Mountain of Dire domus dolcis domus

Unsure if Datura wants to join the thread or not, but for now it is 'assumed' he has gone ahead onto pack soil or stayed behind somewhere down the incline while Thorpe 'makes some formal arrangements' for Taima's initiation. Date of thread pending...

April 23rd; Afternoon; Partly Cloudy; 41° F/5° C

The cooler air and open sky was a relief to Mapplethorpe's lungs and eyes. Gone were the days when the sun barely filtered down from the dense canopies overhead and the mud felt too slippery underfoot. Here, with rough stone beneath his feet, the rugged man finally felt at ease. The winds blew past him, bringing to his senses the faint traces of the pack he had left behind seemingly ages ago.

Though several meters from a landmark he had once dutifully maintained and held vigils from, Mapplethorpe stood proudly outside and well beyond @Naira's markers. @Datura, and the girl {Taima} who had made him swear his loyalty to her, were not far he was sure; in his determination and longing to arrive back onto familiar terrain, he had barely paid the two of them any mind. As long as she kept pace with him and he followed obediently along, Mapplethorpe had no qualms over whether or not they sneered at the back of his head. He had no authority over them in the lands they had traversed, but as soon as they returned to the Pass, he was going to make sure they both knew that he was not a force to trifle with. Particularly if he had Naira at his back.

Attentive, cadmium yellow irises scanned the sun-flooded slope, listening and waiting to see if Naira, Rhysis, or one of his fellow pack mates would appear. At about this time, on any normal day with the sun high in the clouds, he was usually the border patrol who came out this way. With a stern gaze to his ward, he chuffed sharply to her to make her hastily step to his side. Once she was there at his flank, he whispered to her that she was to be on her best behavior if she wanted to call Nomads Pass her new home with Datura. Given his exposure to the way she talked, how she was capable of making even him lower himself in submission, and how well she carried herself, he was sure that she had come from a decent family and that, somewhere, underneath her puffed up ego and stubbornness, a diplomatic side of her was waiting to awaken again.

A low growl was certain to draw from her a willingness to obey. They were going to be on his land now, and it was his turn to govern over her. After striding confidently forward a few paces, he lifted his muzzle to the heavens, summoning his Queen to him and letting her know that her Advisor, successful in the task he had been assigned, had come home at last with a little something extra...

(This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2013, 11:17 PM by Mapplethorpe.)

Queen you shall be… until there comes another

• NAIRA AQUILA •

younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear

Her prowling stalk and short temper all but keeping her fellow pack mates at bay. @Rhysis, she could only assume was still out looking, @Valiant was still nowhere in sight, perhaps the idiot had tripped and fallen off the mountain when she sent him to the woods? Harsh words would be the least of his concerns if he were to return - and @Sagacity had taken herself off on another patrol just as soon as she was well enough to move. The notion of a pack mate who was never really home may have irked her some - especially one who was meant to take over once her own children were born, a day that was growing nearer and nearer with still no sight of the sterling wolf - but the oddness of it was pushed to the back of her mind by the overwhelming distress she felt with the absence of her son and her own physical limitations keeping her well within pack borders.

At first she had kept herself occupied picking out and modifying a suitable den in which to give birth - of which she had found more than one and worked on making little changes to each until they were all ‘just right’ in their own way. This year would be different. She would keep her den secret, and keep her children safe - nobody would steal in under the cover of darkness to take what was so precious to her again. Then she busied herself with menial tasks that would soon be filled by another - marking the borders, catching what little she could and taking a moment to offer a quick snap to @Crowe to remind him of his place. Finally she found herself in the heart of her home about to take a drink when the familiar howl sounded from the east. It was the call she had been waiting for. Her heart flew into her throat as all thoughts of quenching her thirst were thrown out the window and she ran - if a little awkwardly given her current girth - only slowing when the scent of her son, alive and well, and her advisor passed her sensitive nose... but there was another...

Her tail inched higher as Mapplethorpe came into sight, a slightly smaller, ganglier mish-mash of browns and greys at his side. Her approach was calm and confident and she allowed herself a moment to look the girl over, so familiar and yet they had never met. As her eyes fell back to the older of the pair her tail gave a hearty wave and she greeted her advisor warmly with a lick across his muzzle and eager nudge to his cheek, bringing her chin to rest above his nose for just a moment before giving him back some of his personal space. His presence had been sorely missed, and what he had managed to bring back with him, no shower of affection could convey just how grateful she truly was.

