Moonspear Seeing Stars

@Mato , for @Charon. I know you are busy Iris so take your time with replying! :3

Sebastian promised his son to bring him to Charon, the alpha male of their neighboring pack. He had been friendly before with his other daughter Odette. It was at the end of the afternoon. Sebastian hoped they would be there around twilight so there were some stars for his son to spot. "Ready for our trip?," he asked Mato and swayed his tail. The male already told @Pearl about their small trip so she didn't need to worry about him.

Once they were ready he set out of the territory. He was proud of his son, all of his children really. Sebastian liked that Mato had ambitions. Perhaps enough to eventually take over the pack. He didn't seen Benjamin lead. Or perhaps Nova would also be a good leader along with her older sister.

short post is short.:x

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The afternoon was coming to a close and soon, as the sun finished it’s descent in the sky dusk would arise. Dusk was one of the empyrean’s favorite times of the day. He finds comfort in the crepuscular sky as it begins to mottle with stars whose brilliance is swallowed and left shadowed by the brilliance of the greedy sun. “I am,” Mato responds to his father’s inquiry, trying to keep his buzzing excitement from consuming him. He does not wish to make a fool of himself — he seeks to make a good impression upon the stranger they depart to seek. Charon, Mato reminds himself. That is the name his father has given him. The druid keeps pace with Sebastian easily, quiet and contemplative as he considers how this meeting will go and whether he’ll walk away wiser for it as he aspires to.

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After the recent influx of strangers and loners with bad intentions, and so soon after Amekaze's heat, Charon was on edge. He was ready to tear apart every other motherfucker who'd come to his borders and try to harm his children. His poor girls had been hurt — even though they were slowly turning into a force to be reckoned with and feared, they were still his little princesses — and the next one who tried anything with his mountain, his mate or his children would be torn apart.

As he prowled along the borders, looking for the next wolf to make a mistake and step too close to his borders, Charon saw two silhouettes appear in the distance. As he stalked along the forest line at Moonspear's slopes and rubbed his back along the trees to leave his scent and fur everywhere, Charon kept an eye on the two, keen to find out whether they would come closer or steer a different course.

Sebastian walked with his son towards Moonspear. A few hours of traveling. Their wetlands making way for mountainous terrain. As they arrived closer to the border the alpha male started to notice the influx of scent marks. Those were all warning signs to back off. Sebastian wondered if something happened for the scent marks to be this frequent or if it always had been that way.

"Let's stop here out of respect," he explained to his son. "The marks seem to be fresh and strong meaning they don't want strangers too close," he added. Sebastian looked around and sniffed the air. Sebastian noticed a figure up ahead. He took one step closer and let out a howl. Requesting the alpha's presence, requesting Charon's presence. Perhaps they were lucky and was he the one that was so close to them. "Remeber to stay polite, alright? We wouldn't want a fight with our neighbors."

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As hours pass and wetlands give way to a sierra terrain. Behemoth mountains rising towards the heaven’s and he thinks, with a small pang of envy, that they are much closer to succeeding than he. They would always bow before the heavens close enough to touch the vast celestial unknown. Envy aside it takes his breath away as verdant gaze takes it in as a painter takes in a Maestro’s work: with intemperate admiration. So swept up in the change of scenery is Mato (despite that the mountains have been in his view for an hour or so now) nearly forgets that his father walks alongside him. Until Sebastian breaks the silence that Mato’s revere leaves in it’s wake. The empyrean gives a start, taking a moment longer than he should have to process the words that his father spoke. Something about stopping and respect. The druid offers a sage nod of his head, paying more attention when Sebastian offers an explanation as to why they should stop where they have: because the marks and fresh and their message is clear.

His father is right, the starlight king thinks as he cranes his neck and sniffs at the scent markings of Moonspear. None of them are familiar, but the message that the urine markings give off is blatantly clear. “Right.” Mato agrees. Best behavior. It comes to his mind to make mention that he is always polite but as that is not always true he holds his tongue, keeping his response of understanding as simple as he can.

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The pair halted not far from him, but far enough that he couldn't hear what they were saying. His head perked and ears thrust forward. Tail rose above his back as a banner of dominance and he felt his hackles prickle at the thought of more intruders. Yet they howled for his presence and though he felt affronted to be summoned when he was so close he also recognised they might just be extra weary of the border and did not wish to risk paying insult.

He approached, his body language demanding submission from his visitors, tail still carried high above his back. "What do you want?" His voice was not unkind, but neither did it carry any warmth. He didn't recognise the adult or the young wolf, who looked to be around the age of his daughters, maybe a bit younger. They were strangers near his turf and with the recent attacks he was on edge, even if they seemed to pose no immediate threat.

The figure approached. Sebastian had honestly not meant to offend the male, he just wanted to be respectful. When the male approached Sebastian dipped his head respectfully in greeting. He understood that this male wanted to protect his lands. "I'm Sebastian, from Broken Antler Fen, and this is my son Mato," he introduced. Sebastian looked at the male, he was pretty sure this was Charon. "I assume you are Charon?" he added.

Sebastian glanced from Mato to Charon. "My daughter, Odette, she came to you for advice about the stars. My son really likes to learn about the stars as well. Though I thought it would be rude of me to send another of my children for your wisdom without you even knowing me," he explained. Sebastian realized that he didn't take any meat as an offering. Dang. Stupid of him. Though, then the male reasoned that while Mato might learn something about the stars he could hunt something fresh for the male and his family. He could always suggest that when the male wanted to know more. "Do you have time to share some wisdom with him? Mate can come back another time if that is more suited, with perhaps some meat as an exchange for your wisdom. Right Mato?"

