O O C | Mm’kay, not sure what the timing on this is, but if it’s alright, I’m gonna “label” this thread in my postlog as being set somewhere a few weeks after March 13th since he’ll more than likely spending time with Jayse and his pack for a bit before he goes wandering up to Mount Dire.

Taking care to make sure that his pack was well-taken care of and that Jayse would have more than enough time for herself, Borden made the long journey back to the Mount Dire. One thing had been set in his mind: to speak to Alexander, his previous leader, and exchange a few words. He had his little speech all planned out. First, he would request his presence and make sure everything in his posture was neutral after how the alpha had nearly set him off after storming back into his den during the pack meeting… Then he would explain why he had left and apologize for not speaking with him first about the matter. Afterwards, he’d extend his thanks for taking him in on that one mid-November morning, for offering him his shelter and the protection of his pack lands during the winter.

Each step brought him closer to the gnarled trees he had once guarded, the “posts” of the unseen fence that he piously watched over. He placed one paw over a path where one of the pack wolves had just recently passed but withdrew it immediately with a frown. Only when the scent of someone rather familiar did the Lyall tear his gaze from the mountain’s peak and quickly scan the area in front of him. The almost whisper-like quality of a sigh graced his ears and he whipped around to find Makita’s motionless figure sprawled out across the ground.

Sunshine would have been an obvious reason to explain why she was out here in such a state, but given that the clouds lazily drifted high above Relic Lore he could only assume that she had probably just made it to Midnight Plateau’s borders. When he had first met her at the Creek, he assumed that she had been following him the entire time, only to disappear without a word once they had arrived onto pack terrain. He scowled at the thought; he probably should have looked back every now and then to make sure she was still not far behind. It seemed apparent that she had gotten herself into quite a bit of trouble, hence her absence at the most recent pack meeting.

Looking at her intently, he took a few cautious steps toward her, wanting to call out to her, to be the first to acknowledge her presence. The sight of her, however, had pushed everything away, even his thoughts about confronting Alexander or whoever had taken up his place as a scout and guard. Her being there had dissolved all of the words he wanted to say…

A hint of curiosity flashed across his eyes, but it was instantly replaced by the cold, steely gaze in his light irises. In keeping silent and allowing his heavy, proud footfalls to announce his approach, he hoped she would be the first to speak.

O O C | :)

Casting his gaze down at the yearling, his ears perked forward at the sound of his name. She said nothing else and it made his eyes narrow in mild disappointment. He was indeed responsible for bringing her back to Midnight Plateau lands, but the responsibility had also been hers… Her half of the agreement, of becoming apart of his previous pack was supposed to be to follow him. If she had gotten lost or found something that caught her interest she should have alerted him about it rather than allowing him to carry on.

A look of disdain graced his masked features and he scoffed. After a wave of silence, his thoughts came rushing back on another tangent. No longer was he occupied with holding an audience with Alexander but with trying to figure out what had happened to Makita! He eyed her pelt and how it had been matted in a few areas by what smelled like blood. A shake of his head signaled his displeasure in her appearance; Alexander and Amélie were probably keeping an eye out for her now but still… she shouldn’t have looked like this under their care.

Picking up on any sort of emotion from her was difficult. She simply rested there, staring at the place where his paws had landed. He wanted to do something, to evoke some sort of passionate response from her, something more lively or animated, whatever she could muster… but he had no idea on how to do it. He wanted to hear her talk, to hear what she had to say without having to ask her to explain anything. All he knew and could only assume was that she probably hadn’t met his old pack mates or she had had a fight with someone or, goodness forbid, that she, too, had fallen from the mountain.

Each second that passed swept by effortlessly. There was something to be said on her end; he was sure of it, and he would stand there until he got more than just that one word, his name, out of her.

Borden shifted at the sound of his name for a second time, listening attentively as she first asked “Why?” He clasped his teeth together behind his lips. “Why…what, Makita?!” he wanted to scream out. “What?!” He was about ready to lose every bit of composure in his stance after she rested her snout on her forepaws but she quickly resumed with her train of thought. “Why this…” and “Two attacks got me here… where I had been expecting you.” She then looked away, mentioning how Alexander wasn’t expecting her and how the two had come to the conclusion that Midnight Plateau’s Second had left the mountain not for Jaysyek Enap, but plainly for “a girl.”

