curses can be broken

^^Away from Seeker's Bluff, away from Emyprean, they'd found a hollow they could rest in. The moment that they broke from the mountain's side it was easy to see that natural rock slides had shaped a good amount of the hollow itself. He gently nudged @Elowyn in the shoulder, ears turned eagerly to not only see her reaction, but, he wanted to hear it too. He'd done his part to quietly start drawing more of her opinions. She seemed to flourish a bit with those chances, and he liked to see her bloom a bit and come out of her shell. “There are some flowers here, still.” She'd seemed to like the flowers in Sundance, but, there wasn't as many here.

There were still some trees throughout the hollow, but overall, it seemed secure and like a place with some actual merit. This was the first place that he'd felt might want to stay. Not far away the rest of their flock had gathered, but, before anyone else's opinion was given the King was most curious about his Queen's opinion.
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When Elowyn came over the mountain she was blown away by the sight of the hollow. How the clouds had gathered and the lights shone through onto the grass with purple flowers. The female gasped softly. She took in the land below. Her first thought was that Anteon probably liked it, with how well it could be protected. The female nodded when Anteon spoke. "It is beautiful here," she admitted the female’s eyes turned wide at the the mere beauty of the valley below. The valley floor just covered by purple flowers and surrounded by the mountains. Elowyn glanced at Anteon did he like it as well?

Elowyn decided she wanted to have a closer look! She started to move down the mountain into the valley. This was something that Anteon had wanted, good to protect. But Elowyn was mostly enchanted by all those flowers. When she reached the bottom she noticed there were a lot of fallen trees. She jumped onto one of the logs and managed to make her way across. Elowyn looked over her shoulder at Anteon, beaming actually. It was probably the most excited she had looked. She was surprisingly nimble over the fallen trees. She landed on the Valley floor with a graceful jump of a log. She noticed how the mountains hugged the valley. She liked it. She really liked it. But... was there life for them to sustain a pack here?

merged my other thread into this one since it was more a first reaction which fitted more in this thread!

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^^He was surprised when Elowyn took the initiative. She was further ahead than he was, which gave him the chance to see how she took to the surroundings. It also gave him ample opportunities to check her out, which was quite the view, too. He thought for a moment that he'd been caught when she looked back to him but he realized that smile and actually stopped in his tracks for a moment. He blinked back his surprise, a smile growing on his face too, and then forged ahead to join her. She seemed to move through the area, over downed trees, navigating and weaving like she was meant to be here.

Maybe this was their place.

“Your highness,” Anteon said with a little grin as he caught up to her, taking a deep breath of the valley and it's scents. There was enough variation that they could spend some time exploring and, perhaps the most important part, he couldn't smell anyone else. “I think we should stay here for a bit. What about you?” He wanted to know what Elowyn felt, of course, but he was hopeful.^^

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Elowyn looked up with a little surprised look on her face when he called her 'Your Highness'. She still felt that was the title of her mother and not her. The lite female turned to Anteon. He had been very galant with her while she had been trying to be so hard to be a good wife for him. Though she hoped that he wouldn't blame her for the lack of heat. "You don't need to call me that," she offered shyly but it was probably obvious that she was a little flattered.

She looked around and then nodded, eyes looking fondly around. "Yes, please," she commented and looked around. There was such peace here, and rewarding to finally arrive somewhere that they both seemed to like. Though she did feel it was a little open, she was sure she would get used to it. "I still can't believe we are starting a pack together," she admitted to him. 'What do you think of the wolves we've gathered so far? Any possible matches?"
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^^Was that a coy little smile? He was still learning Elowyn and her expressions, but she seemed touched that he'd used the title on her. “I do,” He countered and gave her a smile. “You are the only Queen here, after all.” While he'd value their other members, the only one who ruled was Elowyn. Even over Genevieve, who was his closest friend, his Queen's word was all. At her side standing there looking over the lands it became easier to think of the future - maybe next year there'd be a gaggle of puppies running around and chasing each other. Maybe some of theirs, maybe they'd have another couple or two with their own children too.

That was a thought. Right then it was easy to focus instead on the positives rather than the pressure he added to himself. He chuckled at her words, nodding in agreement. “It was so hard to think of even when we left Heartmouth....and still, here, with the wolves we have found.” That was right - they had found them. It wasn't like they'd all just happened to show up in the Valley and stood there until Tetsujin and Elowyn had decided to take charge. “Coop thought he was off to get married, maybe with Aerith? I want to get to know them more before we think too much about their matches, just to be safe. Anyone who has caught your attention?” Although he felt bad, considering that Genevieve was still young in her marriage but had lost Roderick to the absurd way that they had all ended up in this world it seemed. It would probably be hard to see happy couples when losing her husband so abruptly. That was a comfort then, seeing that he might have been parted from Elowyn just as quickly.^^

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Elowyn listened to his statement and it as kind of a realization moment for her that, yes. She was the Queen of these lands, of this pack. She was just like her mother in that regard. But then why didn't she feel like a Queen? She wondered if the pictures in her mind where Anteon was so happy with Genevieve had something to do with it. She wanted to believe him, but he had also looked happier with Genevieve than with her. Maybe he didn't care for her as much as he claimed. It made her insecure. She wanted to do right by Anteon. She mostly wanted to make her parents proud. This was what they taught her. She nodded at Anteon with a soft smile.

