Almost as soon as Kai wandered into the mangrove that lay nestled against the eastern sea, he found himself wondering why the hell he'd decided to travel this way. The rapidly melting snow had created quite a muddy situation, especially in a place like this - Kai had the impression, most likely incorrectly, that the sea had long since overflowed into the forest and it had never recovered. Either way, he definitely hadn't meant to end up here. The male wore a slight scowl as he cautiously navigated through the rows of mangrove trees, making a poor attempt at staying on solid ground. His paws were proof of his failure in that regard, caked in mud nearly halfway up his limbs, and quite noticeable against the pale fur of his forelimbs. Of course, that wouldn't put too much of a damper on his mood - it was hard to truly bring Kai's carefree spirit down - and the day was too lovely to dwell on anything for long. It was early evening, and the warmth of the spring sun had begun to fade as the sun made its slow but steady descent toward the horizon. The colors cast across the sky were lovely, too, a brilliant palette of oranges and pinks that he could just barely make out through the thick foliage of the luscious mangrove trees. For now he would continue to explore this coastal forest, at least until something more interesting caught his attention, any annoyances he felt fading quite quickly as his attention was diverted.

He skulked through the marsh with the tug of a snarl on his lips. The birds of Boreas had always been keenly interested in the lives of it’s inhabiting wolves, and gossiped at their expense constantly. A murder of crows he had initially recognized from the Redwood forest had a habit of appearing wherever he went and spoke quite loudly to each other, mainly of his first and apparently former love. At first they chattered noisily about the supposedly unknown fate of his daughter, commenting that she was most likely dead and very much so. When that had failed to get a rise from him they changed tactics and instead merrily babbled of her and the mysteriously handsome Branch, and coquettishly laughed at the how his poor lonely wife had found comfort in him. His jaws parted and he let out a slow and furious breath as he willed himself to move faster through the mud. He didn’t want to believe it. He could understand if she had been distraught when he left, but to abandon their daughter and cuckold him? She wouldn’t dare.

He skulked further, keeping his back to the horizon as a gale of laughter erupted from the treetops behind him. Insolent creatures. As the sun set and the voices of the birds faded behind him, his fury began to fade, and in its wake came immeasurable sadness. He turned, almost cautiously to watch as the sun sank below the horizon, painting the sky in rich oranges and lavender. “She would have loved this.” He thought, in spite of himself, and felt his throat tighten at the thought. He let his head hang for a moment, attempting to compose himself, then slowly lifted it with a low, mournful, howl.

speech Thought

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Kai paid little attention to the birds that sang overhead. He was less interested in the creatures of the sea and of the air than the ones that walked on solid ground, and the symphony overhead was little more than background noise to Kai as he pushed onward. His attention was mostly on his own front paws, and finding a way to somehow avoid coating himself in even more mud. Only briefly would he look to the sky, noting that most of the day had already come and gone - there was always tomorrow, of course, so his less-than-stellar afternoon wasn't that big of a deal. Or.. perhaps things were looking up? The scent of a stranger touched his nose, piquing his curiosity. Anyone who was bold enough to venture through such a weird, messy forest was either very spontaneous, or very foolish.. or maybe a bit of both. Either way, those were both qualities he regarded quite highly, at least in comparison to other ones, so he supposed he ought to figure out exactly who he'd wandered near. The oversized male tipped his head to the sky, catching a whiff of this stranger on the wind before grabbing hold of it and trailing after it. It wasn't long after he scented him that he heard a low, sorrowful howl ring through the forest. The sound wasn't one meant for anyone but himself, it seemed, but perhaps unluckily for Tyranis, Kai was often too nosy to really care if his company was wanted or not. By the time he grew closer, the sun had set even further, the rapidly dimming daylight growing even more sparse. This stranger was not familiar - Kai could tell even from a great distance, thanks to his scent - but that wouldn't stop him from closing the distance between them. He moved cautiously, deciding that greeting a stranger after being even more thoroughly caked in mud wasn't ideal for him. Only when Tyranis came into view, his silhouette shadowy against the array of colors cascading behind him, would Kai clear his throat to announce his presence. "Was that you calling out back there?" He asked, as conversationally as he could muster.. though he knew the answer, he really wasn't quite sure how else to greet him after hearing his impassioned song.

