When morning came there would be a chill in the air, winter was so close now. Loccian would stir in her den, ears flicking forward, shoulder then paws twitching. Slowly eyes would open, jaws parted in a large yawn, legs would be extended in a stretch. She would pause to throw a glance over her shoulder, looking at the man she would start a new life with. Loccian still couldn't before this was happening, it was crazy, but of course in an amazing way. With a smile she would gently run her tongue over his cheek, waiting for him to stir.

He would feel her twitch, and his ears would catch the high pitched notes that emanated from her yawn. A pleasant smile spread across his face as she stretched before turning to gaze at him. Sleepily he would blink his eyes open just as she was swiping her tongue across his cheek. With a quick yawn the once-King slathered a kiss upon her muzzle. Good morning, Loccian. Pet names weren't exactly his forte, and so he would stick to her name for now - until something else came to mind. He was pleased to see that last night had not been a dream, a memory created by the figment of wanting her. No, it was real - and they were together. The smile grew wider on his face, taking over the creases along his jawline. I am glad to be back. He leaned into her momentarily before rising to his paws, stretching his forelimbs as he did so. As much as I would like to stay here all day long, I suspect there are others I should greet. Care to come along? Perhaps we can grab some breakfast first. He would remain where he was, shifting his weight forward to stretch his hind limbs and tail. She really had done a nice job on their den. Finally, when he felt limber enough to move freely, Gerhardt would move toward the exit and await her response. If she chose not to join him he would miss her, but he had coped this long without her and he could do it again for a few hours. speech speech speech

"Morning." She'd smile at his kiss, a soft sigh escaping her lips. He would make a comment about glad for being back, his reappearance made her happy, as i a part of her had returned. Loccian never really thought about it, but laying here as Gerhardt got up, sh felt like she had always knew that she had something within her heart for the man. Ears would pick up at his voice, grey orb watching him. HE mentioned going and greeting others, asking if she would want to come along and suggesting grabbing some breakfast. "O-of course." She'd quickly uncurl her body, picking herself up and giving a small stretch. "Breakfast sounds nice. We could try the clearing nearby, rabbits usually hang out along the trees." She suggest an item, walking up and slipping out of the den, waiting for Gerhardt. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

Normally, fear might have struck him about returning to Seracia, seeing his son and daughter in law, and his grandchildren. While he doubted they could ever stop loving him, he did wonder how angry they might be at his sudden departure. Surely they would have understood, but he wouldn't blame them if they didn't. Nor would he blame them for worrying he might leave again - but he had no sincere intentions of that. The once-King would stretch once more and slip from the den after her, agreeing that a hare sounded like a nice breakfast with a simple nod. She knew this terrain better than he did - at least now. Who knew what had changed since he'd been gone. Seracia was a whole new world again - a world he intended to get to know. He would brush against her side gently with a murmured line "Now where are these rabbits you speak of?" Nostrils would flare to take in the scents in the area - his son's the strongest, as his ears tuned in to the sounds of their surroundings. All was quiet on this morning, though the sun had been up for an hour or two. The crown of his head would align with his spine as he set himself into hunting mode, tail flickering behind him anxiously. It would be nice to hunt in claimed land for a change. "Speech"

She would brush the top of her head against Gerhardt's neck as he brushed against her, ears flicking at his voice about the rabbits. Loccian would come to a stop, closing her eyes and taking in a long deep breath, exhaling quietly. Though she still wasn't that great of a hunter, she had managed to figure out a way to hunt smaller creatures. While the man got ready for the hunt she would listen carefully. From what she observed a few times, the fluffballs would come out around this time, hiding for a bit within the trees before finally peeking out and eating along them. Ears slowly would move, listening very carefully while her nose silently sniffed the air every few moments. "There." The woman would whisper, opening her eyes and motioning straight ahead just as a head peeked out from around a tree, then proceeded to make its way into the clearing. Loccian would lower herself to the ground so she wasn't as noticeable, paws carefully carrying her to the right, try t get around it then get it to run towards Gerhardt. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

