Sunspire Mountains There is no such thing as a lousy job - only lousy men who don't care to do it.

Actually north of Sunspire Mountains, between Emberwood and the coast. For @Atreus (at this rate we'll be nicknaming the Nereides pack "the A-List").

Whatever sentimental notion had filled his heart upon wandering through Ravensblood, it was nothing compared to the pure attraction the consort felt upon sighting the Emberwood. He didn't know what it was called, but it was truly a sight to see. Even from a distance he could make out the thin white trunks of trees and their multifaceted leaves, twisting and writhing like fire; a primal dance of nature. The forest was not his intended target though. Atlas left behind his desire to explore and returned to his duty, his route twisting towards the coastline.

Tall grass, mostly dried, faded in to beached logs and various smooth stones - shells and seaweed netting everything in place. The scent of the sea was heavy, and it smacked him across the face as soon as he was near the sloping sands. As soon as his eyes caught sight of the intense blue of the water, he breathed a great sigh, and set to work - combing the expanse for something pretty to give to Akantha.

Lol. xD I was contemplating calling Atreus 'Triton' but I thought that was a little too pompous for Kerberos' standards in regards to naming his son. xD Also, I assumed that they know each other but I can change it if you'd rather! :D

The Drudge had his work cut out for him — had always had it cut out for him. He worked hard to prove himself to the other Consorts but more importantly to the Nereides and Mother Sea. It wasn't as if Atreus had came to the Nereides not aware of anything. As it stood, he knew quite a bit when he'd came to them given his father's connection to them. Kerberos had done research on his birth mother as soon as he had found out, or so the story had went and Atreus had no reason not to believe his shy father. Kerberos had never seen fit to keep anything hidden from Atreus and the proof of his father's honesty had hit him like a brick wall when everything Kerberos had spoken about them had been proven true. Atreus had known exactly what he'd been signing up for when he had left Nautilus Forest in search of the Sirens. Nasak had not been overly happy with his decision but the fire spirited Kesuk-Aok had not been able to stop him. He did not doubt the existence of her bear gods but he had felt a bigger pull to Her. The Sea. She had assured him that it was his place. To serve Her sirens. He had sacrificed much, as Nasak had been sure to drill into his head, over and over into his mind like a broken record. Yet, what he received in return was so much better. There was no price to be put upon it. With the Sirens and near Her he was home. Where he belonged. Aella had sent him off for a bit. Atreus had not asked for a reason merely obeyed and had headed back towards the coast with the intention of scavenging gifts from the Sea, though mostly he was looking to pick out some seaweed as a little treat, and to bathe in Her waters. Eyes gifted with the color of the stormy Sea focused upon his determined path, the sea-spawn pausing only when he caught the sight of Atlas. The older male was a Consort and of higher rank than him — though as Atreus understood that the only ones lower than him were the Spawn but since there were no spawn he was as low as they came. It wasn't rank that he was concerned with, in reality, but of pleasing the Sea and the Nereides. Hello, He greeted Atlas, his head bowing low in respect to the older and higher ranking male.

Atlas is a little older, so maybe when Atreus became a drudge he was on his way to meeting Akantha for the first time or something; that way they'd sort of know OF one another, and maybe they'd have encountered on another a few times.

When paws met sand, the sand gave way. When they met the damp seaweed which tangled against the brine-soaked stones, Atlas had to concentrate not to slip; he left a trail of intents in the softer ground as he walked, but it didn't bother him. So far only the scent of the sea was prevalent - and he doubted he'd find any indication of wolf. With his nose directed down, he sniffed at one patch of stones or debris and then shuffled along to the next, navigating across the beach with the ease of one well trained. Thus far the beach did not hold any prizes, only a few tiny crabs which scurred out of the way when Atlas approached them. He was nearing a barnacle-laden boulder when he caught a new scent - warmer than the sea, familiar, but swiftly overwhelmed by the brine.

He lifted his head and peered around, curious and always eager for company. The oncoming wolf was next to him in the following moment, having been able to creep up with the sea as his shield; but he spoke, and that prompted Atlas to turn and prick his ears, a bright look appearing upon his face. Hello the boy commented, his tawny face held low with a diverted gaze, and Atlas chuffed in response - but that was swallowed by the sea as well.

He looked familiar, but the consort couldn't quite name the boy yet - he knew him as faithful to the Nereides, though. It was hard not to detect the similar scent between the sisters that lingered upon him, even with the breezy tang of salt that hid almost everything else. Hello there. Care to explore the beach with me, drudge?

The Drudge knew his place among them, knowing that he was below even the Consorts — like the man before him. Atreus' attention was mostly consumed with the women of the pack, his days filled to the brim with the tasks that they assigned of him in their quest to “break” him. Aella was as rough as a sea storm, not as genteel as her younger, fairer sister. There were some times in which he wanted to tell Aella that she need not be so rough with him, that he would do whatever she asked of him , without complaint regardless. It occurred to Atreus in those moments as he bit down on his tongue to keep the spirited words from slipping out that perhaps that was what they meant when they spoke of breaking him. He was complacent to their wishes and commands but there was a part of them — his spirited Kesuk blood, he wagered, that bid him to have such thoughts. He never dared to speak them. Not to the Nereides and not to anyone else. If they could break him of his mother's fiery spirit that he seemed to have inherited then all the more power to them. He attempted to suffocate it by ignoring it but when he was allowed out to play, when in the presence of wolves that he was not loyal too it came out with the vengeance of a gladiator who had not seen the light of day for weeks. At that point, Atreus didn't bother to stop it because as far as he was concerned wolves not connected with the Nereides were free game to his whims and sass. The sound Consort's chuff was lost to the Sea but there was no place that the Drudge would rather be. He intended to bathe in Her waters, after all, and had a preference of bathing in salt water as opposed to fresh water. His sand colored fur was coarse with the dried salt water, his way of carrying the Sea with him everywhere he went during those times he was forced to be apart from Her for a period of time. I would like that, sir, Atreus told Atlas with a soft smile.

The boy appeared to be shy, but the consort assumed it was simply his training. He could barely remember himself with the same mannerisms - but Atlas had always been somewhat jovial when compared to the other men. His time travelling with Akantha had been quiet so he had amused himself in various ways; now, with everyone coming together again, his own desire to socialize often overcame the propriety of his station.

Atlas smiled at the boy and then turned away from him to survey the beach. He had noticed a few clusters of gulls along certain rock formations which could be of interest to the sirens, but it was something he'd explore another day. There were probably all kinds of new trinkets to be found within the sand, things the Nereides had never seen before, so that was where they'd start. Atlas motioned with his nose for the drudge to follow, then began to pick his way along the water's edge. Do you have much experience with beachcombing? said the Consort, conversationally; he didn't want to push the boy too hard for conversation since it wasn't a regular thing for any of the menfolk, but, it would help to get to know him.