Neverwinter Forest castles

@Kyron ! @Scimitar welcomed at any point, too!

Eshe awoke in the arms of Scimitar. It had not been this way as they traveled, though they slept side by side. She was too conscious of his children and likely so was he. Now, however? They had found themselves a place to retire out of the eyesight of any, protected by the sentinel pine trees. She awoke with a start when she felt the weight of his strong forelimb against her, unused to it as she was. And then Eshe could not help but laugh, and did not even try to be delicate about escaping him. She felt she could never be used to this, and believed she would never take it for granted. She tried to rouse him with a billion kisses; she knew him to be an early riser, but the journey had taken a toll on each Everwinter wolf. Exhaustion ought to have set into her bones, but she was too ecstatic for their claim on this veritable kingdom of theirs.

Okay, well, dibs on the Southside border sweetums, she growled, snickering at her horrific nickname. Well, he could call her all the things he liked! Just that they could do these silly things together now thrilled her, and before he could throw a rejoinder in bestowing upon her a terrible nickname in turn, she bolted out of their door with a giddy laugh.

And then she arrived to the southside borders, marching along them merrily and rubbing herself among the trees. Home sweet home, she told the pines and the birds left within them, who chirped at her (or at one another). Her gaze shifted to the horizon, but her mind drifted again to her 'sweetums'. As soon as this territory was truly their own, she'd have to deliver him breakfast in bed for his patience with her. That her overeagerness had not grated on his nerves was a wonder; it made her further believe she had found her perfect match.

The desert wolf wove between the trees easily, melting into the dark shadows that the canopies casted on the forest floor. He held himself with grace, but his posture was neutral as he made his way through the trees cautiously. Hot cinnamon ears alert atop his skull, blue eyes sharp and nostrils flaring as he aimed to catch the scent of prey, or perhaps even another of his kind. Kyron hadn't met another wolf for weeks, perhaps it had even been a month, but he was still wary; wolves here would be different from those he was used to, and he didn't want to get on any of their nerves. 

A gentle breeze blew through the trees, rustling his fiery coat, and alerting him of another presence nearby. Kyron had noted some scents on the pines, but knew it wasn't strong enough for a pack yet and approached easily. He'd been alone for too long, and while the Persian prince wasn't a social person, he was still a wolf and wolves were social creatures at heart. If he went too long without the company of his own kind, he was sure to go slowly insane. Okay, that might be a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea. He felt that he still needed time before he joined another pack; but deep down, Kyron knew it didn't matter. His instincts called for other wolves.

Kyron smelled her on the trees before he even saw her. And when he did, he debated on whether or not to run away or approach. Both didn't appeal to him. So he stood there silently, blue eyes appraising her quietly, posture respectful and on the submissive side of the spectrum.

The she-wolf continued along, her movements serpentine as she snaked around one tree to the next with the clear intent to mark it. Her gold-bordering-brown eyes fell upon a ruddy wolf in the distance, and Eshe froze. Trespasser! Her mind might have said, were this days later and the woods truly their own. But instead it said: potential wolf to kidnap into the family you're creating here! She watched his posture, and adjusted her own to one of pride and strength. Maybe she wasn't the strongest she-wolf in the world, but for her wolves she would try to be!

Eshe felt incredibly convincing as she strolled toward him, her tail lifted and her ears cupped in his direction. But for all the pomp she put in her step, she positively exuded her affability. Hey! Careful, stranger! These woods will soon be claimed, she forewarned and informed in one breath, genial in tone but her features expressing her serious intent. She continued toward him, wanting to quite literally sniff him out. She identified with him on the social-scale; Eshe was a she-wolf that needed socialization, and plenty of it. She wasn't always eloquent, but Eshe sure was wordy. And she was also quite excited to meet a new wolf.

She paused abruptly before invading his personal space, trying to read his body to deduce whether or not he was the sort to steer clear of. And in the space between then and the moment she would approach to suss out the scents he wore, she grinned and introduced himself. I'm Eshe. Eshe Frostfur. Alpha-to-be of this place—Neverwinter Forest. She introduced herself with pride she felt was well-deserved; she had been through a helluva journey, to introduce herself as such, from last name to title. The male was quite easy on the eyes, but hers were solely for her mates. And she hadn't the leadership experience to note that his physique was perfect for protecting, a warrior if ever there was one. Long ago, she might have aligned his figure to the malevolent wolves that had come against Dry Canyon, but so much time seemed to have passed since then. Her trials were long since forgotten.

