Drink your fifty-dollar wine and take a breath!

@Vengeance

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he could smell something vaguely familiar here. not something from that vague time before he arrived here with four-paws and no-stink, but from something after his arrival. “someone,” he muttered to himself, nostrils flaring. he couldn't quite place it, having met many more wolves in this time than he was expecting after his first impressions, but it niggled at him nonetheless. he was so close to knowing what exactly the familiarity was, the connection, but it kept escaping him. “goddamnit, who da fffuck is it?” he snarled.
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A new scent invaded his woods. One foul and distracting that rivaled his own, perhaps dulling his own marks as the two stenches clashed in the mist, and of course, that just won't do. He left @"Bramble" to nurse her wounds further and began following the tendrils of stench on the whispy trails in the smog, honing in on whoever it was that was not welcome to wander around in the Warlord's woods.

With a quick pace, he arrived just on time to hear the final words uttered by the other stink demon, the snarl of the paler man brought forth the thundering snarl of the bogeyman himself, lips curling in a hideous grimace as he stared daggers at the invader. With raised hackles, his booming tone thundered in the grey woods. “Who the fuck are you?” He returned the question with a biting tone.

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Caligula had a question, and that question was: did anyone here know how to bathe? It was a good question, he thought, considering how absolutely foul the entire territory smelled regardless of the inhabitants. Why did stinky wolves need to live in stinky places? Why weren't there women and men specifically to bathe their superiors? It wasn't very tactical to smell like a corpse, but now there were two corpses and he was disturbed. And annoyed. Caligula was going to initiate a bathing regiment one way or the other.

Also, Vengeance seemed cranky. Corpse on corpse violence, hm? The ghost crept closer, arriving alongside his warlord with a rather blank expression. Well then, what was all this nonsense? Caligula's tongue ran along his lips as he stood by, offering his superior some support.

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Though Eldra was very much anticipating her Warlord to visit with violence after he was done doing whatever with their healer, she couldn't help but be pulled back from the outcast shadows by the stench of a stranger.
A vaguely familiar stranger at that.
One she wasn't sure got a name...
As she prowled up beside Vengeance and Caligula, she kept her head respectfully lower than Ven's, and her mouth shut as she stared down Betelgeuse.
This time, she would wait for an order, or a gesture from her Lord, if one came. Otherwise she would stand idle as more support. This was Nightwalker land, and trespassers were not welcome. Not as far as she knew anyway
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the rational part of him quickly realized his mistake at being this close to a border and began berating the chaotic 90% of his psyche, but as always it was quickly overwhelmed with panic, as the dark wolf's scent — distinct enough from his own — swept into his senses. betelgeuse's frustration melted away as he looked up at the wolf. now this guy, this guy looked like a demon. made betelgeuse look like an imp in comparison. red eyes, scarred visage, massive build — wow. “er well i can't—” another wolf joined him. then another.

oh shit. fuck. damnit. a fair bit of Gay Panic™ — technically queer but gay for the memes went through him as he gazed at the three larger wolves staring down at him with malicious intent in their eyes. though, the rational part of him slipped in once more to chide it for blooming in the first place, because it wasn't that fun if everyone had the intent to utterly destroy him. destruction wasn't his kink. “i smelled her,” he glanced at the purple-eyed woman. “thought it was familiar but couldn't remember it. shitty memory sometimes, right?” he grinned, though it was more of a fear grimace than a smile. “and, i can't say my name. rules n' stuff.” he looked to the first wolf, wondering if he'd known what betelgeuse referred to.

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One by one they fell in line to investigate the new stench that invaded their woods. First Caligula then quickly Eldra had made her presence clear. He had not dealt with her yet, and it was on his to-do list at some point later on... Still bitter about their wounded medic, he offered her nothing but a sneer to make his message clear. He was not pleased with her and would deal with her later.

The two of them stood silently for now, already they were growing to be a fierce group which at least was pleasant to see.

He can't the stranger states, irritating the lord of the flies enough to send a growl from his chest - only to be calmed as he continued. Bloodied eyes flickering to Eldra as he pointed out their almost familiarity. Did she bring this one to their doorstep? Why? Nevermind that for now, he would keep it in his back pocket for later.

There was something else that intrigued him. “And what rules would that be?” Now he was intrigued enough to hear this guy out before well, taking out the trash.

