Golden Glade Kingdom Come

The days since their leaving had been hard on the group, and Charley knew it. There had been a very few amount of stops, and never for very long, but finally they'd reached King Elk Forest. They'd come far, going down and around the mountain they'd once only seen from a distance, crossing the flatlands that turned to fen, and around yet another mountain to get there, and with a promise to return for @Estella @Paikea @Heartha and @Ayla, Charley and @Aspen went off on their own scouting forwards. 

Around midday, the pair were rounding yet another mountain, albeit a much smaller spike compared to the ranges they'd come across in their travel. In the distance, the brute could see rising plateus, and Charley shook his head: somewhere more covered, with trees.
Turning his blackened face to the side, he could see the beginning of pale trees, just starting to rebloom. Clearly, even here had not been spared by the storm of locusts or the following famine. Stopping, he looked over to his wife and, grabbing her attention, pointed towards the glade smushed between the summit and the plateu. It was guarded, and already called to the Pryor. Could this be it? Their kingdom, their home? Taking a step forwards, he scented for borders and gladly came up with none. So it was unclaimed, and Charley gladly pranced forwards with an excited chuff to Aspen. 
               "This looks promising, Aspen! Do you like it?"

Tagging for visibility, but this is Aspen and Charley finding the Glade and exploring it. The group is back at King Elk Forest right now resting, and June 27th will be the day they're all here and settling.

Aspen and her mate, and the rest of their soon to be pack had been travelling a while and the journey had been long. Fortunately they had made it to King Elk Forest where for the time being Aspen and Charley had left the four others while they went to scout just a little further. She prayed they would find something and soon because her gut was telling her she was due a heat and soon but she would rather not be homeless when it hit.

Aspen stood beside Charley glancing around at the area they now stood but before she had really had much chance Charley had gotten her attention and her eyes shifted to where his lay. "This looks promising, Aspen," Charley spoke and Aspen took a moment to admire the landscape that lay before her. It was a glade that lay between the summit and the plateau and it seemed to be very well protected.

The plateau would have been to open and resources for shelter limited. But in the glade there were plenty of trees for cover. "You're right, it does look promising, let's check it out, " she stated noting there were no scent markers in the area as of yet. Aspen felt something in her gut, a good feeling. Something that said this could be the place that they had been searching for at last. 

Aspen began to trail forwards tail high looking back only to check that Charley was following though she had no doubt that he was. She offered him a small smile before continuing forwards into what could be possibly their new home.

She agreed, and the two went on together, tails high and body language asserting dominance. Charley, too, had a good feeling about here. Every couple of steps, the brute hiked up his leg to mark another tree, and with a grin he urged his mate to do the same. The further into the glade they went, the harder his heart thrummed in his chest. This was it, he just knew it. 
       "A-Aspen! I think this could be our kingdom, Angel."
More than just weary words, paws eager to stop, Charley really felt good about this place. If he didn't and Aspen didn't he would walk till his paws dropped off, but he had a feeling they wouldn't need to.  They were hugging close to the summit that covered the southernmost side of the glade, and before long, the ragged male had come across an opening in the stone. It was tall enough for him to go into, but based off of the tangled branches around it, the entrance was well hidden from the lazy eye. Peeking his head in and taking a few steps forward, he again turned and called to his wife. Stepping in, he padded forwards into the tunnel. There was a faint light farther, and when he reached it found it was only a hole in the ceiling, too small for anyone to fit through but big enough to light the way and provide air deeper within.
                   "Do you wanna check this out for the inner circle wolves, maybe? No Commoners allowed in here, eh?"
The messy-furred man stopped and turned his blue eyes back to Aspen, joking, but the idea forming in his mind as something more permanant.

As Charley and her wandered deeper into the forest of trees that were slowly recovering from the locusts she smiled and her heart is what kept her going, despite her paws aching. Something about this place made it feel like home, despite the fact this was a safe place and would be lush with fresh prey after the place completely recovered.

Aspen smiled and nodded slowly towards Charley as he began to mark trees and made the statement he believed this place would become their home. Their kingdom. "I think so too Mr. Pryor," she said sounding all important for a minute. "My king," she added on the end as she too joined in marking trees. This would be their kingdom the place they would rule for the years to come. So she hoped at least. For now though, this would be where they lived.

As the two walked closer to the base of the mountain they noticed almost simultaneously a gap in the base of the mountain. Curious Aspen tilted her head and approached slowly behind Charley who had now wandered in to what appeared to be a tunnel. Aspen poked her head in the entrance. "Be careful," she said as he mentioned them going to explore. "I'll be right behind you," she said with a chuckle because of the joke he stated at the end of his statement. Although it didn't seem like a bad idea. This was the safest place in the territory, truly only wolves they trust should be allowed in right? 

She trailed behind Charley noticing the source of light was from a hole in the ceiling, which also allowed for oxygen to get in as well. Not bad, meant it was also liveable. She thought to herself as she glanced around not leaving any piece unscanned by her eyes.

