Stonewatch Timbers break down, now weep

HR coming to deliver the info they know about Tokino's death to RSC.. summoning Minka. :c @Kjors and @Naia are with Kisla.. but don't necessarily need to respond first. Should be interesting! AW for any RSC member, but probably @Gent should be there.

The trip was overdue, but the agouti she-wolf was not convinced the details Kjors held for their allies would offer them much insight. She had kissed her children goodbye and had beckoned Kjors and Naia even before the sun had risen to the sky. Their journey would be long, and the mother was already weary.

The ties they held to Round Stone Crest were quickly unraveling – especially when the honeyed Baranski had been met with veiled threats by their newly risen Alpha. She meant to discuss this with Minka – but more importantly, the River wolves would be quick to offer the knowledge they had regarding Tokino’s murderer – which was not much.

Yet there was an inkling of familiarity to the female at Kjors description, and she could not recall her own tussle with a large golden male – one who acted upon violence before thought. Ash Hervock. Kisla was almost tempted to have Kjors take an expedition toward the Caverns lands so he could verify himself if this was the murderer – but she was unsure if she was willing to risk him. Especially for a pack who had done nothing for them, and offered them brash behavior.

She spoke very little on their journey – sullen, though as they now stood at a respectful distance upon the border, her eyes would drift between either companions, offering them a nod before tilting her slender muzzle up and requesting the presence of Minka – the wolf they had come to deliver news for.

(This post was last modified: Oct 05, 2015, 11:48 AM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

It was with a long bow and a tired yawn that Kjors stretched as he left his den, pink tongue curling between ivory teeth. He departed with a nose to Karina’s cheek, a gentle reminder where he was off to for the day. Having upset the girl recently, the dragon was all the more careful to keep a steady hand and a kind eye – to lose the treasure he coveted most would be worse than a row of teeth to the jugular, and it would take him much longer to reach his final destination when the wounds were all internal. A quick promise and he was off, the shadow drifting through the trees to meet Kisla and her scout at the den. The mother did much the same with her children, affection more open and evident – these girls did not suffer from the barrier the Queen of the River had erected towards everyone else – as she kissed them goodbye, and off they went.

Kjors could not help but wonder after current location of the master of the house. Master and a half, he thought bitterly, careful to keep his expression plain as the trio jogged slowly away from the heart of their territory. Where was he now – so touchy before, scolding the dragon for failing to seek him out, but how often Maksim seemed to disappear. It seemed only natural that his better half lead this short expedition to have a word with supposed allies – she seemed the only one eager to get anything done! Master of the house? Isn’t worth my spit, the shade grumbled mentally before giving himself a shake. He could contemplate the alpha and his ability to lead at a later time.

“T’day we deal with angry men,” he muttered softly, joining Kisla’s side as the group slowed a respectful distance from Round Stone Crest. He had no doubt that despite the woman’s call for the dead man’s mate, Gent would appear to question him further about Tokino and the mystery wolf responsible for the slaying. Unfortunately, Kjors knew as much now about the bright-eyed murderer as he did when first he met the Stone Lord, loathe he be to admit it. But what could he do about it now? He’d sealed his fate, promised to his beloved princess that he would try to skirt around the fringes of paranoia and interact as a fairly function pack wolf. He’d bowed and bared his neck to Kisla, pledging to share what he knew about the crime with the woman who was actually robbed of her mate. And here they were.

At least they were not alone, he sighed, single golden eye shifting over to Naia. While the two had yet to resolve their differences after the skirmish with Broken Timber Pines, he was at least professional enough to acknowledge that the scout was a boon, should it come to a fight. They were both here to protect the Queen, and Kjors was not convinced they would not need to, not when Gent was afoot. “Dun trust ‘em,” he murmured quietly to Naia, head on a swivel as he waited for someone to answer Kisla’s call. “Hopefully th’ Lady can sort it out.”

