-- Violence was the nature of The Mad Dog. He wouldn't deny it, hells no. It was in his blood, just as much as there was reasoning naturally. Not that he listened to the reasoning. Years had come and gone and he was all the crueler for it. His enemies knew his name, and they were scared, to scared to go against him. He was a cruel leader - those who followed him knew his wrath when they stepped out of bounds. Everyone who knew him, knew he was one sick son of a bitch, but they also knew that there was a softer side to the bastard. Said soft side was reserved and buried under hard layers of skin and fury he would not let be shown.

The last time he'd shown such a softness, it had cost him someone. He didn't know who they were, he couldn't see their face, or hear their voice but he knew it was someone he'd loved. They were a misty figure going back to the first years he could remember after a great black period. He knew he had memory issues - he couldn't remember this person and if someone were to proclaim that mystery person, they would be met with furious denial.

Shaking his head now as he padded along the beach, paws pressing into the sands. No, the last time he'd taken anyone under his wing had been an orphan. What happened to the child since then and now ... he couldn't remember and The Mad Dog didn't let it bother him. Things happened for a reason, and if the kid died, then fate had decreed the child as fodder for the life around it. The press of grains between his toes was not one that he missed. He'd grown up on the coasts of Ulster, eating sand for food instead of true and proper nutrition, growing up on rage and bent muscle.

He'd been a strong child and a strong adult. He'd led a military force - and he'd died for it. He'd awoken in this body many, many years ago and he was sure that gray hairs should appear on his muzzle. He was getting on in his years, he was sure of it. He didn't appear old, he carried himself as he had when he'd been far younger. Head turning now out to watch the sea, he paused at the trail of a scent ahead. Snorting, he looked out to the sea, wondering if he'd be attacked for continuing onward.

He'd be happy to fight those who lived here, he had no respect for them just because they lived on the coast. Respect came from loyalty and loyalty came from knowing your comrades and yourself. Today was a different day, his bones were aching and stiff, and the wind carried little violence. If challenged, the spearman would take it. Standing at the border, he would wait until a patrol came along, a long red spear standing beside him, its one blade dug into the sand and the other a proud point to the sky. He may as well rest here for some time, learn more of the surroundings in his sparse interest. Oddly enough, the beaches reminded him of a home from a time long forgotten.

Drayden wasn't a fighter by any means; hell, the youth didn't even know how to defend himself. He saw no reason to right now, what with his group being there for him. But he enjoyed the nickname Winterhymns gave him, My Brave Knight. It gave Drayden hope, that he could survive just as well as anyone else out here. In a way, he and Goldenpaw were alike, though Goldenpaw definitely had much more of a debilitating disability than him. Having a twisted paw was nowhere near being half-blind, he imagined.

That being said, Drayden was protective of the youngster and seeing the kid wander off was a little alarming. And the creature that Goldenpaw was speaking to really didn't ease Drayden's worries either. "Um, hello." The snow leopard greeted as he came to stand behind Goldenpaw, trying to force down the wariness he felt of this battle-worn stranger. "You're on the border of The Palm Glades, what brings you here?" He didn't want to alarm Goldenpaw, so he didn't bark out a demand for the younger kid to stand back. But Drayden was definitely wary of Vaughn.[glow=COLOR,1,400] ━ ✧*:･ﾟ[/glow]

  -- The sight of a child was first to greet him when others approached. He knew nothing about those who lived here, but judging by the three bodies that had arrived, he could tell that there was certainly a group here. They all were young. His eyes narrowed the slightest. He was old - children were not his forte. He'd never had his own, and he doubted such a thing would ever befall a villain such as he. He'd looked after enough youths over the years to know a good amount of things about them. Half the words they said held truth, and the other half they said were false. It was easy to look up to someone, but it was hard to truly look up to them and compare yourself to them. That was why he took a while at the question the first youth asked him.

Will you train me? His eyes narrowed at the question, looking down at the child as he allowed his mind to wander. When had he last been asked something like that? His eyes shifted as soon as Drayden approached, taking in the snow leopard before moving to the strange feline that followed after him. They were all children compared to him. Where were the adults? Who was protecting their borders? He couldn't help those dumbfounded thoughts. An enemy could sneak in at any point of time. An irritated expression would claim his face for a moment, memories of his own followers flashing by him. "Passing through the area. I might be staying nearby for a while." his voice was as rough and as worn as he.

The voice itself was ragged, as if he'd been yelling for most of his life but it carried the same aura as his body. It was fitting for him to own this voice, it had accompanied him through many, many years and many losses. His eyes were on Drayden as he had been the first to tell him where this place was. Flicking his tail as he looked at The Survivor, cold red eyes sliding over the creature to return to Goldenpaw. His gaze was even harder as it rested on the tom, "Do you mean it." he wanted to make sure that the child knew what he was implying. He wanted to be trained by a potential threat to his family. "If you mean it, come search me out.", the kid had guts, he'd give him that. "Rely on yourself to find me, I won't be that easy to find.", the kid had to know what he was getting himself into. He wasn't an easy mentor. Fixing his gaze on the three of them once more, he gave a low growling laugh as he finally gave them his name, "Vaughn Lennox Lachlan. Call me The Mad Dog." his eyes sparkled with tired humor. He would protect the borders of this place so children and whoever else lived here didn't have to worry about a creeping enemy.

The way this visitor's gaze was on him made Drayden feel uncomfortable, with the cub stepping back slightly, as if to show he didn't mean any harm. "You're, um, you're welcome to stay here if you like." Drayden replied, vaguely aware of The Survivior joining him and Goldenpaw. "Isn't that... name an insult?" He asked, referring to how Vaughn said they could call him 'The Mad Dog'. "Errr regardless, um. My name is Drayden Cipher, I'm a Keeper here. It's a high position."[glow=COLOR,1,400] ━ ✧*:･ﾟ[/glow]

  -- A rumble of dense amusement left him, unable to hide it. It was a strange and cruel name as others might see it, but it was a name he had made for himself lifetimes ago, and it was the one thing he had left of the past, the past in which he couldn't remember the faces of people. Exhaling as he looked to Drayden, "It's only an insult if it's used as an insult. It is not a name that hurts me.", he would bark, ears twitching and earring jangling. His gaze would turn as a new scent reached him.

Red eyed gaze taking in the other adult, blinking faintly. Another face he didn't recognize, nor one he thought might have been once familiar. No, there were too many new faces as it was. A shame, that he would forget these names within days, unless she regularly saw them. Eyes on moving maw, ears zoning back to the words being spoken, Winterhymns Pendragon. An interesting name to him as well, just as Drayden Cipher was. Well, his own name and requested name could only be as strange to them. "The pleasure is mine, to meet you, Drayden and Winterhymns.", a wide grin would break across his lips as Winter called his name. It might not be for the same reasons as in the past, but it still felt good to hear his name spoken by someone else. "I plan to guard your borders. 'm not a man for crowds.", he would speak his intentions with a rotation of his ear, gaze rising past Winter to study the ocean momentarily.

Well, then, as long as Vaughn was comfortable with the nickname, then there was no need to not use it. "I see, well, you're more than welcome to stay here and guard camp, if thats what you wish to do." Drayden replied. "So, uh, welcome to The Palm Glades."[glow=COLOR,1,400] ━ ✧*:･ﾟ[/glow]