His little trip to check out the surroundings had turned into something more. Now, Nico was determined to pursue the trade of Scout, he'd found his love for wanderlust ran deep and now that he was no longer on active duty as a soldier, he could enjoyed simply pleasures such as exploring and mapping the landscape that was Teekon Wilds. This scouting mission to clear his head had turned into a quest to earn the trade, and while there were other problems plaguing him, he concentrated on memorising the landscape and its landmarks, relishing the feeling of freedom he felt away from the bonds of being in a pack. The soldier knew he would have to return soon, but he couldn't resist the urge to just explore one last time.
Cautiously, Nico jumped from the rock onto the grass and a slow smile spread across his silver features as he looked around him, quietly admiring the rolling green hills teeming with prey.
The pale colours of dawn washed over the green hills, illuminating them in an ethereal gold light and as he trotted up to the top of one hill, he squinted at the sun rising in the distant horizon and couldn't help but grin and laugh as he lifted his face to the sky and relished the feeling of being alone, surrounded by silence and beauty. Man, if he knew exploring held such pleasures, he would've gone for it long ago. Although, to be fair, Nico preferred soldiering. There was just something about fighting alongside comrades against a common foe that made it so exciting. Or perhaps the boy just loved the thrill of danger.
Icarus wandered with little purpose, talking with whatever wolf he encountered and then leaving them to explore. It'd become something akin to a cycle. Yet, he still felt like something was missing from his life and he didn't know how to replace it. It was like there was a gigantic hole in his chest, yearning for something, or someone to fill it in but the problem was, the assassin didn't know what was wrong with him. He didn't know what he didn't have; didn't know what he needed to introduce into his new free life in order to feel full again. A part of him knew, however, that it wasn't going to happen, it was never going to happen and he wondered why he even bothered thinking about it in first place when the result would be even more confusion.
The assassin scowled and shook his head, effectively shaking away his thoughts. Just as he was about to turn to go, a laugh penetrated the silence and immediately, the pale albino's red eyes narrowed and he prowled forward, before straightening up and eyeing the gray agouti stranger with curiousity. "Why are you laughing?" he asked in his typical, straightforward manner.
A stranger's voice pierced the silence and immediately, the silver boy turned around, muscles tense beneath his sterling coat. His ears folded instinctively against his skull as his muzzle wrinkled into a snarl and his hackles bristled. When the pale wolf showed no aggression, however, Nico relaxed and observed the male curiously. He was an albino, but not a full one, as his nose was black as well as the markings around his eye, but his eyes were a remarkable crimson. "You have pretty eyes," he observed out loud, a roguish smile playing at his lips as he dipped his head in greeting to the newcomer. While he didn't mind silence, he definitely didn't mind a pretty boy around. He didn't voice that thought out loud, though a glint entered his green gaze.
"Because it's fun," he answered the albino's question with ease, his smile widening. "And it's been a long time since I'm free from the troubles that plague me, so, yeah," Nico lifted a shoulder in a shrug.
The greyscale stranger's initial reaction was enough to set the assassin on edge. Immediately, in response to the green-eyed male's hostile response, his own hackles bristled and he bared his teeth threateningly, warning the wolf off. It soon appeared that Ica had scared him and the stranger relaxed. Icarus frowned at him, unsure, but relaxed anyways. He would be ready if the other man had sudden intentions to fight him, but until then, he would be peaceful — or at least, attempt to. The silver creature's next words, however, caught the assassin off guard and he stared, mouth open, in surprise at his words. Never had anyone liked his eyes in his life, or given him a compliment, for that matter, so you would understand that he didn't know how to respond.
Icarus cleared his throat, "Um...thanks?" the word rolled off with an unfamiliarity that he didn't like. "You're pretty too!" he blurted out a moment later, before turning his head away, pale cheeks flooding red in embarassment. It was the humiliation he felt that forced him to remain silent through the greyscale wolf's explanation of his laughter. Instead, he simply nodded, hoping the stranger with the handsome face and mischievous smile wouldn't feel offended at his words.
The albino seemed confused at his compliment, which only widenened the grin on Nico's face. The pale creature cleared his throat and thanked him rather awkwardly. Before the soldier had time to laugh in good humour and tease him, the other man complimented him as well, shocking both of them into momentary silence. Nicolas stared at him for a second, before his eyes crinkled around the corners in pure amusement and the his lips broke into a wicked smile. Well, here was a potential victim. Oh, wait, did he say victim? He meant friend, of course. "Thank you," Nico said with yet another grin. "I'm glad you like me," he teased, eyes lighting up.
"Don't be embarassed. I think you're pretty too," Nico said with a shrug, as if it was no big deal. It technically wasn't, but most wolves tend to be dramatic and think even the smallest of compliments, a love confession. It obviously wasn't. One could admire another's beauty without wanting to sleep with the other, or form romantic attachments, of course. Most of the time, at least. "Wanna go explore this place with me?"
The corner of his lip quirked upwards reluctantly at Nico's teasing comment, and while the pale pink on his cheeks deepened in colour, he couldn't help but smile, almost gratefully, at the beautiful sterling man who had managed to diffuse the albino's initial embarassment at his own words by simply teasing him with it. "Um..yes," Icarus muttered tentatively, peeking at Nico through wide red eyes before blushing even more furiously when the stranger complimented him again with a shrug.
