Round Stone Crest through the halls and the corridors

@Raela
RE: The sky is dark with storm clouds.
6/4 1:49 PM — Scattered thunderstorms 59° F

The approaching storm had considerably cooled the forest, chasing away the heat as the clouds toppled over one another in a hurried advanced from the west. The horrible humidity remained however, causing the gusts of wind generated by the turbulent weather to be nothing short of refreshing, even if a little difficult to walk through at times when one was headed up hill. All around him, the inhabitants of Stonewatch Timbers were taking cover, bunkering down for the storm that was to come. Surely his pack mates were doing the same, and his thoughts particularly turned to Minka and the children. Thankfully, Minka had smartly chosen a prime location for her burrow in which water would drain away from it down the incline, no matter how determined the deluge was to drown them all. Still, he felt the desire to go to them and ensure their safety, to weather the storm and make certain that the little ones were not afraid.

It would have to wait, however, as the newly crowned king had matters of business to attend to. At his side was Raela, the tawny woman who had so swiftly earned his confidence and whom he considered as his first option of counsel. Given all that Minka had on her plate, from the children to Bane's departure to still dealing with a wealth of grief left to her from Tokino's violent passing, Gent had tried to take on as much as he could without concerning her of things he could handle himself. This time, though, his first option had come upon a barrier, and he needed someone else to bounce ideas off of. More importantly, though, he needed to test out Raela's abilities as advisor. This particular concern was of a nature that the two had already more or less come across, and fought about, in the past. He needed to test the waters, to know how far she was willing to go in respecting his authority and allowing him to demand the respect that he had rightfully earned.

Fearful of the oncoming rain, the pair took shelter within one of the few rocky slopes that broke through the earth of the minor mountains. The formation had created a hole within itself, a shallow cave that was perfect for them to take refuge in while watching the storm prove its might. Gent lay to rest on one side of the cave, his far side flush against the cold stone and allowing his body heat to sink away into it. He had never been fond of summer's heat, having been born and raised in frigid northern temperatures.

"Alright," he started, once they were both comfortable. Just in time, too, as a drizzling rain began to fall from the sky, slowly darkening the stone around them. "Your king needs his counsel," he informed her with a lopsided grin, not of arrogance but mirthful pride. He was still coming down from the high of having finally achieved his life's goal, no small feat in anyones book and the pinnacle of purpose in his mind. After such a horrid year of non progress, the man was overjoyed to have recovered and finally earned the crown that had been waiting for him since birth.

"But really, I have a problem. It's Gabriel. I don't trust him, and I'm not sure his first interest is the pack. When I took his rank, he threatened me, and I can't let that stand. I have to know that he won't try anything stupid, and that he actually cares about this pack, more than his pride." It was his concern that Gabriel was only here for the title, and dismissive of the well being of those around him. Having such a wolf in their ranks was weakness, and thus Gent had to dig deep and see the boy's true colors and find out if he was worth keeping around or if he should be shunned for the good of the pack.

"I had wanted to make him lowest. He's too prideful for that to not deeply wound him, and therefor it would be a perfect test. If he stuck it out and worked his way back out of the position, I would feel more comfortable with him. But if he can't put aside his ego, it would pressure him to leave, and the Crest could only be better for it. Selfishness will not be tolerated in this pack.

Unfortunately, that Firefly girl already got herself forced to the bottom of the ranks.... for the next six months if she doesn't challenge out of it." A soft, amused snort then exited his lungs as he entertained the pictograph idea of the meek and overzealously helpful girl challenging Raela. Granted he didn't know the omega well enough to be certain, but she hadn't looked like a fighter to him. "Challenge you out of it." He shook his head then as he affirmed that, "I can't wait that long. I need to take care of this now."

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2015, 06:32 PM by Gent.)