The female noticed him and began walking over. Kyron watched as her tail lifted upwards, signifying her rank in these woods and instinctively, the Persian felt his own begin to raise too before he remembered that he was no longer at his native pack or the coast and that he was a loner. Cursing himself for his minor stupidity, his tail lowered instead but wagged amiably, showing he was of friendly nature and meant no harm. She soon spoke to him, and Kyron met her gaze briefly before turning his head away respectfully, not wishing to appearing challenging. "Sorry," he mumbled, taking a step back and licking his lips nervously, unsure of how to act.

She did not stop and Kyron was about to literally back the fuck away before she invaded his personal space when her footsteps finally ceased. He turned to look at her again, not making eye contact to show respect and made to assess her. Average, he supposed, and he decided that if it did come to a fight, he could take her down but from the looks of it, she wasn't a threat to his well-being. Lifting his clear blue orbs away from her form, he looked at her, a frown touching his forehead as she grinned and introduced herself to him. 

Alpha. Neverwinter Forest. Soon-to-be. Kyron absorbed all the information he had been given in a split second and made use of it. Obviously, there was a pack to be formed here soon, a pack that perhaps he could join. Don't make any rash decisions, warned his brain, however, so he simply nodded. "Kyron," the Persian prince said, a quick, genuine smile flashing over his face. "I'm Kyron. Nice to meet you, Eshe." he replied in his lilting, soft accent.

Eshe herself was no warrior tactician wise to the fact that he had sized her up. Her inexperience could be blamed for that. While she was a learned guardian able to dispatch of trespassers, she wasn't a seasoned veteran or anything of the like. He more-than-likely could beat her in a fight, but none of these things occurred to the confident and easily excited Eshe. He adjusted his posture to become further submissive and her thick plume waved happily. She could read his nervousness and so kept her distance, remaining rooted to the spot. From the nervous licking of his lips to the gentle frown, the taupe woman worried that she was coming off too strong. Try though she might to calm herself down, she could not ward off her eagerness.

She noted his accent, thick as it was, telling of faraway lands. His name, too, had an exotic flavor to it... warm, she felt. She did not wish to overwhelm him, so she let him finish before speaking herself. To his apology, she shook her head. No need to be. Our claim is very new. We've just arrived a day ago, but we're working on marking all of the boundaries. Of course now that he knew, there'd be no getting away with it again. She supposed that was common sense. He seemed smart, being apologetic for it at all, anyway—she thought, perhaps foolishly, it went without saying.

Kyron, she tested, pronouncing it slowly and watching his features to make sure she did not say it wrongly. When he did not become cross, she smiled again. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Kyron. She nodded, her posture becoming more lax but remaining dominant nonetheless. He seemed to acknowledge his station as subordinate here; even if he was not one of her own, the fact that he was a lone wolf simply made that default here and now.

Having maintained her distance, Eshe awkwardly wondered what next to do. She had informed him of the pack to be, and he had not seemed too interested in that, only apologetic. And he had also introduced himself in turn to her, though likely that was out of politeness. Eshe decided to be as upfront as she could without being rude, and stated warmly, I don't mean to keep you from anything...

It was a general feeler; perhaps he would tell her he had nowhere else to be, or nothing better to do. Or perhaps he would inform her she was in fact keeping him, and he had better be off to his pack who awaited him. Maybe Neverwinter was once a shortcut of his he could no longer use. Whatever the case, she hoped her statement would be enough to find out something... be it his disinterest in continuing any sort of conversation, or the amount of time she had to get to know if he might make a good addition to their family.

A gently amused, yet genuine grin tugged at Kyron's lips when she pronounced his name, or his adopted name. It wasn't that she was saying it wrong, simply the way she was saying it, cautiously and carefully as to not make a mistake that amused him. Perhaps he should've told her his birth name; he'd like to see her pronounce that. Not many native common tongue speakers could, and when they did, they did so with a thick accent that disfigured his name; he tended to get unreasonably cross over it; he was proud of his heritage so perhaps it was good that Ralph had given him another name. Better for first impressions.

Kyron shrugged those thoughts away, concentrating on what Eshe had to say next. He knew he wasn't the most....easy wolf to make conversation with. Naturally awkward and shy, he usually kept to the edge and listened to others converse instead of speaking himself. With friends, he was an entirely different wolf but he didn't know her yet, and so instead, shifted his weight awkwardly between his toes, wanting to say a whole load of things but not knowing if it was the right thing to say. So instead, the Persian waited for her to speak and she did not disappoint.

"Oh no, don't worry," Kyron replied with a lift of his shoulder and a shrug, relaxing his muscles. "I've got nowhere else to go." he said with a casual smile and a wag of his tail. "So, mind telling me about your pack, soon-to-be Alpha Eshe Frostfur?" Kyron was channeling his inner charm right now, and the gleam in his cool blue eyes spoke of that. Perhaps, he'll be able to get himself a home in these woods. It wasn't like the red sands, but he could get used to it.

