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 Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:08 pm
Savhir had indeed heard the call of the Goblin King, and though he was quite a ways out, he had to admit some amount of interest. Gatherings were not his favourite events, nor was coming when called, but who could deny that this Alpha had the voice of a true leader? And so, despite having rather enjoyed his day wandering along the river, snapping up small creatures and envisioning he had slipped back into his solitary days, he reluctantly struck out to answer the call.
His mind wasn’t on his family, not at that particular moment, though upon settling at the very edge of the gathering he caught enough of the Alpha’s speech to realize that this was to be the unveiling of a weighty litter of six - six? He himself had six unaccomplished young ones, little more than overgrown pups with dreams of becoming a resemblance of a true warrior, though at this stage he believed they were little more than annoyances. Little habits that had been endearing when they were little no longer brought silly feelings to the forefront of his mind, as his tolerance had worn off the moment his eldest daughter had grown tall enough to be of the teen age, and shaping his sons - any one of the four - into something worthy of his bloodline (or his mate’s, for that matter) was more of a challenge than he had originally expected. His gaze flicked around the gathered group of wolves with disinterest, passing over the slave returned corpse and the proud she-wolf who had chosen to reveal her own brood before the King, before spotting one of his sons far too close to the slaves. Verdegris, he thought, a small sigh rumbling through his lips. The little one. Why would he have such keen interest on creatures not worth bothering? So it went. He turned to eye the Goblin King that was to be his Alpha and found himself hoping that those pups would turn out how their parents wished them to be.
In the mass of wolves were several creatures he supposed he recognized, as family members of Ulfhildr’s and therefore part of a line he really should have known by name. Not that he did, not yet, but he felt himself quietly ruminating on their pups and how they differed from his own; one of Ulfhildr’s nephews had a handful that seemed promising, though the pups from a grand-nephew’s litter didn’t seem at all threatening at a glance. They seemed nice, even, and wondering just what had given them any form of hope within the cuthroat pack Savhir found himself glancing over his shoulder.
As predicted, the burgundy pelt of one of his middle sons was wandering slowly up behind him. Sudhir, the one whom had practiced kindness not so very long ago, the one whom Savhir was reluctant to acknowledge. Where was that diddling orange brother, the pup who caused him the most heartache with his over-enthused, untrained bouncing and playing? The two were hardly ever apart, and for that Savhir blamed himself; perhaps if he were to split up the brothers, they would stop being how they were and shape up a bit. Huhm…
Wandering in on legs that were just a bit too long and lowering ears that were just a bit too large, Sudhir gravitated toward his father with the look of the guilty plastered on his face. Nothing had changed between him and his father since the incident along the borders, at least not in Sudhir’s eyes - how was he to know that Savhir had already dismissed it as an unimportant event in a slightly less unimportant puphood? He was still careful around his father, brooding a type of reverent dislike despite his utter loyalty, and while his father sat somewhat reclining where the Goblin King’s voice could be heard, Sudhir decided it would be best to stand. He wanted to see the rest of the pack, as he had really never held much interest in meeting anyone beyond his family (and the occasional stranger he wandered into while ‘adventuring’ with Narangi) - these wolves were real wolves, hunters and warriors and assassins, all loyal to the great grinning beast that spoke in a voice like thunder. With an Alpha like this Sudhir knew he had to shape up and train a little harder, fight a little better, if he really and truly wanted to live.
Nowhere in the crowd did he spot Narangi or his eldest brother, Ciarán, or either of his sisters; were they coming? He saw Verdegris near the same time Savhir had spotted him out, and knew by the look on his father’s face that he was displeased… but at least Verdigris was there, first of the family, and brightening up Sudhir allowed himself to sit. Regardless what was happening around him he kept his focus on his leader - and shivered as one of his relatives, Haemon, spoke words of evocation against the King and against his mate. He was almost afraid of how the monster-pelted beast would react, though he supposed if Savhir wasn’t concerned, perhaps he shouldn’t be, either. And no, Savhir wasn’t concerned at all; looking down at his father, it seemed the red brute was nearing a nap-like stage…
Sudhir sat upright, alert, watching what dramas might unfold, completely unsure of what to do in situations such as this.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:14 pm
Ulfhildr came upon the gathering and slowed her trot to a quick walk and then progressively stopped. She was at the back of the pack, standing next to Geri as she looked out of the congregation with mild disinterest. As much as she'd heard rumoured about this collection of wolves she'd yet to see any true fearful or threatening behaviour from them, if her brothers pack had collected into a group like this they'd all of torn each other to shreds within minutes, but then she admitted her brother was dead, his pack no more and she now stood in front of a large alpha male and a pretty little slick of a female whom was rumoured to be the most cunning and calculating of wolves and their pack was still standing strong, perhaps they had it right after all. She snorted in a dismissive sort of manner and walked past Geri without any form of acknowledge meant, her eyes glanced over Freki and spotted Savhir.
Making her way slowly between the ranks of wolves she came to stand next to her mate and she smiled at him, 'Well pup, how does this suit you for something interesting?' She looked out over the few remaining wolves in front of her, spotted the corpse of a female in front and her eyes widen slightly with interest, though where the true drama seemed to be taking place was between a predominately white pelted female and the alpha pair. Perhaps this wasn't going to be such a uneventful, action less gathering after all. Before she could turn and make a smart remark to Savhir however Haemon, her great nephew stepped forth and challenged the large alpha male, how interesting that Haemon had finally developed this amount of courage after so many years of being so, subservient. She looked between the three main protagonists in this meeting at present and waited to see who made the first true move.
