He was not impressed with the way Rhysis and Naira were running their pack. Whether the trespassing was intentional or not, he was going to get to the bottom of all of it. The problem was finding where they were. It was obvious where the other packs of Relic Lore were settled it had to be on that inferno mountain of all places. Rhysis was godforsaken so his home should be likewise, and Naira the loyal woman he could not say would make much of a choice in the matter. He supposed it would be a good defense, and they would need every inch. It was where he would start his search.


It was not the first time. He had looked before getting catches of old trails here and there. It was where preciously he would struggle among the heights. He had been down so many rocky trails, and not so many places paws should tread trying to pick up a clue. He would continuously work upward, further, and further in a determination. It would take much more than the stretch of ground, and the lack of promise to stop the Tainn. He was set on finding them, to set the record straight once and for all. If they really wanted to avoid a war, they were doing a piss poor job so far. It would take one more wrong of any sort to be the final strike maybe not for Swift River, but for Triell.


His heart thumping against his rib cage, and his breath hot, pooling from his lips he made another pull against another rocky step when he saw the pool of blue that stretched out beneath him. A lake?! His eyes widened, and flicked to on end to the next. Of all the mysteries of the lore this was the biggest one he'd ever stumbled upon. A wrinkled brow, he stared dumbfounded at the body of water half wondering if he was mad. The breeze picked up, blowing the scent of the lake his way, and he broke from both present and past reverie. If he had not stopped he continued pulling himself to the top of the rock where he could stand more comfortably, yet seeing all there was around him. He pondered for a time on that rock, what to do, how much further to go. It was after catching his breath, and deciding that he should call for Naira the Tainn titled back his head, and sang a deep song for her or any Poison Path wolf to find him.

He did not care how many would come, or who. He wouldn't mind getting on their nerves for a bit, or have a few of them reprimanded for jumping the gun. Unlike them he was not trespassing upon their scared ground, directly on their homelands. None the less he needed it all to be straightened out, like how much he could trust Naira, and this meeting could settle that matter. He would hope. Or better yet he could even the score he had with Rhysis, or one of his insolent pack mates. He felt anger, like a hot shadow on his neck, breathing in frustration, in silent rage how bold, yet dumb the Poison Path wolves were. It was only a shadow, and he rolled his shoulders to shake it off himself. He was going to be level headed, he was going to be the adult.



He did realize it probably was not the brightest, coming alone, no Ice, no Marsh. No one aware of his intentions, and what may come with the pending circumstances. If anything happened, he and he alone would pay for his consequences, and he wasn't going to drag any more wolves in. Really, how could he consider himself an adult, a real guardian if he was hiding behind taller shoulders like the small, puppy he had been? He could not. He had his own battles, his own demons to conquer by himself. It was just one of those things he had to to do. This was a another part of his fate, his course of choosing a path and taking it. Some how he was pretty set on believing Naira would show, Rhysis or maybe Athena or both on the outskirts. He'd imagined their pups would be here by now, so maybe they may just let her come, protecting their whelps in assumption there could be more than just Triell...something more sinister. The darkness would only ever be inside him, snapping at it's cage.


It wouldn't be Naira to greet him. He stood tall upon the carved face of hardened stone, he would wear a mask matching his perch. He did not have to guess when the wisp of white prowled forward to meet him. It would be Athena he would deal with. It did not bother him in the slightest. Naira probably was too busy, and likely very displeased with his beckoning call with the state she was in. Rhysis, well he couldn't say he'd been looking forward to seeing him, but it was probably all the better he had not come. Maybe he knew perfectly well how things could go. Yet again, Triell found his topaz tinted eyes roaming for the dark figure because he would never trust Rhysis as many a dark hair there was on his body.


She became closer, his ears swept forward, his eyes drifting to her more amber pair. Nothing would prepare him for the words that slid from her jaws. Nothing. Gone. That was all there was to it? If it was not for her face, he would have scoffed, and told her to come up with a better line. There was something in her eyes, her walk. Things had changed greatly for her since their last meeting.


"So you're the leader now." It was not a guess, but a statement, a detail he had noticed. Who else would have risen up to the calling? Who else could have pulled it off? She had done much for Rhysis, and Triell's dark brows furrowed. He was mad now, but for entirely different reason then before. He'd never thought those two had been cowards. Why would they vanish? A cold chill prickled at the pack of his neck. There was something, he could not explain about the mountain. Sacred Grove gave him one feeling, and this...this place gave him the opposite. Did something honorific happen to them? He couldn't say, and despite his ill thoughts on the one it did not make much sense. Unless they had figured leaving was their only choice.....


"Any clue, any reason for the family's going?" He would not know they had left two of their pups nor that the rest of his message would not be needed.

