He had been absent from the Plains for a time, caught up chasing whispers and rumors beyond the inlet of Amaryllis. The scent of Lorien had been washed away in the number of weeks removed, but he hoped he would still be welcomed within.

He would stride with an accomplished energy in his step towards the pride borders. Upon his back, a carefully rolled up fur hide of the most striking shade of white. He had heard of the rare albino stag and gone out of his way to hunt it, returning now with the carefully worked fur and a pair of antlers that appeared almost golden in the failing light.

As he reached the familiar markers, he would issue up a call, announcing his presence to who he assumed was the delightful plum beast as his elegant little ladies. Hopefully one of them would welcome him back, as well as humor him as he showed off his newest prize.

Renfri had noticed the absence of the dark pelted male who had caught her attention at the pride meeting, but hadn’t been sure why he’d left, or where he’d gone. There had been no indication of foul play that she had found, so she hadn’t been particularly alarmed, though she and the other leaders of the pride always appreciated a heads up when their members came and went. When his voice called from the borders, though, she was only pleasantly surprised to hear he had returned after all. She made her way to him at a quick pace, not wishing to keep him waiting for too long, and slowed to a stop as she neared. Taking note of the rolled up furs and the antlers he brought with him, she wondered what exactly he’d been up to. “Did you forget where your den is?” She spoke in a light, teasing manner. Though the scent of the pride had been washed away from his pelt, this would be his home until he decided it was not any longer. Perhaps it was safer this way, though, in case any newer members of the pride thought they’d caught a rogue trespassing. @Fissure

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It would not take long for someone to come and receive him there. The dainty little lioness was not intimately familiar to him, but he recalled seeing her at the delightful little get-together shortly after his initial arrival.

He would dip his head in a respectful greeting to @Renfri, setting down the antlers in the process. Her question was playful, her demeanor one of invitation. It pleased him to know he would seemingly be welcomed back without issue, he wished to show his gratitude for it, but that would come later. "I could never forget where my den is, it holds all my precious furs and is home also to some beautiful gems, such as yourself." He assured with a wink.

With a single pull and toss of his head, the rolled-up pelt was drawn from his back and laid out in front of him, paw smoothing out the crumpled blanket of white. "Rumor drew me out to partake in the hunt of a lifetime. This glorious creature of purest white fur and horns of gold. It is a gift fit for the most glamorous king or queen." He informed, watching her eyes closely to see if there might be some intrigue there.

Her light banter was well received, and returned with a playful retort of his own. Renfri’s chin tipped up slightly at his compliment, basking for a moment in the praise. She was a gem, and from what little she’d seen of him so far, she would say the same for him. “Our home will be much more vibrant with your return.” Her attention was pulled back to his trophies once more as he laid them out before her and began to explain his reason for being away. The pelt was stunning, and the antlers more impressive than any she’d personally seen. She could see why @Fissure had wanted to go in search of it, and certainly didn’t fault him for wanting to claim such beauty for himself. “It certainly is. What do you plan to do with it?” It would seem a shame to let such a pelt be laid out on a den floor just to sleep on and she wondered if he had plans to form the items into some sort of extravagant accessory.

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It was his turn to bask, warmly welcomed back to a place he had only been a part of for a short while. It felt like the Cove all other again, it had been as much a home as a pride to him. "Ah, it pleases me to be among those I might call comrades." He spoke in soft warmth.

Attention returned to the pelt in question, he would consider her question for a moment. "A merchant that hordes the best of his stock for himself does not make for a good one. I imagine I would offer to trade these items." A brief admiring look at the pelt and his attention would return to @Renfri. "Where I come from, it is common for a king to visit my mother's brothel, decorated in the finest flowers, feathers, and furs. This pelt would serve as a fine cloak for someone of lofty position. The horns could be crafted into an awe-inspiring crown." He reminisced, recalling some of the more handsome kings and lords that had visited.

"Perhaps you would be interested in a trade? As much as I love my craft, it was always my mother's wish that I obtained a respectable title and found myself a lovely wife. I could offer to make something of either the pelt or the horns for you in exchange for such a rank. I would of course surrender the title if I prove unfit for it. What do you say my darling lady?" He asked, not even entirely sure if she had the power to grant him such a rank.

