You've got that young blood, set it free

You don't gain a single thing from misery

[[RNG gods picked CC lol]]

The meeting at the entrance to the land had not panned out, and so he'd spent much of his time since arrival exploring the outer beach before finally crossing through the passage. Time, then, had been spent on the interior coast as he weighed his options. It would be best to get himself into a stable situation as quickly as possible, which meant seeking out one of the local prides and integrating himself into the group. He was well aware that, by luck of birth, the choice need not be final nor permanent. It was far easier for a man to try groups out and move on if it did not suit him.

Wandering paws carried him across soft sands, until the scent of a territory came to him on the breeze. His path shifted, and finally came to an end, a few feet shy of the actual border. Ah, this was a lovely area. Good views, relaxing atmosphere. Perhaps vulnerable to storms but he knew too little about the local climate to make a guess. No harm in giving it a chance, he supposed. Perhaps they had better shelter within.

He held himself with a regal air, but his voice was polite and respectful when he called for someone of rank to come meet with him. The worst they could do was refuse him, yes?

Parvati didn't have a rank but they were super curious so that had to count for something! Parvati needed to know how the ranked members dealt with border visitors so that all procedure could be imitated perfectly. They pranced toward the borders with high steps but, once they actually saw the stranger, they froze. For a moment Parvati had forgotten that approaching others might actually lead to social interaction. Parvati... didn't want to make small talk, but there had to be some reason this guy(?) was here, right?

The silver lion forced their steps to move again. Their tail hung dead and their stride was a stiff pace, as if toward the gallows. Their gaze was also dead steady and determined. Closer and they saw this lion had a scrunched lack-of-mane like their father but a weird grimace and teeth like they'd never seen before. Their face stayed mostly dead but their green eyes narrowed and they fixed upon this curiosity, nakedly staring. "What happened to your teeth? Did they grow in wrong? Are the rest of your teeth OK? Do you need a special diet?" They plowed in with insistent tones. Their last question was a little less hasty and more dutiful - because they realized it might be Important to know if a potential new pride mate needed a special diet. Parvati was helping.

@Enki

She's keen as ever to the smell of newly arrived rogues at the golden gates of Caladan. By this point, Feyre has appointed herself as the Cove's welcoming committee. Though she had largely gone without a stick in her mouth, Feyre decides to carry one this time. With hurried steps, Feyre makes a heroic entrance to the Cove border as she brandishes her pride within her strong cubby jaws. It flings out of her mouth, just short of the dark, pointed ear rogue. She notices that @Parvati is already here but they're weird and Feyre doesn't know if she likes them or not. Puffing out her chest, Feyre says You're in the presence of the Cove welcoming delegation - me! Are you joining us? She makes sure her voice is loud and clear - official enough - so that the rogue will take her seriously. @Enki

image by rabbit/nesla, code by koi

You've got that young blood, set it free

You don't gain a single thing from misery

The first to arrive was a youth - not terribly young but not yet quite an adult. She came with questions which earned a very small smile. Perhaps some would be offended; Enki was moderately amused. A quiet chuckle bubbled forth "It is not very polite to point out another's differences like that." His voice held a lingering trace of humor - he was not offended nor trying to chide the girl. "But, in order, no, yes, and no." He was quite aware he was a unique sight outside of his homelands, and he'd made peace with that a long time ago.

Another appeared, and he found it somewhat funny it was another youth. This one younger. Was this a pride of children? Brows lifted as he put on an impressed face at her confidence (and her stick), and the dark man offered a polite bow. "My, such big words from such a small guard. Your intelligence must be the envy of your peers." His tone was genuine, not at all mocking. He would not simplify his words if it was not necessary, and was generally of the opinion that using simple language around children of a certain age only stunted the development of their vocabulary. As he straightened, he offered a nod, "Perhaps. It seems a lovely territory, but I am curious of your laws and culture." It could be the most beautiful land in the world, but if his personal values clashed with those of the pride, he would need to go elsewhere.

@Parvati @Feyre

@Parvati asks a lot of questions, all of which is what Feyre is thinking. She has never seen such a weird-looking guy before. Lion ears should be round and not...sharp. She wonders if he's cursed or something. Or maybe he had someone shave his ears into that shape? And his teeth look scary, but also cool at the same time. Feyre wants to ask him about how she can grow her own teeth out like this when the man speaks. His words make Feyre feel fluttery in her tummy and her cheeks hot. If she doesn't have all this fur, she's sure her cheeks would be hot. Thanks! I got it from my mom. Hecuba did influence some aspects, after all. Including one very colorful but nasty word that Feyre learned cannot be thrown around without some hard thinking. She actually has to do some hard thinking when @Enki asked them about their laws and culture. I don't know...I just swing my stick and play and nobody bothers me. Feyre looks to @Parvati for help.

image by rabbit/nesla, code by koi

Parvati didn't know what to expect from their words. They had simply gushed forth, too enthusiastic to calculate social mores. The pointy-eared male chuckled to which Parvati blinked, green eyes discomfited. "But I'm not saying anything secret. Your teeth are sticking right out of your face. Actually they're the most obvious thing about you. Especially because you're black." Maybe where this guy came from, they all had black teeth... so nobody see them. Which still didn't explain why asking questions was a bad idea.