“Not a usual snack...” she mused for a moment, a hint of good humor in her eyes as she flashed a look to Mapplethorpe - further fueled by the weight that had been lifted from her shoulders with just the freshness of her son’s scent back on the breezes of the home where he belonged. “Although I have been craving something different...” She trailed off with a wicked grin that flashed teeth. She was sure the true purpose of the young wolf’s presence would be revealed in good time, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun getting a measure of the girl, to see if she would be able to hold her own in a home dominated by males, or whether she would need a little extra supervision were Naira’s suspicions for her presence confirmed.

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guyyys i'm sorry for holding this up
also... minor powerplays?

i'm the king of the castle

• DATURA AQUILA •

and you're the dirty rascal

Alright, so maybe their stoic tour guide had told them to stay put.

But Datura was a prince, and this was his home, and that was his mother he was leaving to speak with. He would not sit idly here with Taima while his mother was nearby. That would be like... like... like saying he didn't care, like he didn't miss her. Although Datura's relationship with his mother was mostly imagined, with little in the way of real substance, Datura knew that he should ache for his mother and be running to embrace her. That's what son's did. And besides, he needed to tell her the news about his upcoming nuptials. He had a feeling if he didn't run to her to tell her now, Mapplethorpe most certainly would — and no doubt he would sap all the joy out of it with his creepy demeanor.

"Come on," Datura called to his forest-born wife, gesturing farther up the mountain with his snout, "You need to meet my mom!" Because of the chance that his bossing her around could turn into some big waste-of-time argument, the golden boy didn't linger. He whirled about on his paws and dashed up the rocky slope, throwing splinters of shale up behind him without a care for how Taima might fair up this treacherous pass in which he lived. What was natural for Datura was supposed to be natural for everyone.

"MA!" the boy's call rang from the walls of the small ravine he climbed, "MA I'M HOME!" And at last he crested that final ridge and hauled himself up to the small plateau on which Mapplethorpe stood with... with his...no. No, this was all wrong. His mother wasn't... God. The dark, brindled wolf before him had the same distinctive facial markings as his mother did, but she was huge. Had she gained weight because of all the worrying she had been doing? "Ma?" He quipped again, the smiling faltering like his voice, "Are... are you okay? You...you gained a bit of weight." Which was the nicest way of saying, You're fat.

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If you do not create your destiny,

TAIMA LYALL

you will have your fate inflicted upon you.

By Datura's side, Taima Lyall had been waiting patiently for one of the two men in her company to do something, say something. While Mapplethorpe had continued onward ahead of them, further up the mountain and out of sight, Datura scrambled up after him. He even verbally invited her to come along and make haste. In all truth, the girl thought the air was much too thin and that, up here, the mountain offered very little protection from the elements. Deep down, all of her emotions were simmering in fear. If she were to inherit these cliffs and lofty perches, would her new family, the ones she would possibly bear, be kept from harm? Was this the reason why her mother and father had decided to initially leave Mount Dire in favor of the trees of Cedarwood?

The girl had take a deep breath and cast away the yearning she had been harboring during the past few hours. Since her abduction she had yet to see a familiar face aside from the one she now solely trusted - her Prince's. She turned her eyes up the uneven stepping stones that bore both Mapplethorpe and Datura up onto the crags that led into the Pass and swallowed. Well, here goes nothing... She was going to meet her future mother-in-law whether she liked it or not. She had purse her lips with renewed nerve; she was Taima, future leader and a noble-born heiress from the western forest of Relic Lore... No treacherous feat nor woman, monarch or not, was going to intimidate her.

She carefully lifted a worn forepaw and began her ascent up the slope. It hadn't occurred to her that she might have been keeping Mapplethorpe waiting. Her head slowly came up over and onto the ledge when she caught his stern gaze. He called her to him and she slipped twice while scrambling up the loose pebbles and slick stone surfaces to bring herself to the Advisor's side. Once confident she was on stable ground, she gazed up at him expectantly. Instantly, she saw and felt what he didn't have to say; his assertive growl rumbled and vibrated through her and she knew without a doubt that she had one shot to make a good impression on the ruler she was about to meet.

