it beats so strongly, just for me

^^They had spent some time in the tangled roots, and while Tetsujin had appreciated the fact it felt easy to defend them both in it's fortified walls, he hadn't felt like it was a place that they could stay. They had moved on before nightfall, coming to rest in a grove filled with flowers. Peaceful and the scent of flowers all around them, Tetsujin had fallen asleep, curled a couple feet away from @Elowyn with her back to a tree and his body as a buffer from the world around them. He slept soundly and in the morning when he had woken before Elowyn he'd taken off to hunt them some breakfast.

By some measure of luck he'd managed to bring breakfast back to her before she'd woken up, smiling softly around the thick hare that he'd run down. He laid it down and set to cleaning himself up, making sure he wasn't covered in blood before his wife woke up. While she was still sleeping peacefully he started to explore the area in the light of early morning. The flowers grew and spread all across the grounds, plush and inviting, and he vaguely smelled like flowers just from where they had bunkered down for the night.^^
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Elowyn had followed Anteon after the weird structure with the plants growing. She was glad to have moved on as it seemed they weren't the only canines there, there had been some other wolf kind, even smaller than coyotes, or from what she had seen. She just didn't want to overthink things. The female had followed her husband, and then they came to the field full of nice flowers she relaxed. It took her awhile until she fell asleep. Elowyn hadn't been comfortable with sleeping ever since they woke up here. But that resulted in her being extremely tired. So tired that she had passed out for hours. 

When she finally did wake up she found a hare by her side. Her stomach growled eagerly. She looked around, at first sight not seeing Anteon. He had told her about his nickname but it seemed weird to call him that. She tugged the food close and started to eat. The sleep had done her well, she felt refreshed and ready to take on a new day. Then again, maybe this would be a nice place to settle? But perhaps not as defendable as Anteon would like it.
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^^While Elowyn slept he was exploring a bit around them. With the light of morning stretching across the flowered grove, it was breathtaking to behold. The flowers stretched out everywhere before him - a rainbow of colors, the scents soft but fragrant and curling up into his pelt even. He was nose down in the flowers and for a moment didn't notice that Elowyn was awake or that she'd started to eat. The burrows when he found them were surprising; he could barely pull their scent above the thicket of flowers around them.

What caught his attention was the sound of bones cracking, his ears flicking back before he finally pulled himself away. Rather than the obvious - a flower or even a bundle of them - Tet had another prize. A clover, the color almost the same as her eyes, but it had extra leaves. His mother had told them they were special once and he'd stuck it in his head. He brought it back over and sat down a bit away from her, tail tapping a couple times in joy. He looked proud of his unexpected find. “Good morning,” He offered her, but didn't expect a response right away to give her time to eat.^^
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Elowyn was quietly eating, as in, there was the crunching of bones and tearing of flesh, but the female was rather quiet. Ever since talking to that other female at the temple she had been shocked to hear her refer to these arranged marriages as 'forced'. Her mother always spoke of them as honorable and that it was her duty. But she hadn't exactly wanted to go with Anteon even though she was prepared with the fact that she would be mated to a male of her parents choosing.

She almost jumped up when she heard Anteon's good morning. She did make a jerk and then looked at him. "Oh good morning," she commented and licked her jaws. She then looked down at the meal. "Thanks for hunting for me," she spoke politely. He looked happy, and content. Elowyn offered him a soft smile, reminding herself that she should be happy too, because she was lucky to have a man so devoted to her. But then why hadn't that happiness come yet like her mother had spoke about.
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^^She didn't seem as cross with him as the days went on. It helped soothe him a bit, between his wounded pride at the utter nonsense of the accusations that she'd flung at him at the start, and the fact that they were still finding out about each other. It was hard. They'd separated from Heartmouth only a week after they had been wed and it was just...it was quick. Even though it was what they had both expected it was still hard. Tetsujin drew in a deep slow breath - he couldn't stop sniffing the flowers that surrounded them. “You're welcome, Wyn,” He said it quickly. He wanted to see how her nickname might be favored - maybe the fact that he'd brought her breakfast would work in his favor.