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

As the call cut through the air, beckoning their eternally sleeping queen, a snarl twisted the shadow king's lips. His own stomach churned at the reminder being forced upon him, but even more so he resented the summons for the ill emotions it would cause to rise up within his pack. As the tune died off, he knew that each pack member had been thoroughly affected by it, from the newest of them right on down to the children, and he swiftly altered his course to pursue whatever mistakened stranger sat upon their door. Curiosity ran high within him, but above all else he wanted to correct this wolf before they thought to lift their muzzle again and send another chorus of memories crashing down upon his subordinates' ears.

As he drew closer, their scents became apparent, and the fur along his spine began to bristle as the names floated into his head. Kisla, Kjors, Naia. He wouldn't have known it a year ago, but Naia was the most benign of these visitors within his mind. It could only be assumed that they were here to keep the promise Kisla had made to Minka via Gent and Cessair's visit, yet as he counted back within his head he realized that it had been nearly four months since that fateful day. Anger began to well up within him as he was reminded even more thoroughly of how unjustly short Minka's life had been cut, how angry she had been over Kjors' blatant disrespect and the Baranski's lack of action. How much she had hungered for the revenge that was rightfully hers, with her own allies standing in the way of it all.

Drawing within sight, he forced his outer appearance to calm, fur flattening and lips drawing into a straight, solemn line. It could not be known that a storm brewed within him, for those pale eyes told no such secrets. Keeping distance between them, he did not greet the embassy with words. Instead, he lifted his own muzzle, beckoning @Kova to approach them. It was his vengeance now, should he choose to shoulder it, and so it would be to Minka's eldest son that they would share their intelligence.

 Kova wasn't too far away from Gent when he heard the call. The boy was fishing in the creek just outside the borders when the howl floated through the timbers summoning his mother.. Having a belly full of fish had Kova a little lazy as he loped slowly toward the sound of the wolf howl. It wasn't long after the strangers had called for Minka that Gent's howl summoning Kova rose up above the trees guiding the silver youth closer to the waiting group. The silver wolf searches for Gent's dark form and is met with the scents of wolves not like the Lieris male. Two feminine scents mixed with a familiar smell of Kjors and Gent making Kova curious as he lurched forward. The young males pace quickened until he found the shadow covered forms of the wolves. Slowing to a stop near but not too close to the Crests black alpha, Kova then looked over Kjors and the females wondering why in the hell they wanted to bother them. With his mothers death still rather fresh in the gray boys mind he didn't particularly want to talk to his own pack mates let alone speak to strangers who didn't look all too friendly. Kova dipped his head in greeting to the wolves to show respect to the adults before giving his name.  “Kova Lagina here. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. ” His greeting was almost mechanical as Kova resorted to his parents teachings about being respectful to others as well as prideful of his pack and family name. He held himself firmly but kept below Gent's crown. The gray male made sure to note how the black wolf held himself before the other three wolves as well.  

It was a somewhat familiar journey for Naia, scouting through the mountains that the Crest wolves called home but also traveling with Kjors. Neither of them had to remind the other of the utter disaster that had unfolded the last time they scouted together, but even so the Timber woman felt at ease with this mission. They were on their way to visit allies this time; no matter Naia’s personal feelings toward Minka she was a friend of Maksim’s, so Naia had hope that this encounter would be a little friednlier. Of course, you never knew with Kjors—it was his misstep with Gent that they were here to correct after all.

  Their Queen was present as well, which assured the scout that Kjors would be on his best behavior this time—whatever that looked like. Naia had heard that the man could be charming, but she had yet to really see this for herself. It certainly seemed that he had charmed the eldest Baranski princess, and rumor had it he was worming his way into Kisla’s good graces as well.. despite Naia’s warning to her.

As they reached the Crest border and called for Minka, Kjors whispered a warning to her that struck the scout as ironic, to say the least. Don’t trust them, he cautioned, and Naia asked herself if she even trusted the man delivering the warning.  Why was he so cautious among allies.. Did he know something she didn’t? Was this meeting going to get ugly too? She returned a questioning look to the male, but shifted her posture to a more guarded stance nonetheless.

