Pookastone Scowle I hear the cops showed up right after

@Niles

Celandine could feel his movements between her teeth as his rear end sank. His ears flew back to sit atop his crown, and her jerked between her teeth again. Skoll was yelling at Niles, coaxing him to fight back, and Celandine found herself almost wishing that the older male's words would be enough to get through to him. 'Listen to him. Fight back.' But the dark wolf's body didn't seem to respond to his brother's plea. This was it then. Cela remained in control, holding  onto Niles' muzzle until his silvery gaze left her own. That was good enough for her. His whine came as she loosened her jowls, allowing him to move away from her. It wasn't supposed to be like this, but if she'd learned anything in her years, it was to expect the unexpected. "Niles?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 28, 2018, 07:30 AM by Celandine.)

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Tikhon hadn't said anything during the rank challenge. Thought part of him was hoping that Niles would win and show everyone that he couldn't be brought down. On the other paw he felt this would be best for Niles so that he could recover from losing Castel without having to worry about running a pack. He watched the match as it went in until Celandine finally released the grief stricken man. Thought it had been pretty obvious who the winner would he Tikhon couldn't help but feel a little bad for Niles After all the man had been his former leader. How Tikhon watched to see what would happen next with the challenge.

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baby I'm back now, feelin' how I used to feel

Morganna Archer

Morganna might have joined in Skoll's encouragement had she not made a promise to Celandine all those months ago, so very far away. This was what they had always intended, the whole purpose of them coming all the way back here. It was almost over before it began, and as Celandine moved to smooth things over with her brother she closed in to give the Argyris a congratulatory bump, a softer touch to her little brother's crown quickly offered before she moved away. It didn't really change anything as far as she was concerned, he was still her blood, and she'd still look out for him in any way she could. She wasn't disappointed, he had done all he could.

Expecting the others to quickly disperse she crossed the clearing to Skoll's side, a rumble accompanying her shove to his shoulder, "Don' be too hard on 'im. 'e's been through a lot an' deserves a chance ter rest."

Even if the Lyall's body had settled on the ground in some awkward sitting position - where his weight favored his left side - he managed to move away from her as she let him go. Everything about him seemed to curl and coil away from her. It was obvious that he no longer wanted anything to do with whatever Celandine wanted. She could hold her head and tail as high as she wanted; Niles had hit the bottom. He reclined onto his stomach and laid flat on the ground. His ears remained flat against the back of his neck.

"Niles?" she tried to engage him again but he merely laid there with his head between his paws. He managed to tuck his tail between his legs; if it was his belly that she wanted, he was willing to give it to her, but he knew his unwillingness to fight back had been an obvious cue in determining who really held charge around here.

He let out a sigh that sounded more like a fleeting shiver. The tips of his ears and his whiskers shook. He wanted them all to leave so he could lament in solitude once more.

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!

@Niles

Celandine accepted Morganna's silent congratulations with ease, but her bright gaze remained locked on Niles' dark form. After recoiling away from her grasp, the man simply laid there in the snow, the perfect picture of submission. She had wanted him to submit, of course, but this was different. Had she somehow managed to hurt more than his pride in their scuffle? Her ears threatened to fold as concern laced her features, but she was careful to keep them upright. Celandine was Pookastone's newest alpha, and she'd have to act like it, lest someone else think that they might trample all over her newly claimed spot. "Come find me when you're ready." There was much to talk about, but this wasn't the time. Not here. Not now. Not in front of the others.

She turned away from him then, in an effort to save whatever pride he might have had, and moved to follow Morganna.

(Celandine fade)

(This post was last modified: Mar 05, 2018, 12:25 AM by Celandine.)

Have you seen my OOC preferences?

Tikhon didn't really know how he felt about Niles submitting so easily or the fact that Celandine would be their new leader. He didn't know what that might mean for the pack or him as a subordinate to two women. It was clear that Celandine was probably the best for the job but had the challenge been fair. The man was still grieving after losing his mate, he'd lost his home and left her behind. Niles wasn't in the best of places but Tikhon also knew they needed someone strong in the position and he knew their new alpha was strong.

For a long moment he watched as Niles lay in the snow then as Celandine tried to speak to him. It was truly a sad scene when the former leader just lay there. He gave her a nod before she left the scene of her victory. Seeing nothing left to stick around for he stepped toward Niles and bumped his muzzle lightly against the defeated man's before he too left the scene.

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

Skoll could only watch as Niles whined at Celandine, a wordless plea of surrender. He narrowed his eyes at the Argyris, a slight shake of his head as he saw her relinquish her grasp. His baby brother, whose body was already half on the ground, folded; and, as that ivory chin touched the snow, Skoll's fur bristled. For being half-Archer and half-Lyall, Niles should have gotten the best of both but all Skoll could see was his step-father. Niles was Angier's son.

A low growl emitted from him as he eyed the rest of the audience surrounding the aftermath of the challenge, but he did not yet move until he saw for himself that Celandine's posture straightened and the air about her shifted. He might have flashed his teeth at the newly-crowned victor but the whole of his body offered her his respect - his large frame bowed, his ears folded back, and his eyes ultimately turned away from her with a partially tucked tail.

He waited for her to leave. Then, he watched as Tikhon, the other male that had come with them from Quaking Vale, offered some support before leaving the scene.

For a while, Skoll merely stared, hurting and upset from it all. Casting a glance at @Maeve, @Morganna and @Pietro, he strode over to where Niles laid in a heap of dark fur. It wasn't fair, but it certainly was something to learn from. He stepped over Niles' body, as if declaring dominance over the youth, but his submissive features remained as he lowered his head to graze his tongue along the places where Celandine had seized him. He wanted to shield his brother from the sets of eyes that remained, to give him a chance to recover.

"You take the time you need," he whispered as quietly as he could manage so that Niles was the only one to hear him. "And, when you're ready, you find her. You find her and you tell her what you want to say. All of it. Don't let her take away your pride. I won't allow it... but between you and I everything is still okay." He raked his teeth over that matted brow and nudged those large, limp ears with his nose in attempt to make them stand up again. "You're okay."

If they overheard him, so be it; if anything, it should have been common knowledge by now that Skoll wielded a silver tongue. All he wanted to do was aid his brother's recovery. He took a step back but he still angled his body in a way to block Niles' face from view. As soon as Niles was ready to walk, he was going to accompany him or shadow him... just in case.

(Skoll fade.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away