Vigdis struggled to keep up with her mother, the old b***h moved quickly even with that hideous hide upon her back and those massive horns upon her head. Finally they came to the clearing where the pack had began to gather. Vigdis' nondescript blue-grey eyes widen at the sight, before her was a gathering of true warriors of all shapes and sizes, no doubt with all different tactics and specialities. Vigdis quivered with excitement, this was her true calling, to stand an equal among such beasts, she kept her head high even if she hadn't yet proved herself she felt in her heart of hearts she'd stand just as proud among them as they themselves did now. She waited behind her mother whom had not yet settled but as she started into motion Vidgis' eyes followed along her path and spotted her father, she contemplated standing with Geri a little long, attempting to hold her own but finally gave in and admitted her time had not come yet. Slow, almost dejectedly she trailed behind her mother and came to rest close to her and her father.
He snorted slightly at his sisters the comments, 'Always the cynic lil' sis.' He watched the scene unfold in front however and he watched with mild interest as the alpha female came forwards out of her den, he'd never met the Queen before but his eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise, she was tiny and so beautiful, how could such a wolf wish to make this her home and how had she ever earnt her place next to the King like the Goblin Monarch. He watched as the pups rolled forwards into the light and presented themselves, the act was all very dramatical and he loved it for that. But his pleasant thoughts were disturbed by Kiada's comment and he shook his head gently and laughed slightly at her, 'You never know sis, one of them might not like the taste of blood.' He smiled at her and then focused on the Alpha pair once again.
However before anything else could be said or the alpha female could address them all his attentions, along with others were drawn to the brazen female whom was rudely shoulder her way through the gathered mass with four pups trailing behind her in her wake. She announced herself and proclaimed the pups were also that of the alpha males. Liu's eyes widened in amazement, the pups didn't seem to bare any resemblance to the great green and red goblin marked brute. In these moment however, unaware to him was the exchange that had occurred between his father and his uncle which then lead to his his fathers eruption. Liu opened his maw widen in amazement, it was always his mother that was easily riled and angered, such behaviour was rare from his father and he wondered what it was that had driven him to accuse the alpha male of disrespecting the newly appointed Queen and to the ex Beta for showing so little regard for her fellow pack mates. He turned to Kaida, his eyes still wide in surprise but he couldn't say anything, he was speechless and quickly his eyes widen furthermore with worry for his father for having attacked the alpha male so. He looked at his father and the alpha male and back at Kaida, still no words came but his eyes questioned Kaida, nothing escaped his sister.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 2:20 pm
Verdigris cast his pale gaze quickly around the gathering, debating on his best move, a place where he could watch and listen, yet remain out of the thick of things. After a moment, he caught the burgundy coats of his father, two siblings, and the eerie, horned pelt that his mother favored. While he had little interest being near Vigdis, as he hated how aggressive and pushy she was, he felt drawn towards his kin and found his lanky legs carrying him towards them.
He hung back, not getting too near and made the decision not to speak unless his parents spoke to him. He could feel himself burning with a slight shame, as he still hadn't put on as much size or weight as the others from their brood.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 5:07 pm
Not much interest could be held in the form of personal conflicts and pack drama, as with a casual ear Savhir listened to the one called Haemon present his bold case. Savhir could care less about who had been the one to give birth to the Alpha’s children, and was more than positive that the little pale female had done something incredibly more than just that to earn herself respect; she seemed clever enough, and what she lacked in size she could easily match with wits. Was she a witty one? Perhaps. Did she deserve the title? Perhaps. He did, however, enjoy the fluency of Haemon’s statements, and while he had no idea what the truth was, or could be, or might have been, he was still pleased with it all.
Oh, and then there was the little dead one. That was how betrayers were treated? Fine enough.
While he was pondering just what to make of the new betas and the hoarde of strange pups, one cocked ear caught the whisping of a familiar set of paws; he flicked one eye back to see his mate, resplendent in her elaborate sheep skin, and offered a small chuckle at her little greeting. He had long since become accustomed to being called a pup, as it had become something of a familiar nickname, allowing it only when it passed through his mate’s lips. “Mmm, I suppose this is a nice-enough gathering of beasts,” Savhir slowly replied, rolling his shoulders and offering a fond, if not somewhat snarky, grin. “All this drama, though… that one, your relative, he’s got an interesting taste in comments. I don’t suppose his accusations mean anything to you, my fine lady?”
When Vigdis finally decided to trail in after her mother, looking for all intents and purposes very angry, Savhir nodded his head and said nothing. There was a reason for his eldest daughter to be looking so grumpy, and he wasn’t one to speculate - but she had probably tried to bite off more than she could chew. Such was the way of his eldest, and while he liked her enthusiasm… perhaps she could use a little humiliation to slow her down. Then Verdegris approached, making himself seem even smaller with his reluctance to get any closer than a stone’s throw away. “If you’re going to stand near your family, for God’s sake don’t look so subservient!” Savhir grumbled lowly, as close to an invitation Verdegris ever get.
Sudhir saw his mother approach, and wagging his tail slowly he lowered his head obediently. “Mother,” he greeted, eyes flicking only momentarily to his sister - his bitter, foul-mooded big sister, whom he had very little to say to. He loved her as any brother should, but beyond the family relations… well, he found her to be just a little unapproachable. “Is what Haemon says true? I’m not so sure.”
