Northstar Vale -- too vicious to tell

@Genie for when you have time.
note for me: ranger, ambassador, warrior.

Another day, more duties to tend to.  He had been taking to walking the borders more and more frequently because it gave him time to think and brood, mull over the thoughts tumbling around in his head.  It was time for the man to start thinking about he can contribute to the pack in a less-general sense, establishing his trades.

He notes to himself that life in the Vale, while pleasant, will not sate him forever.  Still he has pledged his loyalty to this pack and it seems that the Alpha has a level head, and he wishes not to leave.  Perhaps there is something he can assist with and be able to travel; he'll speak with Rannoch about it later.

He also recognizes his incredible size (which he assumes had to have come from their father; their mother was pale and diminutive).  He is a goliath with a noted hot temper.  As the leviathan is mulling these things over, he lifts his leg here and there, marking the borders before sighing uncontendedly and heading back into the territory, annoyance looming over him like a thundercloud.

Huff.

Genie spent these days more or less alone which, perhaps, had been an incredibly bad idea. It gave her more time to think and dwell and wallow in her thoughts and whenever that happened, bad things happened. Nightmares came more frequently and she found herself losing more and more sleep as each day passed. Still, she did her work. She patrolled, hunted, improved and tended to her new herb garden. But with each day. Genie grew more and more reclusive, effectively retreating into her shell.

Genie didn't want Rannoch to think she was slacking, because, well, she wasn't. She was still working — a bit too hard, maybe — just, not talking. The sprite sucked in a sharp breath and trudged forward doggedly. Then, all of a sudden, she was on her back, pain radiating sharply through her body.

What. The. Fuck?

Blinking rapidly, her gaze lifted and landed on a decidedly unfamiliar beast of a wolf.

He didn't even see her coming, he was so immersed in himself.  He barely felt her waifish body bounce against him; he was nearly stepping on her before he stopped.  The brute stepped back but no apology spilled from his lips; perhaps they both should watch where they're going.

The leviathan hoped (selfishly) that she was alright.  He did not want to be accused of harming a packmate, he did not want to feel ostracized.  Nobody had been actively avoiding him but nobody had sought his presence, either, and why should they?  Was it not his fault that his lovable, charismatic sister had fled the Vale?

You alright?

Genie's ears slid backwards against her cranium and her muzzle wrinkled into a snarl as she rose and brushed herself off. She had not missed the way the beast had nearly stepped on her, or how he didn't even bother to apologise. Granted, perhaps both of them should watch where they were going, but the wraith was not in her best mood and was currently very easily annoyed. "Ugh," she grumbled, amber eyes narrowing as she scanned the stranger.

"Who're you? I thought Northstar Vale was a pack for wolves, not for giant elephants," she scowled, the words slipping from between her lips so easily and so sarcastically that if one had met her in her shyer self, one might not have recognised her at all. But Genie had rose in rank, and she was pissed. The shy, medic version of the chocolate sprite that pretty much everyone else in Teekon Wilds knew was not at all like this sardonic, sharp-tongued slytherin.

"Of course I'm alright," Genie flicked her tail. "It's not like some elephant just bashed into me, didn't notice and nearly stepped on me. Totally fine." Yeah. The shy, sweet version was gone and it wouldn't be back for some time. At least, not in front of Mattias. The elephant wolf had not chose a good time to bump into the medic.

omg sorry mattias is such an angry pissbaby??!!!

The leviathan's lips raised to match the sprite's sour expression and a deep growl emanated from the depths of his chest — back off. The giant bristled, making himself appear even larger as the bonfire that was his temper was kindled by her words.  His ears pinned forward and his tail whipped against his hocks as he spoke, Perhaps if the mice would be aware of the elephants, they wouldn't get stepped on.  Unlike the chocolate girl, the goliath had a temper that was brooding and cold.  His words were calculated, intentional, and cruel.  Even though he knew he was at fault (and if blamed, would accept it), he was not about to let the fae be so fiery towards him; a packmate, a stranger without consequence.

