Baxtara Pack Territory:

This is where the members of the Baxtara Pack reside. The wolves here live in the forested regions of Faye, where the four seasons cycle around evenly. The forest is home to many creatures, and food is always plenty. The Baxtara Pack is mostly peaceful, and their numbers are low. It is a small pack that is easily overlooked by loners, but they are not to be underestimated. If attacked by a larger pack, the Baxtara's would be lost, but the members are highly intelligent. Their small numbers make it easy for them to slip in and out of other territories without hardly ever being noticed or caught. While this pack may be peaceful, their morals are prone to shifting, and they are wolves who enjoy a good bargain.

Hollywood Hills Character

Blackburn │M│Baxtara Pack

Blackburn opened his ice-white eyes, the moonlight reflecting off of them brightly. His dark face was lined with russet red and silvery-grey fur, making him almost resemble a huge cross fox. It was the time of night when the moon was highest in the sky, and the forest glittered with dew in the cool dark air. The large Alpha male rose from his sleeping place from inside of the den, pushing his head through the bramble that loosly covered the entrance. He crouched, crawling forward out of the den, his belly scraping against the dirt and leaves beneath him. He would let his pack continue their slumber, but he had awoken in the night with a stirring deep within his maw.

He stood in the small forest clearing, smelling the air and listening to the sounds of the night. Crickets, owls, the soft russling of rodents in the grass. The smell of fresh green grass and trees, and the comforting smell of his packmates. He peered into his den, staring into the darkness of it. Blackburn was still without a mate, even though he led the pack. Some of the she-wolves had approached him about the subject, curious as to if he would be choosing any of them soon.

It felt odd to think about having a mate within this pack, afterall its numbers were small. Winters had been harsh, and many of the wolves had been older, so they slowly were dying off. With majority of the elders dead, and many younger wolves starving to death during winters, the only wolves left were those he'd grown up so closely with he thought of them as littermates more than anything else.

I don't need a mate to run the pack. he thought to himself, shaking away the pit of lonliness that had seeped into his chest. I'm doing fine, and any she-wolf I choose to be the mother of my pups will surely be happy to do so. If not, I simply will not have kin as a successor.

The tiniest sound of soft wings caught his attention, and he looked to see an owl swooping nearly silently down to the forest floor, quickly scooping up a mouse in its talons. Stomach rumbling, Blackburn was reminded of his hunger. He shook himself and quietly padded out of the clearing and into the forest. Trotting as quietly as he could through the undergrowth, he swiveled his head back and forth and sniffed the air constantly. What was this strange stirring in his maw? Why did he feel tingles down his hackles?

Something in the air felt different, and it was almost as though his ancestors were whispering to him, speaking of an omen. He slowed his pace as he neared the first border marker, sniffing along the ground. There was a strange smell in the air here, and he couldn't help but feel as if he wasn't completely alone in this part of the woods.

Stalking through the thickened brush, the black and white female stopped dead in her tracks as a scent that was once foreign to her stung her nose as if it was right behind her. The snow whiteness of her pelt was sure to give her away in the darkness, but, she attempted to stay low, continuing on her way. The soft crunching of leaves beneath weight soon hit her auditories, stopping her once more. Torrin wasn't really in the mood for getting attacked, lifting her crania, she'd keep on high alert. Torrin's audits swiveled atop of her cranium as she continued forward before she stopped dead, her emerald gaze landing on a black wolf within the night. But, the scent from earlier is what really got too her. It wafted her in the face almost.

Torrin had never really seen this wolf before, it confused her. She had seen almost every wolf in the Baxtara pack, but not this one. Could it be a new recruit? Grinning, she flicked her tail and slowly stepped from the bushes. "Hello.." She stated softly, emerald gaze locking onto his icy white one. "Are you lost?" Torrin question, flicking her tail slightly behind her.

Blackburn stood still for a moment, letting the air around him soak into his dark pelt. Something was off.

There!

The sound of brush moving. He swiveled his head quickly around, his nose twitching as he sniffed. There was an intruder here, he knew that much now. Not long after his conclusion, a feminine voice broke the silence of the night. Flattening his ears against his skull, Blackburn took a strong step forward, raising his tail in a display of dominance. He could feel his hackles puffing up, the fur along his shoulders and neck spiking. He refrained from peeling his lips back into a snarl, instead he kept his composure and his head held high.

"Hello," he growled softly, returning her greeting. His white eyes traversed her body, taking in as many details as he could for the moment being. If she was a loner living on or near his territory, he would not tolerate her coming so close to camp again. He wanted to remember her. "My name is Blackburn. Son of Brokenfern and Alpha of the Baxtara Pack." He knew how he must look to her. It was only recently that he had taken his father's place as Alpha, and he was much younger than when most wolves took their place as leader. His father would have led for a few more years if it hadn't had been for the devastating winter and sickness that had spread through the small pack. He was only four, and he hadn't expected to lead the Baxtara's until he was at least six.

