I was an angel"[/size]
While all of these terms represented the unity for the young Queen of the Spine it meant quite the opposite. Her childhood memories were not ones that brought a smile to her face, au contraire they often roused a sense of anger in the female’s chest hence the reason she tried to avoid any type of association with it through her daily routines. No one, not even Kaname probably, knew that she was not the only Moretti left. Somewhere out there, hopefully far, far, away were her two sisters: Louise and Dianne.
The former, being the eldest of the trio was (surprisingly) the Queen Bee, who was (even more surprisingly) loyally followed by the latter. Dianne was a tool since day one. And Cara a sore loser among them. While the female had nothing against sibling rivalry, a deep grudge against these behavior had remained as a reminder: a scar on her ego that never healed. It was with hatred that she remembered their faces and with even a stronger rage that she recalled the way the two had bailed out on their father, Freud, the second he had fallen blind.
News flash: Insolence ran on the Moretti lineage.
And Cara, who had not been the one to abandon her own father, was no exeption. She too had a long list of sins to her name.
Now for instance, the Queen caved to a guilty pleasure.
Taking the plumpest piece of meat of a cache she filled her stomach to the brink. Then with a slow lick of her chops she decided to finally resume her duties. With a final flicker of her viperine tongue the female threw her head back, her voice summoning the newest pair of wolves that had pledged herself to her.
It was time to really judge whether or not the Spine’s newest recruits would prove to be fruitful. With the possibility of children, and spring around the corner Cara had no time for rotten being among her ranks.
She was a sinner, but not one to fall for forbidden fruit.
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When Cara's voice reached his ears, specifically requesting his presence, Lotan stopped in his tracks. His first thought was to wonder what the Alpha wanted with him, though he felt reassured to know that she was looking for Wyvern, as well. His sister balanced him and provided a level of comfort that otherwise would have been absent in this new place. He hoped that she would be prompt to respond to Cara's call.
Weaving through the heavily wooded basin, Lotan trotted confidently through the trees. While the rocky slopes were foreign to him, he was much more comfortable within the lower reaches of Ouroboros Spine. The thick greenery and carpet of snow reminded him of Sterren Hollow, which would always have a piece of his heart. No matter how far he roamed or where his paws landed, he knew that he would always have a home there.
Soon, he reached his destination, and as soon as his gaze fell on Cara he adjusted his posture. He lowered his head and tail, approaching her with his ears pricked attentively and a respectful smile on his face. "You rang?" he said by way of greeting, pausing a few feet from the Alpha female.
Cara's howl effectively stilled her paws and delicately, she swiveled her cinnamon ears the alpha's way. The note was a message of summons, and although she listened for further implications and details, there were none. Naturally, she wondered what the young queen wanted with her.. and her brother too. At least they were in this together.
She believed she had been doing well here so far, and the same could probably be said for Lotan. For not having a plan in beginning of this whole excursion away from home, this was definitely better than many potential outcomes. Wyvern did still miss her birthplace occasionally because it had been all she had known until now, but she had enough else to keep her thoughts busy with anyway.
She arrived at the end of Lotan's greeting gliding onto the scene with her head low and tail switching softly against the inside of her legs. Hello,
she said softly while she settled in next to her brother. She tilted her head subtly in curiosity with the rest of her posturing politely submissive, although inwardly she was quite eager to hear more.
I was an angel"[/size]
A well-groomed man drapped with various shades of browns and copper eyes to match his attractive physique. His name had escaped from her mind momentarily but with fierce determination it would be brought up again as soon as the meeting began.
"I did, yes. Where is Wyvern,....?" she barked, gesturing with her muzzle that what she intended from the question was to hear him repeat his name. Her location was not as much importance, for the Queen trusted that she, whose name she had funnily not forgotten, would too have the sense to come. A theory that was quickly verified by the creamy silhouette of Wyvern's approaching form.
Again Cara allowed her lips to be shaped by an elegant smile before adressing them both. "Glad you two came so quickly" she commented, skipping the hello's that had been replaced with smiles. "How have you been? Have you gotten a tour yet?", she asked, her tail swaying slowly over her back. Even if dominace was never an expression that faltered from her demeanour, this time it was unusually sided with an uncharacteristic serenity.
