Dovahkiin

Dovah's always had a love-hate relationship with the beach. The salty waters are wonderful in the summer months, and the scenery is breath-taking at all times of the year. But the bay isn't the safest of places, between the orcas in the water and the pissy seals on the shore. More work than needed, Dovah had always thought. Despite his begrudging love for the beach, Dovah finds himself jogging across the soft sandy surface, tail flouncing above his haunches as the brute pants with delight. He's certain to survey the beach shore, watching out for defensive mother seals and their young babes. Dovah picks a spot along the beach far from the water dogs, coming to a skidding halt along the gentle lap of salt water. The white wolf gives an exhale, gazing out over the gentle ripple of ocean. He stands there stoically for a pass of time before the gray-and-black wolf suddenly plunges into the cool waters of the bay. He plunges under his stomach deep in the water, tongue lolling with pleasure.

Aakari

The openness of the beach and the sprawling ocean were a far cry from the confines of the dense forests that made up so much of her territory. On one paw, it almost stoked a sense of vulernability to not have the close press of trees and ferns about to offer their protection. And on the other, seeing the land stretch beyond her view inspired a feeling of freedom and wonder that Aakari relished. Sitting tall on a rock that overlooked the bay below, the snow-white alphass could easily be mistaken for an arctic wolf with her rounded ears and dense coat, but there was a swirl of domestic blood in her veins that was masked by her outward appearance.

Not as easy to miss was the thin band of plastic encircling her neck, where the humans had fixed her with a tracking device during the late winter. Teeth marks showed where Sweetclover had tried to rid her granddaughter of the eyesight, but the material had easily shrugged off the old wolf's attempts, and Aakari had eventually gotten use to her new accessory. Enough so that she didn't even notice it now as her pale yellow eyes fixated on movement down below. A grin spread across her long muzzle as she realized what she was watching; some fellow romping in the waves like a pup! A quick look told her that Dova was by himself, leading Aakari to stand and strike out down the shallow cliff towards the beach. Her thick tail hung high in the air, but swung loose with her steps, reflecting a confident but easy-going attitude at the moment.

"Nice day for a swim, I suppose." Aakari commented as she neared the foamy waters, speaking out to let her presence be known so that she wouldn't spook the male if he hadn't noticed her yet.

Dovahkiin

The brute wavers as a strong, white-capped wave crashes into his body. The gray wolf laughs with a moment of glee as he sidesteps to maintain his balance, sea salt sprinkling against his face. He blinks, eyes sweeping out towards the endless stretch of ocean. It's in this moment, with his back turned to shore, that Aakari's voice rings out. The sand of the beach had muffled her striding steps, and Dovah is torn from his distancing thoughts. Whirling around, Dovah splashes in the shallows of the water to face Aakari. The brute's tail remains arched, a faint wag displaying his relaxation towards her presence.

Golden eyes sparkle as Dovah laughs again, arching his back slightly with an easy-going stretch. "Just trying to beat the heat," he muses with a smile. "Even burrowing in the shadows doesn't escape the scorch we've been having. Part of that probably is my fur though..." He pants, nose wrinkling as the brute gives his drenched pelt a shake.

Aakari

Part of Aakari wanted to scoff at the big brute for his antics, but a larger part of her wanted to join in for a romp in the refreshingly cool waters. The alphess compromised by staying just at the edge of the lapping waves, while letting her high-held tail wave slightly and her usually serious expression soften just a little.

"I suppose it is a bit sweltering out today." The wolfess agrees, squinted her gaze briefly upwards at the blazing sun, and suddenly feeling the desire to step into the inviting waves. That desire was met part way when Dova gave his thick pelt a good shake, spraying a fair amount of sea water in Aakari's direction. She squinted again and briefly turned her ears back, snorting lightly as a few salty droplets fell from her snout, "...well, I can't deny that that was somewhat refreshing." Fighting against the indignation that had wanted to rise, Aakari managed a more jesting response, and even paired it with a half-grin. "Out here for a swim by yourself then?"