Additionally, the beast thought nothing of individuals who used their rank to assault those technically underneath them and refused to accept rank as an excuse for poor temperament.  Frankly, he didn't give a damn unless she was his alpha, which she was most certainly not. I am a beast, he responded, deciding at the moment he would not divulge his name — she did not deserve it.  Honestly, he was so fucking big how did she miss him?

He calmed himself, choking back biting words to try to assuage her instead, reminding himself that this was a packmate.  He did not want to fight, he did not want to be blamed for yet another girl's hurt feelings.  But they call me Mattias.

hahaha, it's all goood.

The elephant growled at her and talked back, as if this was her fault, and Genie, who had somewhat calmed herself down, found fury boiling through her veins. She bristled, her tail lashing angrily behind her and her muzzle wrinkled as an equally ferocious snarl rumbled from her chest. It didn't matter that the other wolf was huge and would probably be able to kill her. She refused to be nice, especially to arseholes such as this one. "Maybe," she sneered, her ears flattening against her skull, "if the dumb, fat elephant wasn't so big that their own body clouded their vision, they might actually see where they were going."

The sprite tossed her head and rolled her eyes when the elephant proclaimed himself to be a beast. As if. He was a dumb, fat, annoying, idiotic elephant and nothing would change Genie's mind. Fucking idiot. 

"Mattias," she repeated, rolling the word around her tongue as she suppressed her emotions. "Pleasure to meet you. So, what the fuck brings you to the Vale?" Okay, she did try to stop the sarcasm and profanities, but she still wasn't very in control of her emotions and she was sure that some of it slipped through. A scowl worked its way up her face, then she grimaced and her expression faded into a sort of bitter indifference. "We got off a bad start," she muttered. "I'm Genie. I'm probably your packmate, if you're part of this wolf pack. Pleasure."

Her attempts to insult him fell on deaf ears; he saw his size nothing to be ashamed of and she was just as guilty as he.  He deemed her first comment with no response. But what does get to him (albeit in a different way than she hoped) was when she asked his business here, and furthermore when she introduced herself.  So this was the so-awesome Genie that the darker sprite had spoken of?  Hmm.

My sister brought me to the Vale.  Seabreeze.  He does not like using the childlike moniker she had adopted, preferring her birth name Brienne, but it seemed that she hadn't used it at all in the Teekons.  His voice is not soft, but it is not angry either and for the moment this is all he would get from her — it took the little chattering Chusi quite a while to get anything else and he liked her, this chocolate bitch could go eat a log.

But she's right; he had gotten off to a bad start with her, a bad start with his sister and now she'd fled the Vale.  Perhaps if he wants to assimilate himself, he should be more careful. Chusi told me of you.  That might clear things up, make things better with Genie.. or he hoped.   

"Seabreeze is your sister?" there is something akin to incredulity in Genie's tone and perhaps it is because the two are so different that she can barely even see them as siblings. But she supposed that sometimes, it was like that. She had nothing in common with Isak and they were littermates, closer to each other than they were with their own parents. Genie shakes her head, her anger fading away slowly. It's kind of stupid now that she thinks about it, but Mattias could've prevented all this by apologising in first place. Granted, the fae knew she was at fault too, but still.

Wait. Hold up. Chusi talked about her? "I apologise," Genie said, finally, her fur flattening against her body. She sighed and shook her head. "I'm not usually like this. I'm a bit on edge today." She isn't really a fan of arguing, to be honest, and she especially doesn't want to hold grudges in her new pack. This was supposed to be a fresh start for her, and it wouldn't do her any good to have enemies all of a sudden. "What did Chusi say?"

She didn't give a fuck about Mattias. But she did care about what the dark girl had said about her.

For some reason the girl was shocked to find out that Brienne was his kin.  It was true that he was much larger and sculpted than his sibling, but their markings were similar; he was a darker version of the fawn.  Still, it was fair that she was unable to connect the dots.  Brienne was such a kind soul, despite his ruthlessness towards her.  Yes, she is.  You knew her?

He realized that the ball was in his court with her sudden interest in the dark female but he hesitated; Chusi had wanted this girl to like him it seemed, and he was tempted to keep this information secret yet he thought it unwise to be dishonest if he were to gain her favor.  She spoke praises of you.  She suggested I meet you.