Her golden prince had effortlessly pranced along, calling to his mother with varying degrees of elation. It occurred to her then just how much he might have been missing home. Perhaps she should have been paying more attention to him, asking him about where and how they could find his homeland instead of drilling him about what his life had been like and what she expected of him now that they were betrothed. A quick howl from the silvered male brought an impressive woman into their midst. The way she carried herself, even with her rounded sides, reminded her faintly of her parents, just how easily they stepped onto a scene and directed everyone's attention towards them.

The Queen looked her over and Taima had no choice but to look away into Mapplethorpe's side while she drew her ears back submissively. If she had thought Borden's disappointed glare to be intense and severe, Datura's mother and the look on her face as she scrutinized her, made her tense up apprehensively. The woman's supposedly funny remark made the girl slightly wince. Surely she was joking, right? Almost instinctively she drew slightly closer into the Advisor's side, not daring to look at Naira unless she was prompted to speak or introduce herself. Her tail fell to her heels and for a moment her gaze went to her mate's auburn side, wishing he had gone ahead and presented her instead of offhandedly addressing his mother with the most peculiar of comments.

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(This post was last modified: May 16, 2013, 04:48 PM by Taima.)

Naira appeared sooner than expected and seeing the look on her face as her mind fully registered that Datura was finally here made his ego soar and his chest balloon with pride. He had done well it seemed, judging by the sway of her tail and the warm greeting he appreciatively accepted. His eyes closed briefly as her scent washed over him, the memory of scrub pine bark and her breeze-kissed den of stone filling his nostrils. Oh, how he had missed her...

His eyes rolled back behind his lids as she pressed her nose against his cheek and reinstated her power over him with resting her chin over his muzzle. When he opened his eyes again he let out a soft snort, an indication that he had been holding his breath when she had approached. He wanted to memorize her scent all over again, keep it with him for as long as he could. His own tail rose and fell with a spirited wag, wholly content to know that she was pleased with him to say the very least. She humored him, but while he wanted to chuckle and laugh for the first time in days, he swallowed it down and plainly smiled back.

"Oh, come now, my liege," he attempted to subdue the teasing smile on her face. "Don't scare the poor thing." He couldn't help but to smirk now, feeling the girl press up against him, "I'm sure I can catch you something else if you've been starved since my departure. I assure you she'll be more useful to you task-wise rather than sating your appetite." Datura called to his mother then and it was with sharp eyes did Mapplethorpe turn to face the youth. Since his arrival to the pass he had yet to discipline the boy, to teach him manners as he was supposedly assigned to do. With two harsh clicks of his tongue he sounded out his disapproval to what the boy had just said. "She is absolutely fine," he assured him, "now that you're home, but you will not speak to her that way while I am present." A soft growl accented the word "not" and he moved to angle himself so that he could have easily stood at Naira's side. "Apologize at once, and introduce your mother to the young lady we have brought with us."

He could have waited for the boy to comply, but with his upper lip already twitching, he went ahead and attempted to make sure Datura was fully listening, "Now."

(This post was last modified: May 03, 2013, 10:37 PM by Mapplethorpe.)

if anyone is wondering, be gave me permission to skip her.

i'm the king of the castle

• DATURA AQUILA •

and you're the dirty rascal

"She is absolutely fine,"

Datura's head whipped towards Mapplethorpe, his expression openly incredulous. She didn't look fine. She looked fat, and Datura just wanted to get to the bottom of it. He hadn't thought there was anything wrong with his comment. He hadn't called her fat outright — he had phrased it in the best way possible. And yet suddenly here was Mapplethorpe, lording over him and telling him how he could and couldn't speak to his mother. What the hell was this. His golden tail perked slightly and his gaze narrowed. This was his mother, they were family, and they naturally addressed one another differently than they did other wolves, outsiders. No one besides his family was supposed to tell him what to do, how to talk to other wolves. Who the hell was this man that he was going to butt himself in where he wasn't wanted?

"Now."

