Willow Ridge One lie is enough

For @Elettra set after this and this (but before Ryvet’s thread over here.

don't need reason

Morganna Archer

don't need rhyme

She had laid low for as long as possible after her return (even if it was only for a day) but she knew her mother would have picked up on her scent at the borders and would be expecting her. She could only hope to catch the leader stretching her legs without the children in tow as she wandered about their usual haunts. Medicine den all but deserted she decided to try the creek, her aching legs begging for a soak regardless. Honestly she was being such a baby. A few grazes from Titan’s claws in their argy-bargy and here she was, limping along like a lame goat, her head hanging low in misery (although whether it was knowledge of her brothers guilt or hurt pride that he managed to lay a blow on her at all wasn’t entirely clear).

Intersecting her mothers trail as she headed towards the borders she paused for a moment. Conflicting emotional wants tearing her apart. Her mother would see the truth etched plainly on her face if she didn’t get her story straight before she faced up to the leader and so she gathered her thoughts and set her shoulders with a deep breath before she turned towards the borders. He was going to owe her for the rest of his miserable life. She would make sure he knew it too. If she got away with this.

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Elettra, after all this time, had done her best to put the news of Xetor's untimely death behind her. She had made well sure that not only her mate, but her brother and sister (@Adele and @Nicolò) were aware of the situation. Elettra pondered the say, if ever, that Sorya Archer would return to the lands and how might her reaction be to all of this. It was her youngest sister, if anyone, that was closest to their nephew. Of course they had their ups and downs, at Xetor had with anyone, but having grown up together in Torbine and having traveled together, it was without a doubt Sorya would take a blow from the loss of that snotty little boy.

 Elettra's children did all they could to keep Elettra's mind off of things. With their quick growing came a need to teach them of pack law and hierarchy, the basics when it came to herbal remedies (although Ravenna seemed to have a craving to learn more), border boundaries they had still in their youth and of course, hunting and protecting of themselves. The woman had to make sure she did things right, for all she knew, this would be the last of her legacy... Huffing at the very thought and pausing to stretch her tiring limbs as she trotted along the borders of her pack land, she had caught the sent of her daughter, Morganna. She was her very first girl and only girl for quite some time. Even sometimes now Elettra found it odd to believe that she was able to have more women in the family. A few barks into her direction and the mother could tell her poor shape. She had gotten into  bit of a scrap... but with whom? Titan? Skoll? A rogue wolf across her path? Another angry predator on her journey? The concern in the matriarch's face was obvious and as she neared closer, the smallest of whines echoed from her mug. "I've missed you." She said only at the moment, certain her daughter would do all the explaining now that she had returned from her mission.

(This post was last modified: Sep 30, 2015, 08:23 PM by Elettra.)

don't need reason

Morganna Archer

don't need rhyme

Morganna’s head turned in the direction of her mother’s barks as her ears fell back against her skull. A sheepish smile crossed her face as she limped across the distance between them, lowering her head to bump her nose against the underside of her mother’s chin, planting a kiss on her cheek with a relieved wave of her tail. She hadn’t been gone long at all but it did feel like an age. “I missed yer too.” she rumbled back with a friendly growl, her spirits lifting markedly now her mother was in her sight.

She stepped back to give her mother some room to breathe, no doubt she was enjoying her freedom from the clambering of small children out here, and besides, she had news to share. “I tracked down Titan. ‘e didn’ go ‘ome at all.” Her frown should have been enough to communicate her displeasure. “‘e stank o’ Cedar an’ when I asked about Xetor ‘e attacked me.” The corners of her mouth had pulled down in a frown. Surely a discussion amongst former pack mates shouldn’t have resorted to that sort of reaction? “I landed a few nips o’ m’ own but ‘e ran off when I fought back.” She waited for her words to be processed, to see if her mother had any questions before she continued.

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

Oh her beautiful daughter... a smile pressed over the features of her further greying mug as they embraced, her muzzle rubbing along her girl's cheek. She'd look her over only after she took a step back: her blacked coat shades darker then her own and her other litter-mates, with flecks of creamy peaches throughout which matched her eyes. She was smaller then her two brothers, holding more of a size that matched her mothers. Now she was a bit worn though no ounce of strength in her stance had been lost by her. Even the rumble of her accent, which she had picked up from her father, was not missed by Elettra who was so happy for the scout's return.

Elettra ears perked at the name of Titan, a man which was the son of one of her good friends and leader of an allied pack. Titan had come to these lands as a temporary member to be trained under Elettra and both with Xetor in the art of healing. He had let Elettra know when he was leaving the pack lands and left on good word. Knowing he had not returned home and had ventured elsewhere would have not concerned Elettra so much if the news did not follow with the fact that he had joined the Cedar wolves... The Matriarch had not at all known what friendship Titan held with Rook and knowing now left her limbs tense and a tightening in her chest. "I don't understand..." She finds herself mumbling, now sitting upon this news on the cool forest floor. "Titan is no killer." Hell, despite the boy's size he was not even much of a fighter. It should have been obvious given the fact that he had ran off when Morganna started biting back. Elettra had only known as Titan being a bit pushed around by both Xetor and Skoll, for although Titan was a big male, had a softer heart and more submissive approach... Still, something must have been weighing on Titan to make him strike out, but what? Why?

I'm not a choice, I'm a natural selection

She watched her mother process the words, her frown staying in place. It was true that Titan could hardly be called a killer (hell had she ever even seen him hunt?) "I don't either, Skoll mentioned Titan was treating Xetor's wounds, an' Xetor always was a sour mutt." it felt a little wrong to speak ill of the dead but his personality really had left much to be desired, and he had kept his injuried concealed from the rest of them - but why? "He could 'ave easily been flustered, made a mistake, accidentally poisoned him an' tried to cover it up?" Surely an accident would be easier to consider than murder. "Even I sometimes mix up my cowbane an- yarrow." and that back leg was terribly infected.

"I can't think o' any other reason fer him ter react the way -e did. He seemed panicked, frantic even." not that meant he would receive any quarter from her if their paths ever crossed again. For now she would steer clear of the Cedarwood and hope he had the sense to stay away from the Willows.

It was horrible thinking that Xetor's death would go unpunished, but it was light to say that the situation was very sticky. Titan had been a good wolf, a delicate giant in his time here under the pack and under her wing as he trained to become a healer. He had done rather well, she had thought, and although perhaps he had not mastered the art in healing like she or her daughter, Morganna, had, it was hard thinking that he had poisoned Xetor to the point of death, mostly when Xetor having knowledge of herbs as well and being there to over-see him. Elettra's jaw tensed and after a while she final took a deep breath with a decision to be had. "We will have to inform Narime privately... She has been a great friend of mine for a long time and our packs allies since she founded Whisper Caverns. If harm is placed on Titan it will certainly crush our ties." She would do nothing drastic when it came to this. Although Xetor was family to them, Narmie was a good friend of hers and if something happened to her son, surely more would be harmed in the process, a risk she was not at all about to take. Unfortunately, the Caverns wolves had all but vanished and their travels to the north unknown by Elettra whom had not otherwise been informed by a scout under Narime or Nina. This perhaps would be left a mystery left to be unsolved, but having to think that Skoll was likely a part of this was something Elettra would never forget.