Ravensblood Forest i asked the coppers on our payroll

i know that your recruitment thread isn't finished yet so i assumed some things — namely that she'd become apart of Teaghlaigh and that Furiosa told 'turo about her. :P

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There was one recruit that Ceannasach had yet to meet on any capacity — the female that had arrived with Furiosa when his red herring had returned from her diplomatic mission. Arturo wasn't sure what he had expected her to bring back with her from Silvertip but it hadn't been a recruit. Nevertheless, Arturo was pleased. Furiosa had been busy during her time away from The Family and Arturo trusted her judgment. Truly, so long as they understood and accepted how Teaghlaigh operated and they obeyed and enforced it's two laws, and did not compromise The Family then he had no qualms. Anyone could bring in recruits: especially once they were formed as they would only be Comhlach's — the Associates — until they proved their loyalty and dedication to The Family.

He checked in on Chusi when he brought her breakfast, dropping the plump rabbit inside the mouth of the den for his young ward, unable to help but wonder if he wasn't spoiling her a bit — for no doubt she was old enough to start hunting on her own — but his paternal instincts bid him to take care and provide for her and so he did. Perhaps another morning he would rouse her from sleep and take her out hunting, see what she could do. As he was not her biological father and she'd only been in his care for a short while he wasn't sure what she knew and what she did not; and he'd been concerned with teaching her things for her mercenary trade that he admittedly hadn't considered finding out if she'd ever been taught to hunt for herself.

Though Arturo's normal routine would usually take him to the borders to run his patrol and mark them but instead his path averted, taking him deeper towards the heart of Ravensblood, unsure where to begin his search for @Olive but knowing that if they didn't happen to bump into one another that he would call for her.

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Safe assumptions! ;)

Olive found herself in an unfamiliar, yet exhilarating situation. For the few months since she had left her family, rejoining a pack had been the furthest thing from her mind. Several of the wolves Olive encountered on her journeys had raised the question to her, but she gently rebuffed them each time.  She could not stay a loner forever, that Olive knew as a fact; but while she had no mate, no pups and no relations rooting her in one place, it only made sense to Olive to explore and experience everything this awesome world had to offer.

However - Furiosa had painted a picture of Teaghlaigh that made Olive’s heart swell to bursting. It excited Olive to be a part of something big... and from the very start! As she surveyed what would soon be her new territory, Olive often found herself wondering if Teaghlaigh had been the entire reason she left her pack all those months ago. There are no coincidences, Olive reminded herself. The universe had a funny way of working like that. 

It seemed that Olive was allowed an adjustment period, as she encountered very few wolves of Teaghlaigh. Furiosa had explained that the pack was still recruiting - and for this, Olive was thankful. Though Olive was a sociable and affable femme, she had grown accustomed to her solitude. It appealed to her effervescent nature to concede to her whims and travel to secret destinations, known only by her. This was how she had been raised, and was the only life she knew. Where ever the wind blew, which ever trees bided for her heart - she was there to answer the call.

In that aspect, Ravensblood Forest did not disappoint. Life and spirits surrounded her in the form of plants, stately trees and small critters. The forest was active with life - to those who could see it. Often the trees blocked her view of the heavens, but Olive had already found several locations where the tree canopy thinned and she could see an expanse of stars. Perhaps, she wondered again, one of those spots would make a good den. Olive smiled to herself. For the most part, the forest was calm and plentiful.

She was happy.

Olive trotted through the forest now, her leisurely gate complemented by the squirrel swinging from her jaws. A peaceful wolf, Olive never enjoyed killing and sought to commit the act as little as possible.However, her hunger this morning necessitated the taking of a life. As she ambled upon the leaf litter, she soon came upon an unfamiliar male. Momentarily pulling back, Olive studied him from afar. His pelt was a comely mix of greys, creams and black. He carried himself with an air of royalty, as if he owned the forest. Olive further considered him with a cocked head. Perhaps he did own the forest.

Olive dropped the squirrel in her mouth onto the ground. “My Liege,” Olive greeted as she lowered her head, neck and shoulders in a humble bow. It was not difficult to recognize this wolf, even if she did not yet know him. It was unmistakably Teaghlaigh’s leader, whom Furiosa had informed her about. Still in a low bow, she waited for the Magnate to acknowledge her before continuing. “I have been very eager to make your acquaintance. I am Olive, and I am humbled to have been invited to be a part of Teaghlaigh.” 

In an act of submission, Olive pushed the squirrel towards Arturo with her muzzle: an offering. Raising her gaze but not her head, Olive peered up at the brute and awaited his reaction.

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The female that came upon him, was small, dainty. Her coat was a mixture of greys, blacks, browns and white. Her eyes were green, as if she had siphoned color from the canopy above for her irises (for Arturo did not have a name for the color olive). He had never met her before but he recognized her as his newest recruit Olive for that simple fact. Arturo's steps drew to a halt, watching as she dropped her catch at her paws and bowed and greeted him with a title he had never been called before. Liege. It was such a posh title for a coywolf like him. Of course, Ceannasach was posh in it's own right but liege sounded strange to be painted upon him. His fiery, red-orange gaze assessed her openly, flattered nevertheless. She was proper and manners was something the gangster very much appreciated on all accounts. “I am no liege,” Arturo corrected her politely, the smoky reticence of his voice amused. “but I appreciate your propriety.” He admired with a slight bow of his crown in gratitude.

