Rack

After being run out from his temporailiy aquired territory by the Ribellarsi pack, Rack was a mite frustrated at being stuck as a wandering bachelor again. It's not that he had to remain homeless, he was sure he could join Sasha's herd but that would just be contradictabing the main reason he'd left his last herd; to do things for himself.

The red stag snorted as he waded through the tall grasses, oblivious to the cold wind that whipped in all directions about him. Winter was on it's way. He stopped for a moment, scenting the air disdainfully. There were too many predators about for his liking. Rack turned his antlered head, glancing across the open prairie with only a mild curiousity.

Blitz

Blitz was walking, head low, lonely and tired. He couldn't find any deer around here that might be possible companions, etc.

Suddenly, a rustling and a smell of a buck nearby reached the stag. He raised his grand head up, ears pricked, nostrils flared. He then caught sight of the other stag, staring in the opposite direction. His frosted brown dappled coat shivered with excitement. He opened his mouth and called out a bugle, his breath misting in front of his nose from the cold autumn air. He shook his rack of antlers, and waited for the other buck's reply.

Rack

Rack hadn't really been expecting to sense another deer so close, but when the cold autumn wind shifted directions and blew a fresh scent into his face, the stag became suddenly aware of the other deer. It was male, for sure by the muskiness of the scent. Rack blew out a tensing breath, turning his head slowly to glance about for the stranger; it had been awhile since he had last encountered another male and he wasn't sure about whom this one was. Friend or foe?

Rack's searching gaze landed upon a figure a fair distance away as a call rang out from the other. He paused for a moment, eyeing the stag from that distance. He was smaller wasn't he, maybe just by a bit? Perhaps younger? Dipping his strong ten-pointed antlers slightly, the red stag tilted his chin up and bugled deeply in return. The fading sunlight glinted dully on the jagged scar across his face as he brought his head down to again look at the stranger. He stood prepared as he waited to see if the stag had the guts to approach him, just in case he underestimated his size.

Willow

Willow was out on her own after her herd had dissapeared.Suddenly she heard two bugles from males nearby.Turning her head she spotted them.Silently she stood where she was wondering if she be welcomed to join them.Silently she stepped forward and padded forward a bit.She stepped on a twig announcing that she was their.Her ears darted back and forth as she waited for their reaction.

Rack

A small noise to the side, the crack of a twig, caused the nearest of Rack's ears to suddenly pivot towards the sound. And ever so slowly, he tore part of his attention from the first stag to look to see what had made the noise. A hind. She seemed hesitant as to whether to come any closer or not, but that was normal. The first meeting of two strange stags was not something that a hind should risk putting herself in the middle of, just in case things should get nasty. But Rack was confident, with another quick glimpse of the other buck, that there would be no conflict. Even if there was, he was ready for it.

With a curious whuffle of the air in the hind's direction, Rack blinked his dark eyes at her, studying her build and trying to figure out what species she was. Red? Whitetail? Mule? But he offered no hostility towards her and instead seemed quite inquisitive.

Willow

Willow watched as the male sniffed the air smelling her.When he made now reaction to charge her or the other stag she took a few more steps closer still cautious though.She was a whitetail deer and her tail will go in the air like most whitetail deers if their was danger.Her blue eyes were the color of sea as they flicked from one stag to the other.Once she was about only a few feet from them she stopped and waited for their raction to her.

Rack

Rack stood patiently, still watching the doe. As she gathered up the courage to step forward, closer to them, he glimpsed a flicker of white on the underside of her tail. Ahh, so she wasn't a deer from the highlands. You couldn't say that Rack wasn't disappointed, but he shrugged it off. From what he'd seen so far, there were not many Reds, like himself and the other stag here.

The great red stag inclines his regal head slightly towards the other male, whuffling lightly as a bit of a warning. Rack viewed himself as the more dominant male in this situation and wouldn't take any crap from another, but that's not to say that he wouldn't try to be open to new acquaintances. With another look to the whitetail doe, Rack's lips tightened in a small smile.

