Grouse Thicket all we know

He returned her smile easily even though it no longer felt like it was his smile; he felt as if Sargent had tainted him, made him into someone he was not, someone he no longer wished to be. Nico didn't voice his concerns, however, instead he padded beside his silver companion, lost in his thoughts. He did not speak, but felt that their silence was comfortable, rather than awkward. Besides, he was sure she would understand his need for alone time with his own thoughts, even though he knew for a fact that it would do nothing to help, and that by thinking, he was simply digging himself deeper into his own hole. 

The sounds of a river grew louder, and as the emerged from the treeline, he caught a glimpse of Aeronwyn's home. Unknowingly, the soldier swallowed thickly, feeling an unfamiliar twist of nervousness in his gut as he surveyed what would soon be, his new home, that is, if he got accepted. It seemed like a calm place, but he began having his doubts when Aero smiled at him and told him that they had arrived. He didn't want to ruin another relationship, but he also didn't want to corrupt what seemed to be a nice pack. Still, even as a cold, foreboding chill ran down his spine and his stomach did backflips, he returned her smile and waited as she tilted her muzzle in the air and howled for her leaders.

Distantly, Nico saw a shadowy form emerge from the other side. He felt his heartbeat quicken, and immediately, he told himself to take deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. It wasn't like he was meeting her parents, he reasoned to himself, and winter was coming, they had no reason not to take him in. He was fit, and he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. And obviously, he did not have any weird mental disorders that could potentially compromise the safety of their pack. No, no, Nico wasn't that kind of wolf.

He realised then that maybe, not all of his nervousness was associated with his disorder. A part of it was because he was afraid to disappoint Aeronwyn and her leaders, and he was terrified that he would be unable to get in, thus ruining his only chance at having a relationship with her. In fact, in a way, it did feel like he was meeting her parents, because he needed their approval, desperately. Obviously, Nicolas didn't let that show. Instead, he smiled softly as the she-wolf addressed them and lowered himself into a submissive position, his gaze averted and his posture showing respectful deference to the two leaders that had arrived.

"My name is Nicolas, but everyone calls me Nico," he said in his lilting accent. "I'm a....." he paused, unsure of how to address their relationship, before mentally shrugging. "I'm a friend of Aeronwyn," he continued, and though his voice was soft, it held an underlying layer of quiet confidence, "and I'm wish to join your pack."