to the audience it's all smoke and mirrors

ANGIER LYALL

To be quite frank, Angier Lyall was on the top of the world despite how still and cold Relic Lore was around him. Elettra had filled his heart with fire, weighted his feet with sandbags full of her words, turned his bones into titanium with her persuasive ways, and planted in him an unspoken promise of what could be theirs. Angier Lyall aside from his currently temperamental stomach (which was nearing its threshold in terms of hunger) could not have been any better. Sköll had taken the last bit of rabbit he had been saving near the pack den, @Morganna might have given him the dirtiest of looks, and @Asriel might have scoffed in his face as he took off on @Elettra's hour-old trail, but he could have cared less...

The morning he struck out from the heart of Willow Ridge, he had a subtle sort of grace in his step; the way he strode over the border was silent. Each of his premeditated strides exuding from him a powerful aura he had never felt in his life until now. As the sun seemed to struggle in its attempt to shine through the dense winter storm clouds, the Lyall lifted his pale eyes to the welkin. For a time he relished it all - the open air that spaced the willow trees further apart on the edges of Hush Meadow, the crispness of the slight breeze, and the silence of the world around him.

A gust of wind ruffled his tawny pelt and brought his eyes back down to the earth and the miles of virgin snow that laid before him. His ears began to ring and, in a slight panic, he tossed his gaze over each of his shoulders before continuing onward in his trek to scavenge anything of value to bring back to his pack.

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Naia also traveled in good spirits; as a new addition to Cut Rock River, her aching hunger was finally somewhat sated and her well of energy was returning quickly. The pack was without an official scout presently, and Naia had made it known to Maksim that she intended to swiftly ascend to the position. He had indicated that only hard work and dedication to the role would be rewarded, and she had expected as much. How could he trust a scout that knew nothing of the surrounding area? This was the logic with which she traveled this morning, hoping to scout the cedar forest south and then east around the meadow for a change. The weather had proved challenging for such an endeavor; Naia could see only a few wolflengths in any direction as she peered through the winter mist that blanketed the forest. It occurred to her to turn around. With her vision impaired as it was, she was likely to stumble into to something-- or someone-- dangerous.

“Sir!” she expelled in surprise, looking up to realize that she had in fact come suddenly upon a stranger, and a large one at that. One quick inhale gave Naia the information she needed; he was a pack wolf and quite dominant.. probably a leader, judging from the way he carried himself. She slipped immediately into the submissive pose of a wolf encountering a superior, lowering her shoulders and ears and tucking her tail deferentially. She attempted to conceal her surprise at encountering the alpha out side his border, shifting her honey gaze to the ground beneath his paws. Didn't he know it was dangerous for a leader to travel alone outside his borders? Didn't know what had happened to Shade?

Of course he did. He was a Ridge wolf; that was unmistakably obvious from the thick musk that clung to his pelt. It was a Ridge wolf that had murdered Shade, her former leader... possibly even this Ridge wolf. “Please forgive my intrusion, Sir. Naia Aegina, of Cut Rock River.” She identified herself without hesitation. She was certain that no trace of Pitch Pine Trail remained detectable on her pelt, which was fortunate as it was rumored that Ridge Wolves attacked Trail wolves on sight. She dared to hope that he might give his name as well, or at least the name of his pack, so that she might have something from this encounter to bring back to Maksim. However, she wasn't going to be so bold as to ask for his title; the last time she had tried that with a dominant pack wolf, it hadn't gone so well. Realistically, she expected to be dismissed swiftly by the stranger, but remained stationary out of respect to wait for his verbal command.

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(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2014, 02:25 PM by Naia.)

ANGIER LYALL

Angier was just about ready to retreat towards more familiar territory when a shrill voice snatched at his ear drums. "Sir!" The Lyall turned about, equally startled when he had been discovered by the stranger through the morning mist. He had just missed her. Her near-immediate display of submission caught him in a second wave of surprise. It would be a while yet until the Lyall got used to being offered such a gesture. Finally, it was not just his size that was making others shrink back, but also the confidence in his step and the tang of Elettra's signature perfume in the thick of his pelt. It provoked the smallest of smiles on his face when he fully recovered and she offered an apology, her name, and her title.

"Please forgive my intrusion, Sir. Naia Aegina, of Cut Rock River."

The declaration made the tawny brute stand up even taller than he had been when he first arose at dawn, and he looked down upon her in unmistakable suspicion. "Cut. Rock. River," he slowly enunciated each of the three words that made up the title of this... foreign pack. He had never heard of it before. It must have been newly established, but by who? Angier had to wonder quietly to himself as he began to wamble in a partial circle around her to relax his limbs once more. Though he knew the reason why Elettra had returned to Willow Ridge in such a state last August, he knew very little of what had occurred between the Dark Lady and the man who had had the gall to make her bare her teeth. It was with pleasure and, yet blissful unawareness, that the Willow Ridge Leader grinned at the back of her head from where she crouched down in the snow.

