Just the boys

Maverick was making an earnest and sincere attempt to get to know his new home better than just becoming familiar with the insides of the royal palace. Not that he minded spending most of his time tangled up with Venom in the privacy of their shared quarters—quite the opposite, in fact!—but if he was going to be a functional member of this society, he might as well make an attempt to be more than just an accessory to the Empress' life. The snow and sky wolf wandered through the ancient birch forest, gazing in wonder at the alabaster trees surrounding him that had initially caught his attention to this pack, and inadvertently to its lovely monarch as well. With Venom busy with official empire business, Mav took it upon himself to learn the land some more. After all, he was still an adventurer at heart, and nothing thrilled him more than a good hike across some undiscovered lands!

Making his way through the thicket of pallid trees, Maverick emerged to a large pool of water amidst a clearing in the woods, its placid waters seeming to give off a faint glow. Surrounding the pool was a circle of etched stones bearing markings Maverick could not identify. There was already another wolf sitting here, so Maverick approached him. Naturally, he bore the scent of Ashen on him, so Mav's bold daydreams of being forced to chase a trespasser out to make his lady swoon would go unrequited. "Hey," he called out to the other brute who matched him in size and stature, greeting the stranger with a crooked smile. "Haven't seen you around Ashen before. Newcomer?" Not that he was really one to talk, but the stranger's scent was particularly fresh.

"Maverick"