Pouting unhappily, the collie-dog let his dark eyes wander from the ocean back to the shore. There! A figure was huddled on the sand, morosely tossing a stone into the deep blue sea. He did not smell familiar, but he was alone nonetheless. Jacquez's fringed ears flopped forward as he tilted his head, studying the odd apparel this male sported, before taking a deep breath. "Bonjour, étranger! Comment allez-vous?" he bellowed, caring not that the solitary boy was not a likely candidate to speak French. The stray dog had gone most of his life around others that did not speak French. It was just a habit he had of using the pretty words. It made him sound more worldly, more royal. Also, ladies seemed to like his accent.

Without waiting for an answer, the self-proclaimed king stomped the short distance, squatting down onto his haunches to see eye-to-eye. "Green! That is a pretty colour, monsieur. What are you doing here?" He pursed his lips, catching a delicate whiff of the strange youth's garments. "Aha! Have you any drink left over?
You are a wicked child, spicing yourself with good rum and not saving any for moi..." His expression drooped comically, one hand clutching at his lean chest as though his heart were breaking. He did miss his rum. It had been too many days without a decent drink.

The lean-muscled canine tilted his face to the sun, enjoying the warmth on his face. The salty breeze fluttered at the ponytail he sported, teasing at the multitude of hues in his shaggy fur - the reds and browns and whites all blending smoothly throughout his pelt. Now that he had a good rest last night, filled his belly and satiated his thirst, he was in a much more accommodating mood. "The ocean, she is happy today. She will not claim any ships. It would be a good day to sail..."

The collie-dog tilted his russet face curiously, listening attentively to Haven's lachrymose tone. Family issues were something that blew in one ear and out the other with him; he had no memory of any parents or siblings, and even if a female approached him with a pup of his, he had no interest in adopting the role of a father. They could raise his kids if they wanted to, or abandon them; whatever suited their fancy. That was the stray way. He had been abandoned, and it hadn't bothered him one bit. Apparently wolves were much more attached to their biological relatives. "If you do not wish to be a burden, monsieur Haven, then you must stand up for yourself. No one will ever like you if you loathe yourself." The tall Optime shrugged his good shoulder, striding into the building. The attractive scents of various drinks met his sensitive nose, and he grunted with pleasure, moving immediately to the shelves on the walls. What would he start with? Off-handedly, he added, "Mm, but if you left your pack, you are welcome to join ours. Ruri and I are going to start one on the beach." His white fingers danced atop the smooth glass bottles, intently studying the ragged labels. What would be the strongest?

He pursed his lips, turning back to his bottle. Try as he might, his deft claws could not secure purchase on the bottleneck, and in one flash of a mood swing, he whirled about, throwing the bottle at the wall. The glass shattered with a mighty crash, raining potent grog down upon them both. He roared a laugh, his mood sweetened by the worthwhile explosion. Wiping the sticky drink from his lean muzzle, the unpredictable canine sat on the end of the bar, crossing his legs onto a stool. "His Highness is looking for defenders, someone noble enough to protect the womenfolk we take in... I imagine, monsieur Haven, that not every pack is pleased with letting the wolves they don't like gather together in one place. It will make them nervous. As though a rebellion were brewing..." He tapped a finger on his chin, mind wandering already. Starting that sort of mischief excited him, thrilled him. But he had no plans for war, not really. "We do not lack those with heart; we just need a brave soul to back them up, keep them safe. Do you know anyone of that vocation...?" His smile grew wider, quite dazzling too, in his mind at least. A pity that the rakish expression was wasted on a boy; perhaps he would try the same smile on the lady Firefly when he returned to the shores. Ruri had spoken quite fondly of her friend Haven - would it lift her spirits further to have Jac bring him back?

The Frenchman chuckled, almost feeling the reason behind the youth's apprehension. "Firefly, Svara, they are strong women... but les attitudes get them in trouble. Why else would you find such ladies of influence, living like outcasts? Too proud to ask for help. Then there are the needy ones, such as petite Ruri, who have to rely on others all of their lives, and feel shame because of it. They all need someone to stand up for them, even if they are loathe to ask." He reached below the counter, dragging up a new bottle without looking to see what it was. A small growl bubbled from his cream-furred throat as he used his sharp fangs to wrest the top free, spitting it to the floor. Triumphant this time, Jac raised the bottle in his sole hand, pouring gulps of the fiery brew down his gullet. "Feu! Now that is the good stuff," he purred, long tail stirring up dust on the counter. "What was I saying? Ah - you have no need of training, you learn from experience. I'll brawl you, monsieur, if you like the practice...!" Already buzzing with recklessness, the big male flexed his fingers into a fist, grinning madly. He did so love to fight...

"This, I like," he said suddenly, his attention abruptly rerouted by the glint of something shiny. "A ring in your ear... I like the looks of it." His pale fingers nearly brushed against the small metal hoop dangling from Haven's snowy-white ear, but he withdrew them in a rare act of considerateness. Perhaps it would hurt him, to handle the piercing. He had seen earrings before, but only from a distance. His former pack lived in too much poverty to afford such bangles, and too much squalor to risk the infection of a piercing gone awry. His greedy mind was now transfixed on the idea, though, and was already trying to calculate how he could get his own. "Is... your sister cute?"

OoC: He truly is.

Jacquez raised an eyebrow, cluing in on what Haven was pressing towards. He wanted an official knighting, did he? Well, it was certainly within his divine rights as king. Knights who were sworn in under oath were always the most loyal. This was not the place, though - he was not certain of Haven's loyalties yet. The young man was still conflicted, between his origins, his family, his previous pack. He would wait just a little longer, to see if the youth could prove himself. "Take up arms, eh? What arms did you have in mind, monsieur?" Where he came from, tooth and claw were all there was. He was not used to the bountiful resources of this treasure trove, the empty buildings rife with artifacts and playthings. There was such a myriad of possibilities...

"I certainly do! You must help me find one, later I presume," the tall canine crowed, excited at the prospect. He could use more shiny things in his appearance! He could be the sun king, glittering with golden adornments... The image pleased him. He had never bought into the idea of wearing clothing - he was far too handsome to cover himself up - although accessories could be fun. He used to have a big hat, but it was washed overboard, ostrich-feathers and all. Having a shiny new piercing or two would certainly ease his loss.

Jac snorted, amusement turning up the corners of his eyes. Haven was tactful, when it came to his family. The womanizer did think a girl with the same burnt-orange fur and intense jade eyes would be quite a looker, but he would respect Haven's wishes. After all, he would feel perturbed if anyone started courting his little Ruri, even if it was Haven. It might happen someday anyway, but not if he could help it. "Fair enough, mon ami, fair enough. Although if she too shares the same interest in fantasy and royalty, you might do well to introduce me...!" He winked roguishly, unable to give up the last word. He had gone longer without women than he had without liquor, and both vices were necessary.