The words he spoke was too nonchalant and apathetic in his mouth, but the smug expression on his face spoke of other concerns. Namely the fact that the woman could have possibly made up the name. One whiff of her coat lent him all he needed to know: she smelled faintly of Cedarwood Forest and the stale scents of the Marsh. The last time he checked, Kade and Ava Attaya had taken over where his brother had once reigned. Maybe something had happened to them... Maybe... but he wasn't about ready to derail his current train of thought for the sake of curiosity. His ears came back to their usual positions atop his crown, "I've never heard of it."

He walked around her so that the circle he had made was a complete ring around where she had plunked down. "Angier Lyall," he extended in turn, coming to a standstill at last as he stood directly in front of her. "Leader of Willow Ridge." His bottle brush of a tail waved about in the air like a banner before lowering into a more casual position just above the deep indentations he had made in the snow. "I've only managed t' count to... lessee..." in a rather dramatic fashion he tilted his head to one side before righting it again. "Fifty.... Six... 'til you showed up." A scowl was starting to make itself apparent in the washed out mask on his face, "What would a Cut Rock River wolf be doing so far from home an' so close to the Willows?"

In all of Angier's carefree, travel-'til-his-feet-stopped-itching days, the Lyall had never even heard of such a landmark with what he imagined to be a modest creek with stones that were flat and sharp enough to make a wandering wolf think twice about crossing it. Sure, he had made some rounds in the past few years, but he was starting to think that, perhaps, it was so far north or so far south or east that he had not yet been to where this "Naia Aegina" and her kindred had made their residence. "Who sent you? Where are ya headed?"

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Look Out!

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the snow. Hunt Opportunity

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Naia tried not to instantly dislike the male right away for his smug attitude. If she intended to become a scout and act a s a representative of Maksim, he would expect her to conduct herself with grace and respect before another pack’s leader. She said nothing as he spat the name of her beloved homeland, focusing instead on taming the hateful emotion boiling in the pit of her stomach. Pack leaders were certainly entitled to a dominant attitude, but until now she had never encountered one quite so complacent. Naia had to wonder if he was new to the role. It was uncommon for a subordinate to rise all the way to the top, and perhaps if his ascension had occurred swiftly or recently it would explain such vainglorious conduct.

He began to strut in a circle around Naia’s position, and the Timber lady tensed as he neared the edge of her vision. Her pulse quickened as her adrenaline surged, and it took all of her self-control not to bristle in response to a threat to her personal safety. Surely he knew how she would feel-- a little scrap of a wolf like her—to have her back to a brawny stranger such as him. His gall was worrying… If he would do this to her, what other treatment might he subject her to? She turned her head first to the left, and then the right as he came around her from behind, keeping him always within her field of vision. She was able to relax her rigid stance only when he returned to his previous position directly before her. ”I’ve never heard of it,” he imparted, and Naia blinked in surprise. How was that possible? Cut Rock River was one of the largest packs in the area. Did the Ridge leader not have a scout? Was there no one to inform him of the pack activity in the woods that neighbored his own? This was interesting indeed.

He finally gave his title, and the introduction brought swift relief to little Naia. Now that she had this piece of information to bring home to Maksim, she felt permitted to excuse herself from this uncomfortable interaction as soon as she was dismissed. She committed to memory the alpha’s name and the name of his pack, shifting nervously as he began to scowl at her. She masked her confusion as he discussed this running count with her.. it seemed important to him, though for the life of her she couldn’t imagine what he was counting. What worried her more was his mention of the willows. A glance at their surroundings confirmed that she had in fact wandered out of her homeland and dangerously close to his. Her mind had been so distracted; she hadn’t realized that the trees looming over her in the fog had shifted from tall, noble evergreens to drooping, ethereal willows.

She remained silent as his question had seemed rhetorical, but after a beat he was demanding more answers from her. Who sent her? Where was she headed? Thank the heavens wolves couldn’t blush, because she felt the heat of embarrassment rising in her face. She hated to admit that she was here by mistake, a silly girl wandering wherever her paws took her. ”I follow Maksim Baranski, alpha of Cut Rock River since the departure of its former leaders. Before their relocation, the pack was known as Darkwater Rapids.” She was careful not to divulge too much about her pack, but she wanted the Willow Ridge male to understand that Cut Rock River was not a weak, fledgling pack. If he had not heard of Cut Rock River, perhaps the name Darkwater Rapids would ring a bell. ”However..” she continued, choosing her words carefully, ”I do not travel on any errand from him, presently.” In reply to his final question she answered, ”No further today, sir. I will be returning swiftly to my homeland.” Hopefully that would reassure him enough to dismiss her from this uncomfortable interaction.

