Willow Ridge wolf, dragon, elk, and lion

Titan had sprinted from his home in Whisper Caverns to Willow Ridge along the fastest routes he knew. The dark child had finally been giving an important job where he could be useful instead of lounging about the den or checking borders. As he traveled the dark Thorben kept going over what his mother had told him, both the rules and etiquette of being a messenger, and the message itself. He wanted to be praised for doing a good job when he went back. So Titan wanted to make sure he did well on this little mission.

Don't trespass on their territory, howl while at the border for the leaders or have someone from the pack take you to them. Always stay submissive while inside their territory or on their border... He went over those rules specifically making sure to remember them. Then he would switch back to the message so that he could remember all the information within it. Though it was simple information, there were two names he did not know of which Titan had to keep repeating so as to remember them.

Athena Moon, and Dziban Thanne, Athena Moon, and Dziban Thanne, Athena Moon, and Dziban Thanne... He repeated thoroughly annoyed of doing so but knowing that he would forget if he didn't repeat their names constantly.

Titan slowed as he came into an area he was a bit unsure about. He hadn't gone this far into the willow forest before and wanted to make sure that he wasn't in the wrong place.

The young male was rewarded with the scent of Willow Ridge pack a few wolf lengths directly in front of him and was able to stop before heading right over the line. He looked up at the landscape and admired the tall willows growing so thickly that the sun barely shown through the canopy of long soft tendrils. Then he raised his head and howled."For the leaders of Willow Ridge! I have a message for you!" He finished and slowly lowered his head while glancing around waiting for somebody to come to him.

Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat, surrender retreat...

Angier Lyall had been busy. If Elettra didn't need him near the den, he was sent him off in search of something to eat, conducting a partial border patrol, or letting @Asriel have a turn in guarding the den, all while attempting to keep tabs on how Morganna, Sköll, and the rest of the pack was faring. The three Archer-Lyall boys were growing fast, and a part of Angier feared that if he did not do his job right, he faced the idea that he would turn out to be just like his brother... something he feared and dreaded all at once. So along the borders he went to clear his head and look for something to keep his sons occupied with - which was anything, really, so long as it was interesting to touch, taste, bite, and maybe wrestle over.

He was on the trail of a lone stag which had just wandered through the area when a call at the borders ensnared his attention. His head came up and he hastily rubbed the soil from his nose by grazing it along his right wrist. The voice was young, or at least, youthful, somewhat comparable to a cub or a yearling about Asriel or Sköll's age. Angier couldn't be sure though; regardless of the matter, he strode through the willows to find a yet another stark black wolf on his doorstep. His head tilted slightly as his pace slowed and he advanced forward with his head high and his tail held arched above his rump. There were already so many males who had come to join Willow Ridge's ranks in the past few months... Lunas, Xetor, Jaromir, Rowan... with the addition of his step-sons holding ranks above their younger brothers. He hoped this one wouldn't attempt to worm his way into his hierarchy. There was more than enough competition between the yearlings alone and Guiness was gone.

The Leader stopped a few meters from the boy. His tawny fur bristled at his neck and shoulders, a clear sign that he was apprehensive of the youth's presence so close to home. His pale yellow eyes scrutinized him; since arriving to the Ridge, Angier wanted very little to do with pack politics (he had seen and heard what it had done to Borden, whose occasional travels rendered him into a bitter and stoic man) but it had been his luck to at least learn of Whisper Caverns and the kind of wolves who lived there. However, he had not been aware of what Narimé's sons looked like or who they were. Even if the scent of a pack came to his nostrils once proximity allowed it, the Lyall gave the lad a hard stare. Additionally, it was not very often for wolves of different alliances to come a-knocking.

"An, whut message is this?" Despite the tendency for his tone of voice to carry on in a tired or wary drone, the warning in his voice was evidently there.

Are you watching closely?
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Titan didn't have to wait too long before a Willow wolf came to meet him. The gray man's stride spoke of confidence and as Titan noticed Angier's dominant display he assumed that he was meeting the alpha male of this pack. The gray man was large, but not as tall as his uncle Guiness or even as large as his own father had been. So Titan wasn't overly intimidated by the guys size. I think I might even be a bit taller than him. The thought crossed his mind as Titan tried hard to hide the smirk that rose from the corners of his mouth. In a flash the tiny curl of a smile was gone and replaced by a calm stoic face as Titan reigned himself in. He didn't want the man to be angry at him, didn't want his mother to be disappointed for doing a job badly, and certainly didn't want their closest allies to dislike him in any way. Lowering his gaze to the floor before Angier's paws Titan quickly began following his mothers directions. Stay low and submissive... He began to open his jaws ready to reply.