Speaking out might not have been in his nature, but if anyone was to know amongst his immediate family, his mother was the one to ask. He was still too young to know much about the politics of the pack, but was looking to learn, and when Verdegris came near he hailed his youngest brother with a soft grin. Verdegris seemed a little odd, as far as his siblings went, in that he was small and not very brave, but Sudhir definitely didn’t mind.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:11 pm
Nakita moved behind her mother and her sister, like a figure in the shadows, watching and observing every moment that she could. She was sure that she would probably get some sort of scolding, but she had her reasons for being late. Besides, she was usually the most well behaved of her childish siblings, new when to pick fights. Obviously she was not dull enough to attempt to wrestle her mother. Vigdis was always the stupidest one--Nakita was sure of that. Though perhaps she thought of that merely because she wanted to be the prized daughter, the one with the highest position. She would work hard until she gained the honour that would please both of her parents.
A soft snort left her when she saw the tiny female that the Alpha male picked out for himself, though it was quiet enough not to be caught. Really, of all of his offers, he picked her? Probably because she was so tiny, males liked something to protect. Still, her announcement as the Alpha female stung just a little. That was a position she would never be able to gain. Nor would she be able to make it as a Beta, as long as that b***h survived.
Instead she would have to train to be a lady and work her way up from there by pleasing the King in any way that she could. Gain favor and become the best there was. That was simply her destiny, and she would tare apart anyone who doubted her greatness. She bowed her head to both her mother and father, then towards the King despite the fact that he seemed a little more.. busy.
She did not ask what she missed, she merely watched and listened to the words spoken. Ah, it seemed she made it just in time to watch the new Queen be defaced publicly. But she could not be seen enjoying such a thing, so she placed a frown on her delicate features.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:43 pm
 Nary a cloud in sight, but the stars hardly provided the light to make up for such a lack of moon this night. Like an otherworldly blanket of darkness, the sky seemed to descend close to the land in a moment of presumption of power; what was the world beneath it but a glorified pile of dirt and water? And from that velvet darkness came a piercing howl that, as a knife to counteract that very fabric of the sky, tore it open and let those that would unravel its serenity come forth to gather. Above the dark ants, a claw-thin moon hung limpidly.
Gabrielle wasn’t sure what was more overtheatrical: the description above going through her mind, or the fact that the Goblin King might well have chosen tonight purely because of that poetic image.
She had been there mere minutes after the howl among the first ones there, but she had not come out into the open immediately; no, she had decided to stay back in the shadows until more wolves arrived, which did not take very long at all considering how many wolves were in the Reign – and growing. No-one had spotted Gabrielle in her last moments of adolescence save for one, whom she refused to so much as get within yards of if possible. Nothing too terrible, since their dens might be close enough, but their schedules were quite different thankfully. Once she spied her brother and mother assembling, she slid out from the shadows and settled to her mothers empty side, bowing as was courteous to the alpha before doing so. She had spoken with Liriel before this, so she was not in nearly as much dis-ease as she might have been. Cassius she had not spotted before, however, and his adult form stunned her for a moment. He wore the same sort of hood their father did, and the metal adorning the side of his face made her wonder just what laid beyond . . . But then, she did not pry lest they ask what lied beneath her own little mask.
And so the wolves came streaming in, those with pups showcasing them subtly as they entered. Selene’s lifeless body fell to the floor in front of them like a prize, but really Gabrielle could only look at it for so long before she closed her eyes and kept herself as composed as possible while inside her stomach churned. How many times had she told Kerai that he would be better off in a different pack, that he ought to run away? She had used Selene, a wolf she had never met even, as an example: if a lone female could do it, why not a male with help from one of the packmembers? Now it was like this newcomer, this “Ba’al” had all but killed that idea and let its blood seep into the ground before the alpha without any of them ever knowing it. That was what happened to traitors to The Reign; she had been naïve to think otherwise . . . For a moment, Gabrielle turned her head and softly mumbled a prayer for the fallen she-wolf, and then opened her eyes once more to focus on other details. Like how Clooney was going to react to this.
How many litters were there now? Each had brought on a strange dream for the hooded female, each at different points of those pregnancies. One dream she did not understand, though, and it wasn’t till Kiara’s reappearance that it all made sense in the worst sort of fashion. What was going on in the femme’s head, to make such an announcement? Why would she stake a claim to the Goblin King’s brood? It had to be more than just a claim for power, right? A rather un-proven one too, if the little ones proved anything in mere appearances. Strong, yes, and larger then Moghedien’s own litter – were they older or younger? What had Kiara been doing all this time? She sat back and held her counsel, saying nothing but keeping her ears and eyes alert, hoping Kerai was doing the same for her. The journey had been long and hard, but that was what the training had been for, yes? In fact after a while, Kyros had kept up a steady pace that, yes, put him at the back of their group, but never once did he stumble or need to put on a burst of speed to keep up. He was a force that refused to be daunted by hills and obstructions in their path. And with a steady tempo going he had no need to force himself to sit down and catch his breath; he had made sure his body was well-adjusted to long lengths without breaks, much different than at the beginning of their training when he had to hide his tiredness in solitude – which ended up usually being spotted by at least one of his sisters, if not Mom herself.
Still, he liked being at the back. Kyros could see everyone clearly, and he was a fine rear guard if he did say so himself. No once did anything dare approach them while he was on duty! And sure, Kirzeni at one point felt the need to slow down long enough to n** at his heels in a wordless scolding of his chosen speed, but he let it roll off his shoulders. She could do what she wanted to him – any of them could. Already, Kyros was beginning to notice that his threshold of pain was growing higher; hopefully soon enough the pain tolerance would rise with it.