“I don't think this place would be good for a home,” He said, turning his gaze to the blanket of flowers and the more sparse trees that made up the grove. It didn't feel like it was good and defendable, safe enough that he'd ever consider having children running around here for long. “But for the occasional date?” Coming back to see this place might be nice from time to time. “Maybe that would be nice.” If she'd be interested in going back once they'd found their actual home.^^

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The female looked at the other when he called her Wyn. It still felt a little strange when he did that, but perhaps it was better than the fawn nickname he wanted to give her. She decided to not really give it that much of a specific response, perhaps she had been wrong about that since she had paused a little. The female looked around. "I think I might even get a headache with the strong scent of all these flowers," he admitted with a shake of his head.

She did pause when he mentioned a date. She raised her brows. She knew that they were already mated but to think that this male was willing to have dates with her. It just felt a little silly and really committed. It made her feel a little uncomfortable thinking about it though on the other hand really grateful that Anteon truly seemed to be a genuine guy. She felt like she wasn't worthy of him. She looked at him. "You would want to go on dates?," she asked, almost a little surprised. "I mean, I don't mind going on dates." She just remembered her mother telling her after the ceremony that she would probably have her own pups soon. Dates seemed something she was far more willing to do.
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^^Tetsujin frowned when she said she might get a headache - and yeah, he could understand that with how intense the scent of the flowers happened to be. “Do you know any herbs to help with that? I can maybe look?” He was quick to tend to her, wishing he'd paid a bit more attention when it came to the lessons his mother tried to give to him. He knew what to never eat, that had to be enough a lot of times. It surprised him when she seemed to relax into the idea of a date. He didn't know what he'd expected but maybe more opposition from here when it came to dates and ideas of the future.

It was easy to say it was all for their pack and for the Sentinels. It was an expectation on them both, ones they had resting heavily on their shoulders since their infancy. He'd traveled a lot escaping the expectation that Blair had but this was something he'd been told about - something he'd come to appreciate for the way it felt. He was trusted. He was good enough. But he had to prove that to Elowyn. “I don't plan on keeping you locked up all the time.” He offered with a little smile. “Yeah, I'd like to go on dates sometimes. Get away from all of the hussle and bussle of running a pack. Just....enjoy each other sometimes.”^^

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Elowyn looked around for feverfew but saw mostly other kinds. This might not be the right place for them to grow. She could also use willow bark but she hadn't seen anything from it. "Feverfew would help, but I can look for it as well when I have a headache," she offered. "I feel I might get a headache from all the strong scents I don't have one now," she explained. She rather wanted to gather herbs when she found a set location so she didn't have to carry a lot with her. Only when she would find a special herb.

The female glanced at the male, her husband. "That was something I wasn't hoping for either?," she questioned him when he told her that he wasn't going to lock her up. That would be rather boring and then she couldn't be as useful as she could be. They didn't have a pack yet, so this was something he wanted to do in the future? When they had their pack? Now they were without obligations and the 'hussle and bussle' as he said it. "Aren't we enjoying ourselves now?," she pointed out, though perhaps she meant it a little teasingly it came out a little serious. "I've never been on a date," she admitted to him. "What do you do on a date?"
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^^He nodded quickly when she spoke - he had no idea what Feverfew looked like, but, he'd look around at her request if it came down to it. It was relieving to hear she didn't have a headache yet but it might be good for them not to stay and linger too long. Maybe the rest of the morning, maybe into the afternoon, but then they'd need to go on to a new territory. “We don't have to stay here, then.” Tet offered. As pretty as the flowers were, he wasn't stuck to the idea of staying here. It wasn't as fortified as he wanted and he didn't want to linger if it made Elowyn hurt. “Maybe we find another place to rest by tonight then.” Tetsujin wasn't going to keep her somewhere at a risk to her.

Her question might have been a bit coy, and in his response, he couldn't help smiling. “It has been nice exploring with you.” He admitted. Risking their fragile peace for a moment he leaned over, pressing his snout against her temple and nibbling slightly at her fur. It was a bit like a kiss but seemed less intimate - it could purely be just keeping their scents on each other. Any packmate might have done that. It was different, though, touching his wife. “I didn't date much before, either.” He admitted. “But...going places and doing things you like together. Like...maybe stargazing. Or going for a swim. Just telling stories about our homes before, just...” He shrugged, he didn't know what she'd like. It was hard to assume these sorts of things, just learning who their spouse was under just the face like they were. “What would you like to do if we went out on a date?”^^

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Elowyn shook her head quietly when he offered that they find another place for the night. "For this night it is fine, honestly. I wouldn't want us to move and not know where we can rest," she admitted. She rather would want to move out in the morning. Elowyn did flush deeply when he said that he did like exploring with her. She didn't know why but she felt flustered. It worsened when she felt his teeth nibble her temple. She cast her eyes away for a moment before she glanced at him, her green eyes glancing at him. She was unsure what to think of it. The hint of affection.