"Sir, my name is Titan Thorben, firstborn of Whisper Caverns, and my mother Narime has sent a message for me to give to the alpha's of Willow Ridge. I will leave you in peace as soon as my message is given. Might you be able to take me to one of the leaders sir?" Perhaps Titan was trying a little too hard to be presentable, but the gangly boy lowered himself near to the ground; close enough for his belly to scrape the earth and weeds as Angier's pale gold gaze swept over him. The dark Thorben wasn't even sure whether he was speaking with a leader or if the guy was some confident III. third or II.second in command.

There was little fear within Elettra's gut that her children were not safe and being cared for. She had fed them and, after a much needed rest there afterword, had left the children under the caring attention of her nephew, younger sister, Adelaide (who was doing well as a pupsitter/teacher to the children) and of course, the caring attention of her first three children. Although it seemed Morganna and Skoll were less likely to openly show their affections towards the new children, Asriel seemed rather smitten with his three new little brothers, perhaps to one day rule under him or Skoll one day as guardians, hunters, scouts, or the like...

Elettra Archer, the Leader of her pack and Matriarch of her family line as the eldest of those within her ranks, was able to move freely about her lands without a care in the world. It had been quite some time that she had felt this way - safe, secure, happy, at peace... She was moving on from the chaos of the Winter and early Spring year. All the deaths, all the lost members, the wonderment if the pack would survive at all. It was flourishing now and with her to once more take pride in what she had created years ago.

For a moment, she thought to seek out her lowest, @Jaromir, to give the larger male quite a ruffing about if only to release some pinned up energy. Unable to find him, however, she decided to race along the sidelines of her home, to view the world beyond from afar. Though she had not heard Titan's call somehow, she had scented him nearby, as well as her mate, Angier and so followed to it. When she arrived, Angier was already before the youngest and she missed his words, though the boy's was left to hear clearly. She comes with perked ears of interest, the smallest of genuine smiles given to Angier as she stands at his side before moving her attention to the youth. "Titan." She speaks the name, taking a moment to look him over with a pale, intense gaze. She had not met him before, a shame, really, though she could see Narime in his through his eyes. "We are the Leaders of Willow Ridge. Rise, and give your message. I do hope Narime is okay?" Elettra was unclear how much the child knew of Narime and her history together, though figured he knew enough if he was hear, chosen to give whatever word it was.

Titan twisted his head to the side as he scented a newcomer. Though the scent was familiar to the young male as he kept his eyes averted to the dark queens presence. He only saw her dark paws and Angier's grayish white ones as Elettra came to stand next to her agouti mate.

"Lady Elettra." He dipped his head a little further in greeting to her before righting it again. The silver hued black yearling was careful to keep his crown tipped in the presence of the two willow alphas.

"Mother is doing well enough, but she sends me with a message for you to hear." He answered the queen then turned to look in the direction of the meadow where the remaining members of Whisper Caverns lay. Stay submissive, remember the messsage and those two wolves names... He repeated a few times before finally speaking up.

"Some of the members of Whisper Caverns have been causing problems with the pack for a while now. However Ash and Narime finally cast out the wolves named Tokino Lagina and Minka Leigh from Whisper Caverns. They are to be seen as traitors and attacked on sight, and...umm..They..were last seen heading north out of the territory..." Titan paused as nervousness of speaking in front of others he didn't really know began to fill him. He gulped once, forced himself to stand still as a rock, then cleared his throat before continuing. "Nari only wishes that if pups are seen with the traitors that they are not attacked or killed." He added quickly almost forgetting to mention the last sentence while lost in his inner panic.

"My mother Narime Lagina has retaken leadership and a male named Ash Hervok continues to lead by her side... However due to many changes in rank there are two new seconds..." Titan paused momentarily forgetting the new seconds names. He shook his head and stared at the ground desperately trying to remember them then gave Elettra and Angier a quiet "scuse me for a second.." before cramming his eyes shut and trying to think.

It was almost a minute later when Titan exclaimed the new seconds names happy that he had remembered them. "Dziban Thanne is second male and Athena Moon is second female." He sighed letting out air he hadn't realized he had been holding. Then he glanced upwards to spare a look at the pair of wolves hoping to catch any emotions crossing their features at Nari's news. Though he was careful to look through the wolves and not directly at them, still keeping with the rules his mother had laid out for him to give the message with.

He began speaking then after a greeting and a small dip of his muzzle, keeping his head and body low, his attention befalling their paws and slipping back towards home every so often. Narime had likely pressed it into him that it was necessary to be respectful before the Willow Ridge Leaders, as he should with all and any if they had not given any reason to mock their honor and respect. Though Narime was a Leader herself, often did she still lower herself before Elettra, if only due to the history which they had shared with one another whilst the silver lady was growing up.

