King Elk Forest Beautiful Beginnings

Matteo shows up on the borders quite by accident, but will by the end of this thread, decide to stay. ;3 Multiple welcome!

The chilling winds that bit from the mountain peaks rushed across Matteo's pelt, sleeking it flat, as he trodded along the rocky, pine-dotted path. He had attempted a brief trek into the mountains proper, simply as something to accomplish, but quickly grew bored of the adventure. Too cold. Too windy. The air, too thin. He was on his way back down, but his path had wound him into a loop. Now, his trail had come to a hard stop, and quite suddenly, as he stumbled over his paws at the scent of a border marking. He turned his nose to the tree he'd just passed and realized immediately that he'd crossed into some pack's territory. Not the best way to say hello to the locals... but as he stood there staring at the tree, he wondered if it'd be less or more offensive to back up again, now that his scent was clear across the line anyway.

He opted to stay put, but announce himself, as not to stir up trouble. He threw his head back in a long-winded howl, the call not entirely wolfish, like an accented song. As his voice echoed into the distance, he sat himself with head low, waiting patiently to see if anyone would answer his summons.

is he in a pack or a shakespearean tragedy of his own making? the besotted ophelia (more likely to be a forgetten mercutio, he would think bitterly, if he knew of shakespeare) sighs as he drifts by the borders. delight still wants to follow mato to the vale, if he goes - when he goes - but that would leave brienne, malice, and burke (and possibly jomyo) to handle the forest alone. things are quiet here, but strategically he knows it's flawed.

but he wants to. 

the vailë does not have too long to sulk -- there's a stranger's scent in the forest, well past the borders. for a moment he is alarmed, but mostly intrigued - so few visitors do they get, he almost thinks it must be someone mato knows. and then the stranger calls out and it's definitely not so informal and he straightens his shoulders and slinks up. "you always go traipsin' into claimed territories for an audience," delight demands, voice and face matched in prickliness, "'cause it's not a good look."

Do forgive my posts being on the short-worded side; we had a rattie emergency in our brood today. ;u; I'm all worn out.

He startles at how quickly the pack's representative arrives. Well bordered, then. A good defense was sign for a healthy pack. He shuffled his shoulders back in a rolling shrug, jaws parting in a relaxed grin. His tail shuffled at his hip on the ground, and his head remained lower set, aligned with his shoulders- submissive enough.

"Apologies. I thought it bad form to backtrack after I so thoughtlessly crossed your borders." He bowed his head in an apologetic nod. "I'm called Matteo. I passed your marker whilst lost in thought. Quite by accident, let me assure you." He glanced back at that tree again, then grinned sheepishly, ears rolling back and jaws agape. "I'm not looking for trouble, but I am curious now. What is this place? Who are you?" Multi-hued eyes looked the stranger over almost eagerly, as if the idea of meeting someone new, learning of a new pack, a new place, could excite him like nothing else.

no need to apologise! <3

the stranger does not react aggressively and so the sulking shadow takes a moment to study him. at first blush he'd not noticed the oddities of the other's coloration - not just a white wolf but a striking one with that pink toned nose and funny pink-and-blue eyes. delight doesn't know the word albino, has never met another like this - the novelty strikes him as pretty (a thought he quickly vanquishes), and he's pleased when the boy lowers himself appropriately.

heh. actually, he's never experienced someone acting submissive toward him. it's kind of weird. the excuse is - whatever, but maybe that unusual pink nose can't smell properly. "oo-kay," the singing-sunlight says, voice dubious but wiling to let it go for the moment. besides - this is the first time they've had someone new come upon them - if anything, it's a good omen. "my name is delight singing-sunlight," he says, drawing himself up appropriately, "and this is the king elk's forest, home to tindómë." 

he does not give more details - yet - though he notes the eager anticipation on the other's face. that's definitely a good sign. his posture relaxes, falling back into it's usual somewhat-teenagery slouch as he asks, "what about you? what's your name? where do you come from?" rapid-fire.

Teo said his name in the last post voluntarily lol so pretend that was done between then and now > u >

Tindome. Interesting name. And this place, King Elk's Forest. He eyed the other, looking for signs of good health and quite frankly to see if the other could be considered fat. Fat meant well fed, and that meant easy hunting. Less concern for hungry bellies could mean less need to bring the eyesore on hunts. The less hunting Teo had to do, the less distructive he'd be to a pack. He could fend for himself on solo hunts, with smaller game that wouldn't interest the pack on the regular. They'd be less wary. Easy pickings. He'd be able to fend for himself, and the rest of pack life didn't rely on camofloge.

