Kingsfall what the night brings

--backdated to Feb. 5th, just after this thread - Jet is bringing Luca back. anyone in PF group welcome! special tags to @Luca and @Flair though

He’d done his best to traverse back toward Paradise Falls as quickly as he could, without moving too fast for his company. The sun had long since faded away and brought them into the night, and tomorrow was the day he and Flair had been planning for a while now. It would not be good for his image to be late to his own meeting, or to be groggy whilst attending it.

Having company to chat with had helped pass the time, though. And had made an otherwise quiet and boring trip far more pleasant. They’d been trailing the frozen flow downstream of the falls for a while now, and as the landscape began to rise on either side of them, the scents of others grew more evident.

The walls of the little valley housing their falls - that ran in the warmer months anyway - were visible just ahead. Home sweet home. Thinking that never got old. ”Nearly there, now,” Jet spoke, although he was sure his companion would’ve caught on to that. ”Not sure if anyone’s gonna be awake to greet us, though..”

(This post was last modified: Mar 08, 2023, 06:45 AM by Jethro.)

Luca kept pace with the larger man, muscles stretching and flexing as he trotted alongside Jethro. He looked around them as they traveled, attempting to familiarize himself with the path. All the while scenting the air for both potential preys he could track down later on and his new borders. Patrolling them would likely be a task assigned to every able-bodied wolf.

Ever the sociable man, he talked to his leader off and on throughout the trip. Noting when the ground began to rise, and the scenery shifted in the slightest. The potent smell of markers left by his new packmates became more evident as they drew closer. His ears perked at the sight of the valley up ahead. He smiled, that must be it.

He nodded to the first half, choosing to respond to the latter, "I wouldn't blame them for sleeping at this hour."

"HE SPEAKS" HE THINKS

As beautiful as the place looked in winter, decorated by pristine white snow, all of the frozen trees and ice, Jethro couldn’t wait for the thaw. For the creek to begin flowing again and bring back the peaceful sound of the falls. He missed that ambience. Although he supposed the absence of it would make it easier for the wolves to sleep.

Jet nodded a little to the statement of his company, though one inquiry still lingered on his mind. ”Yeah. ‘Fore we get there though.. I got one more question.” He’d avoided it so far, but he couldn’t forever.

”Got a lotta women here. I’m sure I don’t have t’remind you what’s coming up.” Luca was old enough to have been through that before. At the importance of the question, Jethro stopped, green eyes studying the other. His every move, down to any possible shift in expression.

”Can I trust you?” The question was firm. He expected the other man to know what he meant. The falls was a good group, loyal. But they were also small. Taking care of Caspian and Ryder had been hard enough. If both he and Flair were planning things.. they couldn’t afford any slip ups.

"Hmm?" Luca inquired, clueless to the conversation that was about to unfold. His tail lazily wagged back and forth and a smile was spread across his face. There was even perhaps a slight pep to his step.

He listened on dumbly, not catching on when Jet started to speak, he merely nodded thinking Okay, so? He had sisters back at Glacier Beach what did gender have to do with- oh. The man felt like a boy for a moment. He halted in his tracks and looked at his new alpha quizzically. Then his ears flattened and he glanced at the man with embarrassment written all over his young face.

Even though he was approaching his 3rd birthday, the male had never been around a female in heat who wasn't related to them. He was too inexperienced to understand how tempting it would be, and honestly, thought Jethro's question was both humiliating and ridiculous.

Luca quickly scrambled to catch up, pacing himself to match the other once more, "I...I'm a virgin." He admitted unable to meet the gaze of his expectant leader, head turned away. "I've only ever been around my mom and sisters..." He mumbled on more, rambling a bit, nervously.

"Can I trust you?"

Luca didn't think of himself as not being an obedient, loyal, pack member. He'd always followed the rules set in place spare for a few mischievous adventures growing up. "I can stick to the outskirts during the season if it makes you more comfortable. I'm willing to strictly only interact with the other males until it's over." He replied. Can he trust me? Being but a boy the prior season he'd found the alluring fragrance of females to be a gut-wrenching, nose-turning, yucky sort of smell. His sisters and mother alike had reeked of the stench for days. What would it be like with someone unrelated to him? He didn't think he could ever be tempted enough by another packmate.

"HE SPEAKS"

The other man at first appeared almost clueless as to what Jethro’s inquiry pertained to. Something he wanted to believe was a good sign. However, the dark one refused to believe the man knew nothing about that. All wolves knew, and he was old enough.

It only took Luca a moment to catch on, though. He looked, for some reason, embarrassed. And then elaborated on things Jet didn’t particularly care about or need to hear, even posing an offer to interact with only males until it was over. But no cut-and-dry answer. No, yes, you can trust me.

”Only other male ‘sides a couple of kids is me. And I think I’d prefer t’have ya stay close. Never know who else might show up an’ try something..” having more than one man around might dissuade any nefarious loners from trying something.

”An’ I’m a virgin too. Never cared fer the idea, whole thing sounds freakin’ disgustin’.” Jet shuddered a little at the simple thought. ”But that doesn’t answer my question. Can I trust you?” His eyes narrowed. The question was posed with a little more force, this time. A bit reluctantly. He didn't want to have to be that guy, but he would. If he needed to. He hoped for a clear answer.

(This post was last modified: Mar 11, 2023, 06:39 AM by Jethro.)

