Despite his conversation with Viorel and his floozies, Vayko still felt himself overcome with agitation from time to time. He would no doubt be seeking out his Aunt Modesto, for maybe she could help calm the tempest of complex emotions that had emerged as reciprocity for Viorel’s careless actions. Still, for now he made his way to the land he and the others were first dropped in. This would surely bring him some more peace, right? He found that it did not, his tail lashing from side to side as he twitched from the weight of the responsibility that, in all fairness, he had signed up for.

It would be another week or two until he would take up the helm alongside his cousin in an official capacity and he could not wait. He got this inking feeling that Vi was simply humoring him, though he supposed he could contribute that to his own paranoia… either way, it would not stand and he would command the respect he believed he should be afforded. Again, it was perhaps another thing to speak to his aunt about. He always trusted her guidance. The rest of the older generation was still missing, and Vayko wondered if perhaps they had been spared the fate that the kids and Modesto had suffered, being transported so carelessly.

There was much to consider. He made his way through the bracken and brambles, the first signs of spring starting to fall over the land when he heard a loud crack, a grunt and then a groan. Vayko simply snorted and rolled his eyes. He made his way closer. They weren’t too far from the Creek, and thus weren’t too far from the Backwater either and so he felt obligated to investigate. “Make enough noise, did you?”

Vayko certainly had enough bite to back his bark and he knew it. He’d proven it more than once, most recently against the fool Huddy. He had to, because so many discounted him. He snorted softly at his words and rolled his eyes. “No.” He replied dryly. “You’ll scare all the prey from here to the mountains away if you make any more noise.” He had a pack, a family, to think of and he couldn’t have loners romping about in neighboring territories to scare their food supplies away. Still, he forced himself to push it down. Somewhere in the back of his head he could hear Vi’s voice chiding him and reminding him to be more civil.

He was capable of it… he just preferred not to be.

The name young one caused a sharp exhale, his shoulders rolling back as he straightened out. “What’s it to you, old man.” Age was just a number, and the boy was not fond of others looking down on him for his age. He had assumed the title was akin to ‘little one’ or calling him a baby. He was almost an adult, and he certainly felt he had more legs to stand on than the man in front of him… well, that could also just be his superiority complex as a Valle, or more of, one of the best Valle.

Vayko had been a Valle from the start, which meant he had been honored and respected, but amongst the older wolves such as his parents, he had always felt at odds. He hadn’t felt as respected. There were very few that he trusted, such as his aunt Modesto to whom he had relied for guidance and tutelage over the years. He saw the man’s hackles rise and he reacted in his own way, an irritated scowl on his features as he watched him cautiously. Contrary to popular belief, Vayko never went looking for a fight… that being said, he wasn’t afraid to put someone in their place if he had felt disrespected by them.

He started to lecture him and then Vayko was rolling his eyes at it. “I do quite enjoy my youth, what I don’t appreciate is old folks like you talking down to me because of my age.” The world was out to get him, and it always had been. He was born that way and he couldn’t help it. He rolled his shoulders back and snorted softly at his words. A friend? He was looking for a friend? “Well you won’t find one here.” He stated matter-of-factly, because he wasn’t in the business of making friends.

“You might not be looking to steal food or make enemies, but making a ruckus like you’ve been doing is a way to scare food away from the pack in the area who needs it, and make enemies along the way.” He pointed out again, a glare on his features. Perhaps his reaction to the man would not have been so bad had Viorel not knocked up two floozies this year, but alas these were the cards they had both been dealt. Vayko was stressed, and when he was stressed, he could be a little volatile.

Vayko’s facial features continued to lack amusement or interest in the conversation. He found himself bored which was a dangerous place for him to be in. “Well, maybe you should try going back to someplace you know if you’re looking for a friend. If you’ve never been here before than chances are they haven’t either.” It was only half snarky with a biting tone. There was a part of him, a small part of him, that was trying to be helpful, if only to get the other wolf out of his fur. He was reminded once more of how people in his life were always telling him to be nicer. Maybe he didn’t want to be nicer. Maybe he wanted to be angry at the world as he so often was. He’d leave all the pomp and false niceties to Viorel and he’s simply speak how it was. He saw it more like brutal honesty.

He couldn’t lie, his chest puffed out lightly with pride and a wide grin at the mention of the place they had chosen. “It is.” It still wasn’t the ocean though. It wasn’t the tang of salt water on the breeze or the webbing of paws from walking along the shore… no, it was different, but it was beautiful nonetheless. He still wasn’t entirely sure if it was home, but it was his. At the mention of making it up to him, his curiosity was piqued, and he listened to the man’s offer, taking a moment to think about it. It was necessary. He needed all the food he could get because of Viorel’s indiscretions this past breeding season. “That would be… acceptable.” He decided, clearly won over at the idea of the other man helping bring in some kill to balance things out and put him back in good favor with himself and the rest of his pack.