Soon enough all of them could hear that magnificent howl, and it raised his spirits to soaring heights, enough to even pick up his pace easily to match his slowest sister, puppy limbs tense with excitement and eating up the ground beneath him. Ah, and there were the packmembers! His eyes widened at the sheer number of them, and an eager light flared in his two-toned eyes as the four slowed down and Kiara introduced them to –
- Who were they? His own thoughts staggered with Kiara’s pause in speech, merely staring. Thankfully, he was smart enough to not let his jaw go slack, and though eventually he tore his eyes off the brood of pups to stare (more awefully) at the large wolf that was Father, his heart still stuttered over the ugly facts standing near him – near that silver spider.
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x Hades took his very sweet time heading to the pack meeting once the howl was heard. He was not a male slobbering for a high position, afraid of losing said position he did have, or a female (which alone was a position itself there, being that three-quarters licked at Chernabog’s heels, and the other quarter was doing whatever else they wanted). In fact, Hades was one of the few souls quite content with his position in the dark pack and not looking to add more glamour to it. Lord was good enough, thank you kindly. And he felt no need to toss a female into his den to satisfy himself, no . . . not when he had his adoring bones to offer solace. It had been a while since he had gone gravedigging now that he thought about it . . . Perhaps soon enough.
For now, he settled himself comfortably near some of Savir and Ulfhildr’s spawn, nearly a shadow under the lack of light – his silver eyes remained almost luminous nonetheless as he listened intently and with no particular expression. Inwardly, ah, that was a different story. There he chuckled at the sight of the re-captured slave (perhaps he might slip by to ask for her skull to mount somewhere) and sniggered like a younger adolescent as a second female came to pronounce her progeny to be of Chernabog’s loins as well.
Pack meetings were never without their drama, it seemed. Women might feed on this, but Hades was a bone-dry wolf – for him to find any humor in this predicament attested to his boredom. Already he was getting itchy to travel, to find his precious bones or perhaps something with a little more . . . meat upon it. What would his friend say to this situation, he wondered, and more importantly did it need to be such a cause for bothersome rumors and rivalry? He was never a part of it of course, but being forced to endure topic conversations drift constantly to whatever new dilemma hit the pack, well . . . he had grown weary of old news as it was. New news would be like creating a new wound and forcing him to put salt in it.
Let what needed to be said be said, and then send them on the missions post-haste. If this didn’t happen tonight, Hades was sure he’d visit Chernabog personally for one.
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x She didn’t need reminding not to chew something, THANKS. She wasn’t that much of a dolt, Olivine, and she made a point to snort in her general direction before they were presented. Oh yes, once Lycosidae was pretty sure the meeting was coming, she had ceased all nervous habits . . . to the best of her ability. Several lizards and Adrieal did not get the same sort of non-chewing treatment, however. She was still licking up blood from her teeth when they came out into the open, and thus she did not display any form of a smile but merely stood up and stayed between Olivine and Oson’Gar.
Her eyes narrowed perceivably once Kiara and her overgrown monsters showed up, nothing but lies spilling from her tongue. They hardly looked like Father did anyway, so she hardly felt threatened by the pale she-wolf’s proclamation. No, it was more their size that made her a little antsy. All four looked rather sizeable and limber, sinewy even. Especially the male, who looked as if in the future he would be a physical force to be reckoned with. She glanced to her family, wondering what their individual reactions would be to this.
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x She trotted after her mother and sister, settling primly in front of Rumor and making it plain that she was deigning to show up along with one of the betas of the pack. You know, her mother was so important that she had to stay behind and watch the pack? Pretty cool job, huh? And she was one of the daughters of said awesome wolf, so by proxy that made her pretty cool, yes? With her unsettlingly blank, glowing eyes, and skull-colored face, she had to look pretty intimidating, yes? She wasn’t bone-thin by any means, having a habit of liking to be in fights, but her dark fur mostly covered up the scars she was more than proud to show. A warrior was in the making of this one.
What bothered Whisper the most, though, was not the strange reappearance of Kiara and four other nobodies, but the fact that there was a beta male. the implications disgusted her. He was ugly in comparison to her mother, who was colorful and stormy next to his muddy fur. No way would he be getting near her mother, not while she was on watch!
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x Adrieal was often a forgotten member of The Reign of Terror, even for a slave. The only time he was asked for was for his role as a dummy for practicing warriors. He had been Gabrielle’s first interactive “hey, I’m lower than you!” experience when she had been growing up, Whisper’s target for stealth action tackling and subduing, and recently became Lycosidae’s favorite chewtoy when she decided her own body was taking enough damage. He had entered the evil, eeeeeevil pack as a terrified adolescent caught in Liriel’s cltches away from a friend who could have shown him a kinder world, and now . . .
Well, now he wanted every sort of revenge possible on Liriel and her impossibly decorated children. He wanted to ravage Gabrielle and make her eat that stupid mask until it punctured her throat and made her swallow blood. He wanted to wrap the chains of Liriel’s necklace suffocatingly tight about her neck and force her to stare into that damn lantern’s glow until that was all she ever saw – assuming she lived long enough in his paws. And oh, the things he wanted to do to those other children, if only he had the power, the time, the opportunity . . .
Frankly, though, Adrieal was powerless both in rank and in physical stature. Average in pretty much every aspect, his life as a slave had only made his health take a slow dive. Yet the only open sign of his disdain for his life in the pack – unlike his strangely happy to remain subservient rank-sharers – was the painted scowl forever upon his face. Once upon a time Adrieal thought it was a curse; now it was a rather apt portrait of how he felt constantly; saved him the energy of actually scowling for other purposes. Like whining darkly under his breath when things didn’t go his way.
He stayed back from the big group, barely involved and yet unable to simply ignore the howling call; what if he got punshed for refusing to come, or some other stupid reason? He plopped down with a quiet huff, masking a wince where Whisper had torn a little of his thigh fur recently.
