The great span of forest at that elevation was densely populated by grows of massive tees, tangles of ferns, and rocky croppings. Travelling any significant distance would be a steep, tiring endeavor for the unfit or unprepared. In some areas, the forest would become so dense that light would scarcely penetrate the fortress that was the canopy. In others, the forest would thin to small, grassy clearings. In that environment, just outside of the reaches of even the most wayward of travelers, Alvina had settled the Blood Rose pack. Though there were seemingly primitive homes (cabins and a few structures set in trees) deep within forest, places where fires, gatherings, and celebrations would take place, they were isolated. Hidden. Only with the permission of the pack, that was, not being attacked as one approached, would anyone reach those occupied spaces.

Fortunately for the traveler, which reeked of his Werebeast blood, he was only being tracked. He seemed to have been deliberate in leaving traces of his presence, making it quite obvious to the sentinel which had first come across his trail that he in fact wanted to be found. That was perhaps the best decision. It would prevent premature bloodshed, rather than him being recognized too late as an intruder.

The standard in dealing with such travelers, particularly those identifiable as Werebeasts, was one which had been established by the Alpha, Alvina, long ago. The sentinel was to make contact with one of the bird Werebeasts, who would then seek Alvina for a meeting. No engagement would be made unless it was absolutely necessary prior to her arrival to meet them. In the case of the man, who was at that time deep in their territory, the sentinel had done just that. And because of that reason, not far off in the shadows, a set of crimson eyes would fix upon him as he was gazing off skyward.

She lingered like that, watching him for a few moments, before she disappeared silently into the underbrush, made her transformation, and set foot out onto a mossy log in plain sight, across the clearing. Barefoot, and in only a loose dress, the woman with the scarred face had decided by that point that it was time. In a voice that rang clearly, she paused from her position atop the log. Nearby, several sets of eyes would appear in the underbrush. “Ho! What brings you into the Pack territory, traveler?” Alvina did not smile, merely regarding the man with eyes hard and sharp as obsidian.

Her eyes did not waver from her position even as she watched his body grow tense. His movements immediately caused her the consideration that his form was likely one of a prey animal. The resolve with which he seemed to stabilize and control his fear, however, caused other considerations. He seemed to carry himself in a particular way, which made her wonder if he had likely been alive longer than the last century. The way he held himself… It was almost like a soldier.

With his introduction, and the smile that accompanied it, she stepped off the log and took a few strides closer. None of the other Werebeasts disguised in the tree line scarcely moved muscles. Just as the man had assessed, they seemed to be waiting for some silent signal that would come from their Alpha before they’d advance. Her eyes skimmed his face, seeming to judge his words. Her silence stretched on all the way until he finally offered a name for himself, and bowed.

The bow… Something like the faintest trace of a smile seemed to meet her eyes at the gesture, though her lips seemed frozen or incapable of meeting the gesture. A stray, he was? And a reputation, she had? Well, both of those statements certainly seemed fair. But why, she mused, would he have bothered seeking her out. That would be the first thing to assess, and perhaps was the most interesting information every time strays turned up on her doorsteps. “A reputation? Why, I never…” The words were spoken conversationally as her hands settled lightly on her hips. Clearly, she was not uncomfortable with the setting. “You aren’t the first to suggest that. But if its refuge you seek, I have some questions that you must answer first.”

A brief pause. “I am Alvina, the Alpha here.” Her strides brought her until she was within ten feet of the man, a conversational distance. At that proximity, though her eyes were no less sharp, her voice was more curious than coarse. Softer in a way. “What did you do to require refuge, Warin Ilmatar?”

Charming. A philosophical disagreement. That sounded like an evasive, tidy way of ducking her question. If it was possible, the steely quality to her dark eyes sharpened. If she’d have been in her wolfen form, her ears might’ve pricked forward in his direction. Instead, Alvina propped a calloused hand on her hip.

With his next words, one of her brows arched. I want to be part of something. That line of conversation was one that she would normally observe as intentionally being persuasive or distracting. And yet, she did catch that near-tone of vulnerability hidden by the words. In that regard, her suspicion was somewhat tempered but still ever-present. Trust was earned, not given.