Dovahkiin

There's a sense of hesitancy, and maybe an underlying layer of disdain, that the large brute picks up from Aakari. Yet, she still yields an amount of friendliness and curiousity. His tail wavers a bit more as he chuckles to her reaction to being caught in the crossfire of Dovah's shake off. "I needed a nice cool off, yes," he replies, eyes sweeping out across the rippling waters. Another soft wave tugs at his paws, the sand swirl with the current so that Dovah has to shift from losing his balance. "Plus..." he pauses with a manic grin, "It's silly, but I like the scenery here, save the moody seals. Always wondered what's out there beyond the stretch of waters." Dovah catches a ridiculed laugh in his throat, glancing dubious back at Aakari with a grin. "Look at me, sharing my secrets with strangers. I'm Dovahkiin, by the way, but most just call me Dovah."

Aakari

There came that yearning again, to jump into the cool waters with this stranger and let loose of the tension and anxiety that she'd held onto for so long as an alpha of a two-wolf pack. The more domineering side of Aakari kept a firm paw in control though, permitting only a grin to Dovahkin's much more carefree smile and laxer attitude. "It's not such a silly thing, really. The view is fantastic." The wolfess took a moment to gaze out at the waters that stretched into blue infinity, and for the first time realized that she'd never taken the time to ponder just how far they went, and what might be on the other side?

Aakari hastily drove that thought out of her mind and quirked an ear at Dova as he offered his name. Her confident pose softened just a smidgen more, along with her smile as she answered back, "I go by Aakari, daughter of Nasl and Aakasi. Alpha of the Silver Glades." She was not shy in revealing not only her name, but lineage and title as well. It was part of the reason that she'd approached the male in the first place, "I don't often travel this far from my terra, but I might have to make the journey more often. And, how about you? Do you belong to any pack?" The shewolf was also not shy about asking bold questions, even if a quick analysis of his scent bore no familiar banner of any pack she knew.

Dovahkiin

A broadening smile steals away at Dovah's face as he glimpses Aakari losing her mind for a fleeting moment over the ocean waters. His tail wags slightly as she speaks, introducing herself. An alpha. That explains a lot about her demeanor, her cool poise and fearless conversation. The gray brute chuckles slightly, dipping his head down in a respectful nod that's bordering more on humorous than formal. "Well, Miss Alpha, I hope you're enjoying your little journey away from home," Dovah teases, brown eyes gleaming. He wades through the salty waters until he stands in the paw-deep depth, closer to Aakari to more better converse. His expression is relaxed as he ponders her question, head cocking to the side as he wades through his memories in hopes to properly explain. "Well...no, not anymore. I left my family the during the previous summertime," he informs, a nostalgic chuckle rippling through him as he thinks of his large family. There was no central reason behind why he left, other than Dovah decided it was time to seek something new. "I actually intended on returning closer to my former home at some point, but the early snows kept me grounded in this valley. My extended stay just made me change my mind, and so I'm still here."

Exquisite brown eyes fixate on Aakari as audacity ripples through his veins. It's a question that had bore in his mind for a while now, and encountering this pack-oriented fae made Dovah wonder further. "I must ask, out of simple curiosity, but are you by any means associated with one of the...militant packs dwelling in his valley?" Dovah questions politely, ears twitching. "Outside of this valley, I've never seen masses of species join forces. It's peculiar to say the least."

Aakari

There was that part of her again, that rigid alphess that took so strongly after her maternal line, that wanted to narrow her eyes and chastise this fellow for his goofy behavior just now. Thankfully, that side did not prevail today. Instead, an utter lack of contact with other adults outside of her aging grandmother in the last many moons had left Aakari desperate for interaction with others, and that had helped to peel back some of the more rigid layers of her personality. She even chuckled at the less than sincere bow he gave, even if she couldn't quiet commit to that level of silly yet. "Aakari." She did correct him on the name however, though a slight smirk showed that she wasn't truly offended by the 'Miss Alpha' title he'd given her. "You've found yourself here in a decently good time at least. Things have been rather peaceful in the Valley, and prey is bountiful. Not to mention, there are a few nice sights to enjoy."

Aakari had been born during the quieter times in the land, and only knew of the warring through stories her grandmother told her. They way she understood it, though wolves had become a little more scarce, life had become simpler and easier. To the question of the militant packs though, the alphess furrowed her alabaster brows and shook her head, "For better or worse, no. The Silver Glades holds no alliances with any pack right now, though that's mostly down to a lack of packs in the Valley." The wolfess pondered the question more, nodding then to Dova's views, "I prefer the company of other wolves, not... cats and deer, unless I'm hunting. Besides, the more militant packs are, well, prone to violence that I'd rather not see my pack get tangled in."

