Dragoncrest Cliffs keep it 100

need Merc threads come fite me

It wasn't long before he felt settled into the place. Having Helix here helped immensely. It was just like old times, before she had gone off to somefuckin-geda. He had missed her; her presence healed the small hole in his black heart that she'd drilled when she left. Ephraim was a total bro, too, and he was warming up to Tux, Heda's kid.

Uh, speaking of Heda's kids--like, what the fuck happened? Vercingetorix was gonna give Thuringwethil's mate mad props for keeping up with Heda when he learned that she had bounced. She and one of Tux's sisters, plus another kid, and--well, that's all he knew about that. But why? What? Huh?

Oh, well. Her loss, he supposed. He didn't have time for some stupid natronas. He just felt bad for Heda.

Verx stood near the edge of the cliffs, looking out at the waves. It was quite beautiful here, if rugged and savage. A very feral sort of beauty. . .his favorite. He looked forward to staying for a while, if not until he died. You never knew where life took you, but wolves at least had some control of their destiny. And his destiny was here.

Mallaidh has had a lot of what the fuck moments. Each one never ceases to amaze her.

So…

What in the actual fuck?

Like most wolves of Drageda, and the new change of events, everything feels turned upside down. One minute Wildfire is around, the next she’s not… and then Thuringwethil is there the next minute. Uncertain what @Blixen has told her mother, she keeps to herself and out of the way of any wolf higher up. Any sign of the woman is met with pure avoidance, afraid what might happen if she run into her.

Today, however, she finds herself a little closer to Hougeda than she intends to be but a dark figure catches her attention before she gets very far. Mallaidh holds her breath, worried she’s run into Thuringwethil already but with the shift in wind by the angry sea in down below, she note the differences. Instead, it’s someone she doesn’t know at all so carefully the girl chuffs in his directions.

He was tempted to ignore the greeting but turned reluctantly--and was glad he did. Fucking beauty queen, tall and savage; looked like one of those northern girls from feral tribes, or something. Her eyes were bright in a mask of charcoal, and her mink fur was plush. Looked warm. He'd love to bury his face in it.

Well, hey, Verx said, coming toward her with his tail swinging behind him. A crooked smile lit his face. What's up? I'm Vercingetorix. I came down with Heda after the war. He dipped his head in a solemn greeting, though the playful glint of intrigue never left his eyes. Was she family? Or had this gorgeous woman just happened to end up here--

--like it was fate or some shit?

The realization that crosses his face when he turns to look at her leaves her a little unsettled. She doesn’t know much about the wolves from Trigeda, there have only been a handful and most of them women. The men of their kind have been outsiders, such as Dio or Étoille, or born here like Artaax or Bobby. If there had been others, she hadn’t really been around them, but she stands her ground anyway and watches as he approaches.

His crooked smile and wag of his tail contradict one another. The fact he’s allowed in Drageda, had come with Heda, keeps her rooted; surely they wouldn’t bring someone unsavory with them.

”That’s a mouthful,” she says, but is it any different than Thuringwethil? Does he have some easy title, like Heda, to call him? ”I’m Mallaidh. I was uh, looking for Blixen.”

Right off the bat with, That's a mouthful. So many crass comebacks came to mind, and he swallowed them all--hehehe--for the sake of getting off on the right paw with this woman. He thought that was a pretty noble thing of him to do, given how loose his tongue was. He figured she wasn't one to appreciate innuendo, though one never could really tell.

You can call me Verx, he offered, his smile growing broader. Or whatever works for you. It's a pleasure, Molly. Blixen. . .one of Heda's kids? His eyes sharpened slightly as he stared at her, wondering suddenly how long she had been with Drageda. Yu get in Trigedasleng? Vercingetorix asked, ears tilting forward.

He gives her an easy alternative to his name. Verx. Easy enough. Plus, it’s nice not having to explain she’s not Furi and why she changed (back) and yadda yadda yadda.

“Uh, yeah,” she answers, though she hadn’t really wanted to bring up Heda. She’s still too nervous about what might happen. He doesn’t add anything else though before speaking in their native tongue and Mallaidh smiles. She understand the simple statement well enough but she’s not great at it so she shrugs her shoulders. “A little bit, uh, I’m not very good at holding a conversation.”

Eh, that's okay, he responded. It has its perks, but I like the common tongue, too. More swear words. He laughed, eyes sparkling, and blinked at Mallaidh. He couldn't stop staring at her; she was undoubtedly, utterly gorgeous. Probably spoken for already, with looks like that. But a guy could dream. . .

What do you around here, Mallaidh? Gona, rauna, hompleia. . .? He trailed off, waiting for her response. He selfishly hoped for the first of the three, but only because he was partial to gonas in general. He was still a little disappointed that Tux had chosen the rauna path, respectable as it still was.

He comments on the use of more swear words in the common tongue and she can’t help a smile form on her features. She’d made sure to learn all the bad words of her mother and father’s tongue when she was young and they were looking. They are not often used but she’s sure she could bring back a few. Roarke certainly had his share.

“Gona,” she answers with a pause, “Eske used to be my mentor.” She hasn’t seen the woman since before she left the first time, learning certain skills at a young age. Wanlida had been gone when she’d returned to Drageda, helping with the war efforts up north. Maybe he’d been at war with them too and knew of her and Étoille but she does not voice the question, not certain how much she wants to drag up memory lane right now.

The name Eske went right over his head, scatterbrained as he'd been over the past moon or so. Gona was most important, and he gave a nod of sincere approval, smiling. Good, Verx responded. I'm glad. I need some gonas to show me the ropes around here.

He wondered whether she was familiar with the other Gedas. Anything I should know about Drageda that might be different from Trigeda? the brute asked, cocking his head. Fighting style, battle tactics, history, whatever? Really, he just wanted to keep her around for as long as possible. Stupid long-winded questions, yay!

Most of the wolves she’s met from Trigeda are quiet and reserved and to the point. This one has said more words than many of the others combined in just a matter of minutes. Kind of like Blixen but not as cute.

“I don’t know a lot about Trigeda so uh,” she tells him, struggling to find the words. She’s pretty good at making herself look stupid and this time is no different. She gives herself so much work to get in the good graces of those she already knows, she never learns. “But we spar and practice a lot. I like to try and teach the younger ones but I don’t think they like me very much,” she adds. I mean, if she can’t hit it off with adults, what makes anyone think she’d know how to handle children?

He nodded sagely, then mock-frowned at her remark, more condescending toward the children than her. Dumb kids, Verx scoffed, rolling his eyes. Don't know a good thing when they see one. Ah, well, when they piss themselves in battle, they'll regret not giving you the time of day. He certainly wouldn't regret it, that was for sure.

Do you want to spar, sometime? the brute asked, his face brightening. I could use some good exercise. It's certainly more fun than walking the borders. Especially when said borders had been walked over. And over. And over. Yawn.

Mallaidh smiles when he talks about the children, trying to make her feel better. There are other, better wolves to train from than her so she doesn’t really fault them. The last fight she’d been in had ended terribly so maybe Blixen said something to them in passing. Whatever.

“Yeah, sure, I’d like that,” she says. Vercingetorix is big but his fur seems thinner than her brother, but they seem comparable. She doesn’t necessarily want to get better just to be able to beat up her own brother but… she just wants to know she can. “Border patrols are really boring.”