The woman had apologized and his tail quivered before falling naturally where it lay.  To be fair, are you alright was the most that anyone could be expected out of him and he had meant it sincerely.  I am unfortunately always like this, he mused, flews turning up to unearth some kind of a smile.  not so kind with strangers.  Or friends, family.. anyone, really.

But Chusi?  Hmm... the dark girl brought out something in him that he wasn't sure he liked, a softness and sincerity he had shown nobody but his kin.  He did not know what the lady had seen in this fiery spirit, but he was going to find out.

"Yeah, she was.." Genie glanced at Mattias curiously before shaking her head, "nice. She was really nice. Offered to find me a den." The two did look somewhat similar now that she actually concentrated on seeing the similarities, rather than dissing him in her head but still, damn. Not that it mattered. It didn't. And it wasn't like Genie cared, because she didn't. Not at all. 

Praises? That was sweet of her. "You don't think I lived up to her praises, do you?" An amused smile touched Genie's lips, turning the previously, frankly, bitchy look girl into someone much sweeter and kinder. Someone who resembled a cinnamon roll, rather than a prickly cactus. "Well, I'd rather be like this that what I usually am with strangers," she tilted her head. "Shyer, I mean." 

"So, do you like Chusi?" because that was valuable information. Because although Genie didn't, not yet at least, Mattias was not..allowed? No, that didn't seem like the right word. Hmm.

He rumbles contentedly, proud of his kin for making acquaintences in the Vale.  The titan wonders if the chocolate girl knew that she was gone yet, that he was the one who caused her departure.  He hoped she did; he did not want to have to deal with her pesky annoyance a second time.  

I think you haven't been given the chance.  For someone so brash it was incredibly fair, and he hoped the fae would not forsake it because he did not want to dislike her... he just did.

He ponders her last statement carefully, unable to give a yes or no answer.  He did not dislike Chusi, but was unsure of how much he could consider someone who would not be around very often a friend.  She was kind.  I enjoy her company.

The corner of Genie's lips quirked upwards into a smile. "You're kind of nice, you know," she says, her tone thoughtful as she appraised him in a new light. He seemed to be the kind of beast with a soft heart of gold, but then again, she couldn't really be sure, she had just met him. Still, Genie had learnt that first impressions were not to be trusted and Mattias seemed to be a pretty sweet guy, the kind of guy to give you 'tough love'. "It's sweet of you to say that." Because she wasn't the type to do that.

"She is," there is a fondness in Genie's amber eyes before she shook it away. Chusi would be on her way soon and it wouldn't do the chocolate yearling any good to dwell in thoughts of her friend. Instead, she tried to make up for her own first impression. Mattias was a pack member, so she should probably get to know him a bit even if these things came off as awkward for her. "So, how long have you been here?"

Ha.  He could not pinpoint exactly when she softened towards him, but her comment caught him off guard.  Nice?  Never in his life had anyone come close to thinking he was any semblance of the word nice, let alone feeling the need to vocalize it.  He let out a low hum as his smile broadened.

Much like Genie, Mattias had hardened his heart towards Chusi.  He had quite liked her, but soon she would be gone and he would have no part in yet another heartache.  He breathes in, reaching back in his memory to answer her question. He didn't know the exact amount of time since he had arrived in Northstar Vale, didn't know how many days had passed since he had fought with his sister, didn't know really how many days it had been since he had seen Chusi.  

The answer to all of them was Not long, and he offered it with a shrug.  How about you?  Where do you come from?

Genie did not often change her mind about someone if their first impression had been shitty and she didn't know exactly why she'd softened towards Mattias. Perhaps it was because Chusi mentioned her to him, which probably meant that the other girl thought that this beast was a good guy, or an okay guy, at least. And strange as it was, the sprite trusted her friend. Plus, they were packmates now so she might as well try to get along with him, first impressions or not.

The smile on Mattias's face reassured Genie that she was doing the right thing. "About a month or so, I guess," the girl lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "I came from...the north. Far north," she answered. She wasn't being vague on purpose, it was just simply that even she did not know exactly how to describe her origins. In fact, most of the time, she tried to forget where she came from. Memories hurt. "You?"