It was a scary day for FitzDutiful. He was due to meet
@Peregrine having asked for the meeting in the morning. He probably could have had this conversation right there and then but FitzDutiful had needed the time to get himself together, to figure out exactly what advice he needed from his alpha who had been successful in the matters of love and had the power to accept or deny his request.
As he approached the mountain top, near the lake of the Caldera, he wondered if the smell of the skunk would still be so pungent on Perry - FitzDutiful would happily think of anything to take his mind off what it was he was wanting to ask. He wasn't entirely sure that this was going in the right order. Was it right to ask his alpha about taking a mate before he had even asked Raissa if this was what she wanted?
Regardless, he also wanted to ask his alpha male how to go around asking her (if he was allowed. He didn't have the faintest idea of how to approach this topic with his girl - was it too soon? She had been here for less than a week but they had been together for longer than that. At least in his mind they had been together since the end of November. Maybe that was too soon too.
Matters of the heart were confusing.
He had given up hope when it came to tomatoes or ash or whatever else might have stripped the stench from his coat, had it not been the dead of winter. At least his nose was currently so numb that he couldn't smell himself. Peregrine smiled wanly as he plodded around the borders, purposefully facing into the frigid wind so that the odor would be blown away from him and hopefully leave a reeking, invisible cloud around the caldera.
Soon, it was time to hang up his patrolling boots and go meet FitzDutiful. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted to meet but Peregrine had an inkling that the Counselor needed some counseling of his own. The Alpha male was happy to provide whatever guidance he could. He might not be a therapist by trade but he was a middle-aged leader, mate and father. He had some life experiences under his belt.
When he finally tracked down his trusty Theta, the black wolf waved his tail and greeted him with a grin. "I smell like burning ass hair, I know. What's on your mind, Duty?" He reclined several yards away to give his friend's nose a break, head cocking inquisitively.
Peregrine enquired as to what FitzDutiful had on his mind and he took a breathe to start his question, just as it had been rehearsed. Just as he opened his mouth and inhaled the wind changed direction, sending Peregrine's skunk-infested odour in his direction. With a cough and a splutter at the assault, his carefully practised speech left his mind as if scattered like leaves.
"What did you do to get such a dunking?" FitzDutiful requested of Peregrine, the only thought on his mind at that moment in time - exactly what Perry had asked for him.
When the moment passed he reassessed what had brought them together. "Actually, I brought you here to ask you a question. I want to ask Raissa to be my mate but I'm not sure if I'm allowed and/or how to do so." His speech in his recital sessions had been lengthy, long winded and avoided the direct question for as long as feasibly possible. The skunk juice had stripped him of all the eloquence and left just the bare minimum required.
"Skunk," he explained simply. He was more than a little tired of going through this conversation with everyone, not that he could really blame them. He understood that the smell was an atrocious assault on the senses but FitzDutiful would just have to endure it if he wanted the Alpha male's advice.
He listened, eyes glittering with interest. When the Theta finished, he blurted, "Who the hell is Raissa? Oh, wait... did Finley or Elwood accept her? I haven't met her yet." While that was important, it wasn't exactly relevant, so Peregrine shook his head and added, "No permission needed, man. If you want pups, that's a different story, though..."
After trailing off for a moment, he inquired, "What do you mean by 'how'? You just ask her. Unless you were wanting to make some grand romantic gesture...?" It might be fun to come up with an extravagant proposal of some sort, even though Peregrine had no experience with that kind of thing. Both his mates had essentially sprung marriage upon him in a single, brief conversation.
Peregrine explained the smell situation with one word, but FitzDutiful already knew that. Regardless, he didn't push it any further. If that was all the explanation Perry wanted to give, then FitzDutiful was happy to leave it at that.
Peregrine experienced a moment of confused when FitzDutiful asked about mating Raissa. FitzDutiful found that odd unto he realised that he had maybe never mentioned Raissa by name when talking about her to Fox. "Ah, yes" he admitted, "I talked to Fox about asking Raissa to move here, probably not by name though. Finley accepted her this week."
An explanation was forthcoming that FitzDutiful didn't need permission to have a mate and his tail began to wag with joy in that situation. Peregrine trailed off at the mention of children and FitzDutiful nodded, he understood completely. "I won't lie to you Perry, I would like children someday. However, I doubt it being soon. Neither of us are capable yet and if we feel that way, please know that we would come to you for permission and accept your verdict." FitzDutiful showed respect to his alpha while speaking his words before moving onto the other aspect of his questions - how to ask her.