He sighed inwardly to himself. It was wishful thinking, at best.

"From a place where white pelts stand out in a bad way." He shrugged, though the movement was tenser than before. He didn't care much for his past and the negative events therein. "Now I'm just a lone vagabond. Would join any pack that'd have an eyesore like me, though. I'm tiring of the lean look." A subtle hint masked in casual conversation. He honestly did tire of this lonesome life he lived. Delight seemed like... delightful company. Surely his pack wasn't much different?

ahaha oops sorry!! me dumb

the story he gives is - well, it's lacking, but he's curious anyway. something in the way matteo says in a bad way coupled with the visible scars delight now pays attention to makes him feel uneasy. "why? it looks nice. uh. your.. anyway," he says, voice flustered, grateful as usual for the way the darkness of his own coat obscures his blush. "right, so, yes, i mean. tindómë is based around skills instead of a traditional heirarchy - what sorts of things are you good at? or, um, do you like doing?" 

eyeing the scrawny thing he rules fighting off the list automatically. a shame - with trajan's absence seemingly permanent they could use another warrior, but - well, hell, it's not like delight would know which way was up in a fight. he's a storyteller for elk's sake. "and you're not an eyesore," he adds, belatedly, voice trying for an unaffected casual-ness and failing only slightly, "you just. stick out a little."

lol gosh no it's no probs, it was snuck into the middle there > u >

Delight went on to... almost? compliment his coat, and he felt a bit torn. Part of him cringed, another grimaced and another still wanted to just accept the freakin' compliment for once. He opted to silence in the end, letting the other get on to what Tidome Pack was built around. Skills, huh?

"I'm a good digger, and I can hold my own in a fight, if you'd believe it." Back home, digging dens into deep snow and frozen earth had been his best chore. Guiseppe, whose name had ironically meant earth or something, was better suited for hunting. He took after his coyote part, he supposed. "Besides that, I can hunt, I just need more cover than most. Actually taking down prey isn't a problem." He grinned sheepishly, teeth parted. "It's sneaking up that's the obvious problem."

"That all said... if you lot have an open position I can fill, even if it's not a talent I have now... I'm a quick learner." He dipped lower, tail slapping against his hip- almost excited submission, very formal, very traditional. "If Tidome would have me."

his assumption had been wrong, apparently - though he  eyes the albino dubiously. well, if he wants to go for merc he'll have to prove it to them anyway, so, not delight's problem.

"cool," he says, relieved the other lets his sheepish compliments go. "that all seems like pretty useful stuff. i'm a historian myself - a storyteller. you'll have to tell me yours sometime." he flashes a quick smile - or tries to, it never quite twisting his mouth just right. "our leader is called the morwinyon - let me call for him." and with that the vailë tips his head back and for the second time so soon, calls for @Mato.

Delight’s call rises from the borders and Mato moves towards the sound, wondering where the sudden attention from loners comes from. Perhaps, he thinks, it’s the press of winter and the instinctual need to survive it. He is not about to complain, of course, but they had gone for so long in silence losing a few along the way to the point that Mato had grown genuinely concerned for the future of Tindómë and considered his options, even going so forward as to discuss the potential with Delight. Delight, who Mato finds himself appreciating so much more than he initially realized. For the moment, he tucks the thought away as he approaching the scene: glancing at the pale and pink and marred stranger with his apple green gaze before it flickers to Delight. Mato’s tail rises over his back to assert himself as Morwinyon before he looks to the two males inviting the explanation with body posture though he already suspects why the stranger lingers so.

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ooc

Matteo was patient until the leader- the 'morwinyon'- arrived. The albino lad regarded the bigger male with a respectful dip of his head. It was lower than before, bending at the elbows and the wrists and all but touching the dirt floor with his nose. His tail kept up with the excited wagging, shifting back and forth against his flank, curled to the side.

