Maybe...this was where I was meant to be? (Aurora)

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

The moon was high in the sky at the peak of the night. A lone figure trotted underneath it, her wary gaze moving around. She had smelled the boundaries, she knew they were there, but what was she to do about it? If she was challenged to something she couldn't face, she would flee without question. If it was something she could face, then it was just another obstacle in this loner game someone came up with. This loner game that Sheelin had been a part of for her whole life.

Her paws were on their tips, her ears turning to keep a listen in on the situation around her. There would be dogs, she knew, who would attack her for the sake of defending the territory. All Sheelin wanted to do was to get out...or maybe, try to get herself in on the pack. As good as she was surviving on her own, she needed protection, and a canine was a social animal besides the point.

Eyes wide, she continued her way through the foreign territory.

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

He'd been asleep for a long time. Recovering from an illness, Rez had been out of the job. His sister, Quill, had taken over the leading position, since he didn't have a mate and co partner in leadership to take that role. His paws had carried him across the land to one of the borders, where he stood on a hill. He had lain down and set his head on his paws, hind legs out beside him on one side. The wolf dog's eyes were on the moon, his ears open and wide, listening for any approaching dogs.

Hearing the noise of a dog approaching, he raised his head and turned to peer down the hill, towards the approaching dog. She obviously hadn't noticed him yet, hidden by some high grasses. He watched as she approached the border and passed through it, seemingly with a purpose. The male rose to his paws and padded towards her, tail up to show he was the dominant dog here.

"Greetings, stranger."

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

It hadn't been too long since she had come into the territory; still, she wasn't surprised when she was challenged fairly quickly. The male wolf-dog was clearly a high-ranking one, though any dog defending a territory could easily assume dominance over the lone female. Sheelin flattened her ears, and crouched low to the ground, her tail moving and circling underneath her.

"Greetings," she barked lowly, wanting to see how he would react to her presence before deciding on a change in her language. "Please forgive my trespassing - I'm a loner, not a stray from another pack or a rival; there are no other dogs with me or any dogs who would come after me."

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

Rez peered at her as she rolled into a submissive stature- easily one she may have had to use many times before. The wolfdog tilted his head quietly as he watched her, and then as she spoke out.

"Greetings,"

He offered her a smile, and replied with a, "Greetings." Then, he made haste to go silent and wait for what she would say next.

"Please forgive my trespassing - I'm a loner, not a stray from another pack or a rival; there are no other dogs with me or any dogs who would come after me."

He took a step towards her, but his gait was not unfriendly. "Fear not, stranger, for we are a peaceful race." He said softly. They were the protectors of this land. "Nor do we make haste to defy other packs. What's your name?"

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

"Oh, you want to know my name?" Sheelin replied softly. Her tail moved out from between her legs, though they still remained low. "My name is Sheelin, and I was born to two parents who had gotten kicked out of another pack. They had always been more defiant."

She offered him a small smile. "Could you give me your name?"

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

"Oh, you want to know my name?"

That's what I just said.. Rez thought quickly, but didn't voice his thoughts or show them in any way. He nodded once to show that that was indeed what he wanted- as voiced earlier by his question.

"My name is Sheelin, and I was born to two parents who had gotten kicked out of another pack. They had always been more defiant."

Defiance in her bloodlines, Rez made a mental note to subtly keep an eye out for that. "Why were they kicked out?" He asked. "Was it before or after you were born? Just curious." And surely enough, he was curious.

"Could you give me your name?"

"Indeed I can." The wolfdog said, his head bobbing up then down in a nod at the larger dog. "My pack call me Rez, and I am their alpha. We are the Red Herrings."

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

Well, it was worth the warning, Sheelin thought, her ears drooping down some. "It was before I was born," she mumbled. "Nice meeting you Rex." At least I'm trying to show some manners.

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

Rez nodded. "Rez, but never mind that. My own father was murdered soon before I became leader. Can't help what our parents did." Wondering why she was suddenly so sullen and mumbly, he tilted his head. Was he being unfriendly?

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

"And it's not as if other dogs should judge me - or you, for that matter - based on parenting." Sheeling cocked her head, thinking over it. Well, maybe that wasn't quite true. "But then again, I suppose it would make a difference to some. Bad parenting means lower status; higher parents mean higher status."

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

"In packs where the dog was born in or where they see it like that, yes. But in new packs usually you begin in a blank slate." Rez said, nodding in agreement. "My sister disappeared awhile back, she was upset that I was chosen from my litter to be alpha. Then, later on my father died and I became alpha. It's all up to decisions."

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

"This is a new pack?" queried Sheelin. That's a bit more unexpected. She sat down, her ears perking up a little. "Who was the alpha before you?"

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

"No, it's a pretty old pack, but what I mean is those who join packs often begin with blank slates." Rez said, trying to clarify his words. "The alpha before me was my father, Herring. Often once we reach a certain level of being loved the rest of the pack will vote for the alpha to gain the name 'Herring', and our old name is often forgotten. That means if this happens to me, I'll lose my name 'Rez', or be known as Rez Herring."

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

"How interesting," Sheelin murmured, half to herself. "And I see what you mean now." The Irish Wolfhound looked up at the moon now, thinking about this Red Herrings pack.

"So..." she began, not feeling too confident about asking this, "would you like another member? If you approve...I could join your pack."

[Venom]

xx. REZ
When the mirrors and the lights
And the smoke clear I'd never guess
How we ever could have got here.
You can say what you say
When the lights go down

Rez smiled. "We would love to have you." He said, then nodded in the direction of the dens. "I won't tell anyone about your parents if you want."

[Pineclaw]

`Sheelin
When the shadows stretch out before you, life can seem treacherous.
But when they are behind you, you know you've been deceived.

"I'd prefer they not know, though in the end it wouldn't really even matter," Sheelin barked, following the direction of the dens. "Where would I go to? What kind of ranks are there?"