It was interesting to see her scenting the area, as she seemed like she'd picked up a hunting trick or two. Having known her for some time, he knew bloodshed was not exactly her forte - and yet he knew that even she had to know some basics of hunting if she wanted to feed herself from time to time. It wasn't always convenient to wait for a hunting party to return with enough food to feed the pack - nor was it practical. She would whisper a single word, and his head would snap in the direction of her focus. There, among the grasses, was the head of a rabbit - just creeping out of it's home. She would dart to the right, and he would move left to flank her - ready to receive the rabbit should it come his way. Jaws were primed and agape as he positioned himself in line with the flighty creature, a few yards away and unseen behind a bush. It was likely the little thing would run to the bush for safety, only to find the Ambassador's waiting jaws. It would move toward him in one swift motion, bounding furtively to escape the grayish woman chasing it. He would remain still as a statue until it was close enough - then his head would delve into the depths of the bush, snapping shut on the wriggling bodice of the creature. As his jaws closed like a vice he would hold fast for a moment before recoiling - bringing the hare with him in tightly locked jaws. However, upon this movement he would find himself under attack, as vicious thorns from the bush delved into the tender skin of his muzzle, leaving streaks of blood and shallow cuts in their wake. Oblivious to the danger, he would yelp out in pain and release the hare onto the earth, wrenching the thorns and thistles free from his hide. "Ouch," he would mumble under his breath. Pained and bloody from the hare and his own injuries. Three thin lacerations ran length-wise along the bridge of his nose, separated by half an inch or so. Blood dribbled from the area, bubbling up to the surface and causing a throbbing sensation. He shook his head, wrinkling his nose much to his own dismay. "Speech"

Once they were in position Loccian would creep forward, pausing whenever the rabbit would lift its head, then conintuing when it would go back to nibbling on the grass. When she was within a good distance the woman would suddenly leap forward, bounding away to try and get to safety, which would only end in the end of its life. A few feet she would go before she stopped, watching Gerhardt now go after the animal. She would wait, ready to pounce if it managed to escape. Seconds later he would dive into a bush, jaws snapping. Loccian would take a few steps foorward, head tilting as she tried to see if he got the rabbit or not. But then she would hear a yelp, Gerhardt pulled away without the rabbit, streaks of blood across the bridge of his nose. Loccian couldn't help but shake her head with a small chuckle, moving close and running her tongue over the cuts gently. "Should pay attention to your surroundings." She'd smirk, licking up a stray line of blood, glancing at him with a smile before pulling away and carefully dragging the rabbit out. "I can rub some herbs on that in a bit, unless you wanna catch another one while I grab something from the den?" She'd question, if he could wait for after they caught another and ate, then she could grab something along the way to meeting a few others. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

She would joke with him, chiding that he ought to pay attention to his surroundings. A small chuckle would creep from his jaws as he looked down, noting the hare still dead, but hidden in the bushes. "Small price to pay for breakfast, my lady." He would carefully drag the carcass from the bush, avoiding the brambles as he did so. She would offer to rub some herbs on the scratches, but he would shake his head defiantly. "I've seen worse, these will heal up in no time." He saw no reason to put her to work over menial scratches - besides, they didn't even hurt all that much. He tossed the rabbit in her direction, "Eat all you want." He would eat whatever was left, or catch another if necessary - it wasn't as if there weren't plenty of rabbits to go around. He would swipe his tongue across his lips, lapping up the rabbit's blood and his own. The metallic taste set his stomach aflame with hunger, but he would wait until his bride had her fill. If there was anything Gerhardt Mathias was, it was a gentleman. She had mentioned catching another, and he would do so gladly - but for now he would wait and see how they fared with just the one. It wouldn't do to be wasteful on his first day back in the Kingdom. "Speech"

Loccian would raise a brow at the man, a small price to pay for breakfast. She would shake her head with a smirk, gray orbs falling to the rabbit he would toss to her, landing before her paws. He wanted her to eat it first, normally she would have turned it down and gave it up, but she felt like Gerhardt would only toss it back. She'd lower her head, using a paw to hold the creature down, but instead of taking a bite out of it she would grab it at the center, digging her teeth i and pulling her head back and side to side. Getting through the bone she would end up pulling the rabbit in half, setting one end down and pushing it over to the man. He was the one who had to catch it and get cut up, so she should at least give him half. "We can always just catch whole ones for each of us." Soft tones would explain, a few seconds glance before digging into her end. Once she was finished Loccian would run her tongue over her lips, cleaning off the small amounts of blood. "I'll be right behind you." She would motion for him to begin walking, since she didn't know where he would be heading exactly. The number one thought was to go see his son and daughter-in-law, but perhaps he would do something else before going to them. Whatever it was, she would be right beside him. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

