King Elk Forest -- carried on a breeze, you'll never find me, i'm gone

The girl had brightened considerably since the emyprean's return.  She woke early, stretching her legs out from underneath her body and letting out a yawn.  She noticed absently that since the first time in a while, she had slept through the entire night.

Interesting.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled a deep hhmmm! in contentment.  It would be so easy to continue sleeping off the rest of the morning, but she took it upon herself to be just as dutiful here as she had ever been in the Vale, more so if she could help it.

The fawn stood, long stilt-legs holding her as she shook off the last bit of sleep from her body, heading off to the cache to tidy up.

Rubs hands together

As he was getting older Burke often napped more than he did in his prime. However, that also meant that often he would wake up quite early. It was a habit for the former ruler. He liked to be up when the fog was still between the trees. It always calmed him. Surprisingly so because the fog often hid away scents.

Burke was watching the serene forest as the sun shone down between the trees on the morning fog as well. His ears twitched at the sound of the birds waking up as well. The older male was quickly getting used to the idea of living in King Elk. He felt instantly at home. He felt that he could be an asset and not 'the old guy'.

As he continued he decided that breakfast was in order. Even though he wished to hunt a fresh meal he knew that it wasn't going to happen if he had to hunt himself. He approached a cache but realized he wasn't the only one that was ready for an early breakfast. He approached the female at a calm pace, pale eyes on her once more.

She was the female that was with them at the Caldera. She was close with his grandson from the looks of it. He couldn't really remember her name. He vaguely caught is. Sea... SeaGust..? SeaFart? "I don't think I caught your name last time," he spoke, which was quite polite of him, as he also could have said 'Morning, SeaFart.'

So it was the male who had intimidated her the most in their meeting at the Caldera who had decided to accompany her this morning.  Their pale gazes met and this time hers was steady and more confident — it was just the two of them and it was not the first time they'd met.  Seabreeze, she informs him, But I was born Brienne.  There was something in it that made her sound tired of the childish name she had appointed herself upon her arrival in the Teekons, but she wasn't quite sure just what she would take.  Either will do.  And I'm not sure I caught yours?

You're up early, she says almost absently as she begins to separate the meat that the cache had into two piles: good and bad, and stepped away from the good meat so the older man could have it.  Was it offensive to think of him as an elder?  Would he care?  She pushed the thought aside, and would wait for him to breach that in conversation.

Burke had liked the name Seafart, but it seemed that her actual name was Seabreeze. It sounded... not like her. Her glance had been confident and not that of a submissive little female. However, the female then offered another name. Brienne. Burke gave a quick nod. "I like Brienne far better," he spoke. Perhaps because it sounded a bit like the female version of his own name. "Burke," he returned. It was short and easy to remember in his opinion.

"Habit of mine. I've been an alpha for most of my life and I'd like to be up in the morning. Have a stroll around the territory and freshly mark the borders etc," he shrugged lightly as he sat down. He watched her separate the good meat from the bad. "Plus when you get older you spread your sleep over 24 hours. You need more during the day and less at night. Not sure if I like being old yet," he admitted. For Burke, it was clear that he was older. He couldn't do the things in his prime and in the morning he was stiff all over. But he noticed the more exercise helped with the stiffness. He just needed to keep walking.

The male glanced at the female as she backed off, leaving the meat open for his to claim. Burke had not expected that but appreciated it. He took a chunk and started to wolf it down. It was clear he was hungry. The long travel from Redhawk to King Elk had been long for him. And he hadn't eaten that well before he got to this pack. However, as an older wolf, he also didn't eat as much as he would have done in his prime. When he had eaten enough he backed off, leaving a good meal for the female. 'How did you meet my grandson. You seem to like him," he spoke, perhaps teasing lightly. It followed by a small burp. The elder hummed happily, full finally. Seabreeze caught him in a good mood. The food seemed to heighten his overall good mood.

Catching up.

Her flews pull up in the barest form of a smile and she bows her head at his introduction.  Well, I am glad to meet you, Burke.  He still intimidated her because he had been so bold when they'd met and masculine anger did not sit well with her, but she still held the opinion that Burke had been right to be angry with the Caldera wolves.