Naia greeted Gent with a familiar nod of respect when he joined them. Even though they had not always been on the same side of the battle line, to Naia the man had always been easy to understand and straightforward with his intentions; if she had to admit, she trusted him a good deal farther than she trusted Kjors. He was joined by a young male that Naia had not yet met, and the yearling introduced himself as Minka’s son. But where was Minka herself? There was something wrong with the boy’s demeanor, his voice devoid of any emotion. Like how a wolf sounds when he’s choking back pain. Naia brow knit with concern.  ”A pleasure, Kova,” she said gently. “This is Kisla Baranski, queen of Hearthwood River. My name is Naia, and this is Kjors.” Introductions out of the way, Naia looked to her leader to address their allies.

 

“T’day we deal with angry men.” The man strode up to her side, and Kisla’s ear flickered in the direction of his voice before splaying back gently to her head. “I hope not,” she murmured quietly, wondering what Gent had spoken of to Minka. They’re timing was later than she had intended, but it had been the best they could do. If the matriarch of the Crest could not accept that, then it would only solidify her darkening view of the wolves they had once even referred to as a distant family. Her gaze would sweep back to Naia, offering the woman a gentle nod before casting her eyes back upon the one-eyed dragon. “Tell her whatever she desires to know,” she spoke quietly.

It was not long before they were joined by a Crest wolf – and perhaps the last one Kisla wanted to see. The ebony wolf was as cold as the winter coming, and without a greeting, the Baranski woman felt a flicker of indulgence. She was not his puppet – and if this meeting did not change a few things between the packs, it was suffice to say that the River wolves would have nothing more to do with the Crest.

Maksim had given his blessing as such.

Instead, Gent called for someone – one she assumed to have been Minka, but instead, a yearling came to view. Confusion swept over the honeyed she-wolf, but at least they had been acknowledged. Her shoulder brushed against Kjors, a gentle indication to mind his manners, and she swept her muzzle lower than the youth – her paws were firmly planted upon his home. “You must be your mother’s son,” she offered, allowing a small smile to flicker across her features as she appraised him. He seemed respectable enough – pity he was not older to take the place of his father, where he should be. Naia had given her name, and the Baranski lady cast a grateful eye to her subordinate. “Kova, my pack mate Kjors has news regarding your father’s murderer. It is not much – but perhaps it can help. We were hoping to speak to your mother?”Little did she know the storm she might have elicited with these very words.

sparking up my heart

Gent was met with indifference – were he not on his best behavior, and the dragon might behave like something else entirely. The small trio was here on the Queen’s errand (and with her favored scout in tow, no less). This was meant to improve relationships between Round Stone Crest and the wolves of Hearthwood River – a bond he’d strained, however inadvertently. A previous discussion with the leading lady had made it clear that Kjors was to do his best to amend this situation, and if that meant behaving like a proper wolf instead of a monster (dragon, lycanthrope, or otherwise), then so be it. He would behave himself, for now.

So he simply eyed the master of the house, doling out the charm, and could hope that the pair of women he accompanied could read right through whatever mask the Crest King chose to wear on this particular day. That he did not greet them at all was met with a small quirk of his brow, but he fought the urge to curl up his lip, instead looking past the man as he made his summons. At first, Kjors thought it to be the lady they sought – the enigmatic Minka, the deceased Tokino’s mate (and the proper monarch, in his opinion). When she didn’t arrive, he began to brace himself for the worst, assuming immediately that the man was calling for reinforcements. That he was paranoid at the best of times did not cross his mind, especially not without the princess and her calming presence. Shifting his weight worriedly, he moved to Kisla’s flank, tail out straight as he drew himself to his full height. That he did not raise his hackles was a true victory, head raised and pivoting like a periscope as he watched the horizon warily.