He would watch, bemused, as she tore the hare in half - quite skillfully, he would note. As she tossed his half to him he would begin to eat it, savoring each bite despite the dull sting in his jaw. 'Welcome to Seracia' his mind would tell him. Though he'd rather get injured here than anywhere else. The half a hare was gone in no time, and though his stomach wasn't full it was satisfied for the time being. That meal would tide him over until they could hunt something else - besides, he was anxious to see his family. 'I'll be right behind you.' She would tell him, intent upon letting him lead the way. Nostrils would flare once more as he set off in the direction where his family's scent was the strongest - also conveniently toward the center of the Kingdom. They would likely bump into them on the way, but if not they would certainly find them soon. Head would toss to the side and back slightly as they paced, posing a question to the Ambassador. "Anything I should be caught up on? I fear I've been gone long enough to be behind on the news." New members, new children, death, loss, banishment? The King knew not the multitudes of things that could have changed in his departure from the Kingdom - but he did want to be caught up as much as he could before he made a fool of himself in front of everyone. "Speech"

With their meal finished the two were head off towards what was the Kingdoms center, and Gerhardt would ask hat had happened since he was gone. Loccian would look away from him, trying to think of everything he could have missed. When did he leave... around a season and a half, so towards the end spring? Okay, that shouldn't be too hard. "Maverick and Lady Epiphron adopted a child not long after their on were born, a girl by the name of Arian. A few have been accepted, but I haven't had the chance to properly meet them yet. Miss Rivaxorus, a sir by the name of Dragon who seems to have a liking for lady Aeil. A few more, but all I can thin of are a young boy named Cruible and another by the name of Rohini and Iorwerth." She would pause to think about what else, quite a few things had been going on. "Let's see... Miss Tahlia has become Bane's mate, and they had two children, a boy Jakardt and a girl Anais. The man had been demoted to Jester because of his shenangins, and not too long ago I requested the man to be maimed and exiled, he took one of his children from a different woman from another pack, knocking him out and scarring him before coming to Seracia. He had the nerve to bring the child to Talia right after she gave birth." A soft snort would come from Loccian when she explained this, giving a slow shake of her head. "Some better news, Bronze and Silent had children, Ara, Jendai, Mercury, and Faola. Aeil and Silent were promoted to dames, and a mentoring program was started." A major thing she had to tell him about, the war and those who were lost to it. Suddenly her mood would seem to change to something low, a coldness coming to her eyes. "Glaciem is very different, a woman came to us seeking refuge but we had to give her back, they treat the women there like property... They recently went to war with Valhalla, Syrinx came asking for aid and some of our members volunteered to fight. Unfortunately though Bronze and Themisto had been taken prisoner, and I have heard nothing of my brother..."" "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

Though he knew it was likely he had missed something, when she started his lips fell open in surprise. It seemed he'd missed more than he thought. His son and daughter in law had adopted a child, that was certainly good news. It seemed Maverick was repaying to someone else what had been done for him in his youth. A few had been accepted and brought into the fold, their names filed away for later use. Tahlia had taken Bane as a mate - and though the once-King thought she could do better he would not protest it. It seemed, however, that Bane had been demoted and then maimed and banished - ah, so Maverick had had to deliver swift justice. He wasn't certain he could have anticipated that from the red boy, though he knew of his hatred of Bane. And given the description of the man's crimes, Gerhardt couldn't say that he would have done any different in the same situation. Bronze and Silent had children, yes, he recalled that news - though he'd only left days after. Aeil and Silent were promoted - a fine decision. Finally came the news he'd dreaded, Glaciem had fallen to the paws of a horrific leader - and three from Seracia had gone to war because of it. Two were lost for certain, one was unheard from, and that one just happened to be his own brother-in-law. Gerhardt gave a sigh and slowed his pace to meet up with her side, pressing into her lightly and draping his muzzle against her scruff. "I am sorry to hear that. I am certain your brother is alright, he's a fine warrior - a man I admire very much." There was perhaps none that Gerhardt trusted more aside from his own family - and now Pontifex was family. Hearing all of this, he was certain Maverick and Epiphron would be beside themselves with grief over the loss of two members. Perhaps his return was perfectly timed - they would need someone they could trust to give them advice and support. He only hoped he could fit that mold. Head would rise from her scruff to point toward the sky, letting loose a howl for his family. Epiphron, Maverick, the children - and any who would come. It was time for a reunion. "Speech"

She would lean into his touch, his cousin was one of the claimed, Themisto. Though Loccian wasn't close to the man he was still a member of the Kingdom, and so she would be upset by his imprisonment. Three people she knew, two of which she was and had been close to. They needed to get them back someway, Bronze had children here to take care of, and who knew how much longer he had in this world. Loccian was still upset with the news but Gerhardt would bring a small smile to her lips, he had grown to like her brother. It was nice to know after the home they had come from, somebody liked them as they were, not what they should have been. "Thank you." She'd whisper quietly, sitting back on her haunches as he called for his family. It would be nice to see Maverick and his family together, and it would feel wonderful if he accepted her as his father's mate. She couldn't help but smile thinking about it. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

