keep going, but stop eventually

ooc; waking up between the brim and the woods, along the coast

Hmm.

He woke quietly, nothing but the gentle rain soaking his coat. Grey eyes focused despite the blurry vision previously, seeing the coast before him. Everything was low volume until it slowly increased, the noise almost deafening at first. He blinked slowly, raising his head and staring across the waves. They pounded against the shore, tickling his blackened paws.

Well then.

Reyes got to all fours, shaking the water from his body. He angled his sight to look further north, spotting some isles and mountains in the distance. He looked south, seeing a treeline. Another blink. Decisions, decisions. He decided to go north and began to walk. His pace was slow but refusing to accept any weakness. His steps began to grow in strength with each one taken.

He was alone, for what that was worth... But things could be deceived. The rain washed away most scent and scattered noise for even sensitive ears. He kept an eye peeled for signs of life. Where the hell was he?

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Falsk wanted seashells. He had heard there was an ocean to the west and with that information he had set out. He carried in his mouth a rabbit pelt he had been using to collect items. After all, what was the point of collecting seashells if you could only have one of them?

Trotting happily along, the rain did nothing to dull his upbeat attitude. Without a care in the world, he nearly ran straight into the darkly colored wolf in front of him. Coming within yards of the wolf, Falsk let out a muffled "Oh!" sound. He hadn’t even noticed them and their scent was most likely masked by the rain as well as the rabbit in his mouth.

Falsk set down the rabbit pelt and smiled wide at the stranger. New friend! He thought to himself. “Hi there, I’m Falsk,” he said in a cheery tone. He hoped he hadn't scared the poor man with his sudden sounds.

@Reyes

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Male.

He tried not to bristle at the stranger's welcome. They hadn't done anything to him - but they could have to others. Reyes lay his hackles flat. The other wolf could have assumed it was instinct or a reaction to the sudden greeting. And frankly, he did not give a shit what a male wolf thought anyway. "Hola," he chimed, deep vocals reaching the other "donde estoy...?" Ah. He cleared his throat, going back to the common tongue.

No use expecting a miracle here. "Where is this?" He asked instead, turning a lofty eye over their surroundings. He knew it was a beach. If the man was utterly stupid and repeated it, Reyes would openly laugh at him. No, he required a deeper understanding of wherever he came to - and not on his terms "this land, what is the name of it?" If it even had one. His words were not demanding but also seeking. He waited for the male to reply - as patiently as possible.

Ah, but they had given their name...

"Reyes."

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The other wolf didn’t seem fond of Falsk, but he tried not to notice it. Perhaps the other wolf, Reyes, was simply in a bad mood. Falsk decided to try and cheer him up. He wagged his tail submissively at the thought. He didn't understand what the darker wolf was saying, so ignored it. He silently cheered when @Reyes offered his name, maybe they could grow closer.

“I don’t think this beach has a name, but this land is called Canis. Did you just wake up here?” He asked, turning his head to the side in true curious canine fashion. His tone was still jolly and serious enough to hold a conversation. Falsk understood that not everyone enjoyed his happy-go-lucky attitude so he tried not to unleash its full force until he knew the wolf better.

“I just woke up here a few days ago in a field of flowers, it was beautiful,” he said reminiscing. His eyes glazed for a moment, thinking of all those flowers and their pleasant aromas. He quickly returned his attention to Reyes to not offend him.

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Lucky the other was a fool. Giving away information for free, especially to a stranger. Reyes knew his bias prevented him from speaking of kindness, and that was truly fine with him. "I see." He wondered, his short sentence lacking aggression but he still remained standoffish. Canis, hmm?

Dog. His mind translated Latin.

How original.

The canines obviously named this land. "I did." His mind broke back to the conversation, though the man was already drifting off on his own. Err. Falsk. Whatever. It wasn't like they were going to be friends after this. Reyes had other things to do - he just didn't know what yet. Travel. Put down roots. Try to find someone he lost.

He shook the thought from his mind. "I am guessing that is common here?" The casual way Falsk talked about it revealed more than words alone. So the name of the land was Canis but the beach was currently unclaimed. Fine. He could work with this.

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The short answers @Reyes gave didn’t bother Falsk in the slightest. In fact, he was more excited that the tall wolf was answering him at all. He tried to hold in a smile at the thought.

“Yeah, I haven’t met that many wolves, but it seems pretty common. Weird, huh? I don’t know if we are dead or what?” Falsk once again tried to remember his past. Had he been in a position to die? But again, all he could remember was the face of an elderly wolf from whom he felt a caring presence.

“You gotta be careful though, there are packs all over here, some really don’t like certain wolves.” He said, somewhat ashamed. His eyes flicked to the ground as he spoke. The pack he was attempting to join was one of these packs. They were working on correcting his thinking, but he still saw dark-colored wolves as future friends. Just like the wolf standing in front of him.