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The exalted freckled male came down upon the pair, asserting his dominance over them with his tail raised high over his back and hackles bristled. The empyrean looks from the sovereign of Moonspear to his father and mimics Sebastian’s dip of the head. Sebastian speaks, making the introductions as the druid’s verdant gaze lifts to take Charonin with beguiling curiosity. His father is verbose, offering explanation to accompany his request and for a moment the empyrean shifts his weight wondering if he should be the one to make the request as it was he that desires to learn; instead, he remains politely silent. It seems only natural to the druid to let Sebastian do the talking as he is more experienced. He watches, pays attention to his father’s postures, to the body language betwixt the two males, to the timbre of his father’s voice as he addresses the other man. This is by no means a diplomatic venture yet Mato takes cerebral notes nevertheless. Sebastian lastly offers the exchange of meat for knowledge and the druid bites his tongue as he desires to point out the obvious: that they have brought no meat to offer but he does not question Sebastian confident as he is that his father will not fail to deliver if Charon agrees. “Yes sir.” The empyrean agrees with what he hopes to be impeccable manners as he was reminded gently to remember minutes (or was it hours?) previous.

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Charon was visibly taken aback when he heard Sebastian's name, if only because he linked it to something else — something deeper and long ago. But not quite long ago enough, and he felt a growl rumble in his throat as he kept his dominant body language as the pair further approached his borders. "Sebastian," he repeated, tasting the name upon his tongue and trying to find out what it was from. And then he knew. It wasn't just from Odette, as he then found out... But she had been the daughter of the Alpha of the Broken Antler Fen.

And the Broken Antler Fen had delivered him Lazarus' head, if not only by their own naivety. There was, it felt like, still some sort of debt between them, so who was he to deny teaching his son? "Yes, I am Charon. You are also the Alpha of the Fen, are you not? The one who took in Lazarus after he fell from the Spear?" He looked scrutinisingly upon Sebastian, even if he felt mostly appreciation. "For delivering us his head, you are owed, and so I will teach your son." Charon looked down at Mato, who seemed around his daughters' age, if not a little younger, and his scarred expression softened a little then as the formalities felt behind them.

The male had forgotten about the whole ordeal with Lazarus. The male did not even know his name but he did remember the broken wolf he tried to save. However, the male had been too broken to be saved and it died after Sebastian was ready to take him in and take care of the male. Those words were not spoken to the other alpha male. It seemed those words would not be of help to them. Sebastian gratefully dipped his head. "I am the same one," he confirmed. This all went better than expected.

"Thank you, Charon." Sebastian gave another grateful nod, his posture relaxing as the other male seemed less defensive. "Do you know your way back to the fen, Mato?," he asked his son. He wanted to give him some responsibility on his own. He didn't want his younger son to think that he would just hover protectively around him. "Or I can wait if you don't want to go back alone," he assured him.

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The empyrean remains respectfully silent while the two men exchange words. There is a lingering sense of familiarity, a sense of recognition between the pair the druid observes though not one he knows of sight. It is a recognition of deeds, he comes to learn, when Charon speaks of someone named Lazarus and how Sebastian brought them his head. This comes as news to the starlight prince and he looks to his father with unspoken inquisition in the depths of verdant, apple green gaze but he does not give voice to them even as they bubble on the tip of his tongue. Now is not the time to question what exactly was meant by those words. They easily come across as morbid but Mato does not know if Charon speaks figuratively or literally. Mato would ask the questions he desires answers to regarding this Lazarus fellow when he returned to the Fen and thus he tucked them away for the future. He was here to learn about the celestial, after all. “I can find my way back, father,” Mato assures him — not because he is eager to be rid of his father (because he is not); he is simply speaking the truth. Broken Antler Fen is not far from Moonspear and the empyrean finds that he desires independence. Not with the intention of being rebellious but it is an inventible verity of growing up. Mato’s gaze then leaves his father to land back to his generous host with an eager smile tugging at the corner of his lips, offering an amble wag of his tail. “Thank you for agreeing to teach me, sir.” It was likely not the first time Mato would offer words of gratitude; Mato has heard that it is done out of a favor owed but the druid still believes this to be a form of generosity, regardless and he seeks to communicate that he is very appreciative.

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Sebastian was quick to offer his son to be left alone and with the boy's acceptance, Charon was left with the kid. Assuming that Sebastian'd actually make himself scarce after that, Charon said a quick good bye to the Fen's Alpha before he turned to look at the child, who politely thanked him for agreeing to teach.

Now was the perfect time, aside from the influx of loners of late, since it was still a bit before Amekaze would give birth to the puppies. Charon looked up at the darkening skies and he asked Mato, "What do you already know? Did Odette teach you anything yet?" Or maybe other wolves in his life knew a thing or two about the stars — but probably not a whole lot, if he was here. Charon hoped that the answer'd be positive, that Odette had already taught Mato a thing or two; more for Odie's sake than the boy's, really, as being able to teach was a sign you felt you mastered the information.

After finding out what the boy already knew Charon started with some of the simpler things that he didn't know yet — teaching him some of the constellations that were visible that night. He wasn't the most patient and understanding of teachers but if Mato was able to weather through that, he'd be able to teach a thing or two and maybe even tell a few stories of the stars before the night was over and Mato was headed home again.

i'm wrapping this up since it's getting old, but feel free to start a new one if Mato wants more star-lessons in the future :D