It was exactly what Arturo wanted to see of Teaghlaigh's wolves. They were not a band of heathens, after all. “It's a pleasure Olive,” The gangster welcomed her with a soft smile tugging at the edges of his lips. “I'm Arturo,” No doubt they'd already known one another's names but it was a pleasantry to offer it freely, personally, all the same. Ceannasach looked from her to the squirrel she nosed towards him before his gaze slid back up to her. “No,” Arturo refused politely, before he nosed it back to her. “Thank you for the offer but it is your kill. As well as I've already eaten.” He told her taking a step back, gesturing with a slight cant of his muzzle for her to go ahead and eat.


“How are you settling in?” He inquired after a few moments, genuinely curious to hear her response. He kept the wolves of Teaghlaigh busy as they were in the very final steps of perpetration. Soon, they would be official and things would calm and relax when they could settle comfortably into their pack lands. No one had yet bothered them (as far as Arturo was aware) and his claim was too strong, his numbers swelled past the point of an easy usurping, but until the claim was official he found it hard to relax while things still needed tended to. Then again, Arturo Fearghal had never been an idle man and had no intentions of changing that any time soon.

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Haha, sorry, she’s a little coquettish at times

Olive, determined to keep her head respectfully low until instructed otherwise, listened with pricked ears as he welcomed her as sincerely as she greeted him. She liked that in a leader - a sense of mutual respect. Olive's beliefs left her feeling unsettled when she encountered kings and queens who waved their superiority over their subjects. To Olive, all wolves were born in the same manner and ascended to the heavens in the same manner. Of course, some wolves seemed more adapted (and even destined) for leadership and greatness than others - but what was hierarchy if not a wolfmade institution?

However, those were ideas that not many wolves shared. Olive knew well to keep these thoughts to herself and almost hoped her free spirit would abate in due time. Olive was part of a pack again, and needed to subscribe to the packs rules.  

Olive listened earnestly to the wolf as he declined her kill and offered it back to her. To re-insist that he take the offering would just be a formality... and Arturo did not look like he was one for more formalities. She smiled up at him appreciatively and tucked the meal behind her. Though she had his blessing, her lunch could wait until later. 

In truth, Olive had not seen a male in quite some time (if not ever during her time in these unknown lands) and it was something of a novelty.  In fact, it was quite refreshing. Olive appreciated the straight-forwardness of the male gender, and though the two had exchanged few words, she found it satisfying.  It reminded her of a story of two gods that her mother used to tell her, of Shakti and Shiva. Shiva represented the masculine consciousness, and Shakti the feminine. One could not exist without the other, a yin and yang of pure, divine light and energy. Shakti was often depicted as the wolf who held up the world with Shakti danced on top of it. Shiva is the empty, clear screen onto which Shiva projects her colorful film. To Olive, harnessing this balance is key. Male wolves anchored females to the earth, lest the float away.

Olive nearly purred at the fond memory of her mother’s teachings. Raising herself out of her bow, she looked Arturo in the eye. “I’m settling in very nicely, yes. I am lucky to call Ravensblood Forest my home.” Though Olive was still adjusting to her new home and new rules, Olive felt a white lie could not hurt. “The trees…” She trailed off as her raised her gaze towards the treetops. Olive smiled to herself absentmindedly, becoming aware of the power that surrounded her. “They have many stories to tell.” After a moments gaze, Olive snapped back to attention. 

“Arturo, pardon my musings, but I am truly impressed with your fortitude." Olive eyed him and raised her chin slighty. "I know nothing of your history, but to embark on the journey of starting a pack takes tremendous strength. I am fortunate to be a witness to it.” She chuckled lightly to demonstrate that she at the same time was both genuine and nonchalant.  “But there is one thing that I have yet to learn about Teaghlaigh. What am I to call you, if not ‘my Liege?’”

that's ok, haha! ;-)

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Ceannasach should have been affronted by her audacity to look him in the eye — by all laws of physical dominance that was a direct challenge. Yet the gangster didn't take it as such. He doubted that it was meant as a challenge. “Good,” The gangster rumbled, contented to hear that she was settling in well. It was a question he had repeated to many wolves yet each time it was sincere as the last. Their comfort in their home was important to him. He could be an effective leader if he did not ensure the moral, comfort and happiness of his wolves. Without them Teaghlaigh would be nothing but a memory. He appreciated them and he would do what he could for them.

Olive went on from her musing of the stories the tree had to tell to admiring his fortitude and his strength. His fiery gaze assessed her again as he tried to decide if she was flirting with him or not. The vain Fearghal monarch was not about to complain about a beautiful woman flattering his ego (if that was indeed what she was doing). There was a ghost of a smirk that tugged at the edges of his lips as he took her words in. In a way it reminded him of Kitku and in turn raised to his mind the lovely Lotte; this made sense for Kitku and Lotte were one person — simply Kitku was a character the mummer adopted.

