Arbol Rosado everyone to the nines

NILES ARCHER LYALL

"No no no." Niles backed up even more, ears remaining pinned back. Why? What? They didn't know each other... did they? The world as he knew it could have crumbled in that moment. For as soon as those accusations met his ears, the younger wolf knew that he should have made himself scarce. Hadn't his parents taught him anything? Even if this was his older brother, Niles was certain that his sibling could have lived without knowing who he was.

"Tell me." Another demand. Niles was not sure if he could obey. He shook his head with more force than before, not even wanting to speak any further. "Tell you what?" he whispered, his voice barely audible to even his own ears.

"WHY IS HE OUT THERE ALONE? WHY AREN'T YOU HOME? DO YOU EVEN CARE?"

Niles' jaw fell and his tongue curled as he gaped at his older brother in fear. He had seen his mother mad on only a handful of occasions, but this sort of ire radiating from the older man was definitely something to be reckoned with. The yearling stumbled back even more, his back feet slipping about in the snow until he splayed his legs and lowered his head. He tucked his chin as he winced.

He knew it was his fault, for indulging in Angier's words to take one grand trip to see the rest of their family in Renegades Reach. He knew it was his fault for persuading the patriarch to search for the way to Torbine instead. He knew he had done something wrong. What he did not know was that he had to repent for it, even if no amount of words would make it all right again. For anyone. He had been Angier and Elettra's youngest boy, the eldest among a pair of girls. He had been allowed to get away with just about everything; back then, their eyes had all been trained on Skoll and all those wicked deeds he had done with all those double-edged words he spoke.

Niles Archer Lyall knew nothing of consequence.

Never had he ever had to say 'sorry' in his life. He didn't know if it was even appropriate at such a moment like this... with his sibling so angry and so little else he could do when their mother and father were already gone. Niles' head lowered, his eyes closing as he braced himself. What could he do? He fell limply to the ground, rolling to expose his vulnerable white underbelly.

forever lost in time's currents

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

Deacon
I know I never used to feel like this
I used to never think of death or hear voices

ooc

Nothing that was being done was enough for the angry man. The whispers of "Tell you what?" only fueled whatever fire was burning in his head. He growled and his tail raised with obvious aggression. Why wouldn't the damn boy speak?! Deacon was positive he knew what he wanted to hear so why wouldn't he just say it already?

Deacon said nothing as his brother exposed his pale underside. This was not enough for him. Nothing would ever be enough. "Niles," He whispered the name with pain laced around every letter. "Where is our father? You can't keep those kinds of things withheld from your own brother." Deacon was quickly trying to make a bond that was never (and likely never would) be there. He needed to weasel into the awkward boy and find out what was in that brain. He knew nothing other than Niles and Angier left together. If one was here then where was the other?

The fire raging through his mind seemed to grow hotter and harsher. Deacon leaned his head down to get closer to the exposed underside of Niles. "If you not only stripped our mother of our father's presence but stripped away his health or even his life, then I hope you've counted your blessings and you remember them all because I will bring forth your own personal hell. Understand?" Things would become personal in the worst way possible. His duties with Azar would be all forgotten. Deacon realized there might be much bigger things to attend to now.

He pulled his lip back to expose his teeth. All the soft parts of his younger brother were open. He would wonder what his parents would think if they could see him. He even bothered to wonder what Enoki would think of his actions. Maybe it was becoming clear that Deacon was not the royal he was supposed to be. He was staring at a crossroad and currently, it seemed he might take the darker path.

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NILES ARCHER LYALL

"Niles," the older Lyall enunciated every single syllable in his first name in such a way that made the younger male quiver. In fact, Niles did nothing but quake and tremble on the ground with his eyes closed tight and his tail curled about his right hock. More questions came. More pointed, condemning words. He had an inkling now as to which brother he had come to face: this could only be Asriel or Deacon. Of all the first-borns to Elettra's legacy, Niles had to be the most pitiful one; and this was to say that he was truly his father's son. Given the age, sense of maturity, and build, he couldn't help but try and pin "Deacon" onto the rogue. It seemed fitting, but he wouldn't try to pull the name from the man just yet. He had promised to tell Niles who he was, and he figured he would know soon enough just who he was dealing with.

The youth could just sense his sibling drawing closer, even when the crunching snow had stopped somewhere at his side. This was going to be Sven all over again; he could just feel it in the air like static. "Understand?" Another whimper rose from his chest. Niles knew nothing of hell, but he knew from his father's stories just what this sort of torture this was meant to be.

At a loss of what to do, the younger Lyall began to cry and whine. "They're gone," tears seeped from his eyes. His nose and ears began to burn. "Dad... H-he... I we-ent to check on him an'-I thought-" This was too much. Between the sobs he was trying to hard to keep back and the bout of noncooperation he was having with his (neglected) adolescent larynx. "He wasn't asleep." Again, his head shook from side to side. "An' Mother- she- I- she wen' with'im."

She didn't even look at me, he wanted to lament. I was attacked. I came home, but I wasn't home anymore. His right forepaw came up and he shielded his face with the backside of his wrist. It was never meant to have come to this but it had all come and gone, and then - after moonset and sunrise - it was all in the past. There was nothing he could have done after the fact.

forever lost in time's currents

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

There was a sobbing mess of a boy at the older Archer-Lyall's paws. He was unsure what to do besides keep his teeth bared and listen for what would come out. The cries hurt his ears but not as much as the words did. "They're gone." They? No, impossible, nothing ill would fall upon the Elettra Archer. His mind had immortalized his mother, she was never meant to die. She was supposed to be around forever. She was supposed to be the iron fist of the willows forever.

