Larkcall Lowlands But I couldn't see, the joke was on me [M]

Subterritory discovery: Traitors Tor. This is a private thread, please don't pop in unless I say you can.  Takes place sometime after this thread

Of all places Askan didn't know why Deron wanted to meet here, up on this hill in the middle of bloody nowhere. He didn't mind the rain, after all it was a nice change from all the snow but couldn't his uncle have chosen a nicer location? Or at the very least somewhere that wasn't so far from home? Deron had always been a cautious guy, slow to trust and quick to dismiss, so Askan could  understand why he wanted to meet so far from his packs borders. This was neural ground and on top of this hill they were equals.

But no matter his reasoning, why did he have to pick such a spooky place? And what was with these stone columns? By no means was Askan a believer of the supernatural-neither was Deron- but there was something about this hill summit that put Askan on edge. In fact, this whole damn situation was strange, and no matter how many times he paced back and forth he couldn't put his paw on it. Deron had never sought him out before, not like this, so what had changed? What could be so drastic, so important that Deron would go against his very nature? His uncle never cared about anything, and he made no secret of it. He didn't even try to lie, he was just that blunt. So what was it?

"Ughhhh" Askan groaned, his frustration clear, as the sky above him darkened as the rain clouds pulled together. He paused mid step and glanced up at the sky and his mood became all the more sour."Just what I fucking need."

If his uncle expected Askan to wait for him in the pouring rain than he had another thing coming. Up here, amongst the stone stacks and the weird wrong feeling that lingered in the air there was nowhere for Askan to  hide, or take shelter from the elements. Which...Come on, was Deron taking the piss? Was this his idea of a joke? Whatever he urgently wanted to talk about it better damn well have been important.  Because favourite uncle or no-not that he had much competition, Savion was a right prick- Askan was gonna give him a piece or two of his mind.

When he finally decided to turn up, that is.

The scene was set and the pieces-more or less- had fallen into place. It had taken a lot more time and work than he would have liked, but there Savion was climbing the hill, one sure footstep after another. Finally. How long had this taken? Weeks, months? If he'd stayed true to his course and just gotten on with it he knew he could have dealt with the issue within a matter of days, but it was too late now to bitch about the past. As tempting as it was. He'd chosen his path and he'd be doing himself and every other Selwyn a disservice if he didn't follow through to the end.

Savion's tired, old legs lamented the fact that he'd arranged this meeting in such a remote, difficult to reach location. But that was the beauty of it, you see? This was a private affair. He didn't want anyone sticking their nose into Selwyn affairs, as if they could possibly understand the gravity of it all. Bullshit. The only way anyone could even begin to understand was if they were a part of the fucked up, pretentious mess that called themselves a clan. Then again, there weren't so many of those folk left anymore. Savion had seen to that, as much as a fuck-fest as it had been.

Ah well, it was what it was. They didn't call it a shit-storm for nothin'.

With one last push, Savion clambered up onto the hill summit and- there he was but where was his sister? Weren't there supposed to be two? He was pretty sure he had three nieces, so where was whats her name? Everlyn? Evanegline? Evande? Ah whatever, it began with an E, of that he was pretty sure. Or at least 40% certain. Whatever, he'd deal with that later. He wasn't going to miss out on this opportunity, and he had to admit it brought him great amusement to watch that little fuck of a nephew pace back and forth in the rain like a drowned rat.

Aw, was he nervous? Was he anxious to see good ole uncle Derry? Such a shame that he wasn't here, that he'd have to make do with poor Savion. Loved by no one, loathed by many.

Stepping out from behind one of the many stone stacks-one of the many reasons he chose this scenic spot- Savion couldn't hide his fiendish grin as Askan realised he was no longer alone. The rain had done a swell job of hiding his scent. Weren't things just going swimmingly?

"Funny seein' you here." He greeted, his tail held high as he strode forward, narrowing the space between them. "Aww, don't be such a sour puss. You could at least try 'n look happy to see me. I came a long way and put a lot of effort into seein' you. The least you could do is smile."