She was nothing short of relieved to hear that he had nowhere else to be for two reasons, the first and foremost being that she was not a nuisance to him. The second? Perhaps he was a wolf interested in a new home! If not that, well, a new friend? Eshe would take what she could get, more friendly than most leadership typically was. Eshe belatedly thought she might want to follow their example—she had always admired their cool, calm, and collected demeanor—but it was too late now to take that plunge. Maybe next time.

His question was answered firstly with an excited little grin, and then began her longwinded spiel. I'm beginning this pack with my mate, mister Scimitar Frostfur, and his sister and her mate—and any that join our fold will be considered apart of the family by default. We protect our own, and look out for one another! She was eager to grow her family, to expand it and make it as magnificent as her homelands had once been. Her tail waved a bit. Of course, we'd have to vet those who want to become a part of the family. I'd rather not have any serial killers in the mix, Eshe was utterly serious as she said that, perfectly aware that those sorts of wolves did in fact exist out there. She looked to him and shrugged at that. I guess it might not be for everyone, but I've always wanted a big family myself.

Kyron couldn't help but smile when the soon-to-be Alpha female grinned excitedly at him and began speaking. From her first word, the sun-touched Persian knew he was going to be here for sometime, but he didn't mind. As he had told her, truthfully, he had nowhere else to be and being in the company of an over-excited, outgoing, soon-to-be leader of a pack suited him well enough. He had dealt with many of her kind before, and had fallen for quite a few too; he was no stranger to them and funny enough as it was, he found himself drawn more to them than to those like himself. A familiar figure, cloaked in black and gray floated through his head and Kyron quickly chased it away, unwilling to delve on unwanted memories just yet.

Hot cinnamon ears swiveled forward, instead, as he listened to her story. She was a married lady, apparently, to a guy called Scimitar and they were planning to start a pack with his sister and her mate. The first thing he noticed was the fact that everyone currently in the pack was married. To him, that was slightly weird but he didn't say anything about it. They were a family oriented pack after all and family oriented packs always appealed to the Persian, having came from one himself. So Kyron was glad to hear that anyone who joined would also be considered family and he couldn't help but smile slightly when she spoke about not having any serial killers in the mix.

Kyron smiled, "You'll be glad to hear then, that I'm an honorable Persian warrior, trained to guard and hunt and fight and that I'm most definitely not a serial killer." He shook his coat, appraised her once more with blue eyes and tilted his head thoughtfully. "I've always wanted a big family too, having come from one myself. Do you think I'll be suitable for your pack? Do you think you're mate will like me?" The flurry of questions came rushing out of Kyron's mouth and almost immediately, he smiled somewhat apologetically. "Sorry."

She realized she had forgotten someone, and quickly threw him in. Pasha! Pasha, too!

His response from the get go was more than she could have hoped for. That he was trained as a hunter, a guardian, and a fighter meant that he was likely the best of their ilk. For she was a good hunter, but just in the general sense as all wolves surely were decent. A guardian? Well, she was what she needed to be when she needed to be it (though certainly as a leader, she'd become in time a great one). And a fighter? Ah, she had the basics. Would it be wise to ask for him to teach her? She'd have to ask Scimitar the protocol, there... but for now she gave nothing like that way.

So already all were related by blood, except really for the ones by marriage, she and Keiran. Now Kyron, too! The three amigos. They could be, if Keiran was more social... but then, who knew? Hell, maybe Kyron could find the daughter of Scimitar and become an in law, too. That he preferred the unfairer sex was not something she knew possible (she had never been exposed to such a thing), but if she had known that she might have even suggested Pasha himself. One big happy family!

That he came from a big family, too, caused her eyes to grow. She could hardly resist informing him that she had come from one, too (though not in so many words, simply throwing an excited, Me, too! his way—nevermind the fact that they were all dead... all but one, anyway—so that he would know) before listening on. As he asked about her mate and her imagined thoughts on what he would think of Kyron, she tilted her head. Not sure. I think he'd appreciate and like your spirit. It's hard not to like a wolf who's a hard worker, and willing to contribute and work alongside us... Her tail waved at that, and she tilted her head. Are you saying you're open to being recruited?