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:54 pm
"Yes, father~"
That would be the closest invitation he could get and he was quick to take his father up on it, hardly able to suppress the small wag of his tail as he neared his parents and his siblings. The grin from Sudhir seemed to boost his confidence as he stood beside him, placing him between himself and his own mother. He held his head higher as he took another, swift look around.
While he was still young and learning, what was being said couldn't be true. So much drama. For a moment, he worried. What was the former beta doing, making such outrageous claims. And then Haemon.
"Can't be..."
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:34 pm
She was...uncomfortable to say in the least. But when she saw Freki, she gave a small wave of her tail and sat close to her pup, watching as he eyed...Haemon.
Taking in a deep breath, she stared at the blood shaman for a long moment before narrowing her eyes and looking forward towards their King, just hoping that Freki stayed close to her. Geri--made her a little uncomfortable, but she'd never back down from another wolf, not even her made at this point.
Kaikon sat tall, looking over to his sister with a little wag of his tail before looking up to his father and back towards their leader--the large wolf, their King. Puffing out his chest a bit when the male started to announce the new beta, Kaikon shifted on his paws and listened carefully, taking in every detail. As Aitou watched this, she smiled a bit, proud of her strong children...and though she had put herself into a rather odd situation, she didn't care. But she might be relying on Freki too much when it came to possible protection if Haemon and his mate did or said something.
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:44 pm
Ba'al smiled proudly at at their King, listening to his words but keeping his tail low and his head down. He didn't want to disrespect him. But as the King told him to step up, to come closer, he lifted his head proudly and looked back at all the wolves that were gathering. It was a large pack--filled with strength, cunning, intelligence and hate. What an odd mixture, he never suspected he'd ever be part of a pack like this again.
Ba'al narrowed his eyes slightly as a female approached with her pups, not that he needed the constant attention but he found it quite rude...then a dark black and red wolf spoke from a distance, and he knew he needed to move.
However, he smelled Rumor..the female he was going to be side by side with for--as long as he could think, at least. That's how he wanted it to work.
Slowly wrapping his jaws around the dead female's neck once more, he moved around in front of the female with the pups, giving her a warning look--hopefully not out of place--before slowly stepping towards Rumor, holding the dead body in his jaws tightly. Nervous? Maybe. A smile crossed his dark lips and he gently set the corpse down in front of her, head remaining low, respectful, hoping that she'd accept him since it was a set-up thing rather than a willing pairing.
"You and your pups are gorgeous, I'm looking forward to standing by your side as beta."
Lilith had her head held high when the King spoke to them both, though knew she was only among the ranks as a commoner and not a Beta like her brother. But the address towards them made her ego swell, and her push to fight for the pack that much stronger.
Puffing out her chest, he huffed darkly when the female came up with the pups and folded her ears back. She was addressing the King as her previous lover, however, and that was when she knew better than to say anything towards him.
Glancing up at the Ice Queen--the King's mate--she hummed and bowed her head for a moment before moving off to the side to sit and allow other wolves to be addressed. The adrenaline of the chase had already begun to fade, which might have been a good thing at this point.
Glancing at the slaves after a moment, her ears perked, then her eyes slid back to their King, and she waited.
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:16 pm
Well...finally there was some motivation for Clooney to pull from his frozen depression, shake off the ice crystals, and find himself in the burning inferno of activity that Reign of Terror offered. The dark wolf had been little more than a wraith wandering about the pack since he returned from his one and only jaunt out as Lord, and boredom had long since immobilized him. Ever independent and hardly a pack player, Clooney figured being a Lord would be a nice little experience that offered both what he would be doing naturally -seeking and terrorizing some lesser canine for whatever profit they could offer- and an easy, free, home environment where food would be plentiful and a dry den came with his position. That would have been all well and good, were he actually doing that. But after his return from Akiiki Chibale he hadn't had another job. Maybe that was because of the surplus of members coming in. There were several more Lords and Ladies added to the ranks since he had joined, being one of the first to state allegiance to his Majesty, none of which he had cared much to introduce himself to or strike up any alliances. He felt little motivation to do anything of the sort.
Perhaps the biggest factor of his recession was the loss of a particular slave who he had very much claimed in all senses of the word. Selene, that b***h. How dare she run from him, from Reign of Terror, from her Master, home, grave! And who had allowed this? Certainly someone could have kept an eye of the slave while he was out performing his job. Incompetence had driven him to recluse from such inept miscreants. What few wolves he did meet he had little patience for. Even the slaves he found no inspiration. Taking up a slave he had found in the woods, tangled and ignorant, even proved useless. And the pup that had found Kerai along with him seemed far more attached to the lanky little cur than he was. Sure he could prove amusing on occasion and wasn't bad at being a chew toy, and though Clooney could enjoy him thoroughly, it just wasn't the same as having a female slave and since he had given him up in trade of another. Kerai was too much of a push over. It was the hateful stare that Selene gave him that made everything worthwhile. He adored that stare.
Having heard the howl, Clooney got up out of his lazy lounging position and slowly started to trot toward the meeting center. He cast his golden gaze about to every wolf he saw along the way but made no move to speak to anyone, nor flirt with some of the females he found a mild attraction to, nor give any care for the pups that were now grown and blossoming. He listened to his mighty alpha speak, ears attentive, but it was a sight to his left that truly attracted his eyes. A stranger was already there, hovering above a little form, bruised and broken, whose bloody fur was matted and jutting at odd angles. At first there was little attention given. Why would he care about a slave's lost life? But then he blinked, put his nose to the air, and frowned, maw gaping slightly as he realized whose fragile body lay motionless. Selene. DAMMIT! It was Selene laying there lifeless. An immediate snarl came as his first reaction, but he quieted himself, attempting to pull a cool cloak over his rigid body. How dare he! A stranger take away his slave! That was his job, his joy, and this interloper completely ruined everything. Clooney couldn't care less for his Majesty's new brood. Didn't care for this new b***h who also claimed to have birthed his pups, and didn't at all seem interested in any other drama occurring. His sole focus was pinpointed on the brother sister team, rage slowly stewing in his gut and boiling up through his throat. Any other place and time he would have confronted them with intent to kill, but this wasn't the place nor the time, and starting a fight now could have him expelled from the pack, if not killed for insubordination. No, if he wanted revenge on this Ba'al and Lilith, he'd have to think something through.