S for swearword

"Try something?" He asked naively, not understanding what it was the shadow eluded to. Luca had been blessed with a sheltered life in terms of outsiders. It wasn't common to come across anyone out on the tundra who wasn't a relative, the only nearby packs were distant or close kin. Even with them he hardly interacted. Out in the artic, life had greatly revolved around survival for him. Always scraping by with what food they could get a hold of. Perhaps there were more plentiful areas that far up North, but from where the man had descended it was a brutal life. No time for petty pack squabbles between neighbors.

Luca cocked his head in disbelief. Not only was the alpha pair not mated, Jethro was also a virgin. He wondered then who would bring pups into their pack. Maybe Flair? The grey wolf pondered a reply then answered back honestly, "I never put any thought into what it'd be like...gross or not. I just know the...suffering....it brought my poor mother." He shuddered at the image of his scrawny mom heavily pregnant and following after the pack exhausted. Then the cries, oh the way she screamed, bringing them into the world. No, I don't ever want to bring that pain upon someone.

Still he didn't give the cut-dry answer Jethro seeked right away. He didn't know what it would be like around women who were not his kin. He was quiet for a long moment, then firmly, but in a polite tone, "I have no intentions of shitting where I eat. I don't want to be a father, and frankly, I don't want to watch someone in my pack hurt like that because of me." He paused before closing his fate, "Yes, you have my word, you can trust me with the woman of our pack."

Flair was in fact still awake, pacing back and forth in front of the falls. She had noticed her co-lead’s absence from what was soon to be their territory, and with what they had just recently decided, well, she was anxious. So, when she heard voices approaching, recognizing one but not the other, she swiftly made her way to meet them as they entered the canyon. Her hackles slightly raised, she was in one mind to rush right up and chew Jethro out for worrying her, but the words that reached her ears made her pause. Can I trust you? Quite a loaded question, even at the best of times, but the answer that followed was even more enlightening. Brows rising high, Flair hung back long enough for the stranger to finish his answer, before stepping forwards out of the darkness; “And what ‘bout those outside it?” Amber eyes sweeping across the new arrival to their ranks, a glint of recognition lit in them as she remembered the young, foolish hunter. Still, she kept her stance wide, head and tail held high as she waited for the stranger to answer – if she had understood correctly and he was a new joinee, she wanted him to understand their expectations. ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de, FairieGoodMother @DA & Lakela @DA

The answer he got the second time around was better. It sounded firm, with enough emphasis to it that Jethro wanted to believe the man meant it. He could empathize with some of Luca’s reasoning - not wanting to put someone else suffer because of him. Those were a couple of the very same concerns Jethro’d spoken about to Siyet. And that sentiment further convinced him that what Luca said was truthful.

He let his features relax a little, content with the answer. ”Good. Don’t mean to push ya, but I’ve been around to know not every man is as he seems. Some’re only out for themselves and their own pleasure. We're a welcoming bunch, but we don’t tolerate that here.” It wasn’t an apology, but an explanation. The man deserved to know the why behind the questions, and..

And then there was Flair, her fiery form manifesting from the darkness and asking another question. A good one, and an indicator that she’d been listening. Which was also good - he’d have less to explain than had been necessary with Auburn.

Luca listened, his brows still furrowed from earlier. This all felt foreign to the man. Not as they seemed? For their own pleasure? He'd been shielded from the world perhaps too well within the safety of Glacier Beach. Aside from the starving part. Tolerate what? His brain was getting all twisted and confused now. The breeding dumby He couldn't fight back the stressed-out sigh that escaped his lips. He glanced at the man with tired eyes, parting his mouth to say something when another question was shot out at him. He turned to look at Flair, lowering his head respectfully, but said nothing.

Only a few hours ago Luca had been alone, drowning in his emotions. He'd lost his brothers. He'd left his poor ma. He'd traveled so far and didn't even know for what. The worst of it all was losing the boys. They depended on him to be their rock in the storm and he'd gone and...misplaced them. His little brothers. He'd done that...and now he was asking himself to bear the weight of supporting a pack full of strangers. He wasn't ready for this. When Jethro had told him " Or if you’re not sure.. not ready, y’know where we are now." He should have nodded, thanked him kindly, and mauled over the idea for a few days. He hadn't even decided if this was a permanent thing for him. He'd made his intentions clear, and stated that he was looking for shelter...maybe a home. He hadn't even had the opportunity to decide for himself whether or not this was a three-day or three-month or three years sort of deal.

He'd already been nervous when the conversation with Jethro had taken a turn. Now he was under the scrutiny of two wolves he hardly knew more than the names of. The integration was just too much to bear at the moment. His thoughts were racing, overlapping one another in a mumbled mess that couldn't be sorted out. On the outside, he'd taken a seated position, his breathing indicative of the anxiety he felt. His eyes were wide, his face scrunched up, muscles were stiff. He wasn't too aware of it though, not for the moment, no he was too much in his head. His gaze stared blankly ahead.

Breath...Breath...Breath...Luca, breathe

Suddenly he was back out on the ice. Inari nose to nose with the pup, staring into his eyes.

The flashback was gone as quickly as it came, and the man finally drew a breath after holding it for so long. The trance was broken and he looked between the pair and tried to speak, but nothing came out. His mouth was dry. He was humiliated. Exhausted. Overwhelmed with guilt. The list went on. "I lost two boys in a woods, and now I'm trying to bite off more than I can chew." Was all he could get out after another long uncomfortable silence.

"HE SPEAKS"