Dovahkiin

Dovah knows he could potentially be treading on thin ice with Aakari's patience, yet he still pushes against her instinctive personality. He's always been a bit daring like this -- perhaps mixed with a bit stupid as well. But after a certain extent, Dovah holds back and remains rather quiet as she discusses the likelihood of her pack. Gray ears twitch as his mind tries to picture Aakari treading across her territory. How proudly she must hold herself in her own zone. Glades. So she's a fan of water, whether she wants to admit it here in the salty sea breeze or not. "This Valley is...interesting to say the least...I'm not sure if you've ever been outside of this Valley, but it's certainly a different realm," he muses. He pauses for a moment, flashing Aakari a little smile. "Sorry, my thoughts on this Valley are probably insignificant and boring. But you're the first wolf I've really taken time to converse with...the last bunch were too busy running me out of their hunting grounds to offer formalities." His face lightens, pondering the interaction with a weak chuckle. In all reality, Dovah had been at fault for not checking scent markings, but the brute felt a bit injured to the reality of how secretive and wary the wolves of this valley could be. As a newbie to the Valley, Dovah didn't understand the treacherous history these creatures had sustained even in the previous decade or so.

Aakari

In their brief interaction, Aakari had quickly assessed this male was not a shy push-over, nor was he overly serious or aggressive. He had confidence, humor, and carried himself well, all things that impressed the alphess and held her interest. She'd also taken note of how he'd tempered himself just a little, and she smiled to herself for that. "I've never stepped a paw out of this Valley, but I've heard stories here and there from beyond the mountains." A stiff wind tussled the alpha's white fur, sending her thick coat rippling against the salty air, with flecks of foam catching against her belly and lower limbs as the fierce air lifted it right off the beach. She squinted into the zephyr until it passed, "No, you stories aren't boring. To tell you the truth, I'm eager to listen. It's-" Aakari stopped herself with a sigh and a shake of the head, "-my 'pack' consists of me and my grandmother, so the only stories I get to hear now are ones I've heard a dozen times over."

The alphess paused again, this time to lift a foreleg and turn her tongue against it a few times, cleaning some of the foam that had gathered against the pale fur. A quick shake of her fur concluded the brief grooming session, and her attention went back to Dovah, "Run out of pack grounds, were you?" Aakari could understand that one, as fiercely territorial as some of the packs could be - she herself might have acted similarly under the circumstance. "That's something you've got to be careful about in this Valley, some will kill you if you cross into their realm without permission. Now me, I'd expect a show of belly fur for such an intrusion, but I'm more interested in growing my pack right now than chasing out interlopers." A brow quirked upwards just a smidgen and she tilted her head, "Are interested in having a territory yourself?"

Dovahkiin

The strong wind gusts against Dovah's dark gray fur, cold water crashing against his frame until the brute stands all-but-drenched before Aakari. A humorous laugh escapes from his mouth as he flashes Aakari a dubious look, as if now to realize her caution wasn't in vain and that he, the water skimmer, was regretting his decision to remain wading in the waters. He gives himself a little shake, stepping through the waters until he's on the damp edge of the sand. "Well, good news for you is I have a couple stories, and I promise I won't tell them a dozen times," Dovah jests, wagging his tail. "And if you need a stand-in, I'd welcome your grandmother to tell me her stories." His brown eyes flash with mischief as a devilish grin slips across his face.

His ears flash downward at the mention of a home and pack, the thought not even an inkling in his mind since he'd found himself alone in this Valley. The truth of the matter was, Dovah had slowly began to wonder if the lone wolf lifestyle was his future. A weak, almost sad, smile crosses his lips as his ears twitch up again and he offers Aakari a rolling shrug. "I mean...haven't thought much of it recently," Dovah lies, as if the thought hadn't plagued him nearly every night he spent on his own. "But I can't say I want to be a lone wolf forever. Living by my own rules is fun and all, but I doubt I'll live much longer adhering to such habits." He holds her gaze, a little hopeful amount of him taking flight with the direction in which Aakari might be teasing.

