Tea with the Queen

Matteo Trovato · 05-23-2011, 11:56 PM

[html]

WC:400+
Sometime in the late morning.

After having his fight with Alaki and his first stoner adventure (and sharing circle) with Demi, Matteo had been thinking about the rest of the pack for a change. He wasn't sure wether or not he was ready to go and talk to Alaki about what had happened yet, but he'd at least given the guy a very quick (but meaningful?) hug before leaving that morning. This time he had Carissa with him, dressed in what could've been considered a mix of casual and formal clothing, including his light pink dress shirt, a black pair of pants and his lovely black boots (made especially for luperci feet). His hair was combed back into a neat braid, his fur clean and soft and his claws cleaned and polished. The boy looked ready to meet the queen!

And in a way, that was what he was heading off to do. He'd taken that day to go and visit Naniko, in hopes of getting to know his alphess better. So of course he'd gone all out in making himself presentable, even taking the time to wash his clothes the night before in a pine-soaked water, giving himself a nice foresty scent. Needless to say, Carissa had been groomed and made proper too, and she didn't seem to mind wearing the light green ribbon he'd looped around her neck, tied expertly into a four part bow in the back. Enough with appearances though. On with the scene.

Matteo took a quick-paced turn towards the main room, keeping his chin up and ears back in that sort of posture that said 'I don't have the time of day', in case anyone decided to poke fun at how well groomed he was. This encounter was planned to be casual, sure, but the chances that he might not have made a good impression on her previously had made the boy just a wee bit paranoid. It took him a few moments, but eventually he came up to the lead female's living area. He paused a moment, looked around, then (assuming there's a door) knocked firmly before taking a step back. (If there's no door, he'd have called out to her.)

Left to wait, he went over his own appearance once more before checking Carissa, who sat neatly on his shoulder like a perfect little lady, knowing full well her 'daddy' had gone just a bit over the top with this whole ordeal. She'd play along for the time being, just to make him happy and later she'd be able to think back on this with amusement.

Naniko D'Angelo · 06-02-2011, 01:29 AM

[html]

Short <3 heading to bed! 12 hour work day tomorrow...yay XD

Why he didn't have a more useful creature with him she did not know. Naniko had toyed with the idea of having an animal companion herself, but wasn't sure that she could completely trust a lower creature with the many secrets that she held. A bird of prey or something fairly intelligent, perhaps. She did notice his odd way of dressing, and made a mental note to ask him about it. The raccoon on his shoulder was the first thing that had caught her eye, though.

She wondered what his purpose was, why the other had shown up outside of her den and had called for her. He had woken her from a nice nap, one of the little bits of sleep that she managed to catch throughout the day. "This had better be something important...whoever you are." She grumbled as she leaned against the open crack that led into the depths of her living quarters. The female wore nothing but a simple weapons-belt around her waist, one that had been buckled in a hurry as she had come to greet him.

Matteo Trovato · 06-02-2011, 02:24 AM

[html]

WC:400+
Grin. Grin. Gringringringringrin. (Teo's cheeks are gonna fall off! XD)

The alphess, or Angela, didn't seem all that happy to see him. This put a slight damper on his spirits, and that smile became just a little bit forced. My apologies if I've bothered you, la mia alfa. He'd nod quickly, hand to his chest in respect, as his father had taught him back in Italy. I can leave if you're busy. I was just hoping to ask if you'd like to spare a few moments of your time... maybe come for a walk? He smiled brighter then, Carissa chirping on his shoulder. My name's Matteo, by the way. Matteo... Trovato. Giuseppe's brother. A reminder.

Of course, if that didn't work, the boy had a plan b; he had a bunch of various hemp peices he'd brought with him, in hopes of offering her one as a gift. I bet Giuseppe would never have thought of this, making friends with Naniko herself. The look in her eyes mellowed him back out again. ...then again, maybe that's for a good reason. She seems... annoyed. He kept his smile up, though, eyes shining. The boy hoped that she'd agree to spend some time with him.