Savion asked for a smile, but instead all he got was a grimace.

What the hell was he doing here? Adelayde had said that he'd called himself Deron and yet the man standing in front of him was anything but. Had she misheard him, made a mistake? Surely not, even she could tell the difference between two names which clearly weren't the same. So he'd lied then. What a big surprise, Askan could barely contain his shock! But no, really if anything he was disappointed to find that his uncle hadn't changed a single bit in the past few months. He was the same as always, with his smarmy grin and serpentine words.

To be honest, Askan had never liked him and the passage of time had done little to improve their relationship. He was a strange sight really, it was like seeing a fish out of water, trying to swim on dry land. Unnatural, like something he might dream about, an odd concoction of images that simply made no sense. But he said so himself, he'd travelled all this way just to see him. Surely that had to be another lie, or at the very least he was twisting the truth to serve his purpose. The Guardian knew full well that their feelings towards each other were mutual, there was no love lost between them.

Instinctively, Askan took a step back for every one Savion took forward. What the hell did he want from him? Askan had nothing to give, nothing he could possibly want and yet there he was, having just emerged from the grey like a ghost.Like a nightmare.

"Uncle." Askan finally greeted, his voice brittle and terse.

It seemed as though he hadn't changed physically either. Savion had always been large, at least within Selwyn standards, but at his age Askan assumed that he would have started to show some wear and tear. He seemed to be as strong as ever and frankly, Askan would have been a liar if he claimed not to be at least a little intimidated. He was a beast in every meaning of the word and it was clear to see he hadn't gone soft. Not even a little. That wasn't to say that the younger Selwyn was weak, or cowardly but...The fact that he was here wasn't a good sign, it couldn't be.

Gritting his teeth, Askan lifted his head high and righted his shoulders. He was not afraid.

"What brings you this far south? And don't  lie to me, I'm not a child anymore. I'll know."

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

Savion bit down hard on his tongue till he tasted blood. FUCK! He was exactly like his fucking dad wasn't he? That smug sense of superiority, the way he looked at him as though he were the lowest of the low. That because he was a pure Selwyn it somehow meant that he was better than him, that he had the right to talk down to him despite the fact that he was both his elder and uncle. This boy, this measly fucking vermin had the nerve to cling onto a name that didn't mean shit anymore. Like he truly believed in those lies his Father had once told him when he was just a pup.

"We Selwyns are the closest things to angels. We came from on high, from heaven."

Savion snorted and rolled his eyes.Yeah right, what a joke.

But really, Savion couldn't help but wonder if he would've felt different about Askan if he didn't look and talk just like Terrell. Say if he'd taken after his tawny bitch of a mother, would he have been more tolerable? Or was he just a bad seed? The sorta pup that should've been eaten soon after they were squeezed out? Hmm. He didn't reckon it would have much much of'a difference. There was something wrong with him, surely, he took after his dad but in all the wrong ways. Savion loved Terrell, even now he did in his own way, but this fucker?

The Comedian huffed in amusement. Like he had any right to make demands, to order a King around. But you know what? He was feelin' charitable, he'd cut the slack and get to the good stuff sooner rather than later.

"Aw'right."He began, his heavy gaze boring into Askan's eyes like it was a needle, sinking into his pupil inch by inch.He had to watch. He wanted to see. To drink it in like it was a potion of youth."I got some bad news fer yah Askan. Your dad's dead.N'd..."He trailed off with a sigh, though he could barely contain himself. He had to continue. "N'd it's cause I killed him yah see, n' most of the others too, now that I think 'bout it."

I am an awful person.

There was something about the way he was looking at him that put Askan on edge. It was more than just his usual brand of sneaky bullshit, it was almost as though he knew something Askan didn't. Like he was dangling it above his head as though he was supposed to jump, to try and grab it, only to find that Savion would just yank it out of reach.  Savion had always enjoyed these sorts of games, like he got a kick of beating someone when they were down. Well, if he wanted to play then he'd have to find someone else. The Rye wolf was not rising to his bait, he'd take the high ground and he would... And then he heard what Savion had to say.

