{DotW - RP} First Introductions - Calumina X Alyan

The days were getting cooler with each passing morning. Fall was coming, and it was a time of the year that Alyan was looking forward to a lot. As he walked by the main den area, he noticed a figure that was unfamiliar to him. Curiosity sparked in his mind, as he walked closer to the grey wolf. 

"Hello there. I don't think we've had the pleasure in meeting one another. My name's Alyan." He greeted the wolf in a friendly tone, as he observed how this wolf would react to his greeting.

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It surprised the young she-wolf, just how quickly the land seemed to succumb to the coming chill. It wasn't anything she wasn't used to, of course. Still, this new land was also very different from her past home. Yet, she was adjusting quickly—to the land, anyway. The customs? All of the new faces and scents? Not so much. Calumina had to admit, she felt a little overwhelmed. There was so much to learn about Highvallian culture, far more than she'd imagined. 

Calumina was snapped out of her thoughts when an unfamiliar voice called out to her. She blinked rapidly, turning quickly to face the owner of the voice. Her green eyes widened slightly to take in the sight of the wolf before her. Was he one of the... Highbloods, she'd heard about? Was she meant to bow to him? She wasn't sure.  Still, she settled for a small one, just to be safe. "O-Oh, hello. I'm Calumina." She kept her tone polite and formal, yet friendly at the same time. She didn't want to seem rude, after all. "The pleasure's all mine."

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Alyan dipped his head slightly as the wolf introduced herself as Calumina. She seemed to be very friendly, or at least appreciated that someone came to talk to her. "So Calumina, have you been enjoying your time in Highvalley?" He hoped that it wasn't too personal of a question, but he wanted to make sure everything was alright for her.

"I can always give you a tour of the place if you want." It was a nice idea for them to get to know one another, as well as give Calumina a chance to get her bearings on the landscape of Highvalley.

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The pale-furred she-wolf found herself smiling, even if it was a little awkwardly. She hadn't met too many unfamiliar wolves throughout her time as a loner, and never any who seemed as... important, as Alyan did. Still, he was friendly. She supposed her first meeting with one of her new packmates could have gone a lot worse. "I must admit, it's... different. I've never been around so many wolves before." She slowly lifted her eyes to meet Alyan's, flashing him a somewhat sheepish smile.

She immediately brightened, however, when he offered her a tour of the land. After all, she already loved it, so the notion of finally getting to really see it excited her. "Oh, yes, please!" The young wolf nearly bounced on her paws, before taking a moment to recompose herself. Her sheepish smile returned. "I mean, a tour sounds lovely. Thank you."

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Alyan couldn't help but chuckle at the apparent cheerfulness that Calumina had shown with his offer of a tour. "Alright, shall we be off then?" Alyan took a step away from her, offering her to stand beside him on the tour.

The land was beautiful this time of the year, and it seemed Calumina had joined at the right time. "So, tell me about yourself. Is this your first pack?" Alyan hoped that his question wasn't too personal, but he needed to break the ice somehow, so this was the best way in his mind.

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The she-wolf nodded, quietly observing his mannerisms. She caught onto his gesture, and with only a moment of hesitation, stepped tentatively to stand at his side. He was certainly friendly, even towards a newcomer such as herself. She greatly appreciated that. Admittedly, a few of the Highvallians seemed to look down upon her. Something about blood-status? She'd get the hang of things eventually, she hoped.

Calumina couldn't help but marvel at the magnificent sights around her. She'd only caught glimpses of the land when she'd stumbled into Highvalley's territory, but it seemed that there was far more to its beauty than she'd imagined. And it was hers, wasn't it? Hers to explore. She could hardly believe it. Alyan's words refocused her attention on the wolf beside her; luckily, she'd managed to catch the question. She hesitated a moment. She didn't know him well, and she wasn't quite sure how much she was willing to tell him. Still, she didn't have much to hide either, did she? What was the harm? "I—Well, I grew up in a 'pack' of sorts. My family's. It was much smaller than this, however. This is...—well, it's a lot of new faces." Calumina allowed her gaze to rest on him, tilting her head slightly to one side. "And you? Have you been living here long?" 

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Alyan was glad to see the new wolf breaking the ice of their silence, telling him about her family's pack, and talking about her reaction to joining a place like Highvalley. "Ah yes, Highvalley is a place that can take your breath away with it's beauty, but it will become second nature in the future to get used to it." 

She then drew the question onto himself, asking if he had been in the pack long. "I've lived here my entire life. Me and my brother have always been together, and it seems it'll be like that for a very long time, especially with my brother's task in the pack." He took a deep breath of the cool air, as the two continued their walk of the beautiful landscape.

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She blinked, nodding fervently in response to his comment. "That's certainly true. The sheer beauty of this land is one of the many things that drew me to it. There's a lot more... variety, than my past home had to offer me." Calumina allowed her gaze to wander as they walked, taking in the magnificent cliffs and towering trees. Despite Alyan's words, she doubted that she'd ever get used to these incredible views.

As Alyan spoke, Calumina found herself nodding. She'd expected his first answer. He came off, to her, as a seasoned Highvallian. There was just something about him; an air of wisdom. "Oh?" Calumina tilted her head slightly. "And what might that be?" She, of course, hadn't the slightest idea that she was speaking to the High King's brother.

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Alyan had almost forgotten that Calumina was a new member, automatically thinking that she knew everyone in his large family already. He looked over at her with a smile, before answering her question. "My brother is Rodwen, the High King of Highvalley."

