Dead Empress Backwater when's my sugar daddy gonna pay my bills

Torianna, the aurora borealis has colored the snow red and green.

It's time to strap our boots on

Conquest

This is a perfect day to die

Tori had been captivated by the scarlet and emerald that splattered across the untouched snow, bouncing around as the crystalized water reflected the colors of the sky above, seeming to take her on a trail and journey… and she was eager to find out what was at the end of it. Despite her typical nature, she was quite explorative and curious, always looking to grow… a redeeming quality, she supposed. She knew many were not fond of her constant need for attention and to be the biggest and loudest voice in the room… to command the respect she felt that she deserved.

That took her right towards the herd of deer that had lingered around the edge of the territory… something she had never really considered as a threat. She had not observed a pack hunt… and there was the fact that she ate deer… that meant that they were nothing to be feared, she had logicked. And so she matched towards them, jaws snapping in irritation… until she realized. No, that was it… hunting the deer. Her parents said that deer were too big for one wolf to hunt but that was really just a challenge, right?

Eros was enjoying the night sky, and how it's colors painted his otherwise-typical routine. Things were far from perfect, but there were still so many positives and strides forward to be thankful for. He thought often of @Archer and Ally, would occasionally scout the surrounding territories for them, but as a leader now he couldn't chase after his brother as he'd tried before. He had to focus on the growing relationship with @Oleander, on his father's apparent improvement, on the children and all the milestones they insisted on rushing through. On supporting Seri, helping to care for and keep @Clover company, on protecting their home. Living his life, which seemed to be metamorphizing.

He walked the borders, at ease, thoughts meandering while he marked his territory and pursued a trail here and there. When he caught Tori's scent, he changed direction but not pace, getting to her with time. She was nearing her limit, but clearly still within, and Rayjiek had not been seen nor heard of in over a year. Eros trusted she was just fine. Perhaps a bit too much.

When he could spot her, he could also smell the deer strongly. On their own, he wasn't much worried. Her posture was aggressive though, and so he called out with a lilt of amused confusion and in a half-hushed voice, "what're you up to, kiddo?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2024, 02:58 AM by Eros.)

It's time to strap our boots on

Conquest

This is a perfect day to die

It had been clear that the stains of the light reflecting against the snow-covered ground were merely a sign… a promise of what was to come. Her tail lashed from side to side in an aggravated manner as she felt her heart begin to thump in her chest, weighing her options to a degree even though she had really already made up her mind on what she was going to do. She was going to take that which she felt which she was owed… and thus, she was going to take that deer’s life.

She heard her cousin’s voice behind her, her nose twitching as she turned her head to glance at him for a moment at his question. She would not clarify because it seemed obvious to her and if he could not see it then he’d figure it out in a few moments when she made her action. She settled for only a moment before she went charging full force towards where the herd was located, eyes locked on them with a hungry intent..

Her parents were going to be so impressed with her prowess when she dragged a deer back all by herself! She had little doubt that her father would praise her, offer to be a peon that brought her food. Yes, this is what she needed to do to claim the more metaphysical. She could easily claim the physical dimensions of space, but claiming and conquering places in others hearts? That was much harder.

The deer noticed the lone and rather small wolf charging at them, an male irritated and rather aggressive in his own right chuffing as he prepared to challenge her with his antlers ands trong legs.

She ignored him, causing a frown to cross his lips and his ears to sweep back in a brief moment of irritation. Vayko's girls were coming to be quite rude, even having been heard cussing at adult members without any provocation. It was something he'd hoped @Viorel would address, as Eros didn't want to put any further stress on @Clover and had no idea how to approach it with their father. As leader, though, he couldn't just keep turning a blind eye.

More than that, it kind of really hurt his feelings. There was a pattern in Eros' life, and it was growing glaringly obvious; he was never as important to anyone else as they were to him...

Tori took off abruptly, hurtling directly toward the herd. Not smart, but familiar. Eros didn't hesitated to race after her, falling into line at her side. He knew better than to try and tell the girl to stop, but maybe the two of them together could send the herd fleeing and nothing at all would come from it. He should have tackled her instead.

The stag turned and Eros' stomach dropped. He vividly remembered the feeling of being caught up in antlers and thrown into the air. As he most often did, the Valle heir acted on the first thought that came to mind. He attempted to throw his shoulder into Torianna to throw her off course and put himself between her and the deer. If all went to plan, she would be stopped long enough for the whole herd to simply turn and take off.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2024, 03:57 AM by Eros.)

It's time to strap our boots on

Conquest

This is a perfect day to die

It was merely who Torianna was as a wolf… the more she grew, the more she felt a general disdain for authority. With her parents, it was simply. She could wrap them around her little finger, though it did not stop the occasional scolding… but others? Eros? No, there was little respect to be had. She didn’t have anything against him, just the power dynamic that he could exert over her especially as she grew closer and closer to becoming a yearling and joining the adult ranks. Perhaps that was another reason she chose to dive off towards the stag.