A moment passed and then another, and another and Askan's legs began to tremble.

He made a choking noise as though his lungs were being sucked out of his chest. As though a constrictor was coiling around his neck and squeezing till his eyes bulged out of his sockets. But as much as they hurt, he wasn't at any risk of loosing his sight. No, his eyes were fine. Except that he was crying, practically sobbing as the meaning of his uncle's words settled into his mind, echoing over and over again like an agonising mantra.

How could he be dead? It just wasn't right, nor did it even seem possible. Terrell Selwyn, a pillar of strength and dignity, how could a man, a legend like that die? Askan had spent his whole life in his shadow, he loved him, he resented him but had he ever wished him dead? Admittedly, he had. How was he supposed to compare? How was he supposed to continue the Selwyn legacy when he wasn't even half of the man his Father was? When the idea of being with a woman like that made his skin crawl and bile rise in his throat?

And now he was gone and it was too late to say sorry for all the awful things he'd said and thought.

Askan was so distraught, so beside himself that he didn't even have the awareness to notice how amused his uncle was, how he watched him as though he was some little display, just for his eyes only. But then he spoke again and his words were impossible to ignore.

"I...You what?" He blinked quickly, trying and failing to rid his eyes of tears."You're joking...You have to be. I can't...Why?"He paused, watching his uncle's face, waiting for him to make pity on him, to say he had died peacefully. But he didn't, he just kept staring and smiling, and it grew wider and wider and all the more maniacal.He was seriously, deadly serious."Oh Gods, why...Why would you do that?" 

He was a bit slow wasn't he? Tick tock tick tock. Savion waited, eager to see how he would react. What would come first, the tears or the fury? If it had been anyone else he might've felt the tiniest bit bad, but this fucker? He deserved it through and through. He deserved to weep like the little bitch he was. And oh, when the flood gates finally did open it truly was a sight to see. He'd never seen anything like it, honestly he hadn't. He'd seen grown men beg for their lives, plead with him till their voice went all hoarse but nothing had been quite as pathetic as this.

Honestly, Savion was surprised he didn't keel over and cry on the floor like a pup throwing a tantrum. And really, he was a little sad that he didn't. It would have been funny, but that wasn't to say this wasn't tickling his sense of humour cause oh boy it did. It made his insides feel all warm, like he was being basked in sunshine. You know what, that look on his face alone made this whole trip worthwhile. Savion would die a happy man knowing that he'd truly yanked the rug out from under his pesky, asshat of a nephew's feet.

And call him cruel or whatever the fuck you like, but he wasn't done, he had to rub it in some more. He was gonna revel in this, he was gonna enjoy this as much as he damn could. So of course, when the mutt managed to put two and two together The Comedian made an effort to mock him all the more. To pour salt into his fresh wounds and rub it in till he howled in pain.

''This is rich. Sorry, but yah should see the look on yer face." Savion couldn't contain himself. Look at that, a grown ass man crying cause his daddy was dead. He had to let it out, he had to tilt his head back and release a deep, rumbling laugh.

And he had to go and bring up the Gods? What Gods? There were no Gods looking out for the Selwyns, cause surely if there were they would have stopped him, they would have smited Savion where he stood. But nah, he was alive and well and all those who believed in their fables and stories, all those who'd called him a fool were not. Who was the real winner, huh? Didn't take a genius to figure out who.

"But really, come on. Ain't it obvious? Naw? Okay, I'll be nice an' spell it out for you." He rolled his eyes dramatically and walked on past Askan, who looked like he was ready to keel over any moment. Surely this couldn't be any easier."I did it cause I could. Cause you folk put far too much fuckin' stock in the Selwyn name. That's all Terrell fucking cared about, the family name n' it's fucking reputation. They fuckin' thought they were angels, well I proved 'em otherwise. They're just as mortal as me and Deron, n'd all the other half breeds, and they bled just the same. Made sure of it."