As @Fissure spoke, she listened, taking in the details he shared about the life he lived before. His mother, a brothel owner. It was an intriguing detail, and she could see why he had developed an eye for the finer things in life. She could also understand why his mother would want him to pursue a title, and wished she had one to offer that was as lofty as the one he sought. “I’m afraid in your time away our ranks have filled out quite a bit, and the only thing I could offer you without having to challenge for it would be Barony.” There was at least one ranked member, one of their Genty’s, that she had not seen doing much to participate in the pride. Had the rank not been given to the man as part of a deal made with Aeistrios himself she might have stripped him of it right then and there to offer it for Fissure. Wolfgand had proven himself worthy of retaining the rank if he wished to, but Azriel had not, and she would rather have a lovely crown made from those horns than dead weight taking up valuable positions in their hierarchy. Still, her paws were tied for the time being. “If you wish to challenge for Gentry, call the fight against Azriel. He has yet to make any use of his rank, and I would rather the title go to someone who will.” Let the other Bezra man prove to them if he really wanted to be here, to aid them. And if not, let him step aside for someone who did.

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@Renfri seemed to have a level of intrigue in regard to his history. It pleased him to have someone show interest, and while he loved to hear himself talk, he would not give her his whole life story absent an invitation to do so. Right now, he was more interested in getting some sleep after his long trek.

"I would be happy to share more of my history with you in the future my lady, if it please you. Perhaps I could show you some of my wares as well. For now, I am not opposed to taking the lesser rank and working my way up." He said, still satisfied to receive a lesser rank for however long he might hold it.

Attention would turn to the folded skin, carefully rolled back up for easy carrying. From it came a small item he had made while away. "It is not a pelt, but I would offer you this." He would slide the bit of carved driftwood towards her, no bigger than his paw. It was crude, but he had filed it down into the shape of a flower, then applied a red dye to the end intended as the budding bloom's petals. "I call it an eternal rose. It will not fade as a real flower, though you may have to add more dye occasionally. It could make for a romantic gift for someone." He suggested.

She could also just keep it for herself, but he wanted her to know he would not take offense to her giving it away either.

She was pleased with his offer to share more of his past, and would certainly take him up on the offer in the future. Learning more about various individuals' backgrounds helped to give her insight on who they were, what made them tick, and all around, helped give her a broader perspective that helped her put pieces together in other situations. The more she learned and knew about others, the better. “Barony it is, then. I look forward to learning more about you in the future.” She said with a nod and a smile. She watched as he rolled the pelt back up, attention drifting to the flower that he offered to her. “It’s lovely, thank you.” She took the wooden carving, examining it closer for a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship. “Did you make this?” @Fissure sorry it's short and sorry for dragging it out, just wanted to get it to 10 posts for xp reasons

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He would be welcomed back and officially granted the rank of barony, the first step towards some rank of what he could call mother's standards. Really he would be perfectly happy just to sit back and pursue leisurely hobbies and partake in flirtation, but there was a budding sense of pride in having a rank. Now he just needed to show he was worth giving it to in the first place.

The lady @Renfri would accept her gift, taking a moment to admire it. Perhaps it was a sin to be too prideful, but he could not help but be proud of his work, eager to present it to the world and receive praise for it. Did he make it? It is one of my many talents. It took a long time to learn, only now do I feel I have perfected the practiced art. Perhaps I could teach you one of these skills. I should hope someday to have children of my own to teach. It would be a tragedy to lose these ancient teachings." He admitted, knowing he would be turning five not too long from now.. that was almost halfway to the grave. He should find himself a lovely little lioness to commit his affections towards.

He had made it, and was willing to teach her, as well as hoping for children of his own to share the knowledge with. She hoped that he would in fact be able to have those children, and selfishly, she hoped that him and this future lover or spouse chose to raise their family under the Saxe crown. She didn’t know @Fissure well, but from what she had learned of him, she found she enjoyed his company. He seemed like someone who would have many interesting stories to tell. “I’d love a lesson. Perhaps if you want a trial run with children I can bring a few of my own little hellions along with me?” She imagined Setri would be fascinated, and Seifri would go if her mother invited her. “I don’t want to keep you any longer though, I imagine you must be tired from your travels. Just let me know when you’re available for that lesson.” She flashed him a grin and, after pausing to see if he needed anything else, she began to head back towards the dens. -exit-

Art & Code by Vasilia