howdy, partner

The smell hit strongly here. 

It would not be the first time she encountered a pack here, and certainly not the last. For full transparency, she let out a chuff - a greeting and a warning she was actually here. Just in case anyone was around and suspicious of her movements near their border. She meant no harm, only wanted to ask questions about this community.

She ain't the type of gal to be a vagabond - not for long anyway. Her lone road was lonely. She wanted to learn about Canis, and to do that she needed to intergrade herself. Tallulah stood before the border, not pacing or actin' any which way. Just quietly standing there, glancing in curiosity. But she did not step over the invisible line.

When the man approached, she tried to sit up straighter. If that was even possible. Her eyes dipped respectfully, instinct telling her this was a head honcho.

@Hieronymous

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Having just finished putting away the fish he had gathered at the ravine, the haul today was small and he figured it was due to them preparing for winter and swimming down the stream away from the mountains where the waters would be much colder in the next few months - thankfully there was always the colder climate fish if he was lucky and they surfaced enough for him to reach... otherwise, there was always the smaller prey for him such as rabbits or voles.

On his way to take his usual afternoon nap, a chuff at the borders caught his attention. Turning the painted man's path toward the sound with ears drawn forward and a friendly smile upon his face as a first greeting. What he saw was intriguing, a woman with a pelt as strange as his! It made his tail sway at the wonderful discovery as he approached with a lightness in his step despite the mild limp in his hind leg. “Greetings! I'm Hieronymous of Vanderfell, how can I help you?” Judging by the way she greeted him, he didn't think it was necessary to state his title.

Never did he care for flaunting it anyway.

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 The man would be polite, friendly, and easily welcoming.

"Name's Tallulah, sir" she went back at him, equally courteous "I had a thought to scout some packs fer settlin' before I did it" She hoped he did not mind this "came to Canis a few days prior." She also added an explanation, as many would mark her new and shiny before she found a place here.

 She didn't mind - but paws off her hat!

"This here place is called Vanderfell?" Tallulah found she liked the name. Felt simple yet elegant. But she moved on after introductions "I don't reckon ya have some time to answer a few questions, @Hieronymous ?" If he was busy, she would let him be on his way. No skin off her back.

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He always enjoyed the easygoing ones. The ones who hid nothing up their sleeves nor venom just waiting to strike. To him, for now, at least seemed honest and genuine - a very good first impression as they went. “Canis, is that what they call this place now?” He chuckled, almost finding it humorous that this place now had a name to it and it only took a year for him to hear of one. It was a simple name, really. Basic, nothing extravagant. There was a charm there he was certain.

“Yes, Vanderfell Woods to be exact.” He'd give their home a proper introduction. “I don't mind answering every question you have, Tallulah, provided I have the knowledge to answer them with.” With a chirp he replied easily. There were only a few things he kept hidden himself, nothing malicious and nothing he was certain others would like to hear. When it came to Vanderfell and this place, Canis, however, he was an open book.

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"I reckon so, sir, it's what I've heard people call it." She grinned a little, amused a bit by his reply. He seemed a nice man for what it was worth. If instinct didn't fail her, she could even call him a good leader. Of course, she knew next to nothing about him but... Maybe that could change. Her next stop was Elysium, and she would howl for a leader as well.

It was rightly close to Fate's Respite, Vanderfell Woods. Almost close enough to touch. She wondered what sort of neighbors the packs around here made up. She also recalled Cassius and how he seemed to want to get back home. Let's start there. "We was all brought here" she began, frowning "has no wolf made it back, to where they came from?"

She paused before.

"Much as I am curious bout yer pack, sir, I figured I'd ask this too. I know I had a home, a happy one at that... It feels wrong to be placed here, wrong to forget bout it" Tallulah explained quietly "wrong to move on" She shook her head a little, hat wobbling a bit "has no one tried to git back?" If that was placed out of the way she could focus on asking about Vanderfell Woods.

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We were all brought here, he nodded along to that. There were many oddities he had seen and heard of since this arrival and one of the strangest ones is that there were no native wolves before their arrival. As though they were first to colonize with their own children who had become the unintentional first generation of lupine here.

Her questions went on, and the High King let her speak first before replying to any of them. They were complicated, things he had a hard time answering himself but he would follow through with his previous statement and answer whatever he could.

A breath was left to linger between them before he spoke. “I'm sorry for your loss.” It seems he was lucky in finding his way to Ira. That they were both here in the end. “If there is a way back, I don't know of it. I haven't heard of anyone finding a way back either.” Did anyone try? He surely didn't. He had little left in that life prior to this. Now he had a wife, and children, a pack to care for, friends.

Maybe he could make an effort to try and find a way for those who wanted to return, like Tallulah here. “Some think this is the afterlife, but I have seen wolves die; and some return after burial... but not all come back. It's strange. I've seen wolves fall from the skies and survive their fall, I don't know if that's how everyone arrives but it seems popular. So if anyone believes perishing here returns you to the life before this, I have to regret to inform them not all if any go back that way.” If what happened to Orlaith was common... he didn't know, but one was often enough to be alarming.

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The man could have sugarcoated it.

He did not.

Tallulah was thankful for that, along with his words. They were blunt but kind. Her eyes were downcast for only a split second before snapping back to his own. "Thank you" she said this clearly despite her accent "I think I've met one that was from me realm" She thought of Cassius again "at least, I think so" Her gaze grew confused "think me memory is comin' back, for what it's worth."

