I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before Heat, damned heat. His russet coat was no match for the sun's rays. Rocks rose up in front of him and on either side, hemming him in from nearly every angle. They were sparsely distributed, but several of them offered a decent amount of shade. He picked out one that was near to him, and quickly shriveled into its shadow. He was so hot that a shiver ran through him - that was not a good sign. The man blinked twice, his vision blurring slightly. Surely there had to be water somewhere around here, but he was far too tired and hot to look for it. Head tucked down as his chin rested upon his front paws. Back legs twisted 'round and curled toward his underside, protecting it as he didn't feel entirely safe in this unknown land. It hadn't been wise to leave Seracia and venture off, but he needed the comfort of distance, the solitude of silence. He would wait until sundown to head back home - or what was left of home. Somehow, things were different in Seracia. Perhaps it was only different in his mind, or perhaps he was facing the reality of change, whatever the case - he didn't like it. He flicked his tail away from him, banishing it as far from his core as he could. A dry wind bathed him in more warmth as he began to pant instinctively. He knew he needed to lower his body temperature. Muzzle would wrinkle as the faintest of scents drifted toward him, though he could not immediately recognize it as anything special due to the rapid intake of breaths. {Table coded by Lu}

ooc; he's technically trespassing, though he isn't aware of it at the time.

Raisa came upon the russet male quite suddenly. The boulders that marked her new homeland were the only shade around, but even then the air was painfully still, oppressively stifling. Every step for the dark fae felt as though she swam through mud, and the air sucked any and all moisture from her throat. It was miserable to say the least, yet this man seemed worse off, by far. She wondered how long he had been out, where he had come from. True, he was trespassing, but in the face of death Raisa could not confront him, nor leave him. With a sigh called out. "Wait here, stranger. I'll be back in just a moment." The boulder field, Raisa had deduced, had been left by a scourge of glaciers from an age long past. They had retreated northward once more, but the boulders marked their path. A sage had told her once that glaciers left their mark in more ways than this, that often gravel pits were left far below the surface of the earth. Water pooled there, and in time rose upwards. It would certainly explain the rare, but precious springs that dotted her territory. They had been keeping her pack alive, thus far. Raisa made her way towards one such spring now. She came to it's banks and frowned. The pools were growing smaller day by day. Soon water would become a precious, rare commodity. He's dying... The little voice in her head irked her, but she sighed. Her land was rich in two things: Boulders and moss. Raisa raked up a clump of the latter, and took it gingerly into her mouth. She dunked the clump into the pool, soaking up as much as she could. It would hopefully retain enough to aid the beleaguered trespasser. With a sigh and internal glare at the angel on her shoulder, Raisa loped back to the boulder she had left him at. Little appeared to have changed, and she deposited the soaked moss at his paws. "Drink, and when you're done, tell me why you've ventured onto my lands." Her pack was only a howl away, if need be... "Talk" "You" Think

I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before He would stiffen as she approached, her blackened figure remaining vital despite the heat. How in the world was she still standing? He wondered as she told him compellingly to wait. He was in no mood to disobey, and so he waited - panting heavily with the burden of heat. Tongue lolled out of his mouth as he cast his jaws open as far as they would go, breathing in and out once before relaxing them to a more comfortable width. She returned with what looked like moss, dripping with water. For a moment he stared, aghast, before taking it into his jaws and allowing the warm water to trickle down his throat. Greedily he would take all that the moss would offer him before dropping it from his jaws and swiping his tongue across his lips. "I am intrigued that you would offer me help when it seems I have strayed too far." He heaved a sigh, licking his lips once more. "I sought shelter, though I regret doing so without checking for a border." With a barely audible groan he would lift his bodice upward into a standing position, feeling somewhat revitalized by the water. "I will leave at once, madam. I offer you my sincerest apologies." His tail flickered behind him, curling submissively toward his underside. He wasn't one to cower, but he knew when to behave. He held no rank here, and as he had been the one at fault he would have to be careful not to make his transgression any worse. {Table coded by Lu}

Raisa settled beside the man, slinking into the shade as well. She watched with a modicum of satisfaction as the man indulged himself. She hoped the water would help his vitality return, to some degree. When he finished, he voiced his intrigue. Raisa simply shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Well, don't tell anyone, alright? I've got a reputation to uphold. Let's just say I didn't want to haul your dead ass to the border in this kind of heat." She chuckled and flashed him a small smile. The man struggled to stand, and proclaimed his intent to leave. Raisa sighed and rolled her eyes. "My company isn't that bad, is it? Seriously, about that carcass hauling, lay back down. You're not hurting anyone, I'd rather you wait til sundown." Thought of any wolf dying on her land was actually somewhat disturbing. She'd seen enough slaughter and destruction for one lifetime, and felt perfectly suited to keep the number where it was. This man seemed nice, if a bit lost. It wasn't a crime to die over. "I am Raisa Xanilov, Queen of the Ebony throne. Can I at least get your name? I have to keep my debts in line, you know," she joked, letting a tired chuckle break through her lips. The jaunt in the sunlight had left her more drained than she'd like to admit. "Talk" "You" Think

