Riddle Heights how'd you know?

Backdated to sometime between April 15th and 17th
@Morganna maybe she could send her towards GH at some point instead of continuing on the mountain like she was planning?

5C Clear Skies, 8:30PM

Her scouting trip looking for the father of her current litter had been a rouse, just an excuse to get the blessing to leave the territory. Her true mission laid within trying to get back to @Drestig. He was certainly going to pay for what he had said to her and this pregnancy was just the thing she needed. If he thought he could just ride off into the sunset with @Jessie and live happily ever after he should ever have crossed her. So she had told @Spieden she had to go find Samual Lyall and drag him back to clean up the mess he had created. She had half a mind to do so, perhaps if she found him she would do so but if she didn't it was of little concern to her anyways. This litter would be hers, no father to corrupt them with softness like Phineas had done to @Kyna.

Aponi's scent had definitely changed and spoke of her condition but so early in her pregnancy her sides were still sleek and she had hardly any other symptoms. Climbing the mountain never even winded the silver woman, she had spent far too much time ascending its stone heights.  As always once her paws felt its surface beneath them she felt the power of the beast, her mountain. It was her birthright this mountain and someday she would be back to claim it.

Bypassing the old Plateau territory the Aquila moved swiftly along the heights, snorting at the thought of the white woman she had slay there just weeks before. Sorry was not an emotion she felt often and she certainly did not feel it about that encounter, the old had had it coming. The sun had long began its descent into the horizon and barely any light filtered through now as it peaked over the edge. Casting the world around her in deep red, purple and blue Aponi settled beneath a raggedy pine, pleased with how far she had travelled for the day. She would begin again in the morning, up the mountain spines until she reached where she had seen the Avalon last. From there she could figure out her next move.

With the sun tucking itself in for the night Morganna had thought to take one last trip up the heights before she left. While some small part of her might have wanted to hope she would bump into @Skoll up here, like she had so many times before, she knew the chances were slim. Would she ever regret not acting on this urge to seek him out, to try again and convince him to come with her? Only time would tell.

Swift feet traversed familiar paths, each step a final farewell. She doubted she would ever travel this far south again, if they walked until she gave birth who knew how far they would go? She was a scout, used to setting a brisk pace and holding it for hours on end. It was true, with her sides beginning to balloon and the young placing such pressure on her lungs that her jaunts were becoming shorter, her breath harder to keep. But she wasn't about to let that stop her.

As feet finally found even ground on some minor plateau, her head lifted and eyes fell on a woman in a similar state to herself (although not nearly so far along). Would this prompt her to be more aggressive? For after such a climb Morganna had little want to fight. This was her last goodbye to these heights and where once her tail might have lifted in a challenge it now sat loosely between her hocks, ears and head raising in question rather than challenge. She didn't smell like anyone on this side of the mountain, but there was a distant familiarity to her scent. "Are yer lookin' fer a Drift too?"

(This post was last modified: Jun 10, 2016, 09:35 PM by Morganna.)

The scent of another filled her nostrils, a stranger and yet so familiar at the exact same time. It was the smell of pregnancy, just as she carried but with just the faintest sign of milk mingling with it, it was clear even without seeing her that the stranger was much farther along. That was not the only thing that was familiar in the air. Raising her muzzle the nostrils strained to identify just what it was that reminded her of that dark night that had once again changed everything. Suddenly it came to her, it was the same pack scent as Samuel had held within his fur, the same scent that had been so tantalizing and filled her senses when they had created the life inside her.

When the dark woman crested the ledge Aponi couldn't help but notice the resemblance in them, except rather than silver flecked fur this woman's was peach. Before she could open her mouth with a question that would aid her quest she was met with a question from the stranger herself. Brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before it smoothed in realization, "Oh no, Drift returned home safely. I'm seeking someone but not him."  Then she hesitated as curiosity clouded her original intentions.

While Aponi had never spoken with Drift more than the occasional greeting she had noticed the (rather filthy) male around the territory. She knew he had wandered off or something of the sort, she hadn't really paid attention to what he had done but if he knew this woman that knew Samuel it deepened the plot. Raising her brows she offered, "You know Drift?"

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

She was visibly relieved to hear the boy got home, the next question bought an easy smile to her face. The other woman seemed to have no desire to fight and for once, neither did Morganna. The question didn't really come as a surprise and she couldn't see any reason to conceal the truth from a wolf that (given her pregnant state) could very well be the young girls mother. "Nah, @Sahalie came over here lookin' fer 'im, she seems ter know my nephew @Sven. One o' my subordinates found her... what was it? fiercely defendin' herself from coyotes in the Grove." Her smirk betrayed her true thoughts on what might have really gone down, but what did it matter? The girl had come out of it unscathed.

Had she any intention of staying she probably would have scaled the mountain to seek out these wolves of the Bend, as it was, she had passed on the information to @Elettra to do with as she wished. Sven already knew where they were and while he might have had his heart set on becoming a guardian there was no reason that he couldn't do the occasional scouting duty too. "Still, might be able ter help. Who are yer lookin' fer?"