Naniko D'Angelo · 06-07-2011, 10:36 PM

[html]

feel free to PP them beginning their walk

There was a familiar tilt to his voice; he sounded a bit like the Italian wolves that she had lived with when she had led Crimson Dreams. Savina had once been a friend and trusted confidant before she had turned on Naniko; one mistake and the white queen had been banished from the very pack that she had made, outweighed by the two wolves that she had promoted to leadership below her. Her trusted sub-leaders. Life was so much better for her now here, with her own pack. Teddy was a handful at times with his attitude, but he was loyal at least.

"No. It's not...that big of a deal. Not your fault I can't get a good night's sleep any more. Then I sleep when everyone else is up.." She mumbled. She had run out of the drug that had kept her happy for such a very, very long time. It was for the best, she knew, as a past healer herself. It wasn't good to have addictions like that. But it didn't stop her from missing it and didn't stop her body from craving it like nothing else.

The chap introduced himself, and she nodded along as she rubbed the drowsiness from her eyes. She cinched her weapons-belt around her waist, speaking. "Ah, yes. I remember him saying that he had a brother coming along. It's good to meet you, child..I hope you settled in well. A walk would be good...Down to the hot springs, perhaps? My muscles could use a nice soak." The angela proposed, checking to be sure that that her four daggers and axe were in place and then peering back at him once more.

Matteo Trovato · 06-07-2011, 10:58 PM

[html]

WC:400+
Small talk and friendly advice.

Teo flicked his tail happily when Naniko forgave him and agreed to go for a walk, though he seemed concerned when she mentioned not having slept. Have you thought of drinking a hot cup of tea before bed? He offered as they started down the hall, heading for the hot springs. Teo knew where they were, but he'd never actually visited them himself. Too much of a walk for too little results for him, due to his now busy schedule. My Madre used to drink it every night before bed to help her sleep when I was a pup. Apparently it calms the nerves and eases the mind, or so she'd tell me. The mention of his mother usually put the boy into a depressed mood, but the pride of being able to share her wisedom overpowered that, bringing a calm smile to his face.

As they walked, he felt drawn to his leader's fur. Pure white, like his own, like Gemma's. Apparently white wolves weren't as uncommon as white coyotes or white shepherds here. Back home, any white wolf was killed or taken in by the rich as trophy slaves, though their fur would've been dyed in places to avoid that usual 'holy white' business the Trovato lad had to deal with. I'm sorry I never got around to meeting you before. He said after a little while, finally drawing his eyes back to her face. I've been working hard at settling in, but it's not easy. Anathema is nothing like back home in Italy. Not that he was complaining. He liked it here.

Naniko D'Angelo · 06-09-2011, 04:24 PM

[html]

The springs were a bit of a walk away, but she didn't mind that too much. It was good to have time for her to get to know the packmate that walked alongside her. She glanced sideways at the creature on his shoulder as they walked, shuddering a bit. If she ever chose a creature to accompany her it would likely be some kind of an owl; the things were very smart, from what she had learned in her talks with them...and snowy colored one would match her brilliant pelt and blend in with the snow come winter time.

His idea of drinking tea before bed was a good one. It was mid-summer but the caves were quite cool during the day and cold during the evenings despite the heat that raged outside of them. Naniko nodded in acceptance of his words. "That's a good idea. Is your mother back at home, then? From the country you came from? Mine was a real bitch...left me to go off and have more kids somewhere else. I ended up in the care of a madwoman who eventually went psycho on me and tried to kill me. Good times."

Matteo apologized, and she shrugged. "It's not something to worry about, boy. I'm a busy wolf...I like to talk to pack members when I can, but there's not enough time in the day to speak to everyone. I'm glad you're settling in...it helps to know someone when you start, doesn't it? I had my sister around when we formed Anathema." She shared. As she spoke her voice echoed down the hall, rebounding back at them. "I've lived in worse places, Haha. I like the protections the caves offer. What was Italy like, exactly?"