Did something happen to the wolves that had vanished from their world? Did they survive a great disaster, being spirited to Canis at the last moment? Was this realm a savior? The mention of the phoenix phenomenon was still confusing to her. "Aye" she recalled Ms. Kore speaking about it too and Lady Vendrussel "I've heard tell of wolves returnin' from the dead." Orlaith, hadn't that been the name Lady Vendrussel said?

"I mean it though" Tallulah said after a beat "the information is welcomed, even if it isn't what I wanted to hear" Cold, hard truths were common in life "I won't take up much more o' yer time, sir. I just wanted to ask bout that, izz all. Can ye speak of Vanderfell Woods now? What yer beliefs, policies, rules are?"

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He could see the disappointment painted on her face, even if it was just for a brief moment. A flash of a second. He couldn't blame her for fault someone for feeling downcast after being told there may not be a way back. Not one is currently known. When they all arrived here first, they had to accept their new fate and just rebuild. That was what he and Ira had believed was best to do instead of lingering. But perhaps it was easier for him to accept since everything he wanted was here after all.

“That's a blessing not everyone has.” He was happy for her, even if she wasn't certain - it was a richness that some would beg for. “Take your time, let it form at its own pace. If you want to remember, it will come to you.” That was his reassurance. After all, the Jester King of Vanderfell Woods wasn't always known to be serious and a stick in the mud about things.

“As for Vanderfell, it was created by my wife, Ira and is based on her roots.” He didn't have much to offer anyway and he as High King came after Vanderfell's creation. “We value personal growth by offering skills to better yourself and the pack, strong familial bonds through marriage or general closeness to your fellow packmates and overall respect.” Something he wished some members would be reminded of... “Breeding is a right you obtain, for reasons I'm certain you can discern for yourself. We can discuss this deeper as certain ranks automatically earn you breeding rights without talking to us first, but... well, that's an awkward topic for one who's seeking general knowledge.” He chuckled awkwardly. Reminding himself of @"Venus "Cupid" Angello" and how Ira wasn't pleased with welcoming an already pregnant individual. Well, luckily for Cupid it was he who came around.

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She hadn't ever heard of folks having 'breeding rights'. Tallulah wasn't sure how to take it. Perhaps she had come from a lack of pack, where the norm was to look after family and fall in love with one partner and have plenty of kids to raise. Nobody told you how to do it and when to do it... Maybe it just was odd to her, to police one's right to breed. Probably cause she was a woman and that was something whoever felt right to bless them with. She raised a brow but kept her thoughts hidden. Who was she to judge a rule that was put in place for good?

Instead, she focused on the man's uncomfortable stance and manners. "That there is just an awkward topic" she commented on the overall sort of situation "talkin' to anyone that ain't family bout wantin' to procreate" She scrunched up her face, uncertain how to even dance around that topic and get to the point. She was obviously uncomfortable with the thought of breeding at all "luckily, I ain't wanting to have kids any time soon." Tallulah knew that could change. The heart wanted more. It always did.

And perhaps she understood that if she could gleam her past. For now, the idea of birthing children was unwelcome. She moved on. "I ain't averse to hard work though" she continued "I hunt, can fight and do other things. Always open to learnin' more." But it wasn't just her that she had to worry about, but her friend Cassius. She would relay the information back to him, and they could go from there.

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“It's a complicated topic for sure.” And hopefully if someone was told no they wouldn't take it personally. “We have to make sure there is enough resources to allow many litters in a year.” That and they had to make sure the individuals earned it. Not joining the pack just to procreate and piss off as soon as they got the shelter necessary to bring new life into this world. They wanted families to stay, to pull their weight and grow in a place they could all call home after all - not just be used and discarded.

At least that was what he believed was the reasons for it. For him at least would be the reason why he asked for them to seek his and Ira's permission to bring children into the world. As much as he adored the idea of children and those who didn't belong to him - Cupid for example with their litter - he had to make sure none would suffer with the lack of food or dangers lurking that should be dealt with first. “I assure you it's not for cruel reasons, I hope you could understand why we have that rule in place. Whether you join or no; would be nice not to be judged.” Smiling, he offered her a friendly, playful wink to lighten the mood.

“Well Tallulah, we like hearing that. Open minds are the likes we seek. Did you have any other questions in particular I could answer that's on your mind?”

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"I didn't mean to be disrespectin', sir" Tallulah added calmly, not hasty and not coverin' up any unease. He saw through it and explained his reasonings. He didn't force the manner - she was grateful, and would give him respect back "the idea o' a pack, in general, is... strange. I think I came from a less organized community, y'see" She frowned at the earth, trying to remember "it weren't the type to govern who could do what." Because they had no leaders.

And yet. "Speakin' of breeding is just strange to me" She lifted her eyes, hoping he understood "not the askin' permission part; yer reasons are sound, aye. I heard of only dominant pairs being 'llowed in a pack. I'm glad it ain't so in Vanderfell Woods" To her, who had never been in love. Who never had a partner... It was a very awkward subject "but uh, that aside..." She shifted uncomfortably, wishing to change the subject. @Hieronymous offered this. Grateful, she took it.

"I've no other questions, sir" Tallulah decided to be truthful "ye laid it out fer me rightly to take" But time would tell for her, and she would not make a hasty decision. Even if Hieronymous was a kind, patient man... "if ye don't see me back within a month with me friend in tow, we've moved on. I ain't going to waste yer time here, nor Vanderfell Woods. Ye been good to me, and if we don't join; I hope we can continue to be good to each other."

She smiled and would bid him farewell. The time of greeting had come to an end, and he surely had better things to do than talk more. He had a pack to run, a community to govern with his partner. She rose, giving a final and respectful bow before setting off. "Safe goings, sir!" 

/exit

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