Tricky Zackky (Acceptance)

[Donn]

A meadow. That's what Zackky saw, as he tumbled down the bottom of a hill. Green grass, slightly breezy and sunny. The meadow was also a home to many yellow flowers, and at the end was a green forest. The day was quite fresh, in the morning. The sun was already high in the sky, and Zack grinned, tongue hanging out as he moved across the meadow. He had a funny way of moving. He sort of... pranced a bit, as well as running forward in a bounding motion. It came out as a succession of rapid bounds and leaps, whilst still maintaining his head held up high, the grey and brown wolf's bright green eyes sparkling as they watched the world around him.

Zack was in high spirits. He was a pack wolf, always had been, and ever since he had had to leave his original pack, he had desperately searched for a pack to be with. This Sallin pack he had heard of was close, and Zack wanted in. But how to find them?

The wolf stopped for a moment. A signal. That's it. He'd howl, and see who and what answered. Zack's belly, which seemed quite bottomless from the way he ate, growled, but Zack was too eager to find Sallin to go hunting now. Not caring if he was about to scare off every meal in the forest nearby, he lifted his head and howled.

The howl was a reflection of his own way of talking. It didn't come out very smoothly at all, instead as a series of loud yips, as if he were laughing. It sounded like "Owowowowowowooow!" in a very stuttery fashion. He finished, and a flock of birds resting in the nearby forest took flight, twittering frantically. Happily, Zack watched them, and giggled at their funny attempt to go in two directions at once. His giggle sounded quite mischevious, as if he had intended to disrupt the birds in the first place, and a devious expression crossed his face with a grin.

[yue]

((but in the mean time...))

Outsider paced restlessly, his long claws tearing the ground with every stride. He was impatient, waiting for something to happen. Red eyes stared out hatefully from under his wispy mane of black fur, scanning the treeline for any sign of movement. His black nose tested the air for the scent of prey or packmate, and he found neither. Another boring day in Sallin...he wanted to feel like he was doing something productive, something towards his goal of ending the dogs and their "pack", such as it was...

No matter, he could entertain himself.

The brown wolf padded along, making no effort to be silent. This was his pack, he belonged here, so why would he have to creep around like some sneak-thief dog? He wouldn't, that's why. Suddenly, his shredded ears pointed forward, picking up the sounds of birds. The flew from their branches, startled cries echoing across the quiet forest. Something had frightened them, and Outsider was going to find out what.

Speeding up, the wiry canine set off in a lope toward the source of the noise. He took in a big sniff of air, pulling the scent of wolf from it this time. an unknown wolf, who smelled of the outside, and not at all of Sallin. A trespasser! Teeth bared, the male quickened pace, speeding through the trees like greased lightning, his footfalls the boom of thunder on the root-hollow ground. And at last, his prey presented itself in the form of a male wolf on the edge of Sallin land.

He slowed to a halt, and then marched forward, blood-red eyes full of hate. There was accusation all over his face, but his tone was clipped and formal without any trace of malice. No, that came from his body, rigid and ready for battle.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

[Donn]

Something was coming. It was coming very loudly, as well, and it was no surprise to Zackky that a figure emerged. He stepped back. It was not uncommon for larger animals to attack little Zackky, for various reasons. Then Zackky saw it was a wolf. With big, red, scary eyes, and a look on his face to match. What a stiff, Zackky was thinking. A big stiff, that is. He looked nasty all over, but his voice was dull, and boring to Zackky's ears. "Who are you, and what do you want?" he said, and for the first time that day Zackky felt nervous. He hadn't prepared any kind of speech, or resume or whatever you needed to join a pack, and he knew that the first impression was the lasting impression.

"Hi-there-my-name's-Zackky-I'm-here-to-find-a-pack-called-Sallin-I-reallyreallyreallyreally-wanna-join-canya-help-please?" he blurted out at 90 miles an hour. His head nodded and twitched the entire time, and his tongue was all over the place, and when he finished it lolled out of his mouth. He discreetly brought it back in, wanting to look more formal, like the wolf with red eyes was. But formal was a challenging concept for Zackky, and he couldn't help but grin a little and wag his tail, as he did when excited.

[Nightshade]

Nightshade swallowed the saliva that had begun to build inside her mouth. The rabbit had no idea that it was being watched, and it continued to nibble on the fresh grass as if all was well with the world. Inching closer, the she-wolf allowed the adrenalin within her body to build; ready for that one, fatal strike.

Then a howl shattered the stillness of the forest. Birds dived from the branches with screeches loud enough to awaken the dead, and the whole canopy seemed to shake with their movement. The rabbit was gone with only the flash of a white tail. Nightshade leapt forward, already knowing that her quarry was well and truly out of her reach. Digging her claws deep into the damp earth, she skidded to a stop, cursing loudly as she spun her head in the direction of the sound. Whoever - whatever - that thing had been, it certainly was no wolf of Sallin.

Still grumbling under her breath, the alpha departed her hunting ground and padded towards the edge of her territory. There had been no decent pack hunting in weeks; the increase in temperature seeming to lull Sallin's occupants into a false sense of security that they could ill afford.

