Ocean's Breath Plateau the setting of quo

quick little thing / for @Tytonidae if you want?!

Though he was still unused to the restlessness that tugged at his limbs Étoille found the sea soothing enough. There would always be time for anxiety, he told himself. And would keep telling himself, as if it offered any real solution. (If it was even anxiety or just some general lack of calm, something he had not quite pinned down.

Probably something like loneliness, though conceptually he found that foreign and unreachable.)

The plateau hadn't been easy to reach, but had been too strenuous, either. He grounded himself, eyes on the sea ahead. Images of a story he'd been told once flashed.. seafaring beasts, wolves. It didn't matter. For now the plateau seemed secure as did most spaces he occupied. Étoille settled into a shallow dip in the grass and sighed. He was not quite napping, but a short rest would do.

It was the first time Ty had returned to the plateau since discovering it, and she let out a happy sigh when she reached the top. Navigating the steep path was no easy task, but the second time around was definitely easier than the last. Her scent markings had all but disappeared, but that was to be expected. She would not be able to claim this place all by herself, especially considering how much of a wanderer she was. Ty would need numbers, which was why she had left in the first place: to recruit.

She scanned the horizon to check for anything out of the ordinary, and it was then that she spotted a lounging figure in the grass not far off. Curious (and wondering if the fox had actually decided to send wolves her way), Ty approached and let out a soft "woof" to alert the male to her presence. "Hello, I'm Ty. A certain fox didn't send you here, did she?"

A momentary flicker of conflicting emotion passed through him. The edge of annoyance at being disturbed, and a contradictory relief at the same time. He chased both away and opened one eye, lifting his massive head to spot the dark-furred woman. "Ty," he repeated, then blinked. A fox? "I do not know of any foxes," Étoille murmured. For a moment he contemplated dropping his head once more and resuming his nap. But.. "I happened upon here coincidentally. I am still exploring these lands." His voice was... hesitant, almost, in an unfamiliar way to him. It was almost a little awkward on the large beast. Baby steps. "I am Étoille. Are you waiting for someone?"

Ah, so it wasn't the little red fox after all. That didn't necessarily mean that the fox wasn't sending wolves her way... just that this wolf hadn't been directed here by that little vixen. The fact that Etoille was a fellow explorer brought hope to Ty's heart. "I'm an explorer, too!" she beamed, but refrained from going on too much about that. "I wasn't waiting on anybody in particular... but I am recruiting for a pack, if you're looking for a place to settle. I haven't been back here in a few days, which is why it doesn't really smell like there's a pack here."

Tytonidae was a wanderer at heart, and she knew it was unlikely that she would be the homebody of the group she set up. Even then, she didn't think she could stay in the same place for more than a few turns of the moon. There were so many places out there to see, and she wanted a chance to explore them in-depth, one-by-one. Hopefully those who joined her would have a similar opinion.

He felt somehow taken off guard. Something about her charm was disarming, although she was not the first friendly creature he'd met. Étoille cleared his throat. Were he human, he would be adjusting his tie for lack of something to do with his hands. In its stead he sat up a little, awkward. "So your pack will be here," the man said, dodging the question of recruitment. Not that he wasn't open to the idea, perhaps. He hadn't intended to stay on his own this long at all. "Will you be exploring with your pack as well," Étoille asked after a measure. He hadn't heard before of an established pack that traveled.. but it wasn't that far-fetched. Or perhaps she'd travel without them, though that raised other questions. Despite her assessment Étoille would not call himself an explorer (he would not call himself anything, to be fair), so much as someone who did not try very hard to commit to his circumstances. Whatever that meant.

She nodded to his first question and was about to interject with an "at least to start," but he beat her to the punch. "I guess I start feeling stagnant when I stay in one place for too long," she admitted, "so I think I'd like to move every once in awhile. Maybe when the seasons change." That wasn't moving so often that they'd always be on to their next destination, but she also thought it was often enough that she wouldn't grow bored of looking at the same landscape day in and day out.

There were other things to figure out, too, like how she planned to enforce hierarchy. In the past, such things had been determined by posturing and the occasional rank challenge. For her own upstart, Ty wanted her wolves' accomplishments (no matter what field) to be celebrated. Those who worked hard would be rewarded with first dibs on kills.

A truly nomadic pack. If only partly. Hm. "What of packs with established territories," he wondered in his half-a-question half-a-statement way. "You will avoid them." Étoille's curiosity was truly piqued. Though. "In truth, I am not an explorer," the man said, correcting her earlier assumption. "I am.. still new," hesitantly spoken, trying to pin down his restlessness, "or.. I think I will find where I am eventually meant to be." It was a long thought for him, and he felt a little tired having said it. It was a truth he'd long held on to. Move forward, float along, eventually you will find anchor. At the same time he wondered if he was starting to be too picky. "Mais.. I would like to. Establish roots, perhaps." As he'd meant to do with Gnarled Oaks, as shortlived as that was. He felt a little awkward suddenly: he was not used to elaborating on his own thoughts so deeply. Feeling a little embarrassed, the giant shuffled his feet. "Your vision is admirable," he concluded after a moment. He did not want her to think... what? Him dismissive? Something along those lines. God this was odd for him.

Tytonidae nodded. Even if she had planned on settling in the same spot for good, she would still avoid other packs. The last thing she wanted to do was put herself (and her followers) in danger. He continued to speak, and she did not interrupt, letting him think out loud. He concluded with a compliment, to which Ty smiled and said the only proper thing, "Thanks!"

With the way he spoke, he didn't sound terribly interested in joining her, but she wasn't about to kick him out. She didn't have the numbers to secure the plateau (yet), so there wasn't any sense in doing so. "You're welcome to stay for the time being, although I will eventually have to ask you to leave once I and my followers get settled in." Unless, of course, he wanted to become a follower. She still wasn't quite clear on that, though she didn't expect an immediate answer. Pledging one's self to a pack was nothing to be taken lightly.

If he could be aware of the woman's confusion on his stance, he would be inclined to agree. The "Will-I-Won't-I" was making him tired. Étoille felt embarrassed. "Bien sûr," he murmured, then clarified: "of course." The giant shifted, standing now. He looked out over the plateau at the ocean. It really was a lovely place. "I apologise for my wandering thoughts," he said with a graceful dip of his nose. "I have been at an impasse with myself. "

The man was still dodging her. She didn't seem to mind much, at least. Well. It couldn't be helped now; he needed to think. In truth her pitch was more tempting than he'd initially thought. But he could not bring himself to offer commitment yet. "Be well, Ty," he said, a simple farewell, and drew away from her conversation, back into his head.

exit ette unless ty has anything else for him! thank you for the thread :)

Np!

She knew that feeling all too well. She had not known what to do with herself when she had come back to the Teekon Wilds. Now, though, she had a purpose: recruit wolves to join her (provided they seemed a good fit and wanted to be a part of her journey). She was about to say something, but he excused himself before she could get a word out. Ty shrugged, letting him go. Perhaps it was for the best if he didn't seem interested.