He'd wait his turn to speak, though. He knew enough about other packs to know some leaders preferred their subordinates seen and not heard; to not speak unless spoken to. He figured such wasn't the case here, but just to be on the safe side, he kept his mouth shut aside from the occasional whisp of his voice as he breathed.

mato arrives and as usual delight has to glance away before his expression betrays him, focusing on matteo's reaction. the albino nearly prostrates himself and he frowns - it's proper, sure, but also a bit much, and his gaze lingers uneasily on those scar once again. yeah, he definitely wants to know this guy's story.

matteo doesn't seem like he's about to speak so the vailë clears his throat, looking at mato. "this is matteo," he introduces, "and he'd like to join us." he can't help the slightly smug tone in his voice - he's two for two now. the singing-sunlight glances back at the joiner and gestures vaguely with his nose, adding, "you can tell him about yourself, y'know," in case he's waiting for permission or something.

Mato watches as the scarred male goes into full-blown submission, surprising the druid. “Please, there’s no need for such severe submission,” Mato encourages him to rise. Respect, yes, but Mato is no warlord and does not require that kind of submission. The druid is a guardian of the earth, a seeker of peace and knowledge. He has no interest in being a domineering tyrant. Delight speaks for the albino and Mato’s gaze goes from one male to the other and then back again where they linger upon Matteo. A soft smile tugs at the corners of the Morwinyon’s lips. The new recruit’s name sounds close to Mato’s own. “We share similar names, it seems. I am Mato.” The empyrean offers his own name, unsure if Delight’s already done it or not. Nevertheless, it simply strikes Mato as polite to offer his own name regardless. “Yes, please. What trades are you interested in? What skills can you contribute to Tindómë?” Mato encourages, assuming that Delight has already given Matteo the run down on how the pack operates.

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short post ; u ; ahhh edit: MERCENARY RANK PLS

"Apologies. My first pack wasn't so lax." Matteo wore a sheepish expression as he sat back up, multi-hued eyes gleaming with a newly burning curiosity. He eyed the pair as they spoke and then turned back to Mato as he was addressed. Skills, trades, yadda yadda.

"I'm an able hunter, if given the right cover. Beyond that, I am a powerful digger and den builder, and I am a quick learner." He explained, sounding much more at ease, but posture still stiff and hinting at timidness. "I'm also a capable fighter." That last bit was spoken tersely, his expression taught. He was certainly capable, yes, but preferences swayed towards a more peaceful existence.

there is not much for him to do as mato takes control of the conversation. he's relieved when matteo sits up, tempered only slightly by the implied confirmation of delight's own suspicions about where the albino comes from. tindómë is unusual in many regards but - but he'd been lucky too, hadn't he, that his childhood home had not be cruel. as much as it pains him to think about them, they had not been cruel.

delight notes the change in matteo's expression - he'd not been so terse when he mentioned to the androgyne he could fight. the albino núro-to-be grows more intriguing by the minute. well. no one would make him fight if he didn't want to, and he knew morwinyon would tell him as much. sharp moon eyes flick over to the silvery prince, waiting for his final verdict.

Mato, despite his varying difference from his father, was not brought up to be cruel. The druid does not agree with many nuances of ‘traditional’ packs: everything in Tindómë was meant to encourage trades, meant to encourage passion and drive; the hierarchy was meant to be a design of each wolf’s own making. They would climb as high as they desired to: the sky was the limit and all that. Tindómë was largely about self motivation and designed to weed out those that could not motivate themselves to contribute …and perhaps, Mato thinks, that is inherently cruel. Surely, to not be charitable is and always will be cruel. Perhaps that means the empyrean is not as altruistic as he would like to believe himself. Still, he thinks that having a strict set of pack laws does not necessarily make him a tyrant. Matteo speaks of his abilities: able hunter, powerful digger and den builder …and capable fighter — though it does not escape the ( selectively ) perceptive empyrean’s attention that it’s spoken tersely with a taunt expression to accompany it. “Which path you trade path you chose to elevate you through the ranks is solely your own choice,” Mato begins. “no one will make you do anything you do not wish to. Every trade is valued in Tindómë. You do not have to decide right away but ultimately you should begin working towards a trade soon.” It is true that there exists a grey rank that is a safety net for the undecided but he is tentative to give it, to use it because it remains at the very bottom of the hierarchy with no chance to climb unless a trade is earned. “Welcome to Tindómë, Matteo. You should know we co-exist with a large elk we call King Elk. He and his cow are not to be bothered or hunted. It was his forest long before it was ours and we honor and respect his claim and his willingness to co-inhabit with us.” The druid speaks the warning, taking in Matteo with a critical eye once more before he offers the pale male a welcoming dip of his head before he looks to Delight. “Delight, would you be so kind as to give Matteo a tour?” The druid inquires, figuring that he would want to as their newest member was his recruit.

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