He padded straight over to Ba'al, watching him move to join the female beta, and immediately he looked from the body to him, giving a calculated smirk and slight bow of his head.
"Congratulations. You should be honored having reached such a prestigious position so easily."
Kerai had not come in on Gabrielle's heals as he was often seen, instead having heard the howl from the slave's den and traveled out, feeling his body give a quick quake before he huffed and tossed it back up on his shoulders proudly. There was excitement streaming through the air. Both positive and nervous, but it was an excitement that meant change, and one he was looking forward too. Kerai sauntered into the group and found the only other slave he was particularly familiar with and sat beside him. Adrieal didn't look happy. Then again, he never did. His dark maw hung low while his clear eyes glanced between his bangs, keeping still and attentive, curiously listening in on the little conversations here and there, looking around for Gabrielle, hoping he wouldn't disappoint her today. This was his chance to prove himself. Prove he could be something more than a cowering punching bag.
Those eyes traveled over every form, lingering on something he didn't understand. Death wasn't familiar to him, something he still didn't quite grasp, and looking over Selene's body, it took a moment or two before he realized exactly what was wrong with her. His jaw dropped before clamping shut, tightly screwed there as to cease any gasp that would draw attention to him. Pulling back his ears, he quickly looked away, unable to imagine the sort of torture the poor female endured and he didn't want to linger on it. Never once did he think of Gabrielle's promises. He knew she had good intentions and that was all that mattered. Now all that he was concerned with was the new proposition she had brought forward. If she could train him, maybe it was possible he could rise from his lowly rank and become something more for the pack. A spy maybe. Something that wouldn't subject him to the mercy of Terror's members.
He had seen their King's stare as he addressed Ba'al's success, and tried not to hide himself when their gazes met, feeling his heart flip flop in his chest.
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:42 pm
Chernabog relished the way Mog stood beside him, his pups entrance and the way the pack seemed to slowly swell. They were like a dark stain that continued to spread as a few more slunk out filling the area. He was about to send the pups down among the pack have them mingle while he announced his lords and ladies along with their new assignments. Instead his attention moved to the commotion below and he almost grinned as he spotted Kiara. His aggressive trainer of the rampant youth, he could assign the younger pups to their training including his own. Then his ears perked, his lips curled beneath his mask, he was going to kill her. His eyes narrowed on her as he tried to control his breathing, a small growl started to rumble in his chest but he swallowed it. He needed to school his features better, he needed to stay calm. No doubt only Haemon and Mog had realized how angry he was, Mog because beside him she could have heard his growl and Haemon because his heart had no doubt gone wild with his fury. His eyes remained narrowed on his former beta while he tried to control himself. Slowly his gaze moved to the pups and then back to Kiara. How dare she, how dare she attempt such an idiotic scheme! Worst of all she had come and tried to humiliate his Queen on what was supposed to be her night of triumph. The thunder from his own pups seemed to have been rather effectively stolen as well.
Yet he could see the plot, the pups were a blend of Kiaras light and his darkness, they were sprinkled with the red he bore on her legs. They were large and they stood brave and challenging even among this pack. Hmmm...perhaps denouncing Kiara's claim would be too hasty. Mog knew the truth and she would stand for herself, that was why he loved her, why he had chosen her. the pups could have value, if his own ever failed he could claim Kiara's without concern. Then Haemon's voice jerked him from his thoughts. The fool was running his mouth at a most inopportune moment and just when they had talked of loyalty. He knew Haemon was under many stresses, yet it did little to quell his anger. He snarled and leapt down from above the den and over to Haemon.
"I have great respect for you Lord Haemon but it diminishes a great deal when you fail to control your tongue. You've insulted my queen by comparing her to Kiara, who even recently lost her position as our beta. She is however quite good training pups...which is her new position." He turned away from Haemon, he would deal with him later, before he left for Draug Faroth. For a moment he considered neglecting to give Raelin her due, but quickly dismissed the idea, Raelin had earned recognition. She had worked hard to find her place among them and had learned a skill that would be of use in the future.
"Kiara...why don't you go sit down...there...with your...welps." He glanced over where the slaves were roughly gathered. Obviously his casually phrased comment was a command, and one meant to show his displeasure without outright chastising her infront of the pack.
"Now...we have far more important matters to discuss, tonight we will send our dear lords and ladies out to collect tribute...and dole out punishments as needed."
He turned his back on Kiara and her pups moving back up to Mog determined to move past his former beta's foolishness. He would deal with Kiara later, after he had a private talk with his dear Mog. He knew she was too smart to start a scene in front of the pack. He stood beside her again still angry with Kiara's meddling, his perfect plans had been completely scattered. He had wanted to send the pups down, but now he decided to keep them up above the den where the pack could see his fire and ice family united. He glanced at Hades, Clooney, and then Haemon, he would announce his lords and allow Mog to announce the ladies.
"Lord Hades, Lord Clooney, Lord Haemon if you would come forth for your assignments...new packs have come to our attention...and they will need a little visitation."