“A pack is nothing without the wolves that make it. A leader is nothing without his subordinates.” The credit also fell to them — those who swore themselves to Teaghlaigh, accepting what it meant to become apart of The Family. Without them he would be right back to where he'd started: crawling to Skellige for shelter. The sea titan had been extremely generous with the gangster and it was a weighty debt upon his shoulders. A debt that Arturo wasn't sure their per-established alliance could pay back in full. “Ceannasach is my title,” He spoke the word in his mother's native tongue though he had not spoken the language in full in many years. It was nice for ranks, to keep for the names of his offspring — a silly tradition but it was his. “but the boss or head of the family works too for formality.” Hell, he'd even take patriarch anything but “liege”. "but you can call me Arturo." It was his name, after all and in the confines of their forest among themselves he didn't see the need for formality among The Family.

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“Ceannasach,” Olive echoed softly.  The word dripped off her tongue, the sound thick and viscous. It was a beautiful word, no doubt. It felt weighty with meaning, but alas the language was unknown to her.  “Thank you, Ceannasach. …and what would you call a wolf like me, a newcomer to Teaghlaigh?” The question was sincere and Olive was not abashed to admit her ignorance in this area. She had been introduced to the basics of wolf formality and tradition, but the nuances were so variable from pack to pack.  She still had a lot to learn. 

The mention of the word family caused the femme to prick her ears at her speckled grey crown. Olive shifted her weight and leaned forward in palpable interest. She may be quite innocent on the subject of mandates and laws of packhood, but she knew family. Olive lived and breathed family. 

The pack of her birth and adolescence had been small. It had been no more than her father, mother and two brothers. A lean group of five that traversed massive tracts of land in order to find food, as the parents were too preoccupied with their growing children to defend a territory. They were constantly on the move and teamwork was essential to survival. She had explored much of the world with her small family and had forged very strong ties with each wolf. They were fiercely loyal; partially because they had to be (as lone wolves and blood family), but more so because there was an inherent respect that ran quite deeply. It was this  consciousness that had kept her with her family for so long - something that Olive didn’t realize she missed. 

Nestled upon these memories, Olive was suddenly overwhelmed with indebtedness to Teaghlaigh, to the wolf Furiosa that she had met on Silvertip Mountain and to Ceannasach that stood in front of her. Olive recognized that Teaghlaigh’s 'family' was different than what she had grown up with (to be a part of this family, you first had to prove yourself), but the essence was the much same. Olive simpered to herself and swept her gaze up to look at Arturo again.  Her grey, bannerlike tail swept out behind her in a slow, fond wag. 

“Though I am not a warrior and cannot offer you much in the way of brute strength, I have other skills that can be useful.” She was sinewy and petite - not necessarily the build that nascent packs coveted. “I want to know how I can best serve the wolves of Teaghlaigh.”

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Sovereign. It was almost ironic given his dislike of the word liege. Were they not the same thing? Surely Ceannasach was just as pompous. Yet, he was no king. There needed a much crueler, much harsher word for a half-breed like himself. Thus, he had chosen Ceannasach. Olive, unlike the others, except for maybe Furiosa who, more or less, told him she would be his second in command (for whether she usurped or not mattered little it would have seen her in the role of red herring regardless) inquired as to her ranks among them. Her inquisitiveness, her desire to understand her place was easily admired by the gangster, of to whom the structure and order of clear cut hierarchy was desired. “Saighdiúir,” Arturo responded to her in his native tongue. “subordinate, for now. The basic rank for The Family until they establish themselves within.” That was when it would fluctuate based upon their own ambitions to climb by challenging one another or by working to earn his trust and put forth the hard effort to impress him with their ambitions. He admired ambition as much as he did loyalty. It would have been contradicting for him not to admire ambition for he had plenty of it himself.

“I am not fussed about trade choices. They are your own to make,” He told her, straight forward. They could pursue whatever they wanted, could change them as they saw fit. He did not dictate their freedoms of trades and specialties. He did not see one trade more useful than another. They each played their own part and thus far Arturo had been fortunate enough to have varied talents among them. Requiring the contribution of food to the caches and border patrols and marking was what he thought to be expected of all of them not just the hunters and the guardians. They would devote most of their time to those tasks but Teaghlaigh strove on unification. They all contributed in their own ways and in the ways that would bring them together.

“Brute strength has it's advantages but it only goes so far,” Arturo himself was no behemoth. He was tall, certainly, and though built like iron he was svelte, with sharp features that painted him as coywolf and lacking in the full strength of any pure bred wolf. This did not bother him and did not make him any less intimidating (in his mind). He was a very dangerous man despite that he was not a hulking beast. “How do you want to best serve Teaghlaigh?” Arturo turned the question back to her instead of answering it, more interested in what she had to offer him. As he'd said already, he would not dictate what her role would be — that was her own decision.

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Olive nodded and turned inward as Arturo explained that she would take the place of a Saighdiúir, a subordinate. Eager for information, she had talked with Furiosa too about her role. But not being the ultimate authority, the intimidating women could not give her a firm answer. At hearing Arturo's response, Olive couldn't help but be slightly disappointed. She felt she deserved more... But, perhaps she had been on her own for so long that she had become disillusioned about what she deserved from the world. It was  It was only fair that a new wolf be placed at the subordinate rank. And this wolf who stood so proudly was her Ceannasach - she would respect his word as if it were law. Her father ruled much in the same manner, with a hard fist but a kind heart.  She would work for her future rank, whatever what might be.