But then it turned… and Tori felt something she had never experienced before… something she loathed and despised with every fiber of her being when others showed it: fear. There was fear as her cousin dove in, saving the day by throwing her off course as she began to skid to a halt which caused her to tumble over to the side.

It would work to his advantage as well, the herd turning and taking off, seeing the opportunity to get away, and the stag following it as he looked out after his own. There was frustration when she finally recovered and shook herself free. “I had that!” There was a frustration that carried in her tone but it lacked it’s usual abrupt rudeness that had become a part of her being.

Instead, it was more vulnerable… because deep down she knew she did not have it.

Eros was immensely relieved when his plan worked. He watched to make sure they had truly gone before turning to his sister, who was clearly upset. She lacked her usual fire, but coals could burn just as severely. He hoped it meant she understood how dangerous her choices had been, but what if it didn't? What if she just was sneakier next time, went out of the territory to get herself trampled by a whole herd of deer? He would definitely need to tell @Clover and Vayko both about this incident, maybe they would better know how to reach and protect her.

"If it was a doe, maybe," he conceded with a small shrug, trying not to be hurtful without being dishonest. His words were mostly spoken with empathy and care, but there was a edge to them still that he did not normally use with his little siblings as he continued.

"... one doe, on it's own..."

Looking her over briefly from where he stood, making sure he hadn't caused her any harm.

"There's a reason we only hunt deer in packs, Tori."

(This post was last modified: Mar 17, 2024, 09:15 PM by Eros.)

It's time to strap our boots on

Conquest

This is a perfect day to die

A doe? She hadn’t wanted a doe! She’d wanted a buck! An intense frown formed on her features as she huffed in a childish irritation. He stated they only hunted deer in packs. “I know! That’s why I was going to take it down alone! To prove I was the best!” It was slightly different from her usual tone, and more akin to her sister Euna’s perpetual whining. “Maybe then dad will stop yelling at me for going to close to the border and mom will stop scolding me for trying to fight!” She wanted to be the best. That ambition burned deep, and even now as some part of her brain recognized the danger she put herself in, she wanted to be the best.

One day, like Eros and Viorel, she would be a leader. Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Why can’t we take one down by ourselves? Why is there no strategy for it? It doesn’t mean it’s impossible, it just means it hasn’t been done yet!” She would challenge, pushing back against the ideas that he was presenting. While largely physical, it was not her only way of proving her superiority… that she deserved to rule. Normally, it was with her parents.

But in their absence, that mental challenge came to Eros instead.

HANDLE YOUR OWN WHEN YOU BECOME A MAN

It was times like these when Eros knew exactly where @Tuwile's lack of words came from; Tori and Euna had taken them all. It didn't matter how trivial their older brother saw a matter, they had to make an ordeal out of every single ounce of resistance or instruction shown to them. While asking questions and yearning to understand were healthy, even admirable things, the duo had a way of making one feel like they were constantly under demand. Like it was an interrogation, instead of a simple lesson. He hoped dearly they would grow out of it, and gain some self-awareness and control as they continued to age. Still, it wasn't like he didn't understand where Tori's frustrations were coming from. As the adult, he did his best to ignore the instinctual prickling his siblings' push-back sometimes caused, and empathized instead. After all, he could still remember the times he'd had to be saved by frazzled adults from his own eagerness as a pup. "It's not impossible, no. I'm sure you could figure out some way, but will it be as simple as calling on your pack? How much energy and time will it take from ya, trying to outwit it just so you can say y'did it alone?" She wanted to prove she was 'the best.' He got that, but it was a childish notion, really. One she needed to let go of if she wanted to be a part of a community. "Age is the only thing that's gonna change their mind about how far you can travel, kiddo. If anything, putting yourself at risk like this is gonna make them wanna hold onto ya tighter. As for fighting, I think your mom's gotten sick of you guys hurting each other. But..." a small smile then, and a fond twinkle in his eyes, "y'know, if ya really wanna spar so bad, I could always use an apprentice..."

BECOME A MAN WHEN YOU HANDLE YOUR OWN

(This post was last modified: Mar 17, 2024, 09:33 PM by Eros.)

It's time to strap our boots on

Conquest

This is a perfect day to die

Finally, there were answers. They were not entirely pleasing, and they were not the answers she was hoping for… but there was a part of her that understood there was a strength in numbers solely from her own experience. If her siblings were all together, she’d never go after one of them because they had each other. It was a language she did speak. It was a language she did understand. If she spent her time trying to prove that she could take down this deer herself, she would lose time that could be used for bending others to her will… something she had found herself struggling with.

A frown formed on her features. “That’s really dumb. Adults aren’t all that.” She stated, finding herself annoyed that she was being limited by her size, especially knowing that some of her siblings were already growing to be bigger than her, and that she would likely be adopting her mother’s smaller stature despite her burly nature as someone who always wanted attention…

But then there was a small smile, a conspiratorial grin as she looked to her brother cousin and her tail began to wag furiously from side to side in excitement. “Really? You mean it?!?” She would ask, already seeing the optics… the leader was choosing her to be an apprentice! Oh, this would be good! So good! “I want to fight… and I want to be good.”