Redhawk Caldera The Higher Order

For the alpha's of RHC, (@Peregrine or @Fox) and maybe @Elwood to explain how. Also, for whoever does join, do you mind if I back date this to the day after he joins?

Aduin felt at home here. At least, part of him wanted to feel at home. But so much was unfamiliar. The only member he had come across was the one who invited him in, Elwood. Even if Sebastian had vouched for him, it was thanks to Elwood that he got in. But he couldn't always count on him for help, not until he knew more about him. He needed to know more of this place, and him. To find someone to trust, until Seb came back. If he was to come back at all.

He decided this day was to be the day to meet the alpha, or alphas if there were multiple. He sent out a call for them, as well as Elwood, just in case, and then waited on a dirt path with him sitting down onto it, his eyes on the lookout for them.

Fox's appetite had started to wane. While she had not yet tossed any meals up after eating them, she'd come close a time or two. It was all right on track, at least according to what she (barely) remembered from last year's pregnancy. Things were coming along just fine, and soon there would be new bundles of fur and joy to brighten Redhawk Caldera. Or darken it, depending on how much Fox hated them this year.

An unfamiliar voice beckoned her to come, and although she was grumpy about it, she answered with a grunt and began to trot toward the call. What she found was a young wolf—couldn't be much older than her own children—sitting patiently. She had to admit she hadn't come across such a sight in quite some time. "You rang?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. Fox settled onto her haunches a comfortable distance away (but close enough for conversation).

He waited, thinking of how to introduce himself once they arrived. Should he be formal, or not speak at all and just make gestures? He didn't know what the alphas were like, but he knew to be submissive. When someone came around as an answer to his call, he lowered his head slightly. A red-furred she-wolf. To him, she looked like a fox-wolf hybrid. She asked a question, and he answered. "Y-yes" he answered. What a way to show first impressions. As a nervous guy.

But he decided to try and make it better for himself. "I am A-Aduin. I was...accepted by Elwood, after Sebastian vouched for me" he said. He guessed, after how Elwood had approached Seb, that he was well known around here. The only question was in what way by the others. He kept his eyes past the alpha, trying his best not to look into her eyes.

He seemed nervous, which Fox had realized over time was common (but no less annoying). What did he have to be nervous about? He had not been around long enoug to cause any trouble, as far as she was aware. She briefly wondered what had been going through Elwood's head when he had accepted the simpering whelp. She sighed, trying to look past it for now and listen to whatever it was he was going on about.

"Sebastian?" she asked, her interest piqued. "How do you know him?" Fox hadn't seen or heard from him since he had left to go find himself a lady friend... and as far as she could tell, this was no lady. Maybe he decided to be like Lasher and Pan and boink boys instead. She couldn't really judge, considering she'd had her fun with Starling

As he guessed, she did know him. Or had maybe heard of him. But her response was all he needed to know the answer. He replied as quickly as he could muster his voice to do so. "He and my s-sister. They were mates" he answered. Though, he rathered to keep back the reason for the 'were'. That was something he rathered to keep between him and Seb.

He moved his eyes to her fore-paws, shifting his own around a bit. "I..I am A-Aduin" he said, introducing himself formally. It was the least he could do. "Sebastian said I would be safe here. Until he r-returned." It felt right to say that. Perhaps he could get a little explanation on how things went around here, so he could try to fit in.

"Stop your stammering," Fox replied in her usual blunt manner. "It's hard to understand you when you stutter like that." She had little use for comrades who were going to be nervous around her. Aduin had no reason to believe that she was going to do anything henious, did he? Fox tried to recall if she'd ever done anything horrible to Sebastian, but her memory had never served her very well. She vaguely recalled that Seb had been a good Redhawk during his stint at the caldera. She put him and Fitz about on the same level in that regard (though Fitz had lost points the last time Fox had seen him... he'd basically lost his mind).

"What happened to your sister?" Fox asked, picking up on the past tense of his statement. She had never understood couples who "broke up." The only reason Fox would ever leave Peregrine was if he died. Well, that was her current thinking, anyway. She didn't realize that he would basically be dead to her in a few days.

Aduin flinched a little. No one had really told him to stop stammering before. It had become such a habit. But, with her being an alpha, he complied. "Sorry" he replied, apologizing for his constant stutters. He had to get the nervousness under control, for his own sake. And for Sebastian's, upon his possible return. He pushed back the nervous thoughts, and tried to manage a less nervous face, and slowed his tail's wagging. Even adding a little smile in there. Perhaps he put a little too much into that smile.

Now to the more personal matters. He went to reply, but stopped himself. What would he say? That his sisters vanished into thin air? After some thought, he answered. "They left. Without a word." He stopped himself before he could become a crying mess. A nervous wreck, and kept himself confident. It felt like a good change.

"They?" Fox asked. She had only asked about his sister. It could not have been Sebastian, right? Aduin had just stated that he'd left him here. Fox was seriously wondering what Seb saw in this guy (if anything). Perhaps he had just wanted to dump him here so he wouldn't have to deal with him. She was beginning to think there was no other possible explanation. "You're gonna have to quit dancing around whatever it is you're dancing around and get to the point."

Aduin took a deep breath in, then followed it with a long whoosh out. 'Okay, Aduin. Just let it all out' he thought to himself. The nerve-racked wolf spoke, the words all tumbling out one after the other without pause. "My sisters left us. Sebastian took me under his protection. We went by many places. Then he brought me here. Dropped me off to deal with his father, and now I'm here." He let out a sigh of relief, finally having got it all out. He was lucky not to have went into crying, somehow having had control over himself. His tail wagged in relief, and a smile returned.

"It felt like he was trying to avoid this pack." Truthfully, it did. They went everywhere but here, until this place was all he could think of. He had to know why, and he already guessed Sebastian was in no way to answer him. "Why did he leave?" he asked curiously.

Thanks for the thread!

Fox didn't really feel like getting into it. Maybe that made her rude, but she was far past the point of caring. "I don't fuckin' know," she replied. "I'm gonna go... find Peregrine. Carry on." She was less than impressed with this addition to Redhawk Caldera, though she felt she only had herself to blame. She had been ridiculously absent from pack affairs as of late. Little did she know Perry would soon kick him to the curb.

Without further ado, Fox left the scene without really saying good-bye.