Mountain of Dire virtute quies

Mapplethorpe listened as she thanked him and let him know of her plans. Good. Go on then, he mentally answered her, his masked face beginning to maintain its glare. He watched as she turned to look over the edge of the rock shelf, fighting with all his might to keep himself from pushing her over it. He inwardly scoffed to himself, as Naira's right hand, he was expected to be better than that... Ready to see her off, he was about to proffer her another sharp remark when she threw him another request. An all-too-personal one, too... A simple appeal for his name.

Her eyes were trained on him just as his were on her and, obeying his insticts, he came forward with one startling leap, a thunderous and threatening growl emitting from him. "Mors mortis! DEATH! " he roared, hoping his feigned attack would send her scrambling back down the slope. All thoughts and musings of the pack she sought had lost his interest and the woman had overstayed his welcome. He had already told her twice that they were not here, that there was shelter nearby, and that he served a mighty and relentless monarch. To ask for his name had given her a strike in his book, that simple request being just one too many.

His ears drew forward as he continued to watch her, his lungs filling themselves with the mountain air as he let out another bark of warning. Never mind that she might have wanted to know more about him or even hinted with even the slightest bit of hope that she wanted to run into him again; for as long as she was here on the face of the Mountain of Dire, Mapplethorpe was going to make sure she knew her place as a lone wolf in his presence.

MAPPLETHORPE | ADVISOR | NOMADS PASS

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

OOC|| I'm thinking that's a wrap! ||


Naia was over the edge of the cliff the moment she saw him move. Perhaps he had just been feigning, but she wasn’t about to stick around and find out. Crouched on a ledge just below the rim of the shelf, she heard his scream, Mors mortis! DEATH! echo throughout the gorge. She gave an involuntary shudder and flattened her body to the ground, taking small comfort in the solid earth beneath her belly. As she caught her breath, she mentally rebuked herself. That’s what you get for pushing it, Naia! The slight female knew it was best to avoid conflict as she was hardly capable of defending herself, and she would never had provoked an agitated pack wolf if she hadn’t had a planned escape. However, if she hadn’t at least tried for an answer, she would have always wondered. The cantankerous stranger issued a warning bark from the ledge above, and Naia figured it was time to get moving.

She picked her way carefully down the rocks, refusing to look back or even act like she was in a hurry. She was positive that a wolf overbearing enough to call himself "Death" would consider it beneath him to stumble down the cliffside in pursuit, so she took her time with the decent. Rain was pouring now, and the last thing she wanted was to give him the pleasure of watching her slip and tumble down into the gorge. When she finally had her paws on flat ground in the Pass, the soaked female chanced a look back up at the tree. She thought she could make out the branches swaying in the wind, but could see little else through the downpour. ”So long, Stranger,” she murmured, already feeling back to her normal, lighthearted self now that the confrontation was over. She set her sights on the base of the Mountain, and took off for the caves at a loping pace.

With a rush of satisfaction and pride, the rugged keeper of the Pass watched as the woman immediately reacted. As quickly as he had moved forth, she pulled back and down the slope she went. While he had half-expected her to head down the incline with a hurried pace, he stared zealously after her from over the ledge. Keep going, he mentally commanded her as she reached the forest floor safe and sound. Go on... Get. Through the rain his eyes narrowed and he pulled back just in time to avoid her gaze back up to the tree. By the time he walked around the landmark to stare after her from a different standpoint, the young woman was seemingy gone.

Mapplethorpe's gaze went immediately back to where she had heaved herself up onto the rock shelf but found nothing but the mountain air. He glared back down, scanning the rubble and distant boulders among the trees for her dark pelt. A snort sounded out with pleasure when he failed to find her once more; and, only when it seemed that she was gone, perhaps taking his advice in hopes of finding the small caverns at the bottom of Mount Dire, did he withdraw from the edge. With a shake of his neck and a wave of his lofty tail over his rump, the Advisor drew a deep breath and held his head high, slowly lifting a forepaw before setting it back down to continue on his watch along the borders he had successfully guarded.

Should the woman even dare to show her face again, he would be ready for her, but until then he continued to hold his ground, marking the stone walls and boulders as he walked the jagged paths. The wolves of Nomad's Pass would be kept secret and ever secure without a doubt. For as long as he was prowling its heights and through its valleys, Mapplethorpe would see to it that he would never fail in keeping nosy personalities well away from those he held dear.

(EXIGO.)

MAPPLETHORPE | ADVISOR | NOMADS PASS

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D