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Caligula glanced sidelong at Eldra as she arrived, holding her tongue as Vengeance handled the creepazoid at the borders. He gave her no indication of acknowledgment otherwise, simply turning his attention back onto the equally smelly man as he began to prattle on about.. everything. His brow furrowed at the avoidance of his name; personal rules were not quite the same as the Nightwalkers but alas, it wasn't his place to speak up on the matter. Caligula shifted silently beside his lord, eager to see how the events unfolded.

@Eldra

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Rules n stuff...
HAH.
But to the matter at hand...

Eldra took a step forward with an annoyed growl aimed T Betelgeuse. It was her moment to affirm she in fact had NOT brought this guy to their doorstep knowingly. "Just because I met you once does not automatically mean you should help yourself if you catch my scent." She rumbled coolly, eyes sparking with malicious intent. 

She wasn't going to entertain his ramblings, and her body poises, readying to engage if it was wished.
But for the meantime, she stayed still as Vengeance asked what rules the stinky guy spoke of. 

She wasn't going to fuck up a second time if she could help it. And she was already anticipating Vengeance's later violence.
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betelgeuse huffed, an uncharacteristically normal sound of frustration coming from his lips. the big man© asked why — maybe he wasn't one after all, but damn, if he didn't fit the bill. he shot a glance to the pale wolf, frowning. “y'ain't the boss'a me!” he whined dramatically.

without a moment's hesitation he turned back to the big boy® “right, so, names: they got power. y'know someone's name, ye've got control of them — gotta piece of their identity. it's a little more, uh, literal fer some. an' sometimes ye can reverse the control, but that requires extra steps.” it'd been a while since he spoke the rules to anyone, breathing or not. it'd become ingrained in him more than anything. “= i know what my name is, mind, but i gotta failsafe against someone using my name wrong. if i can never say my name, makes it hard for someone to use it wrong.” god/satan/someone else, he was rambling. how long had it been since he had such a conversation — well, info dump, really. he looked at the big guy™'s face tilting his head. he looked a ravenous mess, and betelgeuse was trying not to simp for him (and failing. he always failed). “get it, babe?”
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They were all at least a little curious, that he was almost certain of. Eldra was quick to defend herself against bringing such a foul stench in their mist (as if you are the one to complain), and yet, humorously the garbage scented man was quick to bite back with words just as sharp. The absolute balls on this one brought a grin to his own grimy face, stepping out and to the side just enough to stand between the strange man and Eldra should her short fuse erupt here too.

He was intrigued. The guy didn't seem to be as much trouble but more so... strange. For this reason, Eldra's little visitor was safe more or less other than from their bombarding of questions. Vengeance in particular was intrigued in the idea of "power over someone through name". It was like this man with no name to speak of™ had said all the right words to pique the Warlord's interest.

“I'm afraid not, schnucki — no English translation. It's merely a cute-sounding word the Germans made up to dote on the people they love.” So he'd play along, especially with the amusing petname he was given by this guy. Being called "babe" was certainly a first. No one in this little group could admit that Vengeance didn't have some kind of sense of humor every now and then. “It sounds almost too good to be true, perhaps a demonstration could sway our beliefs.” Surely this wouldn't work, but hey, t was worth a try.

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Caligula's eye narrowed on the cretin as he began to gab, snapping about not @Eldra not being his boss. Perhaps she wasn't favored among the pack (yet), but the slight drew a low snarl to his lips. "Watch your tongue lest we remove it, mongrel," he countered with a needle thin smirk. Caligula didn't often make empty threats and he would protect his kin, regardless of who they were.

And then he vomited nine kinds of foolishness about being unable to offer his name, and Cal snorted. Was this for real? He glanced at Vengeance, internally rolled his eyes at his interest, and simply settled back in among Eldra to see what the fuck would happen next.

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And so the dance went on. Damn, this douche was dramatic.

The Beetle explained his beliefs on identity, and as her Warlord purled his response alongside Caligula's threat, Eldra bared her teeth ever so slightly at Betelgeuse, enough that it would be clear, but not a full on snarl...yet.