I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before Blunt was perhaps the best word to describe the words she expressed, amusingly blunt. A chuckle twisted from his trachea, echoing into the air wholeheartedly. It felt good to laugh. "I can assure you I would not have preferred that way either," Hauling his dead bodice out of the territory didn't seem like a fun task - especially for him. He could scarcely imagine the idea of not returning safely to Epiphron, to his family. She quickly told him to stay and he would oblige her, pleased to have met someone with an ounce of courtesy. At one time Seracia had been that way - not anymore. Perhaps he'd had a paw in that, he couldn't venture a guess. She would ask his name, commenting on keeping her debts in line. "It is Maverick Tahir-Mathias of the Kingdom Seracia at your debt, Lady Raisa." He would then recall that she called her throne 'Ebony'. Curious. "Ebony.. I have heard naught a whisper of your pack. Would it be far too imposing of me to inquire about it further?" His tongue seemed to have returned to the proper speaking of a King, though the crown had long since fallen from his head. The idea of another kingdom-based pack in Alacritia intrigued him, excited him. Though he noted the mild air of weariness in her voice, he would not note it - she had every right to feel tired after saving his life in the heat of the day. {Table coded by Lu}

He met her banter with a joke of his own, and Raisa could not help but smile. It was always nice to find wolves equally mindful of courtesy and humor; refreshing in it's own right. His introduction left Raisa interested, but not unduly so. A wolf of Seracia, then? Interesting. She had not been overly keen in meeting the rulers of the other packs, but it seemed word had gotten around despite this fact. Maverick's interest in Ebony piqued Raisa's curiosity, mostly because she could not determine it's source. Was it courtesy, in which he seemed to be well versed, or was there perhaps another undertone yet to be uncovered? She could not make heads or tails of this, so she ignored it. "We're a small pack, as of now," she began with a smile. Talking of her new kin always lifted her spirits. "Perhaps when that is no longer the case you'll hear more than whispers." She chuckled, eyes alight with mirth. Her memories were of spring, and there it was not quite so hot. "We have a strong foundation, two orders of knights to man our defenses and educate our young, and the foundations of a court in place for those nobly bred." She mused on all she had said, finding a sort of comfort in the words. Her dreams had become reality... "What of Seracia? I know little of the other packs, I'll freely admit." She'd had quite a bit on her plate, if it was any defense. "Talk" "You" Think

I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before She explained that Ebony was a small pack, for now, which explained the fact that he'd missed their border entirely. Since he had yet to hear of them at all, he assumed they must be new, and that their scent markings had not yet accumulated enough to distinguish the borders as clearly as other packs. It was no matter, he remembered when Seracia had been that way. They seemed to have a good foundation, which she explained was of two orders of knights, and a court for the nobly bred. Eyes widened in interest, almost as if a prayer that hadn't even been said yet had been answered. Then the ball was tossed into his court, to describe Seracia. "Seracia started off Kingdom-based, very much like your own pack.. but as leadership changed over the seasons this foundation has... become less visible. I can't say I'm fond of the change, but as I am no longer its King it's not my business to make changes." Perhaps he'd given up the crown too soon. Many a day he'd wondered this, but he knew that his family came first - even before Seracia. "Tell me.. might there be a place among the ranks for a prospering family unit? My wife and I have considered a change of scenery, and I've no doubt at least a few of our children would want to come with us. Of course I make no promises, I'm simply curious." He never knew the day would come when he would think of living anywhere but within Seracia's bounds, but it had come - and had come quickly. {Table coded by Lu}

Raisa listened intently, first for information, and then with surprise as the man mentioned his noble blood. That he had been a king explained many things about his demeanor and mannerisms. He had seemed courteous and kind, and now it seemed to come together. She listened to the grief and grievance in his voice and nodded slowly. She knew better than most that a structured pack was well suited to many different sorts. A kingdom, a court, it was all so grand and involved. A simple conglomeration of like-minded wolves could never hope to compare. "My apologies, Your Grace," she said, offering him the title he did not technically hold. She had expected the same while she wandered, exiled, and wondered if perhaps this man still yearned for the recognition as well. "I know better than most what it is like to loose your throne." She would remember the pain of that day until she died, and it made her new home all the more precious. Shock raised her brows as Maverick asked if there might be a place among the ranks for he and his family. Dignity and pride was all that could keep her mouth from dropping, along with the knowledge that perhaps she would be his superior one day, or so it seemed. She allowed herself one slow blink to process his question, before letting her breath out ever so slowly. "Well, I would be a fool to reject you. You seem of excellent character, my lord, not to mention of noble blood. As with any respectable court, we would have a place for wolves of your standing. Should the need arise, I feel as though Ebony would be happy to accept you among our ranks." Raisa prided herself on the already strong ties between her pack members. Ebony would be a pack to rival any other, given enough time. They were already growing fast, and would soon be expanding further outward. Maverick himself was a reflection of this, and she could not help but to offer the man a gentle smile. "Talk" "You" Think

