set at Maia and Eljay's nap & snuggle corner. All welcome, but maybe
@Teya or
@Ibis ?
Eljay had spent the two days since coming to Brecheliant sleeping, mostly. He would get up to eat something if
@Maia brought him things, he'd get up to relieve himself or to drink, but he didn't go out very much. He felt completely burned down to a crisp. Every time he thought of the wolves he'd left behind in Redhawk Caldera he felt worse — guilt, stress, heartache, melancholy — and he didn't understand where all this tiredness came from. He needed to get to his feet and do stuff, he knew, but he just couldn't bring himself to it. Maia didn't seem to pressure him in any way, but Eljay longed to make himself useful in some way. The thing was, he just couldn't. Every time he thought of how he should be useful, he felt his heart pound and his breath quicken. It felt like an impossible task right now.
So instead he stayed at their snuggle & nap corner of the Fen for now, and tried to get rest. It wasn't easy with an overactive brain, but he did the best he could. He would like to catch up with Wraen at some point, he knew, and maybe meet some of Maia's other friends and co-leaders too.
it would soon be over, this horrible occurrence that teya now understood would happen each year. she hated it, hated how the scent of any man within brecheliant sent her spiraling, stiffened steps carrying her that way until she stopped herself. she kept to the den she shared with bridget; she did not want to be perceived.
for reasons unknown, teya wallowed her way toward where the fragrances of maia and this man were more tightly linked. she did not come too close; she knew how her current state might affect this stranger. perhaps he would not be able to help himself, as bridget had pointed out.
but dourly from a short distance she watched openly, unable to keep her eyes from the healthful and well-built male her fellow leader had been fraternizing with.
There was always something awkward and uncomfortable about the scent that lingered closer. Eljay, being a midwife, knew what it was too well. He'd never felt tempted by it in Redhawk Caldera, and he didn't feel particularly tempted as another wolf approached. Mingled in with the scent of her heat he noted that she was a part of Brecheliant (thankfully) and Eljay put forward a smile as she approached, his tail wagging a few beats.
She stayed at a guarded distance, which Eljay understood. Though he himself was not as tempted by the scents (it helped that nobody had ever even tried to seduce him, except for Wildfire) he understood why she would act this way towards him. Eljay sat up and stayed in his place, not wanting to alarm her by drawing closer. Hiya,
he said with a soft smile. I uh, I'm Eljay. I'm new here.
This was a position unlike anything he'd been in before. When he had joined the Firebirds there were a few new ones, but at its core it had been a Redhawk Blackthorn pack so new faces were limited. Now, he was the noob, and he didn't really enjoy it very much. He wasn't too sure what to say. Should he introduce himself? Should he tell that he was a caretaker? Should..? For now, he decided that he'd simply wait for her to say something back.
he came closer, and teya received the full measure of him. maia had a sense of taste; he was strongly built with no overimposing masculinity; he had not strode haughtily into her space nor sought to flirt with her. someone with control. unlike herself. "i teya. raven with maia."
and so his leader. she wondered giddily if he would change the gunmetal lines of his body into something more appropriate, now that her rank was known to him. "how far have you gone in brecheliant?" she inquired next, by which teya meant to ask if he had so much as left his nest with her dog-adoring counterpart.
Eljay didn't know a lot yet about the leader structure, but when Teya said that she was a Raven with Maia, he knew enough about her being a leader. His body language didn't visibly change very much: He was already not very emboldened in his posture, instead a humbleness about his presence, eyes not keeping eye contact very long but instead darting away respectfully. Should Teya watch his body language she could find the subtle traces of submission she searched for, although they were already there before her introduction.
It's uh, it's nice to meet you, Teya,
Eljay said, a little uncertainly, as if he was pondering the same — should I submit, or is it the same as home, where it's only needed if..? It was a strange thing for him to be in a new pack away from his family like this. Wolves who governed him had always felt like family, and now there were wolves like.. well, like Teya, who was a total stranger to him and yet his leader. His only other experience with that was in Drageda.
She asked how far he'd gone into Brecheliant, and he blinked a few times as he tried to process what it was that she meant. Into..? Oh, you meant if I've explored much? Uhm, no, not much yet. I've been very tired.
As he said it Eljay realised that maybe he shouldn't have. I mean, just catching up on some sleep, I guess, uh — anyway —
Eljay hated that this turned him into a bumbling fool as he tried to correct himself, not wanting to seem lazy or useless to this new pack, and he felt his cheeks heat up under his fur. So yeah, not much yet. I heard there's a lot of beautiful things to see, though.
he did not cower, but his posture continued to please her. teya enjoyed the idea of bending maia's man a bit, because she believed that their loyalty should be to brecheliant above all. she was a hypocrite, of course, indulging herself where she might, but this was different. this, she knew now by way of bridget, could very well result in children.
this dalliance.
teya switched her plume behind her hips, wondering how this eljay might take her gesture. "sleeping," the raven hummed beneath her breath, though she tipped a knowing look in his direction, assuming she knew exactly how maia and her lover might have become tired. "if not busy, can show now?" teya invited, caught up with a genuine interest in knowing him for her own selfish reasons.
she would not capitulate, however, and hid her relief that he did not seem to have responded to her scent.
