It wasn't quite morning, but already Sagacity had awakened from slumber with intention and purpose. The very edge of the Eastern horizon was tinged with a slightly lighter shade of blue but not enough to make the stars fade. It was peaceful and quiet, too early for the birds to begin their morning heralds and barely a breeze stirred the trees. Eyes bright and able to make out the landscape even in the dim light, Sagacity left her den to prowl the mountainside in search of a particular individual.

Her sentiments hadn't changed; she still felt a deep connection to the man with the silver-embroidered coat, but she knew if their relationship was to be sustained, she couldn't be near him, not in this time when she knew any suspicion from the alpha female would get her kicked out of the pack. Sagacity didn't fear for her safety, but for the safety and condition of the relationship she felt growing between herself and the alpha male. Thus, she had slept on her idea and awoke with it still as fresh and urgent in her mind. Fortune was on her side, and she happened across the dark alpha's tracks, still fresh. Picking up a trot, she hastened her pace so she wouldn't have to follow him long before she found him, and when she saw his silhouette in the distance, barely discernible from the dark landscape, she called out with a short chuff.

The mornings merged with the night, night with the day. His sleeping pattern had not yet been determined since his sanity returned, forever resting with one eye open, he found it easier to just remain awake for as long as possible. Whilst his pack slept, he took patrol of their borders; they might not see him as a great leader, nor a worthy one, but most of his royal duties were performed away from prying eyes. He felt that by showing them he cared, with a simple act such as guarding them whilst they slept, they would think him weak and he had the feeling that there were some in the pack who would leap at the chance to try and steal his crown, thus he must always appear strong and untouchable.

Slowly but surely, the dark turned into light and the sun began to climb behind the mountain, turning the sky from a rich navy to a warm crimson. It was a cloudless day and already he felt the breeze was warmer than the day before, spring was in bloom it seemed. It wasn’t a season he cared much for, whilst freshly awakened prey graced the land one by one, he found himself itching for summer, where he might bask upon the mountain top beneath the sun and food was plentiful with the birth of young animals – including his own. It hadn’t really sunk in, that he was to be a father again. He had done such a terrible job the first time around he preferred not to think of the day not long ago where he had dominated his queen into submission, leaving her bruised yet smiling, and that before long there would be new puppies to care for and his sons would be old enough to really take their place in the pack for they were almost adults now- he had missed most of their growing up and in secret he hoped they would stick around for a little longer once the truth of their parentage was revealed. He would tell them who he was when adulthood reached them, for now it was better that they make their own bonds and he be the lurking shadow that watched over them- it was certainly going to be an unusual birthday present for his two boys.

From his favourite spot, he observed the land below as the sun began to wake the occupants of the green valley. Like fingers, the suns rays tickled the tree tops and encouraged birds to sing and stir life into the world once more. It was in a moment of silence that he heard her – a voice from his very dreams, creeping up behind him. He suppressed the grin that wanted to creep upon his face, the giddiness that boiled inside him at the very idea of seeing her again. He was glad he gave her the role of scout, to explore the world around their home, but he also regretted the choice as it meant they got to spend so little time together, except for these stolen moments. His thoughts left the future and fell back on the past, to the last time they had been together and he had broken his vows to Naira… even now, he knew it had been worth one moment of weakness to be with her.

”You’re up early.” he said, not yet turning to look at hope but speaking loudly enough that she might hear from a distance. His eyes remained focused on the land ahead, but he had a feeling she would join him upon his throne very soon… for today at least.

Like the statue of a lion carved into dark, marbled stone he reclined before her, not turning to acknowledge her with anything but his words which weren't terribly warm. If anything, they were simple, petty- conversation which would have been shared just as easily with a stranger. By now Sagacity had not only invested a physical lust for Rhisys but an affection for him too which had grown considerably since their last rendezvous. But at the same time this ardour, forcibly kept in secret, was not offended by the casualness of the greeting she was given. Instead she took it as a cue and interpreted it differently; his greeting had been informal, something he might only have shared with one he trusted. Naturally, they'd share the passion they'd both desired to express, and they could not continue to be quite so amorous whenever they were together. She could not expect such affection every moment he set eyes on her- sooner or later, they would be found out.

So she approached and nodded, even though she knew he wouldn't see the gesture. "I wanted to talk to you,"{b} She said. {b}"About a couple of things." She said, though her tone expressed no hints that she was going to refer at all to their last encounter. Instead, she sounded factual, like a proper scout reporting to her king. Thus, she did not approach so as to claim the spot by his side, as much as she wanted to. She would allow him to dictate how close they got- for now, she was a humble servant again, though her yellow gaze softened when she gazed at him, knowing that he would not like what she wanted to talk about.