But then, the brute asked what Olive wanted to do within Teaghlaigh - what her skills were. Olive knew that she had been born with nearly a sixth sense, but it was difficult to explain it to others and so often she was the subject of their intense judgement. Yes, Olive was confident in her own abilities but few others were on the same wavelength.  Olive was remiss to admit it, but that was partially the reason she had been a lone wanderer for as long as she had. She operated under the guise of liberation but so many others have dismissed her as an introverted freak. Olive grimaced as she remembered how their faces cast judgement as they turned away and left her as they found her… alone. It made her sad; this type of sadness was something Olive had a hard time admitting to herself.

As open as she was, Olive was still relatively young and was susceptible to the fatal flaws of the innocent and inexperienced wolves.  Even old souls had a hard time giving up the desire to assimilate, no matter how faint that want might be. At least her [physically] inanimate forest counterparts never passed judgement. 

Olive sat upon her haunches and opened her maw to explain what exactly she could offer Arturo, hoping there was a place for her skills in Teaghlaigh. “I don’t know exactly what to call myself, for my knowledge of words and languages is not as extensive as yours,” Olive smiled. “I suppose you can say that I interpret the elements and read whatever they say, whatever they desire to share with us. The water, the wind, our fellow earth inhabitants no matter how large or small, the powerful forces of nature… they are all ours to live alongside, peacefully, if we’re open to it.” Olive looked up at Arturo from honest eyes. “I’ve felt this way ever since I was pup, traveling widely with my family.” It was no use not being dishonest about herself. “Some wolves more experienced than I are able to interpret the future and see signs in the stars... but I am not yet that advanced. I’ve always been able to sustain myself, but if I am responsible for a family I desire to spend more time honing my skills."

Laughing lightheartedly, she continued. “I fear that I am not selling myself too well!” 

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Arturo respectfully gave one of his newer saighdiúir's his rapt attention as she responded to his inquiry, speaking of her passions. She spoke of her connection to the earth, of her ability to understand it. Knowledge that, while he thought was better left to those who claimed themselves to be part fae (thus he was not one of them) he understood that it would be useful to have at his disposal. A creature that understood the earth's cycles and her mood, it was invaluable in it's own way. She spoke like the sprites his mother kept at her sides at all times, young girls with the “gift”. Except Olive was no young, giggling child. Boadecia might have been a warrior queen but she had been extremely in-tune with all the fanciful stuff that Arturo found himself scoffing at as a young man. He was not a believer of fairy-tales. Yet, he believed that some creatures were better at understanding the earth than himself. He knew the cycles, he knew how to tell when a storm gathered on the horizon, but these were all obvious things. Perhaps it was in the way Olive spoke of her talents but despite himself he found that he was ...fascinated.

“Of course,” He responded when she spoke of her desire to hone her skills. “I know of a young queen you might get along with,” Something in Olive reminded him briefly of Deirdre. He thought the two might get on well, perhaps even they could impart knowledge upon one another. “Perhaps —,” He drew thoughtfully. “— perhaps I can introduce you to her sometime.” Admittedly, his only desire to visit Donnelaith thus far had been to visit the beautiful and memorizing Lotte but this was an intriguing twist. Of course, he had to seek Deirdre out anyway to tell her the consensus of The Family regarding their proposed alliance but this was different.

“No, no,” Arturo breathed in protest when she gave herself little credit. “You're doing fine.” Ceannasach assured her. “With your natural affinity for understanding nature some might believe you to be half Fae, where I come from,” He admitted to her. “My mother would have called you fáidh — prophet in my native tongue, especially if you learned to read the stars.” His mother adored talents such as her's. “Every skill, every talent is useful and it is obvious you are passionate about your trades. I will do what little I can to help you achieve them.” It was the same offer he made to all of The Family. After all, it wasn't one for one. It was one for all and all for one. The stronger and more confident they were in themselves, the stronger they made Teaghlaigh as a whole.

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If there was any wolf in the world who might live in accord with Olive’s paradigm, the grey femme wanted to meet them. Arturo’s words of this foreign queen danced upon Olive’s ears and relit her eyes, which had fallen slightly downcast during her soliloquy of nature’s drumbeats and earthen spirits. “I would be charmed to meet any wolf who comes so highly recommended by my Ceannasach,” Olive spoke in a hushed tone, hoping to convey her sincerity. “Is she family or…” Olive momentarily trailed off as the more proper terms for interpack dynamics escaped her. “or, a friend to Teaghlaigh?”

Banner wagging subtly behind her, Olive raised herself off of her haunches only to resettle a few feet closer to the male. Arturo spoke of his family and their convictions and lore; a prismatic topic that never failed to captivate her and begged for a closer seat.