@Morganna

 

The stranger (whose name Aponi did not know and frankly probably didn't care to know) seemed visibly relieved that Drift had returned home and then followed it saying she didn't even know Drift. Brow furrow deepened for a moment before the full explanation was given and then it smoothed. Nodding once the silver woman smirked in amusement, mind wandering to the night Sahalie had demanded answers from herself and Spieden. The grin grew slightly larger as she chuckled, "If Sahalie is anything it's fierce, even if she doesn't always have the brawn to back it up." Again Aponi had the strange longing for the girl, fierce was certainly not the word she would use to describe Kyna. Poised perhaps but definitely not fierce.

Blue eyes looked over the swollen stomach and confident stance, it was clear this woman was alpha of whatever pack both she and Samuel belonged to. Was it possible that his children grew within this woman as well? Lies brewing within her mind to cover in case this was in fact true Aponi said smoothly, "Drestig Avalon and Jessie Tainn. Perhaps even Samuel Lyall if you happen to know any of their whereabouts." The last name was tacked on as if it had just happened to enter her mind but the woman's gaze watched closely for any twitch of recognition. If whoever this was was covering Aponi wanted to know immediately.

 

The first two names were met with dismissal, neither familiar to her at all, although she would tuck them away for future reference, knowing this woman to belong to the Bend and the approximate direction in which they could be found. The third name caused a flicker in her eyes, unable to cover the twich she had to come clean... without throwing @Skoll under the bus, besides, what harm could it possibly cause to her? "We have a @Renier Lyall and an Angier Lyall, but th' rest of'em live further ter the west in the Cedarwood..." She decided to hold her tongue on the Samuel front, for her own self preservation, as well as her siblings. Was this woman carrying more of her brothers bastard children?

Thoughts well concealed for now, there had been two other names mentioned and perhaps she was in a situation very similar to Morganna's own? While she held no interest in tracking down those who might have fathered her litter perhaps other women were not so practical (or selfish). She waited to see if the other wolf had more to ask or offer in return for the information she had provided, eyes already seeking higher ground.

 

The small twitch and flicker in the woman's eyes were not lost on Aponi who had been scrutinizing her closely. It was quickly covered though and if she had even blinked the expectant mother would have missed the clue that she had been presented. The words that were given were clearly a lie and the pregnancy hormones flared as the Aquila had to stifle her frustration. Clearly this Samuel had something to hide if he didn't even exist. Instead of voicing her thoughts though the silver wolf merely plopped her bottom upon the ground making herself more comfortable and smiled.

"Oh I just thought since you smell of the same pack you may know him, we're old friends and I thought I could drop in and say hello if he was in the area."

It was said politely enough and anyone who overheard may have just thought it was casual conversation . The words however were a thinly concealed way to call out the stranger one the lie that she had given. Who she was seeking was not just a name, she had seen him, felt him, smelled him. Truly if he put this much effort into disappearing she wanted nothing to do with him, but it piqued her curiosity none the less. What was his really hiding?

 

She got the message loud and clear, this stranger thought her a liar, and gave herself away in the same breath. A smirk was quick to come to her face as she replied, not bothering to hide how amusing she found the whole situation. "He might be in m' pack but there's no wolf there with tha' name. Either he lied ter yer, or he's in the Cedarwood, but I never heard any o' em mention a Samuel," and it was the truth. All of it. It was merely an omission of facts after all that she failed to mention her brother sometimes went by Samuel, what was to say others didn't also carry aliases? It could just be an amusing set of circumstances, and besides, what good was a spy and assassin if you went revealing their identity wherever you went?

So she decided to take a different approach, "How about yer tell me what 'e looks like then, an' maybe we can figure it out." After all, what sort of leader didn't know their subordinates? If it was a red or brown wolf then she could squarely point to Renier, but if it was black? Well then things would get more complicated again.

Aponi exit!

 

The smirk was met with a single quirked brow, what exactly did this other woman find so funny in this situation? Still her words seemed true enough and given that Aponi hadn't used her real name herself that night it was very possible that Samuel hadn't either. After all, they had both been out searching for a way to scratch an itch that just wouldn't cease. The mother certainly hadn't expected being able to become with child so late in her heat, Samuel well, who knew what he expected. Still the memory of his parting words rang through her head, Don't come looking for me.

Raising her chin slightly to look the other woman in the eye she clarified, "Black mostly, scarred muzzle and peculiarly grey eyes." Snorting Aponi shook her head, tired of the games this alpha was playing to protect whoever Samuel really was. "Whomever he may be, just pass a little message along for me shall you? Tell him that Catori was along, whatever is so precious for him that you're hiding I'm not interested. Just tell him that I might not need him now, but not to get too comfortable when he has so many secrets just lurking around the shadows." There was little threat in her voice but the blue eyes twinkled at the thought of sending his little kingdom toppling. For all she knew this woman was his mate.

Taking one more glance past the stranger toward the scenery she had come to find she flicked her tail in silent farewell. She would take her night back at the Plateau then.