Hidden Grotto preying on you tonight

@Karpos
November 19th, Morning, Mist - 20F/-7C

It had been just over a year since Aponi had been brought into the world, and already she had had her world ripped apart and had to rebuild it more times than most adults. Born to a cold woman in a pack interested only in themselves, almost smothered by the first snow storm and forced to flee down the mountain amidst a famine. Falling for an orphan boy and begging for his acceptance, to be lost in a snowstorm with one of her peers whom she detested only to fall for @Mercy when he saves her from starvation. Returning home to recuperate her former crush accused her of being selfish and unloved, only tolerated, causing her to flee with Mercy once more. Finally life had seemed okay within the Glen when Mercy disappeared as well as the female alpha, crushed that her mate would abandon her she sought out her old home. To her surprise her sister was also searching for the original Pass and promised to come find her once she had told their parents she was leaving, then showed up months later claiming their dad was dead. Long story short; Aponi was a survivor.

This was how she had composed herself enough to ask permission from Phineas to go searching for her father, with every intent to return as soon as she found him. That had been just over a week ago, it had taken her a few days to cross the mountain range again but she still hadn't returned to the Keep. Refusing to stay in the den her and Mercy had once shared when they had fled she had climbed high above the falls, finding a small grotto and claiming it as hers, at least for now. She knew that she ought to just get it over with, find her Pa and make sure he was safe and then return back to her alpha, but she couldn't do it yet. Returning to her old home just seemed like accepting defeat, like she needed them which is something she certainly didn't.

Instead of heading down like she had planned to do she stood at the top of the grotto overlooking the rest of the falls. Blue eyes held no emotion, they were cold and calculating just like her mother's had once been and finally it seemed Aponi had completely morphed into @Naira. This wouldn't be a pleasant reunion in the slightest, especially if it was her mother who greeted her instead of her father. Truthfully she hoped she could find Mapplethorpe without seeing the rest of the Keep wolves and disappear as quickly as she came. Little did she know that her sister had been right about everything; the Keep was no more, Mapplethorpe was dead and their mother had long since disappeared.

This had gotten so much better for him with Jynx's joining of Cut Rock River. He felt happier than he had been since his fall out with the Keep. The swarthy young male had been wandering to explore once again, finding back up places to settle down with a pack that didn't include his hopeful location of the Wildwood where there was a nice butte he could settle in. He hoped that he had Jynx's support and soon he would be discussing his possible spring leave with the leader of the River. The boy with the scar approached the water where he planned to take a drink. It was a peaceful place and the place that he had first met Jynx. His brown eyes were betraying him and his hackles raised.

Karpos' eyes narrowed and his hackles rose. He hissed at the sight of the wolf in front of them. "You." The words were filled with all of the venom and hatred he held within his body. He was furious all of the sudden that she dared show her faced around him after what she had done to his life and his reputation. She had been the bane of his existence for far too long for him to not hold himself aggressively against her. “What are you doing here?” The words were snarled as his canines bore. He was ready to attack but he knew she was a clever little rat who probably knew he had been around the area. He didn’t fight if it wasn’t with honor which was why he held himself back. She would call him weak, but now he knew she was wrong. He wasn’t emotional. She was just a heartless, cut throat little bitch who couldn’t control his life anymore.

(This post was last modified: Nov 20, 2014, 06:13 PM by Karpos.)

Ugh I suck I'm so sorry this took so long

As luck would have it her birth pack would not be the only thing she had the displeasure of re-visiting in the coming weeks. There in her vision stood the dark-pelt of her ex-suitor except he sported a new scar covering his eye. The blue eyes swept over his appearance noting he had filled out since she had last laid eyes on him....it suited him, even the scar. The venom in his voice rolled off of Aponi's shoulders and she smirked in response, her only greeting a flick in her tail. So he still hated her, typical Karpos, he was so hot and cold either he was madly in love with you or he despised you. Aponi knew this because the yearling had felt both about her in their short lives.