I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before Though it was still blazing hot and he still panted lightly, Maverick was feeling much better than only moments before. He had unknowingly stumbled upon perhaps the most perfect place for his family to move to, and had found that the leader of said place was amicable and much like he'd imagined her to be. A smile slipped across his lips, pulling at the corners of his maw until they curled upward in a handsome fashion. She quickly apologized to him, offering him a title he no longer had a claim to - but he would not deny her the right to call him such. "Dear lady, your apologies are unnecessary but welcomed." He tipped his head an inch before returning it to its normal state, an ear flicking idly as an insect buzzed near it. His smile withered slightly as she mentioned knowing what it was like to lose a throne. "My throne was not lost, it was forfeited - but I daresay that is a story too long to keep your interest in this heat." He certainly wouldn't bore the woman, even if she had some interest in his tales. He knew the life of an alpha, and how taxing it could be to listen to the droning of strangers and members alike. She agreed to accept his family among the ranks, with the contingency that he decide that was their best move. Maverick breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile quickly returned to his features. "You know not what this means to me. I assure you my wife and I will discuss this move and even in the event that we choose not to come here, your kindness will not be forgotten." His tail tapped a happy rhythm on the earth, hinting at how pleased he was with this unplanned meeting. {Table coded by Lu}

It was hard for Raisa to comprehend that one might choose to give up their throne. How could you not fight tooth and nail for that which was rightfully yours? Still, this man had a family, a mate and pups of his own. Could that ever sway the cinder woman's feelings? She wasn't even certain if she wanted pups. To be truthful, her mother had spoken so strongly for her to mate and continue the line, it was little more than mere rebellion. But still. Maverick professed that her kindness held much meaning, and she proffered a small smile. "You give me too much credit, really. It is selfish desire, entirely," she chuckled, eyes squinting. It was mostly a joke, but she would never deny the allure of bringing a small, well bodied man and his family among her ranks. He would do well for them, she was sure of it. She would not pressure him to leave his homeland, but if he gave her the slightest indication that it was his ultimate intention, she would not convince him other wise. This was in part doing a kind deed, and in part serving her own desires. "So how are you feeling, my lord? I should hope improved, at least to a degree." At the end of the day, the well fare of Ebony meant more to her than anything else. Perhaps, if nothing else, he would spread the story of their encounter, and word of the kindly alphess. Either way, it seemed she had done well, and she felt a distinct sort of pride in that. "Talk" "You" Think

I'M GONNA BE THE MAIN EVENT like no king was before She seemed precisely the kind of wolf his family could prosper under. Not to say that Destruction or Loccian weren't.. they were just different. It was true, he had found it hard to adjust to being a member of a pack rather than a leader, and perhaps the best solution to that would be to immerse himself in a pack that didn't know him as a King, a pack that could get to know him as he wished to be known. Though he had let his past rank slip to Raisa, it didn't mean everyone had to know. Here, he could be on equal terms with everyone, and he could earn titles as they came rather than feel like they were given to him out of pity. She mocked that her kindness was truly motivated by selfish desire, to which he would offer a hearty chuckle in response. Selfish desire was not uncommon to the monarch, though he truly believed at least part of her offer was motivated by genuine kindness. Then she would ask how he was feeling, to which a smile would prick upon his features. "Significantly better, Your Grace. I really should be getting back soon - my wife will be wondering where I am." He stood to his paws tentatively, as if testing whether or not they would hold him firmly or not. It seemed they would, and so he would flick his tail gently and offer a parting phrase. "It has been a pleasure, Queen Raisa. I trust we will be seeing each other again in the near future. I wish you and Ebony the best." He would linger only a moment more for any parting remarks from the Queen before ushering himself off of her territory and back toward Seracia. Even now his heart felt lighter, his mood felt brighter. {Table coded by Lu}

The abolished king appeared satisfied with her response, and he responded well to her jibe. That he had a sense of humor softened the sooty fae's feeling towards him further yet. Yes, this Maverick seemed like a fine man indeed. Raisa would not dare to hope he brought his family to her borders, but should that day ever arise, she would count herself lucky for it. He stood slowly, but with confidence, and Raisa rose with him. "My wife will be wondering where I am," he said in a fond voice and Raisa could not contain a chuckle. If he claimed to feel restored, she was in no place to restrain him. "Then I would be remiss to detain you any longer. You've suffered my poorly timed jokes and small cunning long enough, I suppose!" With a smile she dipped her head: a small bow for the once-king. "It was my pleasure as well, my lord. Even supposing you choose to stay in Seracia, should you ever desire to come calling again, I would not take a visit amiss. Granted a howl would be preferable to resuscitation." She offered him one last smile, one of companionship, before he turned to leave. "Talk" "You" Think