The atmosphere seemed to have it out for them lately. Raela was following Gent through the territory, her eyes lifting every few moments to keep track of another round of precipitation that was swiftly barreling down on them. It was only the day before that a storm had rolled through the land; warming the air only to have it cooled by the front that now threatened to soak them if they didn't find shelter soon. As they searched wordlessly for a shelter beneath the darkening sky, Raela was finding it near impossible to control her wandering thoughts. It had become near painful not to be with Aeus. Since they'd admitted their feelings she found herself seeking him out at every opportune moment, and doing her tasks with him along whenever she could. The heavy smell of rain was making her yearn for the day before, by the stream. Drifting dazedly through her fresh memory, Raela slipped into the shelter very much on auto-pilot. It was Gent's speech that snapped her out of the daydream as they settled among the lichen-covered rocks.  Raela returned her companion's grin with a soft one of her own. They were both flying so high on the events that had taken place the past few days. Now he was confiding in her; asking her for advice. It was an honorable position to be in, especially with one's leader. As his tone hardened, the lithe woman pulled her ears to attention, studying the streams of water as they passed down through crevice after crevice while the dark man made her aware of a problem with the young wolf known as Gabriel. The pause in his speech allowed her head to fill with thought. There was so little she could recover about the brown male. He wasn't social in the slightest; more of a ghost in the pack lands than anything. She couldn't go so far as to say that he hadn't done anything for them, but at least she hadn't seen it. She hadn't seen their battle either, but from what Gent said she could see that this was one of the wolves she'd meant in mentioning “those who desire leadership and leadership only,” just days ago. She knew there had to be someone besides Astraeus who wanted the crown.   Then Gent ended the pause with his plan. Her eyes moved back toward him, studying the man for any hint of that egotistical monster she knew lurked somewhere deep down. A threat was not to be taken lightly, but she couldn't help but feel that demoting the man just like that would only serve to make things worse. She recalled her friend's words from their meeting with Kajika; that they should speak to one another instead of fighting over it later. Raela couldn't help but feel that that this was the same situation. Perhaps he was getting overzealous with the desire to exercise his new found power. At his declaration of intolerance she could only shake her head. “No,” the russet girl offered. Selfishness only lead to death in a pack that relied so heavily on teamwork. His quick mention of Firefly was news to the woman, though. She'd seen the wolf around but never had the chance to introduce herself. That was something she had to fix. Raela wondered only briefly at the reason for her punishment before the topic of her rank shifted the subordinate's thoughts.  Was she going to be challenged? Rae had never participated in such a thing. She'd never been higher than lowest before at all. And what of Cessair? The other woman was smaller, and probably an easy target if she ever wanted to be Minka's second. Aeus had taught her a little about fighting at least. Perhaps... Her thoughts fell by the wayside as Gent's words became urgent. Shaking her head slightly, Raela turned her eyes upward. Her lips pressed together as she sought the best way to articulate her thoughts. Finding that information was a bit lacking for her to formulate a definitive solution, the makeshift advisor found her friend's face again. “What exactly did he say?” she asked curiously. “I don't really know anything about him. He doesn't really speak to any of us.” Perhaps the mere fact of his seclusion was enough to warrant concern. “I haven't seen him do much for the pack either,” she admitted. Thinking again on the supposed threat, she added with concern, “Did he threaten your life?” Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

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

The rain steadily grew in its strength, effectively drowning out the world around them so that he could only hear it's pounding as the backdrop to Raela's voice, and only fresh ozone and the scent of rain entered his lungs to mix with her scent. Gent had always loved thunderstorms, and found this moment in particular utterly relaxing despite the severity of their conversation topic. As she spoke, his mind was focused completely on her words, but he eyes had drifted to the mouth of their shelter, observing the sheets of rain as they raged against the ground outside. Luckily for the duo, the relentless wind was in their favor, gusting down the mountainside and pushing the rain away from the cave's entrance so that they remained completely dry inside. It also pulled their voices out of the private space and into the world, but Gent felt no concern that someone would creep by to hear them.

She wanted more details, and that didn't surprise him. He expected this to not be a swiftly resolved matter, as she would be far too concerned with showing the boy fairness. In his own eyes, Gabriel's actions after losing their challenge had shown utter disrespect not just for Gent, but for the natural order within the pack. As such, the boy didn't deserve leeway. Any wolf worth his salt would respond to their alpha's tests with determination, out of dedication to their pack and a sense of work ethic. If they didn't, Gent would see it as a benefit to the pack to oust them completely. It wasn't so much the physically weak that he disdained, but the mentally weak.

