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 Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:31 pm
 Leo fidgited a little, trying to hold his muscles in place. He wanted to be pacing, or moving around at least, but did his best to at least look dignified and not like a nervous wreck.
It wasn't that Leo was worried about Ecthelion getting mad at him. He was his Elder, and would have every right to be mad after Leo shared his news. What he didn't want was for his Elder to think he had lied to him.
Leo hadn't lied, he had come into Omaticaya unattached and free, what-you-saw-was-what-you-got. Time could change things though. The clan was was still rebuilding, and they hadn't been as together as they would have liked. Leo had wandered around the land a lot. Technically, as a scout, it was his job to wander the lands and make sure everything was in good order.
Still. He should have brought his up a long time ago, maybe the instant it happened. But he didn't, and he had no one to blame but himself. Leo sighed. Ecthelion was reasonable, and not prone to snap judgements. He would just have to hope he could convince his Elder that his current situation had not and would not change his loyalty to the clan, and that the outcome would be a good one.
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Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:34 pm
 Ecthelion moved easily through the forest, hardly noticing any tree roots or fallen trunks that got in his way. After so long living here, the forest--and its strange habits, with Eywa so conencted to it all-- was as easy to navigate as an open plain.
What wasn't so easy was handling his new tribe members. He'd never interacted with other foxes until well into his adulthood, and now he was expected to keep all of them in line, be there to give them advice, keep everything organized...and talk about things, whatever it was Leopold was planning on telling him.
When the green male had asked for a private meeting, Ecthelion could tell he was anxious about something. Hopefully it wouldn't be anything too terrible, the future Elder had yet to deal with too much drama.
But now he was going to find out; he'd come across Leo, who still looked anxious, even if he was trying not to. "Leo."
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Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:13 pm
Leo still marveled at how silently others could walk through the forest. He preferred traveling through trees, which were so tall and in abundance here that he could also move about unnoticed. The forest floor, however, was still something he was growing acquantied with.
Of course the anxiety couldn't be held at bay for more than those few moments. A small frown creased Leo's brow. Since when had he become such a worrier? Probably once he acquired things he didn't want to lose. Such was the downside when you left behind the life of a loner. He had to hold back a sigh that threatened to escape his lips.
"Elder Ecthelion," Leo responded, nodding. He was still learning their customs, and wasn't sure if there was anything else he should have added to the greeting. That added little thought was another nugget to his bundle of nerves.
Rather than beat about the bush though, Leo decided to hurry to get his burden off his chest. "I requested a private talk because this matter may be of a....sensitive nature to the Clan." He took a deep breath, and the rest of his words almost poured out on the exhale. "I have taken a mate, one outside the Clan."
There, he'd finally said it. Purple eyes met green unflinchingly, prepared to reap any of the consequences his actions might have brought down on him. It felt good to finally get it all off his chest, and his could only hope the Clan's mind was open enough to this that they might hear the next part of the news Leo bore for his Elder....
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:09 pm
Whatever Ecthelion's feelings were on the matter, he did not let Leo see them. Such things would require more discussion and information before he could come to a conclusion. If Omaticaya was one thing, it was cautious; especially about jumping to conclusions. "That would explain your recent absences from Hometree." It was a risk with the scouts; they ventured the furthest from home, it would not be unusual for them to meet others on the borders.
"I am sure I do not have to remind you that out of tribe mates are discouraged. Is your mate prepared to hardly see you? You will not be at liberty to scout the edges of our territory all that often." He did not often send his scouts to the borders; it was too broad an area, and the land clsoer to Hometree deserved more attention. And he would not say it, but he intended to send his scouts with the wings to the borders; they would be able to travel faster and easier than Leo.
But, Ecthelion also knew enough about Leo to know that he would not have rushed into a mating, especially one outside Omaticaya.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:51 am
Leo nodded. "We already see very little of each other," he said, voice rueful. "We knew it would be like this. We talked about the possibility of her one day joining the clan, but she is still uncertain. I-I try to see her when I can, whenever my scouting duties take me near the border." In the air was the unspoken knowledge that his patrol area was slowly slipping further and further from the borderlands, and would continue to shrink until most of his time was spent around Hometree.
Leo sighed. He wished his mate would come here, and be part of the clan. Then they could see each other everyday, and he wouldn't have to worry about Aegle getting hurt or growing tired with this long-distance relationship and moving on. He knew the vixen was tough as Daevas and stubborn to boot, but that was probably what was holding her back from clan life. He was almost positive Ecthelion would accept her and she would get along just fine with the other clan members, but she refused to be rushed in this decision.
With a start Leo realized he had his head up in the clouds, and returned his gaze back to his Elder. He hoped he hadn't been lost in thought long, he didn't want to seem like an unreliable fool sighing over a tragic love story or some other such nonsense liike that.
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:16 pm
"I hope she is not coming past our borders," Ecthelion told Leo sternly. "I trust your instincts, as I do with all the others, but you know no one is to come into our territory without permission." It was not like such a peaceful tribe to be strict about these things, but Ecthelion knew they had no choice. Their tribe had already been decimated once before; had it not been for the laidback rules of the previous Clan, Ecthelion would likely have been raised by his parents, and the previous Elder still running their home. And while this vixen was Leo's mate, he was not going to risk exceptions.
"Have you considered the impact this will have on any children you raise, Leopold?" he asked, more gently this time. "You're not going to be at liberty to split your time between your family and the Clan. I will not completely deprive any child of their father, but we will need you here as well, and the borders are no short distance away. That is significant stress for one fox to handle"
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:46 pm
Leo shook his head. "I met her a little past the border's edge, and she had never been closer than the border line. I remember the reaction to when I first showed up-," he added wryly, "-I didn't want to put her in danger from a misunderstanding."
At the mention of family Leo's head and ears drooped. "Aegle...my mate...she's already pregnant," he said, voice soft. "We found her a den near the borders so she would be as close as she could get when she gave birth. Which will be any day now."
Leo glanced up at his Elder, but dropped his gaze a second later. There had been such a muddle of emotion in his purple gaze—confusion, joy, saddness, ruefulness, determination—that Ecthelion might have had trouble reading them in such a brief moment of contact.
"We've agreed at least one of them will come to live here with me," he continued, voice still soft. His next words, though still quiet, took on an almost fierce tone, and seemed to be more him speaking aloud than meant as a response. "I can do this. No matter what I will be strong enough to handle this until they've all grown."
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