His father wasn't supposed to die either. He was supposed to be the grand king alongside the queen. The guardian he always cried for, the story teller that always filled his imagination, the father that he never had enough time with. This was all the stupid boy's fault. His words did nothing to help calm Deacon. In a harsh warning, he clicked his teeth at the crying boy. Niles had the audacity to try and shield himself. "BOTH of them?" The furious man bellowed even though he had just heard the answer. The last time he had seen his mother they both had been so joyed to see each other. Now, what did he have? A grave to go sit by and remember? He imagined the way her head would rest upon his shoulders, the weight it left but he never minded it.

He had to decide how to do this. What would he do with the boy at his feet? He could end him here but that wasn't fair to bring a swift end. Hadn't the ridge worried over Angier and Niles? Deacon thought it was only fair to repay the debt. Maybe if he did it in the name of his mother it would make him feel better about destroying his own blood. Couldn't he make someone proud if he did this? That was all he wanted to do. Make someone, anyone, proud of him.

"Where will you even run to? Home doesn't want you, you said so, and you can't hide from anything forever." His voice was low and tested the waters of teasing. Just a little bit more and Deacon could send him running. It was no fun if you already had your capture.

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NILES ARCHER LYALL

"BOTH of them?" for the older Lyall to growl and roar at Niles was too much. He should have just lied, but where was the honor in that? Hadn't his father always told him to be just as the Archer and Lyall family code expected him to be? To be just, diligent and honest? There was a silence that settled over the both of them and Niles merely laid there, anticipating the snap of his brother's jaws, the pinch of sharp teeth digging through his already thinning winter coat. This was his fault; the passing of his parents warranted some sort of consequence on his part.

Another whine fizzled into a forlorn whimper before Deacon continued, "Where will you even run to?" Niles' immediately thought of that place that @Castel had mentioned - the Fields - and how he sorely wished he hadn't gone off to scavenge on his own. "Home doesn't want you, you said so, and you can't hide from anything forever." He should have followed her to get something to eat while on their way back 'home.'

He wasn't going to tell his brother where he was going; he did not want to be followed. There had to be some sort of honor in the sense that he would be keeping Cas safe from the renegade that was his older sibling. The brother that was all bark with the threat of a bite, half-Archer and half-Lyall down to the very core. It took a fair amount of energy to right himself again and when he came to face Deacon, Niles cowered. It went without even a second thought that he was going to distance himself from him, too. Niles owed him nothing; and, as @Sven had already proved, he wasn't one of them. He had lost that privilege long ago.

"N-nowhere," he managed with a hoarse throat. "Let me leave; you'll ne'er hear of me again." Oh, if only Angier and @Elettra could see this... how quickly their little family crumbled in their absence. So much for the whole ideal of 'blood being thicker than water'... If they had been alive, they would have never let their youngest boy be subject to this.

forever lost in time's currents

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

He cackled at his brother's weak response of "N-nowhere." Did he expect him to believe that pathetic excuse? "You're going somewhere," His voice was low and laced with venom. "but if you don't want to tell me that's fine. I'll find you regardless, Niles." He licked his lips. Deacon knew he could (and partially wanted to) hurt his brother now and get it over with. But there was no fun and pleasure in that. Perhaps knowing that he could instill this much fear into someone made him feel good.

"Leave." He whispered into the boy's ear in a sickly tone. "You best pray to every god I don't cross your path again." He attempted a nip at the boy's ear in warning before backing up. "Till next time, brother." Deacon turned around and began his walk back. He had a lot to think about and consider. Not to mention he had to weigh the option of sticking with Azar. Besides, he was still a young man and the offer of Azar's family so graciously repaying him was tempting in more ways than one.

Once he was far enough to not be of concern, but still see the boy, his bright eyes watched with interest for a few moments. When he could be sure that the boy had disappeared he turned and left the scene.

-deacon's exit unless stopped-

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NILES ARCHER LYALL

"You're going somewhere," Deacon stated. Niles hastily shook his head to deny it. He would never share a place with this brother if he could help it. If he was going to admit it to himself, he was almost certain that he would have preferred Skoll to be standing before him instead. In that way, it wouldn't have been anything new. For as long as Niles could remember the dark Archer had always despised him, spooked him constantly in the night, and made clearly dominating displays whenever they met in passing. It was where Sven had learned all those terrible, cruel things from; the realization of this made Niles hate them both even more. Now, he could cast the same judgement upon Deacon.

"I'll find you regardless, Niles."

The youth grit his teeth, eye flitting upward to where his sibling stood before casting them away completely. He held his breath, willing himself to mentally steel his every wit and bone. Just like his show-off with his nephew, he would cast this meeting away, too. If he had believed enough, perhaps the Old Gods would have spared him, but he didn't. Life was just... as it was, and he was here, now, at his older brother's mercy.

He awaited the sound of retreating footsteps, but, first, there came a whisper, "Leave" It gave him a good jolt and had startled him enough to start running as soon as Deacon had nipped his ear. Niles did not even see the rogue also begin his departure, his eyes were focused on the spaces between the trees, all the places where he could dart towards. The sooner he got back to @Castel, the better, and he would never return to this part of the Lore again...

(Exit.)

forever lost in time's currents

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!