A Gentle Knock Upon Your Door (Tag Davinci)

A soft drizzle of rain blessed the pack of Castellum on this cool midday of Autumn. Small clouds drifted overhead with the slight breeze, light grey and pregnant with the promise of a very moist evening. Davinci Basileus was not one to miss a days hunt for a little bit of rain, and rather enjoyed the extra cover that it provided him when stalking prey. The deer babe did not detect the maned king as he prowled in the bushes just downwind. She seemed distracted by the rain, round eyes searching the distance for her mother while the droplets spattered the ground around her. The man inched forward with catlike grace, keeping his movements fluid and torso low to the ground. His haunches wiggled in preparation to launch. His mouth was salivating, the taste of the deer so close to his tongue that his belly began to growl.

Suddenly, a soft feminine howl floated gently on the breeze and the babe turned its head in alarm to the sound. Just in that moment, Davinci pounced and pinned the fawn, his jaws parted and clamping down tight about her neck. She scrambled for only a moment before falling limp in his grasp. Only then did the king raise his head to investigate the summons. The unknown female caller was just south of him, not too far from where he stood now with the prey dangling from his jaws. Without a thought Davinci began tracking the summons. The prey was a blessing in times such as these and could not be left behind, so he carried it with him.

Rough pawpads navigated the stony terrain of Mount Validus with ease as his frame swiftly descended the mountain. The dame was at the base of his territory where Validus and Frater met, sitting elegantly on the other side of his borders. She held herself with grace and dignity and seemed to know much about the proper presentation of a lady before an unknown figure of authority. Golden eyes would investigate her build quite thoroughly(without invading her privacy, of course). She was of average height and slender; not so much that she looked ill, but in a way that made her appear fit. Thin muscle covered the expanse of her body, telling him that the woman was swift on her feet and blessed with speed and dexterity. This was not a dame who would sit idly by and watch as others worked around her, but instead would be the first to accomplish tasks with gusto and efficiency. He was impressed before even speaking to the ivory missus.

"Hello, how may I be of assistance to you?" He approached kindly, dropping the fawn beside a rock before sitting just inches from his territory markings. His calico-patterned pelt was dampened from the rainfall but still thick and glossy in appearance. He wrapped his own tail just over his hind paws in mirror of the elegant female before him. He would not make the mistake of appearing any less than formal while meeting strangers at the border.

The maned calico man remained seated while the dame rose and greeted him with all the mannerisms of a lady raised properly. His head dipped slightly in return to her sign of respectful submission. Blue eyes then pierced his own golden gaze and he had to control himself from losing his statuesque posture; she was truly a beauty to behold. With just a short tangle of his tongue to betray him, Davinci regained his composure and had to correct his own foolish ways.

"I..I do apologize for my horrid manners, my name is Davinci. I am alpha and ruler of the mountains that lie before you. Son of Demetri and direct descendant to Hephaestus, founder of Lagratia. Answering your call was no trouble at all, Missus. Your howl made my catch much easier, in fact." He told her with a slight nod and smile, indicating his own good humor and friendly demeanor.

Golden gaze would remain on the icy stare of the ivory dame as she sat once more, keeping her manners about her and continuing on with her summoning plea. The continued contact was not difficult for the man as a result of his upbringing, but the depth of her eyes was slightly distracting. He found himself taking a deep and relaxing breath as he listened to her. She deserved his utmost respect and attention just as any other wolf. "...I have come to humbly pledge my allegiance to the pack of Castellum if it will have me..."She was calm but confident in her request. Evelette was her name...she knew of Catellum and its system of beliefs. The woman was even perfectly willing to prove her worth to a complete stranger. With a pause for thought, Davinci nodded his head slowly.

"What you've gathered of Castellum is correct. We are a large family oriented unit. Each member is treated with an equal amount of respect and protected as blood. Though I am certain of your intelligence and capability, to prove your worth you must promise to uphold our values and beliefs, to protect your pack and all of its members to the best of your ability, and love the land and its bounty without question. Can you guarantee that your dedication will not falter as long as you reside within my borders?" His deep tones rang across the border in her direction, giving texture to the space and pause between them. He did not ask for much from the wolf, she was obviously a sane individual with a level head on her shoulders. He knew he would not have to speak the unspoken threat to revoke her membership should she ever choose not to follow the rules set down by his ancestors. Beautiful as she may be, she would be no exception to his expectations of her as a member of Castellum.