Hugging the warm currents of the wind was the harmonious trickle of moving water. And as if to add to the allure of the temptation, the sweet scent of moss and wet bark accompanied it. The ashen wolf paused, unable to resist mulling over the pleasant doors this sudden discovery opened for her. Gauging the distance, Szkoda estimated that the source of this new enticement lay just over a mile northeast of her current location. A relatively short distance. And one that could be easily incorporated into her pre-assigned route. A quick detour, if you will. Crouching a few inches lower in the high grasses, Szkoda shimmied her hindquarters.

She'd always loved a good romp through enemy territory.

The ivory wolf, in truth, had been on the prowl since daybreak. Not solely within the territorial limits of the Avalon Pack -although the majority of the past hours had been spent along its borders-, but also within her own barren homelands. It could technically be classified as nothing more than a simple guard job. A Sentry merely overseeing the safety and security of its territory. All that really differed was the small, virtually unimportant detail of scouting beyond said territory at irregular intervals and into another's. More specifically, Avalon's.

Slinking silently through another field of lofty grass, Szkoda slid beneath a crop of drooping willows. Her multi-hued gaze fixated on the flowing stream not twenty meters away as her nose and ears remained alert. Her assignment had not been specific. In hindsight, Koda acknowledged that they never were; as room was always allowed for improvisation and slight, tactical alterations. The minikin wolf, however, consented that this slight deviation from her trail fell under neither category. More so, she was simply parched from the long hours of travel. Flicking her gaze skyward, Szkoda took note of how high the sun's position was. Twilight was still a long ways off.

Which meant she had plenty of time to spare for a drink. And that was exactly what she intended to do. Prowling soundlessly to the edge of the water, the white wolf dipped her muzzle to the rippling surface and lapped at the cool liquid. A contented sigh rumbling through her chest.

Oh yes, it'd been worth it.

The world was just as serene and calm as it had been moments before. The creek still flowed with the soothing sound like tinkling bells. The cool wind still caressed her thick pelt and tossed the foliage into a gentle rustle. Not a single thing had changed. Or, Szkoda amended silently, such a statement would be true if you took exception to the Hollow's most recent guest. With her ashen muzzle still dipped into the water's refreshing surface, the Darkrai kept her uniquely mismatched eyes trained on her own rippling reflection. There was a quick flash of pink as her tongue darted out to lap again at the cool liquid. To all appearances, it seemed as if the cunning Sentry were completely oblivious to the fact that she'd drawn the attention of an unwanted visitor. Although, given enough time in the white wolf's presence, anyone would know that such an assumption couldn't be any further from the truth.

Szkoda had heard the Avalon pack member before she'd caught the trail of her foreign scent. It was uncommon, but not entirely out of the ordinary. The harebrained wolf had, and Koda strongly suspected it was unknowingly so, approached her current position from downwind. But although such a maneuver fooled most animals, and even wolves, this Darkrai was one of the few exceptions. Though it had concealed the femme's strange aroma from the bleached wolf's nose for a short time, Koda never relied on a single sense. Her ears had pricked to attention, her head had shot up, and her muscles had tensed in the slow beginnings of anticipation; all long before the Avalon had even come close to the reaching her location near the Creekbed.

The crunch of dried leaves was unmistakable, both upwind and down.

The fleeting idea to disengage and slip soundlessly to back to the borderlines had flashed briefly into Koda's mind as the best choice of action. At first. But one slow and careful inhale had banished that possibility completely. The other wolf was either completely foolish or utterly unfamiliar with the Darkrai scent, because she was absolutely and totally alone. Szkoda's tail wagged. Of course she had plenty of time to fall back from her current position, therefor avoiding the enemy wolf altogether. But why exclude herself from the fun?

So now Szkoda stood languidly with her ears rotated only slightly forward to track her guest's whereabouts. Her mind whirled with potential schemes, each one fighting its way forward to be chosen as the next course of action. It was only mere seconds before one won out. And when the Weather-Weaver weighed the idea and its possible outcomes, the intensity in her odd eyes flared to life. One with cunning, the other with deviltry. It was an opportunity her inner beast simply could not pass up. Nie na wasz zycie.

