Altar of Twilight standing in the ashes at the end of the world

paging @Declan @Dakarai @Aries @Cassiopeia 

The trial took place on March 31st, so let’s date this thread for April 2nd (2 days after)? Sound good?

[table width=85%][tr][td]

The pain of losing her firstborn son was far too great, but the grieving mother was forced onwards by Arturo’s promise of death should they linger too long [or ever reappear] in the hinterlands.

They cut a slow pace yet again, their travels punctuated often by the need to rest and nurse the children [who were none too pleased about being taken on yet another arduous exodus.] The ousting had already proved to an exhausting one, due to the impasses that cloaked and concealed Hideaway Strath, the site of their momentary happiness [Olive was loathe to leave such eden]. The ravine and mountainous ranges had already been traversed once, with the help of an entire pack to bolster their efforts — but with only Dakarai as support and Declan as their shepherd, the journey across exhausted her greatly.

Their travels much more grueling [though they were only two days into their hellish affair] by the great sense of guilt Olive harbored deep in her heart. It weakened her resolve but she moved along, compartmentalizing her burdens and letting the acrid thoughts eat away at the framework. She felt guilt for denying her family the chance to escape such a heinous fate [she remember vividly the night when Dakarai suggested escaping from the negative aura of Ravensblood and absconding with their unborn children, and she recalled even more clearly her rejection of such an idea]. Felt guilty because Sirius would never know the pure, unadulterated loved she held in her heart for him. Felt guilty for Dakarai, who was forced to reexperience the  anguish of losing a child. Felt guilty for the pain and suffering she had caused the mummer queen — Olive would never wish unnecessarily pain upon even her enemies. 

The sylph also felt guilty to the two small babes that remained with them, for Olive was greatly concerned that their expulsion had been nothing more than a beautified death sentence. Dakarai would be hard pressed to hunt enough to keep them both fed, especially in unfamiliar lands. How long would they be able to survive without the cushion of packhood to support them? Though her breast remained supple and flowing for the time being [so much so that her belly was often sore and dripped with lactation for the lack of a third belly to fill], the pale mother worried incessantly that her milk would dry from hunger and stress and leave her babes starving before they were weaned. Aries and Cassiopeia, cloaked in their thin skins of ash and ink, were so small, so nascent with their baby blue eyes and peachy paws — and had already survived so much of this world’s evils. 

They would survive this too.

With this thought in mind, Olive chuffed between her teeth [which held the scruff of her spirited daughter] to gain the attention of the two dark men who paved the for the weakened, waifish mothers. They had entered an area of relatively level terrain and she wished to fill her babies’ bellies — Olive would feed them as often as they would be receptive to her teats, as many times they would let her, trying to fatten them up lest they find themselves in the grips of hunger.

[/td][/tr][/table]

Dakarai walked in front of Olive carrying Aries, his eyes distant and wide as he stared at the path ahead. As they walked he would occasionally stop to sniff for Sirius to check up on him, only to remember with a jolt of nausea inducing pain that the boy would remain behind them. Wary blue eyes darted to Declan, the Teaghlaigh Comlach who had been chosen to accompany them away from Teaghlaigh and the area surrounding it. Not wanting to walk beside or close to the brute at the moment, he slowed his pace so that he fell into step with Olive. He pressed his flank against hers, needing to feel her physically at that moment.



From here on out they would only be able to trust one another, Relying on their own little family until they found a proper pack. Dakarai would work his ass off to ensure the survival of their children, even if it meant he had to skip a few meals and go a few nights without sleep. He would be damned if he lost his whole family, just because a pack did not understand the full atrocity of the situation that had occured. "We will be fine Olive. I am so so sorry" the words were at first reassuring but then turned into a grief stricken apology. If he had never started the conversation with her in the first place that fateful evening in the sunspire, she wouldn't be going through so much pain.

Aries had finally begun to recognise various scents - mainly his family, the wolves who were around him most. He did not miss the home that he did not really know about, but he did miss Sirius' scent. The boy was confused about where his twin was. Up here, dangling from Da's muzzle, Aries had a good amount of time to think. He did not understand much of the harsh world he had been thrust into, nor the trials that his parents had faced; the boy didn't even realise that he would not see Sirius for a long time, if ever. In his current limp state, he had not seen that his brother was not here, but even if he had he would have just assumed that the other boy would turn up sooner or later.

