Ravensblood Forest here we are my...love?

@Chaska and @Arturo/@Olive. I couldn't wait any longer, haha. Dated to January 23, 2017.

They'd left one home and moved onto another. A part of Evelyn felt...guilt? though it was overriden by the euphoria Chaska brought her when they were together. As they reached the border of what would hopefully be their new home, Evelyn turned to her mate with intense concern in her expression. Are you sure this is what you want? It's not like he could've gone back to Easthollow, but that didn't mean that he had to go anywhere else he didn't wish to. She nuzzled into the fur just between his ear and shoulder, taking in his scent. It was comforting, having someone to cuddle near to in the cold, and a very new part of Evelyn seemed to like it. She turned her head upward and howled for an audience, then waited patiently in her lover's embrace.

Chaska never looked back after he left with Evelyn, as much as he had wanted to. He knew he had wronged Steady in some way, but he had followed his heart. That's what he believed, anyway. And Evelyn had his heart. Although he could hear the doubt in Evelyn's question. "I won't back out now. Whatever you think is best, I will follow." Like the loyal mate he was to her, he would follow. He accepted her gesture and returned with his own nuzzle across the top of her head with his chin to try an reassure her.

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The call cut through the ice storm for Ceannasach, and though it was female in it’s origins it was not Olive’s and for a moment Arturo warred with relief and worry all at once. His red herring and her beau had the worst timing. They should have turned right back around and headed home once they realized the weather wasn’t letting up but whether they were unable to or simply hadn’t wanted to he didn’t know. All he could hope was that they were relatively safe as they could be outside of the pack’s borders and that Dakarai had passed on his grim warning to Olive and the pair had considered it with the seriousness that it warranted. If it meant the survival of the pack and the survival of his own children providing Lotte was recovered enough when her own estrus cycle came about he would not hesitate to make good on it. He was cruel enough. If he was cruel enough to conjure the parasite Riptide (and there was no telling what the witch doctor had done when he’d had control of Arturo’s body and mind) then anything was possible. It was with great reluctance that he detached himself from Lotte, leaving his Family to the communal den he had stumbled upon in the throes of the storm.

His duty as Ceannasach did not allow him the luxury of ignoring calls at his borders and so with a steel of his svelte, broad shoulders he weathered the freezing rain, his steps careful as the snow was coated in thin, slick ice. His steps were heavy enough to break through the hardened snow but a glimpse up at the icicles that begun to form and hung from the limbs of the towering sequoias made him nervous. So this discussion would be quick then to ensure the safety of both parties. Fiery red, orange gaze took in the two that stood at his borders, huddled together. Lovers or a mated pair. It seemed to be a recent theme for Teaghlaigh: the pack for lovers. There was no curl of his tail in dominance, never one for flamboyant displays of dominance lest they were called for. They could tell what and who he was to Teaghlaigh easily enough from his stance and the way he carried himself. “This is Teaghlaigh, strangers, and I am it’s Ceannasach, Arturo Fearghal.” He offered his introduction straight forward, figuring there was no time and no reason yet to put into play the red herring protocol, especially with Olive away. “I assume you are searching for a home,” He didn’t bother asking because it was pretty obvious in and of itself. “What skills can you offer us?” He asked, never one to beat around the bush. Besides, he’d already decided that for the safety of all of them he would not drag out this joining process. The sooner it was wrapped up, the sooner they could all seek shelter.

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Once Arturo was finished, Evelyn cleared her throat and chose to speak first, before Chaska, as the woman lacked any submissive bone in her body, I am Evelyn Gautier, a hunter and caregiver. Simple and sweet, straight to the point, as she was sure that none of them wanted to be stuck in the cold for much longer.