The way he said it, was in a tone of being used to saying that title. It wasn't a title that he liked to boast about, since most of the wolves in Highvalley were his family. He still didn't let it get into his ego at all, and hoped that Calumina wasn't going to start acting different towards him as well.

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The she-wolf blinked rapidly, surprise flashing across her gaze for a moment. Then, as she took a moment to observe him, she began to notice the resemblance. Rodwen's brother. She'd been talking unknowingly to the High King's brother. Well, good thing she'd chosen to bow earlier, huh?

Still, everything about the way Alyan had presented himself to her earlier did not suggest that he considered his status of much importance. He didn't treat her like the lowblood she was, and therefore, she didn't see any reason to treat him any different than she'd been so far. "O-Oh, I see! Well, I suppose that makes sense, then." Calumina nodded absently, casting a sideways glance towards him. "Forgive me, if I'm meant to express any particular mannerisms towards you. All this about... blood-status; highbloods, lowbloods. I'm afraid I'm still struggling to grasp all of it."

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It was obvious to him that Calumina was getting the idea as to who she was talking to. He was however, more glad that she didn't start talking to him or treated him differently. Alyan listened to her talk about understanding the blood system, and he didn't mind showing her the ropes of it all.

"It's okay Calumina. The blood system is very simple. Those who are highbloods are ones who are related to the High King. Others who count are those who are betrothed to a Highblood from another pack. Everyone else who isn't related to the High King, is considered a lowblood." He spoke calmly, and informatively, making sure that everything was understandable for Calumina.

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She couldn't help but sheepishly scuff her forepaw as she walked beside him, sending a pebble scuttling across the ground ahead of her. She felt a little foolish, being so ignorant of it all. And yet, she hadn't been apart of Highvalley for very long, had she? At least Alyan wasn't judging her too harshly for it. In fact, she couldn't imagine him being any nicer about it!

She nodded thoughtfully as he spoke, grateful for his simple explanation. Still, the entire concept; highbloods, lowbloods—some wolves being more important than others—it didn't all make sense to her. After all, she'd grown up with only her family as a pack. They hadn't established any sort of hierarchy like the one Highvalley had. Yet, she understood nonetheless. "Ah, I see. Thank you. I guess it's just... different, than where I came from." Then, she glanced at the wolf beside her, blinking. "So, you're a highblood then?"

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Alyan nodded in response to her answer. "Yes, I am. I don't think it's something you should worry about too much though. Being a Highblood just tells everyone who they're allowed to marry and such, other than that, any wolf, can be any rank in Highvalley." He hoped that the words he was giving to Calumina were reassuring to her, knowing that her head was trying to take in all the knowledge he had given her.

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She blinked, eyeing him for a moment. There was a slight glint of disbelief in her moss-colored eyes. "I'm not sure all of our packmates see things the way you do. I know that blood-status and rank can be very important to some." She heaved a heavy sigh, her tail curling just at the tip. "I suppose I can understand, however. I'm sure I would feel similarly, if I were raised that way." She seemed to hesitate a moment longer, as if pondering something, before she spoke again. She did not meet Alyan's gaze. "So... about the... marriage-thing you mentioned. How does that all work?" That wasn't to say that Calumina had ever considered a relationship before, but she was certainly curious. Could Rodwen and the others really dictate something like love?

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Alyan was a little surprised at the next question that she gave him. It took him a moment to rethink the rules of marriage in Highvalley. "Well, many of the Highbloods marry others from other packs, as a form of an alliance between the packs. It's mostly a diplomatic thing, but many of our members here are children of those alliances." He then took a moment, looking back at Calumina, before continuing his explanation of the rules. "Highbloods can marry Lowbloods here, although it's not too common now."

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The she-wolf's eyes seemed to darken with thought for a moment, as if she were struggling to understand. This was the first time she'd lived in an area with so many packs. Sure, a few loners or small groups of wolves would occasionally pass by her old home, but her parents usually did a good job of chasing them off—politely, of course.

"So... it's like uniting the packs, then? That all sounds very political. I'm not very good with that sort of thing." She admitted, shrugging as if it didn't really bother her, however. "Then again, that's none of my business. I'm no highblood." Then, she found herself gazing thoughtfully at him, listening to his words about highbloods marrying lowbloods. She understood the meaning, but she couldn't help but feel like the word itself was meant to be an insult. Lowblood. Was that what she really was? In these wolves' eyes, she supposed so. She tilted her head, before glancing away with a short huff. "I suppose that's because it's dishonorable to wed a lowblood?" She didn't mean to sound irritated in any way; she was merely assuming. She hoped he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

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"Well, it's more about if anyone has pups with a couple like that. The pup wouldn't be considered a Highblood, and many of the members here wouldn't like that at all." Alyan took a moment to think about what he just said, and never thought about it in detail. "It's something I've never really thought about, but it's a rare thing."

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{Calumina} She blinked, appearing to soften slightly. She sighed, nodding slowly. "Oh... I see." It all sounded a little, well, strict—to her, anyway. It would be something she'd need to grow used to, certainly. She found herself casting a sideways glance at Alyan, and feeling a pang of gratitude. He was making things easier on her. She appreciated that. "Y'know, uh, I guess I just wanted to say 'thank you', for... explaining all of this to me. I fear I'd make a fool of myself if it wasn't for you." She punctuated these words with a short laugh.

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Alyan chuckled at the last statement that she had given. Alyan was always available to help, and it didn't matter to him whether it'd be a high or low blood. "The pleasure's all mine Calumina." He then took a look around, before looking back at the grey she-wolf. "Come, I haven't even shown you the best areas." Alyan then picked up the pace, as he continued his little tour of Highvalley to his new friend.