His head raised alertly at the stranger’s sudden appearance, his ears swivelling back almost defensively as he asked if he had been the one to call out. He considered lying to the man if only to spare his own pride but there would have been no use for it.“Yes.” He admitted quietly, his golden eyes trailing on the male’s silver. Even now, so fallen from grace and alone his nature as an alpha hadn’t left him. In his mind he was still as much of a king while he was caked in mud and standing in a bog as he had been when he commanded the wolves of Dauntless in the north, which had made Aranea’s apparent betrayal all the more infuriating. He broke his gaze from the males as a sudden light appeared behind him from the raised roots of the surrounding trees. He squinted at it over the shoulder of the other male then widened his eyes as the pale green light ran through the mangrove like a blazing trail. Soon they were surrounded by a vibrant pale green glow, changing the brackish water from muddy brown to a milky aquamarine. “Magic.” The word escaped him, his jaw hanging open in wonder. He had lived in Boreas his entire life and never once had he seen anything that could compare to the sight unfurling before him now. He lifted a paw from the muck experimentally and brought it down slowly, watching as the water changed around it to a vibrant electric blue, and then slowly dissipated to the same uniform aqua as before. Speaking Thinking You

Kai had never experienced anything that even slightly resembled whatever Tyranis had gone through. He didn't know the first thing about the man, but the emotion in his song spoke more than words ever could, and Kai knew that he couldn't relate. And yet... he appreciated his honesty, nodding simply at the stranger's admission. He only hesitated if but for a second before answering, and Kai felt a faint smile touch his lips. One of empathy, perhaps? He added a short nod, not finding any need to question him on it further. Kai had approached him first, after all, and for a moment he considered that maybe this man hadn't wanted to be approached at all. He'd seemed initially startled, but the surprised had faded just as quickly, and now here they were. Too late to turn back now, he supposed - especially now that his interest was piqued in this stranger. Despite the sad song, this stranger didn't seem as despondent as he would've expected. His posture was strong, and his gaze clear as he faced Kai. He only stared for a moment before looking away, attention captured by something nearby. It took Kai a moment longer to notice the blazing trail of light nearby, though once he did his eyes widened. All around them the colors seemed to flourish from nowhere, as though replacing the rapidly disappearing sunlight with a spectacle of their own. The stranger uttered a single word, magic, and he chuckled softly.  "Magic? Do you believe in such things?" His question was an inquisitive one, genuinely curious rather than incredulous. Regardless of what he believed, it definitely was a beautiful sight. Mirroring Tyranis' movements, he lifted a paw, gently prodding at the water and watching as the blue hue shifted.

He had been caught off guard by the stranger’s question, his eyes still wide as he diverted his attention from the radiant water to the stranger. He raised his head, attempting to regain the stoic stance of an alpha and simply stated “I don’t know enough about the world to say it doesn’t exist.” He and his son had traveled to distant lands to find Bass in the hopes that it would give him purpose, but any strange sights he might have seen abroad paled in comparison to the brilliant radiance surrounding them. It seemed that only after he had left Boreas had its secrets begun to unfurl before him, and his destiny, his true destiny, make itself known. He thought of how much had changed in his brief life. He had started as a bastard living under the paw of a weak man with even weaker offspring. Not only was he no longer a bastard, but he had once held the title of alpha and planned to do so again, this time with the help of his family- his real family. Speaking Thinking You

Kai wasn't totally sure he believed in magic, but he definitely believed in something.. otherwordly. He believed the stories his father had told him about members of their tribe communicating with spirits, and he believe that they were all more than just flesh and bone. Magic, though? He supposed it depended what exactly was meant by that word, but he was willing to give the concept the benefit of the doubt. It seemed Tyranis shared a similar view, and Kai offered him a slow, pleased grin. "A wise thought," he said simply, impressed by the young male's words. He seemed to be around the same age as himself - perhaps younger, if anything - but most of the wolves Kai had met thus far seemed ingrained in their beliefs, so he appreciated an open mind. He would have a hard time justifying his own existence if he didn't believe in something otherwordly or magical; and he wasn't about to go down that path, at least not right now. He exhaled softly, trying to recenter his thoughts. Kai warily shifted his gaze away from the spectacle they beheld, looking up to Tyranis again. "I'll admit, it's hard to pretend that chance is the only reason I've ended up viewing something so beautiful with you. Magic seems a more fitting culprit." His words had a casually flirtatious tone to them, testing the waters. There was no harm in insinuating that this stranger's company was appreciated, right? If he seemed oblivious, he'd take it as disinterest. Either way, he was willing to try. Life was far too short to enjoy alone, and perhaps his words might even cheer up this stranger. "The name's Kai Jarvela, by the way," he added as an afterthought, grinning lightly again.