There was not much for Aries to do, other than lightly yip occasionally. When he was put down again he'd be on top again (according to him) but for now he allowed Dakarai to take control.

no longer did she suckle in the fierce way in which she used to, nor did she loudly utter her fierce distaste with everything. she became quieter, not as excitable any longer, the burning flame that was her fierce spirit wavering. travelling was exhausting. the constant change was exhausting. even loudly voicing her discomfort was exhausting. she longed to be warm and safe and sleep, if only for a time. when she was carried, er gaze did not peer at everything within range in excitement; it stared listlessly at the earth and the huge paws as they carried her...somewhere. 

she did not care for the disappearance of Sirius much- there was only the acknowledgement that one little body was missing. there was the cold of early spring, the great wear of travel, and the tension of her parents. yet still was she fierce, the only daughter, and when her mouther's chuff roused her from her half-sleep, did she squirm wildly, demanding to be let down, for then could she delight in the warmth and meal that mother offered.

[table width=85%][tr][td]

There is nothing in Declan that is overly thrilled to have to play babysitter to Teaghlaigh’s banished. The truth was: it was a ballsy move. To entrust that task with the feral Commander when the gruff and savage Comhlach had done nothing to hide his thoughts on the banished — then disgraced pair. The Teaghlaigh that Declan had known had been much harsher with their punishments. Perhaps Ceannasach was truly getting soft in his old age, or perhaps he was just losing his touch. Or his mind. Or both. The itch seethes just beneath his skin, his mood entirely worse with Conan missing in action and that truly was unfortunate as Conan was his only buffer between instinct and society. He has half the mind to drop the banished pair off and just keep going; but it is thoughts of his little mouse that still those thoughts. It does not occur to Declan that she will survive just fine without him because he is dominate and he takes care of her …in his gruff, twisted way. She acts as his tether in his brother’s absence and it is enough to stay him.

He knows the first thing he is doing upon his return to Teaghlaigh: he is going to demand a promotion from associate. He finds the duty of sitter to be degrading to his particular talents and he does not try to decipher what intentions Ceannasach might have held for sending him. Such things fail to register in his mind. Instead, he focuses singularly upon his purpose, keeping an eye cast over his shoulder to ensure the banished still follow. The chuff by the grey sprite stops him in his tracks and the feral beast turns to her with a burn of his gaze. He forgets that the babes need to stop and feed often despite that their trip has been little more than arduous and slow thus far. In truth: he doesn’t care. He would force them to keep walking until they collapsed of exhaustion or died and would not lose sleep over it. Yet, his instructions were clear: see them safely out of the Hinterlands. A warning wrapped up in a last (if not ironic) gift of kindness from Teaghlaigh. Ironic because out of all of the Queen (and Ceannasach’s) wolves Declan was the one to be chosen for the job.

Thus, it is his duty to oblige them when they need to rest, eat, sleep, allow the babes to nurse, et cetera. As much as it may annoy him he is bounded by oath and though he he may be feral and unpredictable he is a man of his word, at least. He gives a low humming grunt of acceptance in response with a lash of his tail against his hocks.

[/td][/tr][/table]

[table width=85%][tr][td]

Dakarai apologized as any decent husband might, but it did little to quell the sorrow that simmer in her gut.  The shrouded empath felt his regret and returned it to him a thousandfold. Between the two lovers there was so much sadness, made ever worse by the completeness of her adoration for the dark night. He was good — too good for her. They were two sides of the same coin; but such duality [and at the same time, such esoteric harmony] which so often led to the volatility which plagued their earthly existence. It was impossible for her to renounce her love for the man, even when the stars so willingly shared their displeasure. Their love upset the natural balance of the world and it revolted against them, trying to buck them from their paths and resume the energetic homeostasis! The lovers had left the stars’ warnings unheeded, believing their love was enough to solve their more practical dilemmas. It was a factor in Dakarai’s fateful injury, in their expulsion from the coast [and the hinterlands] and their banishment from Teaghlaigh. 

Perhaps that was the starcrossed lover’s downfall; never knowing when enough was enough.

