Sunset Valley A Walk Through the Woods

A disgruntled huff escaped Tahoe's jowls. The male had been meandering for days. Nettles and bracken clung persistently to his undersides, evident of his passage through a heavily wooded area. He'd made it a good distance into the woodland before growing frustrated by the bothersome terrain. Turning back was not an option for Tahoe, he'd already made it past the point of return. So, the headstrong brute defiantly trudged his way out, uttering curses as he did so. After a laborious trek, the end of the tumultuous sea of vegetation was within sight.

 At last, he had escaped the clutches of the vexing, prickly bushes. Compared to the previous landscape, the undergrowth to come appeared almost welcoming. He lumbered along, listening to the monotonous rhythm of his own footfalls. The gentle ambience of distant birdsong and the whispering of the breeze provided him a taste of serenity as he went. Definitely, this place was much more navigable. Up ahead, the lackluster gleam of a muddied puddle caught his eye. Tahoe drew near, poising his rhinarium above the water's surface as he gave the liquid a cautious sniff. He curtly quenched his thirst upon deeming there were no foul substances intermittent within. 

He'd told Valiant he wouldn't go too far, but this place was beautiful, and Alejandro couldn't help but to travel a little. With the intention to return, of course. The spotted man strode across the uneven terrain - softer on his paws than the mountain, though he hadn't complained about that either. 

Ale looked out over grasslands he traversed and spotted another figure - bigger than he was, by quite a few inches, and his fur abysmally covered in leaves and branches. A mess, to say the least, but handsome and rugged the closer Alejandro got. The kind of handsome that a warrior might be - scarred and dense muscle. Alejandro had never been too much of a fighter - he knew how, but he was more... manipulative. Won his battles through strategy and trickery.

Still, this man was intriguing, and Alejandro wondered what he'd look like all cleaned up. So, he approached further, tail swaying at his hocks and icy eyes scanning him up and down. 

"You look as if you've had a rough day, le beau" he stated, stopping just short of the melted puddle and offering the man a smile. "Lots of travel?"

Tahoe was unalarmed by the foreigner's arrival. The delicate sound of their footfalls was sufficient for him to presume their intent. After all, he had been careful not to trespass on pack lands. If the wolf had desired to spar, they would've seized their opportunity for an ambush. Clearly, some godawful force had inspired this lupine to interact with him. The brute, unbothered, finished his drink. His tongue flickered over his maw as he soberly lifted his skull, examining the stranger through his disconsolate gaze. They fashioned a pelt reminiscent of a stormy day, paired with eyes that were pools of the afternoon sky. Tahoe was never one to be concerned with looks, he refused to believe in such a vain construct. Then again, perhaps it was because he was merely a rudimentary fellow himself. The stranger spoke, surmising about his rough travels. They addressed him with a term belonging to a foreign tongue, based on their tone, he insinuated it to be a compliment. A light scoff escaped him. Rough day, rougher terrain. Nothing out of the ordinary. He grumbled vaguely, flecks of previously entangled vegetation going airborne as he gave his pelage a hasty shake.

The man did not seem interested in him - at least, not in the way most wolves were. It was as if his beauty meant nothing here; that everyone was not as vain as Alejandro himself. Then again, that was almost comforting, in a way. Like maybe there wasn't even a need for deception here. 

"It doesn't seem to be as bad out west," he reasoned, tipping his head to the side and taking a seat. Comfortable, as always. "If you were looking for less rough terrain."

Something told him the man didn't really care. 

He scanned the wolf over once more and offered a small smile. "You got a name?" he questioned.

Tahoe, He answered, eyeing the wolf as they took no time to get situated. It was apparent that this fellow wasn't keen on letting him slip away that easily. Even so, Tahoe had a profusion of time to spare. He wasn't terribly accustomed to strangers taking interest in his affairs. Then again, this wasn't homeland. Tahoe had always been reserved. He assumed that was the reason he'd manage to survive this long. Either that, or blind luck. Things were different now, he had no option but to travel alone. He didn't intend on making any enemies while he was at it. Like it or not, he knew it'd do him no favors to shun potential allies. Perhaps not everyone was as insufferable as he thought them to be. The same might not be said for himself.

I'll be alright. I shouldn't have an issue finding my way around. Never heard of a few pesky bushes killin' anybody. Tahoe mused gruffly. And you are?

Perhaps Alejandro was more insufferable than Tahoe might have hoped. Still, he'd never shied away from a potential ally, or tool, or perhaps even a companion now that he was thinking more for himself. He watched the ruffian with interest, blue eyes scanning him over again and taking in his body language. If nothing else, he was interesting, and Ale was always interested in meeting interesting characters. 

