06-07-2017, 05:13 PM
She was calm and steady, even as her full attention was directed to the little girl at his side. Polaris was certainly distracting, a child made entirely of glass so gleaming and enchanting with a softly glowing personality to match. He'd never seen anyone like her, and assumed she may be as rare to the rest of the world as she was to him. She was naturally a bit cautious of strangers though, especially ones that she knew were also strangers to Ruan, and she stayed firmly against his leg as the woman introduced herself. Temples. Then, the woman's attention came around to him as she answered.
"Well, Ruan - I wouldn't say I've ever had a proper 'home' that you speak of.."
He nodded as she continued. Her mother had been busy and she'd lived in peace. "What makes you think I am seeking a home? Could it be possible I am simply enjoying grass that's been untouched for a few weeks?"
A wolfish sort of grin tipped up one corner of his mouth, and his shoulder rolled in a casual shrug. "I've found that people consistently only come here for one thing: to find a place to stay and call home." He supposed it could be possible she was there only to eat, though he had always found the Field to be trampled by the many feet passing through; leaders, diplomats, wanderers. A great number of people. But he didn't note that aloud, and instead apologized. "I'm sorry if I assumed incorrectly. It's simply how it's only ever been for me, though I suppose I don't venture here often at all." He shrugged again, still smiling as he watched her gather up more to eat.
"Interesting concept it seems, though. Taiga, what is it you do there? What is home to you?"
"I... I've had different titles given for the same position, I suppose," he admitted. Caretaker of the forest had been the first, he thought. He'd snuffed "king" as quickly as he could. "The latest is possibly Alpha of the pack." There were probably other titles that he hadn't heard, though, since he insists they simply call him by his name. Yes, even the shape-shifters with their hearts as wild and respectful as his.
"I protect the forest, but then, so do most the others. All save for the defenseless, of course. I bring in new people, rarely, when I find someone that I feel might strengthen the family, the unit. And, again, so do the others when they see fit." Equals. His defenseless, like fragile Polaris at his side, often turned out to be the better strength, the most powerful pieces of their home with their endless love and loyalty. He held himself to the same expectations of the each member that called the Taiga home, a deep-rooted equality at their forest's center. But he certainly didn't hold them to the same expectations he had for himself.
"We don't keep ranks. No one is better than anyone else." Might as well cut to the chase there; they weren't interested in anyone only wanting to climb the ranks.
And besides, they didn't have enough living day-to-day within the Taiga and not venturing out to explore on a daily basis to require titles be created. There was simply no one deserving of a special title or recognition, and he didn't believe in having ranks simply to be filled. If they needed them one day, then maybe they would create them, but until then, they were all equal and he was more than content to keep it that way. It seemed to wheedle out the greedy and power-hungry fairly successfully, and he most definitely didn't care for those types and didn't want them in their balanced unit of strong hearts.
"So. Taiga is home. Everything it represents is home. Loyalty. Family. Protection. Love. Honesty." Everything that they'd made it.
"Does it sound like home to you?" he asked with a curious tilt to his dark head, looking just a little like the wolf he used to be.
"Well, Ruan - I wouldn't say I've ever had a proper 'home' that you speak of.."
He nodded as she continued. Her mother had been busy and she'd lived in peace. "What makes you think I am seeking a home? Could it be possible I am simply enjoying grass that's been untouched for a few weeks?"
A wolfish sort of grin tipped up one corner of his mouth, and his shoulder rolled in a casual shrug. "I've found that people consistently only come here for one thing: to find a place to stay and call home." He supposed it could be possible she was there only to eat, though he had always found the Field to be trampled by the many feet passing through; leaders, diplomats, wanderers. A great number of people. But he didn't note that aloud, and instead apologized. "I'm sorry if I assumed incorrectly. It's simply how it's only ever been for me, though I suppose I don't venture here often at all." He shrugged again, still smiling as he watched her gather up more to eat.
"Interesting concept it seems, though. Taiga, what is it you do there? What is home to you?"
"I... I've had different titles given for the same position, I suppose," he admitted. Caretaker of the forest had been the first, he thought. He'd snuffed "king" as quickly as he could. "The latest is possibly Alpha of the pack." There were probably other titles that he hadn't heard, though, since he insists they simply call him by his name. Yes, even the shape-shifters with their hearts as wild and respectful as his.
"I protect the forest, but then, so do most the others. All save for the defenseless, of course. I bring in new people, rarely, when I find someone that I feel might strengthen the family, the unit. And, again, so do the others when they see fit." Equals. His defenseless, like fragile Polaris at his side, often turned out to be the better strength, the most powerful pieces of their home with their endless love and loyalty. He held himself to the same expectations of the each member that called the Taiga home, a deep-rooted equality at their forest's center. But he certainly didn't hold them to the same expectations he had for himself.
"We don't keep ranks. No one is better than anyone else." Might as well cut to the chase there; they weren't interested in anyone only wanting to climb the ranks.
And besides, they didn't have enough living day-to-day within the Taiga and not venturing out to explore on a daily basis to require titles be created. There was simply no one deserving of a special title or recognition, and he didn't believe in having ranks simply to be filled. If they needed them one day, then maybe they would create them, but until then, they were all equal and he was more than content to keep it that way. It seemed to wheedle out the greedy and power-hungry fairly successfully, and he most definitely didn't care for those types and didn't want them in their balanced unit of strong hearts.
"So. Taiga is home. Everything it represents is home. Loyalty. Family. Protection. Love. Honesty." Everything that they'd made it.
"Does it sound like home to you?" he asked with a curious tilt to his dark head, looking just a little like the wolf he used to be.