Savion paused his pacing and took a moment to stare down at the slab of granite upon which he stood. I mean it's not like he wanted to kill Terrell, half brother or not he did love him, in his own way, but that's just how things turned out. He was just so fucking stubborn. No one ever listened, not till it was too late.

"So what about you Askan? I'm a merciful man. Know we ain't always gotten along but, I'm giving you a chance here to make the Selwyn name mean something that counts. Ain't that what you've always wanted, a chance to prove yerself? All you gotta do is bow to me, tha's all. Then the past's in the past."

He knew what he was gonna say, but he figured he might as well offer anyways.

It just didn't make sense, even after Savion explained it to him.

He fucking killed them because he could, just to prove a point? His sisters, his mother and all the others, were they dead too? Were they cold and rotting in the ground? Oh no oh Gods oh no. They couldn't be. Not them, anyone but them. Not them all. I can't be alone, please Gods no.

That thought alone was more than enough to make him feel sick, to make his throat tighten as he squeezed his eyes closed, willing his hideous thoughts away. But it was pointless, they swirled around in his mind like a maelstrom and no matter how many times he put up walls to block it all out they'd be knocked down in an instant. And then he'd see Savion towering over his family, eyes glinting with evil and blood dripping from his lips.

The Rye wolf took an unsteady step back, he needed space he had to think he had to fight this, but it was so hard when the tears just wouldn't stop coming.

Askan had always known that Savion put little stock in their name, that he didn't believe in the family legends. After all, he'd made no secret of it. But to go as far to claim that the other's saw him as a half-breed, where the hell had he gotten that from? Perhaps some of the more traditional members of the clan felt that way, but he doubted anyone would have said as such to Savion's face. They were all scared shitless of him, and rightly so. But of course, all of that looped back to the fact that did he truly have to go this far? Askan wasn't there, but oh Gods did he wish he had been. Surely there could have been something he could have done, anything. But it was too late, the Selwyn clan as he knew it was no more.

That being said, he wasn't-even in this state- foolish enough to believe every word he was saying. There had to be more to it than he was letting on. Because come on, it was unbelievable  that a man would go this far just to say he was right. His reasonings had to be an excuse, as though it absolved him of his sin and made him blameless. The whole, 'it wasn't my fault they didn't listen, I was just trying to help them understand.' It had to be bullshit, did he really think that-

Despite the fact that his chest was still heaving with sobby-hiccups, a snarl managed to tear from his throat as he took a stomping step forward.

"HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! MERCY? YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS EVEN IF IT BIT YOU ON THE ARSE! I'D RATHER FUCKING DIE THAN FOLLOW YOU!" He roared, all of his emotions exploding out if him like a once dormant volcano. A man could only be pushed so far before he reached breaking point. And Askan had just found his.

Without warning, Askan lunged forward with a monstrous growl. He'd do it, he'd avenge his family and put an end to this monster masquerading as a Selwyn.

Savion watched with mirth in his eyes as Askan's sorrow transitioned into something a little more agreeable. For all the shit he'd done, The Comedian weren't the devil, his nephew might think so but that just weren't the case. As funny as it was to watch him sob and weep like the petty child he no doubt still was, Savion weren't the kinda man to kick someone when they were down. Or at least he wouldn't do it physically. He might go outta his way to make 'em feel worse, for the fun of it, but he wasn't gonna take the easy route.

Where was the fun in killin' a man, or rather a boy, that could barely breathe properly, let alone string together a sentence.

But naw, Savion wasn't gonna have to stoop to a new low. There was a new fire in Askan's eyes, a unspeakable rage that Savion had honestly never seen before. 'N rather than be taken back like any sane man might,The Saviour simply grinned. It was what he'd been hoping for honestly, it'd be far easier to beat the livin' shit outta him knowing that he was asking for it, knowing that his very own flesh 'n blood wanted him dead. He might have his reasons, but Savion also had his own.

If they really were gonna do this then only one of them would be leavin' this hill top alive. N' you know what? Savion had sacrificed too much for it not to be him. Sorry Askan, that's just how it was gonna hafta be.