Aakari

The wolf's piercing yellow eyes rove up and down the male, his thick coat now flattened under the weight of water soaked in its fibers, with little rivulets running like a hundred miniature streams through the dense, gray coat. "If you ask me, I think you've beat the heat and then some." She squints and draws her muzzle back briefly when he shakes the excess moisture from his being, and again coats the alphess with enough ocean water to leave it dripping from her muzzle. Her brows bunch together in what wants to be indignation, but a snort of amusement foils it, and a grin takes hold instead. "And now I think you've helped me beat the heat."

Aakari closes one eye as a stray drop of water rolls annoyingly close to the eyelid, before she gives in and gives herself a quick, brisk shake to send it on its way. The grin fades, and in its place is a cautiously hopeful expression, but one that's not too hopeful or excited. It was tempered and controlled, unlike the wagging motion that had taken over her tail. "She'd be happy for the company, and the ear to bend. Dovah, I'd like to formally invite you to the Silver Glades pack." Those sharp eyes held his unflinchingly, reading what she could between the lines. "Of course, with just my grandmother and myself, we do have room for an alpha male if something like that is to your liking."

Dovahkiin

The mountains slowly begin to move with Aakari as Dovah draws a smile from her jaws. The gesture is small but sends an electrical current of happiness through the brute. His tail sashays back at forth, not minding the water still dripping from his soaked pelt. The chilly water clinging to his coat helps him appreciate the scorching glare of the sun, and he isn't too bothered by it, knowing he'll simply be dry in a pawful of minutes. "It's the risk you run coming to the beach," he teasingly defends himself, "Although, you'll probably never want to venture out here with me again now knowing my antics." He bears a wide grin, eyes twinkling. She's a hard egg to crack, but Dovah can sense the amount of good-naturedness she has hidden underneath the hard exterior of composure.

Dovah watches her cautiously as her expression fades. Her proposal blindsides him for a heartbeat, but his emotions are replaced with a height of controlled elation when he registers her words. His tail twitches again, the male taking a moment to maul over her words. The reality is, Dovah already knew the answer was yes. But he gives it a moment, tries to play it off as cool. Finally he nods slowly. "Consider your invitation accepted," he responds levelly, moving onto her second proposal, "And if you deem me appropriate for the role, I'd gladly accept the position."

Aakari

The wolfess tilts her head ever-so-slightly, a semi-soaked brow inching upwards. "I'll admit that it's been a longer time than I can remember since I've played like a pup." What started as a potential slight against Dovahkiln's behavior, tempered by the look of amusement that lit her light eyes, shifted quickly into something more positive. "I won't turn down an excuse to stretch my legs though. Might do me a bit of good even; aside from hunting, I don't really get an good opportunities to run about."

When it came time for a more serious discussion, Aakari was watching Dova like a hawk, not bothering with subtleties as she observed his reaction and awaited an answer. The only shift in her pose was brought by a sudden wind that whipped across the shoreline, forcing the white wolfdog to squint and wiggle her nose to stave off a sneeze. This stoic look was altered again a few moments later when Dova gave his answer, to which Aakari brandished a slight smile and returning nod, "Welcome to the Silver Glades Pack, Dovahkiln. I can show you to your new home now, or we can make a quick perimeter of the shore here and see if we can bring some food back for ourselves and my grandmother."

Dovahkiin

The brute slights a smile at Aakari's comment, not bashful of his willingness to indulge on immature behavior when the time was fitting. His tail wags, brown eyes glimmering for a moment until he watches Aakari transform into a serious alphess. He admires her stoic nature, knowing perhaps in time, situations would call for him to be of such nature. Besides, she had just taken him on as an alpha. The implications of the duty only roused in the back of Dovah's mind, but the pressure was still there.