He felt warmth tinge his cheeks, thankfully hidden by the plush fur on his face, but he was unable to hide the subtle widening of his eyes. He looked away shyly, a small ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. When was the last time anyone had spoken to him like that? “Aranea,” a distant part of his mind replied and felt a moment of cold bitterness. "The name's Kai Jarvela, by the way," He returned his attention to the male but the small smile he found on the man’s face held a boyish charm that he swore he hadn’t noticed before. “Tyranis W-Praetor.” He replied, his chest rising slightly as he used his new name rather than the ill-fitting surname his mother had given him. He wondered briefly if Kai had heard of him like his father had. Would he be impressed if he did? Or would he have only heard that he had abandoned his pack and family and be affronted? Suddenly the thought that Kai might be anything but impressed by him seemed frightening. Speaking  Thinking You

Ah, there we go. Kai saw the faintest hint of a smile touch his lips, visible even in the rapidly dimming daylight, and his own grin widened. At least he was receptive to what he was implying, at the very least.. and Kai could work with that. Even if he wasn't totally interested in flirting with Kai, at least he could offer a very rudimentary distraction from whatever had caused his heart to be so heavy. Of course, he knew better than to outright ask. Not everyone was half as forthcoming with their emotions as he had a tendency to be. "Tyranis Praetor," he repeated the name back, implanting into his mind. His surname rung a bell, and his ears flicked in question as Kai brought it back from his memory. He noted the pride in his voice - the same pride that Kai had seen in Elias, no doubt. "I... believe that I've met a family member of yours," he commented, chuckling lightly at the coincidence. How closely related, though, he couldn't tell, though now that he knew they were both of the same blood he began to recognize the similarities between them. "Elias, his name was. Quite an interesting fellow." Elias had admitted to meeting his father, which pleased Kai greatly, and he'd been an enjoyable hunting partner overall. Only briefly would Kai let his gaze stray as he recalled their mountain hunt, searching for the strange luminescent colors they'd seen a moment ago, before lifting back to focus on Tyranis with that playful grin still tugging at his lips.

A grin broke his features at The Apollyon’s name. “My father.” He responded with the slightest touch of pride. “Truth be told I only recently met with him myself, but I found more of a home in Ruina than anywhere else in Boreas.” He said and felt his head lift confidently as he spoke. He was slightly disappointed that the other male hadn’t heard of Dauntless, but was greatly pleased that he had heard of his father. Uncertainty touched him as he realized just how many children Elias had accumulated over the years and realized that if he were to impress Kai he would need to set himself apart from them. “I’m from Abaven originally, but I left to start my own pack.” He said confidently. “I was too young to control it properly though.” He admitted, his head canting wistfully as he recalled the brief season in which Dauntless had ruled the north, and all the laws that had been broken by insubordinate members he hadn’t had the courage to punish. He looked back at the male, quirking his brow in an almost mischievous grin. “Although now, I could probably run a pack properly, with my father behind me, and my allegiance sworn to Ruina.” He waited for the male’s reply with a self-satisfied smirk. That had to impress him. Speaking  Thinking You

Elias was his father, huh? How interesting. The pride was audible in the other man's voice, something that he could definitely relate to, as well as admire Tyranis for. There was little more intrinsically fulfilling as being close to family - and though Kai hadn't seen his own father for quite some time, it hadn't changed how much he looked up to the man. He was able to follow along to Tyranis' words, assuming that Ruina was the pack that the father and son shared... and judging by the way Elias had carried himself, it was very likely his pack even though Kai hadn't bother to clarify. His grin twisted into a brighter expression, nodding in understanding.  "This Ruina sounds like quite the place," he commented finally with a conversational chuckle. His brows furrowed slightly at the mention of Abaven.  "Abaven? You don't say..." His grin grew more playful, deciding that this was quite the coincidence, now. The universe worked in mysterious ways, and he hadn't quite figured out what it meant by dropping Tyranis in front of him.  "Believe it or not, I was born in Abaven." He focused on Tyranis's face and tried to assess his reaction.  "I was only there until I was able to leave my mother's side, not that I remember much of being that young. I wasn't a proper member or anything," Kai shrugged, wishing now that he remembered more. His father never would've kept him there as a member, though likewise wouldn't have stopped him if he'd wanted to stay with his mother longer.. but pack life wasn't suitable for his family, and so wouldn't be for him, either. Sometimes he wondered what sort of life he might have if he'd stopped to question his father's way of life, but he was happy with himself and his lifestyle now, so didn't think to dwell on it for long. It was hard to discern whether Kai was impressed or merely interested in what Tyranis had to say next. He'd run his own pack, though had been too young to truly control it, but trusted he could do so again now. Kai nodded, that playful smile still tugging at his lips despite his best efforts to soften his expression.  "You do strike me as the leadership type," Kai commented, only partially trying to flatter the handsome stranger. He had a certain boldness about him that was undeniable, and it seemed like he had no issue being honest with his emotions. Those were leadership qualities, he supposed. What was most important though was the desire and the will to leader, over anything else - if Tyranis truly had those things, he had no doubt he'd make a fine ruler. If any ruler could be considered fine, he had to think silently to himself, having long since decided he would refused to ever be ruled by another... but he supposed some wolves preferred that sort of order in their lives.