He wasn't a small wolf by any means, in fact he was quite big for his age. But his youthfulness was apparant in his eyes and face, and his body was not yet that of an old, wise, battle-hardened wolf. His muscles were still strong and he was nimble and quick despite his weight.

"Who are you?" he questioned, taking yet another step closer to her. He could see that she meant no ill intention, but she was not a member of the Baxtara Pack, and he must appear strong and confident. "You're within the borders of my territory...I'd like to know why." His voice dropped into a somewhat threatening tone as he lowered his head and looked her firmly in her emerald eyes. He couldn't help but notice that she was quite pretty. He'd never seen markings like hers on a wolf before.

"My name is Torrin," She replied simply and in a monotonous voice. The female obviously didn't care if she was on another's land, she was hungry, though, she could also tell this male was new too this so would give him a bit of slack. "I'm just here to hunt, all the other packs over hunt terribly." She mentioned to him, hoping he'd allow her to hunt. "I'll leave as soon as I get a kill." She added.

Blackburn hesitated, her voice giving him an odd feeling inside his chest. A tingling in his maw told him this was the reason for his waking in the night. This she-wolf was important. Why? How? He did not know.

He listened to her explanation, his hackles relaxing. He paused, thinking, his icy eyes looking into her face with consideration. His father would have never allowed this, he knew that much.

But I'm not my father. he thought to himself, feeling a little torn. If he was in her place, he knew what he would do. He sighed, looking around him a couple of times, listening to the night. He knew his small pack would still be deep in slumber, and she was right. Other packs in the area over hunted every spring and summer, always having an overpopulation of pups and new mouths to feed. The Baxtara's rarely had many litters of pups.

"Fine," he said after a moment's pause. "You may hunt here." He swiftly turned and began to walk away, then paused once more to look back at her. He felt the strange tingling in his maw as he looked at her, and an odd sensation told him there was more to say.

This wolf was someone his ancestors had clearly directed him to for some reason.

"If you are truly alone, as I presume you are," he began, "I give you my permission to hunt on our territory as much as you need as long as you are staying in the area." He paused before adding harshly, "ONLY as much as you need, no more than that. I will alert my wolves to not harm you if they see you."

Hearing the words from the brutes mouth, her lips turned into an upward smile. "Thank you..." She trailed off, attempting to recall his name. "Blackburn, was it?" she asked, dipping her head to him. "I'll have to come up with a nickname," Torrin laughed a bit as she seemingly trotted after him but swiftly went passed him, her tail accidentally though seemingly on purpose brushing across his side then his nose. "I'll see you around.. Blackie." She told him, looking back and giving him a small wink before she continued on her way, disappearing into the night.

As Torrin went along, she felt an odd feeling within the pit in her stomach. It felt almost as though it was trying to pull her back toward the male, but, she figured it was just her being hungry and continued on trying to find a good plump rabbit to catch and eat.

Blackburn watched Torrin carefully as she got up and flashed him a smile. Her words gave him an odd stirring in the pit of his chest, and the tingling in his maw grew stronger as she brushed past him, her tail lightly sweeping across his side and nose.

He raised his tail and flattened his ears, but despite his body language he was not feeling hostile. She confused him. Something about her was enticing. He stood still for a few moments, her nickname for him sending millions of questions spiraling inside of him.

Who was she? Was she packless? She seemed to be based on how casually she treated him, unlike with the level of respect any pack wolf would treat an Alpha, even if from another pack. It oddly didn't bother him though, he actually quite liked it.

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Blackburn had returned to his camp to try and sleep some more, but his thoughts and dreams were haunted by Torrin, her figure running through his dreams and her green eyes glinting in the shadows.

When the sun finally rose, Blackburn emerged from his den and called a pack meeting. He gave them the news, and he was surprised to see that most of the wolves didn't seem too bothered by the idea. There were a few outraged grumbles and growls from some of the remaining elders, but that seemed to be it.

He spent the day as he always did, organizing small patrols and hunting groups, and tending to the elders.

As the sun began to set, Blackburn could feel his spine tingling. He looked up at the darkly colorful sky, able to spot the soft twinkling of emerging stars. The golden light of the dying sun gave his dark pelt a soft and warm glow that shone like a halo around his body. He rose to his paws, beginning to walk out of camp, for his mind was elsewhere. He wanted to see if he could find Torrin. His mind had been on her all day.