Silver brows rose at his question and the demanding way he voiced it, this wasn't the Karpos she had fled from so many months ago; it would seem he was finally a real wolf. Still, Aponi hadn't changed much except to grow even colder towards others, Mercy leaving had really broken her for the last time. Flicking her tail once more she responded, "Since this is neutral territory I don't see how that is any of your business." Ice eyes focused on brown in direct contact, she didn't want to fight him but she was too proud to let this encounter go without at least a small challenge. She had been raised to be a smart wolf, but a proud one and in the end her pride would always outweigh her intelligence.

kiss the ring and let them bow down

The pride that Aponi had held back when she wore a crown had not simmered away, which caused a snarl on his own part. He was making it quite clear that he was not happy to see her ugly mug again. He narrowed his eyes as he remembered all that he had been put through, the trials, because of her. His scar displayed proudly across his face as he held himself tall.  "It's my business to know what happens on and near my pack lands." His words were left vague to try and make Aponi wonder about what he meant about it. He held his banner high, displaying a pride of his own that he had not held during their last meeting.  "Still milking the princess title then?" He teased with a harsh tongue as his eyes narrowed.

The scar that he had received in battle, true combat (oh Karpos, dream on), was displayed proudly on his face as he contemplated attacking her right where she stood. That silver princess needed a lesson in order to not mess with him any longer."Or perhaps when you ran away, you stayed gone. Your father was quite mad when he kicked me out and then tried to make me look for you and bring you home. Temper that one and not too bright considering he was trying to force a loner what to do at that point." Trying to strike a chord, he let a sly grin slide across his face. He could only hope these taunts would work.

Karpos' displeasure only fueled Aponi's amusement, it had always been so easy for her to get a rise out of him and it seemed nothing had changed on that front.  Still, he had grown a backbone which was an appealing trait to the silver yearling even if it was held by someone who had once been as pathetic as him. Snorting at his words of 'business' she said nothing, the land was neutral so he could interrogate her all he wanted but she had every right to be there. When he finally finished snarling at her she smirked, "Thankfully for you I stayed gone, though it was your words that convinced me to go it was the memory of mother dearest which convinced me to stay away." The silver tail flicked behind her in annoyance at the very mention of Naira, though she was by blood her mother Aponi had never felt any love for her.

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously at the mention of her father but that was the only sign of her infamous temper flaring. She wouldn't give Karpos the same satisfaction she felt when she taunted him no matter how hard he tried. Smiling coldly she snorted, 'Funny coming from the boy who got so mad when I didn't return his feelings that he threw a fit. Also seeing as you were thrown out on your ass I would say that you were the dim one in that situation." oh Karpos, how Aponi loved to hate him and this was exactly what she needed before she faced whatever was to come in the woods. Suddenly her heart panged at the thought that her father truly was dead, the boy across from her knew all about the feeling that Apon was just coming to know.

kiss the ring and let them bow down

She snorted at his words but he remembered one key fact that just kept him going: If neutral lands stopped anyone from revenge, his father would not be dead. With that he just remained silent and kept his eyes narrowed on the form that was in front of him. She spoke about staying gone and he snorted. “I don’t care about what happens in the north anymore so whether or not you stayed gone is your business.” His words were cold and detached. She spoke of her mother and he sneered out in retaliation. “It’s funny that you hate your mother so much Aponi, since you act just like her.” The words held a stinging tone to them as he turned to walk away from the scenario.

She said something, and it made him turn back. “That boy doesn’t exist anymore Aponi. I’ve grown and I’m not naïve enough to believe that you are worth my time anymore. I’ve got Cut Rock River, my family, and my girl to look after.” His words were harsh with a slightly condescending tone mixed in. “I’m not living in some daydream that I’ve perfect or that I’m entitled to anything like you are. Perhaps that’s a good thing seeing as you turned into a snotty bitch with those traits.” He looked her in the eyes, challenging her to make the first move this time. “Hollowheart Keep isn’t here to protect you now.” The young Slayer child kept a cold and emotionless look on his face. This was what the world did to boys, they turned them into men.