Matteo Trovato · 06-09-2011, 08:39 PM

[html]

WC:400+
Teo gets to talk about his homeland, finally. Big Grin

Italy... He smiled, though the expression was almost sad. He decided not to comment on Naniko's mother, not wanting to offend her by accident, though he took a moment to dislike the woman for leaving her daughter like that. Yes... My mother is back home in Italy. The whole Trovato clan is. His smile became a smirk. Too many of us back there. They figured America needed a few Trovatos here too. It wasn't way he'd been sent there... but for now, he'd let people go on thinking it was of his own free will that he arrived in America. Italy... is different than what I've seen here. Big time. He looked over at her with a smile again, this time a bit less sad. All of the buildings are usually intact from the human's era and those that aren't are rebuilt. No one lives in caves or dens. It's all very...

He paused, looking for the word. Coming up with nothing, he shrugged. No one really uses their lupus form once they start shifting. Where I came from, Coyotes and Dogs were the dominant breeds. Wolves were usually either slaves or beggers. Teo took a moment to collect his thoughts after that, not liking where he'd been heading with the conversation. Luperci there use money for their trading.

At this, he reached into his bag and pulled out some silver coins, holding one out to her, so she could have a look. Italy is very modern compared to America... but I like it here. No one has to worry about money and there are no real breeding laws. Back home, if I'd have told my Madre about my interest in men, she'd have taken away my last name. And it was true. Luckily his mother hadn't blamed him for what they'd discovered. They sent him away at his father's request, though Carissa had protested greatly to it, refusing to believe that her blessed son had done such a sinful crime.

Naniko D'Angelo · 06-14-2011, 05:38 PM

[html]

She didn't know what things were like in foreign lands. Naniko would have liked to say that she had traveled the world or visited many foreign countries...but the only thing that she could claim was that she knew a small amount of Italian (most had been lost over the years) and a spattering of French. These were things that she had studied in Crimson Dreams. Her books were still there, more than likely, unless someone had taken them and burned them or disposed of them.

"I see. I'm glad that the two of you are here, even if it does mean leaving family behind. Sometimes such steps need to be taken for one to become what their destiny has chosen them to be. Mine chose for me to suffer through several hardships....but look at where I am now. I'm certain that there is a reason for your departure from your beautiful Italy...perhaps one you have not yet discovered." To her it sounded like Italy was very humanistic. Maybe that was why he wore what he wore...because it reminded him of his homeland.

The rest of the description puzzled her. Where he had come from, being a wolf had been looked down upon? Something to make someone a "slave" over? What a twisted place. Of course, if she could have had it the opposite way...with coyote and dog slaves, who was to say that she wouldn't be more accepting of it? "It sounds...very foreign. I like the way things are here as well. We're equal, for the most part. There is some dislike between some...some coyotes who dislike wolves or wolves who don't care for coyotes, but no...slavery. Or not any that I know of."

Had he been some kind of a slave, then? She looked at him curiously. "It would seem like there is a lot more freedom here than there, at the least. Freedom to believe what you want, not restricted by gender...to love whatever gender you fancy. I never had parents to disapprove of my sexual choices, so I never learned that either was right or wrong. Love is love, whether between males and females or between canines of the same gender. Canines should just do what makes them happy." Naniko'd had a male mate, Conri, first and when he had been out of the picture for a while she'd had a female mate, Anu.

Matteo Trovato · 06-28-2011, 09:04 PM

[html]

WC:400+
Sorry for the wait. Also; if you wanna PP them arriving at the hot springs, go ahead. :3

A great leader of an even greater pack? I can see why you'd appreciate your hardships. He mused aloud after her first response, only to pause and listen to the rest of what she had to say. She seemed unsure of what to think about Italy's ways of life, which he could understand just fine. She was a wolf, so of course she wouldn't have agreed with the slavery back home. He didn't really agree with it either, though that bred-in instinct to generally dislike the other breed was still lingering there in his chest, waiting for him to lose his temper and let it show.

She went on to... well, to share her opinions and the like on the topic of... being gay. He felt a smile pulling back on his maw again, glad to have someone approve of his way of living. He took a quick moment to let that settle into his mind, leaving a warm, fuzzy feeling to linger in his chest. I... like how you put that. He murmured, then paused again to reconsider his... butchered English. Pardon, I mean..

I like your opinions on the matter. He corrected, trying not to slip up this time. Back in Italy, same-sex relationships were heavily frowned upon. Though not against any laws, many families there are very religious. Our religion is one based off of Christianity, the human bible and whatnot. He explained casually. One of the ten laws written in the bible is not to love another of the same sex, because fornicating with another man creates no children, and thus, no future.

He paused to consider how this made sense, then smirked. I guess here we can adopt children no problem. Pups lose their parents all the time as loners, for example. Teo found this to be both a sad and hopeful fact of life. I dunno if I ever want kids, but having the option there would be comforting, just in case.

Naniko D'Angelo · 06-29-2011, 01:06 PM

[html]

She was a female, one who'd had many litters in her day. Naniko hadn't considered the male/male relationship in a while. "That's actually how I came to be..my father Roman was mates with another male, Physe Revlis, and they wanted puppies. However, after my dad met my mom and they procreated, he changed his mind and chose to be with her instead. Physe got left out in the cold" She said. It was odd, though, because soon after that her mother and father left Bleeding Souls completely and she ended up seeing Physe as a father figure anyway.

"So it can get complicated. Adopting a pup that doesn't have any parents is a good choice, though." She had too many children already...she didn't know what she would do with more. She just hoped that the ones that she already had chose to come back to her. "I'm nearly five years old..I've had quite a few litters. Let me know if you need help with raising them, or discipline...children thrive under a good set of rules, I feel" Naniko said.

They made their way down toward the spring and the female sank down into one of the pools with a groan of delight. "Thank you for the compliments, as well. I do what I can with what I have. My main focus is keeping the pack safe and protected...the caves help with that. And a canine doesn't have to live in the caves if they don't want to, either...we have plenty of woodland territory. I grew up in the burned lands over the mountain. Came over here after the fires." She shared.

Matteo Trovato · 07-04-2011, 09:42 PM

[html]

WC:400+
I kept forgetting that this takes place before Giu rapes Teo. XDD I had to fix so many mistakes!

What Naniko said next struck home with Matteo, making him falter in his steps and those ears to pin back even tighter. Both Alaki and Gemma sprang to mind, both of them unwelcome thoughts at that moment. Alaki was his... well, the love of his life at one point, his knight. His Hero. Then it had all gone to hell when the two had fought. Sure, he still loved the guy, but somehow his heart felt torn between the tall wolf and the white angel living with his brother; Gemma. She'd been his first kiss and he had to admit to having... some feeling for her... but what about poor Alaki, who'd worked so hard to make him happy? Bleh, all confusion and drama.

...but what Naniko had said about her father and his choices left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wasn't sure why but for some reason, it made him feel uncomfortable, so of course when she went on to change the topic back to puppies, he gladly follow suit. He murmured his agreement to her offering to help, should he ever have his own children. Good, he could use it, considering the upbringing he'd had. Thank you, I appreciate it greatly.

As they came into the springs, Teo paused, allowing her to walk ahead while talking in favor of... not getting his clothes wet. He hesitated though; the springs looked incredibly inviting, soothing and warm with a lovely scent carried off them, like medicine. But what of his scars? He'd never really... liked... showing them off. They weren't won in some epic battle, they were given to him through... no, nevermind that. Instead of getting in, he moved to the side, slipped out of his boots, rolled up his pants and sat down to let his feet and legs dip into the warm, soothing water. Otherwise, he kept out of it, not wanting to undress.

I saw that place when we came near land on the ship. He watched Carissa wander, exploring the caves curiously and keeping well away from the water. I imagine it must've been beautiful before the fires. Teo offered her a weak smile, still feeling a bit muddled by his earlier thoughts.

I've... actually never felt very safe in the open. I like the caves. I blend in for once in my life. Surprisingly enough, it was true; unless winter had a good snowfall, Teo had never really blended in anywhere. In the caves, under the dimmed flames, he seemed to mix well with the rocks, despite his pure coat. He could still remember the bitter fear he'd felt after he'd been told white fur was a danger in Anathema. So far, though, he'd been doing just fine with it.

Naniko D'Angelo · 07-07-2011, 01:03 PM

[html]

D: <3 Anything else we can think of for them to do in this thread? :3

Her previous home had indeed been beautiful. The lands of Clouded Tears had been breathtakingly beautiful if her memory was serving her right; she had grown up there and it would always be considered a home to her, burnt or not. It was terrible that the area couldn't support life any more...if it could have, she would have tried to revisit it more often. As it is, she had crossed through some of the dead lands when she had left 'Souls for a brief period...but she hadn't been able to discern the Tears territory from any of the other bits of charred forest. There had been no pack scent left, either.

"I'm glad that you fit in here. After some of the pack left for Salsola I wondered if I had done something wrong to make them want to leave. But I don't think that I did...I think that canines will come and go as they please no matter what I do" She said, giving a small insight into the life of being a leader. "I try to keep everyone happy..but sometimes it is simply not possible" She continued. "So to hear that you like it here gives me a good feeling."

Matteo Trovato · 08-05-2011, 12:13 AM

[html]

WC:400+
Sorry for the epicly long wait. :/ Anyways, I have no idea how to progress this further except to have them sit and talk about things. Maybe Nani decides to bring up Teo's scars?

The more he watched her soak, the more he felt envious of her. He had scars, ones he hoped never to have to explain to a stranger or even Naniko. They weren't from battle or from fighting, they were from something far less honorable and incredibly weak. He'd hate to be known as 'The Bitch of Anathema', as his brother had once mentioned not a day after joining.

Every bird leaves the nest someday. It's up to them if they stay in the area or not. In the time that I've been here, I've yet to hear one bad report about Anathema. You're doing an amazing job, Naniko. He smiled, a much more honest expression, one that crinkled his eyes slightly despite his young age.

Then he quieted again, to stare at the water longingly. His fur was thick... maybe the scars wouldn't show? Maybe she wouldn't ask? It was worth a shot. The boy sighed to himself and slipped off his shirt, setting it to the side away from the water. Then he stood up to slip out of his pants, leaving him in the nude.

Matteo was probably the most scarred up coydog in the province. Whip marks layered his back from tail to neck, across and down, old and new. Claw marks, bite marks, cuts, scratches, all of it. He looked as if he'd fought in a war. The scars on his face, arms and paws had nothing on the abuse to his body. Every time he flexed a certain way, his ribs showed, though he'd gained weight since joining so it wasn't as bad as it had been. There were even hints of toned, healthy muscle along his stomach and sides.

Teo's shyness showed through, though. His ears tilted slightly and he couldn't look over at Naniko for a while, too nervous about his nudity. His tail curled to hide his more private parts, a habit formed by the decency laws back in Italy, as he moved over to test the water again... then slip in.

He'd never felt so good. He whined softly as the hot water bit at his fresher scars a little but as the sting melted away and he got used to the heat, he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, sighing happily. Once he felt comfortable, he looked over at Naniko, having slipped in about two feet away beside her. If I had known these were here before, I'd have set up camp here. This is amazing. He murred happily, very glad he'd decided to push aside his shyness for some relaxation.

Naniko D'Angelo · 08-05-2011, 06:04 PM

[html]

She wasn't one to pry into the personal business of others without a reason. Her eyes did catch sight of the scars that marred the boy's body but she did not open her muzzle to inquire about them. It was his business, not hers. She willingly accepted all sorts of canines into the pack without question of their histories, for the most part...and she wouldn't ask now unless he volunteered the information. She had no right nor interest.

"I try. As long as the members aren't bringing war to my doors...then they can do what they want. I'm glad that you like the springs. They were an unexpected surprise" Naniko said. She continued to relax in the pools, the warm steam rising up around her. "I'm glad that we had this talk." Even if the purpose of it was only to get to know the male a bit better. She was pleased that she'd gotten out of the den and that she had learned a bit more about a fellow pack member.

Login




Remember me Lost Password?