His smile mirrors her's as she welcomes him. The gray brute's tail wags once more, brushing at the sea foam gurgling along his legs. "Well, the question arises of 'does your grandmother like fish?'" Dovahkiin says in response to her options. The brute glances down the shore, in the opposite direction of the harem of seals amassed on the shore. He knows of a small cove that indents into the craggy coastline where the cod fish like to hide. It's quiet and the waters mostly shallow, making it a prime spot for the hiding fish, but also for the predator. "I know a spot just a jaunt down the shore. Easy catches. If your grandmother likes fish, we can easily grab something. Plus, it'd probably be favorable if I arrived with an offering, no?" A slip of a mischievous smile passes his lips, the brute's mind already mauling over the dramatic change in his life. But he welcomes it. He welcomes this sudden alteration in his route. Brown eyes shift back to Aakari as he smiles again, this time in confidence. This was a welcome change.

Aakari

The more she saw of Dovahkiln in these passing few moments, the more assured Aakari was of her decision to invite him into the fold. He had confidence to spare, which had been the main attractant that caught the alpha's eye, and he appeared to be a seasoned solo hunter. Impressed by his motivation, Aakari tilted her muzzle into a nod and swept her gaze down the beach, passed the lounging seals on out in the direction she imagined this fishing location to be. "I do know that she has a tooth for salmon, so I think our odds are good." The alphess shifted her paws, leaving deep prints in the sand that were soon swallowed up as the next wave surged by. "You may have to show me your techniques, Dova. I admit I'm not well practiced in hunting ocean fish, aside from the stray few I've found beached on the shores."

Dovahkiin

Another strong zephyr hits against the brute, spitting water up against his sides as Dovah gives a squeaking yip of surprise as the frigid water slips through his thick coat. His surprise is followed by a genuine laugh, flipping Aakari a dubious look. "Looks like I need to get out of this water as is," Dovah resigns, tail wagging. He refrains from shaking the residues of water from his coat and dousing Aakari once more. He's already pressed his luck today on that matter, and decides to just air dry on the jaunt to the fishing cove. "But I know a place. The good news is, the fish there are a bit too lax so your..ehm, lack of experience, won't put you too far behind. They're easy targets, and with my guidance, I'll make an expert fisher out of you." Brown eyes gleam as he takes several bounding steps down along the damp sand, the brute turning to make sure Aakari is in tow.

Aakari

Her rigid gaze softens, and an amused huff of a noise escaped her maw in response to the yip from Dova. "I think you've sufficiently cooled off, eh?" Part of her braces for a secondary shower from the brute, but when it doesn't come, she gives her tail a complimentary wag and pads a few feet up from the shoreline, giving him ample room to escape any further unwanted splashes. She stops then and turns to face her new packmate as he's explaining this new fishing hole, and a wry grin takes her alabaster muzzle, "I'm going to hold you to that." There was a spark in her eye now, a zest that awoke in response to a challenge. Simple as it was, any sort of challenge lit a certain vigor in the alphess, and it prompted her to speak again as she began to lope after him, "At least two sizeable fish apiece, and we'll see who can catch the largest one."

Dovahkiin

Dovah smiles at Aakari, his tag giving a firm wag, "It's decides then! Follow me!", he words before suddenly takes off down the shoreline. His large paws leave deep, clear pawprints in the damp sand along the lapping kiss of the ocean waves. He glances over his shoulder, brown eyes nearly shimmering with delight. The pace isn't sustained as the craggy slopes of the rocks invade closer to the water, until its cliff juts out into the water and cut off the shoreline. The brute eases to a jog, and then comes to a halt in the sand. There's a clear tunnel that pierces the rocky slope, only a few wolf-lengths long. The ground froths with seafoam and there's a few ambitious barnacles along the walls near the water. "It's a tiny bit of a squeeze, don't bump your head," Dovah warns with a warm grin. He haunches a bit, shouldering into the tunnel. It's a few scrambling strides before Dovah pushes into the other side.

He moves a few steps from the rocky tunnel, sweeping his gaze out over the quaint, secluded cove. Large rocks out beyond the cove block a majority of the crashing waves. Between that and the exclusion of the other beach dwellers, the cove is quiet. The only sound is a soft gurgle of swirling salt water and the beat of the wind against the cliffs. Dovah studies the cove for a moment before glancing back to Aakari, hoping she trekked the narrow tunnel well. "The sea fish love to hide here. No hungry seals. And the waters are calm," Dovah explains. "Which makes them clueless and the perfect prey for someone looking to make minimal predatory efforts."