Declan acknowledged her wish to stop with a terse grunt, which the mother was thankful for — the man was not the most social of fellows and often times did not heed her wishes [though, who was she to make requests of him?]. Olive loathed the role he played in her life: he was her axeman, the huntsman. The one who delivered their sentence and swung the proverbial sword. Deep within her heart, the fae knew Declan was not to blame for the actions that were Arturo’s doing, but he vexed her all the same.  Turning from Declan, the shewolf placed Cassiopeia on the ground and Olive kissed her husband’s velveteen cheek. She settled on the ground and curled her waifish frame around the small pups. A nudge from her frangible maw encouraged the babes to latch properly and as her two children suckled hungrily she kissed their milkstained faces, wishing them to drink their fill and then some.

Breaking the relative silence amongst the small band of prisoners, Olive turned her attention [once again] to the solitary Teaghlaigh member who bedeviled them. “How much farther must we go before you consider your task complete?” The woman questioned hotly, wishing to finally tend to her many hurts in peace. For the longest time the small, tragic family had remained under the oppressive thumb of their pack [turned captors] — but they were now so close to freedom and so close to the new beginning she so desired.  It was difficult to withhold her frustrations; Olive had never learned how to do so.  Her eyes cut a narrow gaze and her words were spoken in a gravellike tone. “I hope Ceannasach is proud of you, leaving young children to starve in foreign lands.”

She no longer knew how to bite her tongue, for what was the use? If she remain silent, she ran the risk of abuse; but if she speak up, but ran the risk of retribution. Olive now saw the role she played in Teaghlaigh’s woes and no longer believed herself to be an innocent, but she was determined to no longer be the silent victim of her circumstances. So Olive gritted her teeth, tossed Dakarai glance, and waited for her reckoning.

[/td][/tr][/table]

Dakarai gave a huff of relief through his nostrils as they were allowed to stop by the man who was chosen to be their sitter. Dakarai hated that they were even given a sitter, did Arturo (he would no longer call him Ceannasach) really think they would linger anywhere near teaghlaigh after being declared kill on sight? Shaking his head he waited for olive to pause and set down Cassiopeia, and he followed suit with Aries placing the boy beside his sister. He nudged them both toward their mother "Eat little ones" he murmured softly, for even despite the level of rage and despair he felt he could never show such harsh emotions to the innocent children he and his wife had created. He sank to the ground beside his son and daughter and took in a deep and weary breath, when was the last time he had eaten again? Not for a day or two at least. Despite the ache in his stomach he refused to hunt for himself, anything he would catch would be deposited to his wife so that she could stay strong and create the milk that is needed to keep Aries and Cassiopeia strong.


He had closed his eyesn to allow himself a moment to relax when Olive's heated question made his eyelids snap back open. He opened his mouth in shock about to say something when she spoke up yet again, this time reckless and foolish words spilling from her beautiful maw. Unable to help himself he gave a small but stern growl "Olive! We have done enough, We do not need to speak such things!" his words were quick with the slightest biting edge to them fueled by his anger and complete fed upness with this situation. His gaze softening he heaved a sigh and looked at Olive with regret and sadness.Was this to be his new role? A hard, and stern man with a biting tongue? Could he still be the romantic and wise gentleman Olive had fallen in love with? Would their love even be able to survive this? All these questions repeated themselves in his mind for what was the fiftieth time at minimum. Turning to Declan he lowered his gaze "I am sorry for her words. She does not mean them" he then gave Olive a look, his eyes alight with the type of cunning amusement that said I am sorry for no such thing.

for now, she is content. content to suckles at her mother's teats, fill herself with warmth and be surrounded by it. her sickness, at least for a time, is forgotten, as she merely drifts into slumber and fills her stomach, ignorant to words that pass over her head. 

just putting a neat little bow on this and archiving <3

[table width=85%][tr][td]

Dakarai apologized and and shot her a knowing, sidelong glance — slowly her ire began to melt away. It stemmed from apprehension and anxiety over the future, this she knew — but simply being with her family was suddenly more than enough. There had been so many moments when that had almost been stolen from her; Dakarai, in Blackfeather’s Wood… Cass and Aries, during their trial…

Suddenly, right then and there, this was enough. The quartet would survive, they would grow and they would love — Teaghlaigh couldn’t take that away from them.

[/td][/tr][/table]