Though Elettra could not recall ether of the seconds names that now held these titles in Whisper Caverns, she did know of this 'Ash Hevok'. She had met him before against Koda and had informed Narime of who he was and her feelings towards the man. Though Ash was Nina's brother, there was no trust spared towards this wolf. There was an obvious happiness within Elettra that Narime was once more back in charge of the pack she had originally founded and it was made clear with the slight waving of her tail behind her. However, these former members 'Tokino Lagina' and 'Minka' she knew and had met before. They had come to her pack injured from a hunt gone bad, Minka mostly so and had asked for assistance. Now with this new information that they had betrayed Narime and her pack, Elettra took a few moments to recall the time they had come here in order to place their appearance to further memory. "They had come here once, long ago, when they had been injured in a hunt. I will know them if I see them." She would then insure the youth this so that he may tell his mother that she would have her eye out for them. Of course, these enemies were Whisper Caverns enemies. That meant that Willow Ridge would aid them should they see them, though it also meant that Elettra would not punish them/kill them on her own unless she had to. Elettra had every intention to capture them if she found them and send them back to the Cavern wolves for them to enact their vengeance.

She shifts then, sitting at Angier's side now and passing him a moments glance should he have anything to say. Seemingly not for the moment, she would once more turn back to Narime's son. "Tokino... They are family. Her uncle, I think?" She was not certain, but she swore she heard it from somewhere, likely from Narime in one of her visits, of course. "I assume the pair broke pack law. But her own blood? Why would he betray her in such a manner?" Of course, these words were more or less questions meant for herself spoken allowed. She did not think that the child would know too many details on the situation though if he did, more power too him. Hopefully the questions she gave would not place too much stress on what seemed an already obviously nervous messenger.

The dark yearling stood still listening as Elettra spoke; once in a while Titan would glance over to Angier as if waiting for him to interject some comment into the somewhat one sided conversation. Though he had relaxed quite a bit after seeing Elettra's obvious happiness at the news that his mother had retaken leadership. It made the boy wonder what Elettra and Nari's relationship really was. How did they meet and why do both seem to have great loyalty for each other? Titan thought quietly remembering how that after all this time Willow Ridge and Whisper Caverns were still the strongest of allies. The Thorben wondered how long that would last for though.

He nodded ever so slightly to the Lady's question showing he was still listening then went to answer her.

"Yeah Tokino was..mmmm. is my uncle... Though I've never really liked him much. He was too stern and constantly reminded me of the trouble I put mom and the pack through when I got lost as a younger pup. Even after mother accepted my apology." He stopped there slowly realizing that he might have said too much about himself even though he'd been commenting on the old Tom Turkey geezer. In truth Titan was glad the old man was gone. He had only ever caused trouble for his mother and himself. Though I may have brought some of that trouble onto myself... Titan grudgingly reminded himself that HE was the one who had gotten lost in the first place. Disobeying the one rule at that time to stay inside the pack borders.

"I assume the pair broke pack law. But her own blood? Why would he betray her in such a manner?" Elettra's voice tugged at his attention. Thinking for a moment on how to reply, Titan recalled the pack meeting where everything had boiled to a head within their pack.

"I was there for the pack meeting when Minka spoke saying that she had taken the old geezer, Tokino as her mate." He paused trying to remember the red she wolf's words correctly. "Minka told the pack how she planned to leave with Tokino to start a pack and raise her pups someplace else." He screwed up his face while closing his eyes trying to remember what his mother had done during that meeting. "Mom seemed okay with them leaving. I have heard uncle even say that he was staying for too long. So we all assumed that he would be leaving soon anyway. I guess mom wanted to give Minka the chance at having her own pack too, but when Minka offered for any other wolves who wanted to go with her from our pack both mom and Ash got really angry." Titan still wasn't sure why Nari and Ash had gotten so angry over it. He didn't get the concept of the betrayal that Minka and Kino had committed. Recruiting members from an already existing pack was bad news.

"I really don't know why they were so angry over it, but now Nari and Ash wants any wolves who leave the pack to join Minka and Tokino to be labeled as traitors." He shifted uncomfortably knowing that as Minka and Tokino's scents staled in Whisper Caverns territory so did another member that they hadn't seen since the meeting. Inali. Titan had a lingering suspicion that the sweet she wolf who had once been his sitter had also left to be with her friend Minka.