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ANGIER LYALL

The woman could have offered her information on a silver platter and Angier Lyall still would not have been satisfied. Okay, so she followed a Leader called Maksim Baranski and that Maksim Baranski had taken up leadership after his former leaders left. The Leaders of the pack before this "Maksim" decided to move was also called "Darkwater Rapids." Well... so what was Angier to do with all of that? He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips as he mulled over the new information he had just received. He hadn't heard of Darkwater Rapids either, but his sense of curiosity was not extrusive enough to make him ask about it.

Naia seemed to shift into a state of mind that was pressing her to make her leave and make it soon, but the Lyall was not about ready to let her go. After all, she had stated out loud that she was currently not running errands for Maksim Baranski and had apparently not made plans to venture any further past the Drooping Willows. There was still one other thing, though, that was just nagging and crying out at him to be asked. "Why do you seem like yer in such a hurry then?," he questioned, his words heavily laced with suspicion now when he caught the canniness in her tone. "Never mind," he shrugged, hastily shushing her before she could even open her mouth to answer him, "Don't answer that... Tell me this instead." He arched a brow at her, the scowl on his face prone to darkening by the second, "Do Kade and Ava Attaya know who you are?"

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As he questioned her about her restless attitude, she realized that she had assumed too much. Here she was thinking that her presence was offending the foreign alpha, but his words implied that he was reluctant to let her leave. ”Never mind,” he shrugged, revoking the question before she had the chance to reply. That worked out well, considering she had no idea how she would have answered him. She breathed in deeply, not relaxing exactly-- it was more like settling in for the long haul. The Timber lady had no intention of insulting the leader by fleeing before she was dismissed, and it was becoming clear that he was going to demand more answers from her before that happened. She couldn't help but notice the suspicious tones in the strange male's voice, and his narrowed eyes completed his leery appearance. There was something about her story that didn't ring true for the man, which was odd since she had told him nothing but the complete truth. Perhaps he was just a natural skeptic, but Naia had to wonder if anything about Willow Ridge pack life encouraged his distrusting attitude. Not all packs were as close-knit as Cut Rock River. Not all leaders were as trustworthy as Maksim.

The names Kade and Ava were unfamiliar to Naia, but Attaya she recognized from somewhere. Mace? she questioned herself, trying to recall the youngster's surname. Attaya. Mace Attaya. The Lyall alpha was asking about Mace's royal parents, though ironically Naia had just finished telling him was happened to them. ”The Attaya pair are the leaders I spoke of previously. The leaders that departed-- vanished really-- in the floods that forced Darkwater Rapids to evacuate.” She had no idea what Angier would make of the information, as he had given no hint of his relationship with the disappeared pair. ”I never met them,” she added, remembering to answer his original question. ”If they are friends of yours.. I'm sorry.” Her voice was quiet but sincere. Of course no one had a clue if the Attayas were dead or alive, but the information she imparted certainly wasn't favorable and Naia thought she should apologize for bearing bad news.

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ANGIER LYALL

"The Attaya pair are the leaders I spoke of previously," Naia answered and it all came crashing down on the top of his mousy-brown head. "The leaders that departed-- vanished really-- in the floods that forced Darkwater Rapids to evacuate." Angier shook his head as though he were initially denying her words. It took him several seconds to answer; he had not even thought about just how much time had passed since Borden and Jaysyek had left, when he had joined Willow Ridge, and the day he had found himself as an acting Leader beside Elettra Archer. He tried to count the months by the number of full moons he had seen but found that he could no longer remember; the near-constant snow clouds and almost endless blizzards had skewed his count.

In all actuality it had been just over nine whole months.

She had never met them and she said that she was sorry if Kade and Ava had been friends of his. They hadn't, but it was within their paws that his brother Borden and his mate Jaysyek had left the legacy of Grizzly Hollow - the place where the Lyall bloodline had been forged and, for a time, brought to prominence within Relic Lore. Now, it was all gone. Abandoned like a haunting site and wiped out by a tumultuous flood. At the very least, he drew some comfort from knowing that the original Leaders of Grizzly Hollow - at least, Jaysyek, anyway - were kept safe within their new safehold in the westernmost reaches away from the Lore and Cedarwood Forest.