The golden prince found that there was no longer a reason to restrain his dislike for the man. He hadn't quite liked him before, when they had first met; but that had been without reason. The burgeoning disgust, however, had only grown as the trio had made their way home and he discovered Mapplethorpe to be quite the eccentric. He was a good boy, though, and so he had tried to hide it. But it was getting harder now, and even if Datura would have loved nothing more than to bare his teeth at this intruder, the man had shoved him in between a rock and a hard place by throwing out manners and gallantry and all that. The young boy stared evenly back at Mapplethorpe, knowing he would have no choice but to comply. But this man was going to have to pay for the things he said.

A moment later he was all smiles again, his head snapping back to his mother as he bathed her with his radiant attention. "Oh, my dear mother, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. You've just changed so much since I've been away and I feel quite the same!" Although nothing could have been further from the truth. Datura had been gone for quite a few months now, and the last growth spurt had come and gone leaving him a good deal taller, his full adult height. His adult weight would come in when he was able to get a decent meal. "Oh! And I have a surprise for you!" he added, positively beaming and he turned towards Taima.

"Mother, I would like you to meet Taima, the heiress of Grizzly Hollow, anddd..." here, he paused for dramatic effect, "My mate." In this moment, he had eyes only for Taima. His expression was sentimental and sloppy as he chose to play his part. But as he turned back to his mother the expression faded slightly. "I was hoping that she... could live here with us, Mother... But no doubt you should speak to her about that." Because god forbid he speak for Taima — she would probably have a hissy fit. Beaming gayly, the boy looked back at his wife again.

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(This post was last modified: May 04, 2013, 02:22 AM by Datura.)

Queen you shall be… until there comes another

• NAIRA AQUILA •

younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear

Bright eyes were drawn from the young girl and fell lovingly upon the son that had been missing for so long. Before she had a chance to open her mouth he was asking if she was ok. The next words to leave his jaws brought a wry smirk to the edges of her lips as her eyes quickly sought out Mapplethorpe, wondering how her advisor would handle the comment, more than any insult it may have caused her. He was quick to reprimand her son, an impressive display although it only served to broaden the smile that nobody would be able to wipe from her face today. “Datura you are going to be a big brother - bigger than to Adonis. It isn’t weight, it’s baby brothers or sisters.” She attempted to explain gently.

Apologies quickly slipped forth from her son and she had to wonder who it was that had given him his manners, for he certainly hadn’t inherited them from her or his father. He moved on to make more formal introductions of the girl in their midsts and while her smile lessened some in shock, it did not disappear completely. A brow arched playfully back to her advisor before turning her attention back to Taima. It would seem her children and the children of the Hollow were destined to be together in some form or other be it friendship or... whatever this was.

Her memories drifted to her encounter on the borders of the Hollow, and while her instinct told her the girl would need at least a small break before continuing the journey, she would not put another family through the same agony she had endured when it came to the fate of her little Lily. Just as soon as @Sagacity returned, she would need to be sent to the Hollow to advise the patriarch of his daughters current whereabouts and if he wished for her to be returned, Naira would see to it. But for now the children had been through much and she would not stress them further with potential thoughts of being separated.

“Well then, Taima...” she said, her voice taking on a slightly more business like tone while remaining gentle at the same time. “There is much to be done about these lands. We don’t have room for slackers. As long as you pull your own weight you will be welcome here.” she moved forward to rub her flank along the girls side to mark her as one of theirs. “I will have to let your parents know where you are just as soon as our scout returns - your father was terribly worried about you. You may wish to accompany her, or not. Until then, welcome home.” she finished with a smile and a look to her son that promised of further discussion about his new mate but allowed room for the girl to ask any questions that she may have on their journey further up the pass.

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If you do not create your destiny,

TAIMA LYALL

you will have your fate inflicted upon you.

Uncharacteristically timid, the girl watched the scene before her unfold. As soon as Datura had opened his mouth, Mapplethorpe, who had seemingly in that instant forgotten about her, moved forward. His barrel-like chest blocked her view of her prince, but she held still and kept quiet, listening as the two males exchanged a few words before Datura did as he was told. "Oh, my dear mother," he began, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you..." The words seemed too sweet, too eager to please on his tongue and she did all she could to keep herself from rolling her eyes, even if the two adults were not looking or minding her in the least.

