Grizzly Hollow like real people do

The laughter elicited from his statement easily and effortlessly lightened the mood. In fact, it had taken Rook by surprise at first, but later drew a smile onto his maw. This lightness that Veho inspired would become one of the best things Rook saw in him; how quickly the medic was able to pull him from anything that was not a sense of calm or delight. At this point, he was already more than half-convinced to shed himself of the testaments that the red priest had preached. To hell with it all. He could endure all he lecturing if it should come and make nothing of it; he would not be persuaded to convert back. Perhaps Veho and the ones he called the Ancestors had something to teach him.

The Lyall's brow creased at the thought of mushrooms, his mind immediately darting from the memory of Titan's face to the incident that had left Veho on the ground. Of course Veho would know which ones to consume this time around, Rook was convinced, but he said nothing of it aside from a considerate, "Maybe sometime soon." It seemed interesting, this "crossing of the veil," and it made him smile within to think of how mad his sister would have been to just hear him agree to it. How irresponsible and reckless...

He did his best to focus back on the moon, studying both sides of it as it hung against a backdrop of twinkling stars. Before he could even drift away onto other things - like wondering about what his mother was doing and if she and Borden were already asleep in the den, if Tomen had ever found that little burrowing owl's nest, or if the Ancestors were something like stars or the wind (just like how he had initially perceived the Holy Spirit and his older brothers' answers whenever he asked for their help by the Rocks) - his companion's voice came again, the words curling around his eardrums, "I have another question for you – Gaheris. Am I meant to change my name, as well?"

Rook inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a while before releasing it. After sometime of remaining still, he reclined forward and stretched his paws out in front of him with a shake of his head. "I don't think so, Veho," he admitted, the words sounding heavy on the ears. "@Cinder was right. The whole 'secret names' thing is cub-like and unbecoming." There was a pause that implied that he was considering what words he ought to choose regarding the matter. "All my life I've almost never been Rook. I've been expected to answer to a number of names, many of which belong to my brothers, either alive, missing, or deceased." He made a face. "Theodore, Prosper, Renier, Hocus, Declan, Ryvet, Titan, Tesla, Graham... Gaheris. My sister isn't here anymore, what fun is it to use secret names, anyway?"

HIs head leveled with a scoff as if he were ridiculing himself. "I mean, you're welcome to," he said, just in case Veho had been anticipating his approval. "But, I think it might be better if we simply not gave our names out at all at the borders if we could help it. I promised that we wouldn't hide anymore and I think we ought to start having a presence here in these woods."

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

"Whenever you are ready.  The Ancestors aren't going anywhere," Veho replied airily, unconcerned with the current status of his friend's faith (or lack their of).  A connection to the powers that be was a very personal thing.  It was something to be respected, weighed heavily, and taken in time.  Those that came before would not judge Rook for considering the all the possibilities – they would not condemn him if he never chose to spoke with them; if they would not, than the medicine man would never think of catching judgment upon the Lyall heir.

The conversation took a turn he was not expecting, and the Macieo male lapsed into silence.  Moonlit eyes turned full attention to the masked wolf, head tipped to one side as he studied that expression.  All these names he did not know, did not recognize (outside the mention of Titan, a healer brought up in prior conversation, and Gaheris, the wolf he'd gone head over paws for), but all the same – he'd always been Rook.    (Perhaps not the first name associated with the younger wolf, but that never changed who he was.)

"As you wish.  My place is not amongst politics," he hummed, tail sweeping across the ground as he reached over to nudge against Rook's lower jaw.  His ears were forward – no less concerned about the dismissal of the secret names than he was about obtaining one.  If that was the rule of the Lyall family, he would follow it, happily.  "My only desire was to you to pick one for me.  Perhaps something about the moon," Veho confessed, allowing himself an embarrassed chuckle.  "Just as well.  Perhaps you've spared me the mockery.  Have I kept you too long?  I was thinking bout spending the night out here, with the moon."