Aakari

Aakari bounded after the other, her paws falling in near tandem with his. It hit her in that moment then, how lovely it was simply to run with another without having to constantly check her pace for them or worry about how much discomfort they were trying to hide from the simple act of sprinting. Her only concern right now was to find the right balance between upholding her regal status, and allowing for a bit of relaxation. In the end, Aakari permitted a tongue to loll from the side of her mouth, getting a sharp taste of that salty air as the two of them bounded along the ever narrowing shoreline.

'This doesn't look promis- oh.' The alpha hadn't noticed the narrow tunnel until they'd gotten closer, and the shift in perspective allowed light from the other end to peek through the short corridor. She nodded to Dova's warning, then followed him without hesitation through the rocky passage, barnacles snagging a few clumps of alabaster fur along the way. Emerging from the other end, Aakar's eyes lit up with cautious wonder at the serenity of this secluded little cove, "Huh." Was the first comment that escaped her, "You found this on your own? As many times as I've trekked by the bay, I've never explored it far enough to find this gem." She soaked in the sights for another for seconds before turning her thoughts back to the task at paw, and blinking her eyes to Dovahkiln. "Perfect hunting grounds too. Why don't you show me your technique for catching them?"

Dovahkiin

A ripple of pride elicits a lolling tongue and a glimmer in Dovah's eyes as he takes one more moment to soak up his discovery. Turning his head towards Aakari, his tail wags. "Sometimes you need to walk further through the places you think you know," Dovah advises, batting his eyelashes with a soft smile. "It's so easy to overlook the smallest things in a place you thought you know down to the tiniest grain of earth." Eyes turning back to the soft gurgle of water at his paws, Dovah squints to find the school of cod enjoying the sunny afternoon. At this time, there's shadows falling on part of the cove, which made their hunting excursion much easier. "My wise ramblings aside, let's go fish!"

He leads Aakari around the sandy perimeter of the cove until they've slipped under the shadows of the cliff. Dovah crouches down so that his chest brushes against the cool sand below him. Brown eyes squint as he studies below the surface of the water, waiting for a careless cod to approach closer to the shallows. "It's fairly simple: stay low, stay in the shadows, and when you see your chance, make it quick," Dovah explains to Aakari. Despite himself, the tip of his tail twitches with delight. He is slightly concerned that Aakari might think he's a fool, but also simply elated to be hunting with someone for once. Drawing in a long breath, Dovah pivots his attention back to the steady waters. Just as he focuses back, two cod flit closer to the shallows of the water. In that instant, Dovah leaps forward, his belly still brushing against the sand. With the quickness of a viper, his jaws submerge and wrap around one of the fish.

Triumphantly, Dovah retracts his head from the water. He's soaking wet, but yields a flopping fish in his teeth. He crushes down on the fish, snapping the feeble spine until its movement ceases. Dovah trots back onto the beach, dropping the dead cod. He laughs with delight, tail wagging. "A bit wet, but we got one!" He woofs, prancing a bit with excitement. "We'll want to move a few paces down the shore. This cod's friends aren't the brightest, but they won't hang around the exact spot where their buddy disappeared."

Aakari

The alpha's gaze steals away to scan the weathered rocks, rising up and encircling the hidden cove like an army of vigilant sentinels. For a wolf so use to the close confines of the old forests, it brought a comforting presence to Aakari's mind, and made this hide-away hunt all that more appealing to her. Her eyes shifted from the rocks to the placid waters next, catching glimpses of dark shapes that moved beneath the gently lapping surface. Then to Dovah, as the male offered her sound advice. "With an additional pack member, I can afford to spend more time exploring and less fretting about Clover's next meal." A quiet smile was offered, and she thought about the well-traveled great-grandmother she had never met, but whom Sweetclover had plenty of stories of.

Aakari was soon shuffling her paws again, padding quietly after Dovah as he lead her along the beach, and down beneath the concealing shadows of the overhanging rocks high above them. Mimicking the brute, the alphess crouched beside him, her muscles tense and ready as her yellow eyes took in every little shift in his posture so that she could better hone her own technique. "Quiet and unseen, I understand." Her voice was a low whisper, still watching him like a keen student without any of the amusement he feared she might have for his current display. She continued to watch as he suddenly jolted forward, head disappearing beneath the water with a decisive splash. Moments later he was drawing back, a large fish flailing between his jaws for a few brief moments until a simple bit of pressure ended the fight.