Pushing on past the skylight, Charley kept his senses alert for anything already here: but the only scent on the air was of stone and water, even as they went further. The Pryor kept to the main tunnel, ignoring the smaller ones that branched out with a smell to be sure theywere empty.
         "Inner circle wolves could find their own dens in here, and we should too."
Eventually it came to and end, though, and the mottled man stepped into a wide cavern. 
Water ran down the wall from the ceiling, and though it snaked out against the wall, the liquid came together in a pool before vanishing beneath. It was much too big to claim for a personal den, but the only other tunnel in the room caught his attention from the icy cave water. 
Leaving Aspen in what would later be the Inner Circle meeting cave, Charley poked his head into the gap in the rock. Behind it was a short tunnel, and the cave on the other side was easily visible even before he fully entered the path. In a few short strides, he stood in the center of a much smaller cave, one he already felt would be phenominal for him and Aspen to sleep in. 
         "Aspen, come check this out! Would be a good place to sleep, nice and sheltered."
Would the King and Queen hear howls for them outside of these dark tunnels, perhaps through the many cave-ins through other tunnels? Time would only tell that, but for now it was a good place to claim as their own. Should Aspen agree, the man planned on scent marking not just the cave but the tunnel and meeting cave as well. These were HIS places, more so even than the rest of the land.

Aspen trailed behind her mate through the series of tunnels that weaved in through the mountain. This place was safe, sheltered, and liveable. These tunnels were a sure place for the dens of the wolves that took residence here but the idea that only the inner circle wolves could shelter in these tunnels just made sense. Why would you let a wolf you didn't trust with your life live in close proximity to the family.

Aspen stood in an open space for a brief period of time that she thought would suit a pretty good meeting area. There was enough space to get a large group of wolves in to discuss pack matters. Be it with or without the outer circle wolves.

She didn't pause for long however as Charley strayed down another tunnel and quickly called to her. She trotted down the narrow hallway and into another open area. It was perfect, it was as if the mountain knew (if mountains could think) that the two of them would find this place. The place was spacious enough that the two of them wouldn't have to fight for space anymore. "This is perfect," she spoke in a half whisper as she let her eyes trail around the space a smile growing slowly on her maw. "Sure beats the one we had back at the grotto eh?" she joked.

She was swift to join him, and awed just as much as he. It was the perfect spot, with space for the two of them to sprawl as well as have a litter sleeping with them. The ceiling was higher, so no longer did the brute of a man have to crouch. The cave was wider than it was long, but it only mattered that it was safe and roomy, which it was.
             "Much, so very much."
Shooting a wry smile and a wink her way, Charley pointed out a few more good things about this nook. 
                         "We'd have privacy to do whatever we want. Theres enough room in here for a litter, too. Think we can hear calls outside the tunnels from here?"
As he finished, he couldn't help it: padding to the rightmost corner, close to the entrance, and hiked up his leg to loose a splash of urine. The Pryor couldn't help the grin plastered along his inky maw as he officially began the claim of Royal Fire Court.

Aspen grinned as Charley stated that it certainly was a lot better than back home. They could both agree on that. Aspen's original den in LSG had been meant for one wolf and since she was of slender frame it made it really hard for Charley to find space since he definitely out sized her. 

She nodded as he continued to point out a few more good things about this cave and how it was very private and there was still room for a litter of puppies in here. The two had never officially talked about puppies but they seemed to be on the same page in the parenting department. Both sides wanted a litter and Aspen was glad it wasn't just her. "It would be safe if we had a litter in here too, not easily accesible to predators or visible to wolves who would wish harm on the little ones," she stated not meaning any of the wolves in their pack would do that but she had known wolves from outside to wander in and steal puppies or young from their birthplace. 

Aspen paused for a moment to think when Charley's question arose about being able to hear calls from the outside. "I should think so," she said nodding. "I mean I feel like with all the different crevices and holes a call from the outside might actually echo a bit once the sound reached the tunnels," she stated with a small shrug. They wouldn't be able to be completely sure until it happened so for now they would have to let that be. 

She watched as Charley marked the den and she too marked her scent there. It was official this would be the home of the Royal Fire Court pack for the time to come.

Aspen agreed with him fully, it seemed, even when he'd mentioned pups. She was perfect for him, that became clearer everyday. They fit together like puzzle pieces and read each other with minimal words. Charley nodded along with her words with a smile growing on his face. He, too, found the sense in her words and accepted them perfectly. Spies, tresspassers, rogues, anything could wander on into the territory and find a whelping den. Even with scent marked paths, there is no way anything that wasn't supposed to be down here could get all the way down before being scented. After all, the air currents headed right down the tunnels and brought scents far ahead of whoever was entering. 
His silver goddess marked as well, a silent agreement that this was their home. 
                      "We've found it, Aspen. Our kingdom, our home. A fitting one, bathed in golden sunlight like the fires of our ambition."
He was silent as he stepped close to her, leaning his head over her shoulders and pulling her into his chest with a rumble of pride. The name came to him in a flash, and he didn't hesitate to throw it out there. If she didn't like it, she would change it, easy. 
                                               "The Royal Fire Court will thrive, and we'll be able to give our children the lives we didn't have."

Aspen smiled as her mate, her king, her love spoke stating that they had found their home. Their kingdom and Aspen just nodded with a broad smile on her face. She felt like she was on top of the world, finally in control of what happened with her life and with her partner by her side the possibilities were endless.  

Aspen nuzzled her face into his shoulder as he pulled her into his embrace. She took in his scent and listened to the next words he spoke. Like music to her ears. He spoke a name that was perfect for their pack. Stating that here would be the place they would raise their pups and give them the lives that they deserve. "I love it Charley, I love you," she spoke realizing this was the first time the silver fae had spoken those words but by no means did she regret them. "Let's do this, lets make this place our home," she said tail wagging. "Together."