She'd wandered for what felt like ages, struggling to take care of herself, unable to fall back on the brothers that she'd counted on so many times before. She'd managed to hunt mice and other small rodents, though she was thin and malnourished to say the least, and in need of a place to stay, not to mention a pack. She'd left her brothers in a pack they'd found after their parents had disappeared, though when a smooth-talking female had entered their lives, she couldn't bring herself to stay and watch them fall. There was little hope of her changing their minds, and it was like she had them under her spell, so Cricket had moved on instead. Now she found herself on a new pack's borders, her steps a bit unstable and her long fur laying over what appeared to be just a bit more than skin and bones. Her brothers had taken care of her, yes, but the sheltered life she'd lived had left her unskilled and now nearly starving because she could only manage to catch rodents to keep herself alive.

She'd finally found herself at the border of a pack, and seeing no obvious signs of aggression, she came to a stop, a sweet, desperate howl echoing from her jaws and into the sky. She'd never been one for desperation or pleading, but she knew what she'd gotten herself into, and she needed to get herself out of it. She was weak, and though she had some skills to offer a pack, she found herself hoping that they would not judge her on her appearance. If they turned her away, she was unlikely to survive long, but she'd been practicing her hunting skills - to no avail. She was not nearly as talented as her brothers, and she remembered how she'd gone hunting with them and looked like a clumsy fool doing so. But they'd taken care of her, kept her safe, and kept her healthy. But there was no one to do that for her now.

This place, this pack, they were likely her last hope. She now sat, letting herself sink slowly down to the ground, her head resting lightly between her paws on the ground in front of her. To anyone that would pass by, she might appear lifeless, barely breathing, with her still-bright green eyes closed and hidden from the world. Now she would wait, hoping that someone would come, hoping that they would take her in, hoping that she'd survive at least another day. Winter had been hard on her, as was obvious from her appearance, and though she'd learned to hunt rodents in the snow, her lack of focus had made such a task rather difficult for her. She'd been getting better at it, but the closer and closer she'd gotten to the pack's territory, the harder and harder it was to find prey that was readily available to her.

A familiar scent crossed the large alpha's nose. His ears perked up as high as they could go until his eyes spotted the small figure hidden in the bushes. Controlling the growl which wished to escape his tight lips, he slowly moved towards the prey. Golden hues watched the small creature clean its own fur, running the tiny paws over its smooth fur. The brown little rabbit knew not of what the hunter was planning, totally consumed in cleaning itself. White paws moved through the grasses, feeling the mix of old snow and cold grass between his toes. With one step, a dead leaf crunched beneath his foot. With a flash the rabbit quickly jerked its head around, searching for the origin of the sound. Quiet feet forced themselves against the ground, rushing past the ivory wolf and his spot. While in the open, Azul was on the chase. The rabbit was quick, but this skilled hunter knew how the rodents played this game.

Lunging at the small rabbit, paws forced the other into the floor. Fangs soon followed the beast, sinking into the creature's fur. Snarls and growls escaped from his lips as he tore and ripped the rabbit apart. As the creature lay limp on the ground, Azul lightly licked at the blood, feeling the warm liquids flow onto his tongue. Just before the brute was going to consume the small kill, he heard a small call close from where he was standing. Looking off into the horizon and then down at the kill, he decided to bring it along. Picking it up in his mouth, he trotted towards the border where the newcomer waited. As he reached her, he dropped the rabbit to the floor between his paws. His eyes looked over the fae. Many wolves had been coming to the border lately. This fact alone made the great alpha smile. He was quickly reminded of his guest and smiled to her as well. "Greetings. You are resting on the border of my lands." Before he continued to speak, he looked to the rabbit and then the fae. Without asking or anything, he picked up the kill and placed it at her feet. "Eat and then we shall speak." He sat down and watched her, waiting for her to enjoy the fresh kill. "I am Alpha Azul. What is it you search for in these lands?"

It felt like forever before a white figure appeared before her, but it took the small female a few moments to open her eyes, in fact, they remained closed with her ears twitching slightly until the moment that the prey landed at her feet. Then, the green eyes opened, blinking slowly in exhaustion at the small creature and then up at the wolf that had given it to her. At his words, her tail curled against her body and her ears flattened submissively, a soft whine escaping her jaws as she looked up at him, careful not to make eye contact. Then he told her to eat, and she was more than happy to oblige. She ate the kill quickly, licking her lips and sighing softly in relief as she finished it and looked up at the male before her. "Thank you, my name is Cricket, and I've come in search of shelter and a new pack." She said softly, her voice smooth and gentle, with a strong hint of weariness along with it. She'd traveled for a long time, and with her lack of hunting skills, she'd had a lot of difficulty sustaining herself, hence the skin and bones of a wolf he saw before him.

She still felt rather tired and of course she was still malnourished, but the kill he'd given her had helped her greatly. "I'm not a great hunter, nor a very talented warrior, but I know a bit about healing and I used to be a caretaker in my last pack." She said softly, hoping that he'd find some use for her and not turn her away. She needed the pack to survive, but she also longed for the companionship of other wolves. She'd been so lonely since she'd left her last pack and her brothers behind, and she had been missing the company of others so much as of late. Hopefully he wouldn't tell her that he had no use for her and send her away. She wasn't likely to survive if he did. However, for now, she retained her submissive posture, hoping and praying that he would let her stay.

Soft eyes watched the fae consume the meal before her. His breathing was calm and collected. It was obvious she needed the food more than he did. The winter had been kind to the brute, as well as the pack kill pile. He waited until she had finished. But when the fae showed the respect towards him, he knew she would be a great member of his pack. She had the values and virtue instilled in her mind already. When she spoke of the desired rank, he gave a slight smirk. They would need a lot more caretakers than they had now. "Well, Miss Cricket, the pack is in need of more caretakers as it seems. With mating season here, we will need all the help we can get. I would like to welcome you to my lands and whatever you would like in them." He smiled at her and slowly stood to his feet. "You may come with me to the pack resting place, or you may explore the lands on your own. Whichever you choose, you may do. Welcome to the pack, Caretaker Cricket, and welcome home."

She found herself honestly surprised at the male's words, looking up at him with bright green eyes at his acceptance of her. A small smile crossed her face, and her tail wagged lightly as he finished speaking, making her stand slightly, though still keeping her posture respectful. "Thank you, Alpha Azul." She said softly, relieved that she'd survive and that she had a new place to call home. "I would love to go back with you." She added then, her voice just a bit louder than it had been before, yet still just as sweet and smooth as ever. She was excited, glad that she had a place to stay and a new family. She couldn't be more grateful, and she promised herself that she'd find a way to repay this alpha for his generosity. But for now, she needed food and rest. Tomorrow she'd begin her new life as a member of this pack.

((sorry it's so short <33))