Hunting was the name of the game lately. He switched between repairing things in the Col, hunting, and smoking the meat. The stores for winter and the coats to survive the cold needed replenishing immediately. Today, he was making his way to the colder North. Searching for prey that would give them extra padding for the winter. Seals, polar bears. He wasn’t picky, so long as their coats and meat could enter the packs stores.

He felt the cold seep through his paws, and the extra thickness to his coat was the only thing keeping the worst out as he made his way across the dangerous terrain. The tops of trees poked through the ice, and frozen-over pockets of water were visible here and there. He could scent seal in the air. He lowered his nose, and got to tracking.

"Speech"

Distance between them did nothing to interrupt Hanmel's adventurous soul. The world was her oyster and she certainly enjoyed every last second of it. Meeting a variety of wolves along her journey. She learned more about this place. Boreas. Winter's here far more different than that of those back home in Neru. There were moments she thought back on her parents. Wondering how they were fairing. Last she'd known of them, one of her mothers began preparing for a new litter of pups. A joyous moment she knew brought happiness to the sea valley.

As much as she wished to go back. To be spoiled by River and admired by the male's. She also understood the need to move on and find a life of her own. Stopping to lick at an inch on the side of her tail. Tongue licking at the disheveled mess of fur, attention came to fall onto a male. His dark frame hunched over and sniffing at the ground. Curiosity forever peeking, she jogged a bit closer to him. Gaze looking around and down at whatever he was searching for. There was a scent of something in there air. Seal? The thought made her tail wag with excitement. It'd been awhile since she'd tasted the thick, chewy flesh of the aquatic creature. Her own nose pressing to the ground to help in his search. She said nothing as they both sought out the blubbery creature.
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At the sound of another wolf approaching, the Warlord turned his attention to her. She was small, so much so that he thought her a lost pup for a moment - then realised she was old enough to be an adult in her own right. Competition, or help? He studied her for a moment. Her head was down, and she looked as if she was tracking the same thing as him.

“Here for the seals?” He asked, keeping his voice light. A difficult thing for the Warlord lately. Between his estranged son, and the flooding of the pack, he knew his temper ran a thin line lately. Movement to the right caught his attention, and he realised one of the prey he sought was resting there on the ice. The trick was to approach them before they could dip back into the water. They were faster there than he was by far.


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Snow barely made a sound under her steps. Carefully placed in certain areas with familiarity stored inside her mind. Used to lands such as these where the wrong step would lead to someone's end. She was fairly aware of her surroundings. Ears moving to every sound drifting in their direction. Trapped in the hunt as her nose pushed through an indentation in the white earth. Hanmel almost missed his words. Flickering ocean eyes to acknowledge his words with a nod.

As one, their heads snapped to a seal resting. Mel paying attention to the distance between it and the water's edge. Much like her father had taught her, she scanned what spots could be used for hiding. Some trees were available. A few large pillars of ice for shielding them away. Or, mainly herself. The colossal of a man would not be able to hide much of himself. Even with a stalking form, she could not image him being completely out of sight.

Hanmel tossed her head in opposite ends of the seal. Her voice soft. Barely an audible whisper. Had he not been so close he wouldn't have heard. "Go left. I'll go right. We'll corner it. Leave me to try and veer it away from the water." She didn't wait for him to answer as she moved into position. Her small frame easily slinking across the snow and disappearing behind one of the pillars.
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The Warlord felt his lips press to a line across his muzzle, but he nodded his head. She was right, her cool blues did not stand out as much here as his black coat, and her smaller form could use the pillars of ice better than his own. His pack needed this. If he had to fight her for the prize at the end, then so be it.

He went left, prepared to move on the offensive very quickly once she had snuck up on the seal, and began the task of herding it away from the waters edge - and towards him. With help, this job would go more smoothly, and he would be able to hunt down more seals. Perhaps he could strike a deal with this wolf. He would leave her enough meat to fill her, and he would take the rest. In return, he could offer her something of value. He’s see what she wanted, or needed, when they were not stalking prey.


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Hanmel moved with purpose. Paws slid, rather than stepping, over the iced snow. Her intentions clear as she peaked behind the pillar. The seal lazily slumbering away now that she had a better visual of it. Body lowering to press most of her weight down. Belly brushing the cold flooring. She'd barely caught the dark figure of the male moving into position. Hoping he did not make a mistake of producing any sound on his end. An enlarged male like him looked as if he were clumsy enough to do so. Forever the judgmental woman and not purposefully so.

The seal shifted. Rolling onto its side to face away from her and towards the water bank. Steady breath rose and fell its side in deeper sleep. A notion she took to move closer. Using a tree as coverage. Undeniably, a thought of why she was helping him crossed her mind. He could take the kill and leave her with no reward as if she did not help. This entire situation certainly would have her tired. Seals were slow on land; however, fast on water. Luckily for her, she was faster where the seal was nothing but a snail.

Her opportunity arose when the seal moved farther away. Snagging her from her thoughts and back to the current moment. Attention seeking out the black male, her body launched into action. Paws uprooting snow in its path as she ran to block off the seals escape. The seal hissing in warning. Tail slapping the ground as flippers clapped in front of it.
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The ageing Warlord has spent more of his life hunting, than this wolf had spent alive. As he crept across the snow, his claws hug silently into the earth for purchase, and his unnaturally thick coat extended to fur around his paws, softening the blow of his steps. He made no sound as he crept into position around the seal.