Eventually his face wrinkled in disappointment and zeal, anger and outrage. His limbs locked and as he stood before her, likening himself to a stone tower, anchored within the roots of the willow trees, "You tell yer @Maksim Baranski that I would like to 'ave a word with 'im then. When the snow is no longer on th' ground. Got it?" The grimace on his face was now more apparent than ever as his mind drifted back to when he last saw his brother. "He and I have some things to discuss. You tell 'im that a friend of Kade an' Ava's will be waiting."

Angier turned his head briefly to close his eyes, the bridge of his nose scrunching up into deep wrinkles that distorted his snout. It might have all been wishful thinking but a whole list of unanswered questions that he had left in the past had started to spring up, and all of a sudden, the Lyall was determined to somehow obtain the truth of it all (and then some), in-person, from the new Leader's lips.

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Angier shook his head as she spoke, giving Naia the feeling that he was trying to reject her story. This frustrated the agouti lady. For the length of the conversation, Naia had told him the entire truth (or at least how she understood it) and yet the Willow Ridge leader had done nothing but doubt her honesty and question her motives. A healthy amount of suspicion with strangers was understandable, but what on earth could she gain at this point by lying about all of this? She was a Cut Rock River wolf of unshakable integrity! Why couldn’t he see that?

Slowly, the male’s face wrinkled in emotion, and Naia’s anger softened somewhat. She realized that he wasn’t denying her words because of her specifically; it was because he didn’t want to believe what she was telling him. His confident and composed attitude from the beginning of the conversation was unravelling before her eyes, and his dramatic flair had all but vanished, replaced with an unnatural stiffness. He finally spoke, his words slurred into a slightly heavier accent than he had used previously. Her report had definitely unsettled him, though for what reason Naia couldn’t begin to imagine. She slowly exhaled a breath of relief as he gave the order. At least he accepted her word to the point of requesting a meeting with Maksim. ”Got it?” he asked, and she repeated, ”Once the snow melts, you request a meeting with my leader, Maksim.” He grimaced still, finally revealing that he had considered Kade and Ava friends. She nodded with quiet compassion. She was a little naïve by nature; it didn’t occur to her that he could be lying about the friendship, perhaps to draw Maksim out on false pretenses. She would deliver the message exactly as he asked, because to her this man was a grieving friend of Maksim’s former leaders, and as his subordinate she was sworn to uphold her alpha’s loyalties.

”Yes, sir,” she said quietly, though she wasn’t positive that he had even heard her. He had turned away, his eyes closed and face distorted in what Naia assumed was anguish. A little louder, she added, ”By your permission, I’ll make my leave now..” Though in truth she had been nervous for the entirety of their exchange, his distress put her on edge in a new way. It had never delighted her to be the bearer of bad news, and she could only hope that by sending her home with this request it meant he was feeling disinclined to “shoot the messenger,” so to speak.

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ANGIER LYALL

The spritely woman repeated his statement back to him, confirming that she would take his message to her Leader. Only one small part of him could release a small sigh, the rest of him remaining rigid while the information she had given him repeated in his head several times over in the silence that stretched on for a moment between them. His facial expression smoothed out enough so that when he finally set his full attention back on Naia, he could give her a firm nod. No more judgement or disdain, skepticism or teasing...

She announced that, with his consent, she was going to leave. To return home. To go back to Cut Rock River.

Angier's head dipped down once more, more reverently than it had before. There was nothing left to be said for the time being; nothing to be understood, agreed upon or negotiated. She had given him much more information than he had initially bargained for and, for that, he found he could allow her to leave. "Go," he woofed. Then, with a streak of uncharacteristic concern for a scout like her, "Take care." He waited for her to make her move, to turn about and reorient herself as to start heading back to where she had come from, before letting his shoulders relax and allowing his tail to drop down to its natural position at the backs of his ankles.

Kade and Ava had formed their own pack - Darkwater Rapids, he had to take a moment to be sure that he had mentally taken note of it - and a flood had forced them to move. He sniffled as he, himself, finally started to quietly wander back into the heart of the Drooping Willows, still mulling everything over. Maksim Baranski had been the one to lead Kade and Ava's pack from Darkwater Rapids, and under Maksim Baranski the pack Cut Rock River had been formed. Did that mean that Kade and Ava were truly no longer living within Relic Lore? Most importantly, did that mean that Grizzly Hollow had also gone when Borden and Jaysyek had left?

The Lyall had to stop to keep himself from blindly wandering in the wrong direction. He blinked a couple of times as he regained his bearings, eyeing the trees for some sort of marker while taking a few deep breaths to break himself away from his train of thought. If he and Naia had come to some sort of awareness and understanding for one another then Angier had nothing to worry about; for when the snows had finally melted and Spring had finally come, he would hold an audience to the only wolf who possibly had the last remaining connection with his brother's fallen kingdom.

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