Drooping Willows zombie

@Nicolò

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It hadn't gotten easier for the mother. Each day she felt more and more like a zombie, simply going through the moments of what she was supposed to do as a leader. She trailed around her pack lands, making sure the scouts were out in search, making sure Adele and Enoki were looking for food, making sure her guardians scent was found on the outskirts of the land to hint that they were watching the border. She could smell Nicolo everywhere, though he moved fast enough where she could never catch him with her eyes. Truth of the matter, she was not trying very hard anyhow. Most of her attention went toward watching over @Angier. After a quick check-up over her pack members, she was at his side, whether it be resting with him, bringing him a bite to eat, or even pressed to his side as they took a slow walk around their home. @Sven had even been kind enough to leave gifts, plenty of food which she was very well grateful of and the young man was shaping up to be a rather well hunter. Niles seemed to be rising further into his protective nature and now where Morganna lacked, Ravenna was picking up the pieces in gathering herbs for the storage den. Things seemed well enough, but it could not have seemed more mechanical. Lifeless.

Today was the first day she had been outside of the pack lands in months. Maybe more. The last she could remember was when she had heard her mate's cry just outside the border, caused by the founding of their frozen daughter. She sighs as she sits, looking beyond over the water of the Lagoon as she kept at the bank-side. There was no desire in her eyes any longer to know the world beyond, nothing of wonder of what other packs were brewing, whom had fallen, how her allies prevailed... Her days were ending and for the first time, Elettra Archer was very aware.

Nico felt like he was constantly on the move. Everything needed to be done within the pack and at the same time he felt like nothing was being done. He had spoken with Enoki briefly and she had given him some peace of mind. The dark Archer was still trying to come to terms with the fact that Morganna was no longer a problem and he did not have to worry about anyone trying to overthrow him. Skoll was around but Nico hoped that now that his sister was no longer around to provide false promises to him, he would drop the act. Thus far, his nephew had made no attempt to approach him and the dark man hoped that it remained that way. More pressing was the matter of his sister, Elettra. While she had never mentioned it outright to him, he was under the assumption that she had sided with Morganna throughout this whole ordeal. It had come as a thorough shock to him when she had remained within Willow Ridge. However, when Nico thought of her mate and his failing health, Nicolo could understand the position she was put in. They were partners though and the Archer hoped that they would be able to work together. He was not intentionally avoiding her but he had not gone out of his way to seek her out as of yet. He had too many things to take care of and other relationships he felt the need to strengthen at the time being. He knew that it was time though. The man trotted through the territory, the nose quivering as he tried to find a strong trace of his sister's scent. It took him a little while but he eventually found the results he was looking for. Elettra's scent was leading out of the territory and Nico had no problem following it. His pace increased with purpose, for he had no intentions of being interrupted before he found the wolf he was looking for. His sister's trail lead to the Lagoon and he approached in silence, though making it quite obvious to her that he was there. He sat beside her but not too close because he did not want to suffocate her. He let the quiet pass between them as he took her in. It seemed that time had not treated her well and she was tired. Had he been around to get to know her longer, he would have felt bad. Never the less, he was more kindhearted than others made him out to be. "Elettra, how are you doing?" Pale yellow eyes surveyed his sister questioningly. There was no denying that he was much closer to Adele, as they were liter-mates and it was easier for Nico to read her. Elettra, however, was an enigma to him, one he was still trying to piece together.

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She could hear him coming, smell him once he grew closer, confirming that the Leader of Willow Ridge was on his way. The tension in her bones could not ease, the tightness in her chest drawing close. Outwardly however, she remained calm, still even as she came to settle down next to her at the edge of the Lagoon. She breathes in deep, thankful that the time for this meeting had finally arrived and yet strained by what may become of it. After all, she did not know her younger brother as well as she would have liked. Nicolo and the rest of his litter were not even a year old when she had left the land of Torbine and since being here, though they had spoken often enough, Elettra's bond grew much thicker with her mate and children. After the civil war that waged between uncle and niece, Elettra would only be left to wonder if she, too, would be next on his list to run off. Elettra would die first.