The call was unfamiliar, and yet it grabbed his attention and refused to let go. Somewhat unconsciously his paws would begin to move beneath him, carrying him toward the source of the sound. It was strange to see much interest from the boy; he liked being the center of attention, adored being noticed -- and yet he was lazy to a fault, oven preferring to keep to himself rather than seek out others simply because the latter required too much effort. He was not at all driven like his parents, though he certainly held himself like a prince as he walked. His head was held high, tail curled above his back as he approached the source of the call. Narrowed sea-green gaze told him that one of the wolves was familiar -- but one he did not recognize, though something inside him told him he ought to recognize him. One of Loccian, a valuable member of the pack, or so his parents has told him. Slowly the boy would approach, his gait slow and not at all precise. As he drew near to them, he would dip his head in respect to Loccian; a gesture he'd been taught, not one he preferred to do. "Who's this guy?" He asked as he came within walking distance. Quintus was a blunt boy, and rarely held back what he wanted to say.

As the blood began to thicken and clot around the scratches on his muzzle, he became more comfortable - slowing his pace to a dead halt at her side. I wasn't practical to call out for someone and then continue moving, and so he would let them come to him instead - they were fairly near to the center of Seracia anyway. A boy approached, his half-grown bodice becoming visible though he was still out of earshot. He was moving toward them in a casual manner, though it seemed he held a bit of confidence in his pacing. Gerhardt returned the dip of his head, though it wasn't directed at him in particular - it was just a way of greeting. The child asked very casually - not unlike Gideon - 'Who's this guy?' A rumbling chuckle would flicker in Gerhardt's trachea as he gazed fondly at the boy. This was his grandson, Quintus Nero - if he remembered correctly. "I am your grandfather," he would state without an ounce of contempt - he didn't blame the boy for not knowing him, he'd only been an infant when they'd last laid eyes upon one another. "My name is Gerhardt, I am your father's father." Tongue would swipe across his lips as he rocked onto his haunches. "You have grown up quite handsomely, are all of your siblings as large and well-built as you?" Perhaps he was stroking the boy's ego just a bit, but hey.. that's what grandfathers were for. Eyes would flicker to Loccian, thinking of introducing her as his mate - but perhaps Quintus (if that's who this child was, anyway) should not be the first ears to hear their announcement. Maverick and Epiphron would want advanced notice, he was sure. "Speech"

It wasn't unusual for the child to be found nearby when called, and this would be no exception. The russet and white Adravendi-Mathias boy would tag along behind his brother, trailing a good fifty yards behind - but close enough to see Quintus arriving first. It was curious that Quintus would be the first in attendance, as he wasn't usually very quick on the draw. Cassius, growing bolder by the day as he worked with Dragon, did not shiver or shake as he approached the gathering of wolves which included his brother, Loccian, and a man that looked oddly familiar - and yet unfamiliar at the same time. His head would dip respectfully as the man introduced himself to Quintus who apparently didn't know him either. This was.. their grandfather? Maverick's dad? Ah, they had been told he disappeared - though here he stood in the flesh. Cassius settled beside his brother, flicking his russet tail in interest. Ears tipped forward thoughtfully as he introduced himself. "I'm Cassius, t-that's Quintus." Though he stuttered, there was a certain air of certainty in his voice. He was getting better at speaking, though he feared he'd never lose his impediment. Bi-colored eyes would shift to Loccian with curiosity, trying to gather if this man was telling the truth or not. He knew he could trust the Ambassador. "Speech"

The first to arrive, sir Quintus. Head would dip to the boy as he had in respect, her tail laying over her paws. Immediately the boy asked who Gerhardt was, the bluntness of his nature showing very well. She would loo to her new mate, wondering if he would introduce himself to his grandson or if he would let her. A chuckle would come up as he watched the boy, revealing who he was and his name. The smile would remain on her lips, the man seemed to have this handled so she would just sit where she was and remain silent till she was spoken to. With a slow nod she would agree with Gerhardt's compliment, Quintus was growing into a fine young man, well built. Next to show, Cassius. Morning sir Quintus, Cassius." She would finally speak, tone soft and gentle. "This is your grandfather, Gerhardt. You can trust him." She would confirm their suspicions of the man, he was indeed their grandfather and didn't have to worry. "Are you parents nearby?" She would look to Quintus first since he was closer, but then her gaze would drift over to Cassius with a warm smile. It wouldn't be a reunion without Maverick and his mate. "normal. talk. think. you." Awesome table by Andy <3