He saw the tension in her body the moment before she launched into action. A few breaths after she moved, he did so as well. Giving her time to cut off the seal's escape before he arrived on the scene. He twisted his ankle, slipping the hidden blade from its sheath, and clobbered the seal around the head. The hard blow broke its neck, and it collapsed in a lifeless form at his paws. One down, many to go. He turned to the other wolf. “I need many more seals. If you help me, I'm willing to negotiate a fair price” He pushed the offer out there, turning to assess her expression.

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Mind worked out the battle strategy her father taught her years ago. How to maneuver around to avoid the onslaught of a threatened seal. Ways to launch attacks in order to break through the tough hide layered ever so thick. And here this bear of a male came easily wiping it out effortlessly. She'd only blinked and the snow now became painted red in its blood. Shock clear as day on her usually calm features. Her gaze lifted up to stare blankly at the tool he'd used. "Teach me." Hanmel had never used weapons. No one in Neru did and a thought occurred. Wondering did her brother learn to do this as well.

"I will help you. If you teach me. Take me under your wing." This man was more than capable to strengthen her resolve. If she wanted to survive here, her old knowledge needed to be upgraded. These wolve were not like back home and each day she was beginning to realize that more and more.
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Having lived in the North for a little while now, the Warlord had learned that clobbering seals was the best way to preserve their coat. Now, he could skin it without marring the precious coat. This one seal would provide both warmth, and food that he could cure for winter. Assuming he could take it away without issue. His eyes were on the small blue wolf, his expression measured and thoughtful.

Her condition was a surprising one, and he considered her a little more carefully after she had spoken it. She wanted him to take her under his wing, to teach her? He enjoyed teaching, but he did not do so for loners. “You seem like a capable hunter, or is it weapons such as these you wish to learn?” He asked, indicating the bracer around his forepaw. “I am Sirius Fatalis, Warlord of the Armada. Are you asking to join my pack?” He asked, making the request official.


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Sirius. So, she finally got a name to matched the giant scarred beast. Her tail swayed in acknowledgement of this. Gaze wandering up to better give him direct eye contact. Despite their differences in both height and size. "A good hunter, yes. I want to be a fighter. Your ways have intrigued me and I want to learn them." Mel looked down to where the blade rested at his ankle. Then over to the dead seal who's life no longer remained on the living planes of Boreas. Before returning her attention solely on Sirius. "I will join. In a vow that I will work hard. Train harder. As long as I am under your guidance."

Now, don't get Hanmel wrong. She was still the spoiled, bratty, take no shits, judgmental bitch she'd always be. However, this was an opportunity to become something stronger. This place was to be a new start. Something to reimage herself. There would be a moment where she, too, would be like that seal. To survive was to learn. And, to learn was to put aside your pride and ego to achieve and accomplish your goals. "I am Hanmel Zanthus. A pleasure."
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She was forthcoming with what she wanted, and her promise sounded sincerer, if a little unexpected. He hadn’t come out here to recruit, but there were a few of his wolves down with injuries right not thanks to the flood. It was good timing to bring in a capable hunter, as she had already proven to be. With her help, he could bring down a few seals, and have help to carry them back to the Armada.

“Very well. Help me bring down four more seals, and I will welcome you into my pack, and train you myself.” He agreed after a moment of thought. “Well met, Hanmel Zanthus. What do you say?” He said, raising a paw in offer of sealing their agreement with a shake.


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"I say after you, Captain Sirius." Lopsided grin left room for her tongue to hang out just a tad. Before quickly taking on a facial expression of seriousness. She couldn’t help it. The brief moment of goofiness deciding to come through on its own. Hanmel doing nothing to stop it.

Her paw rose just as his has done. Sealing their agreement with a shake the moment theirs connected together. "Seals mostly come out through open holes. Near ocean shores. If we ambush their entrances, four seals won’t take long to take them down."
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She was already strategizing a plan for the seals, proving he had made the right choice in agreeing to her request to join. He would need to outfit her with a weapon, since that was clearly what she had been interested in when she spoke of learning from him. “Sounds like a solid plan, Marshal will scout ahead for the holes.” He said, nodding his head to his companion bird, who immediately picked up speed and moved ahead.

Her approach was a good one, and with Marshal scouting out the holes, it wasn’t long before they had successfully added four more seals to their collection. Their bodies were tied in a brace across his back, and when the last one was secured, he nodded towards Hanmel. “Let's get you settled into the Armada” He said, nodding his head as he led the way back towards the pack. They entered the territory at the corner of Mile-high woods, and moved into the Col from there. There was still damage and debris done from the flood, but the Obelisk still stood unharmed in the centre of this territory. “A freak flood washed through her a couple days ago, so it may be wise to set up your den in the Woods, at least for now.” he explained.

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Their hunt was swift. Due to the overhead Watch of Sirius companion, Marshal, and her highly skilled ways of hunting. They were able to secure four seals without hesitation.

Hanmel felt the urge to groom away the tufts of fur she knew sat out of place. It annoyed her thoroughly that she’d even allowed herself to become so disheveled in the process. Tongue gliding across what she could reach, an ear turned to listen to her new leader. His words of getting her settled into Armada causing her to follow.

The journey took nothing but short to return to his home. Her home. Sirius talked about a flood destroying most of the territry and it being best to find a home in the woods. "What am I? A spider monkey?" Mel chuckled at her own joke. "The forest is fine. Long as there is an ocean or sea nearby.” Regardless of not having been home for so long, the water would always call to her. "I’ll get myself settled and find you later."

It wasn’t a question or a statement. Giving a polite bow, she ventured off t’wards the wooded area where the strongest scents lead. Having a tree den wouldn’t be so bad. Far better than the stone or sand ones she had back home.

Exit.
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