He had no mind to hurt anyone today, if only to do what was needed to protect himself. The way Athena stood, the simple calm to the air, there was no one else here but them. It was a strange feeling. Could she not see he had no intention of harm? Not any more. He had never wanted to hurt anyone, but Rhysis despite what she might assume. His thoughts jumbled upon the black devil, and their past encounters. Why, why on earth they would leave. It made sense thinking, perhaps they wanted to start over with their family. He had thought it better to keep with their loyal members. Pups needed a pack to survive. His brows only further creased in his thoughts.

She did not deny she was the new leader, and his head cocked taking it in. It meant a lot of different things, especially that perhaps there would be no feud, no battle, and there could be peace. She must know this, having come to see him. Surely she did not want to take any blame that Rhysis solely deserved. She continued, his ears twisted backward. He might think she was lying there was something to honest in her words, her expression to be mistaken for tricks. What she said next further disturbed him. His eyes widened, not hiding his shock. They had left two of their children? Now he really did not understand why they had gone. It sounded something Rhysis may do, but Naira? She had sacrificed a lot for the puppies, looking at the father was enough to prove that. Why would she leave? Did Rhysis make her? His mind jumped to one conclusion to the next. He would never know the answer, and thought no one else would either. Softly he shifted his gaze off the white lady, giving her a private moment. She had come to take on not just a pack, but two orphaned pups.
W

hat a weight that had been placed upon her. He briefly wondered if she was alone, or not. He recalled the female Ava, the one he'd help get from the lagoon. He felt a sense of duty, possibly the good soul he was, to ask more. "
You do have members to help you...I hope?" He spoke each word most carefully, his black mask etched with hints of concern. Of all things he did not want those puppies to surfer. Some how though not any part of his blood, they were close by the way he felt about Volkan, and how Naira had become much like a sister to him. Most of his anxiety was about the puppies themselves, and their life.


What had been said had been surprises in themselves, not what she said about Swift River. Did it really just dawn on her? He shifted the thought aside, knowing she had gotten her fill of bad he need not add to it. "I'll be sure to pass it on to her from you, and I am sorry it has come to this. I thought better of Naira if anything, and taking role of both leader and mother...well I admire your strength..."His words died off, and he let his eyes hold her gaze briefly before looking toward the lake. There was only one more issue. He hated to add another thing, but it was the reason behind his coming.


He flicked his back tail, and inclined his head, his dark expression more serious. "I hate to add to all of this, and maybe you know, but a few of your members have blatantly trespassed. I actually came to warn Naira any more of the non sense would not be tolerated."

Eyes were still, his thoughts in the past, on Naira and all that had been said between them. He was picking his brain further for a reason behind this. All it did was make his blood start to boil, the flicker of heat on the back of his neck. Rhysis. She followed him with little thought he could have used his slick tongue to coax her away thinking she would return. He half blinked, his jaws closing tight wondering if Naira was dead somewhere. If she had fought back, or defied him he did not see it ending well not with whatever it was he did to his own sister. He mentally pushed the thought aside, far, far back into his mind. It was better to think they took their chance of escape than that....



Bright eyes flicker to hers, she counted her pack as family. He had to subdue a snort of disbelief. The way she spoke there was no denying that's how she felt about whoever was under her command now, and he would not insult her by any means. He had met Ava and she had been decent. Then again, he had been saving her life and she had runaway by morning. The rest of them, there was little to change his mind about them. If she was confident, what else could he do or say? He wasn't exactly going to volunteer to take them. He had a feeling she was already attached, how faithfully she had followed Rhysis for this mess.



"Glad to hear your assurance in them. I will say...,"he took in a noisy breath, letting it fall with his next words,"Well..I would like to offer some kind of help to you..for them." He managed to finally string out. While the words were not the most easy there was no doubting his sincerity in them. Those pups were some how a part of his family, and though he had no means nor exactly a want to explain to Athena he did want to help. He was sure she would disregard it expect asking him to explain things to Swift River which he would do any way. He held silent, just to let her take them in for extra measure.



He half grinned, if to tease her about her reaction to his compliment. The grin vanished as quick as it had come. He was not out to taunt Athena, not any more. How much had changed since he had yanked on her tail, and if it helped her see she should be proud of herself, maybe he would not feel so bad about his own past mishaps. Things were partly better now weren't they?



His news was not news, and he had been half expecting that his face did not soften. He merely listened to the explanation he wanted to hear, and gain truth into the matter from her perspective. It would be easy to throw an I told you so in there, but he kept his tongue in cheek. She had learned the hard way Rhysis was not a wolf to lead, or to be followed. What she said about the trespassers seemed fair enough he gave a curt nod. "Sounds like you have everything in order then, and maybe things well settle down...for all of us." He offered a smile, but it was more a shift of his lips than a smile. He was exhausted mentally by all of this, and wasn't sure what he may add. She probably wouldn't have to worry about Swift River ending up at her front door, but he wasn't sure he could guarantee that. They were suppose to show no mercy to any new trespassers, but he couldn't say what things would come to if it really did happen again. He made no false promises.

"I'll leave you in peace now," with a respectful tilt of his head, he started the slow walk down the mountain his thoughts ablaze.