The fact that the two had joined together and shared blood bonds with one another was counted as an advantage to Cara's calculating mind. It was already hard, even for herself, to get along perfectly well with all of the members of the Spine, but being sibling -- and good ones at that -- they had it covered.
That, however, did not make them exempt of the Queen scruntiny. If anything it made them only a tinge more favored than those who were inexplicably foreign to packs and companionship as a whole. With eyes lighting up a neon sign with the phrase 'impress me' she cut her questionaire short in order to hear to the first few responses the siblings would give.
Hopefully they would be double as good since they were double as interesting as other newcomers.
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"Hopefully she'll be joining us soon," Lotan replied when Cara inquired of the whereabouts of his sister. They were usually never too far from each other, though they had split up in order to better acquaint themselves with the territory. Sure enough, the other Ostrega arrived just a few moments later, coming to a halt next to her brother and looking expectantly at the Alpha.
Lotan gave her a nudge, pressing his snout briefly against her shoulder, then turned his gaze back to Cara. He pressed his ears forward attentively as she spoke; she first complimented their prompt responses, and then asked if they had settled in. With a gentle wave of his tail, Lotan responded first. "We've been good. Just getting to know the land -- I don't think either of us are used to the mountainous terrain. Kaname gave us a tour," he said, glancing at Wyvern as the words left his mouth. They had a tendency to speak for one another, so Lotan consciously reminded himself to give Wyvern a chance to answer Cara's questions.
She did not know if they had exchanged any actual conversation before she had arrived, and if they had, what it covered. Wyvern stood by the belief that she had got just in time, and Cara soon basically affirmed this for her.
Keeping the feeling hidden, she basked in the glow of the alpha's small praise. It was only a quick comment on their promptness, hardly anything to be excited about, but even if she tried not to be, it was hard to just ignore it. She had never had to appeal to a brand new leader before and build her reputation up from nothing at all. It was worlds different than just behaving for parents and being kept in line by them, but she hoped they would stand a good chance here in front of Cara's scrutinizing gaze.
She mirrored the wave of her brother's tail, and nodded while he spoke. Yep, just been trying to learn all we can. It is.. interesting,
she said lightly. Kaname's tour had given them a place to start and she had been working on her own individual studies by putting her paws to work in covering the landscapes. It's a pretty different sort of terrain from our home, but.. cozy in its way. I like that.
Again, she nodded, and while she was eager to explore more of the surrounding lands, she wasn't going to until she had a good mastery of what was now home.
I was an angel"[/size]
Not all memories could be pleasant.
It was with surprise that she too watched how it was him who rose to speak first, using the denotative pronoun 'we' as if he had previously discussed the answer with Wyvern of they had just communicaeted telephatically before her very eyes. "Where did you come from then?" she asked with prying curiosity as he, and later she, comfirmed the unfamiliarity they had with mountainous terrains. She was pleased to hear that her mate, Kaname, ahd been more recieving with them, as of late his hostility had been directed at anyone and anything that came from the outside, their own recruits included.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? When Spring comes it'll be even better" she trailed, suddenly being sidetracked by the enchantment of the Spine and the various blossomings of new life the new season would bring onto the pack. It was then that a sudden clarity entered her mind and stripped her eyes off the foggy mantle theu¡y had previously worn. Never had she thought there would be a day she, the Queen, would become a mother, and yet there she was, everyday growing more used to the idea that the Moretti last name wouldn't die with her and that just as Jinx's had intended, the Spine would bloom with life.
New life.
This simple realization, like a spark that started a chain effect in the Queen's heart, curved her face into a wider smile and sent her tail into a rythmical, relaxed wag. "Have you met any other member yet?" she asked with a light voice, wondering if the siblings had sought out others or had not yet gotten out of the comfort their mutual company brought.
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"We came from a place called Sterren Hollow," he replied, looking to Wyvern to allow her to elaborate. They both could likely talk about the hollow for an extended period of time, describing its nooks and crannies and the lay of the land, as well as the atmosphere of the place. Though his home would always hold a special place in his heart, he readily admitted that Ouroboros Spine was a beautiful and unique location. Once Wyvern had presumably added to his initial statement about Sterren Hollow, he nodded and agreed, "This place is beautiful."
He then answered the next question for himself; this was something that both he and Wyvern would have to respond to individually. "I've met Sitri," he said, thinking back to his encounter with the stoic male. Sitri was an interesting character, but not unwelcoming by any means.
