hot chocolate and marshmellows

He stood outside of his den, watching the rain fall. Of course, it would also come to darken his coat as it soaked his fur. He did not mind a bit of rain, even a steady flow such as this. His life as a vagabond behind him, but he looked back on it regardless. There had been times he could not find shelter. He had been forced into the open. So this? This was nothing. Nothing at all.

He stifled a yawn. Having hunted some small game - rabbits mainly - and added to Elkshire's cache, patrolling a bit... He also hadn't recovered yet from his trek from the Plains. One thing after another, always moving. Perhaps he had a problem with stability. Though he had found time to choose a den between duties. He still had to 'fix' it up a bit. He was lulled into comfort and sat down.

The rain pattered against the dense foliage, making soft and easy sounds. He barely registered the other of Elkshire before they spoke. Bran's eyes flickered open, and he looked toward them.

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Life came and went, the seasons changing, and age she gradually was feeling. It was strange, Celnes thought ; how she was older and yet not. She knew when she came to the primordial land that she.. Aged, downwards. Younger then she once was, and her 'true age' was something else altogether, and she presumed it was somewhere near the fifth year of so ; but no where near her body felt that decline of age. In her prime to say, where she successfully had two litters smooth by and no more would come.. At least that was what the Queen decided, as the King remained absent, and would furthermore continue so.

She was attending to normal duties, organizing, observing the herd, watching the forest and anything strange that would occur ; and, the cache. Her paws glided between the carcasses, moving through the recently caught prey and observing what was old, and what was not. What could gathering maggots or otherwise was rotten, and was swiftly put to the side. She neatly cleaned and was almost finished, but the rain started to drop. An orange gaze casting upwards to see the forming sky.. She set aside to finish another day, and to start heading to her den.

Along the way she saw a recruit that one of her daughters had brought in, he was blessed, to say the least ; most likely why Edith lured him so. She flashed him a smile, "how are you settling, Godbrand?"

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While not surprising that the queen would know his name through her daughter's will, it was still a bit of a shock to see the woman so casually approach him. He hid this with his usual calm nature though. Kore had been the same, among her subjects and followers so easily. So readily. He was not used to it to this day and time. Elkshire was quite different than Greenwood but also had some similar things done. Both worshipped nature in the sense, but Elkshire's manifestation was physical.

"Your family and people have been good to me" he informed Queen Celnes, having come to the realization it was the queen by the matriarch scent and manners attached "so I cannot complain" He lowers his head, giving a respectful bow to the woman that was his ruler "and you, my queen? Are you well this evening?" She could lie for all he knew, and he'd accept it. The woman was not oathbound to give him the truth; he was a new being to the kingdom. He would not expect anything but courteous behavior. He was just behaving politely to her, due to the fact he didn't know her.

She asked how he was. It was only kind to return that question.

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He was dashed in a combos that she would admit, had not particulary seen. As a pack who values brown overall, one will see the same of many with minor differences. In a way he seemed.. Something about it was uncomfortable, the way he was similar to someone — her brother caused a light stir within her heart that she refused to let show. Always a smile remaining, but that light nerve confused her inwardly, because she couldn't put a thought to it. The memory of what some looked like were long lost, and she wondered whether he looked similar to one.

"I am pleased to know. If someone ever were to give you trouble, please do tell." Packmates and strangers alike, even the tussle of occasional allies. In the land of temperate, there was a variety of hot personalities, and she was surprised a bigger crash didn't come further. Perhaps it was the wariness of all, knowing the slickness and brutality of many, it was wiser to not do so. She couldn't imagine doing a with either allies, and would prefer to not overall. The power of an enemy was enough to make one head ache.

"Life is alright, preparing for the winter ahead."

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He nodded. "I shall, my queen" Bran replied "though I will not run crying to you if they display a natural and healthy suspicion to me. I am new to their kingdom." He wouldn't get his proverbial knickers in a twist over narrowed eyes and sharp words. He would prove himself worthy of being here, and in the High Elk's light.

Queen Celnes gave a vague answer, but he did not fault her for it. "If there is anything I may do to help, please allow me to assist" he adds to her, lowering his eyes but focusing on the woman. Subservient wolves did not look their superiors in the face "I can fill the cache and do other manual labor. Nothing is beneath me if I am to earn my keep."

He wondered what sort of rank he would earn here. Greenwood hadn't gifted him one in his time there. It did not matter to him, but he'd enjoy introducing himself as something other than Godbrand, of Elkshire. A little thing to say what he did was useful. He didn't expect power and didn't want it anyway. It was enough to know where he stood.

