i don't want to live a lie

@Dante let's hit it

Finn wasn't the conventional male. And while he found himself proud of being different sometimes he wished things would be simpler. There were days he felt like the event in his life were taken from a ridiculous joke with a lame punch-line.

Even if Finn had managed to build a strong masquerade around his inner self, he still struggled to keep to the script; especially at times like this. Finn had never been in love, he was supposed to be an untamed bull that had no owner and rode the land like the wind. But day after day that careless cassanova charade had begun to crumble.

He had a natural swag and an innate charm in his eyes but he had played the a role that was not his own for so long he was beginning to forget how his real self was, and what he would do. Feeling overwhelmed by these thoughts Finn trotted away from the Plateu and into a place he had never been to.

The mountain that extended before him stood proud and secure; not like the silver drapped man that walked with his tail hanging low. Was it to late to take of his mask? But he feared that what lied beneath the mask was already rusty and rotten.

He paced the base of the mountain as he thought of the woman. What would assure she'd like him as he really was? Would she like a claustrophobic boy that had no table manner and daddy issues over a man with a always perfect smile and the bad boy vibe?

ah, sorry sorry sorry!!!

Dante, for some strange reason, had been up before the sun today. Upon waking he found he could not get back to sleep, so his paws carried him out of the territory instead. If he was going to get such an early start he might as well go do something.

He had made it as far as the mountains to the south before slowing. He knew that a pack had once dwelt here somewhere, but pretty much all traces were gone. He had met a few who had called this place home and hoped that they had simply relocated.

Hunkering down under a tree, he looked about him, taking in the new area. He hadn't meant to drift off, but before he knew it, he was waking up to te sound of someone nearby. Leaping to his feet, a growl was quickly bit back. It was a knee jerk reaction, one that he doubted he would eever lose no matter how long he lived in the plateau.

don't worry

Maybe it was not to late to hang up his boxing gloves and put away his armor. Maybe it was time to stop fighting against what his heart whispered into his ear; the battle had been lost anyways, he was not the same man he had come as when he arrived at the Plateu. Something in his had been lost along the way, it had gradually faded as the days went by.

Though that something couldn't be named yet. He had never experienced something like such before, so it was still unknown to him. He continued to walk aimlessly around the skirts of the mountain, floating without a particular destination like a ghost haunting the land.

Suddenly as he turned up a slope, a grey figure bolted in fron of him, it was another male and from the Plateu. Finn jumped back to, fighting to keep back an alarmed growl of his own. He had been so busy in his head he had not smelled him. In fact he didn't even know him, the only thing that told him he was a friend and not a foe was the strong and musky fragance of Peregrine clinging to his body.

Oh, hey.. didn't mean to scare you.. I didn't even see you there dude, he barked with a shrug, suddenly wondering what he was doing so far from the flatlands too.

As Dante's sleep haze cleared, he could scent that the other wolf was a packmate and immediately stepped back, fur lying flat. "No, I'm sorry. You took me by surprise, that was my bad..." He fell silent, somewhat abashed for reacting so violently to the others' approach. It was obvious that he had returned the favor and startled the other right back. He hadn't even meant to fall asleep out here.

It was strange, meeting another packmate of all folks way out here. Not unwelcome, though, now that he was no longer unaware. "It's nice to leave the borders every once in a while, is it not? I for some reason felt like wandering today." He answered the man's unspoken question, figuring he might as well explain what he was doing way out here in the middle of nowhere. "Didn't mean to doze off though. Name's Dante." This was a packmate he had not met yet, so he was glad that they had run into one another.

With a simple shrug of his shoulders Finn dismissed the subject of their unusual introduction, it had been both's faut really -- him for falling asleep on a strange territory and Finn's because he hadn't even been paying attention to what laid in front of his nose.

The silver Ollivander nodded as he commented on the beauty of the place, the reason Finn liked to travel was not often due to the beauty but because of the thrill of the place. Mountains were interesting and challenging though he hated when the path got too narrow or steep. Are you an outrider? he asked with interest. Finn was hoping to earn his Outrider's trade soon, so a couple of pointers from the man would be well recieved.