Elowyn was surprised that he hadn't been dating. She thought that he had this girlfriend Gene-something he had told her about. Genevieve! That was it. She really didn't want to think about that. The things he suggested sounded fun though. She was really curious about his home and what traditions they had. "I won't mind hearing about your previous home," she commented. "I never really watched the stars? Did you?," she asked and then looked up, but there was mostly tree canopy. She never got to study the stars. She glanced at Anteon. "What would you like to do?" Knowing she technically didn't answer his own question. But she didn't know what to do.
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^^Tetsujin had always been particularly tactile. Touch was his love language - it was in essence how he learned the most. Hands on, that's how he learned, that's how he figured things out. Learning Elowyn, he'd be the same way. He didn't think she'd always look away, cast her eyes down, sometimes she'd probably reach for him with teeth and claws and he'd learn he'd pushed too far. She didn't strike out at him and when he stepped back to give her space he felt a bit more secure. Maybe she wouldn't hate him after all.

“Northacre....that's where I was born and grew up.” Just to confirm, it was like he'd stared to tell her parents when he'd met them. “And Northacre, it's huge. There's a forest with this massive river cutting through it - there's only a couple places you can cross. One is this ancient, huge tree that fell across the river making a bridge. The other is a few rocks you can jump across. The first family who claimed the area is how it grew - they had a few large litters, and their kids getting married and then stragglers joining.....slowly but surely they just needed more space. Now I think there's got to be like 40 wolves there, but who knows since we're rarely all in the same spot to count.” He added that with a little laugh, it was a running joke in Northacre. Someone was always coming and going.

“When I was out scouting I'd sleep under the stars a lot. It was weird.....it made me feel less alone.” He admitted. He didn't mind being alone. Most of the time. “It'd probably be more fun with someone else.” It was a fair guess, at least. And other than a few little spats they didn't seem to hate each other so he was hoping it would stay that way. “I like to learn things....I'm awful at fishing, so, I won't be much good if we try that.” He said and grinned.^^

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Elowyn quietly listened to him when he talked about Northacre. She had known that the pack was large but she didn’t know about the river, and the forest. Heartmouth also was a big forest, large and with serveral mountains. It sounded a bit like her home. She kind of wished that she could have seen his home. ”I think Northacre is more open and kinder to strangers. Heartmouth wouldn’t have taken in your mother, I think,” she admitted. She had the feeling the only ones that could come in were through arranged marriages.

Elowyn’s eyes widened when the other said he was a scout. ”You traveled alone before? Oh I didn’t know,” she spoke. ”My dad just came to me he found a suitable mate for me. That was it,” she commented. ”Not sure how he got to you though,” she admitted. Kind of curious. Maybe it was his best friend’s dad, they were the leader of Northacre, she believed. ”Did you feel lonely when traveling?,” she asked him. She had never felt lonely but that was probably because she had never been alone.
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^^Northacre was a bit more open, given their size, it was a mix between being found by others and then by having marriages and children born. “We got lucky.” Tetsujin knew that, too. And Maria had made sure that her children didn't forget about it either. He and his three siblings had grown up appreciating what had been done for them, not just by Northacre, but by all the Sentinels. To his knowledge, his father had been cast out by all of them. There had been no refuge available in all the sprawling lands claimed by their alliance. “No? That's surprising.” Tetsujin had only visited Heartmouth in passing before he'd come for their wedding. When he'd visited he hadn't had any knowledge that there was any discussion of his marriage to Elowyn - or any Heartmouth girl, for that matter - and he hadn't learned much about their culture.

“What I had been told was that I'd been considered because of me being so close with Genevieve's family. We were maybe around one when I saved her from being attacked, it stuck out to her father.” He didn't want to explain the attack - it wasn't his story, really, and he felt it would have been disrespectful if he'd told everyone what was her business. “I know that her father and your father had been close. I sort of became a son to him, he sent me out on errands a lot.” Tetsujin explained before she asked if he had been lonely. “Sometimes yeah. I couldn't take my little brother Rhett out, he stayed to keep the girls safe. Blair married into Northacre, she was my closest sister. I had friends, but...most got married before I did, or wanted to stay around the pack more. I went alone a lot.” He finally settled on it, lips twitching into a brief frown.