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"Knowing some of the occupants it's quite alright," she chuckled lightly, "many have quite a colorful personality within our region." To the mixture or elegance with a sharp-tongue and the utters of snakes itself. She wouldn't be surprised of one of her kin itself attempted to start a fight, for many had taken a fire within their words on the challenges of others. Although she imagined he was relatively safe in Elkshire's claim, with having colors that were more then acceptable. But the packs around.. Their characters were questionable sometimes.

"Doing what you already are doing is quite enough. There isn't particulars we are needing.. Although, what sort of skills are you interested? We have a variety of ranks to supply to the prime interest." At the moment his rank was still one of gaining trust, but when the time came.. She wondered what sort he would take him? He looked like a warrior, a Bearbuck.

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There seemed to be both relief and amusement in the queen's response. He remained quiet, taking to heart her opinions of the others within the kingdom. But even if they were not direct opinions, she still spoke highly of them. A queen, it would seem, who loved most of her subjects if not all of them. Bran frowned at her question, averting his eyes out of a bit of embarrassment. "Before I slipped into this realm, I had trained to be a skald" but he elaborated on such a thing "it is sort of like a religious bard, with the ability to defend themselves and others. My people were very upfront about learning physical abilities, even if they dived into the arts. No one was without the means to handle themselves."

Most skalds did not take up arms unless required though. They were more or fewer dancers, singers, entertainers, a warrior in spirit. But his mother's kin took the word as warrior poet literally. "A templar or monk, in essence" He used the worldly terms for it instead "while I am no longer in the belief of my kin's religion, my queen..." Badly, right now "at least I could continue practicing and training, for the High Elk and Elkshire" Though he was also not averse to being labeled just a warrior "my personal interests lie in reciting epic hymns and spreading His light... My natural abilities and use, however" He shuffled a bit "lay more in physical talents. I can hunt and fight." He did not mind where Queen Celnes put him.

"If I am allowed to practice the arts despite another role in Elkshire, I've no bias to a rank of either Hunter or Fighter."

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"We have a variety of ranks that you can turn to when you gain more trust within our forests." Her tail swipped in the back lightly as she smiled with a pleasure. Knowing well he was as she thought was of good use, a rank they so needed. He was an interesting one to say the least, she has yet to meet an individual who though was searching for a home, and partook in that home's religion. The High Elk was one to be spread, and though specialized to those who had the Deorwine name.. She realized that there was surely branches out there that diverged from so. She thought of her gray son, and wondered what he has done with it, especially after hearing Warwick explain his.. Fanatics. Was he a heretic, or a reader in other terms? "it is only a customary as a main, but you are free to do any and all. It helps to have specifics when assigning tasks."

He was strange but unique ; she wanted to know more, as well as push limits. A feeling of sadism was mild, for he was a subject she has never met within her long, long time outside of the motherland, "if you prove yourself to the High Elk.. There is a test my family takes to join our clan and be closer to the High Elk. If you are here for spring, perhaps we can see to it."

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He was intrigued by all customs and cultures. The thought he could be privy to experiencing such a thing was a bit exciting. "Is it sacrilege to ask what sort of test it is?" Surely the queen would not force him to take it, but if it involved killing innocents and bathing in their blood... Well, he would do what is known as a 'hard pass'. He very much doubted Queen Celnes would allow such a thing to continue anyway, mired in tradition. The woman seemed to be rather accepting of the benevolence in the world.

He recalled Calhoun's assessment of her, how low it had been. He decided to keep that to himself, or else he risked igniting a feud of sorts. He liked both Calhoun and Celnes; it would not be wise or very kind to repeat hushed words from either of them. His opinion was not a question of this sort of thing anyway. "One of your kin mentioned a festival near winter's grasp" he added "I would like to assist in preparing for it if you need the number for that sort of thing." Bran was obviously taking an interest in the pack's customs.

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"It has been some time since I've seen any try.. Where there is a herd, there is a leader." The Monarch upon them all, a true king who holds an eight-point crown upon his head. The protector of the forest, though rarely he has been seen and a rarity to them all. She wondered if there was a day he would show himself, but for the meanwhile seemed fine by Elkshire remaining in the forest, since after all, it's a rarity to hunt them, "our terms are very simple.. We believe that every elk with antlers is an Apostle of Him." Maybe the Monarch itself, was him in a mortal form..

"When spring comes, one approaches him. If he remains calm, then he accepts you, and so does the High Elk under the name that follows Him — Deorwine. But if reacts any other way, it's unfortunate to say the trial has failed. We allow the wolf to try twice, once more in the next season." She wasn't against those who were more holy to try and attempt this, and fully welcomed. Being a Deorwine meant being a cousin, family, and to them that ran deeper then any blood she so thought. The clan itself was very large and strong, but since the fires they were.. Small. She would wholly welcome the opening of it once more if those who were younger wished to try and well, and was smiling rather pleasantly to think if Godbrand did.

