Dead Empress Backwater no sanctuary

Vayko is calling for @Viorel

Your toxic I'm slipping under

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

“You’re shaking,” he said.
“I’m not used to people trying to kill me.”
“Really? I hardly notice anymore.”

Pain radiated in his chest as he stood at the borders… her scent lingered within the borders. A queen returned home, his life ever more isolating as he withdrew even from his mate… a loved her dearly, but there was a part of him that wondered if all the stares, all the harsh words he’d received upon his return home without her accompaniment. In that moment, he knew he should have tried harder. He’d endured the punishments. Vasco had nearly killed him, and there had been no excess of love. Instead, there had been distance. Perhaps it was self-created, but in that moment it did not matter.

His voice caught in his chest moments before he called for him… he was a coward. Despite the brave face he had put on, he had tried to be responsible but it had been too young and instead he had become stunted in the ways that mattered most. Instead, he had grown jaded, and cold, and untrusting… a paranoia lingering over him that was ever constant. He knew in that moment one cold, plain truth… one he had known for months, even with his own children growing up amongst the pack… even with the life he’d tried to recover with his return.

The Backwater was not his home anymore… and in many ways, it had never been.

It was strange, to think that it could be true… but looking back he couldn’t remember the intense feeling of pride he used to get calling himself a member… instead, he recalled pooling blood, and Clover barely finding him in time. Instead of happiness, he felt nothing other than constant peering eyes that did not exist… the ones that lingered as figments in the back of his mind… a constant presence, talking to him and demanding revenge.

And that was when his voice ignited, calling for his cousin, a hint of sorrow in his tone… despite it all, he did not want to leave.

But for Clover? He was an ankle weight… for the pack? He was a burden… and he knew what he needed to do, not just for himself, but for everyone.

It was turning out to be one hell of a day, and frankly Viorel was exhausted and just wanted it to be over. Vanadis’ return had filled him with turmoil, which was unexpected. He wasn’t really sure how he had expected to feel if she came back - but then he had never really expected her to come home either. He felt more emotions than he even knew how to name and it was impossible to tell which one was winning out. It seemed to change from moment to moment.

Oh for fucks sake Vayko. Now was not the time.

The leader’s sigh turned into a growl of a groan as he got to his paws to answer whatever it was that was so pressing. He was pissed. Pissed at the world, and not in the least pissed at his cousin. The return of his - was she still his mate? That was a question for another time - only confirmed that Vayko had not tried hard enough to bring her home. She was out there, and she had gotten attacked a second time when he was supposed to be her guardian.

So, Vi took his sweet time going to the border. When he finally got there he only stood silently, staring expectantly at the tawny wolf. What could possibly be so important?

Your toxic I'm slipping under

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

Silence lingered over the air as he waited for Viorel to arrive, noting the time that it took. He remained still, rigid as his cousin stared at him silently, expectantly. It only reaffirmed his decision in that moment, his chin tipping as he formed the words that he had long thought out through dreams and conversations of his own. There was a steely nature of his gaze as he looked back.

“Goodbye, Viorel. I am leaving, and I will not be returning.” It was last that the Valle family of Dead Empress Backwater would be seeing him. He did not expect his cousin to have any heartfelt goodbyes, nor did he truly expect his cousin to be angry either, expect maybe at the fact that he was leaving Clover. He expected, if anything, relief… or perhaps he’d send another to finish what Vasco couldn’t.

Vayko would smite anyone who dared try. He was no longer the weak little boy terrified in a field after being abducted… no, he had grown, and in his growth, he had grown unfeeling.

The leader blinked owlishly at his cousin, his mouth popping open into a surprised o shape. He had no idea what he thought Vayko was going to say - but it sure as shit was not that. Viorel closed his mouth and reopened it several times before he could finally get out a single word, ”What?” He was leaving the Backwater and was never going to return? His paws instinctively began to shift uneasily, his tell that he had not been able to shake ever since they had been children.

Turning his head to scan the empress trees incredulously, as if they had some kind of answers for him, he briefly considered this was some kind of prank. But, Vayko had been so serious, and his cousin wasn’t that good of an actor even if he tried. Finally, he found one additional word to offer, ”Why?” He knew that there had been distance and tensions, but he didn’t think it was bad enough to just up and leave without any warning. Had he and Clover called it quits or something? If that was the case he was probably wise to find his way out, the pack would always take her side over him in every scenario.

(This post was last modified: Mar 09, 2024, 01:43 AM by Viorel.)

Your toxic I'm slipping under

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

There was no justice. There was no peace. It had become more and more obvious… more blatantly clear that the Backwater was meant to be more his prison than his home… paying for imagined crimes with the sweet scent of an angel meant to make him complacent… but he would not. He refused to be just another pawn, in another role… so when his cousin’s mouth opened, and those words came out, he couldn’t help the low growl that escaped him, anger in his eyes. “Why?” He would challenge, his nose twitching with the irritation he was trying to keep down.

