From the moment he was assimilated into the ranks of Northstar Vale, ever-dutiful Mattias put his nose to the grindstone. To the leviathan, a wolf was worth nothing if he was not putting himself to work yet unlike his sister he did not worry over these things, he just upheld his duties.
The previous days had been spent scouting the borders, getting acquainted with the territory and lifting his leg here and there to keep the scents strong. Today would be spent hunting to fill the cache.
He lumbered down to the largest body of water he could find — growing up in Keening Sound made him an adept fisherman. He caught one for himself and feasted but it seemed that for the moment it was rather dry, perhaps someone had made their way over here earlier.
He figured nothing of it. Fish came and went, swam up and downstream, and sure enough they would be back and he would attempt again maybe later in the day. He headed back towards the Vale but a scent of fish caught his attention (especially after his failed attempt) and he traipsed in that direction.
He sees a wolf there, gray-cream with a small cache of her own. He chuffs at her, not wanting to surprise her (not that a brute so big could), waiting for her to speak first. He wasn't very familiar with the wolves in the Vale or their newcomers or alliances, and he didn't want to chase anyone off that would go against his Alpha. Better to wait.
His gaze zeroed in on her ochre eyes, much like his own, as she stared and took him in. It was something he was used to — he towered over most of the petite women (and most of the men) in Keening Sound. She warmed up quickly, though, something he was not used to, and her friendly disposition painfully reminded him of Keet. He shifted his weight and dipped his head at her greeting, unsure of what to say.
What an accent! Sure.
Perhaps it would give him time to figure out why she was here — she did not smell of the Vale but she did not act like someone who was trespassing, either. What brought you to Northstar Vale?
His words are sharp, cutting through the easy silence that had surrounded them and although they're meant in a kind manner the brute is not good with manners.
The giant caught her pouty gaze that followed his retreat somewhat by accident and it fostered something in him he had not felt in some time — with Keet gone and his estranged relationship with Brienne, he had not the chance to really care for anyone in recent times. It felt ... good? Yes, good.
He was even more pleased when the girl stepped in his (gross) mixture to ease her pain, but when she complimented him he was again unsure of how to respond. And then she rattled off more questions at him, rapid-fire. One at a time, girl. From my mother when she was alive, then I treated my sisters for some time.
That was adequate, right? She surely did not want his entire life story, not that there was much to it anyway.
His expression lay flat but his discomfort was shown in a flick of his whiskers and another shift in weight. No, he didn't know Genie. He did not know anyone other than those who had come to the borders and met him; he had not been in the Vale very long and had met very few of its wolves. No,
he mused, trying not to let on to his discomfort. I don't know many.
Wow, more words than anyone but Brienne had gotten out of him in his entire stay in the Vale. Congratulations, stranger. Perhaps he could warm up to this dainty girl (so much like Keet), if only because he didn't know how else to respond.
Unlike the girl, Mattias had never been one to talk. He had been one to chastise, to lecture when necessary but leisurely discussion came about as easily to him as prying teeth. But this was not fear, was not anxiety, was not a shy personality. He was blunt and unapologetically quiet.
He shrugged. It was not an intrusive question. He had never been close with his mother (he was too black-and-white for her idealistic tendencies); it was his sister he missed. No, she's not.
He tilted his head at the dainty lady's profession. Adopted? In Keening Sound, many of the (single) women raised their families together, so this was not uncommon but he had never experienced it personally. Good that you have one, though.
He gave her a bit of a wry smile and shrugged once again as she suggested he make even more attempts at socializing.
Hah. Maybe if they ran into each other, but he wasn't going to seek her out. He was unsure of how well-recepted his presence was going to be, especially after running off the well-liked sister of his. Maybe,
he offered, trying to quell her like a tired mother would a wheedling child; not without care but definitely not a sure answer of anything.
Trying to turn the conversation away from this friend that the lady was pushing on him, he quickly followed it up with a How long do you plan on staying?
She reminded him oh-so-much of his littlest sister and it hurt him in a way, but for whatever reason the pain was also .. comforting in its own way.
Her question comes to him suddenly. Much like everything else about the girl, it surprised him, but he brushed against her gently, almost intimately, and touched his nose to her. Sure.
The pair lay nestled on the sun-dappled ground and it was not long before the giant dozed off, chest rising and falling peacefully as the afternoon wore away.