“I'm glad I'm not alone anymore.” He offered, finally meeting her eyes again.^^

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Elowyn had to agree that they were lucky, so she just nodded at him. It was surprising to the male that they didn’t take in strangers. ”Well, it really isn’t,” she commented. But perhaps for the male it wasn’t so clear. ”Heartmouth is very protective of their bloodline. Not even from the royal line, but also for the other wolves part of our pack. They are all cousins or further removed family lines. Mates are chosen meticulously. New blood is important, but in Heartmouth they want as much control as they can.” Anteon had proven himself by impressing Genevieve’s dad making him see him like his own son. So that was saying a lot.

”I think Genevieve’s dad is mostly behind the match then. He knew my father well, and my father had been very protective of promising me to anyone. I was one of his first daughters,” Elowyn explained to him. She wished to know how or why they decided on the match. She was curious. ”I’ve never been alone,” she admitted to him then. ”There were always younger siblings to watch, or mother’s lessons. Always in the pack lands, never going outside it.” That would be something. Her father made it clear to never go outside the territory alone. He didn’t need his daughter compromised. ”I’m glad to give you company,” she spoke, which was what one thing she was taught. She was to give a male company after all.
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^^Tetsujin understood that man of the founding families only focused on themselves. A good deal of those higher wolves wouldn't have batted an eye. “My mother came from one of the old families, but, I don't know which one.” He admitted. They'd been some of the first to join and helped really establish Mosscoast, but, her mother rarely talked about it. It was so much to try and reason everything that happened in her life before Northacre and so the memories she made after were the only ones she talked about much. “I don't know why she had aligned to Dusksong, but, we ended up in Northarce when she promised my sister Blair, the second born, into the ruling family. Their firstborn - my friend Genevieve - was already promised.” He explained.

It made more sense why things had worked out how they did, but, Tetsujin had proven his worth to the wolves of Northacre by saving Genevieve out of his own conscious, not for gains. It had turned into benefiting him in the long run - he didn't think of Ginny as anything but a sister. “That....sounds intimidating.” He admitted. “Not being alone ever, it uh...I imagine it makes the silence so loud when you have it.” He would try to be more accommodating in the future for her, wanting to make sure that he did what he could to make her feel more confident in herself. He offered her a soft smile and nodded. “Not just company.” He suggested, amending her statement just a bit. “Hopefully we'll make it so that we're more than just company for each other.” A dumb, almost childish hope, but it was a genuine one from spouse to spouse.^^

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Elowyn looked surprised at that. She had figured that Anteon had come from a family outside the Sentinels. He was new blood, at least, that was what she had assumed. Her father had mentioned as such, that he was a good male to start a new bloodline. The Windmere bloodline. She swallowed, as she reminded of the fact that she would have to bare children. Their children. That she really didn’t want to think about yet. Though that was her duty. If she went in heat… then she would not be allowed to deny him.

”Maybe your mother was arranged to Dusksong for some reason?,” she offered. Elowyn then paused for a moment. ”If Genevieve wouldn’t have been promised then would you have been matched with her?,” she asked quietly to the male. It was kind of what she had already expected. He had mentioned her a lot already. She seemed like a good friend. Maybe too good of a good friend… She wasn’t certain of that though.

Elowyn offered a soft smile when he spoke about the silence being so loud. ”The silence can be scary especially when you are in a place where you aren’t familiar,” she admitted. ”But never being alone isn’t the same as silence. I am used the enduring silence, but being alone or with so few wolves is very alien to me,” she admitted. Her mother often wanted her to practice in silence, just so she could focus. However, to be alone with Anteon since they were mated… it was strange, which had probably also made her quieter than normal.

Elowyn looked at him and then smiled softly, followed by a quiet nod. ”I hope so,” she spoke quietly then. It was kind of intimidating that he expected that, however, at the same time, surprisingly sweet?
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^^Tetsujin nodded at her assumption. Maria had been aligned to Dusksong, but he didn't know why there out of all the Sentinels. But what she continued with? That caught him more and he couldn't help but laugh. “Oh, hell, me and Ginny? Nah! She's like my sister.” It was more animated than he often was, but, they'd seen it time and time again. People assumed that they would have been matched or would have wanted to be matched. “We didn't know each other until after my first birthday, but, it's just like someone suggesting you marry your brother. I love her, but, like my sisters Blair or Giselle. It's not like....an attraction.” That would have been scandalous. “I think she's happy with her husband, anyways.”

