Nayati, backdated to sometime... lol

After he had witnessed Faryn Tahra’s incident the boy had needed to escape the boundaries of the packlands. It wasn’t how he expected to feel, thinking that he would want to return to his room in Haven’s house and not leave for days. But instead he had wished to see his mother. But that was like Alder, seeking the comfort of his mother after an episode of true trauma. He had walked all the way to Crimson Dreams, moving quickly and without rest to the borders.

But when he got there, instead of breaking them he traveled further west. He didn’t want to go crying to Anu, possibly bump into his brothers and try to explain why he was there. The male was growing, and looked far too much like an adult to pass as an upset pup any longer. Sadly the male ventured around Crimson Dream, not wishing to return back to Cour des Miracles quite yet. Days and nights away brought the boy some resolve, living off the neutral lands alone.

Eventually he came to the borders of a pack he had never smelled before. The large wolf stalked the scent trails, staying just beyond the barrier so that he would not trespass. It took some time, but the boy gathered enough courage to finally decide that he would attempt to seek out a member of this pack and perhaps make a friend. It took him most of the day, but the boy gathered two hares for a gift to the wolf that he would meet at the border. He took them from the free lands, making sure not to take anything from the claimed land. He tied the back feet of the rabbits together, and then stood at his full height and walked towards the fence that contained the pack. When it came into sight, Alder’s pace slowed.

There was a sudden rise of acid in his stomach, and his fingers fidgeted with the dead rabbits fur. He paused, and then turned not to enter but to follow the length of the fence and perhaps find another opening. He convinced himself that the one he had found was not the best one, and that he would find another.

guessing Nayati is on the other side of the fence?

He was so very unsure. So Alder walked with a a slow pace, wandering along the fence and wishing that the answers to his questions would come to him. With his anxiety Alder knew only a few ways to overcome it and break free of his insecurity. He repeated his surroundings, looking at the fence and thinking the name of the pack lands that stood beyond it. AniWaya, his mother had taught him of this tribe. She had met members, and known their bond to be one of friendship. There were trees beyond the barrier, an evergreen and he thought that he saw an oak not too far away. There was the scent of water, as if a stream was near. He counted the rabbits he held, only two but still a gift to be given. Alder felt the unease subside, only to be shocked again with the sound of someone approaching on horse back.

The boy knew the sound well, and could tell that the rider and beast where of formidable size. He turned to meet the picture that had come into his mind. But he couldn't have imaged something so impressive. The pale coated wolf sat on the dappled stallion with a straight back and perfect posture, the blue marking on his chest presented powerfully against the white pelt. Alder's ear fell back, even though the perfect picture of masculinity standing before him did not speak with a harsh tone. The boy looked to the horse as the pair came closer, hoping that he would give him more to read. All the low speaking boy gained was a sense of curiosity.

The tall black and brown male forced himself to look at the saddled male to reply, My names Alder, I am from Cour des Miracles. I have come to bring good will to AniWaya, from my pack. He had practiced that introduction, and held the rabbits up slightly when he spoke the last sentence of it. Blue, deep water hued eyes looked at the painted wolf with a growing sense of awe and waited for his response.

horrible wait, so sorry ><

Alder was not perfect at reading other's. He could see their body language, but he was not confident enough to be sure of what they felt. Some were good at hiding their true intentions, and he couldn't trust his reading skills. Horses however never lied, and the horse spoke of nothing negative. It brought his confidence up just slightly.

Yet his eyes still only glanced over the other male, and he waited to hear what the pale stranger had to say. He spoke his name, and the boy's gaze came to his face and were held there. Anu had told them many stories, the characters figments of her imagination. Or so he thought. But here was the pale wolf of one of those stories. His name had been Nayati, he was painted across the snout and a hunter of the tribe. Alder felt a fool for thinking that the story had been fiction.

It wasn't until the great wolf spoke of the hunt that Alder lost his daze and took another step closer to the fence that separated them. He shuffled his paws a bit, and wondered what was proper to say at this part of the exchange. He almost felt giddy, the knots in his stomach becoming bubbles. I believe my mother has met you, Anu of Crimson Dreams. He didn't want to tell him that he was the figure of his puphood bedtime stories. That would just be embarrassing.

Alder was not ashamed to stand behind the name of his mother. He did so with his brother too. Though now he had a stable rank in the court Alder did not need to rely on Haven's knighthood as much as he had in the past. His mother knew many though, and Alder found nothing wrong with making friends through her. Alder smiled, and looked down as Nayati mentioned his eye color slightly embarrassed. They all had her gaze, in one shade of the Sun's light or another. But Alder recovered when the pale wolf extended the invitation to come into the pack lands.

The boy moved quickly, entering through a break in the old fence and and approached the man. Thank you Nayati. He spoke, with a genuine tone. Alder had almost forgotten the rabbits that he had caught for the the enjoyment of the tribe. Of course it would not feed many, perhaps the hunter would enjoy it and perhaps share the second with a friend. Or, Alder thought, perhaps there was a weaker pack member that the tall and able man would generously give the hare's to. The boy figured that he would do such a thing.

When he was close enough he put out his long arm, For the tribe of course. Alder looked back to the stallion. He is a good looking horse, may I ask his name? His tone was curious, though as modest as he had been on the other side of the fence. He was a guest here, but not one to be honored like Anu or another leader.

Alder was honored with the title of friend. His blue eyes looked away from the similar hue of the pale wolf. He settled on the horse until his comfort was regained and he could place them back on the tribesman. Alder was taller then the hunter, and yet he felt small beside such a creature. There was a presence around the older male that made him seem much larger. It was impressive, for owning so much confidence was something the black accented boy would never know.

Nayati spoke of his stallion, and Alder watched the dabbled horse as he did so. He moved at the sound of his name, a short and simple sound that was easily recognizable in the ear of a low speaking beast. Alder did not know if the hunter knew the way of the lesser language, and felt as if it would step beyond the line of newly introduced friendship if Alder was to speak the rider's praises for his horse to Iye. He was sure that the horse knew, nothing in his stature or stance said nothing other then confidence and contentment.

Alder swallowed, Very fitting. he commented, a small smile on his face. Speaking of horses that boy was a few more small steps towards confident. I have yet to claim one, most are too small for me. He said, giving a small shrug. He wished he had a horse to ride, beyond a trip around the ring before dismounting. The largest of those in the Court's stables were owned by the high ranking members. But the boy was patient.