Arne had climbed up over the entrance to the cave that the Stargazers had temporarily laid claim to and sprawled himself out to soak up the sun. Watching Celeste, Oki and Cyanide was a treat in and of itself, but the more he watched them, the more he realised that sort of close connection was something he, himself, had never really experienced. He had thought he had been close with Fortune, but maybe that had all been in his head too. He wasn't getting any younger after all. Maybe it was time he grew up a bit? Tried to... ah, he had no idea.

He barked as he spotted Celeste approaching, his tail thumping against the stone he was sprawled on and sending a small shower of pebbles down to the ground. He enjoyed the freedom the band offered... but maybe that wasn't what he really needed right now?

"speech".

running around like a clown on purpose

She would be lying if she said she didn’t have a soft spot for everyone in the band. Even if it didn’t seem at times that she extended the same kindness as she did toward Oki and Cy, she would in actuality do anything for any of them. As of late, she had been focusing on raising the pups and moving the band more than actually paying attention to the band. Maybe that was where her faults lied. Truthfully, she did feel bad about it so when she say Arne sprawl out and barking in her direction, she made a beeline toward him. Once within his personal bubble, she plopped herself down and sprawled out with her tongue lolling from the side of her mouth. “How’re you Arne?” Cel asks honestly as her tail sweeps the ground.

Arne wasn't one for beating around the bush, unless they were actual bushes, he was too curious for his own good sometimes. Her question though, gave him pause, his tail ceasing in it's sweeping of the stone that radiated heat so nicely into his underside. "I've been lost plenty of times, but it never felt like this." He canted his head to the side, struggling to put his feelings into words. "Like, have y'ever watched leaves blowin' across the ground in autumn an' wondered if they know where they are going? Getting crunched up an' leaving bits of themselves behind an' wonderin' if they'll miss it? Kinda like that." His nose twitched and his nails scratched at the stone under his paws, trying to find something to tether him to here and now. He wasn't unhappy (it was questionable whether he had enough braincells in his head to feel unhappy), but he did feel restless, and uncertain. He didn't like it.

"speech".

running around like a clown on purpose

One thing the woman was good at was listening. So when Arne spoke in that cute accent of his with head tilted to the side and nails trying to dig into the stone, she could tell something was on his mind. The way he questioned if leaves knew where they would blow in the wind made her smile. ”Ah, truth be told, I did not spend long here before finding Kuroki. Before him, I have no recollection,” she responded as she glanced down at his scratching nails. Cel would be as straight forward as Arne as she too believed beating around bushes helped no one but the bush itself. ”I get a feeling of where you’re going. Is there someone else? Or is this a need for soul searching?” Cel would be honest again and understood that not all of the band members stuck around when they moved from place to place. It was a part of being in the band - the freedom to move about as they wished. As long as they were there when she needed them (which they always had been and had never let her down), she would never be disappointed when anyone needed some time away.

A smile quirked at the corner of his mouth, growing wider at her question. It was a good one, and one he didn't know the answer to, but maybe that was what had him feeling so uncomfortable in his own skin. "I dunno, but I think I'd like to find out if y'can do without me." He answered honestly. Whether it was some sort or soul searching or whatever, he wasn't going to figure it out if he was wandering wherever the little band wanted to go, would he? "I'm sure I'll be able t'track y'down easily enough if it isn't what I'm lookin' for though. I'll just hav'ta keep an ear out f'kids." he teased with a gentle wave of his tail. He'd had plenty of goodbyes in his life, even if this one was stinging just a bit already, he was almost certain this would be more of a 'see you later' than a final chapter closing.

"speech".

running around like a clown on purpose

Deep down, if she were being honest, she wanted to tell him no. Hell no she couldn’t do without that big lovable loaf that he was. The way he smiled, how carefree he was, so go with the flow that whenever she was stressed, all she needed to do was spend an afternoon with him. Yet, it wouldn’t make her a good leader if she tied him down. Her own family was expanding now and it sounded like he wanted to maybe find his own. If that was what he wanted than who was she to say no? With a sad smile on her ivory lips, she nodded before scooting over to tuck herself closer to him. “You’re right. Those kids are damn loud, aren’t they?” Cel teased as she leaned into Arne and closed her eyes for a moment. ”Just stay safe, okay? Her voice is a whisper as she knows she will miss him the moment he is gone.