Anger coursed through his veins and upon finally seeing that she was upset, his fur bristled and every bit of him tensed. “A. Girl.” Those two words made his snarl shatter the air. All he needed was that little shove to let all hell break loose. “I left because I found my calling,” he roared, his lips curling up from his teeth as he frowned at her and turned his ears forward. “I was never meant to live underneath a leader, I was taught from birth to lead. I didn’t leave for some girl, I resigned to take up what was supposed to be rightfully mine to begin with. A pack of my own… Alexander would have never allowed me to do what I wished. Did you think I would have settled to keep my place in a pack while my prospective mate and I grew old, unable to have a family of our own?! He would have separated us.”

Looming over her now, he sneered and walked a few paces around her gathered frame. “You were supposed to follow me back to the mountain,” he firmly stated. “You never said anything so I kept moving. The least you could have done was said something like ‘wait!’or ‘hold up!’ I assumed you were right there; I had to watch for anything and anyone, pup, just to make sure you made it back with me. If you had stayed close you wouldn’t have gotten lost or attacked. I had duties to get back to! I couldn’t spend my time being your babysitter when there were borders to maintain and wolves to recruit among other things! Before you came into the picture, I had to do it all while Alexander was off on his own agenda. I couldn’t even sleep, I barely ate, what made you even think you’d see me again after you got here?!”

Life isn’t just about ties,” he growled, ranting off on a tangent. “There’s more to it than friends and family, it’s about making sure everything and everyone is safe and accounted for. I trusted the wolves of the mountain would take care of you when you arrived, at least be grateful for that! I wouldn’t have left you with any other band of wolves if I had the choice.” His gaze went to the snow-capped mountain when he finally stopped in his tracks; the blaze within him flickering and smoldering out of control. When his eyes came to rest back onto Makita, he shrugged. “I was going to tell Alexander that there would be another to replace me,” he said, his voice dropping in volume but his words still gilded with anger. “But he didn’t approve of my resignation. He sent me away and called the meeting before I could even say anything else. Your not being there didn’t help either.”

Careful to take in the yearling’s words, Borden stood, silent and seemingly set as stone. Of course he expected her to pull away from the bear… what on earth was she thinking?! His frown continued to mar his masked features, the paleness of his irises intensified by the cold glare he was beginning to sport as Makita began to yell back. She went on about how he was supposed to give her a home, how she had put her trust in him to bring her to the mountain. She continued, her words sharp as she fought to make him see that he had done something wrong...

Unable to control the inferno in his chest, his tail curled over his back and his muzzle began to wrinkle. She mentioned “the girl,” Jayse, again and he nearly lost his temper again. If she hadn’t continued, he would have lashed out at her to teach her to hold her tongue; her repeating the statement made him believe that she hadn’t listened to anything he had said. Borden did not leave Midnight Plateau solely for the woman who would become his mate, but he left because he felt that something more waited for him beyond the Wildwood. That sentence alone made him scoff; there was nothing more to be said about the matter of his departure or anything else prior or following the event.

Teeth clenched defensively as his lips curled upward once more, he let loose another deep growl when she finished. That was it. Forget it… Whatever Alexander had told the youth made the Lyall despise the Midnight Plateau leader even more than he originally had; there was nothing to convince him into carrying out the plan that had initially brought him to Mount Dire. Now, as silence briefly fell upon them, he decided he had had enough of Makita… of Midnight Plateau… of Alexander Dieudonné and how he had voiced things. “See things as you wish,” he finally fumed. “But, Alexander knows nothing of what he speaks of… and you apparently possess deaf ears toward everyone but him. Tell your beloved leader I was here, that whatever tidings I had wished to exchange with him are no longer extended.” He eyed her sternly before turning and storming back the way he had come from. From this day forward, he vowed to himself that he would sever all ties and communication with the wolves of the mountain.

{Presto.}