Though Eljay knew a thing or two about heat, of course, he had not often experienced anyone interested in him during it. Usually he steered clear of the women in that period, as they would want to be with a worthy man. The only time he had experienced its pull was with Wildfire, but it wasn't because of the scent, he was pretty sure, but because he loved her and he wanted to be a father. In general, the scent just confused him, because it did make him feel something; it was like when you first met someone, like he Teya now, and there was just a rosy gleam about things. Then again, she was being kind so far and Eljay was relieved about that, so he didn't think that it was because of the heat thing.
Eljay of course totally missed the innuendo in Teya's words; he just nodded to confirm that indeed he had been sleeping, a mildly confused look on his face.
He could not deny that he wasn't busy, so Eljay nodded in agreement. Yeah, I uh, I'm not doing much, just trying to catch up on sleep. I'd love a tour.
Eljay got to his feet and he stretched his stiff limbs and yawned. He felt like an old man suddenly, and though he wasn't the youngest anymore, he had never felt quite as run over as he did now. He felt a little ashamed that his first meeting with one of his new leaders should be this way.
shadowing a grin beneath a more affable expression, teya found her steps alongside eljay. for all of his largeness compared to her own being, he gave no impression that he would suddenly swagger, or act out of turn. somehow the man seemed contrite in a way, and the raven wondered at this as they walked.
the edge of the fen, thick with mud now. teya traipsed uncaringly through it; she had accepted hunting in the reeds adjacent to the water would ask the price of a bath later. eljay must embrace this as well. "duck hunting," she told the newest member of brecheliant, pausing to allow him a full investigation of the locale if he so chose.
They walked mostly in silence, which was no problem for Eljay. Some wolves made silence uncomfortable, but as long as all parties involved seemed okay with it, then it was enjoyable enough.
Mud was not necessarily on the top of Eljay's list of things he enjoyed, and he hesitated a moment as Teya simply went right through it. He thought back to Heron Lake Plateau, which he had hated for all of its water. Well... Perhaps he had hated it mostly because it had taken away his home - his Redhawk Caldera - in his mind, at the time.
Eventually, after a few seconds of dancing around the subject and then realising he had no other choice, Eljay stepped into the mud and felt it squelch in between his paw pads, saw it soil the light fur of his legs. He was distracted from it by Teya's words -- duck hunting -- and nodded at the sentiment. He had not often hunted ducks, and honestly, was quite bad at hunting any small game. Eljay was much better at hunting in a group, hunting with the pack. At first he thought that perhaps she expected him to hunt ducks right now and turn this tour into a hunt, but then he realised that maybe she was just explaining that that was what this place was good for. I'll have to try it out sometime,
Eljay said with a warm smile as he glanced around.
satisfied, assured, teya went on. eljay had hesitated in the mud, which she had expected, but he had made his way upon the path all the same. this moved him up in her regard. she led him to higher ground, wiped her paws upon soft grass, and proceeded. "deer come here," she told the man, enjoying his company for other reasons at this point aside from the heat prickling her skin.
while eljay presumably looked about this locale as well, teya watched him from the corner of her eye. her mind could not halt where it went — she wondered about his prowess, about his pleasing of maia. a foolish thing, and she found she only plagued herself.
"what is your favorite to hunt?" the raven wondered after a moment.
As Teya led them to higher ground, Eljay was glad to wipe his paws. The remnants of mud left an annoying dry sensation on his paws, but further walking would hopefully relieve him of that. Eljay looked over the grass — this terrain was much more his thing than the mud and reed they'd just been through — while Teya explained that it was good for hunting (or watching, he supposed, depending on how hungry you were that day) deer.
Eljay nodded as he looked around, oblivious to Teya's wandering eyes and mind. Her question was well timed, for it gave Eljay some time to look around on his own time and not feel too rushed or pressured. It made him feel a little bit relaxed, more than he had felt for some time now. At the question, he said, Big things, mostly. I'm not very good at the uh... Small slippery stuff. But I know how to follow the lead in a hunt and play my part.