Morozko had been about to try and shove his youngest brother off the low cliff they stood on until he heard the females voice. His ears perked and he peered over curiously at first then his brows furrowed in anger. What was she saying, who was this female, and why was she putting more obstacles in his path? Wasn't it bad enough the way his father looked at his youngest brother like the big whelp was worth more? He wanted to end those looked, he wanted them for himself. He wanted the whole pack to see him, though he knew he was the least likely to stand out among his siblings.
He watched his father leap down and quickly shoved his siblings trying to get a good look at what was going on below. Was his father going to kill the pups? Would he kill the loud mouthed female? He watched as instead his father approached the black and red male who had spoken. There was no fight though, no blood, no death...it annoyed him. Then his father dismissed the female and he tensed in anger, why didn't his father kill them!? He knew his sire was capable of cold blooded murder, he was strong, and the pack wouldn't turn on him for it? Morozko didn't understand the complexities of life he only understood breaking bones and spilling blood.
Kemena was incredibly excited, mama seemed excited and they were probably going to get to see their father for the first time in their lives. She glanced back at her brother and almost grinned until her sister nipped and caused her to snarl and snap back. Still even that didn't foul her mood for more then a moment. They burst out behind their mother fanning around her and looking up with chests thrust out in pride.
Then it seemed like everything came crashing down, her ears fell back and she stared in confusion at the pups up next to...their father. He was amazing, huge and terrifying everything their mother had said and more. Yet the pups they looked like him and...her eyes skimmed the female beside him. Her mother seemed to loose some of the thunder they had ridden in on. It frightened her inside but she pushed that fear down and forced a brave face. Their father approached and she almost stepped forward but stilled herself in time. Her lips raised as he called them whelps and she looked at her mother for some kind of signal. Was this a joke? Was this some part of their mothers plan? Was their father playing some trick to test them?
He was stunned completely and while his mothers snide commentary almost made him grin Haemons sudden outburst quickly wiped the smile. He had experienced Chernabogs thrashings firsthand. Luckily for him the king had roughly held back which meant he wasn't dead, just in a lot of pain. Still he was worried about the possibility of a bloodbath and if that would rile up the whole pack. He didn't think it would take much to set this group off. Instead he was stunned by the calm manner the king handled both Haemon and Kiara, maybe the queen had been a good influence on him as well. He found a fresher deeper respect for Mog and knew he would have to seek her out and tell her so. It would be hard on his pride but she had earned his apology.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:36 am
Anger rushed through his viens like hot white fire. The normally calm, collected wolf could feel his rage growing to dangerous levels. How dare Kiara attempt to humiliate his Queen. And the King. He did not deny the pups, did not speak against the female. He barely even acted displeased.
All of their hard word, all of their efforts to please the King.. Mog had given him six puppies, all strong and healthy which was not an easy feat for a female of her size. He had traced and tracked down endless wolves, spilt blood and gave every ounce of his strength to secure the position for Mog that she desired. He had thought he would finally have made her father proud.
His heartbeat sped though he tried to calm himself, eyes narrowing and he could do nothing but stare ath the King. Attacking him would be pointless. He was too powerful and there were endless loyal wolves. Verbally thrashing him would be unlikely to get through his thick skull, as he seemed not to hear what Haemon had been saying.
So instead his eyes moved to his Queen, as if asking her what he should do.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 3:51 pm
Moghedien's eyes ran over the gathered crowd, Chernabog carried on to talk about her birth of 6 pups and her strength in doing so, Moghedien wasn't truly listening however, this was a formality and it gave her a moment or two to truly see what was going on. She spotted Clooney in the crowd slowly make his way over to Ba'al, the newly appointed Beta male whom had hunted down, recaptured and killed Selene; Clooney's slave; interesting, she logged this information to memory. Her icy blue eyes continued to run over the others, numbers had swelled more than she had truly known in the last few months, Haemon's family members had hunted him down and all members seemed to have mates and pup which caused the numbers to swell. Her eyes rested upon Haemon for a moment, a catalyst it would seem for the family to gather, what was it that drew them to him? In that moment she noticed the small exchange between him and Freki and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly with curiosity, now what was going on there she wondered, whatever it was it didn't please Haemon. Her eyes continued onwards and where suddenly alerted to a wolf shouldering there way through the crowd, it was Kiara.
She stood proudly next to Chernabog, their pups gathered about them and she watched coolly as the ex beta pushed her way forward. She listened patiently as Kiara announced her pups and Moghedien did something she rarely did, she let emotion play upon her facial features by allowing a small pitiful smile to decorate her maw as she gazed down at Kiara and her b*****d pups. Those pups were no more Chernabog's than Liriel's pups, what Kiara wasn't aware of was while Moghedien had given Chernabog pups as a form or tribute, he had given her a promise in exchange and it was this knowledge that caused her to smile combined it other emotions. Her thoughts returned to Liriel, the purple female had also been in competition for the position as alpha female and had in Mog's opinion done a better job, she was a far more formidable wolf than Kiara and one now that had accepted her defeat, a far great skill that blindly denying what was as clear as day in front of her. Added to this Liriel had also kept her position within the pack as Lady, whereas through Kiara's one track mind she had not fore filled her role as Beta, leading to her demotion. Also the smile was for the lack of understanding Kiara possessed, being able to produce pups was not a skill that meant anything within this pack, it was not something that was going to get you anyway, all she seemed to think about was one occurrence in the distant past where Chernabog had fell for a little tail. Moghedien had nothing to say to this female, a curse on her own sex for demeaning their purpose, she merely stood icy calm allowing Chernabog to address her.