The young, dark colored boy with eyes of his mother spoke up about his uncle, leaving nothing to question that he did not care for the man. Elettra had only met him once and could place little judgement of the meeting that happened so long ago. It had since faded to memory but Elettra listened on, remembering Narime mentioning one of her pups had wondered off but made it home safely. That was the young wolf who was standing before her now. Once more the gray scale female shifted her eyes to Angier in wonder. Of course Angier knew of Narime, had met her a few times before in the woman's visits, surely? Still, he did not know her in the manner for which Elettra did. Was not a part of the ranks when their alliance had been made certain and clear. It made perfect sense that Angier would sit back in this conversation but it was still good for him to stick around for information's sake.

Now Titan went into explanation - that the woman, Minka, who had taken Narime's placement when she left, had announced to the pack that she had taken Tokino as her mate and that in the future they would be leaving the pack. Of course, this did not sound unbecoming to Elettra. After all, Narime had told Elettra that she had found a mate and had intention to leave the lands in order to create her own pack. Still, Elettra could imagine things were a bit....different. Back then, only Narime was leaving, going with her mate. With this situation, Minka was their Leader, abandoning them all to run off with Tokino. It did not seem to make much sense...why did Tokino not just challenge his way up to be at her side?

When the boy continued, Elettra's lip wrinkled. It was one thing to leave the pack to create your own (assuming Minka had intention to give back Narime what wad firstly hers when she left) but it was another to try and dismantle the pack from the inside out by trying to convince others to go with her. The reasoning for Narime and Ash's irritation was made clear. Minka and Tokino had not wished to simply leave and create their own, but to crush Whisper Caverns and leave them in the dust. "It seems Minka and Tokino did not want to leave to start their own pack. They wanted to break up Whisper Caverns by telling loyal members to disregard their Leaders in order to join their cause." She spoke, trying her best to explain to the youth the meaning behind Ash and his mother's anger. "Thank you for this message. I will make certain to keep a look out and let my scouts, @Lunas and and my son, @Skoll, know as well." Her eyes shift to Angier at the mentioning of her son. It was without a doubt what the dark boy excelled it and as he aged, he would quickly master it. Turning back to Titan, she awaits for anything else he might have to offer them.

You think we could keep this going somehow till we hit 15 posts?

Titan shifted himself to the left a little bit getting more comfortable with the wolves before him. The dark lad was clearly in no danger now as he stood before the Willow Ridge leaders. Though he had lowered his head further when Elettra let a slow snarl spread across her features while the dark boy informed her of Minka and Tokino's treachery. The young wolf noticed Angier's glance to Elettra, a hidden wordless meaning passing through that gaze, as he spoke.

When El spoke once more explaining his great uncle and Minka's betrayal Titan's face screwed up in disgust. "They just wanted to break the pack a part? But why? Minka was already the leader. She had everything she could have wanted in the pack..." He let a growl slip through his muzzle before glancing back to the dark lady and giving her a whine to assure the Archer that the growl was not directed at her.

When the dark she wolf mentioned Lunas and Skoll, a name he was familiar with, Titan couldn't surprise a look of slight surprise that widened his eyes. He wondered if Skoll was actually training to be a scout or if his mother was just giving the boy something to do. My mother won't let me do anything without her being worried over it. He thought quietly while scuffing at the dirt. "Skoll is training to be a scout ma'am?" He asked gently trying to be courteous despite not liking either Skoll or Asriel very much. He had to act like he at least thought well of them.

Then his blue eyes spotted Angier dipping his head in thanks. Titan felt a bit humbled and stepped back once before returning the gesture. "You're very welcome sir, lady." Titan gave them a funny smile while waiting for a response from either wolf.

I know Grey posted...but I have no clue where it went, or I can't see it so...whatever, ill just go by what I remember when I glanced at it last. :3

Though Whisper Caverns and Willow Ridge did their best to keep up with one another current events, more often or not it was hard enough maintaining ones down pack then learning all the happenings of another. Often did their members cross tracks, if only by scouts doing their jobs, curiosity, or a hunt going out of bounds. They had learned to share the lands around them properly when it came to hunts and had before even met up and worked together, dividing the food and taking it to one another pack. Still, Elettra did not know as much as she might have wished, one being that Narime's daughter had died, if she had planned for pups again and if it would be with Nina's brother... and how she was doing now that she was a Leader once more, when things seemed to uncertain last they had met. It was far to much to run through Narime's son and so, Elettra held her tongue as he spoke on despite her wondering mind.

She nods ever so delicately to Titan's questioning of Skoll. She could only assume that as the boys had aged, they had wondered about the territories directly around the pack lands where they often hunted and searched for herbs. It seems they had met and for that, it was no shock to her. "It would seem so. He has a knack about him for slinking around unnoticed. It seems only fair that he uses what skills he has naturally to further himself and the pack." Her eyes moved over the length of the dark coated boy once more, highlighted in the silvery tones of his mother and with bright, ocean eyes.