Vigils Keep the end is upon us

@Elias - Ayti is challenging for rank

This had been a long time coming, really. The large wolf had been planning to challenge for months now, and he hadn't been sure why he hadn't done it yet. Perhaps he just wasn't feeling his best. Perhaps the time had never been right. Perhaps even now wasn't the right time and he was doomed to fail.

Regardless, it was past time. He wanted to change this pack, and he couldn't do it sitting idle.

The massive wolf approached the spot he had fought with Yuka and lifted his head to howl for Elias only. His tail arched over his back and his stare was determined. As before, there was no doubt about what the older wolf wanted. But also as before, he intended no disrespect in his challenge. It was just business.

she smiles like a georgia summer

Ellery had been roaming around when she heard the call for her father. It sounded secluded, like a private matter, but to her any matter involving her mother or father involved her. There was such a serious note to the call as well that alarmed her, so she altered her course and headed straight for the source.

The girl arrived, and never one to keep secrets or sneak around she pulled herself from the brush. Her expression regarded Aytigan’s posture, so similar to her mother’s, and a part of her felt sour. A frown pulled at her lips and she sat down wordlessly, making it evident that she wasn’t budging. Whatever was about to go down, she would be there to witness it.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

Elias gritted his teeth at Aytigin's call. He would hardly consider him a friend, so he couldn't help but wonder what he wanted. Because surely it was something, you didn't just let out a call like that for a nice chat. In fact, there was a weight to his howl, something unsettling in it's formality. Vigils Keep was...it wasn't home, that was for certain. Elias lived there, as did most of his family-depending on the interpretation of the word- but it wasn't...ehhh. Had he hands he would have no doubt rubbed at his temples. All of this was so draining, perhaps not physically but he'd never felt so out of place before. Like he was a white pawn amongst black chess pieces. With a sigh, he flicked his tail and began to move. He wouldn't dismiss his pack mate's call, he didn't know the man but at the very least he would see what he wanted.

By the time he arrived on the scene it seemed as though Aytigin had been waiting a fair while. An apology sat on the tip of his tongue, Elias certainly hadn't rushed but for once he swallowed it. Something told him that now wasn't the time for 'sorry sorrys.' Unsurprisingly, Elias' attention snapped to his daughter. He was tempted to trot over to her, to give her a kiss-or a hundred- and see how she was doing but...his gaze wandered to Aytigin, as though he was an afterthought. In many ways he was, just a stranger who he shared a home with. Was that going to change? Maybe, it certainly felt like one of those monumental moments, the sort that changed everything.

For a moment the Selwyn stood there, the air between them thick like molasses. Who was going to speak first, it certainly wasn't going to be Elias.

Ayti could see the kid wasn’t happy when she approached, but he didn’t expect her to be. He was planning on challenging her parent for rank, after all, and he doubted anyone would really like that. But he hoped he wasn’t seen as a bad guy after this was all over - he wouldn’t be breaking skin or anything.

Elias came right after his daughter, and Ayti smiled at the both of them, took a deep breath, and cleared his throat to declare his challenge. There was no use in delaying it further than it had already been delayed.

”Hey man,” he greeted with a wave of his tail. ”Before I say anything I want to let you know that I’m not doing this maliciously. Hell, I’ll catch you fish afterward whether I win or lose. But I’m not gonna beat around the bush - I’m here to challenge you for your rank.”

He sighed heavily and smiled again. ”This is the only way I can make a difference here. I’m sorry - I know it’s probably the last thing you want to deal with right now.”

The man dipped his head and cleared his throat. ”Whaddaya say?” he inquired with an upward quirk of his maw.

Elias' tail twitched behind him, in a friendly if not cautious motion. He didn't even have time to utter an hello before his packmate continued, insisting that he had no malicious intentions. Okay? Elias didn't know the man very well, but he hadn't assumed that they were enemies by any stretch of the word. Clearly he was referring to whatever this was, that he'd even go as far to fish for him after the deed was done. And then it all made sense, this was a rank challenge. The pieces all slotted into place as Elias nodded slowly, he wasn't exactly sure how such affairs were supposed to work. Back home in it's glory days, the ranks had been solid and unshifting, like the foundations of the mountain they called home. Gaining prestige wasn't impossible but...this wasn't how it was done and Elias had never even thought about it before, he'd been happy as he was. Just glad to serve.