"Thank you," he said, after a moment, regaining his previous composure and he offered the male a small smile. "Yes, I'll like to explore with you."
Nico decided that the albino was rather cute, especially when he was blushing. "That's great," the soldier flashed the pale man a wide grin and a wink as he padded down the hill, leaping over a rock, and landing on the soft, lush green grass with a gentle sigh and yet another smile. Man, this was one great place. Tilting his head ever so slightly upwards, his nostrils flared as he inhaled the fresh, clean air and the smell of grass, his eyes closing as he appreciated the smallest pleasure in a life full of problems and injustice. Needless to say, it was a breath of fresh air, both figuratively and literally.
A moment later, Nico turned his attention back to Icarus, that is, if the male had followed him down. "Wanna explore that forest over there?" he gestured towards a small woodland nestled in a corner. It looked interesting enough, and the deWinter was always open for strange, creepy, new places.
Silently, the pale assassin followed the soldier down the hill with equal gracefulness and he watched curiously as the greyscale man breathed in the air and smiled as if this was...heaven or something. Icarus had never seen something like that before, and he was curious as to why the guy did something like that. "What's your name?" he blurted out, "Do you live in a pack?" he looked away, realising he might've been rude, "I'm Icarus," he introduced himself, hoping to reduce the awkwardness and rudeness.
With a nod, the assassin accepted Nico's invitation to explore, his red eyes sweeping the perimeter coolly, quietly observing his surroundings.
The corner of his lip quirked upwards in an amused grin when Icarus blurted out several questions, and then introduced himself. "Nico," he offered in return, not feeling the need to give out his alias with this man, "Yeah, I'm from a pack called Royal Fire Court," he cocked his head, eyeing the assassin curiously, "it's a nice place in the Hinterlands, beautiful, as well, and the wolves there are nice. You'll be able to develop whatever skills you have there." Nico blinked, "Would you like to join?"
All thoughts of exploring the woodland vanished as he wondered if he'd come across someone who was both worth recruiting, and wanted to be recruited. Because god knows the Court needed more members, and Icarus seemed like a good wolf.
Despite previously wondering if he was suited to join a pack, he found himself knowing that his chances of survival were probably better if he was in a pack and the male seemed eager to tell him about the place, as well as ask him if he wished to join, without any indication of interest displayed by Icarus. Well, it wasn't like he'd know even if he did make any indication of interest. "Nico," he smiled, "Pleasure to meet you," it was a sentence he still found weird, but used it nonetheless. People here seemed to like it.
"Where is it?" he asked, first and foremost, his brows furrowing in concentration.
"You, too," Nico flashed yet another smile in Icarus's direction, a part of him hoping to charm the other man into joining the Court. Despite his plans to leave soon, the male still wished the best for the pack that had taken him in, and what better than to recommend a loner to join? The Court would be lying if they said they didn't need members, because from what the sterling soldier could see, they desperately needed the numbers, and Ica, here, could help them with it.
"Nah, you see, you have to say you want to join before I can tell you where it is," Nico said dryly as he shifted the weight between his paws, a curious smile on his lips. "So, what'd you say?"
Icarus frowned, his mind turning and his thoughts wandering. Did he really want to join Nico's pack? Was he ready to commit to a bunch of wolves who knew nothing about him and his past? But then, he supposed, a bunch of wolves who knew nothing about him and his past was better than a bunch of wolves who knew everything about him and his terrible past. This was his chance to start anew, and at a place where he would not be judged for his previous sins, simply because they knew nothing of who he was before he came. And Ica was conent to let it stay that way.
"Okay, I'll go and join," he stated simply. "Do you want to tell me more about it while we explore the forest over there?" He rarely made suggestions, usually, he followed someone else's suggestions but he was beginning to get a grasp on how 'normal wolves' worked.
fade after one last post from you? mild pp, can change if you mind
Icarus seemed to think over his options for a moment, and Nico let him do so, his gaze wandering as he took in the scenery, waiting for the albino assassin to finish thinking and make his decision. The soldier hoped dearly that he would like to join the Court, because when he left,
if he left, he would want to leave with the Court full of members and strong, even though he knew the chances of that were slim, given that he was probably going to leave very, very soon.
"Great!" Nico grinned and nodded at Icarus's suggestions.
"C'mon then, I'll tell you where the pack is and you can go there in your own time." He padded towards the forest, chatting away to Icarus about the Glade and how beautiful it was, as well as how the Court's system and ranking system worked and a bunch of other things that he thought the other should know if he ever joined.
it's fine :) thanks for the thread!
To be honest, Icarus was rather confused as to why Nico seemed so excited, and his red eyes narrowed as he began thinking over the various possibilities as to why this might be the case. However, after a moment, he decided that he didn't really care, and perhaps the pack wolf was simply trying to be friendly to a potential joiner. So, Icarus gave Nico a small smile and fell in step beside the silver soldier, listening quietly as the greyscale male fed him various bits and pieces of information regarding Royal Fire Court and how things worked there.
Ica would be lying if he said he didn't think it was interesting at the slightest, because the ranking system did seem intricate and he wanted to know more. So, with a smile, the two of them entered the forest and as they explored and talked, Icarus made his decision.