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^^Chantico was coming back from the Alphine Moors, with a coat covered in purple and pink flowers; she enjoyed sitting and rolling around in the flowers from time to time. And today, well, today was no different. She had spent a good part of her morning there, until the clouds shifted and it had begun to rain.

Instead of heading home, however, Chantico went south, to the Brim. Was this the dragon’s land, or their own? To be frank, Chantico couldn’t recall, and with the gentle conversation in the wind, Chantico couldn’t quite concentrate.

Glancing over, on the assumption that she could make a gander by the scents on the shore, Chantico was mistaken. Two loners, judging by their scents; male, to boot. One very tiny, and one very large, like herself.

Chantico strolled right on over and sat down a few feet behind them, with an alluring smile and a friendly wag of her tail.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Chantico purred towards the both of them, though her eyes were upon the handsome, large fellow. She pondered if he would give her the time of day.

^^
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"You have a heartbeat, do you not?" Reyes was not cutting, though he pointed the obvious out to Falsk. A paw raised to gesture to the pale one's heart "unless that is deceiving you, I doubt we are dead." No, this was all very simple. He had slipped into another world. Perhaps by the sea, and found himself washed ashore. Hit his head. Remembering nothing but his deep past. Though Falsk gave an interesting piece of information.

Wolves who didn't like wolves.
Certain wolves.

Let me guess. "Because of fur color?" Reyes lifted a brow, somewhat amused "seems a bit tonto - ah, silly - to reject a potential member due to that alone" There were a plethora of reasons not to allow someone into a pack. He scoffed lightly, shaking his head. But before he could reply further, the scent of another hit his nose. A woman trotted over to them, without a care in the world. "hola, senorita." He stated politely enough to her, noticing her eyes on him more than Falsk.

He paused, glancing to the man and back. Perhaps she could offer more insight. "You smell of a pack, senorita" Reyes began "does your community reject other wolves based on fur color?" He was maddeningly curious now. What other prejudices were there, besides his own? He knew sexuality could be one of them, but it had lessened over time. How did he know? He just did "we're just having a little chat about such things, is all." He smirked, though it was more of a keen smile.

"Feel free to join us."

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Falsk was happy the conversation was going on this long. Although the other’s words seemed a bit rude, Falsk brushed them off easily. He was probably not feeling good after being transported to another world (or dying) or whatever. Falsk felt for his own heartbeat, he hadn’t thought about it thus far.

Falsk’s ears pinned against his head as he felt sorrowful for the feelings his pack had. But he had already resolutely chosen to join, how could he just leave? Besides, they were very convincing. Falsk wasn’t the type to look down on others, but it was difficult with their twisting words. Confused, Falsk stayed silent.

Another wolf came and startled the small white wolf. He moved to face both of them and sat in the sandy soil. Although they seemed more interested in each other than in Falsk, he stayed, curious about the conversation. He had woken up on pack borders and had heard little of other packs. 

“Hello! Yeah, we are chatting, it’d be great if you’d join. I’m Falsk!” He offered to the other lady excitedly, maybe she would be a friend too. Falsk couldn’t wait to add two new friends to his mental list.

@Reyes @Chantico

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^^The little one seemed startled, and Chantico gave a chuckle. Cute. Though it was typical, wasn’t it? She gathered that if she, too, had been smol, the arrival of a new larger canine might have startled her, too; her attention remained on Reyes.

It turned out that they were having a discussion on packs and… the relation to pelt color? What an interesting topic to be had, Chantico mused with a smirk. Reyes spoke a combination of common English and Spanish, and Chantico wondered if she ought to switch up languages to see if he wanted to find an excuse to ditch the smaller one.

“Come to think of it,” Chantico said in a tone that suggested that she was deep in thought, “I do not think that my community has ever rejected another.. ” Chantico mused lightly with a smirk and shake of her head.

“I have never heard of communities being so… selective that they would reject potential.. ” she paused to glance over the boring, white, smol guy with an arch of her brow and wave of her paw, [/q] “... er, greatness… over something as trivial as the color of one’s fur. Or eye color, or height, or.. iunno, smell, or other things that cannot be mortally controlled.”

And then she would turn towards Reyes, with a smile that said there, can we go now?

^^
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ooc; trickster skill

It seemed he finally - finally - found a topic that made the ivory male quiet. Reyes could not help but mentally call that a win. Whatever pack was to be had this prejudice, he was somewhat amused that Falsk had offered a not-so-subtle warning and then backed up when it was time to talk more on it. Was he a coward? Did this pack reside close by, and their agents could be watching them right now? "I am Reyes." He added to the man's introduction.

He purposefully tore his gaze from them both and looked around loftily. As if saying; come and get me.

