Silent Moon Plateau too late now

@Phineas I figured that this thread needed to happen some time or another xD according to This Aponi's belly is already swollen enough that it's noticable

April 3rd, 9:30am, Sunny 27F/-3C

It had been subtle at first, in fact subtle enough that Aponi didn't think much of it and she certainly hadn't mentioned it to Phineas. Just a mall change in her scent which she chalked up to just picking up the pack scent of a new territory and an increased appetite which she figured came from being malnourished. Now though her stomach had began to swell and it was at the point that it was noticeably bigger than it ever had before. It reminded her of the way her mother had looked last spring when she had been carrying the girl's younger siblings. The Aquila woman could deny it no more, she was pregnant with her leader's child.

At first she had been terrified and had avoided all other pack members in fear that one of them would find out. Terrified of what had happened to her, she had always swore she wouldn't end up like her mother, with children that she couldn't love or possibly take care of. Then it had hit her, she was carrying Phineas' pups in her belly, that had to count for something here. If she carried the children of her alpha perhaps she could use this to maneuver her way into the top of the ranks herself and finally she could be queen like she deserved.

This morning she sought out the man who had put her in this condition and she carried her belly proudly, not care who saw her. Moving over the stony territory she followed one of his scent trails, her silver head held high. Ready or not here she came, she would be a much better leader than Borilla ever had been and she wouldn't leave the pack behind. Maybe she could be a mother after all, anything that helped her reach the role that she so desperately wanted was a good thing in her eyes.

To say he was avoiding the Aquila girl was not necessarily true -- instead, he simply had not sought her out since their little tryst. Instead, other matters settled uncomfortably within his chest.. including Aesire's pregnancy with Ace's children. It threatened him, and as much as he wished to congratulate them both (for he was fond of them), he could only deduce from their original secrecy that they had no intention of making this announcement with joy, and instead, sought to take everything he had looked to gain by moving his pack here.

Aesire had won her way to the top.. something he had commended her on at the time, and encouraged. But he had never thought her to stab him in the back in such a manner, and now he could only fear for what would become of his pack as he aged. He would not be here forever..

As large as he was, the Argyris man managed to move with a form of grace. His long limbs carried him to nowhere in particular -- if anything, he was hopeful to catch one of his children and entice them to a small hunt. Each day passed and he only desired to hone their skills more.. but finding them seemed next to impossible when they cared purely for adventure alone.

Instead, he came upon the one she-wolf he would have happily displaced from his mind. He thought of their coupling as no more than instinct driving them.. and perhaps grief at the loss of her father shadowing logic. As his fiery eyes trailed across her features, the regal offered a warm smile to her, about ton usher a greeting when his gaze then fell to the swelling of her sides.. and with that, his smile began to vanish.

She couldn't be.

(This post was last modified: Apr 14, 2015, 06:44 PM by Phineas.)

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

When the ghostly figure of  her true leader (as she didn't see the female alpha as one, merely an obstacle) the silver girl dropped her head in respect. When Aponi saw his warm smile she couldn't help but return one of her own, her chest puffing out slightly in pride. Perhaps he had wanted this, perhaps he had chosen her to be the mother of the next generation of the pack. Then his smile fell and he was left with a look of surprise mixed with some other kind of emotion that the yearling didn't even want to identify. The expectant wolf froze in her tracks, one paw still held in the air as if she were a deer in headlights. Whatever she had expected his reaction to be this wasn't it and that left her unprepared for this situation, something she tried to never be.

Placing her silver paw pack upon the stone the blue eyes stared at the man in front of her, saying nothing. Finally the fire inside of her flared up again, "Say something." The tone was firm, verging on demanding even but Aponi didn't feel the need to be submissive in this moment. She rarely had, even as a child but this was the first time she had doubted Phineas' authority in comparison to her own. She hadn't wanted this to happen either but here she was taking responsibility for her actions and he could do nothing but stare in silence. For the first time the yearling felt the stirrings over maternal instinct, that perhaps she cared more about something else than herself and leadership. These children might have been conceived in weakness but Aponi would not let them be weak, even if their father didn't agree.

Aponi was quick to flare up at his lack of response -- the surprise that had caught him. Her tone was demanding, and it grated at the leader's inner beast of dominance, but given the situation, he did not do more than lift himself, a subtle reminder of who truly was boss in these lands. Her words left no room for thought -- no room for anything but mere observation, and so, knowing the storm that was about to erupt between the two, he spoke blatantly of the first question that came to mind: "Who's the father?"

Their one night stand certainly could have brought forward such a consequence, but she had been in heat when he had found her upon their borders.. and it was impossible to tell who else she might have laid with. Had he any inkling of the boy from Cut Rck River, it might have ignited even a jealous fury over the confused male -- thankfully, this had been kept from him. "Aesire is pregnant with Ace's pups. This will be seen as a challenge to her rank," he noted also, his voice steady despite the emotion it called for.

Takis, Celandine and Evy were to have been his last brood. Hypatia, the eldest, was most likely to succeed in taking the crown next, though at times he wondered if Celandine would challenge her for it. Now, the reign of the Argyris children were threatened even more.. and this time, it was possibly of his own doing.

And god help the silver she-wolf before him now, should she be carrying another man's puppies and had laid with him to coax them as his own.

As Phineas raised his body into a more dominant position Aponi smoothed her bristled hackles but did not apologize for her tone. Instead her blue eyes narrowed at his question, had he not been present at the time when they had conceived? Her blunt claws dug into what little dirt was present over the stone in an attempt to check back her anger, it would do no good now to be thrown from the pack. Her bruised ego could not be so easily reigned in though and it seemed to have complete control for her mouth, "What do you think I am, some kind of harlot? They're yours." The tone had lost the element of demand and anger but was just as firm, there was no room for doubt in her mind and the words made that very clear.

