Wolf RPG - when you're living in a dream world

backdated to the afternoon of 6/23 if that's alright, and in Lotus Spring. @Asterr

Menta hadn't been able to peek under the arms of the weeping willows that she had seen from her bird's eye view yesterday, and it made it her all the more curious. Her new alpha had named this section Northstar Vale and the cream had known that this was one of the first places she wanted to actually get a look at. Blocked from above, she knew the next immediate course of action.

Now that she sat in the midst of it, the Theta was in awe of her visual reward. A gentle spring lay out before her while insects chirped and small amphibians bounced about in their hidden little wonderland. It was chock full of dragonflies, and one of them took the opportunity to land on their new guests nose. Menta's yellow eyes crossed as she gave a big grin to the shimmering bug.

A merry bark of glee, and the dragonfly decided that was too much to handle from a resting place. It buzzed back off towards the water and its compatriots as Menta's tail thumped with amusement.

Following the female's acceptance, the chieftess had shared with her several tidbits of information pertaining to the land around them. She spoke, usually, only of the places that she'd visited for herself, but had noted a few that had been spotted from afar. It was not uncommon for her to offer assistance when it was asked of her, and so she'd been more than happy to speak of the mountains. They were home, after all, even if their claim was limited to a single area. She enjoyed walking along the various ridges, perching atop high peaks and scanning the surrounding valleys. It brought to her a feeling of peace, even during troubling times. It was from on such a perch that she'd spotted one of her newer recruits leaving the territory, and had been curious enough to follow after her. The yearling's presence had never been concealed throughout the entirety of the journey, either, for she saw neither an issue with tagging along nor a reason for why her presence may not be appreciated.

It was only when the other form had ceased moving that she'd closed the distance between them, however, drawing up closer just as the dragonfly had flown away from her nose. "This place is beautiful, would you not agree?" Asterr had said, her voice but a soft murmur within the hidden sanctuary. "I hope that you are finding your way through these parts just fine." There were some locations that not even the dragoness herself was fully aware of, and so she could only hope that those traveling beyond her sight stayed safe all throughout their travels.

Menta turned jovial to bashful all at once, her fear of acting a fool in front of her new leader overwhelming her. Hopefully the darker wolf hadn't heard her bark at something as simple as a nose-perched dragonfly, but given how soon after she approached.. well, it was highly unlikely that a wolf's hearing could have missed that one. The cream's ears flattened a little in embarassment against her head as she reflexively drew herself lower than her leader.

It is, she murmured back shyly, not for a moment forgetting that it was due to Asterr's guidance that she even found this hidden mecca. I am, thanks to you, Menta said, not with the hopes of false flattery but full of gratitude. If there was something she enjoyed most since joining her new pack, it was the sense of security and guidance given that allowed her to explore outside of it.

The lighter wolf reverted to respectful silence, although she was full of questions and low glances to the wolf beside her, feeling that her place was in courtesy given and not pestering. She had gotten in trouble enough with the latter back home, and that was even with the familiarity of her parents being the alphas. Here, she promised herself that she would be better. Menta would allow those around her to talk without prompting, she told herself, as knowledge could gradually be freely given. Asterr had already given her so much information that she intended on taking advantage of that it would be rude to immediately demand more.

Apologies for the delay. < 3

Though the sound had been heard, little thought had been placed into it. Asterr knew of joy and how, at times, even the smallest of things could result in it taking over one's self. She viewed any reactions that transpired from such a feeling as being unworthy of embarrassment, for always did she take greater pleasure in seeing positivity than she did when witnessing negativity. Thus, it'd been with a smile that she'd looked upon her newest of recruits, offering a slow wave of her tail to go along with it. "You need not lower yourself in my presence," the girl voiced. "You are new to the tribe, but even still, it is already that you have been accepted into our family. We are equals in Ryūjin." Only those that had gone back on their word had ever been required to kneel, for unequal had they made themselves to be. Within the tribe, each presence was to honour their claim of loyalty, as was the workings of a true family. Those that fell through could never be offered the same privileges as those that had stayed true to their word, for allowing such would only breed stress upon current relations.