Indeed, she knew they often cruised on similar wavelengths, so she was nodding along to his words in no time. His answer covered everything it needed to, so it was up to her to provide any relevant details. Basically the opposite of a mountain,
she added with a little smirk, as hollow did tend to imply. Their homeland had been cozy: a lowland dotted in forest with a crisp view of the stars. By the time they had come along, their parents' claim had been unquestionable.. and quite comfortable. Without a doubt, a picturesque place for nurturing capable little Ostregas like themselves.
Wyvern wasn't sure how much Cara would want to know about the place, so kept it brief. Although.. it wasn't going to take much prompting to get her to share a bit more. It just did not seem right, here in a conversation steering towards the Spine's beauty.
The yearling alpha then went on to bait Wyvern's interest in seeing out the springtime here. Without a plan, she was not quick to attach too thoroughly. But so far, the Spine was appealing to her in just the right ways for where she stood in life.
I've met Alusia,
she replied after glancing to her brother, wondering if Sitri was the male she smelled around occasionally with a more prominent scent than some others (not counting Kaname, of course). Wyvern had assumed that a good chunk of the Spine's membership had joined right around the time they had, give or take a handful of days.. so it was taking her time to familiarize herself with even their scents scattered around here and there. This also allowed her more confidence to establish her own presence among them.. without the looming intimidation of too many perfectly established wolves above her, it just came easier.
I was an angel"[/size]
Not only then she could classify the wolves in her ranks between those who showed to be promising and those who were deranged.
This she did with no shame, for she thought that as Queen, she had every right to nitpick and judge the wolves that came at her doorstep, as she pleased.
And wasn't this true?
Didn't she hold the right to decide who she wanted to become part of her elitist group? Of her future family?
Yes, she did -- according to the irrefutable rulebook she lived by, she did.
With a soft purr of what could only be described as acceptance the prideful yearling gave each of the Ostrega siblings a pleasant smile as they listed the single --yet remarkably favored--wolves they had each met. "Sitri has been here for a looong time... He's one of my most trusted wolves." he barked, addressing Lotan first with a gentle dip of her nose. Despite the initial jealousy she had felt towards his closeness with Jinx at the time, he had then proved to be an invaluable piece of the Spine. Not only for his corageous actions, but too because of the gentleness of his heart -- one that only she had been able to see. But even then, that sole glimpse of his kindness she had perceived under the cold winds she knew he was one of the most priced subordinates, friends, she had.
And that, for the skittish female that was Cara, was a lot to say.
"He was in the Spine, Silvertip formerly, longer than I was actually" she admitted with a soft nostalgic sigh that faded into the wintery atmosphere as quick as it appeared. Then, with her ears twisting delicately to shake off specks of white that had fallen onto her crown she turned to the female. From Alusia, despite not having as much to say as for the scarred Gamma, she also had praise to give. During their one and only encounter, the Arctic female had managed to woo the Queen with her fierce loyalty and sincere (from what she had percieved) desires to really integrate to the Ouroboros Spine's family.
"Alusia -- she's promising, very." she declared, suddenly deciding that the short sentence summarized to perfection her thoughts about her.
Concise, yet meaningful.
"Am I wrong to assume you have any trades in mind?" she then asked, her voice trying not to sound as if it were urging them to answer right there and there. She was just curious; and as her knew 'get to know your subordinates' policy demanded she neede to get the questionaire going.
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He hoped that Cara thought of himself and his sister as promising, though it wouldn't have been appropriate to pursue such a question. The Alpha then asked about trades and he was happy to oblige her with an answer. He hadn't settled on anything officially yet, but had a few ideas in mind. "I think I'd like to become an outrider," he said; he hadn't done any traveling outside of the Spine since his arrival, but he planned to shortly. That was his ultimate goal, though he would likely add gamekeeper to his list, as well -- what wolf didn't enjoy the hunt?
In so far, she was getting the impression that their responses were suiting the yearling queen. Wyvern did, admittedly, want the leaders to like them. The thought occurred to her -- had Alusia encountered a similar conversation, perhaps with a mention of their meeting? Or would her chance come sooner or later? And what had, or would, Cara have to say about her? And Lotan?