"And what other wolves find their way to us," she commented. She wondered if anyone from Heartmouth would find them. When Anteon asked if anyone caught her attention then she wanted to say 'Yes' so bad. That horrible Genevieve that clearly liked Anteon, and that was making her feel like she knew nothing about how she should behave around a male. Perhaps it was just her being mad at herself because it was true. She didn't know how to behave around Anteon. "I think we should see how everyone interacts with each other," she agreed with a soft nod. "But I also think we shouldn't wait too long with our first marriage. It always raised moral when celebrated and it will have couples work towards being more incorporated in the pack." She was just repeating her mother's words really. It sounded more confident than she actually was about that statement. But that was what they did at Heartmouth. To have wolves be loyal and stay.
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^^He didn't need to know what his wife was feeling to know he shared the emotion without words. It was poignant, heavy between them as if a woven bough of thorns was on their shoulders. “I worry.” He admitted it more softly, making sure that it was only for his Queen's ears. “You were born for this...and I'm....I'm no one.” He turned his gaze to meet her eyes slowly, but the pressure of not failing them - of not failing her - was so intense then he almost felt like his spine might snap just from the pressure alone. “I don't want to let you down.” He drew in a breath and just as quickly as he'd opened up he tried to close it back, straightening back up in case they were still visible by those in their care. He wouldn't let them see him weak, it would crush him.

It would be good for the pack and moral, and he nodded in agreement to her thoughts. Something positive was going to be able to counter their fear and concerns; if they made a good match then it would be even better. It would be enough to make him feel more assured, too. “Maybe we will see something immediate.” He was hopeful at the least for just a spark to be seen. It would be different than how things had been for them, it wasn't just that they had been picked like it was a mission. “I think that this place, though, it can be good for us. It can be enough that we can make something wonderful here.” But it would take them believing in themselves as much as they did.

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Elowyn was not just mildly surprised when Anteon admitted that he worried. That made her a little worry. Shit. Did he worry about her? If she wasn't good enough? Maybe they weren't a good fit--- Her thoughts stopped when he continued. He questioned himself. Elowyn opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She never thought that the male would even doubt himself. He always looked so confident and so comfortable. She felt her heart squeeze. It made her realize how she didn't Anteon at all. She hadn't been a good wife, she had not seen his discomfort? Oh no. Her ears flopped to the side, guilt on her face. Her eyes met his, saying he didn't want to let her down. The golden female watched how he snapped back. "You didn't let me down," she let out in a mere whisper. She bit her lip, to keep the words in. She worried too. She wanted to open up but she just remembered her mother's words: 'Men don't like to listen to a woman's worry. Always support your man.'

Elowyn swallowed and then perked up her ears to look cheery. "You can also think that my father, also born for leadership and the role he has, chose you for this instead of one of his own sons, and their wife." She offered to him. She wanted to cheer him up a little, as she was taught. She pushed her own self doubt down, because making others feel better she was good at that. "He trusts you, so therefor you should trust yourself," she added. She had a small wag in her tail. Hopefully those words wouldn't backfire. She could think that it might also question himself, but she hoped she said it in such way it would give him confidence. The topic moved on to mates, and while they hadn't gotten long notice for their own marriage so far, she had not been ill treated. She only doubted her mate's loyalty to her after she had seen him with Genevieve. "Well, So far we only have Aerith and Coop that are available. So we can look at them if there is a spark or an interest."
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^^For a moment he was so worried for her response that he felt his stomach flip uneasily, fretting deeply over how she would take the admission of his concerns. Being vulnerable wasn't something he did often - he hid his thoughts about himself from most everyone. But the guilt on her face. His ears were back, concern on his face clearly, until she said that he hadn't let her down. He let out a soft sound and reached over to nuzzle against her, going from cheek to cheek until he could rest his head over hers for a moment. It was almost frightening to hold her this way, it was so new still. But his heart was pounding wildly, and she no doubt could hear it even as she pointed out to him the truth they both knew. “In us.” He clarified. “He believes in us.” For whatever reason, they had been picked over other options and if both of them worried and didn't trust themselves...maybe it was in their elders they could trust.