Arne lifted a paw to throw over her shoulder as she scooted closer, laughing as she echoed his sentiment about the volume of the kids. They sure did scare off the prey for miles around, but he knew they'd get better with time. "Hey, just think, y'might end up with another holiday home outta it." Somewhere that it didn't snow, he hoped. While he was all for brisk weather, snow just made everything so much harder. "I'll take a bit of time t'get ready, not like I'm runnin off right this moment. But I reckon I'll head south and see whats down there. I haven't spent much time on th'other side of the land bridge." A little bit of time, but not much.

"speech".

running around like a clown on purpose

She leaned in closer as he tossed a paw over her shoulder. If she were being honest, she would agree. Snow fucking sucked. While it made for easier hunting, it made for a shitty home. “One could dream, right?” Cel said as she let out a small laugh. Yeah, a second home! Wouldn’t that be something? Yet, as Arne mentioned going down south, an idea lit the bulb in her brain. “Speaking of second homes, actually,” she smiled as she turned her chin up and around to look at him. “Oki’s dad lives down south south like faaaar south. Pack is named Tojo-Kai. You should check it out. I know he doesn’t often take in wayward souls like the Hallows does, but maybe he has a spot for you if you need somewhere to bunk,” her aquamarine gaze is trained on him for a moment before it closes again and she rests into his fur. Ah, she definitely would miss cuddling with her fluffy tusked loaf but knew he would come around to visit if they were in the area. Not a good bye but a see you alter.

Tojo-Kai was run by Oki's dad? Well maybe that would be a good thing, maybe a bad thing... if father was anything like son, it'd be a hoot right? "Oh hey, I met someone from there, he was tryna teach me to fish with a net..." Maybe the lesson hadn't gone so well and it left him a bit hot under the fur to remember. "If I end up down that way do ya want me to pass on a message? I should probly check with Oki too huh?" His head canted for a second. At least it would give him a chance to stop by and say hi to Kuroo, if nothing else.

"speech"

Truthfully, Celeste had not interacted much anyone from Tojo-Kai. Hattori was the furthest extent she had made an effort to interact with so when Arne mentioned this other man who had tried to teach him to fish, she couldn’t help but giggle. “Was he teaching you to fish or was he flirting with you?” She teased as she lifted her chin so she could tug on a tuft of his cheek fur. Thinking for a moment, Cel considered keeping their visit a surprise but rather thought that maybe Hattori would prefer knowing in advance. “Ah, if you come across the Kaicho, Oki’s dad, his name is Hattori, let him know we intend to come visit at some point. Oki isn’t too fond of his father but you could check with him if you’d like,” Celeste smiles warmly at Arne, her expression shows the appreciation she has for the man.

Dense as Arne was when Celeste questioned if Kuroo had been flirting with him, his eyes glazed over a bit. You could almost see the 'back in 5 minutes' sign on the other side of his pupils. He hadn't considered it, and wouldn't be so presumptuous as to assume that anyone was ever flirting with him. After all, he was just himself. There wasn't anything particularly amazing about him.

The tug on his cheek fur bought him back and he laughed with the dappled woman. Hattori the Kaicho. It all sounded very formal to him. "Sure, I'll mention it if I get down that far." He responded with a smile, after all, there was a lot of snooping to be had between here and there, it wasn't a short journey. Lifting his leg from over Celeste, his back end popped up in a stretch. "Before that though, still plenty to see around here. I doubt I'll be welcome back once I go. I might go check out those strange woods and the beach before I leave. I'll make sure I let you know when I'm going." His tail waved as his back end came back down on the rock. Just a little bit longer sunning himself wouldn't hurt.

"speech"