He really needed to get out more. No like, really really. Tate would wander north, trying not to get into too much more trouble. He'd already been scolded for trespassing once, even though it wasn't like he'd caused that much of a problem. That much. Something like that. The boy is a teenager with authority issues, who would have guessed it? Not like anyone could tell him what to do out here. Tate would make his own choices and be his own man. That was the plan, at least.

On strong, albeit clumsy paws he made landfall on one of the larger islands. The day was brilliant and warm, and Tate decided he'd be both of those things too. A gentle breeze ruffled at his coat as he shook it dry, and Tate set his sights-- he was fucking exploring, and it would be an excellent time. Taking in absolutely everything the big island had to offer... where the fuck were those doves? A snack was sounding good right about now, after all. Off he set, in search of a dove for brunch.

"Potato"

He should have been more upset that he did poorly in his first raid. He should have cared more about impressing his father. But he didn't. Really, he thought the raids were kind of stupid. Why couldn't they be more... violent? Friendly raids just seemed so boring. Especially if you couldn't go a lot against these other packs that clearly didn't respect them. That was kind of all besides the point now. It was done and over with. They celebrated anyway at the party. Getting drunk was fun but not as fun as he thought it would be. What had been fun was drunk sparring with Sparrow on the beach. Now that had been a good time. These were the thoughts that tumbled through Scald's peabrain as he made it out onto the archipelago. Already he could see the dozens of doves surrounding the tropical island. The coo of the birds finally distracted him as he shook the seawater from his pelt. Hmm, a nice little snack on a bird did sound lovely. Turning his bi-colored gaze toward a group of doves, he watched for a few moments. He never really was a hunter. There wasn't enough patience in his lazy bones to sit and wait for the right moment. But now he was hungry. Damn. What was he gonna do... His answer finally showed up when a boy around his age also spotted the doves. Sweet, if that guy caught a couple, maybe he'd share some with him. A devious smirk licked at his lips as he darted into the shadows of a bush. Plopping himself down into the shade, Scald watched the boy on his quest for the doves as his stomach rumbled rather loudly. Fuck, did his hunger really have to give him away? S C A L D

The doves nested here, but it seemed Tate was content to chase them. Chasing, darting and dashing through the clusters of birds and their nests. Maybe he was hunting, but it was becoming abundantly clear that Potato was really just messing with them. That was okay too. His gaze shone brightly, mischief running hot and thick in his blood. Head tossing, gait jaunty. Tate is a tank of a boy, and that makes him rather slow. Still fast enough to terrorize the birds. Laughing to himself as he did, the boy sundered forward. A skip in his step and a roll of his shoulders. All manner of brilliant, beautiful things.

As he loped through the birds and had a fantastic time of himself, something caught his eye. Something rather bright, rather colorful. Potato tossed his head, gaze settling on the lanky boy. "'Ey!" Gruff as he does. Loudly, lowering his head to get a better look at him in the shadows. "You going to gimme a hand with this, or just sit on yer ass all day?" A smirk, his head high. There's something wild about him. Unchained.

Taking a couple steps toward the stranger, standing in the soft sunlight. Real main character energy from the koi boy.

"Potato"

It wouldn't take long for Scald to realize that the kid was not hunting the birds. He let his eyes roll lazily as he released a hangry sigh. Before he rest his chin upon his paws, deciding it was time for a nap, the boy was shouting at him. Lilting his head to the side, Scald looked at him with his bi-colored gaze. For someone as handsome as him, he sure was loud wasn't he? Staring at the chocolate and white splattered boy with curiosity, Scald listened and first gave him a shrug in response. Slowly rolling up onto his paws, he stared back with an unbridled confidence that easily matched mister main character that approached him. Except Scald wasn't really a main character, he was the main character's rival sort of type. "What's it to ya?" He called back as he also took a few steps closer. His gaze never left and he felt the tension begin to build. A sort of static electricity in the air as he too lifted his chin and let his hackles and quills raise slightly. Both ears pressed forward as he felt the warmth of the sun on his back. "Doesn't look like yer doin' much anyone," Scald teased as he smirked at the boy. S C A L D

Tate squints, taking a few steps forward. There was so much sun here, soaking damn near everything. A few steps forward, his head tossing as he tries to get a better look at the creature. Interest, but not too much interest. Had to do his best to hold some in reserve, right? Can't let on too much. "Got no meat on yer bones, look like you'll up and blow away in the wind." What was that to him? "Waste of'a pretty face." Bold, but on brand, really. He'd always been prone to flattery. Still, he'll stand and squint at the boy from the warmth of the sun, feeling it shine down around his shoulders.

Nearly lifting his lip at the comment, he thinks better of it at the last moment. "Ye, some've us don't need cheap validation." Tate shoots back easily, a smirk of his own playing on his lips. He does what he can to appear unbothered by the comment, even if it stung a bit. Really, the koi creature hadn't gotten out around others as much as he would have liked, mostly keeping to himself-- his fault entirely, but still. Lifting his chin to the sun, taking in the warmth of it, Potato is trying really damn hard to look like the rainbow fish's comment hadn't stung. Nope, not at all.

"Why're you out here, if'n yer not hunting?" A question, a curiosity. May as well find out.

"Potato"

From afar, one might think they were gunslingers waiting to draw. Two teenagers standing there, staring at each other, sizing the other one up. Both large, but one thin and the other heavy. That was never an issue for Scald as he would find out. Small, large, thin, fat, colorful, pale, whatever they looked like, he didn’t mind. Granted, he did have a preference for feminine and charcoal in color, but males with chocolate coats were just as appeasing.  Still, Scald never allowed jabs to puncture his skin. He was a Pirate and they all had thick skin. If anyone let a silly little insult get through to them, they probably shouldn’t be a Pirate. Honestly, he didn’t much react to it other than a little huff in response. The lighter he was, the faster he was in a fight. It was one of his things. But he did smile a tad at the pretty face comment. “Awe, ye thin’ my face is pretty?” He calls back as he takes one or two more steps forward. Unlike the other boy, he is used to the sun. The brilliance beating down over his shoulders is warm and welcoming. Another jab as he continues to close the space. Another huff from his chest. Cheap validation was just a way of life to him, but this guy didn’t know that. Didn’t mean much anyway - not much did to Scald these days.  “Sunbathin’, watchin’ the birds, relaxin’,” he replies as he takes a few more steps. “Why’re ya huntin’ here? These doves don’ give much,” Scald adds his own curiosity. Not that why they were here mattered much. The real question was what they would do now. S C A L D