"Would you mind a traveling buddy?" A warm voice asked him from behind. Blackburn turned to see Dahlia standing a few feet behind him, watching. She was a young wolf whom he'd grown up with, a very good friend. She was pretty, her golden-brown pelt ticked with white spots and dark flecks. Her deep brown eyes glowed like honey in the setting sun.

"Hello Dahlia," Blackburn greeted quietly. His body itched to keep moving forward and ignore her, but he didn't want to be unkind. "I'm afraid I'd like to walk by myself tonight, but I'm flattered at your offer. Perhaps another time." The young wolf nodded, smiling kindly, and turned away, padding into the den.

The young Alpha continued on his path, one thought on his mind.

Torrin.

He strayed further and further from camp, his nose leading him near the borders. Along the way he managed to catch a rabbit, and it dangled from his mouth as he trotted through the underbrush, his white eyes scanning the forest.

He found a small clearing, with a large, flat boulder jutting out of the ground on one side. He walked into the clearing, sniffing the air before climbing up into the rock and laying down, dropping the rabbit between his front legs.

Maybe she wasn't here.

He laid patiently, hoping she was close by and would catch his scent. He'd caught the rabbit with the intention of sharing a meal with her.

Why was he in her head? She hadn't given him one thought since they had met.. Though, her body stayed asleep well into the next morning..

Awakening with a jolt, the females hackles raised as she stood up, seeing a few wolves looking at her from the shadows. Murmurs came from them as they just waltzed passed. As she flared her nostrils, all she could pick up was one scent. Baxtara.. Alpha Blackburn had followed up on his word? Torrin was not only impressed but even more grateful then she was before. After shaking the thoughts of him away, she attempted to hunt once more.

Picking up a scent of a rabbit, the wolf followed it and she had finally found her catch. With a swift pounce, she landed on the rabbit, the sounds of bone snapping beneath her weight before her jaws enclosed around the rabbits neck. The feeling of bones popping within her maw soothed her. It made her feel alive almost. Soon, she had found a place to stop and eat, hoping no wolves would bother her. Though, she could never get lucky. The same wolves from before had now made themselves known. They were both that of females.. Both young like herself. One a darker brown color whilst the other was almost pure white. "Can I help you?" Torrin questioned them, her emerald orbs bouncing between the two before they just walked away.

Sighing, Torrin would quickly finish her meal and then lick her lips clean before continuing on her way. Weaving into and out od trees, she was finally off of Baxtara territory. Though, the farther she got, the more she felt as if she needed to go back. Torrin didn't really believe in signs, but, she had never felt her own mind and body have such a pull toward one area or being. Though, she was now a good mile out from the territory, but, she still headed back after a while of thinking.

The moon was perched high in the sky by the time the female got back onto the territory, having been conflicted with herself and turning around a few times to leave. Torrin's mind was whirling with a multitude of thoughts, but, only one stood out too her.

Blackie.

Torrin was very confused as too why she was following with this feeling, no one had ever given her another thought once they had met before. So, why should she? Sighing, Torrin walked through the territory, trying to pick up his scent. But, it wasn't long before she spotted him in the moonlight walking through the forest with a rabbit entrapped in his maw. She was a good five yards from him, and downwind, so she easily followed him without being spotted.

As they got to the clearing, Torrin made her best attempt to stay hidden, searching Blackburn for any sort of sign that he was here for her. Sure, she was lonely, but, she wasn't about to make a fool out of herself.

Though, her thoughts got the best of her and she stood, stepping into the clearing with a small smirk on her face, trying to play it off as she's been here the entire time. "Blackie? Just couldn't get enough of me, huh?" She questioned with a small laugh, jumping up onto the rock and laying opposit of him, her emerald gaze taunting his icey whites.

Rustling from the trees in front of him alerted him just milliseconds before a familiar voice called into the clearing, taunting him. Blackburn leaned forward to see Torrin emerging into the clearing. He felt a slight warm shiver through his body as he now acknowledged her presence. He began to stand as she jumped up onto the rock, but relaxed as she laid down opposite of him.

"What makes you say that?" He asked in return, his eyes meeting hers. A slight grin on his face implied he knew she was right, but wanted her teasing to continue. "I think you couldn't get enough of me, considering you're back on my side of the border." He grinned, flicking his tail over and deliberately letting it brush across her shoulder and face.

"For all you know I was wanting some time to myself away from the pack." He winked, and grabbed the rabbit carcass sitting between his front legs, sliding it over to her. He paused, a moment of silence passing between them. Blackburn couldn't help but look into her eyes, something inside of him compelling him to search her soul, to find out why he felt as if he was being led towards her.

"Actually," he said softly, "I was hoping to share a meal with you." He curled his tail upwards towards his hips, wrapping in front of his back legs. He nodded at the rabbit. "I don't know why, but you're right. I wanted to see you."