double exp for all!
+10 Study the landscape of an area
+10 Learn the extent of a pride’s border
The last time he'd ventured into the area, he'd spent more time wearing himself out than actively exploring. The memory brought a hint of a smile to his face; it had ended up being slightly more interesting than he'd expected. He'd met a new lioness, who didn't seem immediately annoyed by him (though he probably could have done better when he'd gone to track her down again). Sherlock made a mental note to return to the cove sometime in the near future to check in with her. And maybe to see if she'd decided to hate him after the last time they'd seen each other.

This time, when he moved through the forest, the scent of a pride reached him on the breeze and curiosity drove his paws toward the source. This had to be the final territory carved out of the island, didn't it? There were no prides set up across the interior of the island, and there was very little space left along the coast. So far, it seemed every group had placed themselves along the edges, some unspoken agreement to leave the interior free for all to roam. He'd come to accept it as a quirk of the area and had even (amusingly) ended up selecting a home for himself within the jungle along the eastern coast.

As he neared, he slowed his pace and turned to follow the line as he came within a couple feet of the border. This one was different some how. The scent was... He inhaled, taking a moment to pick apart what made it different. It was older. Stronger in the sense of age and stability. Layers upon layers upon layers.

His eyes popped open, having slipped shut as he mulled over the scent. It was the oldest in the area. The first established on the island? The others hadn't had very complex layers of scents - two or three at the most including the current leaders. This was...well, it had the quality of a very long-standing territory. One that may have changed paws in the past, but not for a while now. Interesting.

There was something familiar about it in a way he couldn't quite place yet. A hint caught on a breeze - someone in a group? Perhaps one (or more) of this pride's members had been present at a challenge for other territories. He hadn't gotten close enough to anyone else attending to connect it to any particular individual.

Eventually, he supposed, he'd be met by someone coming to check the border, or investigate the strange man mapping it out (still a few feet away; he'd learned that lesson again), and then he may get answers to the numerous questions fighting for space in his mind.

code by corvus

it was an unassuming day -- typical in more ways than one, as the hours slowed trickled on, all seeming to melt into one. nymeria had taken it upon herself to remain within the brook's embrace today, quietly checking in on her kin and peeking at the cache, before making off towards the borders. there had been a steady increase in activity as of late, with more faces - both old and new - frequenting vermeda, either with curiosity or deeper purpose in-hand. and while this might make some of the others uneasy, nymeria saw it as an opportunity to grow, and was learning to embrace the unknown that this new life was bringing to their community.

unsurprisingly, it did not take her long to catch a new, foreign cologne laced across the breeze, prompting a slight increase to the woman's gait. expression remained neutral, perfectly smooth and composed, as she finally emerged from the shadows for the forest, only to find a lone man, hovering a few feet away. "hello there," she greeted kindly, the silhouette of a smile growing along the edges of her complexion, as her eyes fell upon @sherelock, gaging him curiously. "my name is nymeria valour, can i help you with something?"

Tyne Donnelly

She didn't always pay the most attention but when an unknown scent arrives on the winds, Tyne couldn't just let it be. The lioness lifted herself from the ground and walked along the lands that she had grown up in until she neared the borders. She walked along them until she caught sight of Nym and trotted to her side. She faced the stranger who for the slightest moment caused a memory of her father to flash into her mind before fading away as she waited to see what he had to say in reply to what he had been asked.

@Sherlock

Table by Ice. Image by Eerie.

Ah. Right. He finally connected the scent to a face. The girl he'd met at the boneyard. Which meant this was where she'd come from. What had she called the place?

He was searching his memory, drifting along the border, when he was finally approached. The voice drew him out of his thoughts, and he met the woman's kind voice with a blink as he paused, and turned to face her. Well, she was more polite than some he'd met this way. All soft wheat and subtle markings, larger in stature with thicker fur than average - the kindness seemed genuine, rather than an act. Observations occurred in the space of a breath, complete before she finished her question.

Sherlock inclined his head in a slight nod, "Hello," and then paused as another joined them. Similar in base color, build, and fur volume, with darker markings and a strangely complicated collection of lines over one eye. It was only a beat before he continued, "I assume this is Vermeda Brook," he did not yet elaborate on how he'd come to know the name, "and you," attention settled on Nymeria, nostrils flaring just slightly as he examined her scent and compared it to the border, "are the leader." Not really a question.

"I'm rather curious about your territory. All signs point to it being long-established, easily rivaling the others across the island in age." And, so far, the only that had yet to be fought over, as far as he knew. They weren't that well-hidden, and so he wondered if there was some sort of....unspoken taboo surrounding the very idea of attempting to overthrow the current leader. "How long has your pride lived here?" He thought he knew the answer already (somewhere along the lines of 'always' or 'generations'), but it was often satisfying to hear his assumptions confirmed out loud.

@Nymeria @Tyne

code by corvus