 

Karpos sneered at her and Aponi smirked back, once they had been so unequal but now the wolf before her finally had a backbone.  An insult was hurled and the ice blue eyes rolled in return, "That may be true, but unlike my mother at least I know not to bring children into this world just to force my coldness onto them. My mother and I may be alike in many ways, but I am not a fool like her." The smirk on her face grew then, reaching up into her cheeks and causing her eyes to sparkle with malice. Taking a step closer just as the dark form turned away she hissed, "Besides Karpos....what do you know of mothers?" The yearling laughed then, but not with humor or joy, with torment, the silver tail swished behind her in anticipation to how her 'toy' would react.

With Karpos' last comment the game Aponi's game came to a crashing halt. Taking a step backwards in shock the blue eyes widening until they appeared like saucers on her face. Suddenly her jaws clenched and her words were uttered like a snarl through her teeth, "How long have you known? How long have you known my father is dead?"  Had this bastard known for longer than she? Had she been fooling herself on this errand the whole time while this pathetic snake knew her father lay decomposing in the ground? Suddenly the very sight of the boy that stood before her made her feel ill and Aponi had to fight back the bile that threatened to rise up her throat.

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

kiss the ring and let them bow down

Her words were spoken with a certain ice but with Karpos’ last comment; she changed completely and went on about her father being dead. His eyes widened and a confused look fell upon his face. “Wait… hold on Aponi. What do you mean your father is dead? There was a definitely level of shock in his voice. While he had not ended on good terms with the man, he still respected him for his skill and what he had taught Karpos while the boy had remained in the pack. Instantly his mind went to one single thought. Willow Ridge. The pack had taken out his father, perhaps it could be the same for her. He just loved to make the pack the enemies in his mind, even if it wasn’t in the pack.

“Aponi, I didn’t know Mapplethorpe was dead. Nova didn’t even mention it the last time I talked to her.” He spoke in honest words as he let his position relax. “He might have hated me and I him in the end, Aponi, but he needs revenge just as my father does.” It was what little excuse of help that he was offering. His mind was reeling with ideas. “Who killed him?” That was the single most important question of the entire conversation in his mind. The chocolate brown boy might regret asking the question if he was to learn the answer. He tried to keep his head high but there was a certain numbness to his body.

It was confusing to say the least, Karpos had tormented her with the dissolve of the Keep and yet he seemed shocked at the news of her father's death. Narrowing her eyes she was silent for a time just observing his movements and listening to his words. It would seem that maybe for the first time Aponi actually needed the yearling in front of her, and it was a feeling she detested. Everyone that she had ever needed had treated her indifferently or disappeared without a word, not one wolf had ever followed through for her. That is, except her father and now he had been murdered.

Suddenly the silver yearling's body changed, from frozen still she began to tremor as she fought back the emotions swelling inside her. Anger, hurt, fear and despair fought over which was the most prevalent and in the end Aponi felt suddenly exhausted. Dropping her head away she murmured, "I don't know... I had already gone....I...I was gone." A lump formed in her throat and the Aquila girl swallowed loudly trying to clear it, it had been a long time since she had felt anything but anger.

In the end it was anger that won out, and with it came a determination and certain blood lust. She wanted to torture and torment whoever had taken her father from this world and she wanted their family to know what it was to have someone stolen from them.  Whipping her cranium her icy eyes glinted with fury, but it wasn't directed at Karpos, "Please Karpos help me avenge him, and in return I will do everything possible to help you get revenge for your father's murder. "  The words were passionate, finally she had a purpose in life. Even if she was to die in the process she would bring the vengeance that her family deserved, her whole life would be devoted to it.

(This post was last modified: Feb 20, 2015, 04:50 PM by Aponi.)