King Elk Forest Meeting the king

thankfully the elder agrees to help, and relieved the boy sits back, expression alert, ready to commit whatever he needs to memory. as with mato, the key details are the easy part: blackfeather woods; a different pack based on trades; the fen mato had mentioned (lead by his father, he now notes); the caldera. though a touch disappointed at burke's professed lack of relationship with the silver prince, the details in his outline are sound. there is a legacy before tindómë in the roots of mato's family, bound by the extra souls he brought in to his home.

"ah, thanks," the androgyne says, "it's a good outline, i think." he turns it over in his head, thinking of what might be clarified, and asks: "what was the name of your pack, after blackfeather? and, wait," his voice dips, becoming incredulous, "they wouldn't let you eat?" it's a slightly delayed reaction, but he can't help the flush of - irritation, maybe something stronger, at the cruelty in that gesture: delight is a selfish brat, but he cannot imagine sanctioning letting your elders starve. (whether this thought is merely empty promise or actual praxis is better left unexamined - and anyway, mato wouldn't allow something like that!)