the forest is cozier day by day and delight is dedicating to becoming one of its shadows, spending his days idly keeping track of where his pack-mates tread when he can - and really, it's just an excuse for him to play around and still feel like he's contributing, he is still young. he wonders sometimes if he should feel competitive with seabreeze and mato - both around his age or younger and already so much more - untouchably wisened, it seems like, but it's easier to dedicate himself to their well-being. someone's gotta be the brat for everyone's sake.

still, the forest has been quieter. he supposes he should look for mato, to discuss his chronicling, but before he's given the chance to work up the energy, a stranger's voice catches his ear. the wisp prickles - this is their home - but they aren't so formally established yet. still, he feels a little territorial as he approaches, a slinking androgynous form with sharp eyes like moons. the strange new man was scruffy but didn't seem a threat. "what are you doing," he demands, almost churlish, though it's offset by his obvious (if condescending) intrigue.

soldier, the man calls him, and delight finds himself puffing up slightly with pride despite his warning. yes, yes, the other is larger and more frightening and del does lower his defenses petulantly, the beginnings of a pout threatening to overtake his frown. this is his home even if the stranger has no way of knowing that - but then he expresses interest in it. oh, right, yeah, he's probably supposed to help out with recruiting, isn't he?

"tindómë," the wisp answers proudly, the last edge of his sulk fading as quickly as it came. "-- it will be, anyway. the forest is named king elk." the androgyne gives the man an appraising look - he's not actually sure how recruiting works, or what mato's looking for (though, a mean voice reminds him, he took in you), but he seems healthy enough, that counts for something? "what's your name?" del asks him, absently winding against the closest tree and leaning, his eyes sharp and something between thoughtful and judgemental as he watches the larger being.

the man - uka, euka, whatever - changes his attitude once del relaxes, but it turns weird quick. something about that smile unsettles him, similar to how trajan's affectations had, but those had been harmless and this felt knife-point precise against him. "why would i be able to guess your name, we've never met," he says irritably, oblivious as always to the give and take of social niceties. "and my name is delight singing-sunlight." 

despite the fact that he's yet to meet someone who could resist mocking him for his name (even mato had shown a flash of judgement, he thinks), the androgyne lifts his head, a little prideful. his name suits him just fine, there just aren't many others worthy of being delightful to. "-- and, come back? are you looking to join us?" he tilts his head to accompany his question. this would be easier if he knew mato was around, but he isn't sure where the silvery prince spends his time. should he howl for him, he wonders, but he'll wait to see what uka says before deciding.

while uka does not outright mock him, he does joke nonetheless. will the boy ever meet anyone who appreciates him as he is? "i am," he huffs, fully aware he's being patronized and not appreciating it one bit. but still, he imagines mato's face if he lost the opportunity to recruit someone to their ranks because of his attitude, and he forces himself to let it go. (for now). 

"that's okay," del says quickly, glad to be changing the subject back to tindómë itself. "we don't have traditional ranks - tindómë is trade based," he says, recalling the way mato phrased it, realising this is an opportunity to flex his skill as a chronicler. "our prin- our leader's name is mato. he doesn't ask anyone to already have a trade to join us. i didn't when we met, either." technically he still doesn't, but he's unwilling to admit that to this stranger. he flushes beneath his fur at his slip - he may think of mato as a prince but he knows that's not his official title, and he hopes uka doesn't pick up on it. "um, we also have someone working towards caregiver and toward mercenary, so you can study with them, or choose your own path, sort of thing." he tries to imagine the man working with the roman or with mato's girlfriend seabreeze and can't quite, but he figures it might help to establish a bigger picture of the still-developing group. the wisp is curious what sort of thing this.. uka would choose for himself, if anything.

heat flares in him when the man repeats his slip of the tongue, flushing deep under his fur. "augh," he says, ducking his head, "fine." the comment about being a lover hasn't escaped his notice either, but the wisp doesn't really know what to do with that, has never really experienced flirting so obtusely and he's too focused on his job here anyway. delight is still flushed-embarrassed as he tips back his head and calls out for @Mato (and oh please let him be near-by, the wisp does not want to have to go look for him, especially with this guy).

mato had been close by, it seems, and delight can't quite hide the relief on his face when the silvery male shows up. the prince introduces himself as morwinyon which del commits to memory immediately. he will not make the same embarrassing mistake twice - if he can help it, that is.

uka's attitude seems to have changed yet again. the wisp wonders if he's botched things, wonders if he should really care, wonders if mato will be disappointed. he frowns but does not speak again, letting mato take the reigns of the conversation, since clearly he's already done more harm than good here.