"What's your name?"

Willow

Willow ears stopped at the top of her head pricked as she listened to what the male said.The swishing of the leaves could be heard."Willow,"she said softly like the sound of the wind.She saw his smile and wondered what was going through his head.Looking up she glanced at the other male.She had saw the stag that had just spoken give him a warning.A warning about what she thought.Inclinging her head to the side so she could have and eye on bopth of them she side stepped a bit.Her deliclite feet crunching on the dead frost leaves.

Rack

Rack's ears twitched slightly as he subconsciously focused on the leaves stirring and rustling about their feet in the cold breeze. It was a natural instinct to be aware of everything about him, something that every deer has but not all use. A moving branch in a bush could be a wolf preparing to lunge in for an attack; a rustle in the leaves could be a poisonous snake slithering by, or even another deer approaching. But even though he acknowledged the stirring leaf litter with a flick of his ear, Rack knew that it was nothing to fear and kept his dark eyes trained on the hind before him.

The red stag nodded his head with a fleeting smile as the doe's soft, wispy voice reached his keen ears. Willow. He rolled her name over in his mind, enjoying the way that it just seem to melt from his tongue when he mouthed it quietly to himself. He noticed her eyeing the two of them and Rack shot a glance towards the other stag who apparently did not seemed to be very social. He blew out a soft breath that misted in the cold air, shaking his antlers lightly.

"I'm Rack. Are you from any of the neighboring herds? Sasha's herd, maybe?"

Rack lifted his head, the dim winter sunlight glinting across the wide scar over his forehead.

Willow

Willow flicked her tail up then down when she heard a branch break then realized that it was nothing.She listened to what the stag said.Rack she thought to herself.Then she watched as he said more."No i don't,"she said softly flicking her ears against her head.After a heartbeat they went back up to her head.It was better to be safe then sorry is what she thought.

Rosco

The young stag wandered away from his herd to do some exploring. He had been listening in on Rack and Willow's conversation for a while. He jumped when he heard his mother's name come up. Stepped forward slowly, he spoke to the two. "I am Rosco, son of Sasha and Wardell." He said with a warm smile.

Willow

Willow heard a noise behind her.Her ears prick she turned her head toward the sound. Her tail was up and the white showing.Spotting another stag she lowered her tail and her breathing slowed down.She listened to what he said suprised.It was a huge couricedence that he had showed up when they were talking about his mother.She took a step back cautious at being around yet another stag.

Rack

This Willow was an alert doe, Rack had to admit that. She seemed to flinch at everything and flagged her white tail at the smallest of noises. He raised a quizzical eye at her, but not disapprovingly. Back in his homeland and birthplace, he would have been looked down upon, shunned, and punished severely if he would have spooked at something as small as a branch snapping. But they had also been great in number there in his home herd, they needn't worry about such things like predators... only men and sometimes other deer. But they had been a complete and utter monarchy where one anterless stag had led them all and trained them to fight and battle in order to conquer all of the herds in the land. Rack had left in disgust, sick of taking orders from such an old soft foot.

He made a small noise, like a thoughtful 'hmmm', turning his head and gazing across the Prairie and eyeing the mountains in the distance. She had no herd. Maybe this was his chance to get his first member for his herd of one? Yet before he had hardly a chance at all to come up with a reply, a voice jerked him harshly from his thoughts. A young stag was slowly walking towards them, and he looked oddly familiar. Rack directed his strong antlers toward the younger deer for a moment, still unsure who he was. But at his introduction, the red stag slowly brought his chin up and lifted his antlers away.

"I suppose you've been listening in."

To tell the truth, it really irked Rack to know that they had been eavesdropped upon. It was a major crime in his views and especially in the society he was from, but this was the son of his ally. What could he do? Grim faced, he forced a small smile and ever so slightly nodded to the youngster.