Eljay smiled humbly, for though he was fairly good at playing that part he had never considered himself a good hunter. Perhaps because he was humble in general, or perhaps because the fact he could not hunt small game to save his life somehow also reflected on his role in the big hunts. He'd lead them sometimes, back when he pursued being a hunter as his role in the pack, but while he was okay at that, it wasn't his thing as much. Playing the role of a cog in the well-oiled machine of a pack was much more suited to Eljay than having to tell all of the cogs what to do.
small slippery stuff. teya wondered if this meant the fish, the frogs, and the otter that inhabited the lands of brecheliant. "i help with those," she declared matter-of-factly, waving her plume with a determined wave. he would learn the ways of the fen, though brutishly she wondered if maia would even let him go!
but this was not her business, and teya truly had no reason to belabour all the potential reasons for eljay's presence here. not even to herself. "i not good with big things," she chirruped, leading the man along to their next locale. this was a spread of willow trees overhanging the water, and as she approached the trailing leaves she was reminded certainly, firmly, of seelie court. and of sundance.
wherever the silvermoon had gone, the violet hoped that he was happy.
"this is just nice place," teya said, amused; there was nothing to hunt and yet she lingered by the water.
Eljay smiled softly when Teya offered to help with the small slippery stuff. Eljay had tried hunting small game a lot and he didn't really think that anyone could help him improve very much. It was very hit or miss, and only sometimes he succeeded at them. He appreciated the thought and effort though. Maybe it would be a nice thing to do together so that he could get to know this pack mate a bit better. I'd love that,
Eljay said softly at the offer.
Then, as Teya said she wasn't too good with big game, Eljay smiled, sensing an opportunity. He said, I could help you get better at that, then, in return.
They then approached willows hanging over the water; a place that looked beautiful. There was something fairytale-like about the place. Eljay understood why Teya had brought him here, even though there wasn't anything about it. It was just nice. He appreciated that. It's very beautiful,
Eljay said as he slowly walked up to the water as well, while looking up to the willows that hung over them like a warm, comfortable blanket of sorts.
"that would be nice," teya murmured to eljay's offer. despite the itch beneath her fur suggesting she might persuade him aside, and damn what maia thought! despite her usual lack of inclination toward most men, the raven was finding that perhaps he was a kind addition to their little fen-family.
for now, she breathed in the scent of the place, pausing once to allow a willowtree's leaves against her face. and then teya was off again, pressing forward in a tight curve that prowled against the border. "i not know over there," she said in reference to the forbidding tower of mountains that separated their grounds from the hinterlands beyond.
"all we need is here." between the deer that came to drink and to feed upon soft grasses, and the abundance within the water itself, teya saw little reason to tour beyond the boundaries save for personal interest.
Eljay glanced at the mountains as Teya mentioned not knowing much about them. He wondered if it was mountains she did not know much of, or if she didn't like going outside of the territory in general. Eljay wasn't the best climber, and he felt it was even easier to get lost in mountains than anywhere else, too, and in general he didn't like going outside of pack territory. He was pretty sure he wouldn't leave the territory alone, at least; if he would go anywhere, he'd take Maia. So it didn't matter very much to him what was beyond the territory.
It did seem as though Teya agreed with him on that sentiment as she mentioned all they needed was here. Eljay smiled softly as he looked at Teya and said, All I need is here, too.
He really appreciated the tour that he had gotten so far. Even though watery muddy lands weren't really his thing, at least he had seen that there were beautiful things about the Fen, too.
she appreciated the landscape for another moment, then turned to summoning her words. "in fen: fish, otter, heron, frog, beaver, muskrat, and, hmm," she paused, considering. "duck." she gestured toward the cedarwood that encircled the fen, pausing to allow eljay a moment's contemplation before going on. "there: deer, bear, moose." a shiver climbed her spine, one she attempted to hide from her companion.
"many things to eat." she directed his gaze toward a patch of something that might one day soon be blueberries. "even you not hunt."
maia had done a good thing. teya had softened upon this small journey. "you have question?" she inquired, tilting her head to one side.
Eljay just looked around and followed her gaze as Teya listed all sorts of animals tat lived in the fen and the woods. When she mentioned 'bear', Eljay's own gaze hardened momentarily and it was because of this that he missed Teya's reaction to her own words; a rare moment where he missed such subtle cues.
Eljay shook his head when she asked if he had any questions. No, I think I got it,
he said softly, his gaze still roving across the lands. They did look beautiful. Maybe he'd learn to love the fen like he had learned to love the copse.
<3
her teeth shone briefly in a small smile. "then i leave you to explore, eljay." even on this short walk he had changed her opinion of him. the raven expected the new arrival to return swiftly to maia, but he could choose his own path through the fen this time.
unless he had more to say, teya would take herself off, always in search of a new opportunity to sweep fish from some obscure water-feature. she gave him a fond look as she moved, offering a last wave of her plume.
<3 ty for the thread, i enjoyed it very much!
Thank you for the tour,
Eljay said with a soft smile as Teya left him to explore, and he dipped his head at her in a silent good-bye. As Teya left, Eljay just sat and watched the scenery for a little while before he eventually got to his feet and started heading back to his and Maia's napping spot, glad that he had made his first new friend in Brecheliant.