When the lost heiress of Grizzly Hollow was at last introduced and brought back into the spotlight, Taima brandished a rather appreciative smile, wholly glad that everything had started to roll along smoothly again. She stepped forward in order to fully gaze upon her betrothed's brilliant smile, her own grin urged into a more genuine expression. "It is pleasure to meet you, Your Grace," she bowed her head down once, just as she had been taught when respectfully addressing her superiors. Her tail managed to perk up with a few wags and she nodded twice to show that she understood what it meant to 'pull her own weight.' Borden had done everything within his power to help her comprehend the concept, and it was with the faintest twinge of heartache that she wholeheartedly agreed to make herself useful to her new pack.

“I will have to let your parents know where you are just as soon as our scout returns - your father was terribly worried about you," Naira's words set Taima's veins aflame and all traces of longing for her father and mother morphed into remorse. "You may wish to accompany her, or not." The girl's gaze narrowed somewhat but did not completely lift until Naira officially granted her approval as a newly-initiated member of Nomads Pass. "Until then, welcome home.”

"Thank you," her words were quieter than her last, but the sentiment remained ever true. "I would like to stay," she proffered up front, lifting her head proudly before sinking back down in remembering her place. What she had told her prince in the Copse was the truth and she was going to stick to it... "My father believes that I'm still his little girl," she stated a little too boldly. "He's always worried; but, I'm sure I can prove him wrong. Datura and I fared just fine on our own; in a pack, I'm even more sure that I won't even give you the chance to be let down. But..." Her ears lowered slightly and she looked to Mapplethorpe before gazing back to Naira, "I was never really given any real tasks to fulfill at home. Where do I start?"

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Though Datura stared back, nettled and pettish, the tawny male merely returned the expression, allowing silence to prompt the boy further until a smile and an apology was given. He watched and listened attentively as Datura made his amends with perfect atonement. Only when it seemed that Naira was accepting of her son's words and the prospect of a new addition to the pack did Mapplethorpe smile again. He moved back as Taima came forward to glance towards her mate in gratitude before expressing the same sentimentality to her new Leader. Pleased beyond measure, he sought Naira's gaze after anticipating her own smile. The young Lyall had already told him that she was going to stay with Datura, stating that Mapplethorpe had no choice but to take her with him, and all that remained now was to hear of Naira's final approval.

Taima continued to reveal that she had not yet taken up a role in her birth pack and the Advisor briefly glanced to her. He looked her over, silently wondering to himself about what type of role that would best match someone of her stature, will, and wit. Stock limbs were good for hunting, her attention to detail and her lance-like tongue proved that she might have a knack for overseeing the borders, and given her age, she - as well as Datura - could be useful in helping out with the new litter. When his eyes went back to the Queen of the Pass, he wielded his own equally-pleased smirk, already brimming with anticipation for her praise... for a word or gesture that he had surpassed her expectations.

(This post was last modified: May 16, 2013, 05:56 PM by Mapplethorpe.)

Sarah gave me permission to skip and wrap this thing up! @Datura @Taima @Mapplethorpe don't forget to claim your LPs!

queen you shall be… until there comes another

• NAIRA AQUILA •

younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear

Despite her earlier comment about not tolerating slackers, she was sure the children would enjoy a few more days to be just that and so with a warm smile as the girl continued, asking where to start she allowed her formal facade to drop. “There will be plenty of time to sort that out soon enough. For now, food and rest! I still remember just how exhausting adventuring can be.” Her smile was indulgent as she turned to her golden son. “I’m sure your husband is more than capable of leading the way?” she suggested with a teasing smirk, relaxing as the youngsters made their way further into the safety of their new kingdom.

After watching the young wolves vanish from sight, she turned back to her advisor, a grateful glint in her eyes as she moved forward, her tongue trailing over his familiar forehead and allowed her heavy flank to run down his side, hoping he would not take offense at the kids that solidly hit against the resistance they suddenly felt intruding. As she moved to turn and make her own way back into the Pass, she smiled at him over her shoulder, indicating with a tilt of her muzzle that he should walk with her. When he finally drew near, the words that left her mouth were hardly louder than a whisper, but she was sure that he would hear her sincere, and suddenly much more relaxed tone. “Thank you.”

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{THE END}