"I'm a friend of your mother. We've struck an alliance between our herds."

Rack’s eyes shifted to Willow, sensing her cautious retreating step and he whuffled, feeling a surge of protectiveness over her.

Willow

Willow pinned her ears to her head in embaressment.She knew she was too easily spooked,but that was how she was taught.Better to be safe then sorry.When she heard Rack's whuffle she glanced over at him.Then back to the new stag.She narrowed her eyes at him and said nothing.For she had no reason too.She wondered what herd Rack was talking about,but she said nothing.It was no of her buisness.She could tell that Rack didn't like that kind of stuff from the way he had reacted to the other stag's easdropping.Finally she perked her ears again to listen for danger.

Rosco

The fawn tilted his head, confused as to why it would bother these deer that he was listening in. Much of his herd knew that it was safer to observe before jumping right in. That's why Sasha was still alive today with all these creatures around. "I've only been listening in as much as my mother told me to. She told me to listen and watch and make sure you aren't dangerous first. You'd be surprised that there are evil deer here, too." He replied confusedly.

Willow

Willow let out a snort when she heard the younger male answer.The only evil deer she ever saw was him for listening in where he had no buisness."Well maybe you shouldn't listen to everything you can,"she spoke up for the first time since the male appeared.Her ears flicked back to her head quietly.She stepped another foot back uncomfortable incase the male would try something.Her eyes watched the younder male silently.She wouldn't hesitate to flee,and if she couldn't she bite and kick.

Rosco

Rosco frowned. It was only a deer's nature to inspect something before jumping in. So why was Willow snapping at him? "If you don't like it, you can take it to my mother, the Queen of the Oak Prairie Territory. She's the one who brought me up. She's the one who taught me the way of the deer. Stop acting like I'm the devil. It's evil to pick on a fawn." He was sure that his mother or father would 'rescue' him soon.

Rack

Rack had turned his attention temporarily away from Willow, his attention more focused on Rosco, the son of Wardell and Sasha. He could see how the doe and this young stag were related, both through his physical features and his actions. There were distinct similarities that he could pinpoint between them. For instance, Rosco's carefully exercised caution that he offered as an explanation for his actions. But at the youngster's mention of evil deer, a single ear of Rack's flicked back against his head.

"It's hardly surprising."

The stag stated simply, clearly in thought. He had not lived a sheltered life; Herla and Lera alike often considered his home herd evil... though he himself, was not. He had been a commander in the army, expected to follow orders of the Lord of the Herd and oversee the training of his subordinates, no matter how 'horrible' the orders he was instructed to execute were. To disobey was suicidal. But Rack did have to admit that as of yet, he hadn't come across an even deer yet since he'd been here.

As Willow voiced her opinion, Rack couldn't help but smile at her courage to say such a thing... but with Rosco suddenly taking offense, the red stag shook his tall antlers with a snort. He couldn't have Sasha thinking that he was a traitor. No, he couldn't... simply because he wasn't. It did push his buttons that Rosco had eavesdropped on him and Willow, but hadn't he made the effort to forgive the fawn? There had been nothing important for him to overhear, which made it quite a bit easier for Rack to set aside. But if it happened to be something major like 'business affairs' with another herd, that would be a different story.

"Now, your mother is very right. It is that caution and alertness that keep us deer alive. But if you have ever been eavesdropped upon, it's rather quite unpleasant... especially if what you had been discussing was very important."

The stag kept his voice level, neutral, hoping that the fawn would see that he didn't mean to seem so hostile.

Rosco

Willow scared Rosco and Rack confused him. What were they talking about? Their herd eavesdropped all the time! His mother had even told him about a bird who risked her life to spy on the enemy. "I've been eavesdropped upon and I only think it's natural. It doesn't bother me. I can tell by the energy you give off that we're allies. And even though you didn't see me, you would have sensed that I meant no harm by the energy I gave off." He explained, giving his head a confused tilt. He could tell that they were very different, but that Rack was an ally. He wasn't too sure about Willow, though.