"I've just never done this before," he said with a shake of his head, "I don't know if it's tradition to have a grand gesture or to just ask in conversation, or even if a certain amount of time should pass before the official recognition is given..." he trailed off and waited for Perry's response.
FitzDutiful didn't seem perturbed by Peregrine's ominous remark regarding pups. He was glad. With their own pups on the way, the Alpha pair wasn't going to permit anyone to breed anytime soon. Even once they grew up a little, Peregrine wasn't sure he and Fox would loosen the reigns much. He could see them allowing their Betas the privilege but they certainly wouldn't let any old mated couple pop out kids. With the way things were going (half the caldera was spoken for in some manner), they would be outnumbered three to one if they allowed that. The unfortunate fact of the matter was that couples like Duty and Raissa might have to strike out on their own one day to realize that dream or else remain childless in the caldera.
But back to the main subject: "I don't think there's any right or wrong way to do it. Whether or not you do a fancy song and dance with it, you do have to ask the question. For me, it was all pretty straightforward... both times," he elaborated. "With my first mate, she literally told me, 'we're making this official' and that was that. With Fox, she asked how I wanted to label the two of us. I told her it was up to her and she wanted to go the distance. So I don't have much experience with romantic proposals in particular, though I do consider myself a romantic...
Before I can help you, though, tell me a bit about Raissa. What's she like? How did you two meet? What's the story there?" the Alpha asked, his head now cocking in the other direction.
FitzDutiful was glad that the subject of children was dropped. He had feeling that Peregrine would deny them completely if they were to ask but, in truth, FitzDutiful wasn't ready, in his old pack a wolf didn't reproduce until they were three anyway. Maybe in a few months when he hit two years of age then everything would change, maybe after seeing the Firebirds he would feel different. But then once the Firebirds were here he could pour love on them instead. After all, they were from his family.
The conversation turned to be purely about Raissa and FitzDutiful let a smile come over his face as his love for her came into his mid. That just thinking of her brought around this feeling of blissfulness proved to his mind that asking her would be right.
"We first met not long after I joined the plateau and she a Lone Wolf. She had hurt her foot with a thorn in the Firestone Hot Springs. I must admit, I couldn't stop thinking about her. But then we moved to the Caldera and I assumed that I was never going to see her again."
Fitz paused momentarily before continuing as he took the time to remember which even had happened next. "The next time I saw her, I was on patrol. That was November. She was a pack wolf now but the moment I lay eyes on her I knew I wasn't going to let her disappear again. And with her being in a pack it seemed less likely she would disappear. It was a strange meeting. I barely knew her and yet I knew her." He was going off track now so he took and breathe and visible fought to rein himself back in. "Anyway, she didn't like the pack she was in, Blackfeather Woods and if you've been near there you might understand why and I said we had space if she wanted to move. It wasn't a "move to be with me" suggestion. Not then. But she seemed so unsure that I backed off completely."
FitzDutiful was spinning off into monologue mode. It was unusual for him to speak for so long but he seemed to be doing it more and more. Very unsure that Peregrine had wanted just a long-winded version he stopped and awaited a continue, giving Perry time to take in what had just been said.
Peregrine remained silent as FitzDutiful spun his tale of love. It sounded like love at first sight, albeit with complications that had prevented him from acting on his feelings then or even more recently. The Alpha male couldn't remember if he'd heard of Blackfeather Woods before and he didn't give much credence to his subordinate's remark. The caldera needn't worry about other packs; they could take on anyone. They could take on the world.
"Is she really pretty?" the swarthy leader asked, a bit of a teasing note in his voice as he batted his eyelashes playfully. "What's she like?" he pressed gently, wanting to know more about this newest subordinate. He would have to seek her out on his own but until then, he could learn what he could from Duty.
In some ways FitzDutiful was glad he had stopped. Perry didn't seem bored, but FitzDutiful didn't want to become a rambler. The conversation was continued, although down a different route instead of the monologue that it had previously been on. "I think so," he answered, honestly. His face and voice echoing the truth in his words. "Even when I found her uncared for in the Woods she held an appeal to me. I think it's more than just her physical appearance though." It was strange and hard to describe. It was as if her personality was radiant around her, for him.
"She seems to have many facets to her." FitzDutiful said. "When we first met it was almost as if she had a more worldly attitude than my idealistic approach. However, when we met again she seemed... different. I think she is different." He wondered how to describe what someone was like. He'd never had to do it before. "She's playful, respectful, considerate, kind, sure of herself..." Was that the kind of thing Perry was looking for? His words trailed off as he tried to think of more words to describe the centre of his world. He was being pretty unsuccessful at avoiding monologues.