When Dante barked his name, Finn smiled briefly, of course he knew who he was, he was always present in every meeting and if his memory didn't fail him, he had just been promoted to Beta. Lucky it was me who found you he barked with a sheepish grin, if he were to take a wild guess he would say the place wasn't called Great Bear Wilderness for nothing.

Im Finn. he barked at last, his olive eyes landing on the man's face.

Dante shook his head as Finn asked if he was an outrider, amused despite the fact that it was indeed a reasonable question. "No, hardly. I'm far too comfortable with home to be leaving that often. I am a Warden. I do like to leave every so often, though. It is good to know the surrounding area even though my trade does not necessarily require it."

"Indeed it was lucky!" He'd hate to think what would happen if an aggressor had stumbled upon him sleeping. Blacktail Deer Plateau was definitely softening him up a bit, at least in that regard. He needed to watch himself. "It is nice to meet you Finn. What about you, are you, or will you be, an Outrider?" The man had the build for it, unlike Dante, and he too was out roaming. From his understanding the Plateau was in need of Outriders, especially since one of their aspiring ones had so recently departed. He knew of a few who might be pursuing the trade, though, for he paid attention to the traces of packmates crossing the borders. Finley was one of them, not that it came as a surprise. Their first meeting had shown him that she wasn't one to stand still for long.

The young man bobbed his head as he listened to the man speak. A Warden, that was an interesting Trade to, one that might later spike interest in the silver male. Though he would've wanted to ask about how hard it was to be a Warden he stopped himself, he wanted to focus on earning his first Trade before worrying for another. If not he was sure he would end up doing neither-- many times Finn had left unfinished things floating around.

Will be, hopefully soon he barked with a light shrug of his shoulder accompanied by a smile. Out of all the things he had left undone he wished this was not one of them. Truth was he was tired of being mediocre. In the past he held no care and carried no worries, he lived on the lie that he would always be young and his good looks would always get him what he wanted. And oh, it had worked so far.

But now that Finn was beginning to question his ways, he realized he had to strive for something bigger. And earning a Trade would do just that.So.. what were you doing out here? he asked, changing the subject quickly not because he feared the other would ask but because dwelling too much on the subject made his mood worsen.

Dante wished him luck on his endeavor, trades were something that led to a lot of self-improvement and motivation. He knew that he enjoyed pursuing his own, his current sights set on perhaps earning his stripes as a gamekeeper. He enjoyed hunting much more than any other he could think of and the work was rewarding, especially with the scarce season coming.

"You know, I'm not really sure. I just felt like coming out, I guess. I enjoy sticking to the borders, but a change of scenery can lend more insight sometimes." He'd hate to get complacent. When he was out here he -normally- was kept on his toes, having to watch for outside dangers more than in claimed, familiar territory. Except when he fell asleep like an idiot, of course. It was laughable.

"How about you? Practicing the trade, or just on a jaunt?" If he was aiming to meet a stranger to improve relations, Dante did not want to keep him. His trade duties were important as well.

Though Finn viewed trades like a simple compliment to your name or rank, he was still pretty determined to get his, and fast. The man didn't see beyond the shiny accessory it represented, though a trade was supposed to be more of a life goal rather than something to simply brag about, Finn thought of it like a little trophy that would not only embellish his reputation but also his status. Wolves with no trades were seen as useless or lazy, whereas those who held more than one specialization were usually higher ranked.

And Gamekeeping and Outriding were well-paid trades.
As the man explained why he had strayed out of the Plateu, the younger male simply bobbed his head in awknowledgement, he was not one to ponder much about life so the last bit of Dante's words was lost on him; something that might've dissapointed his father, whose top favorite activities included reflecting while admiring the beauty of nature.

Finn whipped his tail as the man returned the question, he was not reluctant to admit that he too had been driven here by his own tangled thoughts. Half and half, he barked, twitching the tip of his tail as he spoke. It was the truth, though he had left the Plateu to get away from it all, the little voyage would still serve as practice.

