth it after all. Besides, you met me."

The woman went on to muster an apology for forgetting Sparrow and Sparrow, in turn nodded it off. She asked if she was here to discuss over drinks and Sparrow remembered part of why she'd come, "Oh, actually, speaking of drinks... the pirates are gonna have a little kickoff party at the start of spring if you and your guys are in. No alliances or anything serious other than the booze and other substances. Bring your own protection- you look like you have your paws full here." Sparrow shot her the same stupid grin again. "If I promise you a good time, can I see that volcano?"

Maybe it was a sign she was going soft but Recluse couldn't help but feel endeared to the pirate king for her interaction with her son, though she hardly doubted he deserved such friendly interaction, little chaos magnet as he was. She watched the woman carefully, though all previous hostility was now gone. Her brow quirking as Sparrow caught herself before she spoke too openly about Recluse's involvement with her father, though she appreciated it she was not too precious with her children. They weren't told anything age-inappropriate but she wasn't particularly worried about it around them, she hardly doubted they'd even know what the word laid even meant. "True enough," she said grinning at the woman, "here's hoping neither of you dissapoint." Ah so she'd come to invite her to a party, well Recluse supposed she should be flattered that despite it all she'd left enough of an impression to be invited and she openly ran her gaze over Sparrow again after she'd given her proposition. "That is a very tempting offer." She said, gently scooping her son closer towards her. "I may need time to consider." She flashed Sparrow a teasing grin, she had no real stakes in their flirtations but she also wasn't about to let her get her way right away. Her tone had a slight note of finality, though she did not leave, instead choosing to watch and see how the pirate king responded. "Poisons" & Venoms

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The woman was more relaxed than she had been and Sparrow followed suit- though its not like she usually appeared anything but relaxed in the first place. She said she hoped neither disappoint and Sparrow flashed a smile, "I'd never dream of it." Recluse then went on to ponder the party invitation and Sparrow threw on her best pout, "You mean I came all the way out here, almost got attacked by the alpha herself, and you're not convinced?" Okay, so Recluse WAS that alpha and she wasn't really THAT close to getting attacked, but Sparrow did like a good drama. Sparrow's pout dropped back into a teasing expression and she dropped the act, "Nah, it's fine, I know you're busy here anyway. So if I don't see you there, then I GUESS I'll just have to find it upon myself to come alllll the way back here so you guys can give me the mountain tour I'm so obviously clamoring for." Sparrow winked and turned herself to leave, "Until then!" she teased, ready to take off as long as the other woman didn't have anything to add.

-Exit-