Northstar Vale Getting better

@Delight

Sebastian was grateful that he was allowed inside of the territory that was now of Tindómë. He had his belly filled and felt more strength back in his body after a day full of rest. He was feeling much better. The large male could even put some weight on his shoulder. He would still limp, maybe forever. He was not sure what damage was done to his muscles. Either way, he would take the limp as long as he could have four legs.

Sebastian decided that a round around 'the block' would be good for his shoulder. He wouldn't go outside the territory, just explore the insides on a calm tempo. He had no hurry. Sebastian was mostly focussing on his shoulder and slowly making it stronger. Perhaps swimming would help since then he didn't need to put weight on it? He would remember that. He wasn't sure if there was deep water around here somewhere.

thank u for starting <3

his doubts in his own leadership and his .. burgeoning desire to ... well, anyway, he's distracted right now: queenie's definitely pregnant and that's a thing, and alarian and sebastian are both sheltered here while they heal. the former two he's been spending time with, the latter he has largely left alone, not familiar enough with him to want to go barging in (okay, that's a lie, he so does he's just got a lot going on right now).

so when he catches sight of the large rochester he thinks, ah, perfect opportunity to check in. picking himself up a little in imitation of alpha-ian authority, delight quickens his pace til he's within sebastian's earshot and calls out. "hey, how're you holding up?"

Haha you are welcome

Sebastian dipped his head when the alpha approached. He was respectful of the male, as he was a guest here. The last thing he wanted was to be disrespectful to Delight. "I'm doing better. Thank you. I needed the rest," he spoke to the alpha.

Sebastian went to lie sit down. "I will probably leave within a week. I am grateful for your hospitality. I hope I can offer the same in return once," he spoke to him. He offed a smile. Then he wondered about his son and decided to ask. "How is Mato doing?"

he's glad to hear sebastian's health is improving -- the last thing he wants is mato's father to die under his rule too. delight doesn't know much about sebastian. burke hadn't seemed too fond of him, and mato hadn't seemed too close, and distracted as he's been by queenie and alarian, he finds he doesn't feel his usual urge to pick the rochester's brain for more details on the silvery prince. 

besides, if his own father can't bring mato back into the sun, then what chance does delight have?

"of course," he says demurely, his mind already on his tragic love when sebastian brings him up. and of course he does. the morwinyon sucks in a breath and glances away, trying to think of the best way to thread this delicate needle. at length he says, "he's... alright," glancing back towards the rochester man to gauge his reaction. "burke's death affected him deeply. he hasn't been the same since." and maybe delight is a fool for thinking he'd ever be the same again. maybe the future is a shade less silver.

Sebastian felt bad to hear that his son wasn't doing well. Sebastian might need to have a talk with his boy, though he doubted that it would have any effect. Mato had probably been closer with his grandfather than him. Sebastian didn't know why as the male had tried so hard to be a good father. The young male let out a sigh. "I can imagine he would,' he spoke with a soft nod.

"I am not sure if I can help him though," he admitted. Mato had been his own person from birth. He always had something special about him. "But I will try," he spoke with a nod. He then glanced at Tindome's leader. "Is that why Mato isn't leading anymore? It was such a passion of his," Sebastian stated and frowned slightly at the idea how bad things might be with his son.

If there are questions you cannot answer feel free to ignore them haha xD Or let me have it changed

hehe no its all good >:3c

delight nods awkwardly, unsure at how to best handle this. sebastian is mato's father, naturally he wants to know about his son -- and delight's done his fair share of thinking, examining, processing, trying to piece together the intricacies of mato's beautiful mind in the months since he became just another of tindómë's ghosts. 

there's a different between giving theories to strangers and this, though. the last thing he wants to do is offend mato's father -- nor does he really want to lie to him. "he stepped down to look after burke in his final months," he begins -- easy to start with the objective facts. "i'd hoped he'd come back to his position after burke's passing, but -- he'd grown so reclusive by then... i haven't really spoken with him since we moved from the king elk's forest." 

part of him hopes sebastian can get through to his son, if he'll even talk to him. but... delight suspects that whatever's taken hold of mato is beyond their ability to help. he just hopes he's still here when the silvery prince reawakens from his slumber.

Sebastian was proud to hear that his son would step down from his position to help his family. The male expected nothing less of his son. It was nice to know that he was so ambitious but still would think of the good of his family. Sebastian showed a worried frown when Delight told him that Mato had become more of a recluse.