"It would seem the topic uncomfortable for Falsk..." he began after a beat, casting the woman a neutral glance. She looked back at him as if she wanted his full attention, not interested in the ivory one at all. Unfortunately, Reyes had found a weakness in Falsk's otherwise welcoming demeanor and it caused him to zoom on it. He hoped she would also take the bait because her bedroom eyes were wearing thin on him. Yes, she was pretty and able of body but...

Now. Now.

He recalled another. Another woman. One of purplish-grey roan and warm blue eyes. His heart skipped, but it was more or less a painful lunge toward emotion. Had he loved this woman? Yes. He moved on. "And where do you go to, senorita?" Reyes tried to push it from his mind "somewhere along this coast?" He turned back to Falsk "you did warn me against some packs, yes? Can you let us know their names?" He would be terribly amused if the woman mentioned one he named.

And he decided to play on the pale wolf's heartstrings a bit. "I do not want to die... It would be kind of you to let me know where not to go, so I can avoid a ruckus." He frowned for good measure.

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Falsk was ashamed and honestly giving up hope that he had found two new friends. The vitriol in the air between him and Reyes was clear, even to Falsk. It felt as if he was not wanted. He offered puppy-dog eyes to them both unintentionally. Would they allow him to stay if he tried harder?

A question! Something Falsk could answer. It wasn’t the nicest question, but it meant Reyes still wanted him here, right?

“Stay away from Highvalley in the mountains east of here. They are- um- selective in their members. I doubt you would die if you went there, you just might be unwelcome.” He tried to be cheerful, but it was a difficult job when his words showed his own shame.

“And I just meant intruding on pack territory in general other than that, I’ve nearly stumbled into at least two pack lands by accident.” The first was his arrival and the second was when he was searching for interesting rocks. “It’s good you didn’t wake up in Highvalley Hollow like I did,” he said with a grin as if it was a good joke. He would definitely make at least one friend!

@Reyes @Chantico

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^^Either Chantico had not noticed the pleading, puppy dog eyes or she had simply chosen not to react to them. It would take the goddess much more than answering some questions about packs in order for her to call anyone a friend, Reyes included.

Highvalley was a pack, apparently, located nearby, that cared about the coloration of one’s fur. This was useful information, one such that Chantico would definitely be reporting back to her King. And then, just as quickly as he’d been useful, he became annoying again.

Talking about not treading on pack land, which — wasn’t that like… wolf 101? Chantico arched her brows and slowly turned to look at Falsk as though he had said the dumbest thing ever. And she would come to stare at him like this for a few good moments; likely the longest she’d ever looked at him since joining their little chat.

“Tch. Does your nose not work?” Chantico asked with the click of her teeth and her own grin which was not nearly as friendly.

Attention would return to its rightful place upon Reyes’ handsome figure, and the goddess would smile. “Yes, actually; just up the coast, there. We are called Northfall, which is ruled by a very kind king named @Ragnar Stormborn.” Chantico licked her lips, curious if he would end up joining Northfall, or their enemy of the Dragon.

Well, Northfall's enemy. Not hers, at least not yet.

Ah, right; they'd given their names, and now must desire her own. It wasn't as if they would know of her; no one ever did these days, and it was glorious, wasn't it?

“Chantico. Chantico Godsend. Lovely to meet you.”

^^
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Falsk was happy to play with them a bit. Good, Reyes didn't want to lose a toy so easily. But even the dark-hued man knew when to stop and when to press. He said nothing to the woman's scoffing comment, his eyes focused entirely on the young man for a moment. Hmm. "Highvalley" he repeated, clicking the term into place with a curt nod of his head "thank you, Falsk." It was perhaps the only time he'd thank a man - for information.

Chantico introduced herself though, and his focus went back to the woman. "Ah" A Northern - ha - sounding name but a coast pack? Interesting "Ragnar, like the name of the infamous Viking warrior" Shame. He didn't like packs led by men. Like at all "well, I have at least one place not to visit" He side-eyed Falsk "I've no plans to settle soon though. Perhaps I will see you all again..." And maybe not, and he personally would be okay with it. Chantico aside.

But before that. "I had just woken up when Falsk found me" he informed Chantico "I believe I am close to two packs if I have to guess by scent" Northfall and somewhere else "he has already given me some advice. Do you have any for me, senorita?"

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Falsk was honestly scared of Chantico. This fear drove him to cower in response to her abusive words. He guessed he would not be making a friend with her. Reyes seemed more promising, he couldn’t have known how wrong he was.

“I’m gonna go,” Falsk said meekly. Their mean words had pressed against him and now he wasn’t so sure he felt comfortable in this atmosphere. “I have shells to gather,” he said quietly. He picked up his rabbit pelt, careful not to tear it.

“Mmph-ood mm-uck,” (good luck) he tried to say to Reyes. With one more frightened glance at Chantico, he took off towards the ocean. Hopefully, he could find some pretty shells and shake off the lady's rude words.

-Exit Falsk-

@Reyes @Chantico

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