Askan lunged forward and rather than skitter away like some fuckin' coward might-cause come on, Askan weren't a scrawny thing- Savion stood his ground and waited. Was he gonna bail when he realised Savion wasn't gonna move an inch, or would he actually be stupid enough to walk right into- oh yep. He was.

With a sudden-if not impressive- burst of movement, Savion simply leaned out of the way, avoiding the snapping jaws and with all of his force he slammed into Askan with his shoulder. Pain vibrated through his side and Savion gritted his teeth, regretting the action almost immediately. But his technique worked, with a pained yelp Askan tumbled to the floor and cried out once again as he landed side first onto one of the many jagged rocks that littered the floor.

What had Askan really expected though? Savion wasn't as old as he was because he sat around on his ass all day. He was a veteran, fighting was in his blood, he lived for it. So did his stupid ass nephew really think it was gonna be that easy? Really? Naw. Savion stepped closer, slowly, and watched as Askan wheezed and struggled for breath. No, he could see it in his eyes, the realisation was setting in. He knew how fucked he truly he was, that running in head first without even thinking was a sure way to get himself killed. Hundreds of wolves before him and met this fate and Askan was just gonna be another name on a list.

Lazily, Savion continued to approach and tutted, like a disappointed parent.

"Thought you would'a known better Kana. Ah well, suppose this is fer the best. Don't struggle an' I'll make it quick." He stepped up beside him and looked down at his feeble nephew, as his side quickly rose and fell. With a grunt, Askan curved his body to get up, to try and get away but before he could even muster the momentum Savion shoved a paw down onto his throat and pinned him where he laid. "Aw'right I won't then. I'll show you what I did to yer dad." His other paw joined the other on his throat and with all his weight he pushed down, choking the life out of him.

Askan could struggle and flail as much as he wanted, but the light out fade from his eyes just as it had with his Father.

Rated M for violence. It's pretty intense.

A strange, pained choking noise was loud in his ears and it took,for what felt like forever, for Askan to realise that he was making the noise. That somehow he was lying flat on his side, atop something hard and jagged, instead of on his feet like he usually was. Pain ricocheted through his side and crawled into his airways, tightening them and making it hard to breathe. His vision, which was usually so sharp and focused, was blurry and when he tilted his head to try and listen everything seemed muffled and distant, like someone had stuffed cotton into his ears.

It was all so disorienting and it hurt , really really bad, like he'd been crushed underneath one of those stone columns.

But he wasn't, he could move. Sort of. His front end was being pinned down by something heavy beyond belief, but after a moment he realised he could move his legs and his tail. He kicked, he struggled to get a footing, to try and brace against one of the many surrounding rocks but despite all of his efforts he just couldn't. The pain was too great, the weight holding him down was too much and it only got heavier.

A whine passed through his lips as he struggled for breath, for each and every one was like a scalding knife digging into his chest and tearing its way up his throat. It hurt, it hurt so bad. It just wanted it to stop he didn't understand.He wanted his mum. He didn't want to die. Not alone. Not like this. Though he wasn't one hundred percent certain, he could have sworn he heard someone hush him. And when his glazed eyes flickered up he saw a man standing above him. Savion. That bastard.

A new rush of fury hit him and he began to struggle, wiggling and kicking and trashing as much as he could, with what little strength he had left. He wouldn't go down without a fight, no Selwyn ever did. And yet, the harder he fought the more weight bore down onto his throat and the pain increased tenfold. He coughed and gagged, his eyes watering as he squirmed like a fish out of water. But it was no use...It all... He glanced up again, his eyes a light with terror at the man grinning down at him. Who just seemed to take delight in it all. Such a sick bastard...First his family and now...

Askan blinked and his thrashing began to slow and became sluggish. He was tired, couldn't muster the energy to even try anymore. He blinked again, slower this time and as the black corners closed in he couldn't help but sleepily think that it was okay to give in. That it wasn't worth the fight, that a little bit of rest wouldn't do him any harm. If he just...closed his eyes for a second.