Kyron's eyebrows lifted in surprise when Eshe suddenly threw in another name. "Uh..who's Pasha? Sorry." he asked, not wanting to sound impolite but unsure of who this sudden newcomer was. So far, everyone in this pack was somewhat related; he was ready to assume that this Pasha was too but did not want to jump conclusions. Anyhow, it didn't matter, not really. If he was accepted into this pack, he would soon get to know them all. And if he wasn't. Then most likely he would forget all the names; they wouldn't matter to him anymore. 

If only the Persian knew what was going through Eshe's mind at the moment, he would have lost control and laughed until he choked. Truth to be told, Kyron's preferences weren't restricted by anything, whether that be gender or race, it didn't matter, what mattered was their personality. So he supposed, if Eshe wanted to set him up, she would have a wide range of wolves to choose from. After all, his choices weren't limited at all. 

A grin lit up his features when she informed him that she too, had come from a big family. Eshe's excitement was contagious, and Kyron could feel his previous nervousness melting away as he talked with the light agouti wolf. "My spirit, huh?" the persian prince grinned crookedly. He had always been a hard worker; it was unnatural for him not to be, having grown up in a place where nothing less than your best was expected. It was only normal for him to do his best and he found it unusual that wolves would slack around and not work. After all, the pack had given him a home, it was only fair to give them all you had in return. "Yes I am. If you'll have me."

His question was answered swiftly, and she smirked, Yet another family member, she told him, not knowing the best way to introduce him. Eshe didn't want to call him her son if he didn't want to be referred as in that way, and to even mention him as Scimitar's son alone would likely sound too scandalous for first introductions. All these thoughts flooded her mind in the span of a millisecond, and just as quickly as they came they went. Eshe wasn't thinking too hard about it; Pasha and the others could surely introduce themselves to him better than she could, if he came into the fold.

Your spirit, she reiterated with a bemused grin. He seemed confident after all; that did matter, in the scheme of things. As he now informed her he was open to being recruited, her almond eyes grew wide, even more excited. He, Kyron, would be the first wolf she, Eshe, had ever recruited for her own pack! This day would be one she would not soon forget, and she was helpless to the smile that overtook her features.

Well, the answer as a dead giveaway. He hardly needed to be told. But still, so he was certain, she nodded. We'd be happy to have you, Kyron. Doubtless we currently have room for another member. With all your guarding skills, you can help mark Neverwinter and inform others that its no-mans land, except for those among us. She grinned, and took a step forward. Lets tell the others! And so she howled, doing just that, We have another among us!, hoping his voice would join-in for his introduction to those that ran with them then.

She confirmed his suspicions, stating that Pasha was indeed another family member. Kyron assumed she meant that he was a family member by blood, and not just because he was in this pack simply because that seemed to be the pattern currently in Neverwinter. His acceptance, that is, if he was to be accepted, would serve to break this, for better or for worse. Kyron knew he would be an asset to this pack; he just hoped that they would be accepting of his not-related-to-you-by-blood status and not treat him as an outsider. You never knew. From the looks of it though, Eshe would at least be by his side. 

Once she'd broken through his initial nervousness, Kyron was a pretty confident wolf, thanks to his survival abilities that his older siblings and parents had drilled into him since young. He was sure he would be an asset to this new pack; he'd only hoped their current inhabitants would think the same way and if they didn't, the Persian would find a way to prove them wrong. Kyron returned Eshe's grin and couldn't help but chuckle softly at her reaction when he told her he was open to be recruited. That was a look he wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

Eshe said the words and accepted him, causing Kyron's heart to skip a beat. He had been expecting it, but that didn't mean he was still a bit surprised. He'd thought she would consult her mate to see if he was a good match but it seemed there was no need for it after all. Not that it mattered as long as he was accepted. Eshe seemed excited to have accepted him and tilted her head to howl, informing her packmates of his acceptance. After a moment of hesitation, Kyron joined in, and he couldn't help the grin from spreading across his face at the sheer, simple joy of having gotten accepted.

Being an amateur leader as she was, Eshe was prone to futz things up now and again, but did not feel she had done so, now. At last Eshe moved toward him so that she could rub her furs against him in a further show of her claim so that none could dispute they had met if, say, they weren't in the area to hear the howl—assuming he permitted her closeness.

So, you ready for the grand tour? Knowing Scimitar, he would be joining them shortly after hearing the howl. She ought to have consulted him, she thought belatedly. Once more, she added, okay, next time.

Eshe moved towards him and Kyron resisted the urge to back away. It wasn't that he was afraid of her or anything, simply that he was rather edgy when it came to physical contact. It was nothing personal, just some weird fear he had gained after leaving the red sands. He allowed her to rub her scent on him, however, and relaxed his rather tense muscles so she wouldn't know how nervous he truly was. When she had done so, and moved away, Kyron exhaled softly and shrugged, he was being stupid, she wasn't Ralph. First of all, she was a girl.

