Riddle Heights shark in the water

She's calling for @Kyna and @Phineas since she doesn't know he's not leader anymore, but will need @Erebos or @Hypatia after a few rounds

December 8th, Mid Morning, Freezing Fog 5F, -15C

OOC. playing this like she left sometime the first week of Septemberish 

Things had changed, yet everything was still the same as the sleek form moved through the fog that wrapped itself around the mountain. Within its freezing grasp her silver pelt blended in almost perfectly, her icy eyes pale enough that even those couldn't be seen from a distance. Her pawsteps were placed gracefully along the snow and stone, there was no need for caution. The pads adorning the fae's paws had spent more time on the mountain than on the dirt of the earth below. It had always been her birthright to rule this mountain, something she had been bred and raised to do and now she had come back to reclaim her prize.

Yet despite that owning the mountain had always been her goal, something she would have given her last breath to do, it was not what she thought of now. Her mind was occupied with the image of a pup, golden as her brother yet nestled against her silvered side. Kyna was what had brought her back, that and the haunting thoughts of her own mother. So long ago she had felt the sting of her mother's seeming indifference towards her and had vowed when she had first felt her daughter moving within her that she would never do the same. Yet when she had murdered Aesire and her nights had been a constant onslaught of images of not the woman falling over the edge but of her father instead, Aponi had left.

It was only supposed to be a few weeks, a month at most. Yet days slipped by without getting any closer to finding his murderer  and she might as well have been chasing her tail. All of her potential leads had led to nothing but nonsense, having gained only one insight from a potentially crazed old woman, beware the crow.  It was then that Aponi had had enough of her wild goose chase and had tried to return to her beloved mountain and her beloved daughter but her return was much slowed. She had stumbled upon a wolverine's den and while she managed to come out the victor of the scrum that followed beneath her lush pelt three long scars marred where her shoulder met her chest.

It had taken time for her to heal enough to make any kind of distance each day and because of her constant movement it never truly healed properly. The skin had sealed itself yet it still ached constantly, like she had rubbed her skin raw against stone every time she moved herself improperly. Still as she stopped along the borders of what had once been hers Aponi was thankful for the ache, it was distracting enough to keep her thoughts from the possible rejection that could be about to come. Lifting her muzzle to the sky she called for them, for her daughter and her daughter's father.

THERE IS A CASTLE ON A CLOUD

There was a new norm in Kyna’s life now. Wake up, hunt for her own meal, perhaps seek out @Wren to explore or play. If the weather was good, she would embark on another short journey outside of Riddle Heights. She never went so far that she’d not find her way back before it was time to sleep, but she always kept an eye open and an ear cocked for all the wolves she wished to see. @Sahalie, her incredible exploring friend from the large berry patch. Ace, her friend’s missing father. @Greer, the shadow wolf she wished to see more than anybody else. Well, more than almost anyone else. She wished most of all to see her mother, to know that she was okay -- and never did she find an answer.

Until today.

Even if she hadn’t heard it in months, she knew that voice, and the blond jolted abruptly, almost tumbling down the slope. Without a second thought she wheeled on her haunches, sprinting across the heights back towards the pack territory. Never did she worry about being caught, only that if she did not hurry, the voice would disappear like the ghost of a memory her mother had become.

Except, she was there.

“Mother!” Kyna gasped, coming to a slow halt as her orange eyes grew wide. “You-- You’re back. You came back.”

A wild dissertation appears!

Oh how she had changed, when Aponi had left Kyna had just been beginning to grow out of her puppy chub and into her frame.  Now the girl before her was becoming an adult, her legs had shot up though her paws still looked too large for her body. The most notable change though was how fiery her eyes had settled into. There was no way that Phineas could deny that this was his daughter any longer, the Argyris blood in her was as plain as the eyes on her face.

Taking a step forward towards the girl the mother forgot all about the pain in her chest and the fear of rejection, she just needed to be with her child. The step was rapidly followed by another until suddenly she was right before the pup before she hesitated, not sure that she would be welcome to embrace her.  It was a strange feeling for the Aqulia woman who had always only cared about herself until this point of her life. Never before had she put the needs of another before her own and now she knew that she would do anything to keep Kyna happy.