"Oh, the Wintertide Jubilee? There is nothing to prepare for. When the first snow falls, it is a blessing of the High Elk, and we hunt a stag. It's the only part of the year we are allowed to do so, and those who do not participate, do not eat. It is to bring the pack together, to prepare for the season ahead, and the High Elk to guide us through."

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Ah.

"So it is a test of proving your soul and intentions to the High Elk," Bran remarks, giving a thoughtful nod "I shall consider it. I never placed stock in my surname, Ahlberg, though I would miss being associated with my former kin" He pauses before adding in "fret not; they all wore browns. It was a proud name and lineage. I seem to be the only one marked with black's omen."

A testament to his disowned father, a sin by association. He was thankful he did not have a tint of white on his body, else Elkshire would most likely be suspicious of him.

Calhoun did say that the pack hunted a stag upon the snowfall's first grace, but Bran furrowed a brow. "Is the stag... special? In any way?" He asked Queen Celnes "do we hunt one handpicked by the High Elk?" He seemed to have many questions about his hunt but reigned them into the important ones "forgive me, I still have much to understand about such things, my queen." He lowered his head somewhat, wondering how they picked a stag to specifically hunt. As a hunter himself, well.

He was curious beyond religious reasons.

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"Some of my own cousins and kin are of more unholy coloration. We are protective to those who are born under the name Déorwine, and do not fit. It is our duty to guide them to the right path.. But we do not allow others, to try the trail unless they are pure of color." Whether his kin or not were brown was a little of the moment.. Although she still held crude thoughts to the last sire of her litter, who by clarity was not the perfection of browns she so needed within the bloodline. But it was not like she was to risk again, for the Queen was settled with no more. Her body was taking a toll on the continual birthing, with only the help of pack itself — oh to be mateless.

"I care not of black tones, white is the only true omen that I see. Though seems my young think differently despite what was taught." It was an indifference, she saw it neither was beauty or a curse but something that existed. None that brought any true terrors like those within the snow, and nothing that was thought to prophesize the end — or would he change that? She hummed in thought, observing closely to his pelt as orange-eyes glided through to see nothing of the sorts.

Celnes knew her cousins were telling her young about the other colors.. She wasn't hiding it, but she wasn't teaching it either. A warp, of religion.

"A stag with more points then any other is often the king. You usually can tell how the other elk act around him. In the past we used to hunt doe, believing those without a crown were gifted to us by the High Elk to hunt — but I have banned that, after the divine have joined us." So she explained, a smile upon her face without much of a care to his continual questioning ; she didn't mind answering a curious mind and was rather interested in a man not related to the Deorwines, to be so interested.

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"I see," he replies to the queen, taking in her words and accepting that she believed such things. He had no formal comments to make until she continued to speak. While he took in the 'pure' comment and wondered why she would offer the Trial to him - when he had blackened points. She mentioned her young, and he nods. "I had the pleasure of meeting some of your children already, my queen" While little Faust was prodding, Calhoun and Edith taught him much, and Warwick had been pleasant to speak with "they are all skilled in their respective fields."

Warwick, a diplomat. Edith, a recruiter, and a fine hunter. Calhoun was well-versed in the religion of the High Elk. Faust had some doubts about others, but he didn't see anything wrong with her. The queen looked closely at Godbrand as if judging him. He stared back, though neutral and not prodding. He always felt was rude to lower one's eyes to those of high rank, wherein looking directly at them was more respectful. He found it sneaky to avert his eyes. He was not sneaky. "The divine?" he eventually asked, tilting his head "are those does that have formally joined the pack?" He hadn't met them.

He did not know.

"I was not aware non-wolves lived here, outside of the herds of deer and elk" Rabbits and other beasts were prey, obviously, and did not really count. Even if Bran treated all creatures with respect, they were just not members of a pack in a formal way "do we house other species that are predators, or are they beyond His Light?"

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"The divine are elk or deer who are under our protection and speak our tongue. At the moment we have two deer, though one is away on business, and other is a doe who is relatively quiet." She wondered how @Rahma was doing and thought to perhaps speak to her one on one if the other wasn't fearful. She had been silent since the departure of Hawking, perhaps it was simply due to the discomfort surrounded by predators. Celnes was satill thankful she had the right of mind to ban their hunting, because maybe the High Elk was giving a sign that it was right. Unusual though that it was deer, then elk that continued flocking to. So many mysteries.

