Drooping Willows just call

There are fresh deer tracks, but there is also some coyote prints along with them.

the devil is & always will

While there was certainly a mouthful that they all could say, Sven was deeply pleased that Ravenna opted not to waste her breath on Niles, confirming once again that the leading duo of the Ridge were of the same mind. As expected, the split-colored man deflated, easily accepting defeat -- and then surprised his nephew by changing his mind and turning back to give a small piece of his mind. None of it affected him in whatever way Niles might have intended it to. He'd had no love for Angier, but even Sven was riled further as the unwanted Archer attempted to shift the blame onto him.

If he'd been prompted to speak, however, Ravenna was too swift.

His pale eyes jumped to his father's sudden appearance, the man attempted to cow Niles into a retreat, but he was too late to save the boy from the queen's tirade. Sven focused his gaze, adding to the pressure put on by his co-leads words, hoping that his age-mate uncle felt every one of them as a physical blow. If it had just been Angier's life that his foolishness had stolen, Sven would have been far more forgiving. But dammit, he'd taken Elettra from them all.

Skoll attempted to temper the situation after allowing his younger sister her piece, acting remarkably... respectable. Like the man Sven had idolized as a child, rather than the incompetent rabble rouser so many had insisted he was. The son nodded to his father, striding forward to stand at Ravenna's side, weight leaning against hers to give her a sense of solidarity.

be a gentleman.

and with a spark its going to be

It was as though she could feel the very pressure of her own stare as she bore it down on her brother, as though by some telekinesis she was able to push him down and make him smaller and though he had not backed away from her his body quivered like a leaf in the wind ready to fall from its branch. As her eyes had turned to Skoll, so had Niles' own and she heard him plead a no, a wait. She didn't care. She did not want to hear nor see anything from him ever again.

Now the tall, black wolf with the greying muzzle like her mother which they spoke of, moved himself to position in between Niles and Ravenna. He snapped to Niles and told him to shut up and get moving. It was obvious Skoll cared for Niles and did not want any bloodshed but it was also apparent he was none too pleased with the younger brother either. After all, the story, the real story of what happened to their parents probably had not been heard by Skoll until now either.

What the silver woman had not at all been expecting was that when Skoll turned around back to her, he lowered his tail and offered a gentle wave and lowering of his head respectfully, apologetically. His words as first were formal, speaking to her more as a leader to a great pack then his little sister. Her chest swelled with a deep breath and for a moment longer she was silent as he went on. What came next were the words of the brother she remembered, sly, cunning and with a touch of obvious darkness. He insured that should Niles ever return that he would take care of them personally or that could feel free to deal with him themselves. Ravenna, not only uncertain of what to say or if there was really anything else to say, nodded sharply in agreement.

Ravenna was content with standing there silently, having said all she needed. She would watch them retreat back to the west as Sven slipped to her side and pressed to her. She would lean into him and would turn to leave only when her two brothers were but dark specs in the distance.

the biggest fire they've ever seen