For an instant, Szkoda remained as she was. Harmlessly enjoying the water offered by the small creek, seemingly unaware of everything around her. Then, without any prior warning, she moved. Not fast. Not at any alarming pace. In fact, she moved with the deliberate slowness of a wolf stalking its prey. She lifted her muzzle away from the stream's surface, ignoring the water that dripped lazily from the wet fur. Her consuming gaze rose higher, fastening onto the Avalon's and holding it. And for an long moment, Koda did nothing more than stare. Letting the other know through the silence that hiding had never been an option. Then glistening white fangs flashed in a devilish grin. The expression was suddenly one of boundless mischief and coiled anticipation.

The soft and gentle thud of pads upon the ground was the only sound heard to Shadow as he padded his way through his lands without the slightest care of his destination. It mattered not to him; his mind was filled with other things that mattered more. His gray-brown orbs cast around his packlands for more marvels of nature to ponder.

Wrenching him from his thoughts, a breeze flew toward Shadow and filled his nostrils with familiar scents of the world along with the smell of someone familiar. But there was more than just that. Another scent.

A Darkrai scent.

Orbs wide and auds pricked, Shadow placed his muzzle to the ground, hoping to find a more solid trail. His wish was granted just as he realized the familiar scent's origin: Kiki.

Kiki was rather small, and Shadow, while not being the biggest around, appeared to dwarf her. He was almost sure that if she'd been tangled up with this Darkrai, she had little to no chance, assuming the Darkrai wouldn't hold back. Locking onto the direction Kiki's oder was coming from, Shadow set off at an amazing speed, his aim apparently the Willow Hollow, which came into view only moments later. Without slowing himself, Shadow's midnight-black pelt slipped easily behind the willow trees in time to hear the large trespasser's comment to Kiki. A flood of pride filled him as he realized just how hard his pack member was fighting; he could smell both fear and determination on her.

His deep voice boomed out behind the willows as he stepped into view of the two femmes. "She speaks the truth. Tread carefully, Darkrai, for these lands and forests are merciless." He suppressed a growl, watching angrily behind a calm mask.

Kiki's growl deepened in anger as the Darkrai retorted. Were all Darkrais like this? Were there some that were worse? Kiki was sure there were because this fae was obviously a scout of some sort like those that patrolled the Avalon lands. Kiki herself sometimes volunteered as a scout but only on rare occasions but knew they were held in respect lower then that of a warrior. In any case a Darkrai warrior wouldn't wander as far as the Quicksilver Creek unless it was for an invasion and this fae was far from an invading force. Frightening she may seem but Kiki was sure she wasn't a war scout, just a normal border scout. She hoped.

Still, scout or aged warrior it was insulting to hear the fem's voice. It was obvious she thought Kiki was no threat. She had no powers and yes she was a runt but Kiki was NOT going to bow down and back off with her tail tucked. Her coal-colored fur bristled, sterling eyes hardening with her anger. Her lips raised to expose more of her fangs. Behind her however, Kiki heard the wind rattle in the leaves of the trees, dry with the coming winter. She didn't move, didn't glance back but dearly hoped it was Kohl. The scent and following voice however, dashed Kiki's hopes. Instead she found herself worrying. Glancing back, Kiki's heart sank. Another wolf she didn't know. Was he a Darkrai? Was he an Avalon or maybe just some weird wanderer? Kiki's tail rose in aggression as she backed away a step, away from the male, weary of him.

"Sorry sweetie, don't know him" Kiki snapped back as a reply to the wolfess's sneer. "More likely one of your little buddies."

It was hard not knowing who was or wasn't an enemy. Kiki didn't spend a lot of time with the massed pack, she just didn't like being called runt all the time. If the male knew the forest as well as he claimed, perhaps he was a packmate but Kiki wasn't counting her stars yet.