Dead Empress Backwater you sell you

Margo gave her brother a small lick of affection as he perched himself next to her, and offered him a strange glance as he rearranged himself to appear more... serious?  What was this, had she missed something?  The girl traced the path that her kin's eyes followed to get to the bottom of this sudden shift in behavior, and with that it really didn't take long to notice... like, really notice the other boy.

Marguerite could feel her cheeks explode into about a thousand different hues of red and pink.  The girl had somehow managed to completely overlook certain aspects of him when she'd initially arrived.  She hadn't been paying close enough attention before.  There was another kid there, not one young adult accompanied by an even older adult.  He actually looked to be around the same age, and he was smiling at... at her?  No, at them, surely.  Though regardless.. Oh no.  The Valle girl tried to force herself to smile back, though in the end she just stared at him with wide eyes for a few brief moments before abruptly diverting her attention elsewhere.

Just focus on dad.. What is dad doing.. What were they talking about?

(This post was last modified: Jan 31, 2022, 01:22 AM by Marguerite.)

The mention of his Aunt Xuli helped distract him for a moment, eyes and ears perking up as her name left the stranger's lips. Unfortunately, it wasn't anything nice. His father answered to say what he'd assured his own family already - that Xulia had likely left on her own account. His ears fell again, though he tried not to draw attention to himself with any excessive displays of disappointment. This was proving hard for the boy to adjust to, that family you loved and trusted could just up and leave at any time.

It even happened to other packs, apparently.

Eros glanced over at Margo, but she appeared to be focusing intently on Dad and his eyes dropped briefly to his paws instead. The tables turned, he found himself now deliberately sneaking peeks at the other boy. He'd missed his smile, and so it seemed he was also solely focused on the adults and their sad talk. Eros didn't want to hear more about wolves leaving without a word, however, and was content to distract himself with these small glances instead.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2022, 07:23 PM by Eros.)

Chan's ears lifted as Sharlee offered the freshly-hunted hare, smiling once again.

"Thank you," he made sure to express warmly, and picked up the carcass with his teeth to pass it on to @Leo - being younger and still growing even if appearing to be adult-sized, he was likely hungrier than Chan. It wasn't like the conversation had ended there, anyways, and he wanted that to have his full attention.

A small frown passed over his features as Viorel replied that no, his sister had not made her way back home. While wandering was of course a familiar facet of life to Chan, he was also intimately aware of how easily the mountain range could take lives. It concerned him that she'd last been seen in the storm, but she wasn't his to worry over and of course Vi knew his family better than Chan ever would.

"Then I hope she's well and happy," he answered, flipping the corners of his mouth upward now in order to indicate understanding.

"Kip is a small, white wolf with thick fur and very soft green eyes," he nodded toward the young wolf at his side, "she's Leo's mother, making her our first priority. My niece Nori is also missing, though I'm hoping she simply ventured elsewhere too. She's got light timber backing and cream unders, and eyes the color of sand."

Even though she'd caught the rabbit for the pack Sharlee had easily given it up to the newcomers. After she came to stand beside Viorel he rubbed his shoulder against he's which she understood to be his way of thanking her. Her gaze drifted to the children wondering what they thought of all if this.

When the conversation turned to Xulia Sharlee looked down at her paws sadly. She did miss her cousin but what Viorel had said didn't bother her. She knew it to be true and it was how they had to look at things. They had to move on because the pack had to. If they hadn't in the beginning they wouldn't be where they were.

As it was they weren't the only ones to be missing family members. The strangers were missing two of their own as well. "Excuse me," Sharlee interrupted as politely as she could, "I'm sorry but what pack are you from?" She asked having never met these wolves before. It was clear that Vi had met them amd they were from a pack but Sharlee was at a loss. On top of that she felt liked she'd sounded completely rude, "I'm Sharlee Valle by the way," she added hoping that might help the situation. She also hoped it might prompt some names since it seemed her cousin had completely forgotten his manners in his excitement to see these wolves.

Leo was distracted from the other kids by Chan handing him the hare. Not wanting to appear impolite, the young wolf took the gift in his mouth, looking briefly to the huntress and nodding his silent thanks; I hope that’s good enough! Meanwhile, the adults were talking about their missing members, the dark leader saying he hadn’t seen anyone, making Leo’s shoulders sag. In turn, he went on to talk about this Xulia, his sister, his words sending an unexpected chill along the pup’s spine. It suddenly occurred to him that maybe his mother hadn’t gotten lost at all, maybe she’d wandered off on purpose, leaving her own family behind, just like this strange woman.   Chan’s answer only served to worsen the tightness in his chest; ‘I hope she’s happy’… What if SHE is? Leo struggled to swallow with the hare still in his mouth, jaws locked in place by his sudden anxiety. He didn’t like these intrusive thoughts, and as Chan went on to describe his mother to the Empress wolves, the boy tried desperately to distract himself, looking back over at the other pups, only to find them both determinately looking away.   Suddenly the young Vuesain found himself feeling terribly alone, even with the scout right at his shoulder. Chan was friends with the black man after all, while Leo knew no one, and had nothing to say or add to their conversation. He was no longer interested in learning about diplomacy – very uncharacteristically, the curious pup just wanted to be a kid. Waiting for a pause in the conversation, Leo awkwardly nudged Chan’s shoulder to gain his attention. With the rabbit still in his mouth, he couldn’t speak, but simply gestured towards the other kids with his head, wagging his tail and meeting the adult’s eyes questioningly; Can I go? Thoughts ”Speech”

Lakela @DA

Viorel felt his cousin at his shoulder, and glanced at her only for a moment. After what he had said about his sister, he was suddenly extra glad that Sharlee was here. Nodding along as Chan stated the names and descriptions of the wolves, he repeated, ”Kip and Nori, okay. I haven’t seen or heard anything but I will let our members know.” Maybe they would stumble upon them while out on a hunt or scouting.