"Yeah, sure," the Persian smiled briefly and inclined his head slightly in a nod. This was his new home, he might as well get to know it better. And having someone lead him on a tour, was, he supposed, better than mindlessly exploring himself when he could be spending time marking the place.

Scimitar knows more of this place than I do, he might be a better tour guide. But there are some places I can show you, she offered. The Forest was as massive as it was grand; there was much to get to know, and really they had only just arrived. They couldn't even get to know the whole of the territory in one whole day. There was a lot she ought to do, but she couldn't in good conscience leave the man alone to his own devices when he had only just arrived.

Eshe darted ahead of him, thinking of what to first show him. She had some ideas; things she had moved past in passing, for instance, but nothing major. Any landmarks she supposed she'd discover along with the pack wolves themselves. Moving deeper into the forest, Eshe took a soft left and moved toward a riverbed, which surged and churned loudly even despite the frigid temperatures.

Scimitar. Kyron knew he would eventually meet Eshe's husband and wondered what he would be like. In his mind, he had conjured up an image of someone who could deal with this girl's endless talking; probably someone silent and also large and strong. He hoped that this Scimitar guy would like him because life would be much harder if the Alpha did not approve of him being in the pack. Nevertheless, he did not doubt that even if he disliked him in the beginning, he would slowly warm up to the Persian; everyone did eventually.

Kyron followed swiftly behind Eshe, naturally quiet in his footsteps and eager to explore his brand new home. The sounds of a river touched his ears before he even saw it, and when he did, it was a sight to marvel. Despite the cold temperatures, the water was still swift and strong as it swept downstream and churned against the river bank.

Eshe neared the riverbank and watched the crystal clear water move past. No doubt it was from the glacier, or perhaps the mountain. It looked like the most delicious water Eshe had ever seen, as she observed it, and placed a paw upon the rock to check the stability and the slipperiness. It seemed set in place, and she put more of her weight upon it. Even then it did not shift. Eshe put plenty of trust in the new wolf to take the chance to test the rest of the rocks around her before him. Well, they were family now in her heart so she imagined he'd save her if she fell... hoped, really, that he took the commitment as seriously as she did.

But there was nothing to worry about. No rock moved, and she even tested those nearby to make sure that if he joined her at the edge of the waterbed, he wouldn't slip himself. Sure that he'd be safe, too, she dipped down to take a drink. It was indisputably the best drinking water she had ever gotten to indulge in; she was a wolf who could taste the difference in where water came from, it seemed, and she grinned as water dribbled down her chin once she had finished.

Kyron watched with narrowed eyes as Eshe placed a paw on a rock before putting more weight on it. He took a step closer, carefully watching out for her in case anything went wrong. He wasn't a big fan of water, having came from a place where there was almost none, but if he did say so himself, Kyron was a pretty good swimmer for a Persian. If she fell, he'll probably dive in to save her, though to be fair, Kyron would do that for a lot of wolves; he was a bit too selfless for his own good.

But nothing happened, so Kyron stepped up too, flashing her an appreciative smile for her gesture of testing the other rocks around her too. It felt nice to know that she seemed to be taking the fact that he was now 'family' quite seriously and told himself that he needed to commit just as much, if not more, too. He dipped his head and lapped up some water, enjoying the cool feeling of it trickling down his throat. Water always tasted good to him, no matter what, as the sands used to have little to none of it.

"It's a good river," Kyron commented with a wag of his tail and a small grin.

Fade here or with your next post!? So I can harass another 1 from u

She grinned at his river. We should name it 'Bad River'. Good conversation starter, She quipped. And then she lifted her head and looked over it. More rocks, and forest again; it seemed there was hardly even the interruption of forest, because the trees still stood there. As she lifted her eyes, she realized she was dipped beneath the pine needles of one even now. Hm.

Eshe turned around and gestured to her side. They could continue their investigation of the place and perhaps run into @Scimitar along the way. For the time, she was content to just hang out with Kyron to get better acquainted with him. He was family now, after all.

Sure :) Fade with my post. 

He grinned back at her and chuckled softly. "'Bad River' sounds great," he told her with a laugh, turning his head to look at the churning river once more and silently admiring the beauty of the waters. As pretty as it may look, Kyron knew it was just as dangerous as a landslide or a fallen mountain. He'd seen firsthand what water could do to harm and was in no hurry to see it again; he'd prefer to stay away from it altogether unless it was for something important like drinking or fishing.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, the persian turned to follow Eshe once more, content to hang out with her; she sure was good company compared to the months of complete loneliness.