He gave a small boyish chuckle that betrayed his usually wise and calm demeanor at the male’s compliment. “Thank you.” He said almost bashfully. Tyranis had never explored the boundaries of his sexual affiliation, he had been far too preoccupied with his ambitions for starting and ruling his own pack. Aranea had been an easy compromise as someone who was infatuated with him and loyal. Or at least…he thought she had been loyal. His expression grew momentarily forlorn at the thought and he attempted to shake the memory from him by shaking out his fur but had completely disregarded how close the male was to him, or how much mud had gotten on his fur. He stopped and looked at Kai, horrified at what he had done while his fur stood out from his body, frazzled and pulled together in sharp clumps. “Sorry!” He barked, his ears pulling back with shame. Idiot, now he’s going to leave! He scolded himself. Speaking  Thinking You

Tyranis seemed pleased with his compliment, which in turn made Kai's own smile grow, slightly impish. The truth was that he didn't really know what true leadership qualities were, not from the perspective of someone who would follow beneath them. He supposed they were generally qualities that he looked for in potential friends - or partners, even - like strength, and courageousness, and integrity. Many of the wolves that he'd met, the ones he looked back upon most fondly, possessed those traits and... it seemed like this male before him might, too, if he wasn't mistaken. Either way, he was intrigued by him, and wanted to get to know Tyranis better. If he was at all bothered by the bits of mud that flew from Tyranis's coat to his, he made little sign of it. "Ah, a little dirt won't hurt either of us," Kai gently teased, shaking his head. There were bigger things to worry about, right? Well.. at least hypothetically, since he wasn't one to live with much worry. Pausing for a moment, he eventually lifted his paw and brought it back down on the damp earth, spraying a bit more mud on the two of them - grinning at Ty for a reaction. "See?"

He had flinched as the mud spattered on his fur, mostly out of astonishment that Kai hadn’t stuck up his nose indignantly and walked away. He smiled at the man impishly and rose back onto his hind paws before coming down with a splash in the short distance between them, covering them both with the faintly glowing mud. He posed in a playful bow as he landed, his tail waving behind him in an arch before he burst to his full height and tore across the mangrove. He may have been a fully grown adult, but even in his childhood he had hardly played with anyone. Nearly all his siblings, save Corentine had gone missing, and everyone else in Abaven was far too preoccupied with their own melodrama and their own prejudice of his family’s role in Bass’s disappearance. He and Aranea had chased each other through the plains once, when they were both gangly juveniles; all disproportionately long legs and bodies that just weren’t quite large enough to be fully grown. The memory had stung, but he was determined to replace it with a new memory; one that would remain happy with the anonymity of being shared with a loner. Speaking  Thinking You

Life was too short to worry about things that were completely temporary - like getting dirty, for example. Things of that nature didn't bother him at all, though he definitely had another list of things that did bother him.  Fortunately, nothing he knew about Tyranis fell in that list, and he was quite pleased with his company thus far, mud included. He wore a wide grin as he watched his new friend dip into a play bow before heading away from him. Kai didn't hesitate in following him, bounding freely through the mangrove trees and over the damp earth below to chase him. His powerful legs allowed him to catch up to Tyranis with ease, though he doubted he was actually trying to get away from him, and eventually after a few moments of ducking and weaving through the trees - and hoping he was reading the playful mood between them correctly - Kai would aim to lightly tackle him to the earth. He, too, had never really had anyone to play with in his youth, but as far as he was concerned there was little of value in life if one couldn't have fun. It didn't really matter to him that they were no longer children. -end thread-