"He warned me that he wouldn't stay under me for long," he informed her, before further elaborating so that she could understand exactly why Gent found the claim so insufferable. "It's definitely not the way to gracefully end a challenge, and you certainly don't spit upon the wolf who just fairly bested you. It shows he has no regard for me, and more importantly no regard for the order of our pack. It was also the way he said it. I've pissed off some unpleasant people in my time, but I've never seen someone so strongly resemble a snake. It wasn't him just being overly ambitious, or head strong. It was an incredibly acidic threat."

He recalled that he too hadn't seen much of Gabriel since the challenge, almost as if the boy didn't want to be found, though he had always chalked it up to his bitterness toward Gent. It was good information to know that Raela, whom Gabriel couldn't possibly have a reason to begrudge, hadn't witnessed him providing for the pack either, and only served to solidify Gent in his opinion of him.

Gent's reply came quickly enough, and he seemed perfectly fine with supplying her all the information she needed and more. His voice was heavy and dark; clearly expressing disdain for the male's actions. As Raela listened on, she couldn't help but agree that his attitude warranted attention. The larger man drew his speech to a close, having grown more and more irritated in tone. Gabriel had clearly gotten under his skin; roused the part of her friend that she knew craved respect above all else. The woman directed her gaze away, taking note of how much the timbers had begun to sway in the storm. It was certainly cozy in this little den. Minka must have been feeling the same brand of comfort; tucked away deep within the confines of the birthing den. Probably nestled close to Kino, Ari and Draven, be they playing or having a nap. The thought brought her tranquility for a short time before she realized the threat this “Gabriel” character could pose to them.  Gent was right in her mind, at least about the disrespect. Watching Aeus handle defeat was a very different experience than what it sounded like this wolf had done. Idly she concurred with the man while her brain examined the pieces. “No, you're right,” her voice floated between them quietly. “Probably let his anger get the better of him. In any case it doesn't sound like someone I would want as a leader.” But the real problem was whether or not this man was plotting against Gent; plotting more than just a rematch. “I hope he's not the kind to play dirty,” she added, glancing back at Gent with a suspicious expression in her eye. He would know what she meant. Hostile takeovers were not unheard of, especially where she came from. Her bright yellow eyes picked their way back to the dirt at her paws, focusing on nothing in particular while she continued to speak.  “You should probably try having a word with him before you make a decision.” An ear tilted toward the ebony-coated man to catch any reaction or interruption. “If he really isn't a threat and he just lost his temper, punishing him out of the blue is probably just going to piss him off more. If you have a word with him first you might be able to recover some semblance of respect or understanding between you.” Raela paused again, watching his face a moment before her lips parted once more. “Say you go ahead and make him lowest right away, and he does challenge out of it instead of leaving. If he feels like he was treated unfairly, you're not going to have any sort of loyalty from him after that; he already doesn't like you. You'll still have a pack member, but not the kind you want.” Raela gave him a moment to take in her suggestion. “At least if you talk to him first he has a chance to change his attitude before you pass judgment. If he doesn't, or if he's still disrespectful, there's no reason for you not to do something about it.” She was trying her best to give the male a second chance. If Gent wanted her to be the light for him, she would be. There was no fairer course of action in her mind.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

Lightning struck the forest outside, cracking like a whip as it illuminated the tree tops and seeped light down through the branches. It seems as though with each passing minute, the storm was fighting for their full attention. The transference of electricity energized the air, reshaping molecules and making the high altitude air a little thicker to breathe. Gent absolutely loved it, still his eyes had not wandered toward his company.

It surprised him slightly that she easily agreed with him that the man had been out of line, only because of their single altercation over Kajika. Yet he had been leaning toward expecting it, as he knew that Raela was a smart woman who should see his logic if he calmly laid it out for her. She hinted toward a possibility that Gent might have cause to fear foul play from the subject of their talk, but in his mind he only dared the boy to try, confident that he could take any underhanded scheme he might try throwing his way. It wasn't until she finally decided on and vocally formulated her suggestion for him that he knew she would, indeed, veer from his line of thinking. It wasn't a terrible thing, after all, this was why it was her he had wanted to confer with. She was the only one he could trust to offer this alternate perspective that he was not yet capable of seeing on his own.