However before he could Haemon spoke up. Moghedien turned to him, her eyes widening ever so slightly in amazement. What he said had merit to it, if indeed Chernabog had mated with Kiara though clearly this couldn't be the case, besides Moghedien's knowledge of the agreement between herself and Chernabog, the pups themselves looked nothing alike, the only colouration or markings that married up was the red and that was it. Mog's eyes slowly began to narrow as she considered, the exchange that had occurred between him and Freki must have something to do with this strange outburst from the Shaman, he seemed to speak a great deal about respect and respecting females/mates. As for his comments directed at Kiara, they were well due, she was no longer Beta and not even a Lady, showing respect was paramount and she displayed barely minimal amounts to anyone besides Chernabog.
All seemed to go quiet for a split moment while most of the wolves gathered seemed to expect some kinda of outbreak from herself or Chernabog, neither of which came. Moghedien continued to look coolly out over the gathered beasts to whom she was now to command, of sorts, still calculating and still weighing up. Her eyes followed Chernabog then as he jumped into action, lunging down past Kiara to address Haemon first of all, how interesting. The comments he made to Haemon seemed to make no sense, the shaman had not insulted her, more him but by what extent she wasn't yet quite sure, she needed to discuss this with Chernabog later. He then turned upon Kiara whom he dismissed rather calmly but his standards to stand with the slaves, a symbolism she hoped wouldn't be missed by the dense female. She was slightly annoyed he did not denounced Kiara's claim but she would discuss that with him later, as she cast her eyes about most of the wolves seemed rather nonchalant about the pups anyway so it did not matter and after all, all the pups needed to prove themselves and the whole system of having heirs she truly didn't believe in anyway, these things should be earnt in life.
It was as she cast her eyes about then that she caught sight her her old friend, Damon. She knew rage swam in his eyes and she could understand why but this was not the place to let it explode. She would have her revene on Kiara in a manner in which Moghedien usually operated, pulling strings in her web. Her humiliation of being simply dismissed in front of the gathering here was enough for now, knowing full well the female had probably expected Chernabog to welcome her in and name her pups as his heirs also but that just wasn't so, of course he didn't deny it but she'd deal with that, this was not the time or the place there were more important matters to discuss for who truly cared about heirs, while Moghedien and Chernabog was alive anyone wanting to run this pack would have to compete with them and Moghedien was confident very few would be up to that challenge for a long time yet.
Matters swiftly moved on and Chernabog called the Lord forwards, Moghedien followed this lead and in a voice that carried much like a mist rolling across the ground frozen by a sub zero winters night she commanded, 'Lady Liriel and Lady Gabrielle, if you would come forth.' Moghedien looked out at Liriel and watched as she would imminently make her way forwards, now Liriel was a rival she was proud to have had, someone who was still very much a great merit to the pack and knew how to show decorum.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 4:44 pm
Kaida took a step closer to her brother as things heated up. At the announcement of more pups from the king she nearly blanched. Was he really that unfaithful to his new mate. Hmmm or perhaps it had been an accident? Could be she shrugged this off however didn't matter, didn't concern her at the moment. Her eyes did however drift to her father who was staring not at the alpha but across the way towards... her uncle? She observed this carefully for a few moments until she caught sight of the female beside him and eventually the pups between them. Her ears laid back against her head and she snorted. So when her father lashed out at the alpha she understood one of the things that had moved him to speak.
The questioning look of her brother caught her attention and she motioned towards their uncle and those around him before shaking her head. "Father is stressed." She stated softly before giving a sort of snort laugh. "Don't fear for him however. Our king is not so stupid as to kill him. At least I hope he isn't. Father is of much more use to the pack alive than he is dead. It would be a fools move to kill someone so valuable." She gave another small snort and shook her head. "Which would mean he wasn't fit to run this pack at all. However since he has been doing fine thus far I assume he isn't a fool. For the most part." She added as an after thought.
"He will also, if he is intelligent keep these pups as well. Look at the way they stand, they have obviously been trained and they are strong, healthy. Even I can see how they would be of use to the pack if for no other reason than as more mindless warriors." Kaida commented as if she was speaking about the weather and not the fate of pups. Though she mused she would very much like to speak to each other pups up there. Perhaps one of them held the gem of a grand mind in a tiny body. Perhaps... perhaps not either way she would dearly like to find out for herself.
As the Alpha approached their father and spoke to him she nearly burst into snickers. Her father had just been chided and justly mind you but still he had just been chided. For some reason that amused her greatly and she had to hide her face in her brothers shoulder to keep her cool. "See father is fine." She commented keeping her face hidden as the amusement wore off. She gave an almost inaudible growl as the lords were called forth to take on their orders. "This could also have something to do with why father is so on edge. I hear tell that a few of the packs are not handing over tribute." Kaida said finally lifting her face from her brother's shoulder and looking back up at the king.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:45 pm
Liriel visibly relaxed as she watched the King dismiss Kiara..pointedly towards the slaves. She smiled at that, and nodded in approval, shooting Kiara a look of digust and contempt before she heard Moghedien's unsurprisingly cool voice. The steadiness of it comforted her in a strange way, a pleasant contrast to the agitation that had bubbling up in the crowd of wolves. She smiled easily and rose to her paws, waiting for her daughter to do the same befoe walking silkily forward to meet the queen. She bowed gently before she lifted her head to address the silvery femme before her.
"My Queen," she said, her golden eyes warm as her mood had been as of late, "How may I serve you?" Her voice was silken as her stride once again, her demeanor polished, rough edges worn away and softened. Everything about her was fluid; If Moghedien was ice, Liriel now was water.
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