The anticipation was enough to kill him. He waited, still and quiet for her to approach him, but she did not sit at his side as he anticipated. A flare of dread settled within his stomach, had he gone to far before? Things had been left, as ever, up in the air between them, but he thought as if they had pushed passed formal greetings and behaviour now, that she knew she was more to him then a mere scout.
The scents upon the wind told him that they were indeed alone, that no eyes were watching them, and yet she hesitated to stand at his side where he wanted her. Perhaps he was so brazen because he wanted to be caught, he wanted for the golden eyes of their female sovereign to watch him sit shoulder to shoulder with a woman lower than her, a female that knew her place was beside and behind him, not out in front.

Unsure how to take her current placement, he instead listened to her steady tone. It was not laced with mystery as it had been, she was matter of fact, very business like and it hit him like a knife to the back. Was she done with him now? Had he been used? Played, right into her paws and given her a home, shelter... himself. He didn't want to think down that route, he could not else he would lose the plot and allow his temper to get the better of him... he didn't want to scare her away. No, he had to steady himself and remain calm, keep his exterior that of a gentleman if this was how she wanted to play this. He would not be so silly as to show her to anger that swelled within him at the sting of her rejection to sit aside him.

"Sounds serious." he muttered, loud enough for her to hear though it was said beneath his breath. With a deep intake of the cold air of the morning, he turned his head to glance over his shoulder and search her face. He looked for any clue that this was just an act, that perhaps she felt as if they were being watched or that she should be anything other than the silver siren who he wanted lining his den every night. Alas, her face did not convey any such feeling and it burnt like hell.
"What is it?" he asked, and turned his countenance away from her to look down from his throne once more, though she had his full attention he didn't want her to see the hurt upon his face that he had been played and that she would not approach him as he always did her. It was droll really, he wanted to dominate a female, to play a shining knight against a wicked dragon for her, yet he was so soft as to feel neglected by the very same damsel when she showed him no affection or gratitude for his heroics. Fuck. Women were a nightmare; he remembered why he had tried his best to avoid them for the longest time. He could suffer a wound, a fall, a fight any day, but the look from a female who infatuated him, was enough to make him crumble to a whimpering puppy, and that just pissed him off.

As soon as he spoke she felt conflicted. He turned to look at her and when he did she did her best not to convey how much she wanted to be there beside him, close. She wanted to give herself that freedom, and wanted to permit herself to move in and seize the warmth he would offer her, rather than ask for it. In part, she felt he owed her such, just as she owed him her affection. It burned and festered inside her, urging her to take a few more steps closer now that she'd seen in his eyes that he didn't want her to stay away. Perhaps she'd interpreted his coldness incorrectly- but it was hard to tell. They were both sending each other mixed messages.

Her mind raced- she needed some way to approach him which would be free of any punishment should they be caught. So she did- she moved forward and soon after he turned his face away and asked a question which felt much colder than the wind, she dipped her muzzle below his and enjoyed the moment. If she could not touch him except to show him proper submission and respect then she would enjoy those little stolen moments, reading into the physical contact more than she out to have done, to find some little shred of affection mixed in with the obligatory show of respect.

She lay down then, at his side but not too close, though her body begged her to move closer so that they touched. "There was a rabid wolf at the borders." She said. "I sent her away, toward the pack by the lake," She said. Of course, she had very little knowledge of the pack- but she knew it was close by and she didn't particularly care what the rabid wolf did to them.

He heard her move forward, her claws clicked against the stone and the sound was not overlooked by his straining ears. He braced himself, holding himself sound and stately as she approached him in almost a guarded way. It was so unlike her, that he could not turn off the niggling feeling that all did not sit well between them. Had they gone to far? Could they recover whatever it was that they had in time or was this the beginning of the end for his whirlwind affair? It was a question he did not want to ponder and instead he would enjoy the moment as if it could be their last.
Her movements did not stop until she appeared in his peripheral vision, her delicate body, her silver face with the most unique markings he had ever seen. Her eyes were so very warm that he worried if he looked for too long he might fall into her spell once again. He chose not to look directly at her for that very reason and instead focused on the land that lay at their feet as if his life depended on it.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as they made contact- though it was a submissive gesture, his body greedily sucked at her heat as their fur mingled. Her muzzle dipped beneath his own and he returned the gesture by allowing the weight of his head to fall upon her nose for a moment, a nudge of affection though to prying eyes would appear nothing more than a king greeting his subject. It was a good job that life did not come complete with subtitles.


Her body was gone to quickly and she drew to lay upon the floor at his side, a gap that seemed as wide as the valley before them appeared between them and he was not satisfied with it. Yet it appeared they were playing cat and mouse, but neither wanted to be the cat. Perhaps this was a rare chance for them to actually talk and so he listened to her words whilst trying to battle down the feeling of rejection.