"I am sorry to hear that," he frowned. "I will try and talk to him. But he might just have the bad Rochester jitters. When things don't go our way we tend to mock and scowl about it," he admitted. He had been terrible at the Caldera when he lost his family. He had not joined any activities. It sounded his son was the same.

"If not it is best to let him be. And he will return to you. I believe he will," Sebastian spoke with a firm nod.

"bad rochester jitters" is a hell of a phrase, but now that sebastian's said it, delight can see it. it's getting the piece of the rochester puzzle he's been missing -- the colder, weaker parts of mato that burke lacked. idealizing someone for so long only to be forced to acknowledge their flaws hurts. 

"i'd appreciate it," he says, anyway, because it's the right thing to say. he doesn't believe sebastian's claim one minute -- surely if mato were going to return to him, he would have by now, when they moved, when queenie and he... no. for the first time delight feels he can admit to himself that there really is no future with mato. whether or not he is strong enough to act on that... is another story. "thanks, sebastian," delight adds, and means it. "while i've got you here... can you tell me a little bit about redhawk caldera? burke spoke of it -- told us what they'd done to him -- but i .. collect stories, as it were." and lowkey he still thinks it's fucked up sebastian stayed with them but hey. if there was a war and he can learn about some of that... all the better for his history collection.

Sebastian dipped his head. He wondered how much influence he would have over his son he hadn't seen for such a long time. But he would try after all. Sebastian dipped his head when he said his thanks. Delight then asked about the Caldera. He could imagine that the Caldera was a concept quite vague to Delight. Burke probably hadn't been positive about them.

"Of course. When I came here as a two-year-old I joined them. They were a family to me. Then I left to start my own pack. When things didn't go well, they took me and my pack back into their mids. I think that is very admirable. Only then, a food scarcity came with all these members. So tensions ran high, especially with the younger generation of the Caldera. Burke being Burke went against it instead of accepting the fact that he was a refuge there,' Sebastian explained. "They showed me great friendship and loyalty so I couldn't be ungrateful and I stayed," he spoke with a nod. He even stayed to fight a war for them.

sebastian and burke were quite different. as useful as it is, objectively, to have a rounder story than burke gave him -- at least he can kind of understand sebastain's misguided loyalty now -- it doesn't make his view of the redhawks any kinder. 

he elects not to comment on that though, clucking his tongue instead. right. "and then they had a war," he says, confirming what sebastian had mentioned before. "with who? what happened?" his eyes glint as he speaks, feeling that unbidden, familiar spark -- god he loves collecting information.

Sebastian nodded in confirmation that the war happened. "It was against Blackfeather," Sebastian returned. "A dark pack in the flatlands. They live in a smelly swamp to the east. Well, we won. But I can't remember much of what happened afterward. It apparently took me a month to get back to the Caldera," he explained.

His face looked pained. "I also lost someone who is very close to me. So for me, it didn't feel like a win at all," he spoke. He was certain he had heard her howl but he had also imagined her back at the Caldera when she wasn't. Perhaps he should accept the fact that she was not here anymore. He didn't want to think about Andalusia because it was just too painful.

sebastian's description of blackfeather makes him squint. "burke told me about blackfeather," he says, a slight frown to his voice, "or -- sort of. he said they're very secretive." none of this helps him understand what happened or why, but it seems sebastian doesn't really know, himself. he's burningly curious -- a war seems like a big deal, seems like something a historian ought to know about, even if he wasn't technically involved in it. 

seeing sebastian's face, though, he lets it go. "i'm sorry to hear that," delight says quietly instead, "thanks for telling me what you know." he still has mixed feelings about the rochester male, about -- this conversation in general. but he's given the morwinyon plenty of things to think about. 

"take care, sebastian," delight says, out of things to ask about -- and ready to withdraw. he gives him a nod and moves to head off, to mull things over by himself for a little bit.

Sebastian nodded with a slight frown. "Burke was the leader of them before he was kicked out," Sebastian confirmed. He doubted that Burke would have told Delight what dark things that pack was doing. Sebastian decided to let it go. He didn't feel like battling this subject again. He had spent long enough on this matter. He and his dad would always have different opinions.

Sebastian dipped his head. "You are welcome. Thanks again for the hospitality," he spoke in return to the male. Sebastian then went into another direction. Glad to talk to Delight. Hopefully, he could talk some sense into Mato...


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