To his great surprise (and relieved delight), an entire hoard of wolves did not appear at all. Instead, it was but one individual – a yearling, still growing into his paws. Perhaps even more shocking, he knew this wolf. Head raising up all the higher, his golden eye widened a fraction as his tail went down, giving one, single wave of acknowledgement. Their previous encounter had been neutral (if not mildly amiable), and he met Kova with more curiosity than he did hostility. Perhaps if they were dealing with the prince, perhaps things would go more smoothly than he originally imagined.

“Kova,” he greeted the lad, pleased to see at least one of the Crest males still had his manners. “Good t’ see y’again.” The male fell silent as Kisla spoke back up, only dipping his head in acknowledgement to her words. He would tell what he knew, he’d promised this. While he had little interest in sharing with Gent, he couldn’t do anything about the alpha’s presence, and focused on Kova instead. “Mhm. Thought we could share, some,” he murmured in agreement, shifting his gaze to watch Kisla out of the very corner of his single eye. How much use would it be without a name? He didn’t know.

But it was the first block in building the bridge.

It was @Naia only who received acknowledgment from the king, the nod given to him reciprocated equally. To his knowledge, she was the only one among them who had truly played the part of an ally to him, ironic given their past together. He could not know of the ill she had been speaking of his pack, from the whispers in Kisla's ears to the open declarations made to their assumed enemies Broken Timber Pines.

Kisla's every word was heavily annotated within the beast's mind, while Kjors' additions were only met with a passing glare. Of course the snake was willing to share now, with his master there to ensure he spat no more venom. As for the queens warm greeting, Gent wasn't sure what could be made of it, and found he didn't much have the energy to contemplate it. Perhaps, just as the children had turned against him, it simply was a matter of him lacking Lagina blood that all this had come about.

It wasn't until the River queen inquired about Minka that Gent at last spoke up. This admission he would not leave to Kova; it was bad enough that he had to be the one present to receive this news in his mother's absence. The king would not allow him the pain of having to explain what had become of Minka.

"Minka has passed," he imparted, allowing a glimpse of the grief he held within himself to be visible before resuming his solemnity. "She was sick. We thought it was just a cold. It took her suddenly." He would regret that assumption for the rest of his life, but what had been spoken was all the Baranskis would ever know of the matter.

"She would've wanted Kova to receive the information you have, so that he could make his own choice about what to do with it." To Gent, it no longer matter whether Tokino's murderer was apprehended or not. His determination to do so previously had been solely reliant on his desire to bring Minka peace, and with her passing, he no longer held a stake within the cold case. However, he would not refuse Kova his right to uphold the vengeance, and certainly would not tolerate any refusal on the one-eyed lizard's part to respect that right.

@Naia , @Kisla , @Kjors

Kova let a small smile show on his face when the Baranski woman complimented him. He could only hope to be as firm but kind as his mother. Sadness filtered past his gaze as the young male let out a tiny sigh.  “Thank you Lady Kisla for that.” He nodded then cast his gaze to Kjors who was standing particularly tall out of the lot of them. It was only when Kisla noted the dragon that he lowered himself again and Kova shook off the uncertainty that had been gathering over his shoulders. Naia at least seemed perfectly comfortable with everything going on, and the young wolf was glad for that. Even if Gent seemed far too tense for his own good.

Kisla wanted to speak to his mother, and as much as Kova wished that Minka would rise up out of the grave he'd helped to dig for her he knew that this would not happen. Biting his lip Kova looked down just as Gent then interjected and told the others of Minka's passing. He bit his lip a little harder to force the depressing emotions away before looking back up and plastering a semi calm stoic look over his face. “She's where my father is now...”Kova sighed while looking just past the River wolves. He wondered then if they would understand his position now, not as a prince but as a simple subordinate. Even if Gent had told the pack that Kova and his younger siblings were still heirs Kova knew that this was not the real truth. Or at least it felt that way to him.