Fae. Olive knew faes to be elemental servants [who sometimes worked for the ever-changing seasons, cyclically rousing animals from their sleep or painting the leaves of lumber trees autumn gold].  Olive considered the possibility of herself truly being half fae, but dismissed the idea as a hyperbole of her abilities. One day, she thought, shaking her head.  “Thank you for your kind words, Arturo. With any hope I will soon earn the laurel of which your mother speaks, fáidh.” Olive felt somewhat clumsy as she continued to articulate these foreign words, but she assured herself that a confident pronunciation would develop in due time.

Arturo’s words and eloquence again reminded her [again] of her father; a capable wolf and devoted family member with strong ideas and an equally strong tongue. The nymph assessed Arturo further and promptly realized that she knew little about him. Suddenly aware of the one-sidedness of their conversation, Olive continued brightly. “But what is a family if only the saighdiúir speaks of their passions? Enlighten me and share what sets your heart ablaze, so that I might be able to assist you in a similar manner.”

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“She is a friend of Teaghlaigh,” He responded to Olive's question, offering her a tug of his lips upwards, into a soft smile. He watched as she scooted a few feet nearer. He did not mind. She was in no harm from him. They were Family, after all. She turned the conversation to him then and Arturo listened to her inquiry with a soft wag of his tail and the cup forth of his ears. What set his heart ablaze? He could think of few things. Children: in the purest sense, pack politics, and in a romantic sense a certain scarfed bard turned mummer. He understood well enough Olive had not been referring to his romantic life but Lotte crept into his thoughts unbidden and often these days. “I enjoy the politics behind leading a pack. I aim for the ambassador specialty, in particular,” But Arturo Fearghal was an intellectual being and he craved the idea of meeting fellow politicians or the idea of conquering and besting by outsmarting his enemies. He'd realized long ago that he needn't have the strength of a pure blood wolf to be able to best those who crossed him. All he needed was his mind. It was his strongest and accordingly, his most dangerous weapon in his arsenal.

“I see myself as a Counselor, too, an adviser and mentor, but I love children. I have raised four of my own, five if you count Chusi who has come under my care almost a month or so ago.” He counted Chusi but also he did not. He had not been there to guide her from the beginning but he was here to guide and love her now: and that was what mattered to him.

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Family. Politics. Counsel. Olive felt a profound respect for the wolf that sat in front of her and trusted him implicitly [nearly]. Olive [ever in tune with her body and emotions] felt good about Arturo. If she closed her eyes and imagined Arturo without his title, without Teaghlaigh, without their friendship, with nothing to go on but his innate spirit, Olive would still know him to be a good man.  He was an honest wolf; a responsible wolf. Arturo cared about his family and was not self serving - a quality that Olive saw reflected within herself, but few others. 

“Well then, you seem well suited for the responsibilities and passions of leadership,” Olive commended.

“You may have been in the middle of a mission when we found each other, and I would be reluctant to keep you from that, but I have a request - can you please lead me to the denning area, where I can make my home?” She paused and thought before continuing. “This may be asking too much, but does the area have a thin canopy that may allow me to see the night sky? It's become a nightly ritual for me, though I am happy to seek a more quiet place to muse.  

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Olive drew her conclusions from what he had told her and the words that had spilled from betwixt her lips were flattering for the coywolf to hear. He gave a soft nod of gratitude that she thought him suited for his position in favor of adding anything verbal. “I was looking for you,” Arturo admitted to her softly with a small, perhaps cheeky grin tugging at the edges of his lips before he drew in a deep breath and let it out in a soft exhale. “We do not have a communal den,” He informed her, thinking that perhaps it was not a bad idea. “you could bring it up at our Family meeting when I call it and we can vote on it,” He suggested to her with soft encouragement. Family Meetings were the place to bring up ideas, concerns, and to share news with one another. That served to be their main function. “but I will gladly accompany you in search of a den that suits you.” Arturo told her, gesturing her to lead the way. It was for her, after all and though he likely knew the Forest better he thought it best to allow her to lead the way, aside from being something that a gentleman was meant to do.

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OOC: sliiiiiight pp to get them moving, I hope you don’t mind! Happy to change anything

The fact that Teaghalaigh did not have  a permanent, communal space for denning was none too surprising to Olive. She had never had a long-term den before, as she and her family had always been on the move in search of better hunting grounds [they were a small and tight nit group, unable to hold a territory themselves]. Olive had simply heard stories from road-weary bards who reminisced about pack rendezvous sites, where all wolves made their dens and gathered at all times of the day. It was a fun notion and Olive was thrilled to hear that Arturo was willing to bring it up for a vote in front of the whole pack.

Now that she was thinking about it... Olive had never claimed, dug or even slept in a den. Usually Olive found a peaceful place to sleep under the low overhang of a tree - it served well the purpose of protecting her from the elements and concealing her shape from any prying eyes. The open air was soothing to her and often helped her busy mind drift off to a deep sleep.

However....a den would be a warm and cozy place that could act as a house for her most vulnerable states and thoughts. Being so intimately close to the earth was immensely centering; a feeling she relished. It would be hers.

Olive nodded to Arturo in appreciation, chuffing. “I’m glad to have you by my side!” Following his gesture, Olive padded forward from their forested meeting place in a graceful trot. A sideglance was all that she gave her meal which lay on the ground, giving it to the earth in favor of time with her Ceannasach. Olive murmered a hushed prayer for the life that was taken and a body not utilized [she hoped the carcass would feed another passerby]. A quick look over her shoulder confirmed that Arturo was in tow... and they were off.