Held loose behind her, the wolf's tail wagged briefly in shared delight at the successful hunt. "Not bad. You make it look easy." A slight note of trepidation tenses Aakari's gut, despite how expertly she kept it free from her tones; with one fish caught, the pressure was now on her two bring in a second one, and the alpha did not want to look foolish or incompetent in front of her new pack mate. Listening avidly to his advice, Aakari took the initiative of pacing a few yards down the beach and selecting a new hunting spot. Crouching down, the still-dripping fur of her belly brushing against the sand, the white wolf inched as close as she dared to the shore. Her eyes watched like those of a hawk, and when the moment was right, Aakari plunged forward with her jaws agape!

With a crash of water and flying fur, the alpha drew her head back, the tail of a cod gripped firmly in her mouth. She had missed her aim slightly, leaving the fish flopping wildly and nearly tearing free of her grip. She scrambled back, moving hastily back to the shore as the fish flopped about at the end of her grip, smacking against the side of her face in one particularly hearty attempt to wiggle free. It was an awkward display at best, but once she made it far enough up shore, Aakari dropped the cod to better adjust her bite. A brief, fumbling chase ensued before a paw finally pinned the fish to the sand, and a swift bite ended its struggle.

Dovahkiin

Salt burns against the brute's nostrils as he scoots his kill farther away from the water, as if it would suddenly revive back to life and escape. Dovah smiles to Aakari, watching as the fae gamely locates herself down the shore and squats into position. Honey-colored eyes study her as she waits and watches, haunched over with the focus of a primed hunter. An amateur fisher or not, Dovah is impressed by how she tackles things with confident vitality. An alphess, indeed. He blinks when she lunges forward, not even seeing her preparedness because of her swift decision making. She retracts from the salt waters with a flopping fish in her jaws, an elated laugh escaping Dovah's mouth. "Well done!" He praises, his tail sashaying. An amused look flickers across his face as the she-wolf momentarily struggles with the fish, before it finally is ended. A low chuckle rumbles from his chest, ears twitching. "They're feisty if you don't end them quickly. But all that matters is you didn't let 'em go." Dovah trots in the opposite direction of Aakari. Before he even has a chance to hunker down in a spot, he catches a cod flitting too close to the shore. Without a moment's thought, Dovah darts at the fish and rips it from the waters. It struggles for a brief second in his jaws before Dovah's crushes his jaws into its body. He drops it in the sand, tail raised. "That makes three," Dovah announces proudly, gazing up at Aakari with the adrenaline of a hunter's delight.

Aakari

She took his praise with a faint smile and a shift in her tail that might or might have not been a wag. Fur dripping wet and sand clinging in clumps to her sodden underbelly, the alabaster female still held the poise and dignity of her station. But the rivulets of seawater draining from Aakari's pelt revealed something else the otherwise proud she-wolf was not so keen on, even if she'd gotten use to the sensation of it; the pale beige tracking collar that encircled her neck, and usually remained at least someone concealed by her dense ruff.

"Those fish are stronger than I anticipated." Aakari gave herself a brief, vigorous shake, fluffing out her hueless fur. "You're a good teacher though. On my own, it'd have taken a good deal of trial and error to come up with this technique." She got to watch another such hunt a moment later, as Dovah literally pounced on the opportunity to nab a cod that had strayed too far from the school and lingered a bit too close to the shore. Her eyes danced with the excitement of the hunt, meeting his as he quickly and expertly dispatched the third fish and dropped it into the sand with the others. "My turn, then." The alphess announces, mincing now a few yards further along the shore. It takes her longer to find suitable prey, but eventually she selects her next target and goes for the plunge.

Another brief struggle ensues, where the cod very nearly wriggles away from her fangs before she can bring it in. Snorting and valiantly holding back a cough for the water she got up her nose, Aakari drops her second kill in the sand. "It'll take some practice, but I enjoyed it. Thanks for showing me this, Dovah." Again she shakes her pelt and lets her tongue loll from her mouth, "Lets fill our bellies, and bring Clover home a pair of welcoming gifts." Curious about the sea fish, Aakari doesn't hesitate before tearing into one of the cod she caught, going for the slightly smaller of the two, so as to give her grandmother the larger one.

