it will be easier now, @Gawain says, and elijah thrums a little purr as an agreement. whatever i can do to help... he says, trailing off instead of offering specifics. anything, he doesn't want to say, but it hangs unspoken regardless. he does not feel indebted to gawain, not even for him opening up his home to them — and there is clear relief in the delicate lines of his shoulders. he was wanted here, whereas he was never wanted before. there was a place for him to make his own way, and he wanted to help gawain and naz, however he could.

that's what friends did, right?

ears prick forward as their tour begins, and gawain starts it off with a bang. the large tree he'd indicated was central to the jungle it seemed ( or, at least, their section of it ) — it was impossible to miss, and from gawain's words, that might not be a bad thing. i'll be sure to keep that in mind! he says with a little laugh — muzzle wrinkling up with the smile. sure, getting fruit tossed at him wasn't exactly how he wanted to spend his days... but maybe the monkeys would be friendlier if he didn't chase them? are there any other bad neighbors i should know about? he asks, teasing lightly — shooting gawain a bright smile. maybe gawain liked to insult other animals.

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Gawain had a family now, he supposed. He'd had Naz, of course, which was enough to make a family, but now he also had Elijah. A family could be him, his adopted cub, and his best friend. And, of course, his best's friend's daughter and friend. And, of course, the angry monkeys that liked to throw fruit. "Just them so far," he laughed, looking up towards the little primates. "I kinda like having them around. They don't like us, but they hate strangers more. Any time someone new comes around, they scream. It's great." Okay, yeah, maybe he brought them fruit sometimes when he traveled. Maybe he was fond of the screaming, fruit-throwing primates.

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Eli follows Gawain's gaze with a smile, noting the way the little primates eyed them carefully. He couldn't blame them -- he'd be annoyed if he kept getting bothered by newcomers, too. The idea of angry monkeys was funny, but also useful. If they hated people and made a lot of noise when strangers came sniffing around, that meant they were good watchdogs. So they're not the worst neighbors to have, elijah says with a laugh, his nose wrinkling up with the effort. Maybe he could sneak them some fruit, as a gift. A housewarming present as he got settled in, in the Hopes that they'd like him, too.

Little paws carry him a step away from Gawains side, sniffing and scenting the humid air. Itd take some time to get used to this place over the hollows, but... he was excited to wake up to sunlight and warmth. Excited to wake up to Gawain and Naz, too, and Phantom. What made you guys pick this jungle? He asks, head tilting slightly. The island was as gorgeous as it was expansive, plenty of biomes and landmarks to choose from. Maybe @Gawian had grown up in a jungle just like this? Or maybe Naz had just liked the trees enough to want to stay. He liked this jungle too, and liked it even more now that it was going to be his home.

Their home, and oh, he liked the sound of that.

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Gawain laughed. "No, certainly not the worst. Though they tend to be early risers." Admittedly, he'd had a few early morning naps interrupted by them. But by now, he had a pretty good handle on what different calls meant and was able to distinguish between them pretty well. "If you ever go to the peak, they seem to like mango." Why had they chosen the jungle? Naz had wanted to see the big trees, sure, but why had they stayed? They could have lived a million other places on the peninsula. "One of the first things Naz asked to see when we arrived was the forest. She'd never seen big trees before. They liked it here, and I suppose I found it pretty appealing too. There's plenty of shade, lots of cover, and plenty of smells to help disguise us." @Elijah

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early risers, hmm? so not only were they loud and volatile, but they were keen on interrupting his beauty sleep. it certainly sounds like a downside, but elijah smiles nonetheless. more than a little endeared by the fact that @Gawain knows exactly what they like. i'll be sure to keep that in mind, he says with a little place, cornflower gaze lingering on the monkeys just above. it wouldn't be the first time i've won someone over with food, he says, a cheeky little smile twisting his lips. though, of course, this would be the first time a Monkey got his bribery.

gawain is, of course, happy to explain -- seemingly never minding. elijah listens intently, smiling softly when it's revealed that the decision had mostly been naz's. ah. She picked a good spot, he hums, appreciative for their vision. Not only was aniadar beautiful, but it seemed safe, too. As safe as it could get, he thinks. Between the monkeys being a built in alarm system and the coverage of all the vegetation, it certainly seemed secure. He knew better than to be complacent but this was.... better than he'd been expecting.

How much better would his haven had been if gawain was in charge there?

Shaking the thought away, elijah brightens -- focusing only on this. The confines of his new home, a paradise come to life. Made even sweeter by the man at his side, and the others he knew to be here. They'd welcome him, he hoped, and they'd make this place a home. Something more than just a shelter, more than just a banner to live underneath. he looks up to gawain, his smile never fading, as he asks: is there anything else i should know? this would be only the second time on this island that he was choosing to live somewhere -- he did not want to mess this up.

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"Food is the best bribe," he replied with a grin. It had worked here, at least. He looked up at the trees appreciatively. They were an excellent security blanket. Especially for cubs, who could easily climb up them and hide in the dense foliage. "Yeah, she's a smart cub. I just follow along." Naz could have asked to live anywhere and Gawain would have done his best to make it secure, but he was fond of this jungle, and he hoped to stay here for a while. He hummed softly in thought at Eli's next question. Was there anything else? They'd covered the monkeys pretty thoroughly, and Gawain didn't have a great grasp on the flora here, so he couldn't say much there. "Naz seems to think tree roots make good napping spots? That's about all I've got." He couldn't think of anything else that would be pressing for Eli to know about. "Oh, and there's a river in that direction that's a pretty clean source of water." @Elijah

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i will be sure to keep that in mind! elijah says with a little laugh, more than a little delighted. food and bribery were the currency here, and there were plenty of prime napping real estate all round. it bode well for him, he thought — and the fact that @Gawain ( and little naz, too! ) were willing to open their home to them… well. it meant more to him than he could ever say, and he was eager to get moved in. there’s a few things i want to bring from obsidian — all my herbs and a few trinkets, things like that. but then… i will be back. he murmurs, suddenly a little sheepish — as if gawain would suddenly change his mind now.

thank you, he murmurs — offering a small smile to his friend. and now, his new roommate. the change is sudden but it feels like it’s been a long time coming — it’s been months since he had something to look forward to. anything to look forward to. and now with soil underneath his paws and sunshine warming his fur… well. it feels like a brand new day, and a good one. for letting us stay, and for the tour. and for everything else.

with another smile, he’d turn to leave — a new, little spring in his step, excited.

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"Of course," Gawain purred, nodding. "Take your time, collect whatever you need. If you need help carrying anything, I'd be happy to help."

It would be nice to have someone else in the jungle with them. He felt sure Naz would enjoy the company, especially when he had to leave for days at a time. And he would feel better too, knowing she wasn't alone.

He watched Eli leave, then turned and walked back to the monkey tree. "Hey, don't give me all that. He's on your side!" The monkeys, of course, did not stop their chatter. He didn't expect them to understand, after all. He chuckled to himself, then turned and walked back to his den. Eli would be back soon.

-Exit

+5- tempt someone away from a pride

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