Ravensblood Forest can the chosen one smoke?

for @Aster — sorry it's a short post!

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He parted ways with Chusi, letting her sleep in, leaving her breakfast just inside the mouth of the den as he always did. She had done well with her lesson in border marking and patrolling the other day and Arturo did not desire to exhaust her. Soon enough, it would become an implemented part of her life as she became older and he felt confident she could handle them on her own. She did well and Arturo was proud of her and felt inclined to reward her with a day of rest or play if she wished it. Thus, when he reached the borders to run a patrol of them Ceannsach did not call for her. The svelte, melanistic coywolf walked them alone, pausing to refresh border markings that he felt needed it. As they were still in it's forming stages this was not a pressing issue. The borders were fresh and well marked by them all. His ears were alert atop his skull, his nose as his head bowed towards the ground, keen for all the scents that touched them, fiery, red-orange gaze sweeping the familiar path before him.

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btw, she's a lil' blind :)

Aster sniffed the other from where she stood hidden in the landscape. They seemed to be patrolling a borderline - she'd picked up the faint scent but wasn't sure it was an actual border, and now she knew. She approached slowly, her tail and head both lowered out of respect. Seeing as she didn't have to call for an audience, she simply chuffed her presence and began with her case. I'm Aster, a stranger to these parts. There's a pack here, correct? Perhaps I could be of aid.

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It did not take long for Arturo realize that the borders were not as deserted as he'd first assumed them to be. Since he and his Teaghlaigh had lain claim to the Ravensblood Forest they had not had many visitors. The first being Lotte, the second Furiosa accepting the offer he had given to her, and the third had been Doe. The small and willowy female whom his fiery red-orange gaze locked upon the moment he scented her, a few seconds before her chuff had reached out in the distance between them was unexpected. His ears thrust forth, attentive to her as he drew up in a pause, studying her with indifference as she began to speak her case without so much as encouragement from him. So, she was a straight to the point sort of woman, eh? Certainly not the first that Arturo had come across. “That's correct,” The Ceannsach responded, the smoky reticence of his accented voice, deep but soft as it always was. For a moment he contemplated bringing into play his Red Herring but as they were still (technically) in the recruitment stages Arturo dropped all pretenses. She spoke with confidence, and while she had offered her aid she had yet to specify what it was she could aid Teaghlaigh with. “You would so willingly pledge your loyalty to a pack you don't even know?” The coywolf inquired in a quiet hum. He could have outright demanded what skills she had and why she thought they would benefit Teaghlaigh but as they were still trying to get traction and establish themselves he did not particularly see this as fair. She deserved to know what she was signing up for just as much as he deserved to know what he would be gaining.

“I am still recruiting,” He informed her simply, his salmon pink tongue drawing across his jowls. “Perhaps you would like to hear about us and how we operate before you so readily offer your aid.” For there was always the chance that she would change her mind.

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Aster kept track of the male's words, though only being able to see a rough outline and faint shadows cast from him, she only had his tone to tell how serious he was. I would love to hear about your philosophy, your ideals, but I also need to make haste. Its hard being a loner and blind. My nose can only take me so far. She laughed light-heartedly before continuing. I can't offer myself as a hunter or a fighter by any means, but if you needed a counselor, a chronicler, a medic even, I would be happy to learn. I come from my birth pack where I served above my followers as an oracle. Perhaps that's something you might be looking for.
She took a deep breath and sat back. Hopefully, she'd offered enough of a glimpse into her skills to spark the male's interest, though if not, she would have to keep looking until someone would take her in. Aster knew her acceptance wasn't gauranteed, as not many alphas would allow a blind wolf into their homes - a wolf who couldn't offer much - and especially not one like Aster who could barely stand the sunlight. Still, she remained patient and let the other consider.

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Blind? Blind, he affirmed to himself. She had definitely stated that she was blind. Upon closer examination Arturo took note of the milky film that covered her eyes and his lip lifted slightly as he contemplated that. How did she live? She didn't look particularly starved. Part of Arturo wanted to ask her if it was contagious — her blindness — but refrained because it would have been a rude question. The one question he would ask, however, was how she possibly felt that she could be of any use to Teaghlaigh if she was blind. If she could not hunt and patrol the borders? Boadicea would have snatched her up right then and there, called her a fáidh — a Mystic and declared her the pack's soothsayer; but Arturo had always been skeptical of such fantasies and he did not bear his mother's talent for extraordinary trust (Lotte not included).

