At his core he was one of those annoyingly gushy romantic bastards. He knew it. This place was beautiful and the oogly, squishy part of him could just stand here at the edge of the forest and let the hours pass. It could wax poetic and go all starry-eyed over the tiny little buds that dotted the delicate branches of the redbud trees. He liked being able to admire the nook's beauty and really, that he found it beautiful confused him. It certainly wasn't what he was raised on and it clashed with the part of him that was so keen on destruction. How was it that he, rough and uncouth as he was, know such beauty? It should have been beyond his reach. For his crimes and the crimes of his predecessors the ability to admire beauty should not have been given to him. To say he was unworthy was an understatement. It was on that melancholy note that he finally entered the forest. The snow was gone in these parts and while the chill remained, spring fought hard to make its presence known. The entire nook was bright with lively shades of red and pink. The buds bounced and swayed on the breeze, giving the treetops a jovial look. The grass below was green and lush, and the contrast between it and the red of the treetops was breathtaking. Its beauty was simple and there was an undeniable elegance to it. His pace languid, Valentine wandered among the trees. He had no real goal, no solid reason for being in the Nook. Hell, he couldn't even remember what he'd been doing when the buds had caught his eye. He was a siren's captive, lost in her overwhelming grace.

Though he always dreaded winter's departure, spring was not necessarily something to sulk over. The land quickly went from feeling desolate and harsh to suddenly teeming with life. Though he preferred the former, the latter held its own sort of wonder that was unmistakeable. Life sprang forth from nothing, from death and emptiness, and he couldn't help but quietly thank Beaivi for dancing closer to the earth and casting the rays of her sun upon the lands once again. The seasons were a necessary part of life, no matter how one dreaded the inevitable hunger of winter or the unbearable heat of summer. The cycle continued, with or without one's complaints, and so Áki was inclined to be without even silent complaint about anything regarding things out of his control.

His gaze swept across the forest of young budding trees. Though the redbud trees were clearly fruitful and healthy, there was something off about this place.. the trees, though spread far and wide as it seemed, were all quite young. Had some sort of disaster once swept this place? Perhaps a sort of disease that afflicted the trees, or some kind of fire? His nose wrinkled as he tasted the warm air, deducing he could not figure out why this place seemed so odd - but it truly was lovely.

It took him a bit of wandering, weaving effortlessly between the trees - a beautiful canvas of pink, red, and green - to catch the scent of another. Of a stranger, though with how often he moved it was rare he came across someone he knew. Interest was apparent on the tribal brute's features, a slight smile tugging at his lips for a moment. Though he was a loner through and through, independent to his very core, he was also quite social and the promise of company was too alluring to pass up.

It took awhile to track his scent, but before he knew it he was a dozen yards away from a brute who looked very much his size. A rarity in these lands, it seemed. His head would dip closer to the earth, nostrils flaring loudly as he took in his scent and assessed him; around most wolves he had no reason to be wary, but this one seemed very much like he could put up a fight, and he had no interest in fighting today.. not unless he had to.

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A breathy sound alerted him to presence of another. Turning slowly, Valentine was surprised to find a very tall man staring back at him. The stranger was as tall as if not taller than, the King himself and that was no small feat. Few reached his heights. Fewer still surpassed him. In fact, Valentine had only met two such wolves; a northern by the name of Amachi and his own son Angelus. With his head near the ground it was hard to tell exactly how tall the stranger was. While the unknown man's height was the first thing to grab his attention, it was unable to hold it for very long. No, there was something much more fascinating about his appearance: from his lips protruded two tusks. Valentine was instantly captivated, but he reined his interest in and contained it. After a moment's study his gaze snapped upwards (both out of respect and a desire not to be caught) and fixed on the man's eyes. He searched them quickly for signs of ill will before parting with a simple greeting, "Hello." Unsure of this tusked stranger's intentions, the brute remained where he was.

There was obvious interest in his eye, though it was rare to find a lack of curiosity in his stare. This stranger, while close to the same height, was much leaner in comparison to his own rather bulky build. When the other man's gaze met his own, his tusked skull would rise and dip again in a nod of greeting. He was quite the looker - with an air of importance that caught his interest - and he would take a few calculated steps closer. "Greetings, he spoke with a heavy northern accent, always audible despite his master of the language of these lands. There was a laziness to his gait as one paw moved in front of the other, sliding toward Valentine without much hurry and only the faintest hint of caution. The air smelt of fresh budding flowers and prey filled the air and he would inhale eagerly, feeling refreshed from the arrival of spring.

"The birds sing loudly today," he commented, his head lifting as he inhaled another breath of air, tasting Valentine's scent and storing it to memory. "It is a nice day, no?" There was no hint of the stranger's intentions - for all he knew, he was prowling the forest for a helpless child to prey upon, or maybe he was simply going for a walk - and he was happy to try to find out. "My name is Áki, by the way."

