Parkour Playground head needs renovation

Many poisonous things seemed nice until you really sank your teeth into them. Bright red mushrooms could make you see paradise before they stopped your heart. Mountain laurel could be pretty to look at before they stole your breath. In a sense, Felyx was much like these toxic things, making himself as appealing as possible, and then...

Well. It really depended on if his target remained interesting, didn't it?

Dace seemed happy enough, which was good because Felyx was hardly even trying to trick him at this point. Using him, sure, but not for anything particularly malicious. A game was innocent in the grand scheme of things, and Dace had satisfied the buzzing energy that had been tormenting Felyx all day.

That alone was reason to try and keep him around.

"Felyx," he responded with a grin, his own tail whipping back and forth. A playmate would be so much fun to keep around - someone with energy to match Felyx's own. Cynder would hate this. "But you can call me Lyx, if you wanna."

The boy took a seat on the branch, making himself comfortable. "Do you live around here?" he questioned, having no such reservations about seeming to be too interested. It was always good to learn as much as possible about as many things as possible, wasn't it? And besides, this boy was so fun. Why wouldn't Felyx want to talk to him?

Felyx. A quick and playful sound, which was fitting so far. His orange eyes took on a little more light when the other reclined, an indication that he meant to stick around. At least for another little while, yeah? Dacian's shoulders rolled at the next question posed.

"I don't really live anywhere particular," was the honest truth. It had been quite a while since he had been any kind of stationary, and the last time specifically had gone sorely wrong.

"Used to live about a day north, though."

Information given with the expectation that his acquaintance's response might answer a question or two of his own. Was Felyx from around this general area too, or was this all new to him? Would the latter make Dace any more useful or interesting?

Oh, wasn't this just perfect?

Felyx wanted to coil around the other boy and drag him in physically, but that would most certainly scare him away. Nowhere to call his home - supposedly all alone out here in the woods? When there were predators about? It was such a tragedy - this guy seemed so nice, aside from cheating at their little game. Like he might've had a real family at some point.

It wasn't any kind of remorse putting these thoughts in Felyx's head. No, it was something more akin to thrill. As though he was hunting down a newborn fawn with no mother in sight.

"Neither do I," he said, tail thumping on the branch as he watched the other boy. "I just got here a few days ago. My group sent my sister and me to try and find a good place to settle down." There. That was innocent enough, wasn't it?

He tilted his head, ears perked. "Did you have a pack up there?" he asked. "I wouldn't want to pick a place too close to them. That would be rude." In reality, it was just good to know where there might be other wolves. Either to recruit or sacrifice - he was sure Paeryl would be happy with either.

Neither do I. The answer made him happy, in a way that was actually a little messed up when he thought a touch harder about it. It wasn't supposed to be a good thing to be homeless, but Dace was very much a 'misery loves company' kind of being. It was a commonality, another chance the other kid might take to him. Of course, Felyx did smell of someone else, and the young Quinlan had never experienced good luck with trios...

A group, though? Dacian's ears pressed forward, interest now clearly piqued whether he liked it or not. All at once he had butterflies, the kind sent to flight by nervous excitement. It could be nothing, but this could also be something very good. What if they let him in, what if he got in on this pack-to-be from the ground floor? What if it ended up being somewhere he could really belong?

There were so many ways for that to go terribly wrong, though, as it always seemed to when he tried to get along. When he let himself start actually wanting. Already his stomach was in knots over fear of rejection. It didn't stop him, however. Dace's smile was back and bright as ever, long teeth showing.

"Not like they're anywhere all that great anyways," he was happily dismissive of the place he'd been born and somewhat raised.

"Last I knew, there's plenty of room 'round here for fresh faces."

Dace dared a mischievous quirk of his brows then, grin turning sharp as he added, "Especially if they're fun like you."

This was more than perfect, actually. The other boy was so quick to toss aside where he'd used to live, both confirming that he, in fact, lived with other wolves in the area, and that he no longer wanted to go back there. Felyx wondered if this was what an eagle felt before sinking its talons into a fish too close to the surface.

Of course, his intentions weren't all bad. Did he intend on using the boy? Yes. But did he want to make him suffer and struggle? Not really. It was more that he was having fun with Dace, and he would have even more fun if the other teen joined up with them. He was confident in it.

He wouldn't comment on Dace's old pack. There was no need to put them down when the other boy had already done the work for him. Instead, he focused on the second statement. There's plenty of room 'round here for fresh faces... Especially if they're fun like you.

"They're pretty fun," he acquiesced, though none of them prioritized it in the way Felyx did. A sharp grin formed on his own features, mirroring Dace's. "But I can't say they're as fun as me."

"You, though," he continued, eyes glinting a little. "You'd definitely make it a little more fun, I think. If you're lookin' for a place, that is." There. An invitation extended. Paeryl certainly wouldn't object to another follower, now, would he?