Rabies? Well, he hadn’t heard of the disease for some time. He’d never actually seen it in full swing, but in the pack he grew up in it was a term tossed around as an insult. Rabid Dog was perhaps the most popular. He had of course asked what it had meant at the time, which had gotten him another clip around the ear. Still, he had managed to piece together bits over time and the only thing he really knew about the disease was not to let anyone who carried it come into contact with you, else you would become rabid and die to.
He was glad she had sent her to the lake, he hoped that she took a chunk out of Athena who would then go on to infect the rest of her pack – man, he’d kill for front row seats to that freak show and the smirk that suddenly graced his lips was an indication that the topic had amused him. ”Good call. With any luck she’ll infect every last one of them and wipe them out for us.” he added, unaware that she didn’t know where the hatred for the wolves of the lake stemmed from. He supposed it would be a little disappointing not to rip their heads off himself, but he supposed as long as they were dead the end result was the same. ”It was getting far too cramped up here for my liking.” he added, the smirk still plastered upon his face as he imagined them all dropping like flies and twitching as they took their last breaths. Oooh, it was enough to make him feel giddy.

She felt comfortable beside him- not quite near enough to tempt her into a more affectionate embrace but close enough for her to sense his presence if she closed her eyes- close enough that when he spoke she felt the vibrations of his voice through the ground and into her stomach and chest. She enjoyed the feeling and wished for more of it, all the while knowing that Rhysis was not one to indulge in chattiness.

Unaware of any adversity between the packs, Sagacity felt surprise and giddy pleasure when Rhysis smirked and voiced a very colourful opinion on the wolves who lived near the lake. Obviously, then, they were not allies, nor were they wanted. She therefore assumed that it would not be an ideal place to visit in her travels, even though she knew nothing of the reason why the wolves of the lake were to be avoided. Was there any reason for her to question Rhysis' dislike? Not at all- she simply went with it. If he thought they were vermin that deserved a terrible death, then so be it. They deserved it. She felt quite pleased, then, knowing she'd sent the rabid wolf in their direction. A small smirk found its way onto her features as well, grim and resolved.

"It was disturbing, though, to know that it's already spread to wolves." She said after she'd taken a moment for the glee to settle and then pass. "It's usually a vermin's disease...There must be some incredible idiots around here to let themselves become infected by a fox or a coyote." She said with a slight snarl of contempt. How foolish had the female been to have allowed something so obviously diseased come so close and hurt her? Rabid creatures couldn't move terribly fast, or with any precision. She chuffed and shook her head.

"If there's one, there might be more. Or others who know more about it, how it's come here," She said, and halted. "I...Feel it would be best if I went on a mission," She said, trailing off slightly. "I'll learn what I can from others...Keep an eye out for primaveral herd movements too...And report back." She said. "I think right now, it'd be the best thing I could do for the pack," She said, and, a moment later, "For us." Her words were loaded- she hoped he'd know what she meant. Her own emotions were so highly strung whenever she was around him that she couldn't imagine how Naira felt when she was around him- he was her mate, so it was assumed, then, that she loved him. Sagacity felt jealous enough already, knowing that Naira would have breeding rights with Rhysis, and wanted to be as far as possible from her as possible. The thought of being in the same pack as someone who was making love to Rhysis nearly drove her mad.

Her words amused him. If only she knew what idiots they lived amongst, perhaps she would not be so surprised to see how far the disease was spreading. Still, it was a matter he would have to discuss at their next pack meeting, they could not very well have their own becoming infected and whilst he was sure most in his pack were nor moronic, rabies was not a common disease and like himself, many may not have seen it. No doubt Naira knew all about it with her healer background, so he would bring the matter to her first... not that it would be welcome to see her. Their last encounter whilst satisfying had not been of the sunshine and rainbow variety and he could not be sure of her current mood. The girl was a yo-yo of emotion and he never knew which Naira he would see from each day to the next. "I can assure you that we live in a world full of simpletons who are afraid of their own shadows. There are such do-gooders out there that they would seek to cure the sickness from their worst enemy in hopes of sanctification, only to cry like a whelp when they are bitten themselves. Why else do you think we live so very far away from the world?" he mused, though knew full well his citadel was not impenetrable, it would only take a diseased rat to find its way to their home for chaos to ensue.