She was not surprised at his admissions — he looked and sounded like a wolf bred and born to lead.  She wonders a touch absently if perhaps she should keep up this habit of waking up early but files it away to explore after their meeting.  I've been getting up early to tend to my duties as well, she tells him, so it is nice to have some company.

Although the man was visibly aged, the yearling failed to see it in him as well as she would once she got older herself.  To her he was still large and strong, and it was in its own way an advantage to have someone up at all hours of the day.  I'm sure your grandchildren will enjoy that when they get older.  The ones I have met all have a fondness for the stars.

She lets him take his fill before having her own breakfast, then returns the good meat to the cache.  Brienne begins to dig as she answers his final question. I washed up on the shores.  I was half-dead when he met me.  Feral. Afraid.  He came with the Alpha of Northstar Vale, I had just barely crossed their borders.  She breathes in.  She had never really spoken about this to anyone and although it did not make her uncomfortable she didn't know quite yet how to word it. He didn't say much.  But he kept me company while I was recovering.  One day he said he was going on a journey and I asked if I could come with him.  It was there he told me he planned to start this pack.

She finished her digging and reclined, stretching out her legs before laying down. There was no question.  I knew I was to follow him.  Heat creeps up into her cheeks, the tips of her ears, sinking its way into her teeth but she does not falter.  Quieter, she begins, And you're right.  I do quite like him.  But I think I should wait to say anything until Tindome is out of its infancy.  He has too many details to hammer out without the distraction of a woman.  I will offer my skills, my advice, and my companionship, but I do not think I should offer anything more until things have settled.

Burke wondered if she just had been polite when saying she was glad to have some company, or if she truly thought his company was nice. Burke often felt like he wasn't the warmest or welcoming wolf to be around. He often kept his distance and had a grumpy outlook on life. However, he just dipped his head. If she felt like he was decent company for the female who was he to argue?

Burke slowly tipped his head a bit. "Well, they don't got that from me, actually. I am more a practical guy. Guarding, patrolling and hunting," he explained. Only later in life when he realized he could be a mentor and advisor he picked up the counselor trade. He had to admit he rather liked the trade, as he could continue it now he was older.

The female started to tell her story. He slowly nodded and listened while he took some bites of his food he had left. He let her speak and nodded his head to indicate he had been listening. It was nice to hear that Mato had some of his traits. The stoic nature and less likely to talk probably came from him. "I think Mato is a natural leader. He knows his place well," he spoke when Brienne talked about following Mato.

What Burke didn't expect was that she continued and actually told him flat out about her crush on Mato. Burke slowly pulled his lips into a grin. "Don't think so less of yourself. I learned the most from 'a woman'. Often the decisions we make is because of our loved ones even though we like to think it is for the benefit of the pack. Perhaps you can help Tindómë far better when standing beside the leader instead of serving him," he spoke to the female. He rather liked her thoughtfulness. He felt that she and Mato would be a good fit. "But I am a man of logic. So if your womanly instinct says otherwise feel free to ignore my advice," he stated. He wouldn't be offended if she wouldn't take his advice. Perhaps he could play matchmaker and tell Mato that he should man up and claim his woman.

Brienne watches a grin form across the older gentleman's face and bathes in his apparent approval of her feelings towards his grandson.  Something stirred within her as he affirmed her worth — she had thought of herself as ephemeral, gone like the creeks that ceased to exist in the dry seasons.  Although Burke might not know it, his words grounded her in a way she could not verbalize.

It was interesting to her the things he brought up.  He suggested that she stand beside the ashen empyrean instead of serving him but it was not the advancement in rank that she craved — given the structure of the pack she doubted she'd even move up and this was fine because what she wanted was something she did not yet understand.  She wanted more from him than what they had now, something yet undefined and new, but perhaps she was reading too much into the phrasing.   