When he pulled back, he nodded at her; she was right. She was level-headed to his wild thoughts, and he would take her confidence and utilize it too. “It would be good maybe to hold a small hunt soon, that way we can see how everyone interacts too. Just small game - nothing too large.” While they were still new it was important to establish the caches that would make it easier to survive the winter. It would also give them some social tasks to help lead interactions too. “Thank you, Elowyn.” Anteon said as he sought her eyes again. “For letting me be open sometimes...and for still supporting me.” He didn't want to pretend that he hadn't just been weak in front of her. Maybe they had a chance at something real there in Windmere.


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It always made her very unsure when he came close to her. When he had touches like... that. She always felt so conflicted about it. Just the way he cared for her, and showed that kind of affection. She had seen little of it with her parents, and she had never experienced gentle touches like that from a male. She couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable by it all, just because she didn't know how to feel about it. It was nice to see that Anteon was opening up, and once again reminding them that they were in this together. She nodded when he spoke about 'in us'.

Elowyn nodded again, she was a little nervous about the hunt but she would do her best. She hadn't ever really been on a hunt. She was kind of depended. Really depended. "Alright," she spoke in agreement. She did like the idea of helping though. Her attention was grabbed by the other when he thanked her. She perked up her ears, which were most oven submissively plastered against her skill. "Oh." It made her blush a little. "Of-Ofcourse. I want to be a good wife for you, and that is supporting you when you need it," she offered kindly. It was nice to know that she could help him like that.
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She didn't lean into him like he might have hoped. There was no returned touch, and maybe he was just too hopeful. Maybe she wasn't the affectionate sort at all, given what little they knew about each other before their marriage. He let out a soft sigh and straightened himself back up. He didn't want to seem put out and make her feel obligated for something she wasn't comfortable with, either. “What we can do is maybe have you, Genevieve, and Aerith direct the prey to Coop and me and I can take it down - as long as we aren't fishing, I'm a pretty good hunter.” He promised. He tried to offer a smile to her to bolster her confidence, they did have the odds on their sides with numbers alone.

The way she looked - almost surprised - was endearing to him. It was a far cry from how they'd woken up in the lands but her words seemed almost....sterile and void of anything but the duty that their parents had laid in front of them. “We're still learning each other but....it still means a great deal. I wouldn't admit things to just anyone after all.” He wanted to make it seem important because she truly felt it was important. “You have been so far.” He assured her. “You've been a better wife than I've ever imagined I'd deserve.” The son of a bastard, but a man who was truly driven by his own thought of what was right - all he wanted to do was live up to what they'd all thought of him. As they crossed into a clearing there were some rocks that seemed to lean against each other, a few larger rocks seeming almost to stand sentinel over the others. It provided some spaces that were relatively dry but not large enough for animals to take shelter there. “We could maybe dry some herbs here, for your medic cache.” He suggested, looking for her approval over the space.


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Elowyn looked at Anteon when he started about them directing the prey. She wasn't really sure how to do that so he would need to show her, probably Aerith too. The female was hesitant about that but she would try her best of course. "You would have to show me how. I've never... chased," she admitted to him. She was always being cared for especially as the royal children. Maybe that made her spoiled. Anteon had continued with that though, spoiling her.

Elowyn felt a blush start but she couldn't help but mumble; "and probably Genevieve." Because she had seen him with her. He was far more relaxed around her it seemed. Like she reminded him of the duty he had to do. Though those last words were surprising. "Why wouldn't you deserve a good wife?," she asked curiously. Elowyn felt that Anteon didn't deserve an insecure female like her. She followed him to the rocks and then saw the little shelter almost for her herbs. Her eyes widened a little and nodded. "I love that idea. I already gathered some plants and now I have somewhere to put them," she spoke, nodding gratefully at Anteon.

"Lots of the females know about healing, I guess it is a common trade among us women," she told him. Maybe she would have to really start to learn what she liked so she could learn more skills instead of only healing and identifying plants. She did like that though.
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The idea of teaching her was appealing. Somehow it spoke to him, some less stressful notion of building an empire when it came to the piece by piece. These small lessons weren't too difficult, they would be helping not only the pack in these early stages but their future too. Every wolf who knew how to hunt, how to find herbs to use, it only built up their future. Every action was laying down those pieces, and all together, it would make their lives long and happy and healthy. His tail swayed behind him at the thought; old and grey and still with Elowyn next to him and their children and their grandchildren playing. “I'll be happy to.” Her statement surprised him, eyebrow lifting as he looked over at her. “She's seen me during some lows, sure. It's different though, for what marriage is. I can open up to you before I burden anyone else.” Because she was meant to be his haven when other things weren't enough. When he couldn't trust other people. When everything was alarmingly too much.