Somehow still, when she spoke, her words were smooth and kind. No hint of malice. No hint of falseness. "As well as I can, little brother." Given the very obvious circumstances, of course. None within the pack were shy to the fact that Elettra was still pained by her daughters leave, stressed and worrisome of her mate and heart-broken by the death of her daughter this just past spring. Still, as far as her own shape and mind-set, she revealed to none her own pain. Her nose was weakened, ever more so. It was good Ravenna had taken up the job as herbalist because Elettra could no longer sniff out the difference in some of the plants, a weakness which only her daughters and husband knew. Not to mention, her hip was not what it once was, though with the warm weather the soreness was mild. Her eyes finally turned to him, pale and unforgivable as they watched him, awaiting his response.

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

There was no doubt in his mind that Elettra still chose her children over him. She would then and in the future. The thing that puzzled him the most was that the courtesy, apparently, did not extend to her being informed of her daughter's leave. Even Nicolo had gotten intel of their absence before it had occurred. As he looked at his dark sister, he contemplated how much older she was and thought better of it immediately. Elettra was the picture of health and she surely would have mentioned something to them if something was wrong and wouldn't have thrust herself back into something she couldn't handle.  The other Archer's words were open to interpretation and Nicolo hoped that she was referring to mourning her daughter leaving. After his older sister's sentiment, silence reigned between them and for a quite a bit the charcoal man debated at what he could say to her, Elettra Archer. Her piercing gaze resolved him, reminding him that he had nothing to fear of her. They were of the same family ties, of the same merciless name. He would earn his keep within Willow Ridge and they would bring everyone back together. He made his voice as smooth as possible when he spoke to his dark sister, "I know things have not been calm since I have come to lead, Elettra, but now that you have become leader again, I hope that can change now." He paused for a moment, yellow eyes watching his new partner for any signs of reaction before continuing, "Willow Ridge is your legacy and it will always be but we need to reform the family bonds that made it that. We must be strong, Elettra." He looked her directly in the eyes, making it clear that he was not going to back down from the responsibility. If he had to do it alone, he would, but Nico would have much preferred to have the dark woman by his side and the two supporting one another. He had, obviously, made that mistake with Morganna.

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The silence settled in for quite some time after she had respond to him. She did not mind it. Simply taking the moment to be with him was a good enough start after everything that had brewed within the pack. Obviously, he was aware that he was second best when it came to going against Morganna. Not many had been on his side and yet here he was, able to be bold in the fact that he had prevailed. Still, the victory was short lived when half of the pack had left and had decided on such because Morganna had feared for the life of her unborn children. Just thinking Nicolo could have harmed Archer pups was something surely none which shared the blood would forget.

Finally he spoke up again, stating the fact that things had been hectic the moment Elettra and Angier had stepped down from leadership. This much was obvious, though Nicolo's words spoke of hopefully being able to get the pack more settled now that she sat on the throne again. It had seemed throughout the years since she had formed this pack, the male leading rank had been quite shaky savor the amount of time which he mate sat next to her. Many males had been the leader of Willow Ridge, though many of them had been short lived and most forgotten. It was Elettra's position that had always been stable and it was her leadership which everyone turned to for comfort and assurance. Perhaps Nicolo had a better chance now that big sister had returned to the plate.

She turns to him once more, her eyes locking with her younger brothers. For a moment, she had little to say as she contemplated the future of Willow Ridge. What would become of it when she was gone and was no longer around to be the foundation of the pack? Would the pack still remain in Archer paws forever, or would over the years it become something completely different from what she had known? Would it fall and disbanded, Ravenna nor Skoll never finding a place at the top? She guessed none of it would matter to her. By then, she and her mate would be long dead and rotten within the earth. "I had not expected to be back...."  She begins, referring to holding the position as leader once more. "Though surely you have plans to make this all....better." She huffs ever delicately as she turns away from him, shifting her body a bit closer to the water so her toes could mash into the wet earth. "What are they?"