The beauty of the land had been confirmed, as had a note been included regarding her previous distribution of information. Asterr, understanding that it was her responsibility to watch out for and guide her tribe, had waved her words off. "Even if I had not been of any service, I am certain that you would have been capable of locating this space on your own," came her reasoning, following quickly after her dismissal of the comment. It was in her nature to think the best of others in most scenarios, for she strived to encounter the good, rather than fall victim to all of the bad. Still, though, the dragoness was not against offering assistance when it was asked of her. In all honesty, she was perhaps even a fan of doing so, for it offered to her a chance at completing something without any selfish strings having been attached. And so, it was with her usual partial smile that the girl then said: "If you are ever in need of anything, I will do all that I am capable of doing in order to help. The same goes for, as well as can be said about, the others." Never would they allow for one another to fall.

Menta internally winced as she was instructed to treat her alpha as an equal. It was unheard of, to be sure, by the cream wolf - and the unnatural feeling unnerved her right down to her bones. While she respected Asterr and whatever way she wanted to run her pack - the pack that the Italian had pledged herself to - it was just too hard to erase over two years of how she had been socialized. To show such physical forms of respect had been the definition of loyalty and obedience at home, and her brain did not allow her body to raise back to Asterr's level.

Still, she gave a meek smile and a couple wags of her tail to show that she understood - and perhaps, a long time from now, she would be more comfortable with the idea. Asterr was complimenting her ability to explore and find new areas, and it stroked the cream wolf's pride in a pleasant way. Menta liked to think of herself as capable of many things on her own and it filled her heart with joy to hear her leader speak of feeling the same way.

Are there specific ways to help the pack that I don't know about? Menta asked swiftly when the black wolf stopped speaking about all the pack and the leader could do for her -- always wanting to be obedient, always wanting to prove her worth of what she could give back to the pack that took her in. Her loyalty was not yet fully proven, which made her uncomfortable to think about, and it made her even more eager to find out how to be of optimal use. What is our history? Surely more knowledge about where she lived would give her more insight in how to assist.

In spite of what Asterr had said, the other did not raise herself to stand at the same level as the young leader. Not a single comment was made upon her choice, however, for she could understand how difficult it may be to adjust to something new. For many, it was a show of respect when they lowered themselves, and so the matter was not pressed. Someday, she hoped that Menta might find a way to abandon that specific ritual, but for the time being she'd simply let it go. It would do neither of them any good to argue over the matter, after all. Plus, if the chieftess were to command that the female hold herself a certain way, the purpose behind the foundation of her tribe would be gone back upon. She'd turn herself into a hypocrite, a label that she found to be most unappealing.

In place of her straightened posture, there had been offered a smile and a few tail wags, which were gladly accepted. The smile had been returned, but the wags not, for not often could she bring herself to complete the motion. For, just the same as the other female, Asterr had been raised in a specific manner. There were certain things that she could not do, or acts that were frowned upon, and that was just the way in which life worked. For some, a gesture might be friendly, but for others, a threat—different cultures inspired different reactions, or the lack thereof, but still could pleasantries be exchanged.

With a question posed, an answer was quickly formulated. For her to not have a response ready immediately after being spoken to was a rare occurrence, for during the pauses in speech, she'd ponder the direction of each conversation. Everything was to be properly calculated, words and decisions made to be precise. "There are not," the girl voiced. "By living your life, you are assisting the tribe as a whole, for your interest in the world can offer you a great deal of knowledge. Your intelligence is of enough service, so you need not worry about performing any tasks that do not appeal to you." Ryūjin operated as a single unit, each member's interests and talents serving as a way to continue their progression in health and stability. It was as simple as that, really.