And yet Aytigin insisted this was a necessary evil, that in order to make a difference he needed Elias' rank. The Selwyn's nose twitched at the thought. He needed an arbitrary number for that? What was stopping him from just making a change as things stood? His logic didn't settle with Elias but he had no intentions of trying to poke holes in his reasoning, if this is what he wanted then who was Elias to stop him?

Elias had never enjoyed fighting, just because he could didn't mean he wanted to. At all. But...he glanced over to the side, to his daughter who watched on in silence. Would it be weak, pathetic, of him to roll over and expose his throat? To just give Aytigin what he wanted without even trying to stand up for himself? What sort of message would that send Ellery? And perhaps worst of all, what would Nin think? So many questions swirled around in his mind, before shifting into tiny thorns that pushed themselves in deep, till he bled.

Fine. If this was what it took then Elias wouldn't back down, not today.Nodding, Elias sent Aytigin a firm stare, a rare sort of look from the gentle Selwyn.

"If that's what you want then... okay." He shrugged, his hefty shoulders rising and falling in a swift, if not lazy motion.

Adjusting his stance, Elias pulled in a deep breath then allowed the air to hiss out from between his greeted teeth. Time to get this show on the road, huh? Without further ado, Elias offered his opponent one last moment, a tangible delay, before he charged forward, intending to barge into Ayti with all of his weight. There was no point in wielding his teeth, they were big boys their bulk would be more than enough to settle this fair and square.

she smiles like a georgia summer

Her father was slow to arrive, her gaze taking in his posture and expression to try and judge his reaction. She saw surprise there, and perhaps a bit of confusion. Their gazes met and she offered a small twitch at the corner of her lips before pointedly looking at Aytigan. This wasn’t a time for him to be all lovey dovey. And, thankfully, he seemed to understand that too. The dark man was quick to speak once Elias arrived, clearing the air about what exactly was going on. A rank challenge. She stilled for a moment in shock, her body tensing. She hadn’t expected that, and neither had her father apparently. He insisted that he wanted to make a change and that that was his reason behind doing it. What was this change he intended to make that required him to take her father’s position? Something didn’t sit well with her, but she also knew that Aytigan wasn’t a bad wolf. At least, for now.

Her persian gaze swept to her father, curious as to what his answer would be. She hoped with all her might that he wouldn’t simply back down and hand his rank away. Honestly, she’d probably give the man a few lashings. Her father had always been a pushover and it made her angry, for his sake. He deserved more than to be pushed around. He was the best man she knew and had a heart a million miles wide. But, not everyone deserved that heart as much as he willingly gave it.

But, her worries weren’t warranted. The blonde man stepped up to the plate with surprisingly few words for her babbly sire. She could see a seriousness in him that she hadn’t seen before, and it brought a smile to her lips. There he was, her knight in shining armor. He made the first move, and Ellery settled down for the show.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

// There are so many misses in this roll set xD

Ayti wasn't a fan of this. Particularly not with the little princess watching. But this was necessary - Ayti had thought about it from all different angles, and this was all he could come up with. But thankfully Elias didn't seem to be giving up easily, and the other huge wolf attempted to slam into him. Now, Aytigin wasn't nimble - not by any stretch of the imagination. But he managed to sidestep the tawny wolf, feeling their fur brush against one another as the whipped past.

No teeth. No claws. Just a fair-and-square brawl.

He had a feeling Ellery was going to be proud of her father, no matter the outcome of the fight.

In like fashion, the chocolate-furred man leapt at Elias in an attempt to wrestle him to the ground. This was kind of fun - wrestling with his packmates. Even though it was a serious rank challenge, Ayti found he was enjoying himself.