Parvati's face scrunched as they tried to recollect all that they had asked and match answers retrospectively to questions. "OK. So you don't need special food. So we don't have to talk to the hunters." Parvati did not even know who the hunters were but if this male had joined with such needs then Parvati would have had to find out. It was their duty. As... not as any sort of ranked member... but their parents had always talked about duty and such, and living up to it - Parvati didn't know it mattered what rank you had, just had to do the right thing no matter was.

That tiny, potentially malnourished cub showed up again, and Parvati peered down to see just how that stick was swinging. Didn't want their ankles getting whacked. "How do you become part of the welcoming committee?" they intoned at @Feyre since obviously it was a thing and Parvati wanted to know what it was. If they accepted tiny cubs into it then maybe Parvati's lack of qualifications would also be overlooked. And they could be part of something... until they became a good medic and could command power on their own merits.

Parvati looked back at the adult and realized they didn't actually know shit about laws and cultures. "I don't know what here is culture and what is... normal? What would be different if I lived anywhere else? This is the only pride I lived in except when I was a baby. I know it's important to have freedom. The new High Sovereign who just took over said anyone could leave if they wanted to. What... what details about laws are you concerned about? Maybe I know or maybe you can find the High Sovereign. Can't know unless you ask. But... you shouldn't cross the border. Not without being a member."

@Enki

You've got that young blood, set it free

You don't gain a single thing from misery

It really wasn't his place to teach the girl manners - that should have been her parent's job. She seemed innocently curious, but there was the potential for a much harsher lesson if she insulted the wrong individual in the future. He nodded, acknowledging that, yes, the yearling's comments had been made on very obvious features, "This is true, but some would not like their differences mentioned in such a way. Many may be embarrassed, or sensitive, about such things." He wasn't one of them, and in this way she had been lucky, but she seemed sweet and he wouldn't like to see her face violent consequences if she annoyed the wrong lion.

Attention drifted back to the younger girl when she mentioned inheriting her intelligence, "She must be very proud." He would be, to sire a bright child. Though he did often wonder at the likelihood of that happening now - cubs at all, not just bright ones. Back home a wife would have been arranged for him if he'd taken too long to find one himself, and possibly a husband, but a wife was necessary to continue the bloodline and the kingdom.

Hardly mattered now beyond personal dreams and desires.

For the present problem, he found no solution either. Neither seemed to have the information he sought, though the older one was slightly helpful. "I wouldn't dream of crossing without invitation," a small smile was offered with the statement. He was no invader, he understood the importance of borders. The only time it was appropriate or necessary to pass over without permission was in times of war, though he hoped such things were rare here.

"Is there, perhaps, someone of rank who might be of some help?" Someone with the ability to answer his questions, and grant him entry should the place be acceptable (and he accepted)? It would be a learning experience for all involved; it was important for the youth to be aware of pride law, was it not?

@Parvati @Feyre

She’d been doing a patrol along the coastline near Scilla and was a bit delayed in her arrival, but now that the Lagoon was a certain ally it was easy to get lost a bit in the beauty of the waves and the horizon, the sounds of seagulls crying as the ocean breeze twisted her long coat. “Perhaps I can be of assistance?” she would greet the stranger, though her gaze was guarded as he was just that… a stranger. Still, @Feyre wasn’t beating him with a stick and @Parvati was seemingly relaxed so he must not have posed a threat so far. “Morrigan Greyflood, Sovereign.” She would nod her head slightly in greeting to @Enki.

code by javs

You've got that young blood, set it free

You don't gain a single thing from misery

[[-moves this along-]]

Finally, another arrived. This one, thankfully, an adult. His attention shifted to the woman - striking in black and white - and Enki offered a polite bow at her introduction. "Ah, perhaps. Enki Kreios, currently a wanderer." It pained him a little to introduce himself in such a way. Once, he had a title of his own, a kingdom and a purpose. Now? Adrift.

"Your young guards have been quite welcoming already," he would leave out the part where one of them asked him potentially awkward questions, and where the other had brandished a stick, "but were not able to inform me of your local laws and customs." She should be able to do that, no? Being Sovereign and all. "Although, I suppose a more pertinent question, first, is whether your pride is the sort to offer sanctuary to those who are...unattached." If they were of the kind who rejected strangers and maintained a family-only group, he would make no trouble and continue exploring the land until he found somewhere that might allow him to stay. Rogue life, however, was not an attractive prospect to one who had never truly known anything other than pride life until tragedy had changed that.

@Morrigan

The stranger introduced himself before complimenting @Parvati and @Feyre for their diligence, "Thank you Parvati, Feyre," she told them, grateful they'd kept him company and kept watch until she'd made it here to heed his call. He asked if they were welcoming to strangers and Morrigan smirked, "We were all strangers to each other once, except my sister and myself. She is High Sovereign here. Our family name means nothing outside of the pair of us, really. We can find a place for anyone, so long as they find some way to contribute if they're able." She settled down where she stood as she continued her explanation to @Enki, "Should you decide to join, any rank except for the leadership ranks may be challenged for, but we don't use our power to take anyone's freedom unless it becomes a matter of dire safety. Similarly, we won't hold anyone against their will. And finally, do your best not to make enemies for the Cove without coming to us first. We value our neutrality here." It was a lot more than she was used to speaking, but as time passed Morrigan found herself more comfortable in her position as Sovereign.

code by javs