“M'just...a lot. With my father and everything just.....” He sighed quietly, but he had to try and be honest with her. “I just want to make sure that they weren't wrong. Not about me, not about being trusted with Windmere....not about being trusted with you most of all.” It would take work but the best things usually did. “Would you teach me about herbs, too?” He asked. Although he fundamentally didn't make it a habit of eating random plants he also knew the knowledge would be useful. “Wyn,” He stopped suddenly, the idea hitting him and making his tail wag. “That is what I want for Windmere. A kingdom of scholars - valuing skills and knowledge. Teaching everyone, raising the prosperity of our Kingdom and of our alliances. What do you think?” He looked to her hopefully, wondering what she would feel.


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So it would be that Elowyn would be taught how to chase. She was kind of liking that idea since that is what she wasn't really allowed to do back in her previous pack. Though perhaps, now she could decide that too if females were allowed to do that or not. Anteon didn't seem to like her comment on Genevieve. It hadn't been meant to be out loud but it just... happened. She was seen differently than Genevieve according to him. Though she just doubted that a little. It just looked that he was far more comfortable with Gen instead of her. She nodded then. "That is why you have a wife after all. I'm glad I can fulfill that," she commented.

She had her green eyes glance at him when he revealed a bit more about his father. "So far you have no reason to make them doubt," she commented kindly. Though, they hadn't really send a message to Heartmouth since it was impossible to get back there. That idea made her sad, that she would never see them again. This place seemed too far away from anything she knew. Elowyn hadn't liked Anteon with Genevieve but that wasn't something that would make Elowyn reject her husband. Not yet at least. Elowyn was pulled from her thoughts at his question and nodded right away. "Of course," she spoke. The female was about to add something when Anteon realized something and he looked so happy.

Elowyn perked up her ears at the nickname. His words sounded motivational. Just the way he said it. She dipped her head. "I like that," she agreed. She would love to learn new things, different things. She wouldn't know if she would be good at it but time would tell. "But... What if there was, like hypothetically, a female that would want to learn how to fight. Would you let her?," she dared to ask. Her green eyes glancing away from her husband. He would probably disapprove. Men didn't like it when females did their jobs.
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He gave her a smile, the tip of his tail wagging. “I'm happy to have you,” He would say it until she believed it - and it made him look back at how far they had come even just in their journey. Their time together had let them understand each other far better and if they hadn't had this experience, who knew how long it would have taken them to get to this point. Her reassurance meant the world to him and his look was almost bashful when he said that. He was still so unsure but Elowyn sounded reassuring. It helped.

The curious nature to her did make him think. He'd promised to make sure he gave her the same attention and thought, and this was nothing he'd expected her to ask. For a moment he wondered if she wanted to learn and his natural desire was to protect her. That was his role. “If,” He said after a lengthy pause. “-If she wants to learn to protect herself, I would want to teach her to be sure she could stay safe.” He was choosing his words carefully. His role as King and as her mate was to keep her safe and Tetsujin had no issues or qualms with putting himself on the line to do so. If he wasn't with her, if she could at the least, defend herself it would be better too. “A woman just fighting for sport seems different to me, but, it would do well while we have such small numbers to encourage all types of knowledge, wouldn't it?” He asked.

He'd fought a number of times, thankfully never gotten bad injuries, and his scars had healed enough and his fur covered them all. He didn't necessarily enjoy fighting so it was hard for him to think of people fighting for pure sport or boredom. Some did, sure, but he preferred the tactical side of planning and defending.


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Elowyn had to blush, never really getting used to the fact that he said that. Maybe one day she would feel like she actually deserved those words. it was nice to hear though. She offered him a bashful smile, her mind wanting to believe that he was truly happy with her. Her question seemed to make him think for a while. During that while she started to regret for asking. She worried her lip. "Forget--," she started when the male started to speak. Instantly she dipped her head and casted her eyes away. She didn't mean to interrupt him while speaking. Oh no. Why couldn't she be patient?!

However, what he was saying was not something she accepted. The golden female perked her ears up. "You would?," she breathed, and instantly she felt caught. She had said that way too fast, perhaps a little too eager. She swallowed and folded her ears back, and cast her glance away from him again. Keeping her reaction demure. Elowyn nodded at his last words. Only when she was certain he was done speaking she glanced up and nodded. "Though I doubt any female has any ambition for it. It was just--- hypothetical," she commented, trying to sound indifferent about it.

The female offered a soft smile to him, hoping it would smooth things over. Like her just talking straight through him. "If-- If we are going to stay here for awhile we should find a good place to sleep," she tried to distract him from their previous topic.
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