Off to where? Olive wasn’t entirely sure. Though she had spent some time in Ravensblood Forest and was doing her best to memorize the land’s myriad of landmarks as interesting visual/spiritual elements, mapping wasn’t truly her forte. 

“I must be honest with you, Arturo” Olive commented sheepishly as they traveled. “This will be the first den I have taken up residence in!” She laughed, as it sounded silly when she said it out loud. “My family and I were always moving around, unable to stay still. We were always looking for newer lands that were better suited to our needs, but I’m not sure we ever wanted to truly find it. My father, mother, brothers and I found such peace and humility in exploring what lay just beyond our comfort zone.” 

Slowing her pace momentarily so that the fae could look at Arturo, she finished “I am so thrilled to have this new experience, to have another family and to truly connect with this forest which we now call home. It’s different for me, but I love how it feels.”

it's perfectly fine with me, no worries! :-) <3

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He watched as she left her meal behind, leaving Arturo to feel a little guilty that she so readily abandoned it in favor of him; but he did not linger upon it for long. He would not have minded if she ate it before or took it along but she chose to leave it behind so he did not dwell upon it, nor bring it up with her. Perhaps she would return for it later. Nevertheless, they began to head deeper into the forest's heart. The gangster was content to let her take the lead, following behind her leisurely. After all, she knew exactly what she was looking for. He'd been pretty lucky to find a sizable den that fit both him and Chusi, with room for another comfortable even with her growing body dug under a hollowed out sequoia. It's thick and strong roots helped to give the wall of his den stability. He did not find the extra protection stifling — he rather preferred it. “Is that so?” The Ceannasach inquired of Olive with muted curiosity. The smoky lumber of his accented voice encouraged her to explain if she wished but there was no demand for it if she would rather not. He would not pry if she'd rather keep her secrets.

Olive did not seem unwilling to share for she spoke to him of her family, a mother, father and brothers and how they wandered as such always searching but, she believed, never wanting to find. He realized how vastly different her life growing up had been to his own. He'd had the stability of Quicksilver Hollow to an extent but he knew the reason he drew breath here and now was because he was the Warrior Queen's son. Arturo was not an imbecile by any means of the word and understood that would he have been anyone else's coywolf spawn he would have been killed by the wolves of the Hollow. For a moment, Arturo allowed himself the what if — what his life might have been like if he'd lived it as Olive and her family. If Cynbel and Boadicea had ran away together., or even if Cynbel had cared at all. Perhaps he would have younger siblings. Certainly he wouldn't be the man he was today and as he was rather pleased with his lot in life he pushed those thoughts away.

“The nomadic life, eh?” He inquired, rhetorically in a soft hum. “This forest was not my first choice to settle for Teaghlaigh,” He admitted with a slight twist of his lips. It was a stoic thing — given Ravensblood Forest was a lot better suited to The Family then Three River Isle he saw now, but the slight against his pride would never be one he could fully let go of. “Seeing it now, clearly, it was the only choice for Teaghlaigh. It is sustaining for us, well fortified and close to our allies. I could not have asked for a better home.” Once a clear, safe and quick path was scouted out through Gyrfalcon Keep Arturo felt confident that they could cut travel time in half since they could take a jaunt through the Keep as opposed to going around it as he did now when he made his way to Stavanger Bay and The Sentinels. "Nevertheless I hope the forest does not become too stifling for you. If you ever desire to venture out and explore the Wilds you are free to." His wolves were not confined to the borders in the same way that he was. With Furiosa at his side he felt easier about leaving Teaghlaigh for a few hours but it unsettled the gangster to be away from his Family for too long.

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The dark grey fur that  rang along her spine prickled as Arturo elaborated upon her freedom to explore. Olive had been sneaking too and from the Forest in secret and so was relieved to hear that her actions were endorsed [rather than rejected]. Still, Olive elected to keep her jaunts to the surrounding territories a secret. The duo padded along through the forest.

“Room to roam?"  She questioned him in a lighthearted intonation. “Thank you, Arturo. Oh, wherever shall I go?” Olive chuckled deep in her chest.

Arturo was kind and gentlemanly - Olive had only known Ceannasach for a short while and she felt confident un that. His actions and self sacrificial way of speaking made her further believe so, and he was proceeded by his envoy, composed of caliber of wolf [whom Olive felt blessed to associate with]. Though Arturo made her feel safe, Olive felt what almost was a childish need to serve him and to prove her own worth and practicality to the family. Perhaps this was good of an opportunity as any to position herself as an advisor [of sorts].

“I don’t see how this forest could ever stifle. These woods… they are truly limitless. Here is where the universal soul can be glimpsed.” It wasn’t untrue. “Life, all life, is ever shifting and in the spaces between the movements we find…” Olive drifted off, unable to find the correct verbiage at first. “oneness. Things never stay the same, but how they are now is… is how they are meant to be. This forest will never be the same as it is in this moment, or the next, or the next...”