"Besides them, we do not however. None that have tried, maybe if they did it'd be another story." She chuckled lightly to think if a bear or a large feline would, "though we've had some alliances with bears, but they have long since left." How the Queen tried to lure the mother bear directly as an Elkshirian, but never did. However they were given a lovely deal of helping the group when needed, and be kept at the Woodlands.. Another force gone.

"My children have quite different opinions though, I don't know if they'd accept it." She did not say it in a malice way or even despair, more just an amusement at how different they were to herself.. Though admittingly inwardly annoyed as she diligently raised them, but they wandered off to the selection she tried. Having individuality was quite a pain, was it not?

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He gave polite, though listened, nods when possible. Mostly, he would listen to the queen as she conversed with him. "Forgive me for saying so, my queen" He began after a beat "you are the ruler of Elkshire. Whether they agree with it or not, you obviously have faith in your own abilities. Children oft travel from their parents' sides eventually. It is, as my own mother had said once, a sign you have done all you can do for them. Have confidence that you did right by them. They are not lacking for a loving and large family." And if they fall sometimes, you pick them back up.

It was the way of a child to stumble and fall, make mistakes along the way... Bran knew he had made some as well. All he wished to do was honor his only parent and hope that she would look at him with pride. But if not, she was also not here to correct him. He took it with a grain of salt in the end. He lowered his eyes from Celnes' face, fearing he had spoken out of turn when all he wished to do was give her some optimism regarding her brood. "I — forgive me, it was not my place to speak on your affairs. Your family is not mine; though I will say the ones I have met are good children." She should be proud of them.

He had a feeling she was.

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"It is quite alright, who is to say we will not be if you take the trial? Cousins go beyond then just blood." And Celnes, who ruled the Elkshire and current Matriarch of the Deorwine Clan, had many. Quite a few who though were not by blood were always a cousin to her, simply due to the name they held. Unfortuently though even she knew not many liked her since then, and even gave her a look throughout childhood about her nature. Maybe her silver-tongue was a bit too noticable sometimes, and the thought made her vocally chuckle, especially as the man seemed worried of his place.

He was interesting.

"They are quite good in the end," not to her standards, however, "though I just wish they'd come to me a bit more. The pains of growing young." She talked as if they were going through their rebellious phase, though it somewhat true, somewhat not.

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"True," he agreed with her "in my mother's culture, bonds existed through battle and bloodshed" Mostly via the defeat of hated enemies, to be frank. He was thankful the High Elk seemed to be... more accepting and peaceful of others, even the Sinful. "there was no greater glory than riding with your brothers or sisters into battle and felling obstacles in your path. It was akin to glory in its highest form." Often nearly divinity, this feeling.

However. "I would perhaps grow tired of feeling that through violence alone. Once you handle all your foes, you are left with nothing. Taking part in activities like a winter hunt... I find them just as vital." It stocked their cache for weeks to come, and it was also important to see who was gifted in the skill anyway. Queen Celnes expressed a desire to see her children more. Bran agreed; if he even would ever have them. He always assumed that family was important, though he lacked a bloodline as vast as Celnes'.

"I've no doubt they'd come to you eventually. I should hope they do if they needed your counsel or assistance" He remarked to the woman "though the young can be bullheaded and prideful."

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"You are a wise man." An enlightening conversation from the man her daughter brought. He was bright and intelligent, and even seemed older then herself. Fascinating in the way as her eyes crawled through him, words of another past and ways, and yet was so ready to accept the Deorwine ways. Her smile was ever so calculating, thinking and watching, even her eyes almost seemed to smile as she looked at him like prey. Anyone, would want someone loyal.

"When spring arrives, we shall see if you are ready."

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He huffed. Though this time with a sentience of amusement. "Wise?" he repeated, uttering the word as if it was foreign to him "Well" What else was there to say but "thank you, my queen. If you say it, then it must be true surely." He inclined his head to her as if indirectly giving a compliment she too seemed wise. Bran was not at all good at complimenting anyone, let alone a woman. He lacked such skill.

Celnes also proclaimed when spring arrived, he would take the Trial. He mulled this, not sure if he wanted it yet. Still too new to Elkshire, was he even worthy of such a title? "We shall see." He would eventually agree, giving a few nods of his head. Not eager but also not disappointed either. He stretched casually, wondering just how long they had sat here and chatted for.

Should he mention that? He rather liked the conversation though.

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"There are a few I would eventually like to welcome.. But ah, trust is key." She would need to think to welcome especially Teodora on a later day, but there are a few others within Elkshire that had taken an eye of notice. Though there was even more that perhaps looked like harlots for her son, that Celnes eyes' creased over when she thought of them. She could forgive any sin if it meant some loyalty or otherwise, but the season would have to show that change.

"Let us hunt and call it a day," so the Queen said, rising from her place and smiling at him kindly.

---

fade?

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