"It's going to smell wonderful after all this," he mused quietly as he continued to watch the tall, strong timbers weather the storm. He was mulling over what she had said, fully considering her every point and trying to connect his own desires to it, seeing if they could both fit together without sacrifice. When his thinking was done, he finally tore his arctic sights from the growing gale to rest them upon Raela's countenance.

"I suppose you're right. It has been... three months?" now that he said it aloud, he realized that it was indeed quite some time to hold a grudge over one sentence. While he still found it very reasonable to hold suspicions of the boy's character for such a thing, acting severely at this point, after all of this time, would only cause unrest amongst the rest of the subordinates. Raela also brought up the interesting point that Gabriel could very much not be worth his trust, but still work to reclaim his position. After all, Tokino really shouldn't have trusted Gent, despite how dedicated the Lieris descendant was to the pack. If the late Black Thorn Downs alpha had been alive today, the passing of the crown would not have been a mutual discussion but a true challenge.

"No, you're definitely right. I need to gather more evidence before I act," he confirmed, before grimacing. "I don't do well with heart to heart chats, though." She should know that better than anyone. He couldn't imagine approaching Gabriel in any way other than demanding and dominating, which he knew would only cause the situation to deteriorate further and would still be unseemly in the eyes of his pack mates.

@Loki is next!

They both seemed to be absorbed in watching the weather. The storm was only getting worse; lightning now casting its fury into the towering expanse of trees above. The light was close and bright, followed quickly by a particularly vicious sounding rumble of thunder. The nervous girl in her crept out, causing Raela to take a tentative step back from the mouth of the cave. She brought herself up against the back wall, tail curled protectively around the woman's feet. How she hated thunderstorms. It was all fine and dandy until it got this loud. Looking uncomfortably out at the whipping wind, she twitched an ear forward to catch Gent's small talk. She only looked on silently between his great black form and the pelting rain outside; unwilling to press the man for a response. It would only better her case to be patient and not overbearing. His agreement came slowly, seeping from his lips in something of a surrender.  Had it really been that long since Gent had begun climbing the ranks? Thinking back, she supposed she couldn't quite remember, having not seen or heard of the scuffle until later. She regarded his cold eyes with curiosity. The man was clearly still mulling this over. When it appeared that he had finally chosen her suggestion, the girl's eyes grew softer. A smile would have been inappropriate, but it gently worked its way onto her face following his last admission. “Oh I don't know, our little chats seem to go pretty well.” Her voice was light and cheerful as she attempted to console him. Realizing quickly that there was more she could offer, the woman's face hardened some to illustrate that she was in fact taking this seriously.  “You don't have to cuddle him, just talk to him like you do me. If you go in accusing him of something or acting like you're upset, he's probably not going to want anything to do with you.” She paused, well aware that her friend probably already knew the truth in what she was saying. It was more of a reminder to get his thoughts rolling down the right path than anything. “But if you make it seem like you care about how he's doing in the pack, or that you just want to get to know him better, you might find out if something besides you is bothering him. And if it is you, maybe you can clear it up.” She knew it could be entirely likely that Gabriel simply detested being defeated; and therefore was bent on de-throning Gent, but if that was the case the leader would find out soon enough by just talking to him. Her attention now fully focused on the new patriarch, Raela made the mistake of dismissing a subtle noise from outside as simply the storm rustling leaves or breaking a branch in the distance. She cast a glance toward the wet world but the sound was quickly forgotten. There were far more important things going on. Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

-slides in a 1 post thing via agreement with Jen and Cade-

Loki was furious that Gent had taken the crown and he knew he was not strong enough, no matter how strategic he was, to beat the man for his rank. Loki did not care for power so much as being able to rule over those whom he imagined to have hurt him like Gent had when he treated him like nothing. Loki had avoided the pack, yes, but he had been scouting out new territory, as they were new to the northern lands. He also had been keeping the caches stocked since day one and so when he happened to overhear Gent’s words. He made himself know. “Don’t worry, Gent. I don’t fare well with them either. I do hope you forgive my intrusion; I happened to be in the area and heard a very curious discussion. You know Gent, all you had to do was prove to me you were worthy in something other than the form of aggression and I would have kept my mouth shut… even respected you more than I do your fighting skills. You are not the first wolf I have tested with the words ‘you’ll have to fight for it’ and you might not be the last. I prefer these kinds of secret tests to get to know the personality of my opponent. I prefer to avoid physical altercation because of my… temper… but many times the wolf fails the test and fights me anyway. This gives me a bad impression and I apologize for that.” His words were anything but harsh or aggressive as he walked towards the border.