That in itself seemed to be enough of an answer, "Of course Kyna, I would do anything for you."

She might have bounced over, was the young female inclined to such things – even staring at her mother staring before her, she could scarcely believe this was real. The silvery wraith was as real as the sun, or the sky, or the rocks below her feet. It wasn’t a ghost come to haunt her with unbidden memories, it was Aponi as clear as day, making a glorious ascent back up the mountainside. To what end, she wondered, tipping her head to one side as the fallen Queen began to edge her way closer, shortening the gap between mother and child.

She stared at the woman for a moment, evidently confused by the pause, and reached forward gingerly to press the tip of her nose underneath her dam’s jawline. It was gentle, quiet, and unassuming, much like the once-princess herself, and she hummed quietly under her breath.

“I’ve been looking,” she told her mother in a near whisper, tail swinging in a slow wag behind her. “When you didn’t come back. I went to look. In case…something happened.” Almost every day, in fact – sometimes she would look for Ace, too, a mystery to solve, but even Kyna was beginning to give up the idea she’d be successful in her search. “They didn’t think you’d come back.” The blond, too, had been worried some horrible fate had befallen her mother (for she had no reason to doubt her character as some adults might). “Will you stay?”

A wild dissertation appears!

When her daughter's nose touched the corner of her jaw Aponi's caution melted and she used her chin to bring the girl's head into her neck. It was a strange feeling to her being in such an embrace, it had been so long since anyone had showed her such unabashed affection. In fact it may have been since Mercy had left, yes she had been with Phineas the night they had conceived their daughter but that had been more physical in nature. This moment now was completely different, innocent even and the fae knew that her daughter had not yet grown enough to have her heart broken. It was so different from her own childhood when she had been forced to grow much too quickly. By this age Aponi's pack had been forced down the mountain and nearly starved to death and she had known how hard one had to fight to stay alive.

This was not the life her daughter would lead. Somehow Aponi would regain her crown and ensure that Kyna had her life handed to her on a silver platter as she deserved. Pressing her chin deeper into the ruff of her daughter's neck she inhaled her sweet perfume, "As long as your father will have me, it is his decision now." It was a sneaky move. The mother knew that her daughter would be able to convince the man, or at least pull at his guilt enough to allow her another chance. Her could be cruel to get his own way but he felt enough guilt because of his children that he would do what he could to keep them happy. If only Aponi knew that it was not longer Phineas' decision to make.

“It’s not.”

Kyna’s ears flicked out to the side, expression largely unreadable as she conveyed the information. So much had changed since her mother had left. Her friends were orphans, they went through one leader, and then another. She’d met Takis, and Hypatia. She’d made wonderful friends outside of Silent Moon Plateau, leading the girl to wonder about life outside the Argyris’ domain. But none of this was vital information, and could be saved for a less pressing time.

With a short huff, she glanced over her shoulder back towards the pack grounds. “Da has stepped down. He is not alpha,” she explained slowly, fiery eyes slowly finding Aponi again. The next tidbit of information was offered more as a challenge than anything else. “He wanted to see me more. But-- Uncle is in charge, now. Uncle, and Hypatia.”

How they would decide, she had no idea. Kyna had spoken on her older sister’s behalf once having led her up the mountainside, but this hardly seemed the sort of favor she would expect returned. In fact, the girl had done it because it simply seemed right – the alphas opinions on Aponi were neutral at best, as far as she understood it. “Uncle is hard to read.”

A wild dissertation appears!

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health

It did not matter that the call wasn't meant for him, it sent Erebos running all the same. From the heart of the territory he raced to the border, the flames of his anger ignited once more within his chest. He knew now, knew exactly the lengths Aponi was willing to go for her own selfish gains, from the use of her own child as a pawn to the murder of a woman who had done her no wrong and had children of her own to care for. Never could he trust a wraith like her, never could he allow her sanctum within the Argyris domain. Adrenaline coursed through his legs as they beat upon the ground, his heart drumming against his ribcage as he hopped to make it to the scene before Kyna could even draw close.

His stomach dropped like a lead weight when his senses told him that his niece had already beaten him to her.