The soldier felt the amusement of her alpha, and yet also the electricity of impatience between herself and Cal as the verbal tango continued.
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“ooo, good guess. my name's not that cute though.” he winked. the threat of danger around him was exciting him. it was the most interesting thing that'd happened to him since he'd been here. no one had yet asked for his name. and he always loved the game (sick beats by beets). “tell ya what; yew all get three tries. if ya figure it out; well, i'm kinda stuck with ya. or you're stuck with me.” he leered at the big guy's cronies, figuring that would be more of a loss for them than for him. “and if none of ya figure it out i get a kiss outta big guy.” it was a stupid bargain, but it was all too tempting for him to delve into the chaos of making people squirm. “y'get that one as a freebie, babe.” he said to the beast. he was being generous.
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Caligula was quick to speak against the mongrel's words for Eldra, was it possible that the General had a soft spot for the previously troublesome woman? Rubies flashed to the pale man momentarily as he studied him, wondering what the future would be like soon enough with them both in the same pack. Was his suspicions to blossoms as true?

They had three guesses to figure out this man's name, and it seemed that Eldra didn't already know it based on a previous encounter. The deal sounded promising... guess his name and they get a disposable soldier for their ranks, he would be theirs - he would be Vengeance's regardless of who managed to successfully figure it out. 

If they failed... well the man wanted a kiss from the "big guy". Little did he know that Vengeance kissed with plenty of teeth. “It seems you have us at a disadvantage, give us a fighting chance with hints. Certainly that would be more exciting for you as well.” If this was a game he wanted to play, then the Warlord would play along. It was the strangest way for him to try and recruit someone along his ranks - but it was not dull by any means.

“There are as many names as there are stars in the sky after all.”

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permission to skip granted

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the devil's lackeys threatened with words and actions — beetle's snaggle-toothed grin only widened at the threat; he's falling into this dark chasm of danger with a willing, welcome smile and open arms. “oooooh, yer close already. alright, doll, I'll give ya one. starts wit' a b.” too close. so close. he's going to be thrall at this rate, but...he had been so bored, so starved of action in this lupine form that he knew, somewhere in that ever distant rational part of his brain, that he threw himself into the risk. and beside, the creature was sure to be what the impish daemon needed.
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Since I rolled his guesses im just gonna pp slightly to get the 'No's out of the way but if you'd rather not pls let me know! Just to get that thread moving along <3

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Already close... Starts with a B. Unlikely enough he was pensive in the moment... thinking through the hints that were given despite how little they were. What was it that made him closer already? Was it his statement about the numerous stars in the sky? It had to be. Nothing else made much sense to him when it came to naming conventions, none that most would take after all and perhaps stars would be his best bet given what he was given here.

“Brachium,” He paused after his first guess. Watching the other man carefully as if to decide if his guess was any good. “Baten,” Judging by the strange man's expression, that was a no. This one he took his time to pick out of the few stars he knew of... the ones specifically that started with B. If only he was better at knowing the sky than he was, knowing only a few basic ones through speaking with others previously. That was no good either; and he had one left to go, and he had two ideas left.. “Baham — Betelgeuse.”

Tossing in the final two guesses he had left in his reserves, not caring if it was against the set "rules" given by the man. Who was Vengeance but to follow his own? Those were the four he was aware of and why not toss them all out regardless if it was one too many... now he waited for a response. Breath catching in his throat with anticipation of what was to come.

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betelgeuse rarely stood still, as a rule. even as the gargantuan male guessed — and pretty well, he had a good grasp of astronomical bodies — he was reacting verbally and physically with little head shakes and disapproving yet encouraging exclamation, but at the last three syllables...well he froze. “oh shit.” was all he could muster. whatever blithe, lackadaisical manner had grabbed hold of his body was instantly shucked away at the utterence of his name. shit, it wasn't supposed to be this fast, fuck, fuck! how did he...damn it! he burst out laughing despite himself. “well, damn!”
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A relatively basic understanding at least. He was certain Hydra and her kin could dance circles around him in any knowledge of the stars in general. Make him look absolutely foolish in comparison. Thankfully it seemed his little cheating had gotten them somewhere his time. Slipping in an extra try as opposed to following the three tries that were offered to him previously.

“I suppose... this means you are stuck with me hm?” He approached with a grin across his thick, sickly mug. Expecting that all of this meant that he had somehow recruited another to their ranks through some kind of fun little game of theirs. Just another body to fill their numbers as opposed to looking like some kind of weak little gang. “Welcome to the Nightwalkers, Betelgeuse.”

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