Yet, Arturo heard her out, contemplating his questions and how to best pose them as politely as the he could muster. “I understand your situation, but can you hunt? Could you make small contributions to the food caches? Would you be able to patrol borders? To at least intercept wolves and add your scent to the borders?” The gangster inquired, laying out what he expected out of his wolves. Out of everything those were his biggest concerns. It was not a 'no' — but it was not yet a 'yes' either. “Your skills are your own to pursue and choose but I have to know that you can contribute to Teaghlaigh as they will contribute to you.” The Family looked out for it's own but that was a give and take. The fair share of contribution had to be met on both sides, equally. It was the only way to try to strike a balance and keep the masses content. He intended to approach her situation subjectively, openly and diplomatically — for he was an ambassador, after all — but also unwilling to bend on what he expected at the same time.

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Aster took a deep breath as he finished his statement. She would need to choose her words carefully to try and push his say in her favor. Borders. Could she keep watch of the borders? Were her senses - other than sight - keen enough to keep her pack safe? She supposed she could try, and she understood what it would mean if she failed, but that wasn't of importance now. I can keep borders. My hearing and scent haven't left me quite yet. She smiled and released a loose laugh, though she kept it short in an efforts to keep face.
I have enough of my sight left to see when another approaches, and my other senses can easily pick up from there. Though she wasn't trained in the art of combat, she would be happy to learn if it meant that she would be allowed to stay. She was willing to do anything if it meant her survival.

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Arturo wasn't overly thrilled that she had not addressed his question about contributing to the pack's caches but he supposed that was where he was meant to assume. It was clear she was alone and she was alive so it seemed obvious that she was able to hunt even a little bit. Though there was a glint of displeasure in his gaze it vanished as quickly as it had stolen into the slight narrowing of his pupils. She assured him that she could keep borders, letting out a loose laugh that was cut short of her own accord. His ears swiveled to the side and he shifted his weight, once, assessing her again. He did not detect any scent that portrayed her as sickly by any means. He was ...content with her answer and decided to offer her something in return for the information she had willingly given him. “We are called Teaghlaigh, it translates to The Family. We are extremely tight knit, extremely territorial. We look out for our own and Family business doesn't ever leave The Family.” Not without earning a permanent silence from the one who had spilled it. That was the way it'd always been and was the way it would remain.

“There are two rules in Teaghlaigh that The Family is expected to abide by and enforce: Ceannasach's Word is Law and The Family before Everything else. Once you join The Family, you will always be apart of it even if your path takes you a different way. The exception to that rule is betrayal of The Family.” And betraying The Family only ever ended one way. The two Laws were the creed that Teaghlaigh's first incarnation had lived by and surprisingly, he hadn't had any trouble. That was not to say that this incarnation would run as smoothly but thus far there'd been no issues. The Laws of Teaghlaigh were straight forward, no room for open interpretation or misunderstanding — which was just how Arturo liked it. The gangster gave pause, giving her a chance to take in the information he'd provided her with and to ask questions if she had any, or reject the idea of joining them.

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His words were clear, thus Aster understood perfectly. If she was to join his pack, she would have to be loyal in mind and body, which was nothing she couldn't do. She took a deep inhale and smiled, before speaking in response. I would be honored to be a part of The Family, my loyalty being fully offered.

i think this is a good place to wrap this thread up! ^-^ feel free to either reply once more or archive as is! <3

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Aster offered him no questions, giving the Fearghal monarch the impression that he'd been clear and that she understood what he expected or not just her but every wolf of Teaghlaigh. The gangster was immeasurably pleased, especially so as his ears cupped forth atop his skull as she spoke that she would be honored to be apart of The Family. Arturo offered her a contented noise in place of what would be a sage nod. “Welcome to The Family,” He accepted her simply, moving nearer so that he might brush against her to mix her scent with his, so that the others knew that she now apart of Teaghlaigh. “I am Arturo, Arturo Fearghal. I am the Ceannsach. If there is anything you need you can call upon me at any time.” He promised her. “Come, I'll give you the tour.” He wasn't overly sure due to her blindness that a tour would help her any but he would not feel right not offering one to her. Admittedly, this would prove to be something of a learning experience for Ceannsach whom had never had a blind wolf in his ranks before.

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