If Peregrine had known how self-conscious FitzDutiful felt about monopolizing the conversation, he would have rushed to reassure him. This was his time to gush. Certainly Peregrine could afford to lend an ear. Hadn't the Theta done the same for him? Wasn't that what friends were for anyway? He was glad to listen to anything and everything Duty had to say about his leading lady.
"Wow, she sounds like an all-around catch, buddy. Good on ya!" the Alpha male said when Duty paused. "I look forward to meeting her myself. So... do you wanna come up with some elaborate plan to ask her? Or do you think she'd appreciate a more down-to-earth approach? You know her best, man."
A lot of thought passed through the head of the grey wolf and they sparkled in his eyes like stars as he considered each idea. Every so often he would look as if he was about to start speaking before closing his mouth again and carrying on through the conveyor belt. Time passed, though FitzDutiful couldn't have said if it had been five seconds or five minutes before he actually spoke.
"I've heard of these strange mating proposals, where everyone dances and sings before the question is asked. I would like to attempt one, but I fear for no chance of rejection in that situation. I would rather know she had an opportunity to decline and chose not to than being forced into accepting because all her pack was around and had gone to such troubles." A pause for breath and a tiny bit more thought before continuing. "I think I want to ask while we are on a date somewhere. With a meal, at the end of a lovely evening then I would ask so we could return to our den and be together." His eyes shone as he glanced at Peregrine, his decision made and joy obvious within his features.
FitzDutiful described a literal song and dance that included the entire pack. Peregrine wanted to laugh at the ridiculous image this put in his head. That might be a lot of fun... but it would be exactly as he imagined it: utterly ridiculous. It didn't seem the gray male was interested in that kind of publicity anyway. He described a much more quiet, intimate evening just between the two of them.
"While I think everyone would absolutely love to sing and dance for you," he began with a mischievous smile, "I do think it should be between the two of you. Your plan sounds great, man. I especially like the way it ends," he said with an exaggerated lascivious wink. "I really don't think you can go wrong there, Duty."
Peregrine agreed with FitzDutiful that asking another to be your mate should be a very personal affair. He seemed to like the idea of the song and dance, though, and Fitz wondered for a moment if he should consider it again. He probably would always have it at the back of his mind and some kind of grand gesture, though it was doubtful that it would ever be used.
"Thanks Perry." FitzDutiful said, nodding his head with acceptance for the plan he had. "I think I'm going to go hunting for a few things for our meal. Do you want to come along and grab something for Fox and the pups?" It was always an honour to hunt alongside his alpha, someone he deeply respected and cared for. It would also give Duty a chance to figure out the words he wanted to say. Always one for detail.
Peregrine idly wondered if Duty would need advice about physical intimacy. He liked to think of himself as fairly experienced. However, he made no indication that he needed guidance in that department. The Alpha male smiled to himself. FitzDutiful probably knew everything he needed to know instinctively and they'd probably already bumped uglies anyway.
The subordinate surprised him a bit by suggesting a hunt. "Normally, I would but I've been hunting alone due to the smell... it would really interfere," Peregrine said. "Sorry, man," he added with a guilty wince.
If Dutiful had known that Peregrine was wondering whether he would need to given any sexual advice, he would have been astonished. He'd managed to completely miss the meaning of his words a few second ago that had been accompanied by the wink. He hadn't even gone there himself. Still a child when it came to the matters of love and intimacy, he hadn't even thought about doing that with Raissa yet. He knew about it from seeing other wolves and various other animals at it, but he had yet to attempt it himself.
"Darn," Fitz replied to his alpha when Peregrine turned down the hunt. "and I was hoping I'd be in for an easy time of it. They'd run away from you and straight into my jaws." He laughed a little at his words, a playful glance cast towards his alpha before the wind changed direction and blew the scent towards him, causing his nose to wrinkle slightly. "No worries. I'll catch what I need, but if there's any extra going I'll cache it. Just in case all those animals are gone before you get there." Another tiny, playful jibe and then the Theta was off. Time to put this plan in motion.
Duty seemed genuinely disappointed, which prompted Peregrine to say, "Raincheck? As soon as the smell's dissipated, I'll hit you up." He punctuated this statement with a crooked smile. Probably FitzDutiful had looked forward to the opportunity for some male-bonding. The Alpha kicked himself, then inwardly reaffirmed his vow to make it up to him.
"Good luck with everything, dude!" he called after the Theta as he departed. He sat and watched him fade into the distance, a smile on his face. He then climbed to his feet and went off to find his wife and grab some brunch.