Roderick seemed like a good guy. Enough that Tetsujin didn't fear for her in any way. Genevieve could handle herself regardless of what happened. “She'd been promised from before she was born - so I think that was never a possibility, and we knew it. I know I'm satisfied with how things ended up anyways.” He felt satisfied - there was no need for him to stress about the prospects that would never come to be. Hopefully it wasn't like he'd never see her again. His ears turned towards her, focusing on what she said and he almost felt.....sad. Sure. He'd expected at some point he'd probably be married off but the fact that she was expected to make a good connection, that was more sad. Like she hadn't had a life otherwise.

“I will value your words as much as my own, I want to hear your thoughts.” He said gently. “But don't....push yourself. I want you comfortable with me. It's important to me.” He said quietly. Was that too much? Like too much pressure?^^

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Elowyn felt really skeptical about the fact that she was just a sister to him. She didn’t know him that well, and hadn’t seem them together. She just nodded quietly, his laugh was charming though. She wanted to believe him. The female quietly nodded when he spoke they didn’t meet until they were one. When he saved her probably. That event seemed to have really made an impact in his life. That was certain. For her, being arranged to him was a life changing event.

”That would be a little weird,” she admitted to him when he mentioned that it would be like attracting to ones sibling. She could not see being attracted to them. So perhaps… Perhaps his relationship with this … ‘Ginny’ was really like that. ”I hope she is, otherwise she won’t have a very … nice life,” Elowyn commented. ”She wouldn’t join you?” Maybe she had to stay in Northacre seeing that she was their first born.

Her green eyes sought his pale ones for a moment. Her words were valued, he wanted to know what she was thinking. That was interesting because that was not something she was taught. ”I will,” she told him, though it was rather scary to do so. She looked around briefly before her eyes landed back on him. ”Can you tell me more about Windmere? Your vision for it?”
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^^Tetsujin had never thought too much about why he only viewed Genevieve that way. It was natural and comfortable between them, something that he appreciated but he had never pondered too deeply. Tetsujin didn't usually. He took things more at their face value when his intuition was good - and when it came to the nature of his relationship with his closest friend, he felt no pressure for anything other than friendship. To many, the life of the royal family was one of luxury. But for Tetsujin - he had the luxury of exploration, of freedom, where she had not been able to live a life of her own.

“I don't know if she can leave,” He admitted. “Well....my sister Blair married her brother so....maybe they would allow it. So that she could leave, but they would have another generation.” He didn't know exactly and while he respected the leaders of Northacre it was also hard to understand what they wanted directly. Tet could understand that. He knew it was hard for his mother to have him leave, but he was doing something that hopefully would make them all proud.

He smiled gently when she asked him for his ideas about Windmere - for the things that they would want to do. “I do want to make sure that we will protect any women who come to our doorstep needing aide. If Northacre hadn't helped my mother, I wouldn't be here.” He pointed out. “Obviously our children would come first over any others - but....I don't know if I could cast anyone out who needed help as long as we could provide.” As large as Northacre had been it was easy to set Maria up near the other Matron's - he could only vaguely remember a kindly old female who had helped take care of them, but, she had passed when he was only a couple of months old. She'd told lovely stories.

“I want to make sure that every couple in our court holds the same values - that they take pride in themselves, their spouse, and our claim. That we work together to ensure a safe future for all of our children. I want to value learning, sending our young males out to explore and help find other potential alliances. Even maybe find strong ones to tutor our children, and us theirs.” He realized he'd talked a lot and looked a bit bashful. “What would you like, Wyn?”^^

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Maybe it would be better if the female didn’t leave. After all, she only was getting to know Anteon maybe if that other female was around he wouldn’t want to do things with her anymore. She just quietly nodded, which she mostly did at times when she didn’t know what to say about it. She did admire his soft smile though when she asked him for his vision of Windmere. He seemed really passionate about it and that was rather charming to see. He really seemed to have this drive for their assignment. She was not sure it was the prospect of power that came with leading a pack, or the freedom it would give him. She ought to ask one day.