Her words held something that was a little more agreeable, a little softer. It was friendly, almost motherly. “I understand, but I would like you to elaborate on that first bit.” She paused very briefly. “How many years are you? And was that philosophical disagreement with leadership a reflection of disagreeable actions perpetrated by your Alpha? Or was that the product of changing values on your own part? Meeting a Mate perhaps?” She could not permit entry with as bare-bones a story as he had offered. Not if it even remotely chanced the safety and sanctity of the others in the Pack. What Alvina wanted, as an Alpha, was something more, or further details to offer some credibility. It was true, though, that many of her refugees and strays had stories to tell. Sometimes, they weren’t as inclined to so publicly. But that also didn’t mean she was inclined to isolate herself alone with newcomers right away. There were, of course, ways around that obstacle however, which she offered promptly thereafter. “Do you prefer conversing in your other form, privately?”

Her questions, probing as were necessary, clearly did not please the man. Her expression did not change as she watched the abrupt tightening that seemed to settle in his form, his shoulders shifting and his face reflecting what she could only describe as turbulence. Neither the thin resolve that replaced his smile, nor the sharp challenge in his eyes, caused the look of expectation of an answer to leave her features. Fortunately, there was a small concession made with her offer for privacy.

The Alpha bowed her head in a small courteous nod to match his.

Alvina raised one arm to cover her chest, a gesture more out of courtesy than her own discomfort, before slipping the shoulder of her top off so her clothing could simply flutter to the ground as her shift took place. Similar in what he experienced transforming into his avian form, dark hair broke across her body, her bones and muscles twisting as they rearranged into another body. Her eyes closed briefly as she easily breathed through the transition, only moments later regarding him with ones that were abruptly an intense red. She stood on four legs then, the scar still stark across her left eye, though the mangled state of her right ear was even more apparent in this form.

She was grizzled, composed, a steeled warrior, an Alpha – and immediately failed to stop the brief flash of bared teeth at the disdain that came so thickly in his voice at the Mate bond. A small growl sounded from her throat even, before she forced her face to smooth. Let’s not address that now then. I only ask because it is not my policy to exclude partners. She lowered herself to sit, eyes boring into his. You need to answer my questions if you want to stay here. I want more detail about your circumstances, and what your age and background are. An appeal immediately came to mind, regardless of how furious she was at his veiled critique. How dare he… Fortunately, in some way it softened the harshness of her own words. You’ll understand, Warin, it is my position to protect everybody in the Pack and I need to decide whether or not you are safe to allow in.

Alvina’s eyes did not move a millimeter from the way she regarded him. His seething, acidic tone nearly caused her muzzle to twist to bare teeth again. Seeking to discredit the Mate bond, and a long-standing policy which had benefited many before him, was not something she would permit. Absolutely not. The gaping wound on her insides – an immense sense of loss that not even a century had come to fill – was a testament to the value of those bonds. And even then, to express such disdain so quickly? It was not as if it was the bond that had driven her to take in strays as she had, to build Blood Rose from the ground up. That had been entirely for everybody to share mutual protection in the sight of the war, to increase their individual chances of survival. But it had long since evolved into more than that.

Shifting to drop her rump to the moss beneath her, she flicked her dark tail out as she listened to his story. Fast, hard, blunt – it was the way she was in these types of meetings. There was often not ample time to pursue such matters with delicacy. For that reason, Alvina could see why he might’ve gotten flustered, even if she herself still found intense anger in his earlier words. Still, forcing that aside for the sake of something akin to professionalism, she listened. A soldier. One of the oldest she’d met aside from herself and one or two others. He must’ve had good skill to survive for so long. And though, the Snowmont Flock was not one he was familiar with, the idea of conservatism was not something which sounded appealing to her. And most importantly, she could sense the truth in the last part: no blood shed. That itself wouldn’t have omitted him had it ended different, but it made her respect him a little more.

Alvina remained silent for a long moment, before responding. "Consider your refuge granted Warin Ilmatar. But know that I expect that same courtesy should you choose to disband from us.” Shifting to stand, she cast a sidelong glance. Several of the sets of eyes which had been gazing intently at him seemed to vanish. One, previously almost indistinguishable from the branches, moved forward however as she projected her next statement to the pair of them. “Nicole and I will show you back to the residences. We can discuss details further there when you have some food and water in your belly.”