Thank you.  It is all she can muster for a minute and she focuses on the air cooling as it enters her nostrils — hmm! — and warming as it exits with an ahhhh.  Perhaps you are right.  But I do not know whether he feels the same and I do not know if I should.. have him exploring those feelings right now.  I'm not sure if he knows what he's feeling.. I'm not sure if I quite understand it myself.  She looks up at the elder and laughs, Can I attribute that to just being young?

She stands, stretching out her limbs with a sigh.  If he comes to me, if he wants to figure.. us.. out, then I will be more than ready.  Thank you for your advice, Burke.  I think I will sit on it a while longer and I might speak with him about it before too much time passes.

If he did not feel that way for her or found her to be too much of a time and resource suck, then so be it.  She would cross that bridge when she came to it.  But for now she found no harm in reveling in his presence, soaking in what she could of the man who brought her the most happiness she could ever recall feeling. 

Burke expected that the female might not be ready. It was more than okay. He liked that she commented herself that it was perhaps her lack of experience, her youthful age. Burke agreed. He gave her a firm nod in reply first. "I believe that is the case," he spoke. "Which is okay. You are both young and to explore and experience this will take time," he agreed. "I didn't find out when I was 5 seasons old," he then chuckled. "So all the time in the world to figure things out and how you feel."

Burke remembered. The night mother. He had been so impressed with her, so confused with what he had been feeling for Meldresi. He wouldn't be with Malice today if Meldresi hadn't died because of childbirth. He missed her sometimes. Meldresi and Malice were interesting in their own ways. Though, Burke would never forget his first love. That love would always stay Meldresi. She was an amazing woman.

"You are welcome," he spoke. "I am better with mentoring about practical skills. I am not much of a relationship guy," he admitted. Sometimes he felt like he still needed to work and learn from his relationship he had with Malice. He could be rather private or stoic. "Have you thought about trades you want to be doing in the future?," he asked curiously. Perhaps he could help her find what she liked doing.

His admission made her curious of what he did know when he was five seasons old but she would not press, not now.  She was just glad that he did not look down on her for not understanding what she felt.

She was surprised that he did not look down on her at all given how brash he had been when they had first met (albeit not directed at her) and especially the cutting words he had thrown at his son, especially since Mato's father had seemed so kind.. but he'd also been blindly loyal to his pack.

Brienne pushed the thought aside for now and switched gears.  All three trades I had wanted to pursue were under the Counselor branch, and I think I would like to stay there but perhaps since you are here to advise Mato and you should do such a better job that I would dream of considering your experience, perhaps I will take the time to learn of healing medicine.

That Ava has been Bazi's avatar for so long I was confused for a moment :'D (the character is inactiveso don't worry about using it! :D)

Burke's face turned slightly stoic as she started to explain about her traits. He didn't know what it was with woman and them not following the trades they liked. Why did she stop from following the counselor trade because he was already practicing it? He slowly shook his head. The ego side of him liked that she would just pick something else because he had experience in the trade she liked.

Yet, Burke was reasonable. How long would he still live? He had no clue. What he did know was that it could be his end any day. "Counseling is about different point of views. I think you could be a counselor just as much as I am," he stated. "Besides, I might drop dead any second," he joked lightly but then grew serious again. "Plus I tried being a therapist for some wolves with a bad mental health, so we could have a talk about that too. So I'd say that you follow at least one of the counselor specialties. Because I can't deny that someone medical is needed in this pack too, I believe," he spoke.

The sprite had not considered abandoning the counseling trade altogether and was glad that Burke agreed with her.  Perhaps she could learn under him as an apprentice — something she had never thought of but would be pleased to do.

Absolutely.  Do you think you would be open to a student?  She ponders for a moment.  It is a big decision, especially since she has told everyone she would be counseling, but perhaps she should focus on medicine first and counseling second, at least until Burke passes.

Burke looked at the female and then smiled. He slowly started to nod. "Of course. I can mentor you," he spoke with a smile on his lips. He wouldn't mind teaching her something as it would make him learn more as well. Perhaps she had a different kind of view from him on certain matters.

"We can talk theories next time perhaps?," he offered. Now the female probably had a lot to think about already. He didn't want to over advise her. Perhaps it would be better to move the lessons to the next time.