Elowyn nodded when he started with offering a home to females in need. ”Any female?,” she asked curiously. It was still strange for her as with Heartmouth they were so protective of who joined. Still she thought it was a honorable thing to do. Especially for a male. However, if he would only take in females… There would need to be balance. ”The only thing I would argue, from a practical point of view is that there would need to be a balance. If there are a lot of females you cannot take care of all of them alone.” But she didn’t think that Windmere would only be Anteon and females. At least… she hoped not?

Elowyn’s mind only now caught up with the fact he mentions children. Their children. She felt nerves bubbling in her stomach. She nodded. ”L-Like the Royal Line at Heartmouth?,” she clarified to just distract her mind from the fact that it would be their pups that would be royalty. She didn’t feel like a mother, not yet. She felt far too young, but even if she thought that she knew that her body would go in heat when ready. Her mother told her so. She was anxious about it. She knew she wouldn’t be able to say no. That would be blasphemous.

”I agree with your vision,” she then spoke quietly. It was much like her previous home, perhaps looser than what she was used to at Heartmouth. As always, Anteon asked about her opinion. She blinked, still not used to that fact that she could have an opinion. She should have been aware that the other would ask her the same question she had. ”I hope…” she started and sounded unsure for a moment. ”I hope for friends. That we feel like a family. I liked having a lot of family and wolves around me,” she admitted. She hoped she would be a good queen, like her mother. She hoped that she would be to Anteon’s liking, or that she wouldn’t disappoint him. She was worried about that. ”Uh… Maybe it would also be good to let— No, nevermind,” she shook her head bashfully, ears pinned back.
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^^Any female? He shrugged then - he didn't know. Honestly. “I have a hard time denying someone who's in need - but that's not to say I'd be okay with just....letting someone not pull their own weight.” He admitted. His brow furrowed for a moment and he tilted his head a bit, before his eyes widened. “What about a council?” He asked. “Us, our closest and most trusted...maybe us and them, and we discuss it together? Or maybe just you and me.” He offered. That way they both had a say and that way it wasn't just on either of them - in case one of them hadn't thought of something. “But yeah, not only women. We definitely need to keep things balanced.” He agreed, tail giving a couple quick thumps against the ground. It was a start. He found he liked the way that they talked through the idea and had found a thing to agree on. It was a start if nothing else.

“At some point, yeah. I want to make sure we've got a safe place for them - like....uh. Well. If you told me next week you uh - your heat - I wouldn't...I wouldn't wanna push you and I don't know if we'd have a safe spot for them, so uh.” Well, that was a touch more awkward, admittedly. “I don't think that this soon would have been a good idea.” That deep hidden romantic part of him wanted her to love him. Wanted her to be willing for him. And the idea of showing their children a loving happy family - it was alluring. It was all a lot to think of immediately, though, and he hoped that she wouldn't actually go into heat so quickly.

He liked the idea of a big family and of friends too. Friends to go out and scout with, and hunt with - but then scouting wasn't going to be his role anymore. Suddenly he worried that he hadn't been trained enough to lead a large pack. “W-what?” He asked, eager to think of something other than the weight that seemed to be settling quickly on his shoulders.^^

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Elowyn nodded at the other, that was good then, that the male would count on every one to pull their weight. She did agree on that but it might also be that females hadn’t been taught anything. So also not survival skills. What would they do then? Guess that would come with time and once they would get to know the wolves. In Heartmouth is was just so different, they had been established for so long.

”A council?,” she asked him. She thought about it for a moment and nodded. ”It does feel like something we would set up later. Once we are established and have at least two couples we trust to be part of a council,” she spoke, in which she realized how outspoken she really had been. She perhaps had gotten more knowledge about it than she realized. She was glad that he agreed with her though, it gave a little confidence that he was listening to her input. That was actually a really nice feeling.

The topic shifted and as much she had wanted to not talk about it, it was surprising that Anteon thought about it that way. Though she doubted that the male could keep himself at bay when she would go in heat. She had seen it with her parents. They still had pups every year, his father expected that of her mother. Elowyn swallowed her own nerves. ”You spoke earlier about everyone pulling their own weight. But isn’t it my duty to provide you with healthy children?,” she commented, surprised how her voice sounded level. ”However, I do agree that having pups before having a territory wouldn’t be ideal,” Elowyn nodded. She didn’t want to show him that she was very nervous about the whole childbearing thing. He was so passionate about this all, so dutiful. She didn’t want to disappoint him.