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With each passing second the tusked man became more and more exotic in Valentine's eye. The lilting accent was, if he were being honest, quite sexy. Perhaps it was unwise (and a seriously flawed way of thinking), but the King was oddly reassured by the stranger's good looks and that was enough of reason to allow the other to mosey closer. "Indeed," he rumbled warmly in response to Aki's question. "It's a very fine day." In more ways than one. Valentine was an admirer of beauty. He stood in a beautiful place with a beautiful person. It was indeed a fine, fine day. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aki. The name's Valentine." His ears pricked forward in interest as he regarded the man. Clearly he wasn't from Alacritia, so what was he doing here? "If I may be so bold," he began, "What brings you to this neck of the woods?" The King genuinely wanted to know.

A fellow giant in a land simply brimming with small wolves; it was admittedly a pleasant sight. His own tribe had always been on the larger size, perhaps hardened from the harsh winters, or blessed with the strength of Horagalles. He couldn't help but hope this man was a kindred spirit, despite knowing nothing about it and certainly not knowing a thing about his intentions.

His posture was relaxed, though with the slightest hint of wariness. He was only as on edge as was necessary around a stranger, and no more. And as the male before him spoke, he noted a warmth to his voice that was undeniable. His own gait would relax as he took a few steps closer, grinning as he once again bowed his head to the earth in a display of his peaceful intentions.  "And even more of a pleasure to meet you, Valentine," he would croon back with a lopsided grin.

His own ears would swivel at Valentine's question. What brought him here. It was a much better inquiry than asking about his tusks, and pleasure would shine plainly on his face, his tail beginning to flick behind him lazily.  "I don't know, to be honest,"  he began with a slow shrug of his wide shoulders.  "I go wherever my paws take me. Today, I happened upon this place. But what about you, Valentine? You do not strike me as a wanderer." His scent told the story before he had to - he was a pack wolf, there was no denying it.

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It would be a lie to say that Valentine was disinterested in Aki's tusks. They interested him a great deal. If Valentine hadn't been so accustomed to wolves commenting on his height he just might have devoted more of his attention to the rogue's protruding chompers, but since he was and in turn, was aware of how tiring having the same conversation over and over was, he didn't. He recognized that there was more to this stranger than just his tusks. Feeling comfortable with the situation and confident in his ability to defend himself should it take a dark turn, Valentine slowly seated himself as Aki spoke. Chuckling, he commented, "Spoken like a true gypsy." What of himself? As Aki had, Valentine shrugged before replying cryptically, "Then you would be wrong...and right." He was an odd, volatile mix of impossible things. "I'm a wanderer with a home to return to. As you do, I go wherever the wind blows, but," he dipped his head in acknowledgment of his inferiority, "I go home."

With each passing moment, he felt his guard lower ever-so-slightly. He would never be so comfortable around a stranger to jeopardize his own well-being, but he could certainly enjoy himself in the company of someone new. He made no move to hide his contentment, his tail continuing to bat continually against the earth behind him as he gazed at Valentine.

"Indeed," he would reply with a soft chuckle. His head would tilt as Valentine spoke of being a sort of wanderer with a home. Aki supposed he could relate, in a very vague way. Family was sort of like home to him - he had no attachment to a particular land, or group of wolves, not like most wolves did. His freedom was far too important to him. "Where is your home?" he'd question curiously, merely conversational, though he did truly wonder.

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In many ways Valentine envied Aki. He hadn't grasped the true weight of what he was doing when he'd founded Imperium. Of course he'd known what he was getting into and he'd known his life would be changed, but he hadn't taken into consideration exactly how changed it would be. He envied Aki for many reasons. The man was unfettered; he went where he want, when he wanted. He probably didn't have a group to look out for and check in on and he certainly didn't have lands to patrol and defend. That being said Valentine enjoyed being King. He liked having wolves to look out for and lands to defend. The responsibility, the respect, the power. What he didn't like was that he couldn't have it both ways. He couldn't be free and without responsibility and King. The answer to Aki's question filled the King with pride. "In the south," he began. Imperium. His feelings towards the place were strong. A lot had gone into making the pack what it was today and not just on his part. His members were what made it. Their dedication and loyalty were unmatched. "In the pack called Imperium. While there are many beautiful places here in Alacritia, there is no place that I'd rather call home."

It was honestly difficult to imagine such a life - not solely because he was disinterested in it, but also because he had never actually experienced the life of a pack wolf. He had never depended on anyone, not since he was a very small child. Even Sabine had never been given the option to depend on others. She had not been coddled and led around. Once they had learned of her blindness, she had been left to her own devices, and she had survived. What good was a pack, he had to wonder? He figured there was strength in numbers, but still..

Valentine was fairly vague in his explanation, though he named his pack and it was clear he was fond of the place. "And you, Valentine," he began, an air of playfulness to his deep voice. "You must be someone important there. I am ignorant to most aspects of pack life, but it is hard for me to imagine that someone like you is not in charger of something." Was there an air of flirtatiousness in his voice? He knew he was certainly interested in this Valentine, and in his crimson gaze shone a bit of that interest.