"I'd hope you'd never heard of a bush killing someone," he said with a soft laugh, shaking his head. "My name is Alejandro St. Clair. You can call me Ale, or Alexandre, or whatever. I go by an overabundance of names," he joked, shrugging his shoulders. 

Tipping his head, Alejandro inquired, "You know where you happen to be heading?"

His brow knitted as he listened attentively to Alejandro's reply, taking notice in his introduction. This type of interaction seemed like an ordinary occurrence for the marble coated man, but specifically his mention of a deluge of nicknames signified he must've built many connections. 

I'll go wherever I'm not unwelcome. Nothing's been set in stone yet, Alejandro. He replied, his words cloaked in vagueness. Tahoe saw no reason in divulging unnecessary details to the stranger, his trust was never easy to earn. Though, his travels often had adventitious influences, a clear destination was never in mind anyway. His main goal was to get familiarized with the area first. A local's knowledge would certainly be an asset. You a pack wolf?

Ooh, Ale liked that mystery. Nothing was set in stone - that sounded pretty accurate to his life, right now. Icy eyes flitted over the other man and he offered him a small smile. His response was akin to a wolf on guard; one should never give too much information. It was something the spy understood well, though he occasionally wished to forget it. 

"I am not a pack wolf," he responded breezily, a slow blink punctuating his words. Would he ever be a pack wolf again? That was yet to be seen. That is, if the Consortium was a true pack. "There are so many interesting things to see right now - being in a pack would hinder that. Though I'm not opposed to it in the future, I suppose." The spotted man cleared his throat. "I take it you're not a pack wolf, either."

His inkling was further validated by the lupine’s reply. St. Clair was redolent of a sprightly adventurer. Or so, he was being led to believe. He took the man’s words with a grain of salt, though that didn’t spare them scrutiny. Tahoe sought a cause for potential deception, but his mind failed to yield any  convincing reasons. Perhaps he was overthinking things... or perhaps he didn’t know enough yet.

Tahoe offered a shake of his head. You’re right on that one. He answered in a rumble, insouciant. Despite his troubles, the words were easy to say. McBride had lost everything. But those days were beyond him now. There was no point moping about things he’d never be able to fix, to regain. Now, the thought of a new pack was impossible to fathom. Been on your own for a while now?

Tahoe was correct to scrutinize Alejandro in the way he was. Perhaps he was better now, but... perhaps not. The St. Clair had yet to decide who he wanted to be, truly, and was rather entranced by this new stranger. Maybe it would benefit him to keep the other man around, to entertain him. To keep him company. To learn from. There were many reasons he could stand to do so. 

Ah, so he was correct. Not a pack wolf, and entirely indifferent about that fact. Icy eyes rose to meet yellow. "Yes, I have been," he responded, shifting his weight to the side. "Unfortunately, I have yet to find a traveling companion that is content with simply being rather than joining a pack. No one has stuck around long." But perhaps this one might.

No wonder he had approached him. Alejandro was in the market for an aide. The notion wasn't purely one-sided, in fact it seemed mutually beneficial. It would be an advantage for Tahoe to have a local impart information on the lands to him. He always preferred to travel in solitude, but this fellow wasn't as pesky as most. Conversely, it seemed Alejandro didn't take negatively to his presence at least, moreover even positively. He wasn't an expert at recognizing emotions though, it was much easier to analyze facts. McBride paused, considering the man's inferred preposition. In the end, both of them seemed to be in similar scenarios. The final decision was unusual for him, but it made sense. 

Where are you headin' to? He inquired, a subtle nod of acknowledgement preceding his words.

A smile stretched across Ale's maw at the man's response. Seemed like he was in the same boat - needed a traveling companion. This would be good for them both, perhaps. Entertainment and security for Alejandro, and... well, he was craving simple companionship. Maybe not a friend, necessarily, but just another presence that he could lean into and rely on. Perhaps even he could be someone who could be relied upon in return. 

"Probably back out west. There's a mountain I've been looking forward to exploring. See if I can find my nephews - make sure they're alright. Maybe find a place to stay in the future." He shrugged one shoulder, then scanned the other man over. "Wanna come with me?" It was an open invitation. There was no beating around the bush, or trickery involved in the question. Straight to the point.

West. Mountains. Nephews. Alejandro's preposition seemed to be a rudimentary one. McBride had planned to make a trek up to the mountains sometime soon, a well-timed coincidence. A higher elevation would provide him a better understanding of the layout of his surroundings. It was a strategy he had always utilized during his travels. As for Alejandro's family matters, he regarded them with little value. Those were his affairs to deal with, he was just there along for the ride. If anything were to go south, Tahoe could count on his wits.

Tahoe contemplated for a moment, his response came swiftly. Lead the way.