Dacian's tail was wagging widely once Lyx answered in the affirmative. Of course, the other yearling also took to the opportunity to pat himself on the back a little, but the night-cloaked one wouldn't dream of disagreeing (at least not today). He was quite sure it was true. Felyx had been the first to meet him, after all; he had to be the best in the group!

And if he wasn't, well, Dace would just have to see where the chips had fallen and act accordingly. Survival of the fittest, and all that.

'You, though...'

The light danced in his eyes then. What about him? Felyx didn't let him down. His brows jumped with surprise and excitement both, before they slipped back down, gaze narrowing and smirk twisting; the picture of smugness. Despite their precarious height, he practically danced in place on the branch before striking out with a paw to bap Lyx a little harder than was polite.

"Awwww," he couldn't help his self-satisfied snickers, "you like me."

He'd totally done it. He'd gotten invited to hang with the cool kids. Who cares if he knew nothing about them, or that he couldn't just take the win without making it a joke or a jab? Hopefully not Felyx. Dace's touchdown jig continued.

The boy was quick to recover from his initial surprise and reacted how Felyx might, when his energy level got to be too much for him to handle. There was far too much enthusiasm in his response for Felyx to be worried he might not come with them. That confidence of his was good, too. He'd fit right in with the rest of the group. Of course, Felyx didn't know how willing he was to throw others off a mountain, but he had been more than okay with yanking Lyx down from a dangerous height just to win a race. Imagine what he'd be willing to do to win someone's favor instead.

Awwww, he'd bragged after very nearly throwing Felyx off-balance on the branch, you like me.

In the same way a vulture liked an abandoned carcass, Felyx supposed. He was fun and fulfilled a basic need, and there was potential for more, but like was a strong word for the moment.

But Felyx didn't dislike him, either, which was good enough for the time being.

"Yeah, yeah," he said in return, playing the part with a grin, and then countered right back, "I think you like me."

Stormy eyes scanned over the other boy, tail still swishing. "So," he continued, raising an eyebrow. "Can I count on you sticking around for a while? I think you'd get along pretty well with the rest of the group." And Felyx would explain more later, of course, but for now, Dace didn't really need to know all the details.

'I think you like me.'

"So far," he granted breezily without missing a fancy-footed step, slipping more and more into 'pure Dacian' now that he'd gotten through that big, initial hurdle. Anxiety and self-doubt had been instilled in the boy, they had never been organic. Once acceptance was gifted (or perceived to be), it became all too easy to throw thoughtfulness out the window.

The generous might say he was easily caught-up in the excitement of making new friends. Sometimes it made him seem charming. Sometimes it immediately cost him those very same friendships.

Felyx asked for allegiance again, and Dace peeked at him with impish intent. Something about that pulled at him like a hook, made him want to play a game of seeing how important that verbal confirmation was to this little arrangement, but reason swiftly chased after the thought. It probably wouldn't matter much, and Lyx could just withdraw the invitation altogether to end that little back and forth. Not worth it.

"Yeah, if you aren't asking for much more," he teased, dropping to a branch below to give himself more room for his strutting. It was fun in its own right, especially backwards.

Felyx preened a little at the confirmation. Just because he didn't like others didn't mean it wasn't nice to be liked by those same people - it was a good tool to use, in fact. So far, was a positive for now, but would that change? Would Dace continue to like him? Would Felyx continue to find Dace fun?

The little dance Dace was doing seemed fun, and Felyx wasn't too proud to try it out. He waited til the other boy had moved to the other branch before copying his movements on his own, a light laugh spilling from his lips.

He reconfirmed that he would be sticking around, and Felyx marked it down as a victory mentally. As long as he wasn't asking for more, of course. "Wouldn't dream of it," he responded, tail waving as he step, step, stepped. Not with as much of the other yearling's confidence, but still. "I'm not looking to tie you down or anything."

Because that wouldn't be nearly as fun, would it? Trapping someone so they had no way out? No, the most fun was when they could stay or go, and chose to remain near.

Felyx joining in his little activity earned him another big, bright smile from Dace. Regardless of the cause, his movements seemed smoother in Dacian's perception than his own jerky kicks, which just made the older teen appear cooler in comparison. He calmed just a smidge, trying to put a little more fluidity back into his own motion.

"Yeah," another concession, eyes wandering away, "I trust you know a losing battle when you see one."

A bit more tongue-in-cheek than may have been apparent. Only time would tell, right? His next leaping step fluidly became an actual jump, looking to reach out and tap Felyx's own paw or leg.

"Tag!"

He'd drop lower yet again then, pausing only to look up over his shoulder and make sure the other teen was actually down for more games. It was much better than talking, in Dace's own humble opinion.