(This post was last modified: Aug 07, 2015, 09:57 PM by Rook. Edit Reason: missed a paragraph-thing )

A nudge of Veho's nose to his jaw and Rook was calm again, merely soothed by his closeness. The fact that Veho had wanted a name to begin with, though, did nothing but hold him closer to the Lyall's heart. Not many, it seemed, welcomed the idea as Bishop had, but then again she, too, had almost been anyone but Bishop. For the aspiring medic to want a moniker in this childhood game meant that he understood.

As he began to think of a suitable name, the Lyall delighted in the sound of his companion's chuckle, a sign that he further comprehended what Rook's motives were in drawing the pack together under a game of aliases. Leaning back on his left elbow and catching Veho's gaze, he let himself fully relax at the prospect of spending some time away from the rest of the pack.. leaving the moonlit night for just the two of them.

"No, you haven't," he assured him after a while, "and I was hoping that, maybe, you'd keep me." He nestled his temple against Veho's. "I've been in my head for much too long, I need space to think, to feel, to just... be." His tail swept across the grass and pine needles at his back. "Regarding your name, I think... perhaps... What do you think of Merlin?"

"In all the stories I had been told as a cub, he was my favorite. A magician who performed magic with the moon. He was also the king-Leader's advisor of sorts, and they were pretty much inseparable, even in pursuit of the Holy Grail."

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

For a moment, Veho allowed himself to simply be, basking in the moon's soft glow as his companion nuzzled against his head. It was so peaceful, here, so quiet, perfect. With a small yawn, the male slowly sunk onto his belly before offering the younger male a nod to join if. If they were to stay, and clearly they were, they may as well be comfortable, cushioned by the foliage and blanketed by the starry sky.

"Merlin," he finally sighed, closing eyes as he tasted the name. "Merlin." It felt as good as it sounded. Merlin, a mage who worked with the power of the moon. Merlin, the inseparable advisor of the Lord and King on all his greatest and most dangerous quests. Merlin, Rook's favorite. "It's perfect," the medic sighed happily, silver eyes half opening as he reached over to bless his superior a short kiss. Perfect, because it was a beautiful calling. Perfect, because it was a gift from the masked man.

Or perhaps his fine mood was getting the best of him, joy pouring out of every pore as the moon rose above and the crickets serenaded them from all around. "Rook," he hummed, and then Veho paused. No, that wasn't quite right, not in this moment surrounded by the moon's very magic. "Gaheris, I will keep you as long as you are willing to be kept."

And I will keep you long after that, safe in my heart, for now that you're there, I'm not sure I could ever let you go.

"For now, and for every day after. With the Ancestors as my witness, Rook, Gaheris, you, I will keep you and give you your freedom and happiness, to the best of my ability. You deserve no less."

The wolf at his side settled down and Rook let out a sigh of his own, pleased beyond measure that Veho found his first name suggestion fitting. He wasn't sure what else he could have pitched; Veho's personality and outlook was much too soft and mellow for that of a "Vortigern" or "Vortimer" (some pair of villainous, power-hungry kings he had made up in his adventures as a cub) and much too down-to-earth for a "Galahad" (his "Gaheris" character's right-hand of a "knight"). "Arthur" might have done well but in all the stories he had heard and made up, the character could never seem to escape the fate of dying by his own son's hands in Rook's head. Merlin, it seemed, would live forever and, eventually, @Tomen would come to know and love him for the character his father had always known him to be - one of good, heroic deeds, and a sense of breath-taking wonder. Veho, he believed, would breathe life into it all.

To the Macieo's declaration, he made himself comfortable and leaned into him, absolutely content for the time being. His responsibilities of being a Leader would be upon him soon enough and he would be as busy as ever. All he wanted to do was remain here, tucked away from Relic Lore, safe and sound and bathed in the light of a half-moon he would probably never (ever) forget.

Two knights, two men, two subordinates or, simply, two wild wolves, tonight was just for them - Merlin and Gaheris and Veho and Rook...

(Fade.)

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.