Her next words were not so amusing and in a flash his smirk had vanished. She was leaving? He didn't want that to happen, not at all. What if she never came back? If she became bitten herself? What if she ran into his enemies or just come to her senses and realise that she had allowed him to get beneath her skin, an itch she couldn't scratch. The very thought terrified him and he visibly became anxious. He didn't want her to leave him. For the good of the pack? Bullshit, she was running away from him. He, no, they had gone to far before and he did not think of the consequences of his actions. He didn't dare let his mind wander to the what ifs, what might have happened between them which was more than a night of dominance and submission, of instincts taking over sanity because her very scent was like his heroine fix. Going cold turkey was no the answer, but his pride would not allow such revelations bubble to the surface. Instead, he pulled up his walls and rose his defenses. The look of hurt which crossed his face vanished into thin air and was instead replaced by a scowl whilst a surge of anger rolled across his shoulders.
"Do what you want." was all he said and turned away from her, looking back out to the world beneath him wandering how much pain he would receive if he jumped from the ledge- enough to dull his senses and his hatred for not only her, but Naira that burned within him at that moment. It was not Naira's fault, but he had to blame everyone else but himself. Pain would make it feel better, physical pain that was for the mental anguish was just too much for him to handle for too much longer.

With the tone of his words and the way he turned away from her after having spoken, it felt as though an aperture had opened in her soul, a slit through which tears would pass and sting the sore edges. In a way, it meant he cared, and that he felt something. He wouldn't have showed this amount of disdain if he didn't feel something, and knowing this made her feel guilty. Maybe he didn't want her to hide her feelings- maybe he didn't intend for them to have to hide everything. Did he have hope for them? It was too dangerous to make any assumptions, but still the feeble hope lived on.

Sagacity truly intended for this to be good for their relationship. She inched closed to him and reached out to touch her nose to the side of his neck which had been presented to her when he'd turned his face away. "I'm jealous of your mate." She confessed quietly, earnestly. She felt vulnerable telling him this; he'd know, then, that her passion wasn't simply from lust and physical attraction. "I don't want to go away from you; I want to have you as close as I can...And knowing that I can't drives me mad," She said, her voice still very quiet. It was she who looked away, then. "I need some time away. Otherwise I might do something insane," She said, a faint smile wavering on her lips as she entertained the image of herself challenging Naira. Naturally, though, she did not believe she could win- otherwise she would have done so already. She would be an opportunist- wait for the right moment to strike, or for the right moment to present itself. But for now, she could do nothing but temper her passion by removing herself from the situation altogether.

"I need to know, though..." She began slowly. "Do you hate me for doing this?"

There it was. The knife that sliced him in half. Half guilt that the siren he had taken for a mistress felt out of place with the position he had put her in, the other half for Naira who he was replacing with the silver wolf at his side for more than just companionship. Guilt was something he permanently contended with, was forever haunted by like a storm cloud that hung above his dark head, nagging him constantly about the error of his ways- where he not quite so strong nor so stable, if one could call him that, he would have succumb to the madness far sooner than he had. As he stood now, with a sane mind, he saw clearly what he wanted - Sagacity. Not Naira, not the children he had no doubt made with her, not even the pack around him, but just he and the vixen who now pressed her nose to his neck in a tender gesture. However, what he wanted and what he got were very different things.

His ideal world? A pack within the forest, far from here. Sage as his female, submissive to his ever look but ruling with an iron fist to their clan of strong, loyal subjects. His sons at his side, the ghost of Lily becoming a reality and joining her father in his new life. The reality? Sagacity had to go away for a while. He had to play "happy family" with Naira because no matter strong his position here, it was she who held the power and the affection of his subjects. They might do his bidding, but it was her they followed. The selfish man that he was had to keep his home here, his security and he would not be outcast until he had a plan, somewhere else to go... if it came to that at all. Of course, he had the option to use his charm, to try and sway the pack members in his favour and should all turn acetous in the future it was Naira who would end up homeless. There was a lot to consider, if anything at all. For all he knew, his mistress may never return to him so all he could do for the moment was wait for her.

He sighed and pressed his neck to her nose, taking comfort from her touch as he tried not to shout and stamp his feet like he normally would. "I don't want you to go, but I understand why you must." he said finally, the exhaustion over the situation evident in his tone and sagging shoulders.For now, he was in no position to give her what she wanted. Naira ruled the roost and whilst she might be shying away from him for the moment, it would only take one erroneous move and he would be an outcast, exiled from his home, leaving Sage to the mercy of the wolves who shunned him. He had to keep the peace, as much as it pained him not to have the wolf who drove him insane with lust, leave him after this meeting. "You know if I could change things I would do that, for you." he said, trying not only to reassure her of his intentions but himself as well though on some level even he found that hard to believe. Was he really to afraid to upset the balance for her or for himself? Being a selfish creature it only made sense that he should worry about himself foremost. "Will you come back?" To me?