“I’ve been hunting my tail off and scouting out the unfamiliar lands that surround us, since day one, if you must know. I just prefer to work alone.” His words were said with no aggression now, only as a fact. He preferred to work alone anyways. Perhaps he could go off and join another pack who would appreciate him. “I was just planning on visiting Minka to inform her of my leave but seeing as you are a leader now, I could just tell you. I am a silent, introverted creature by nature and pack life does not suite me with all of the socializing that is required.” He would dip his head respectfully as he trotted away from the scene, his emotions buried in his eyes. He appeared completely calm and stoical but on the inside, he was teeming with a certain fury and rage that should be feared. “Oh, and I’m not proud, I am simply stubborn and not a fan of the stronger one always winning. It happens when your siblings beat you into a pulp on a daily basis…” With that he left, his head not held high but not ducked either. Raela was right, something had been bothering him since he left home.

-Exit unless stopped-

(This post was last modified: Jun 05, 2015, 12:26 AM by Loki.)

@Minka 
Assuming Raela will follow Gent.

Her remark about their success of their mutual breakdowns earned a good-natured scoff from him. Gent regarded her momentarily with glacial eyes before a yawn shook open his jaws and curled his tongue, limbs stretching out lazily. This was a serious discussion, yes, but it was evident to see how utterly at ease he was around her. It was a noticeable shift, from rigid and proper, seeking only to maintain her trust so that she did not turn on him when he gained leadership, to relaxed and without guard, content in her presence and secure in their friendship. Once the yawn released him from its grip, a shudder ran through him, emphasized by lightning strike and thunderclap beyond the cave walls. His eyes, which had been shut tightly by the force of it all, blinked open and peered at her once more as she continued her steady stream of reasonable advice.

She certainly had been a prime choice, and for a moment a small smile played with his black mouth as he took a second to soak in how utterly perfect the pieces of his life were falling into place. Perhaps if he had strayed from his father's teachings sooner, he would have topped the pinnacle long ago. However, given everything that came with the unexpected upheaval from Hollow Heart Keep into Minka's pack, he wouldn't change it. The drawbacks were worth what he had earned now, and nothing nor no one would take it from him.

Her answer was logical, and Gent was surprised to realized that he had actually been thinking more so with emotion; anger, to be exact. He didn't like that one bit. Not only did he wish to be more mechanical in his actings as leader than driven by something such as feelings fickle and erring, but it pressed reasonable doubt into his mind about keeping his promise. It would seem he needed to work harder. And oh, how the powers that be were testing him.

Gabriel's unforgettably serpentine voice entered their private shelter, followed swiftly by the man himself. Gent quickly rose to his paws, ears forward and tail rising to curl over his back as mistrusting icicle ears narrowed. He fought back a snarl, forcing himself to wait and listen to the venom the wolf before him chose to spit today. It angered him that Gabriel had been eavesdropping, though he supposed he would have done the same. He was not shamed by being found out, for he would have told every single word to the subject itself if he hadn't of had Raela to go to for sounder options. Really, what burrowed under his skin so immediately and so deeply, was the defiance that shone bright in Gabriel's meanly glinting eyes and resounded in his unbearably neutral posture; already acting the part of rogue rather than pack wolf.

Gabriel chose to talk of respect, and that caused another flame to jump to life inside of him. In ways more than aggression? The more he listened, the more he realized what the boy was doing. He was making excuses. The flames quelled as something akin to satisfaction rose up to smother them; he had been right about the wolf standing before him. He was nothing but a rattler, shaking his tail in bluff now that Gent had lifted the rock he'd been hiding under. Black lips lifting, a silent snarl over took his maw, but the expression was reminiscent of the smirk so often found on the blue black man's features. Gabriel turned his back to him, speaking as he, in Gent's eyes, retreated with his tail between his legs.

It was not the way Gent had wanted this all to happen, but he could not argue with the results; the trash had taken out itself. He pushed into the rain, the sheets soaking the outer layer of his coat immediately and forcing him to narrow his eyes further. The downpour blurred his vision and eliminated his sense of smell, but still he stayed on the other man's heels, ensuring his exit of Gent's land. Gabriel had sealed his own casket here in the timbers. A deserter was as good as a traitor, in Gent's book.