So good so far. Thus far his sister had not turned on him or called him a fool. It was running much smoother than any conversation he ever had with Morganna and he already held a little bit of the stress fall off his shoulders. The dark man nodded in response to her words. He understood why she would not want her helm returned to her. The legacy she created had already been given to her daughter, secured and the future of her pack certain. Elettra's mate was also out of commission, unable to lead by her side and it was about time she should retire. Hopefully, once trust was rebuilt into the pack, that would be possible. Her next point was important, something they both needed to agree one and Nicolo dearly hoped that they would be able to work together to make this work. He organized the thoughts in his mind that he had been mulling over for quite some time now, his voice calm, "Well, I think it would be wise to start with a meeting, unite the pack again and stand firm on the rules that were set forth since the founding." It had become clear through his talks with Enoki that one of those rules seemed to be stretched and broken by one wolf in particular. He continued, "From there a pack hunt and other pack activities so that we can gain a solid trust that a pack should have with each other." Pale yellow eyes rose again to meet his sister's gaze, "And I will have to put in extra effort to repair to build relationships with the members that remain." He remained silent. It was where they could start. Everything else would have to wait. If they did not have trust then they would not be able to have anything.

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She listens to her brother carefully as he speaks of the plans he has laid out thus far. A meeting to begin with seemed the best and most obvious thing to do, in order to allow everyone within the ranks to see both brother and sister sit side by side at the meeting to allow them to know this would not be another civil war like what happened because Nicolo and Morganna. If her brother had every intention of making this pack thrive again instead of just surviving, then she had no problem with her sitting up on the mantle while it was obvious Angier could no longer and Skoll had lost his drive to nearly everything now that Morganna had left everyone behind. Then he spoke of a group hunt, mentioning any other smaller activities to be thought up for the pack to take part in. Without children this year their attentions had not been towards pup-sitting, working harder at hunting for the children, teaching the children how to hunt, how to fight, how to tend to themselves, how to survive the winter to come... It was a very slow, lazy spring and summer. It had been easier without pups around, surely, but perhaps in that the wolves had gotten lazy and had not prepared for the winters to come. Elettra breaths in a heavy sigh then. "A hunt sounds quite nice. I'm sure would could speak with Adele and Enoki about organizing one. I know Sven has taken to the art as well." She spoke on behalf of her first grandson, the only one which she knew in existence at the moment, although her son's whorish ways made certain there was more about somewhere from this year. "Perhaps we could even search the Whisper Caverns, see if our allies had left anything worth a damn behind."

Now that everything was out in the open, all Nico had to do was sit and wait for what his sister was going to do. He did not want another war within the ranks on his paws. The last one had stressed him out enough and he had no doubt that Elettra had more experience when it came to coming up with ways to get rid of those she did not want to deal with. He suppressed his sigh of relief with the charcoal woman agreed with him, squeezing his eyes tight and sending up a silent prayer to their Gods in thanks. He could happily acknowledge that he knew all her name drops and was pleased that the partners were working together to get Willow Ridge out of the dark pit it was working itself into. Just as he was about to mutter his agreements, her last statement drew his full attention, reminding him of a conversation he'd held with Enoki a few days prior. Yes, their allies... When he spoke, his tone was smooth, holding a hint of curiosity, "Indeed. Speaking of our allies, I know that we have an alliance with Secret Woodlands. Are there any others that I need to know about?" Pale yellow eyes turned to look over at his sister again, revealing how much he truly did not know about her pack. He had been kept unawares for so long and the only reason he knew about the alliance with Secret Woodlands was due to one of it's members coming for an update on their whereabouts. Nic did not know the true depths of any of their allies, nor what Willow Ridge used them for.

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His question caused her ears to perk, her attention turning fully on to him once more. Her lips were tight and her expression shows a bit of shock and then, with a sigh, some disappointment... Although he had been in the leading male position for quite some time, it was obvious he did not know too much of the pack's background. And why should he? It was in the past and he was looking to push the pack towards its future. What would be the point of knowing how Skana had guided Elettra in her early years and tended to each litter as well as a true grandmother? Was there any point in knowing that Guiness, the greatest guardian the pack held, had sacrificed his life for one of Elettra's litters? And that quite an abundance of packs had been formed by previous members of Willow Ridge, proving that the pack held strong, proud and powerful members?

She is silent for a moment longer as she ponders and takes to further realization that the pack she had once lead was no more. After all, Nicolo had been here long enough as a member that he should have known who all their allies were. "After Whisper Caverns disband, Secret Woodlands is our only ally that remains, although we have no true enemies ether. Not many I think would attempt treading on Willow Ridge."