Nicole as she was called, produced a distinctive, throaty howling sound, as she emerged with a brilliant red coat and lashing tail. Scampering on all fours, she made her way across the turf to meet them. “Welcome Warin!” It was as if, in that instant, the tension had been lifted.

The she-wolf casually averted her eyes as he transformed and quickly dressed himself, before she bowed her head and plucked her discarded clothing up from the ground in a wad clenched between her teeth. The howler monkey, Nicole, paused beside Warin in that moment, flashing her teeth in the semblance of a smile from her beast form. It was quite clear that where Alvina was not superficially warm, she seemed to be.

This way! The Werebeast proudly gestured with her tail, waiting for Alvina’s ears to swiveled toward Warin, before she started off ahead. Together, the three would chart a course toward the direction of increasing elevation. Unbeknownst to their newest member, the offer for food and drink came because they were still over an hour’s journey from the place where the Pack actually lived.

The next hour passed with Alvina maintaining relative silence, while Nicole offered occasional explanations of all manner of things, most of which would seem largely unimportant until he was given a proper orientation. This tree is a marker. There was good fruit there. A small, babbling brook was off to the West. At one point, close to the end of the relocation, they diverted briefly off the pathway in the brush as a golden jaguar and a grey timber wolf fired down the pathway, chasing one another in some sort of game.

Gradually, signs of a civilization of sorts began to interrupt the forest. Cleared trees. Worn pathways. And then all once, it appeared in a wave: in a grand clearing there stood several rough-hewn wooden buildings in the open space. There also stood a gazebo, vegetable gardens, and fenced structure to the side which drafted the scents of poultry, pigs, and goats. But what was most unique was actually when one’s eyes travelled upward. In the canopy of the trees, there appeared a network of small foot bridges, and structures that children might have called tree-houses. Practically speaking, however, they were much more sophisticated. Within that entire space, scattered numbers of people – and some children – seemed to be going about their days.

Alvina casually excused herself then, as Nicole produced another loud howling. While the Alpha she-wolf disappeared, presumably to go dress and make arrangements to feed their newcomer, Nicole eager seemed to take a bundle of offered clothing from a younger Were that hurried over at her call. Physically climbing into the bundle, Nicole herself transformed back into her humanoid form, fluidly slipping into the article as she shifted. When she appeared, her hair was every bit as wild and red as her pelt, though the smattering of freckles and amber, almond-shaped eyes that regarded Warin were far more human. She offered another smile at once as she regarded him. “Let’s go meet in the Hall. Alvina will be by with food and to talk to you more. What do you think?” Not necessarily waiting for an answer, she gestured toward one of the wooden structures before taking a tentative step in that direction.

Nicole smiled in a particular kind of way that plainly said that she hadn't quite missed his momentary lapse. And yet, she also didn’t seem to significantly mind it. Many before him had been stunned or transfixed at the sight of the heart of their territory. They had put in a great deal of work to see to it that that was the case, to maintain what had been built and what had grown in the decades since Alvina and her former mate had established the place. “Alright.”

They’d found their way to the Hall with no difficulty. The building itself was large, with several pews. In some semblance, it almost resembled a church from the inside, with the pews that were present. And yet, they were arranged such that there were two sections honing in on one center area in the middle of the building, a platform for shows or speaking of sorts. Also potentially an area to retrieve food. The wooden boards of the floor were well trodden, clearly used for many years. Torchlight illuminated the rest of the place, revealing plain windows and a vaulted wooden ceiling.

Upon entering, Nicole lead the way to take a seat on the stage of sorts, swinging her feet to tap upon the wood of the wall as she took her spot. “This place is over a hundred years old, by the way. Alvina and the older pack members built this as a meeting place before the war ended.” Glancing up to the ceiling, then to the pews, then the door, her eyes finally settled back on him.

Only a few seconds passed before the door opened, and Alvina emerged carrying a platter of preserved meats, fruits, and vegetables. In the brief span it took her to cross the room, she might’ve been mistook as a waitress or a servant. Sliding the platter down on the stage, she swung up to take a seat near Nicole. “Help yourself Warin.”