Dovahkiin

There isn't much that fazes Dovah at this point. He's still youthful, but not inexperienced or stupid. Although, he didn't spot Aakari's collar until he's tossed his second catch of the day aside and stares up at the dignified she-wolf. Honey-colored eyes squint an inch, before Dovah blinks and shakes it off. He's never seen a tracked wolf in person, but he's certainly heard of them. The humans catch and set them free, but with that damned accessory. Dovah will never comprehend or process how the human species functions. But Aakari seems healthy and happy -- so that collar can't be so sinister.

"Heh, don't flatter me," He gently teases Aakari for her compliment, shaking it off humbly. "I learned mostly via trial by error. And let me tell you, you'd probably would've been wondering if I was trying to become a fish instead of hunting them." An amused chuckle ripples through his chest as the images fleet across his mind, recalling his soaked pelt and empty stomach in his first few attempts. Survival made a good teacher, though. He smiles, sinking down into the cool sands and yanking the smaller portion of his catch close to him. His teeth sink into the scales of the cod, tearing into the flesh of the sea creature. It's only in mid-chew that his stomach rumbles, reminding the brute how hungry he actually was.

Aakari

Aakari folds her legs beneath her, settling down into the sand in front of Dovah as he mercifully keeps any comments about the accursed collar to himself, and thus sparing himself from seeing any of that fiery temper that the white wolf was sometimes prone to releasing. "I can say you've done well for yourself, on your own. The Silver Glades pack will be all the more resourceful for having a wolf that can hunt the ocean as well as the forests." Aakari finally indulges in a smile herself after turning one last compliment in the brute's direction. With a stomach that was none too shy about announcing its own emptiness, the alpha's attention went swiftly to one of the dispatched fish. A powerful paw snagged and pulled the carcass in closer, while her strong jaws and keen teeth made quick work of the scaly feast.

By the time Aakari had finished her piece, only a small scrap of fin lay on the ground, too coated in sand and lacking in fat for the wolf to be interested in. A tongue flashed across her muzzle, whisking away what few scraps clung to her whiskers and chin. Stretching her front legs, she yawned heartily before drawing herself upwards onto her paws, "Ready to meet Sweetclover, and your new home?" The smile returned, faint against the backdrop of stoicism, but it was there.

Dovahkiin

A little chuckle rumbles from Dovah's chest as he mauls over Aakari's compliment, a flashing smile crossing his face. "Oh, don't flatter me," Dovah jests, his tail sashaying a bit in the sand. "I'll gladly accept pack living over the last few seasons. As survivable as I've made it, it's lonely and every day could be your last." For a moment, Dovah considers the implications of the future. While pack life doesn't guarantee absolute safety and a fed stomach, it minimizes the lethality of living in this valley. "I'm a lucky wolf today thanks to you," Dovah muses with a touch of softness. He's sincere and appreciative, but backs off in an attempt to avoid awkwardness.

Dovah finishes the remnants of his fish, spitting the thin bones of the seafood into the sand. It isn't the easiest meal, but definitely worth the struggle. Rising to his paws, Dovah wags his tail once more. "Lead the way, please," he accepts her invitation, his heart jumping in his chest at her words. New home.

Aakari

For his gratitude, Aakari offers a sincere smile in turn. With Dovah among their ranks, the Silver Glades truly would be a pack now, rather than a granddaughter struggling to feed herself and her aging grandmother, while scrambling to maintain the territory boundaries. Aakari would never admit strain and stress of it all, preferring to having others view her as a capable and proud alpha, leading a pack that no one dare challenge. On the inside though, the alabaster fae was breathing a giant sigh of relief, and feeling her spirits rise at the prospects of a unified and growing pack.

"It's only a few miles trek from here" She announced, after Dovah expelled the annoying bits of slender bone from his meal and rose with tempered excitement. Perhaps sensing some of that energy, Aakari tilted her chin up and nodded at him, "Now that you're officially a Silver Glades wolf, and leader at that, carry yourself apropriately." A small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth as she raised her tail high, turned from the big male, and set out across the beach to journey back to the Silver Glades.