Elowyn looked at him when he asked her what she meant to say. Her brief distrust showed to the male, though it quickly softened as he had given her confidence that her opinion was valuable. He had listened to her thoughts before, even asked about them. ”I— “ This was a big topic, controversial even. ”With you being the only male currently, maybe we shouldn’t limit fighting and hunting to only males,” she commented to him then. She kind of hated that she felt useless most of the time. Her parents would never allow her to hunt or fight, even have an argument with someone. ‘A lady never argues.’ Ran through her mind, her mother’s words. Elowyn battered her green eyes at him, hopefully he wouldn’t be mad at her.
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^^The idea of a council was good. It would have been easier if they'd had any of their siblings or friends, but, this had originally been a shorter trip in idea. They hadn't meant to go so far away from everyone else - but here they were, worlds apart it felt like. and Tetsujin didn't know how to fix that. He couldn't just give word to their families after all, not when it he didn't know how to get back to where they'd been. “It's a good idea,” He agreed quickly. She had a level head for the ideas that were important to their homes.

He reasoned for a moment about her duty, casually shrugging. “Well. It's our duty to raise healthy children, yes. It'll be so much harder if we didn't have somewhere to raise them though, wouldn't it?” Somehow there were families that managed but Tet didn't know how they did go mad with paranoia. He'd be worried about attacks, their children getting lost, or picked off by other predators, and there were just too many ways for accidents to happen. He didn't have any intention of being so flippant with his potential children. He wanted to be able to provide for them and shelter them properly like they deserved.

Tetsujin reasoned for a moment if her suggestion was one that they'd need to worry about. “We're okay for now...I think. If we're smart and avoid other packs for now, hopefully we won't run into too much trouble. And certainly no fighting unless it's really necessary.” It would drive him crazy if they gathered enemies before they even had a place to really defend. “I wouldn't mind company on hunts - even if you just helped me scout them out and herded them towards me.” Maybe it was something they could try sometime. “I'm not bad at hunting though - except fishing. I'm awful at it.” Tetsujin admitted.


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Elowyn had to agree with his statement that they were currently not in the right environment to raise children. She was surprised that he made it their duty. It was kind of hers though, she felt like. He had already enough on his plate. She was there to care for the children. The female watched the other for a moment. ”You don’t need to be everywhere and all at once, Anteon. It would make things very difficult,” she commented, as she had observed that he had been a hard worker so far. Something that she could admire.

Elowyn looked at him, daring to take it a step further since he hadn’t complete dismissed her idea yet. ”Of course I didn’t mean to actively seek out a fight,” she started. ”But what if you would teach females to protect themselves from an attack or just protect themselves in general?” She didn’t mind to know those things. In fact, she kind of wished she had learned. Then she didn’t feel completely useless next to Anteon or while traveling these lands. He bit her lip a bit. Perhaps it was too forward thinking of her. Her ears perked up. ”I like to help on a hunt,” she offered. Though she was a little tired from traveling she would do her best. Elowyn eyes at him. ”I’m not good at hunting or protecting myself,” she spoke quietly then, leaving a hint laced between those words.
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^^It was probably a good portion because his father had been absent - by his own actions - that drove him to want to be so active in his mind. If he could actually help with his children, it was what he wanted, given that he'd missed out and ended up raised mostly by his pack. His mother had done the job of two wolves, but, still, it had been Northacre who had molded him and his siblings. If he'd had any idea of what was coming for him he probably would have paid far more attention to the actual structure of the pack and the relationships with the rest of the Sentinels. Her comment brought a smile to his face - it almost sounded like she was even worried about him. “It's only for a bit, right? Until we're established.” Then they could balance things a bit more, once there were more of them to hold their territory.

While he liked to think that they wouldn't actively be fighting for fun he did understand what she meant. It was good to know, even if for no reason other than to be able to protect themselves. “We could work on that.” He agreed. The idea he liked more was them working together to hunt. “Maybe after we get some rest we can try hunting together.” His tail gave a couple little wags, the idea of having more things in common between them he liked that. “What kinds of things are you interested in?” He asked, a little hopeful while they were sharing they'd learn more about each other.^^

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