He did not halt his pursuit until well beyond the border, ensuring that the little sneak did not have plans to turn around and worm his way into mischief tonight. Once the storm had passed and the pack members materialized from their various shelters, Gent would inform them that Gabriel had deserted the pack at their high-time of need and should be greeted with fangs if ever he returned. A recently-fallen tree, still maintain the majority of its green needles, created the only nearby cover from the deluge. Gent crawled under its protection, eyes now searching for Raela.

"What did I tell you?" he asked rhetorically of her, in reference to Gabriel's miserable character.

Not a moment after the woman had finished her sentence did the alien voice of who she would soon recognize as Gabriel begin to fill the enclosed space around them. Immediately her eyes flickered toward the outside world, body tensing as she pressed herself backward into the cold stone wall. How could she not notice him? Flattening her ears as the reality sunk in, she was allowed only a moment of embarrassment before Gent was on his feet. Instantly the dark male rose to his full height, his soft ebony tail curling commandingly into the air. The movement made her anxiety at the intrusion subside some; but the even tone of the other wolf's voice still created unease. He spoke of “testing” Gent during their fight, as if he wanted Gent not to attack; as if his initiation of the fight had been an error on Gent's part. She only found herself confused. Surely those words were meant to incite violence, and he must have known that a challenge was always physical when it came down to it. The whole thing seemed absurd to her.  The man's next few claims were equally as peculiar. She felt shame for mentioning his apparent lack of provision for the Crest; at least if he was telling the truth. The more she thought about it the less she felt she believed the man. If he had been scouting so much, Minka would be able to tell her what this Gabriel had discovered. Scouting was of course useless if the pack was left uninformed. For all she knew he'd not spoken a word; and their only potential guide in these lands was deserting them. The thoughts urged Raela to consider doing some scouting of her own after this; she hadn't done as much with the eastern reaches of the land yet. Then, the younger male announced his leave; lowering Raela's ears with some kind of sympathy. She still wasn't sure if he spoke the truth, but she could understand pack life to be suffocating to some. It was of course, no excuse not to contribute, and she'd seen little from this man.  Her eyes searched for Gent as she took a step forward; watching as the eavesdropper made his way toward the border. She found only a twisted snarl on Gent's face. It was predictable to say the least. The Alpha had not only been caught speaking ill of a pack member, but that member had stood before him with not so much as a submissive display, declared them both wrong, and deserted the group altogether. She might have been a little irritated herself, were she not so inclined toward empathy. It was then that Gabriel's voice reached back to them; sending the Crest wolves one last declaration as he trotted off into the rain. The realization made Raela's face warm, chilling her spine in the process. That was the problem right there. His past, it was always the wolf's past that created troubles like these. Now she did feel sorry for him.  The meaning of his words and their connection to her own origins fully occupied her thoughts as Gent moved out to follow the ex-subordinate. She appraised his posture and gait, worried at first that he was going to charge the man but finding thankfully that these were not his intentions. She followed with her head low and ears flat, the harsh rain digging under her fur as the wind forced it down, down to her skin. The girl didn't so much as open her mouth as they trekked on; following the wolf until the Crest was barely visible through the trees. Finally the deserter was allowed to slip from sight; vanishing through the rain as they watched. Gent located another shelter, not nearly as secure and dry as the first, and invited her with a question. The soaked subordinate grimaced, glancing his way before curling up beside him in the semi-dry space. “I certainly can't say it's any great loss,” she offered, her tone now flat and defeated. Raela's head nestled itself between her ivory paws as she listened to the pelting rain. There was a moment of silence before she thought to continue. “I don't know how much I believe him about the hunting and scouting thing. It seems like a pretty good excuse to say you were just out scouting when he was probably just making himself scarce.” Her eyes clouded over into the distance; lids falling to half-mast as the next few somber words collected in her mouth. “I know what he means about his siblings though,” she said quietly, letting Gent in on another little piece of her history. After a moment, the woman pulled her attention back to the present. “What are you thinking?” she pried, her tone light. She could practically see the irritation her friend was radiating.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra