[ AW ] Homecoming [Bonfire Thread]

A R Y T H M E T I K

A scan of the growing crowd revealed a couple familiar faces: the mysterious Mercury, the spirited Nimue… But Arythmetik didn’t know most of these wolves. There was one male in particular he hoped would follow him shortly, and no sooner did his heart yearn than Grigori did appear. Aryth whipped in the direction of his lover’s voice, the very sound spurring a bright smile. He was surprised, however, to see bright blues and streaks of black staring back at him. For a second he gaped, then Aryth burst into a fit of good-natured laughter. “Sorry, Grigori, you look like the legend of the Blue Wolves! Like you just walked out of the river. I didn’t expect that.” It was rare, but endearing, to see Grigori participate in anything like this (even if he didn’t exactly do it willingly). Of course, Aryth didn’t believe in the legends, and he had no interest in getting his face painted, but he still thought it was adorable. Quickly, he sidled against his partner and planted a kiss on the cowboy’s cheek. “Yes, to no one’s shock, I’m more suited to mind puzzles than physical challenges. But you were spectacular.”


Aryth was fully willing to ignore the chicken for the time being. The chicken had other plans. It seemed intent on throwing Grigori even more off-guard. The stoic male’s reaction as he pushed it away nearly had the Professor rolling. He laughed again until tears peeked from the corners of his eyes. “Maybe she just liked your face paint too, mo chridhe.” The mirth died down as the hen scampered off, and Aryth returned to his original musings. “You know, isn’t it strange that they’ve tamed all these different animals? Was that ever something that happened in your country of origin?” Aryth nudged his lover gently. “And that wolf…he’s hidden by guards and makeup, but he looks familiar, and his companion there is a fox. I’ve never heard of a fox trusting a wolf before. Will you come with me? I want to ask these fellows by the bonfire if they know what’s happening here.”


With a playful tug, Aryth tried to drag his boyfriend closer to the bonfire convivial circle. He wanted to approach two males who looked and smelled like Highlanders. Although he didn’t know their names, the Professor was addressing Sage and Sundstol when he asked, “Good evening, do either of you know anything about that man with the fox at his side?”

*mo chridhe = "my heart"
@Grigori @Sage @Sundstol

RUBY RIVER GLOWING IN THE SUN

Sundstol stared out beyond the other moving figures and past the embers to witness the the arrival of a man he knew mostly by description. The way he presented himself was also a dead giveaway. Not only did he don a rather flamboyant outfit that seemed to symbolize a bird of flame, he also had at his side a smaller wolf...no not a wolf...a fox? What on earth could be the meaning of that? While the gears turned in his head, trying to piece it all together on his own, a voice grabbed his attention.

He glanced over and then took another look as this man seemed to be addressing himself and another who stood nearby. Sundstol blinked at him with a blank look before he registered what he'd been asked. "Hm? Oh...oh, um..." He took in the sights of the two gentleman who had arrived, the two of them appearing to be rather...close. He might've stared a moment too long, but went ahead and replied as best he could. "I can't say I know much about that fox there, but, uh, that's bound to be Prince Jacob, if my eyes aren't deceiving me." He snorted, turning his large head back towards the scene ahead with a pensive expression.

@Arythmetik

Wash me over,
Show me where you run...

Roll me deeper in your tide,
Take my spirit, take my mind,
Take me over to that other side...

code by claerie ~ art by ashon

The scholar’s reaction puzzled him for a few seconds, until he realized that the encounter with that makeup artist wasn’t just an ordeal to get through, but something the consequence of everyone around can see. Somehow, that hasn’t clicked immediately.. but at the very least he wasn’t standing out from the crowd, there were plenty enough wolves with dyes on their fur around. “I don’t even wanna know how I look.” he complained sourly, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Also, Blue Wolves? What in the world is that? At this rate, he’ll never be up to speed with everything a Rhionnach local should know. A thought quickly swept to the wayside by a smooch from Aryth. “Uh, well.. I just had no clue how to stop the darn thing. Lucky it did on its own.” It was impossible to brag about it when the other already praised him so.. directly.

But his mistrust of chickens being a source of such amusement was more difficult to take in stride. “It is no jokin’ matter!” Then the russet male said something that Grigori couldn’t understand, yet the point of it was somehow still easy to understand. Even as they continued to grow closer, they remained casual in their manner of addressing each other. After overhearing a few too many couples during the festival, it was something that was beginning to bother the cowboy. It was something he had no idea where to even begin with.. fortunately, it seemed to come much more easily to Aryth. He opened his muzzle, trying to say something, then closed it again when no words arrived. But his tail paid no mind to his consternation, happily wagging away.

Focusing on something factual was easier to accomplish. “Well, we kept a controlled population of cattle in the area, but that’s only cause cows are as easy to scare and dumb as they are big. But the animals here are so comfortable it’s unnervin’, so no, not like that.” He definitely prefers when these things are afraid of him. That’s just.. how it should be. “And for good reason. We’d chase off or kill foxes, coyotes and the like. Resources were scarce enough even without that kind of competition.” So if that mysterious wolf was the one beyond all of this, maybe it indeed was worth investigation. Grigori nodded in agreement, then let out a small chuckle when the other pulled him along.

Though if he was being honest, one of the wolves they approached caught his attention more than the painted one they were asking about. He was happy to let Aryth to the talking, and instead took a moment to carefully look over the sizable brute. Bigger than himself by the looks of it, which wasn’t something he’s experienced often in Rhionnach.. though he still felt confident he could compete in terms of strength. It’d be a nice challenge, he’s had no opportunity to really put serious effort into anything ever since that boar hunt, and that was years ago.. “Er.. who was that again?” he whispered, glancing towards Aryth. He couldn’t recall the king or queen having brothers or sons.. so who else could be a prince? Even if he heard about it before, he sure couldn’t recall it right now.


„*”