“I have endured all I can take from this place. I refuse to linger another moment to be a sack of meat to those who I used to call family. What was it? You decided that because your father did not succeed in killing me that I was simply to endure the torment of everyone around me?” He would snap at him… it fell much in line with things he had said before, in his mind… just waiting for the right moment to let it boil over and escape. “It’s always me. Always my fault. So I’ll simply remove myself and let you all figure out that you make your own misery. Not me.” Venom ached in his voice, the cracks in his armor that he had so carefully hid coming to the surface with the crazed look muted in the back of his eyes but still present.

Well, the salt and pepper Valle man had asked why Vayko was leaving and he guessed he received his answer. But, it didn’t make any sense. The shifting of his paws continued and yellow eyes looked back to the trees once again desperately hoping this was some kind of joke. He considered calling for Clover, or for Eros, the wild look in his cousin’s eyes made him worried he had some kind of medical thing going on. For a moment he remembered the rabid fox that they had seen as children that the adults had made quick work of chasing away because of the threat it posed.

He didn’t call, worried that having any others present would be what sent Vayko over the edge and into oblivion. All he could manage this time was, ”Vayko, what are you talking about?” Torment? Attempted murder? Misery? Blame? Sure, he had been the recipient of some blame after leaving Vanadis behind, and he still was now that she had returned, but he had not been tormented. He added, ”Vasco isn’t even here, and he hasn’t been for months.” And Viorel doubted that the man would have outright attempted to murder the previous leader.

In addition to concern, frustration was beginning to grow in his belly for whatever this was. How could Vayko be so selfish? ”Have you at least told Clover that you’re abandoning her? What about your children?” Here he was signing up to be a deadbeat dad after subjecting them all to the worst behaved litter that this earth had ever seen. Good for him, being irresponsible as always.

Your toxic I'm slipping under

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

What was he talking about? Oh, that was rich. “This was months ago. Clover found me near dead on the borders and I would have been if not for her.” He snapped back at him. “I challenged him for his rank and he tried to rip my innards out. Clover knew. I told her. She nursed me back to health. But I guess it wasn’t a big deal, right? Because I’m just moody, and irresponsible. I’m not the one who knocked up two women when we were just starting out, but I’m irresponsible. I’m not the one who let my children go unattended to other packs. I’m not the one who mentally disconnected… and when I tried to prove that I was worth giving a damn about, I became a villain to everyone because of a fucking storm. As if my life is less important than hers. It doesn’t mean I deserve to die, or deserve to have everyone glaring daggers and talking about me behind my back. It doesn’t mean that I deserve you all pretending to be nice simply to placate me. Yeah, I couldn’t find her Vi. But that doesn’t mean I deserve any of the shit you won’t recognize you put me through. I’m not perfect, but I sure as hell know I deserve better than that.” This time it was a snarl, his fur rattling along his spine, lashing out of it’s own accord though he made no attempts to move towards the man, nothing other than venting his frustration. It was frustrations he had been holding in and let simmer for awhile.

“Oh? So now it’s a problem? You abandoned your litter, when Sephrina died. You abandoned the whole pack.” He hissed out again, his nose twitching. “Clover knows. They all know. I’m done.” He emphasized the final word in a staccato manner. I hope you all rot. The thought lingered in his mind as he turned, that crazed look intensifying in his eyes in his final moments as he prepared to take his leave. There was only one who had ever told him right, and he should have listened to her.

Aunt Modesto had been right all along. And now, they had ruined him.

It was a long speech and one that was filled with anger and things that Viorel had no knowledge of. There were a lot of times he wanted to interject and correct Vayko or defend the pack or ask for clarification. But, he stayed silent, let his cousin get it all out. He had learned in the last year that often his anger was not the best reaction and sometimes he needed to be the more level headed. How grown up of him.

In the end he just sighed, at least Clover was aware of what was happening. He didn’t agree with it, but he also felt like this wasn’t about her at all, or him, or anything based in reality. His cousin had snapped and broken and maybe this was just what he needed to do. There was only one section that he couldn’t leave uncorrected - though his words were flat when he said it, ”I never left the pack. I still completed my duties and I have shown up every single day even when my life was hell. I never took time off from leadership or left for extended periods of time.” Vayko wouldn’t hear it, not really, but Viorel still felt like he needed to say it.

He shook his head, face slumped with exhaustion, ”If you need to go then go, but if you want to come back it will be up to Clover if she forgives you.” He would defer to her, because really she was the one who was getting abandoned here, and Euna, and Khalon, and Torianna, and Tuwile. But Viorel, he was just his cousin, that was nothing.

Your toxic I'm slipping under

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

The vitrol that burned deep in his mind had stirred for awhile… placated at times but never gone… always lingering in the background until it reached it’s head. His cousin spoke, insisting he never left the pack and Vayko merely snorted in disbelief. He might not have been physically gone, but as far as Vayko was concerned, he had. He cared little.

“I never want to come back to this shithole, so it won’t be a problem.” He snapped, turning to take his leave one final time from the Dead Empress Backwater borders, disappearing as quickly as his legs would take him.