The leader grinned sheepishly as Sharlee introduced herself, Viorel got to his paws with chagrin. ”I apologize. This is Sharlee, my cousin and advisor, and those two over there are my daughter Margo, and my son Eros.” He glanced towards them now, looking rather awkwardly around themselves and couldn’t help but grin. Was this the first time either of them were meeting someone their age?

Looking back towards Chan he answered, ”This is Chan and Leo, they’re from Sanguine Cove, the pack up the mountain’ A place Viorel would consider himself lucky to never go to. He was more than happy with his paws planted firmly on the ground down here in the forest.

Margo was sort of able to catch up on what the two adults had been talking about. She wasn't sure that this was necessarily a conversation meant for her and Eros to be a part of, though at this point it'd probably be pretty rude of her to just get up and walk away. Instead, the young girl took note of the names and descriptions that the tawny stranger spoke of. Kip and Nori. Was it likely that she'd ever meet these lost wolves? Probably not, but she'd do her part and keep an eye out regardless.

It wasn't until Sharlee stepped in that Margo realized they hadn't been properly introduced to the pair yet. Not yet having found her confidence again, the fae almost wished that the woman would have let her dad's impoliteness fly under the radar just this once. Nevertheless she placed a gentle smile on her face as her father spoke the names of his children and gave the two wolves a small curtsy. "Nice meat -- n-no, nice to m-meet-" she wanted to throw up.

Eros found himself admiring different aspects of the other youth outside of his miraculously split gaze, as though he'd found something entirely new and not just another kid like himself or other boys he knew. Everything about him just seemed perfect, like he was the epitome of what a strapping young man should be, and that was hard not to like. Just like some flowers were just stunning and his geode was precious and rare. He soon was convinced that the stranger was probably really smart and super good at hunting and fishing too. He probably ran like the wind and always knew what to say.

His glances were steadily growing more obvious as he slowly forgot to be sneaky about it, and he certainly had succeeded in no longer hearing whatever sad things the adults were talking about. As such, he completely missed the fact that the object of his fixation was motherless just as @Seri was fatherless. In all honesty, he thought the other youth was so attentive because he must be really grown-up and responsible.

Then the kid was nudging his adult and motioning toward him and his heart skipped several beats. The next second he remembered Margo at his side once more, and his cheeks heated. Oh, right. Them, not just himself.

Thankfully, his father saying his name caught his attention in time for him to learn their guests' names, Chan and Leo. Leo. Didn't that sound dashing?

Nice meat, his sister spoke up, and Eros would have thought she'd been complimenting the handsome hare their aunt had caught, now in Leo's possession, if she hadn't swiftly corrected herself. He put on his own smile, looking shyly back at Leo and forgetting completely how to speak the moment he met his mismatched eyes. Instead, his tail merely thumped the ground energetically to show how happy he was to make his acquaintance.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2022, 07:43 PM by Eros.)

"Thank you," he answered Vi, and hoped dearly that it would help Leo in some way to know that now the other pack would be searching too.

The unnamed woman spoke up then, asking after their identities before confirming that she was the other friend @Nash had spoken of. Chan smiled warmly at her, and would have answered himself had he not been first distracted by prodding from the young wolf at his side. Viorel's voice picked up to conduct introductions, and so the Cove scout briefly met eyes with his impromptu apprentice. Leo motioned toward the other children, and his tattered tail wagged.

"Of course," he spoke quietly to Leo, giving his nape a nudge with his nose to further encourage him. Chan was thrilled he wanted to spend time with the other children, and thought it more important for him at this age than tagging along after the adults.

He then returned his attention to the Backwater alpha as he named his children before clarifying the envoy that was Chan and Leo. He grinned toothily at Sharlee as his name was spoken.

"My brother Nash says hello."

Sharlee stood listening as Vi compared notes about missing members with the man. She didn't feel it was her place to say anything on that so she remained quiet. Instead she pressed her shoulder against her cousins in support. She knew it wasn't easy for him because it was his siblings that were missing.

She just couldn't help herself any longer. Her curiosity about the man and boy had grown too much to ignore. Besides, it bothered her a little that she hadn't been introduced. So she was left with nothing else to do but overstep and remind her leader that he'd missed an important thing. She was glad that it seemed no one had viewed her outburst as rude. A beat later Vi was doing introductions, perhaps this was something they needed to work on.

"Its nice to meet you both and welcome to the backwater," she offered once Vi had told her their visitors names. "I'm glad to hear your group became a pack." She remembered speaking with Nash, at that time the cove hadn't been a pack yet. As it seemed she wasn't the only one who remembered their meeting. "Nash is well? Can you please tell him I said hello and that we should catch up sometime." Sharlee had liked Nash, he'd been really nice to her.