Dah, sorry so short, my brain is fried but I wanted to get something responded to <3 we can wrap this up or keep it going, whatever you prefer!

The noncommittal response didn't bother Dante too much; he, of all wolves, understood not speaking in detail about his own feelings or motives. Some, himself included, just weren't the sharing type. "In any event, I hope you got what you came out for." He laughed. "I sure didn't, though I can't say I regret the trip regardless." In a way, though, he had. He'd come out here to escape the fears that had plagued him of late, and for the moment, they were far from his mind.

its alright hun <3 can we have a couple of rounds more

The sun was beginning to take off its flaming vest, all while dipping its bottom slowly behind the imposing silhouette of the mountain. The spectacle, which would've been a real show for Galileo was simply a reminder that they must travel back before nightfall. Travelling in the night wasn't something the young male didn't like, it was something he would just rather avoid.

You got a nap though he barked with a small smile, though the conversation had not been extremely deep, he had already got the feeling that this guy would make a good friend. Then, with a hesitant flick of his tail he brought his eyes to meet Dante's own.

Tell me is existensialism just a phase or is it some kind of cynical disease he asked, completely driving their casual conversation to uncharted grounds.

Sure thing!!

Dante laughed, happy at the jest. "I suppose you are right, not a complete loss! It was a good nap too, if a bit... unexpected."

The others eyes met his and there was a seriousness in them that had previously been absent. His next words met the tone, and Dante paused thoughtfully, considering the question carefully.

"I wouldn't know for sure, but I can't seem to shake it. Eventually you just learn to use it to your advantage. It isn't such a bad thing, you know. Thinking about things, that is. It allows you to know yourself and others a little better, and when you know yourself, you know your flaws and how to improve them. Or embrace them." He smiled. That was the part he was still working on.

So we were both bitten by the same bug, huh? he sighed, after learning that it was not just his brain the one playing tricks on him lately -- maybe it was something all wolves went through. Like a initiation ritual for maturity; a type of puberty but for adults.

Either way, the greyscale man's words worked on the boy; who was more of a man now. For once in his lifetime he didn't let the man's speech go through one ear and out the other. Man this growing up deal was strange.

After Dante was done speaking, Finn raised his eyes to meet his briefly, an unspoken thank you written across his pupil; then twisting his lips into a small gentle smile, the man reached out his nose to nugde his superior/ and now friend's shoulder.

Thanks man, he barked with a gentle nod of his head. Though he knew he could not keep up his macho act up forever, it was hard to embrace the needy guy that lied underneath it all.
As long as it didn't drive away those he loved, it was worth the shot.

Do you wanna race back? he offered with a wag of his tail that shook off the storm cloud away from his head. Wrapping his head about a single issue was not something Finn liked.

First post on my new pretty! 89

"It certainly seems that way," came the laughing response to Finn's question. Unlike Finn, Dante had grown used to it by now, enough so that the fact that he worried over things no longer bothered him. If Finn truly had 'caught the bug', so to speak, then soon he may to reach that point. It was preferable to the state of self-doubt that he was in now, at least.

"Anytime," he responded and meant it. At the prospect of a race, Dante looked sideways at Finn. He was at a clear disadvantage with his size and general lack of speed, but he wasn't about to let the challenge go unanswered. As a result, he took off before agreeing, his assent coming back as he tried to get at least a bit of a head start. "Sure thing!"

last post <3

Finn's long limbs gave him a certain advantage when it came to running -- not to mention that his life had basically consisted on it. He had always been on the run for one reason or another..

When Dante began to trot away, the silver male's tail began to twitch happily, as he prepped himself for the real race. The white-eyed male might be his superior and his friend-to-be but that would not stop the platinumn rocketboy from leaving him in the dust.

Dante burst out laughing as Finn shot past, leaving him quite effectively in the dust. He hadn't had a chance to begin with, but he didn't mind. His strengths lay very much elsewhere.

That also wasn't going to stop him from trying. Picking up his pace, he barreled forward, losing ground all the while yet still enjoying himself immensely.