His next words were a surprise and the silver brow raised in response, he had allowed others to breed besides himself? While it was clear to her now that their conceiving was not a plan but a mistake it was still an act of authority to bring pups into the world, one reserved for the true leader. The yearling would have been good to learn long ago that her pride was not the most precious thing in the world but she had not. Her blue eyes glinted as she responded, "Let it, is the mother of your children not more deserving of the role than a wolf who has taken another as her mate?" Perhaps Phineas was growing softer in his old age, allowing others to slowly steal his crown, but Aponi was still young and very much looking for a challenge.

The entire conversation seemed surreal to him. Aponi demanded the swelling of her sides had been his doing – and it very well could have. And yet she had come to his borders in heat – the very thought that they could be another’s was not something he would simply bid away from his mind, especially given his history with she-wolves just like the silver bullet before him now.. Demi and Aponi could have been cut from the very same cloth. Both beautiful, and both deadly.

Even more surreal was when she placed a specific title upon her – the mother of his children. He stared at her then, almost incredulously, before giving his muzzle a small shake. Confusion overtook any form of logic at that very moment, and regarding the young girl he had thoroughly ruined, Phineas found himself overwhelmed by her very presence. “What do we do now?” It was a carefully selected question – he wanted to know her intentions at this point, and if she was indeed bearing his children.. it would be made very clear that he would be very much a part of their lives. “If they are mine, Aponi, they will be raised as such.” That was completely not up for a debate – but that did not finish the title between them.. what else was she expecting of him?

He shifted his weight then, exhaling gently as his mind clouded. He could not think of Hypatia’s disappointment – or Celandine and Takis’. Their reactions would be fitting.. as should be. He held no mate – or, he didn’t think he did, and the crown to his throne had been intended for them. This was certainly not the plan he held when laying claim to Silent Moon Plateau.

His question threw her, Phineas was looking to her for what was going to happen now. Was he not the alpha here, did he not have all the experience when it came to bringing a litter into the world? Aponi would never think of herself this way but in reality she was little more than a child, she hadn't even reached her second birthday. The silver brows shot even higher on her forehead, "What can we do now? We parent. I wouldn't expect your children to be treated as anything less than such." The words in the middle were once again laid with emphasis, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that the beings within her were sired by the ghostly man. The Argyris man might have doubted ever second of their lives but they deserved to be raised and treated as the future kings and queens they would be. With the pedigree they were being born into there wasn't a way for them to grow into anything less.

Raising her chin once more the blue eyes glinted with determination, something that could be mistaken as challenge. That is until the next words slipped from her muzzle, "I deserve the crown more than Aesire, at least until Hypatia or your other daughters are ready for it. As soon as I can after the birth I will be challenging for it, my children deserve to see their mother as a queen. I will not let them be seen as the second rate pups of this pack." The challenge that her orbs had hinted at was now as clear as day, it was a challenge but not for him.  In a few months she would be welcoming a single daughter, one who would grow to love her in a way Aponi had never been loved and it would only cement her determination. The child within her deserved more than a mother who was seen as a child who got caught up in a mistake, she deserved a queen.

Aponi made her intentions quite clear then – she would be rising to the crown… or at least trying to. The Argyris man felt no relief at her words – and he should have felt as such, with the displacement of Aesire. No, she would be no better than the silver woman who currently resided in the rank, and he was even less sure that she would be swayed to relinquish the title once his children were ready for it.

Yet his poker face remained set. His features were grim as he studied her, and he made no further commitment to point out that Aponi had come to him in the prime of her heat – and he did not know who else she had visited prior to entering their ranks once more. If the puppies did not bear any resemblance to his heritage.. they would be disregarded upon his previous assumption.

Time would tell who’s children resided within her, and instead, he gave a small nod at her words, as if encouraging them. “She will not bow down to you easily – and you’ll need to go through Hypatia first,” he murmured then, his enflamed eyes drawing to her stomach – as if he could sense the life that grew within her. “Our children will not be placed below hers,” he finalized, a scowl darkening his features. It could have been almost easier to attempt banishment upon the current queen – but despite his concerns for his bloodline, he could not send a pregnant she-wolf off in to Relic Lore. Not even one who had so blatantly disrespected and disregarded him.

(This post was last modified: Jul 31, 2015, 11:00 AM by Phineas.)

Phineas' words only further fueled Aponi's decision, it would appear that she had gained the kings blessing and her previous anger was forgotten for this moment at least. It would later brew into frustration and resentment that would keep the pair from truly parenting their daughter together and perhaps to lead to the child's fear of her sire but for now it was water under the bridge. The yearling was much more consumed by the thought that soon she would be rising as queen, a position she had been meant to possess all along. A slow twisted smile crept across the features at the thought, "Oh Phineas, I've always loved a challenge, what fun would it be if she just handed the crown over?" The words were practically a purr as her chest swelled at the thought of what was to come. She would be queen of the mountain, once more the Aquila's would have what was rightfully theirs.

The ghostly man's scowl did nothing to diminish the silver girl's own smile, once she was placed as royalty than their litter would easily be seen as this years true new generations. Aesire's brats could be her children's chew toys for all she cared. Nodding once that this meeting had been adjourned she murmured, "That is all I ask. Our pups will be the true royal blooded ones." Truthfully she was both surprised and disappointed in the man for letting Aesire and Ace stick around at all when this so clearly called his authority into question but no matter, she would take care of it. Turning swiftly without a proper goodbye the girl carried herself with a new found confidence, Phineas had unwittingly sealed all of their fates, if only they knew just how far this would spiral out of control.

APONI EXIT