Nightshade reached the edge of the trees, her footfalls growing silent as she paused for just a moment to survey the scene. Two wolves. One was smaller, his tail wagging slightly as he looked up at the larger, prouder lupine. The latter the alpha did not recognise, but there was an air about him that only Sallin wolves would bear. Snatches of conversation floated to her on the breeze, and she had half a mind to head back in and continue her hunt. But something changed her mind, and she stepped from the cover of the forest with intent in her step.

"I must admit," she called out before she had fully reached them, a tainted undertone rising in her voice, "that was a mouthful indeed." She halted a little way from them, and slightly behind the smallest, trespassing wolf. Tilting her head to one side, she let the cloud-shadows cast darkness into her emerald eyes. "Mind repeating it so the living can understand?"

[yue]

The small wolf, for indeed it was, wasn't really anything special, as far as Outsider was concerned. But a wolf he was, and that improved his opinion of him. From his small stature, the bigger wolf had thought him a cursed, wretched dog, but he now knew he was mistaken. Not a pup either, perhaps he was just small? It was possible, if unlikely, but evidence to the contrary was standing right before him. The smaller one seemed to compose himself, as if to say something.

"Hi-there-my-name's-Zackky-I'm-here-to-find-a-pack-called-Sallin-I-reallyreallyreallyreally-wanna-join-canya-help-ple ase?"

He blinked, cocked one ear to the side, and said nothing.

Fortunately, someone else had heard, and their arrival snapped the newcomer from his bafflement. Nightshade, his alpha thus far unknown to him. But it had to be her, the way she held her head and tail, the strength that exuded from her very being. She, too, seemed confused by the mile-a-minute introduction? plea? that the small one had given them. But Outsider didn't want a repeat of that, he would have to instruct the little one on how to properly greet the most powerful wolf in all of the known world. first, though, was the necessary acknowledgment of rank, and he dipped his head in a bow towards the female.

"Hail, Alpha Nightshade."

He turned swiftly back to the small wolf, his typical rasp reentering his voice.

"Look sharp boy, you stand before Sallin's true leader."

[Donn]

Zackky tried to look sharp. He didn't know entirely what "sharp" comprised, so instead settled for "submissive". The Alpha? What luck! Zackky would have thought that the pack wouldn't let him near her. Well, maybe they operated differently to his last pack. Either way, he got the feeling that neither of them understood him. It wasn't the first time he'd been misunderstood, and it wasn't to be the last. "Mind repeating it so the living can understand?" the Alpha asked. Zackky nodded his head at roughly the same speed as his previous speech, then remembered to slow down.

"My name's Zackky. An honour to meet ya, er, you, Alpha Nightshade." Zackky said, less rapidly then before, and addressing Nightshade in the same manner as the other Sallin wolf. He didn't know if he was supposed to address her in a more respectful way, so continued. "I-I've come with the hope to join Sallin!" he said. He wasn't actually stuttering, more his speech put in more syllables to words than actually necessary.

[Nightshade]

The Sallin wolf, as it was now so very clear he was, spoke first, his words causing Nightshade's head to cock once more. This one knew how to address her, which was a thing many seemed to forget once supposedly safe within the ranks. Still, she could not help a small smile from playing on her thin lips. As for the smaller wolf, he rephrased himself, his statement barely filtering through to the alpha's consciousness. She just about managed to catch the last of it, and her eyes widened a little despite herself.

"You wish to join my pack?" She paid careful attention to hollow out the possessive pronoun, so as to leave no doubt. Again her voice was clear, not needing the help of the wind to carry it, and something cold seemed to shimmer just beneath each word. The clouds darkened once more, carried from the heart of Sallin so that Nightshade herself seemed to drive them forwards as she stood with her back to her territory.

Spreading her front paws slightly, she leant in closer to the young wolf so that her eyes were only slightly above his. The retreating light reflected in them for just a moment, glazing them with the faintest touch of ethereal before the shadows stretched even to her gaze. A storm was brewing high above them, and soon it would reach this; the farthest border of the lands.

"Then, surely you must have something to offer Sallin in return?" Her voice was mocking yet soft with a viper's touch, almost as if she were talking to a cub who had forgotten something important. Her tone left little doubt that this was not a question. Nonetheless, it still required an answer.

[yue]

This time, Outsider did not have much of anything to say. Nightshade could take over the interrogation, and unless he felt there was anything necessary to add, he would hold his tongue. It was for the best, really, considering how low his opinion of the wolf was. He was small, fidgety, nervous and seemed far too kind to be a wolf of Sallin. Could he bring himself to make war upon dogs? Could he bring himself to kill in cold blood? Outsider doubted it.

He was glad that his own induction into the pack had been by a guard and not his Alpha, he likely would have made a far worse impression on her than he had on the warrior female. He did not pity this Zackky, but the emotion that briefly flicked through his mind was not entirely dissimilar. He'd have only one chance at impressing his Alpha and if he blew it...well, Outsider lingered for a reason.

"Then, surely you must have something to offer Sallin in return?"

Outsider could not help the mirthless smile that creased his muzzle. This ought to be good...