He would watch with calculating eyes as the man he did not recognize began to speak. He did not really remind him of his father, and so his jaw would unhinge slightly when he admitted his relation to the young boy. Gerhardt would laugh, watching him with compassion that even Quintus could not deny existed in the older man's gaze. 'You have grown up quite handsomely, are all of your siblings as large and well-build as you?' There was an obvious bit of pride in the boy's laugh, but as Cassius scampered up beside him, he would simply gesture toward his smaller brother with his nose and scoff quietly. Clearly not, though Amalia was not as small as Cassius, and Arian was decently sized as well. Quietly Cassius would introduce the two of them, and for once he would not lean to nip at his smaller brother. He knew the boy was shy, for reasons completely unknown to him -- and he had learned quickly his speech was different, and not to tease him about it. Loccian greeted him and he grinned at her lightly. He wasn't particularly friendly to everyone, but she was a nice woman and he had no reason to be anything but the same in return. "Why'd you leave for so long?" He questioned his grandfather, unsure if he should use his name or just call him by his title -- his brows would furrow as he wondered where he had been. Maverick had told him about Gerhardt, and that he was gone -- but that he would meet him someday. He just hadn't realized today would be the day. Loccian would question if his parents were nearby, and he would roll his shoulders in a careless shrug. "Dunno," he said simply. He wasn't particularly concerned with calling them here -- truthfully, he didn't know his Gerhardt's return was such a big deal, and his parents had been rather miserable and irritable lately. Some time away from them would be nice, he thought ... he really had no idea how badly the two adults might want to see them.

To say he was curious about his grandchildren was an understatement. He knew three of them only vaguely. Quintus, Cassius, and Amalia - the fourth adopted child he had not been around to meet, and he would not be able to pick her out as he had the others. He only knew them by their stark coloration, had they all been similar looking he would be completely oblivious. Cassius arrived next, settling beside his brother and speaking their names - with a slight stutter that was hard to miss. The once-King would not make mention of it, and instead would greet him with a smile. "Good morning to you, Cassius." Though the second son had grown considerably as well, he was not nearly of the same stature as his brother. Loccian would confirm his relation to them and let them know he was trustworthy, ah - good. He wanted them to trust him, he needed that. Though he knew their affection he would have to earn, it all started with trust. Quintus would question him - again quite bluntly. There was a solemn look on the Ambassador's face as he began. "Your grandmother and I had separated, and she died. I was grieving and decided to take some time for myself. I regret it now, as I have missed so much - particularly my family." And Loccian, he would note in his head. Quintus seemed to not know where his parents were, but that was understandable - it was likely the children were experiencing their independent streak. "So tell me, what do the two of you do all day long? Is there something you like to do for fun?" They were over half grown, and surely they had hobbies and interests that kept them busy during the daylight hours. "Speech"

Curiosity brimmed in his features as Loccian confirmed the man's relation to them and his trustworthiness. So, it seemed he was indeed their grandsire, and he was trustworthy - according to Loccian. Cassius was inclined to believe her, and so he did. Quintus would quite boldly ask the question that bloomed in Cassius' own mind. 'Why'd you leave for so long?' Cassius would bump abruptly into his brother's shoulder, clicking his jaws in effort to silence his brother - but it was too late. Oh, Quintus was as subtle as a clap of thunder. Gerhardt's answer would come, but unlike Quintus, (who would probably take no note of Gerhardt's facial expression) Cassius could see clearly that it pained him to answer. Had Cassius been more assertive he might've chastised his brother verbally for such a faux pax. Cassius smiled gently and knowingly, nodding his head in agreement with Gerhardt. "That m-makes sense," he would chime in, hopefully before his brother made some foolish comment in response. Loccian would ask where their parents were, and Cassius was proud to have an answer compared to his brother's 'dunno'. "I think they are p-patrolling the b-borders, n-not sure wh-where though." He sighed, if only he could get his tongue to move as quickly as his mind, then his speech wouldn't slur and stutter. Gerhardt would then ask what they liked to do for fun, and Cassius would stare rather blankly in his direction. There wasn't much he did for fun. Mostly he tried to keep from getting lost, and when he did get lost he tried his hardest to get back home. That was about it - but that didn't sound like a proper answer to give a long-lost grandfather. And so he would lie. "J-just exp-p-ploring." Ah, it seemed when he told fibs his voice would falter more frequently - a pity. Eyes would cast swiftly to his brother in hopes that - for once - Quintus might say something to distract the attention from himself. Cassius didn't want the limelight, and Quintus flourished in it. "Speech"