Willow

Willow narrowed her eyes at Rosco.She said nothing though not wanting to get in a fight with fawn.She listened to what Rack said.Agreeble enough she thought.She didn't know who this herd was that they kept speaking of and who Shasa was.She been alone al her life except for a few runins with a couple fighting stags and older feamales.They left her alone like she had perferd it when she was younger.Silently she turned her aetion back to the two stags infront of her.

Rosco; Everest

Rosco looked at Willow, tilting his head quizzically. He still wondered what was up with these strange deer and why they didn't act as natural as his herd did. Before he could think another thought, Everest showed up.

The mule deer stag had been sent out to find Sasha's fawn, who had told the herd that he wouldn't go far. "Rosco! Come here." He called out in a booming voice. The fawn looked at Rack before approaching his herd-mate. "What?" He asked, looking up at the adult. "You shouldn't wander this far." Everest replied. Rosco simply shrugged. "It's alright. I'm with my mother's ally." The fawn said innocently.

Everest raised his head to look at Rack and Willow. "So I see." He said quietly before approaching the two. "I'm sorry if the prince has caused you any trouble. He gets bored easily..." The reason for this was Rosco's intelligence and energetic nature.

Rack

Rack was too the point of giving up on trying to explain his views of eavesdropping to Rosco. Perhaps the reason why he couldn't explain them is only because he'd be taught them and did not believe them. Either way, it is still hard to avoid habits that one has been accustomed to for years. And besides, though he won't admit it to the public, Rack has done his share of spying. At the young stag's words, the red deer merely made a light grimace but said nothing in reply.

An ear flicked back to Willow, wondering idly what was going through her mind, but his eyes were settled upon an approaching stag, this one full grown. Rack's breathing came in deep, but soft whuffs as the strange mule deer called to Rosco... obviously a herd mate, judging by their casual exchange of words. Tipping his regal antlers lightly, the red buck smiled faintly.

"He's caused nothing of the sort. I'm glad to have met him. My name's Rack, if you were wondering... and this is Willow."

He gestured his head towards the Whitetail doe, taking a moment to shoot her a quick smile, thinking of how much of this she must be enduring.

Willow

Willow narrowed her eyes as a third stag appeared.She let out a soft sigh unhearable unless you listened closely.Herd member she thought when she saw them exchange words.She managed to smile back at Rack when he turned to look at her.She was very uncomfotable.Silently she took a soft step back to get a little ways back from the three stags incase somthing happened.It didn't look like it though.There was no taking chances though.

Everest; Rosco

Everest bowed to the two respectfully. "Greetings, Rack and Willow. I am Everest of the Oak Prairie." He introduced himself politely.

Rosco smiled. "See? I told you they were allies." The fawn said playfully.

Rack

Rack was beginning to feel just as uncomfortable as Willow was. He was getting tired and didn't really feel like stirring up a chat, at least not now and there was that matter of finding another terra to put his claim on. Then there was Willow of course... maybe she would join him?

The stag's ears perked as Everest bowed to them, unaccustomed to such a greeting. For a moment, he wasn't sure how to respond but then seemed decided on something suitable, he supposed, and spoke.

"A pleasure, Everest." The greeting was bitter and foreign to his tounge, but Rack went on. "I hate to rush off right after meeting you, but there are things that I must do before sun down; find a territory for instance. I'll make a point to visit Oak Prairie soon though."

Willow

Willow listened carefully to what everyone said.She turned her head to look at Rack when he spoke.She wondered if he be mad if she followed him.Silently she flicked her ears back and then forward agin in questioning.She cautiasly tokk a step forward in the direction he was heading to leave.She waited silently for his reaction.If he did nothing she follow him,but if he turned and lowered his antlers at her or put his ears to his head then she go her own way.