Drawing to a slower pace, his tail arched high above his back as he trotted the rest of the distance, forcing his raging temper to cool some so that he may think clearly. If Kyna was there, then he would need to handle the situation with a little more tact than he'd like to. That was far from his strong suit, however, and he dearly hoped that @Phineas was on his way to retrieve his daughter. Her father might be able to better explain it all to her.

Yet as he closed in, the wind brought to him not just their scents but their words, and he was able to fleetingly catch Aponi's solemn promise: I would do anything for you. A silent snarl twisted his features as he jogged forward, stepping within their proximity and barely hearing Kyna's attempt to inform Aponi of the situation she had found herself in.

"You'd do anythin' fer her," he repeated with a scoffing snort. "Includin' murder? Or was that jus' fer yerself?"

He did not approach them, unwilling to come close to Aponi. If Kyna wanted to stay by her mother, so be it, but any swift movements on the silver monster's part and he would be quick to remove the girl from any danger. It disgusted him to know that the child still wanted her mother with her, but he reminded himself that she could not know what all crimes had been committed by the once-queen.

"What about abandonin' 'er here? Was that fer her too? Yer lies got old a long time ago, Aponi."

(This post was last modified: Dec 13, 2015, 10:13 PM by Erebos.)

The silver woman stepped back slowly as her daughter uttered words that she had not been expecting. Her brow furrowed as Kyna explained what had happened in her absence but then it smoothed again and she raised her head higher. Oh this could definitely work in her favor. If only she knew that she was once again wrong in her assumptions. A smile slid across her face as she nudged her daughter's cheek once more, "I had no idea that @Datura wanted to step in, but my brother will let me return to you....." She was never able to finish her sentence as her newest error became clear to her.

Charging into the scene was a man she had never met before but could only be related to Phineas, so this was the uncle Kyna spoke of. Aponi did her best to show her respect despite the fact that she had none for a man who had had his crown handed to him. Pressing her ears to her skull and lowering her body closer to the ground the woman had to grit her teeth to get into such a demeaning position but she knew that she must if she wanted to be with her daughter once more.

However as the strange spread lies about her in front of her daughter Aponi could hold her tongue no more. Her ears flew forward at the accusations and her body stood once more, her muscles begging for her to lunge forward and teach this pathetic fool a lesson. She had enough sense not to start a physical fight in front of the pup but her tongue she could no longer control. Narrowing her icy eyes she practically hissed the words, "If by murder you mean be present when Aesire fell then yes that was for her." The man continued to smear her and the fae's blood boiled dangerously, how dare this man who had not even earned the right to call himself king make such accusations on a matter he knew nothing about?

Blunt claws dug into the ground below her as if this could keep her body rooted to the ground when all she wanted was to physically wipe the smug grin off the loser's face. The ache in her chest returned at the exertion of holding her tensed body still but she ignored it. Clenching her teeth her jaw was visibly working through her pelt as she strained out, "I did not abandon her. I left on private business which was discussed with Phineas before my leave, it was always meant to be temporary." There was so much more she wished to say and it was becoming clear to her that she would not be welcomed back to the Plateau, the only concern now was making sure Kyna came with her.

He hadn’t expected her to return so soon. Her call sounded across the Plateau, and Phineas shifted his weight from the perch along the ridge lengths he had settled to. The winter wind was soothing to the ivory regal – he found himself warm despite the cold that pulled at his fur, and the past few moments had rendered him with discomfort in his abdomen and chest – a bad meal, perhaps.

Swallowing down a wave of nausea, the Argyris stood up, shaking his pelt gently. No doubt Kyna was on her way, and with little thought to how perhaps his ex-fling was holding up during her desire to seek out her father’s killer, the man was instead far more worried about how his youngest would take to her presence and what she would say.

He moved as quickly as he could – his breath was short, and he attempted to ignore the dull pain that throbbed within his sides. His fiery eyes befell the scene of his daughter, cozying up to her mother with warm welcome.. but uncertainty, perhaps? And Erebos had already beat him to it.

The two ushered words to one another, none of which the Argyris could hear as he approached, and as his eyes befell Kyna to assure she seemed alright, he gave a nod to the silver she-wolf. “Welcome home.”