If she were ever to truly advise Teaghlaigh in any sort of effective way, Olive would need to have more than a superficial understanding of pack politics [which, perhaps, were still a foreign concept to the fae]. She was skilled in the art of relationships, but it seemed that she did maintain the capacity to leverage these relationships in any manipulative or inauthentic way. Her own dharma just wouldn’t let her. Olive sometimes feared this would [one day] be her demise. 

“You speak of allies. Like that of dens, I fear my knowledge of political strategies and decorum… Is quite limited.” Olive bit her lip and hoped she weren’t undermining herself. “Can you further explain this to me? Who are our allies, and how should I act around them?”

Olive left the question open to Arturo and turned her gaze back to the forest floor in front of her. They had brushed past some patches of forest that had great den potential and she tucked the locations in her memory’s back pocket. 

"I’m asking silly questions of dens and allies… I must sound like a pup; just learning these types of things.”

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A soft chuckle left the gangster's lips as he listened to her speak. Most of her talk of the forest constantly changing admittedly went over Ceannasach's head but he could hear the passion in her words and he did not deign to ruin the moment. He might not have understood her affinity to nature but he had no intentions of stifling it. She clearly was more in tune with the earth than Arturo himself would ever be and there was nothing wrong with it. In fact, he was willing to bet that it would only serve to make Teaghlaigh stronger. Each talent that each Family member brought would only make them greater. To Arturo there was no such thing as a useless skill. Every skill was useful and he planned on encouraging The Family to hone their individual skills.

She brought up his talk of allies and she admitted that she was unclear on it, asking him to explain it to him. “You're fine, Olive. Questions mean that you are taking the initiative to learn. I do not mind questions.” In most cases he was prepared to give an explanation, at least when it came to The Family. There was very little he hid from them and what he did hide (which was his romantic life) wasn't their business (and would not affect them) and thus he kept his interests on a romantic scale in the dark, for now.

“Long before Teaghlaigh's conception I struck an alliance with a man named Skellige. He had claimed the bay south-west of us. Blackrock Depths. The terms of our alliance are clear: any Depths wolf that comes to our borders is to be treated like they are Family. They are to be given shelter, food, water, whatever they need and the same courtesies are extended to us at their borders. For this, if a call to arms is given we are to fight alongside them in war time and them to fight alongside us should we find ourselves at war with another. They are a pack of warriors. I lived among them for a short time and I can vouch that they will treat us with every courtesy that we are to treat them.” Arturo doubted he would ever truly be able to repay that debt to Skellige but he would do for the Leviathan what he could.

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Perhaps an internal territory?

Alright, alright. Perhaps pack politics we’re too farfetched for her - especially when it required her make friendly with others… that, she was good at. Olive had so feared that Arturo would thrust upon her a life of fending off enemies and defending their territory - the sorts of material issues that Olive preferred to live without. Some wolves were beyond saving, especially those who harmed others over mortal issues. Arturo mentioned an alliance during a war, but Olive felt that unlikely. He didn’t seem like that kind of man; especially not if he struck an alliance with their neighbors in Blackrock Depths. 

“What a benevolent act.” The grey woman chuffed happily.  “I appreciate be associated with wolves who would rather strike alliances rather than create enemies. I hope that i’m able to  meet a patron of Blackrock Depths soon, in addition to the young queen you mentioned prior.”

Olive realized then that she had been blatantly disregarding her task of finding a suitable denning area. Her forest-hued gaze snapped back to the landscape in front of her, surveying the land for a cleared area. She was seeking something with space, without trees looming above her and separating her from the cosmos. In a forest of titans, this was a lot to ask of the natural world. So far they had only traveled under a thick canopy which enshrouded the entire forest in a dusky darkness. Squinting, Olive saw something in the distance that resembled sunlight shining through, so Olive steered Arturo in it’s direction with a touch of the shoulder. Perhaps it was a break in the trees. 

As they drew closer, Olive saw what it was. It was a small, rocky outcrop - warmed gently by the sun. Due to the rocky soil of this particular area, thick tree roots could not grab hold and thus there weren’t any to get in the way of her stargazing. Small, low-lying bushes sprouted from crags in the rocks, which brightened up the earthy rock.

One monolith leaned up against another, creating a dark cavernous area that was shielded on three sides by weather, smooth rock. Interest piqued, Olive crept closer to inspect the area. The enclave was large enough to for her to move about comfortably. It was an area devoid of natural complexity, but solid and reliable. Olive liked it.  It wasn’t a den,  but if she hadn’t lived underground at this point in her life… why start now? 