Following that, there had come another inquiry, one of which that had made the dragoness grow quiet for a moment or two. It was not often that their history was discussed, the troubles of the past seeming better when left alone. Yet, she could not ignore the request. "The cavern that you know was not our first place of settlement," she began, thinking back. "We had made our home on a volcano, living within and off of a cavern that is nestled into it. It was much like the Ryūjin of today, though seemingly larger." It had been spacious, yes, but she could no longer remember its exact size. No longer was it home, and no longer did her heart twinge at the mere mention of it. "We were not alone there, however, not as we currently are. We had possessed neighbours, and with them we had shared a border. The border had, of course, made for strained relations," the chieftess continued. "One day, a battle had broken out between us and them along that very same border. By the end, we had been granted our lives, but no longer were we permitted to stay within our first home as a tribe. To stay safe, we had departed from the area, traveling through the mountains until our new home had been found." Her original apprehension of the lair had not been mentioned, deemed unimportant, for it was her opinion alone. Asterr had wished to share facts, and so no mentions of her personal thoughts on the matter had been included.

sorry for my own delay! <3

The smile was returned, and it was enough to put Menta at more ease - it meant to her that Asterr understood that she could not get to that fully relaxed state of informality, not yet, and did not take it as some form of disrespect for the way she wished her pack to run. It was unheard of to Menta and she could not shake what had been strictly laid into her bones since birth. While the cream's golden eyes did not - could not - seek out silver orbs, they glowed as Menta casually looked back over their surroundings.

The Italian took Asterr's words in like a preening of her cream coat, a little too proud and pleased by talk of her own highly valued intelligence. While Menta enjoyed directive and specific assignments, perceived praise of her innate ability to decide things on her own hit all of the right spots - and besides, the female had already constructed a few ideas of her own. To be given free reign to hone in on her own interests would have been seen as reckless at best back home and she was excited to exercise and practice it here.

She stayed quiet as Asterr spoke of the pack's history as requested, ears honed in to catch every word as they spilled out of her leader's mouth in earnest desire to know all of the things, right now. Menta waited a few moments after the dark wolf stopped speaking, knowing that she would undoubtedly chew her words over more later, before inquirng again. What pack caused the displacement? she said, internally disgruntled that there had been one to chase off her new leader and packmates. Surely if it had been one she had run into a member of said pack, she would have known by now - it seemed like a rather important detail.

In spite of the morals she longed to live by, it was not new for her gaze to be avoided. For though she ruled with fairness in mind, her past still existed and never would it be forgotten. The time spent within the tribe of her birth, where she had lived only as the vessel, and where she'd been saddled with many responsibilities whilst simultaneously earning the respect of all those around her; all for simply having been born. And so she'd not sought the gaze of the other, respecting her own upbringing and focusing, instead, on their conversation.

Asterr had been made to delve into a memory she'd wished to forget, telling the tale of the tribe's rough beginnings. It was nothing spectacular, really, for they'd allowed for themselves to be chased away. Yet, it said something that they still stood together even after that, perhaps having even become closer through the whole ordeal. It was not a memory to shy away from, she'd come to realize, but one meant to be embraced. It was a shame that some had gotten injured during their battle way back when, but no one had been killed or permanently ruined. Everyone lived, still, with their lives intact, and that was all she'd have ever wished for.

Asked a question, she'd had to think even further back, searching through her memory for one thing—a name. No matter how deep she'd gone, however, there'd been none to come forth. "I do not recall the pack's name, nor if they had ever offered one to me," she'd said. "They had lived upon a ridge, though, which is next to a peak that is afflicted by thunderstorms more often than it is not." The very same place that she'd once called home. "Whether or not they live there still, I do not know," was added shortly after. Never had she bothered to seek them out by herself, nor had she sent anyone their way. After having left the dome, she'd kept herself from ever looking back.

Several moments had gone by, allowing for the information to sink in. Thereafter, their conversation had continued with Asterr answering several more questions. When the time came to return home, she'd kept pace with the other, enjoying the company of the female until they'd reached the lair and offered their farewells to one another. They split apart, then, each having headed off to attend to their own business.