Ravensblood Forest in a cave on a failed bit of terraforming

nassim is so cute. <3

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The idea of joining Teaghlaigh seemed to be a source of perplexity to the younger man. “That's usually what loners lingering at my borders are after, isn't it? Becoming one of us.” At least the kid was honest and Arturo admired it. The trees had caught his attention and he already had a family. An amused expression crossed the gangster's expression for a few moments before it morphed back into the look he typically used for business. “We all have a family, but Teaghlaigh is Family of the pack.” Different and yet he supposed in some ways it was the same as a blood family. His general experience with Teaghlaigh had always been very different from his experience with his actual family and even the wolves of his natal pack. Then again, he was a half breed in the most common derogatory term he'd heard (though there had been many and some much more creative). Arturo had found that others either cared or they didn't with no area of grey inbetween.

The young man amended his words, adding that he was a hunter or something and that he could stick around for the winter if he (arturo) needed. For a moment the melanistic coywolf was sorely tempted to inquire what a or something was but let it drop. Admittedly, another hunter would be good for them — it would give Palisander someone to help with bigger game that didn't require the entire pack to take down ...but Teaghlaigh wasn't the kind of pack you joined just for the winter. He supposed that the rank of Comhlach would be fitting for that in a pinch but there was no opportunity to advance in the hierarchy as a simple associate of The Family. As an ambitious beast himself, Arturo did not like the idea of being kept entirely in the dark about the going-on's of pack life. To live among them but be an outsider. Comhlach was not meant to be a permanent rank for anyone — merely a transitional rank. A place to hold them until they earned the trust of the family and completed the task that he set for them.

“I appreciate your honesty,” Arturo began, getting that out of the way. It was a compliment, rare from the gangster but truth nevertheless. “If you're looking for a place to stay the winter months the Comhlach rank might work,” He took a brief pause before he continued, “but as a Comhlach you'll be kept in the dark of the inner going-on's of Teaghlaigh. You won't know anything vital about the pack. You know what any loner who as heard about us will know which is, essentially, nothing. It's meant to be a transitional rank, see? It's held while it's occupant earns our trust and completes the task I assign for them to complete. When they've completed those things they are welcomed into The Family. Teaghlaigh doesn't operate like your typical pack.” Arturo informed him, giving pause here to allow for inquiries and to gauge the stranger's reaction. So, if this kid was just looking for a place to crash for the winter perhaps The Family was not the best suited for him.

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