Lone Star Mountain somewhere there's a party

The girl pulled herself into a more respectable pose, and Talion continued to observe her in silence as her tail swept the ground at her rear. She smiled then, the softness of her expression allowing his muscles to slacken somewhat. The corner of his mouth tugged upward in response, though his own smile didn't quite reach his pale eyes.

"Talion," he responded simply, opting to offer his true name rather than the cruel nickname his mother had bestowed upon him - "Vex". All of Astarte Strand's females called him this during his time there, and it had taken him some time to readjust to using his original moniker. His surname, Roux-Abrhen, had only been gifted to him by his father when he'd been moved from the Priestess' chambers to reside among the guards as a small pup. He'd never been formally given one by the Nereides and Notturno's held no meaning to them, so Talion did not see the importance of it.

It was still strange to him, to be treated kindly by females. Talion had learned on his travels that not all of them were like those where he came from, that sometimes girls welcomed his companionship or invited him to hunt with. Despite his background - a past that no one had to know about - he hoped could be accepted amongst a normal pack. His mother and sisters' rejection would be something he would likely carry with him forever, but the possibility of a new beginning was worth holding onto.

Canting a velvet lobe curiously, he looked upon the young she-wolf's lovely features, careful to never meet her eyes; "are you from around here?"