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Aki's words warmed Valentine's heart with vain pleasure. He knew a compliment when he heard one and coming from such a fine stranger it was a compliment indeed. The King's lips quirked heavenward in a warm smile. He was also a bit intrigued by Aki's statement. Ignorant to most aspects of pack life? How was that possible? He couldn't fathom such an existence. He hadn't spent his entire life in a pack, but a great deal of it had revolved around structured living. Even as a loner living with his father on the island there had been pack-like order. Pleased, Valentine rumbled a deep chuckle before replying, "I'm the Rex, or alpha, actually." He turned an amused eye on his companion to gauge his reaction. "I founded Imperium early in my second year. I thought I knew what I was getting into," he said with another chuckle, "But boy was I wrong. There's a steep learning curve." It was very different at the top. Quizzically he regarded Aki. "I take it you've never been in a pack?" Ever? How was that possible? "I can't picture raising my children as rogues, but I imagine such a childhood would make for an exceptional individual," he commented.

Though Valentine was a bit younger than him, he admitted he was the leader of this pack called Imperium. His eyebrows raised, impressed with the admission. "A man of power, then," he would muse with a slight grin, his tail wagging where it lay behind him. "How many wolves do you rule over?" his crimson gaze was curious as he regarded him, feeling quite impressed. Saying he envied the feeling wasn't quite accurate, but it was certainly something he couldn't imagine, and almost wished he could, if but for a moment. Only as a very small child had anyone held any sort of control over him; he and his siblings had been taught to be independent for as long as he could remember. Only their culture and the traditions of their tribe had ever held any sort of hold on him, never anyone else. How strange would it be to have someone to answer to, like Valentine? He could think of worse leaders, he was sure, but the thought was a strange one to him.

"I could imagine it would be strange," he agreed, and in his voice echoed a careful thoughtfulness. "I haven't, no," Áki would inform him with a gentle shake of his head. "I was raised in a tribe, with my two sisters and our parents, as well as a handful of other wolves. We were a cohesive group, but we had no sort of structure. I suppose we respected our elders, for they held much more knowledge than we did, but we had no claimed lands and there was no actual authority." It wasn't like a pack, no, not that he knew of. He would shrug, assessing Valentine to see if his words held any sort of interest for him. "It certainly made for strong wolves, I can promise you that. The weak and young were never coddled. They had to survive on their own, or be left behind. I would imagine such a thing would not happen in many packs?" Perhaps it was a barbaric way of life, but it was suited to the world they had lived in - a world that was harsh and unforgiving. Though he also knew that it was frequent that those wolves, that he thought might not ever survive on their own, were the strongest of them all.

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A man of power. The label pleased him. As time went on it was becoming clearer and clearer what kind of creature he was. The desperate, lost soul was slowly fading, and in its place rising a proud King. Man of power. It had a nice ring to it. Aki had a way with flattery. How many wolves in Imperium? That was a seemingly innocuous question, but one that gave Valentine pause. In the paws of an enemy that information could be dangerous. Then again, couldn't a simple scouting mission tell a wolf the same thing and more? "Just under 20," he answered honestly. With an incredulous expression, Valentine listened intently to Aki's description of his tribe. No structure whatsoever? "I can't imagine such an existence," he said with a chuckle. It was incredible, really. How did they get things done if there was no one to call the shots? How did they function? What held them together? He had so many questions! "That's absolutely fascinating!" In his excitement Valentine shifted his weight from paw to paw as he thought. "If you are willing I'd love to know more about this tribe of yours. The idea reminds me -vaguely- of a communal pack here in Alacritia that I have had the pleasure of getting to know." Perhaps the Lady Epiphron would be interested in such information. "I would imagine such a thing would not happen in many packs?" Valentine frowned at this, not because he took offense but because it was so terribly true. "In too few, I'm afraid." Alacritia was full of weak-willed, lackadaisical packs and parents. Weakness wasn't to be coddled, but challenged. It was something to overcome not embrace. "If only more had that mindset," he lamented.

He didn't honestly mind flattering Valentine; he wasn't used to meeting men who ruled packs, and he was both interested and impressed with the concept. The brute had little idea that his question might be seen as a dangerous one. What threat could he possible have against a pack? He was unfamiliar with the workings of politics - the very last thing on his mind was how he could trade information on Valentine to another pack, or how he might somehow be able to use his words against him in some manner. His grin was genuine as he listened to the other man's words, his eyes widening in slight wonder. "And these wolves, they all listen to you?" It was impressive. "I can hardly get my sisters to listen to me, half the time. " A hearty chuckle left his throat at the very thought of having any sort of authority over them.

Valentine seemed equally as impressed with the brief description he offered of his own experience. It seemed quite normal to him, and his eyes glimmered as he studied Valentine, his tail thumping against the ground behind him. "I suppose we were a bit communal," he agreed, expressing a slight bit of interest as he spoke. "We would travel and hunt together, but we were taught to be fiercely independent. There was no obligation of any sort to stay. I'm lucky enough that my two sisters missed me enough to come find me when I left the tribe." Valentine seemed to agree with his sentiment about not coddling those who needed help. "It would certainly make things easier," he agreed with another grin. "Though our differences make things vastly more interesting, I think."

table by argent/neffs