Turned from the stony grotto, Olive turned back towards the treeline which enclosed them. “Would it be too odd for a wolf to take shelter in a cavern of stonework?” the mistress asked Arturo, almost rhetorically. 

it could be an internal territory — if you want it to be! :D

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Arturo let out a chuckle as she declared that it was a benevolent act. In truth, it'd been nothing of the sort. Arturo had tried had tried to recruit Skellige to preserve his life as Skellige had been intent on trying to eat him if he did not give up the vole he'd caught during the famine. Life had been harder back then and Arturo had tried to keep his aces up his sleeves, tried to turn an attempt to save his own life into a business deal. “It was nothing of the sort,” Arturo admitted, ducking his head. “It was during the famine that swept through these Wilds. Times were ...a nightmare. We all starved. I caught a vole and met Skellige. He was going to kill me and eat me and devoid of strength as we all were, I do not doubt that he would have succeeded,” Arturo could hold his own in a fight but Skellige had physical prowess that Arturo could never realistically match simply because he was a coywolf alone. He was tall, taking after his mother's pureblood wolf build but he was leonine, svelte and he was not as physically as strong as any pureblood wolf. He'd killed a few in his time but it had been a game of a strategy for him: by outsmarting his opponent. “With the vole as my bargaining chip I first tried to recruit him and then settled on the alliance. I walked away hungrier than I was before but with my life and an alliance with a man that I have grown to respect a great deal.” He admitted, unable to recall the last time he'd told anyone the story with that much detail.

Her touch upon his shoulder steered him in the direction she desired of him and his steps ceased when her's did. It was a small, rocky enclosure. The gangster hung back as she investigated it, letting his thoughts wander for a second before his gaze flickered back to her when she re-emerged. “You can sleep where ever you want, Olive,” He assured her, amused. “No one here is going to judge you for it.”

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Couldn’t hurt, right? :)

Olive had never needed to outlast a famine, but she had heard stories and they terrified her.  Entire landscapes were completely devoid of life, both flora and fauna. Wolves whose bodies wasted away while their spirits still fought for life. Creatures that forsook their instinctive diets in favor of whatever presented itself to them [there was something especially ghastly about a mouse picking at a petrified carcass or a wolf, scraping its fangs against the bark of a tree, tonguing at its sap]. At Arturo’s behest, Olive’s mind projected a vivid picture of a faminous wild… but the slides of the movie were carefully selected to reflect her understanding of the world in which they lived. If the rains failed, then the grasses withered. If the grasses withered, neither small nor large prey could thrive. If prey could not thrive, all life suffered. The forces of nature were so intimately connected, so deeply linked that one could not help but affect the other.

It was the work of some larger being who's view of the world was a akin to a righteous chess player, all too pleased to move one chess piece askew and watch the entire board unravel. The gods did not favor, nor did they punish. Instead, the universe simply righted our mortal wrongs in ways that may seem macabre to untrained eyes. Ecce Homo - behold the man!

Olive’s tail swung low between her hocks, comforted by the thought that the pendulum of life did not only serve to knock others down [as Arturo’s story concluded]. The phoenix rose from the ashes and so did Arturo, with a new pack and new ally. It sounded not unlike the heroic tales of her childhood. And now that pack had given her this beautiful den - is that what she should call it? - that stood before her. It was akin to the shelters that her family sought out night after night during their travels: strong, solid, advantageous and protected on several sides.  Olive felt her heart start to swell, as the location spoke her her deeply and she knew she could live no where else. Arturo seemed to agree.

“For that, I am even happier to hear.” Olive warbled, again, she turned on her heels to survey the grotto. It was overgrown with weeds from . The vegetation was staunchly newer than that which surrounded it, leading her to believe it had been inhabited before. Olive wondered what experiences and emotions from her predecessors were instilled within the confines of the rock. 

“I suppose I should set to cleaning the place out, eh? Though I am accustomed to sleeping among the dirt and vegetation, I now have high expectations for myself.” The fae puffed her chest out in jest and shot Arturo a jocular grin, hoping to elicit a laugh from Ceannasach.

this seems like a good place to wrap this up. sorry for this crappy post. D:

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Arturo watched her for a moment as she surveyed her new chosen abode. His own den was large and carved out beneath a massive, hollow sequoia, it's thick roots served as enforcers to the den's walls. It fit him and his young daughter comfortably even as she grew, with room for another, though Arturo wondered when Chusi might seek to move out upon her own, leaving his den to be hollow except for himself. The thought filled the gangster with unmeasured sorrow and he was quick to tuck it away knowing that he would not address the issue until it was staring him in the face (because that was how Arturo handled his feelings: he didn't until he had no other choice).

His ear flickered towards her when she spoke yet again, presumably cracking a joke. He offered her a soft smile, half distracted only to feel guilty about it a few moments later. The Ceannasach offered a small clear of his throat, ghosting towards her a step. “Do you need assistance cleaning it out?” He inquired. If she would accept his help he would remain and assist her in clearing out her abode and if not then he would part from her and go about hunting something for Chusi to eat.

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It's never a crappy post if it's from you! I'll archive :) <3 

Ceannasach offered to help her clean out her den and the thought of actually asking Arturo to do such a thing made her giggle. Though menial tasks would never be something she would ask of him, the woman was flattered that he offered - she loved a humble man and was glad to be led by one. Olive looked back the the rocky overhang, noting that it truly didn't need much to make it habitable. It was already so perfect. "You offer me too many kindnesses, Arturo... but I look forward to tidying this area and leaving my own imprint upon it." and with that, she reliquished him from his gentemanly duties.

"I've truly enjoyed my afternoon, Ceannasach. I hope to see you soon." A final chuff was offered to him as signal of her departure and she spun on her hocks towards her new home, content to lay upon the weeds and the dust for a moment's reprieve before setting to her task.