Cameo! Lotte is being very careful to stay unnoticed while she spies on her handsome mate. ♥

It wasn’t entirely Lotte’s place to screen the new inductees to the Family — she herself was a mere Comhlach, after all — but although her paws were still raw and painful, useless when it came to long distances, she had healed enough to wander around her Ceannasach’s domain. She kept to the shadows as she trailed the masked coywolf to the territory borders, the flex of her healing paws virtually silent on the slick coating of ice, and she lingered in the gloom to survey the two prospective members. Wrapped in shadow, the soot-stockinged bard picked her way downwind from the rime-coated tableau, easily taking in the new arrivals’ scents. They were older than she was and appeared to be in good health — but would they find favor with the Fearghal? The matte quality of Lotte’s colorpoint fur kept light from bouncing off her grayscale pelage and she kept her face obscured by the boughs of the weeping trees to conceal her moonbright eyes. Oh! Arturo was such a handsome, handsome man; Lotte’s affection for him had only grown in the face of her recent tragedy and loss. Employing her skills as a rogue, she froze like a statue, the discipline of the soturi keeping her from feeling the cold or giving in to the impulse to fidget.

Chaska saw the male of this pack arrive. And by their stance, they were held high in the ranks. he bowed his head to show respect, as he thought it right to do. "I am Chaska, a Storyteller, and I know my way in a fight." Although we would need some touch up lessons in that area of things. "We left our old home recently, and if you have any space..." Their presence hear spoke for itself.

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The male, at least, had the courtesy to show respect with a dip of his head. The woman, however, showed no such gesture not even after she had responded to his inquiry. Fiery gaze settled with a hardened glint at the woman, the lift of Arturo’s chin communicating that while he was all for “getting down to business” he noted and did not appreciate the lack of signs of respect. She hadn’t directly disrespected him per say but as they were on his doorstep, asking him for a home and it was well within his rights to turn them away and allow them to freeze to death. The gangster realized that Teaghlaigh had been quiet, low key, kept to themselves but he had earned his reputation before among his first Teaghlaigh as a powerful ally and a dangerous enemy. After a long moment his gaze flickered to the male, Chaska, as he spoke. A caretaker, hunter, fighter and storyteller. “Well, before we go any further in this decision,” The gangster drew, deep and accented smoky timbre of his voice low and businesslike. “Before you pledge yourself to me and my Family you should be made aware of what you sign up for.” It was only good business to list out all the clauses so there was no miscommunication down the road.

[indent[Arturo’s tail gave a sharp flick against his hocks as he studied the two of them. “We are a Family, first and foremost. We look out for one another, we are extremely tight-knit and extremely territorial. Any large decision that affects the pack as the whole is discussed in Family meetings and each member can give voice to their opinion. Once apart of the Family, you are always apart of it; the expection being if you betray it. Betrayal means death. There are two rules that every wolf of Teaghlaigh, child, adult, elder — everyone — must obey and enforce: The Ceannasach’s word is law,” Salmon pink tongue drew across his lips as he spoke. “and The Family before everything else. If you can live with these and you are willing to become apart of and contribute to The Family then you will be welcome.” And if not then they could continue on their way for Arturo would not stop them. The choice, now, was theirs.

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It was after Arturo's hard stare that Evelyn adjusted herself, though it was slight. Her ears lowered and her tail fell, but she was still sure to keep eye contact; it was a sign of respect where she'd come from. Very well, she agreed, The Ceannasach's word is law. The Family before all else. She turned her head to look at Chaska and take his expression into consideration, then turned back to Arturo, though her eyes were more focused on the space between them than meeting his gaze.

A family. That hit him right in the heart. Easthollow had meant to be a family. And he left. He held himself, and nodded to Arturo, his Ceannasach. "The Ceannasach's word is law, and the Family before anything else" he repeated, just as Evelyn had. He planned on staying here, as long as Evelyn did. Even though he had his doubts about it all. But Evelyn was on his mind, and just her.

last post for me & turo! you guys can either reply once more or just archive as is. :-)

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They both appeared to accept the conditions and laws of the Family and though there was a lift to Arturo’s head and a curl of his lips back in clear warning when the woman met his gaze — a sign of disrespect to the gangster — he accepted them without (too much) trouble. Time would tell if they would keep to the laws he enforced with an iron reign or not and there would be plenty of time to prove themselves later. “Come, I will take you to the communal den we are sharing until this storm ends.” For the duration of the snows and the ice he had no intention of letting his wolves to their own dens to freeze to death. The communal den was not a permanent fixture especially since Ceannasach enjoyed his privacy but for now it the combined body heat would keep them alive and that was the most important thing: staying alive.

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