Anyway, she would probably make a point to meet Sitri sometime, if their paths didn't just happen to cross before then. There were other scents around that she was curious of it. About then, Cara mentioned trades. Wyvern was quick to attention, but let Lotan answer first.
Same, I think I'd like outriding a lot.. I like to scout, explore.. those types of things,
she said after him. She also liked the messenger aspect of it, although learning to recruit suitable wolves for the Spine was something she would need to test-drive first. I'm not for sure on the others just yet. Gamekeeper, maybe..? Our parents taught us at least the basics for a good handful of trades,
she mentioned. It was good her interests were relatively varied.. but she just didn't know which ones she would like to commit to in full yet.
I was an angel"[/size]
If it was to be liked what the Ostrega siblings sought, they would soon find that they had already recieved more than they had bargained. Not being one to actively discuss other members of the pack if they were not present (because she much rathered talk about herself), she had not been asked her opinion on the siblings yet.
But if she had been, the answer would've have definitely been positive.
Though she had tried not to be imposing with her questions she did secretly expect them to give an answer, concrete or not, anything would be better seen by the Queen than the lame 'i don't know' response, which was for Cara unacceptable. Being an impatient, and passional creature she had a itch to get things quick, and a high intolerance for those who did, maybe even inadvertedly, poised a threat for such her desires.
Thankfully, both for the siblings and for herself, presented themseves as quite the opposite of a threat or setback.
"Outriding!" she yapped with a vigorous shake of her tail and a broad smile, "I am currently the only Outrider in the pack -- and belive me, even if its tiring, it is so rewarding!" she barked with a solemn nod. Out of all the times Cara shamelessly lorded over conversations, this time she had at least great knowledge to do so.
"I'd be wonderful to have you two as Outriders" she then added with an amused twitch of the small whiskers of her maw, not only did they give off the vibe to have what it took to be good diplomats but also showed the promise to make for a good Outriding team.
The Spine's very own Ambassadors.
"And I believe Alusia also mentioned wanting to pursue the trade, I told her I could give her some pointers -- so I'd be happy to share with you too." she barked, silently planning to meet with the arctic female in order to arrange said meeting and its logistics.
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Lotan was pleased with Cara's enthusiastic reply. He hadn't previously known that her chosen profession was outriding, otherwise it might have seemed like he was brown-nosing. But in reality, he just had a desire to see what the world had to offer -- all while retaining his home and place to lay his head at night. In a few days' time, he would venture outside of the Spine's borders for his first taste of the Teekon Wilds.
"It would be great to get some tips from you," he agreed with a wave of his tail. Aside from just roving from place to place, he wasn't sure what exactly his new job would entail -- perhaps carrying messages between packs, or gathering intel to return to Cara and Kaname. Just the thought filled his veins with excitement.
Right away, Cara seemed pleased by their answers, and Wyvern had not been anticipating such an enthused response. But, it did motivate her.. to know that she already had her favor like this just based on topic alone and this showed in the slow wave her tail picked up. All the more reason to shape herself into a capable outrider.. given the time, practice, and training needed. She felt like she already had a decent foundation in the matter based on her interest in exploring plus all roaming done up until now.. so next it was time to begin to fine-tune her skills. Especially once spring grew closer, she would learn the lay of the region.
"I talked with Alusia a bit about it too, and yeah.. I'd be happy to hear anything you'd want to share," she said with a touch of humbleness at the end, even if some of what she said practically repeated her brother. Now she knew another who could help her reach her goal though, so more and more, this was seeming like the right thing to do.
With her tail setting a rythm behind her and her ears swivelling calmly over her crown the pale Queen accepted the two siblings' responses. She was more than glad to teach what she knew, even if she had never done so. And she was equally as glad to have, finally, wolves she could be comfortable around in the Spine.
The small elite she had secluded herself in for so long (with Sitri and Kaname as sole true companions) fading behind her, Cara could finally say that the Spine was a home. A family more than a group of wolves joined by mutual benefit only.
"Great! I'll give you two a call when I meet Alusia then -- If there's anything you need call me, alright?" , she barked, the final question being more of courtesy (though still 100% valid).
Then with her nose dipping slightly and her tail waving goodbye, the pale Queen left the siblings to their own devices, her heart trusting entirely that their adherence to the Spine had not been in vain.