I'M THE WORST
Constantine had lived in the Wilds most of his life, but he had yet to truly explore most of it. It was not an ideal time to do so, given his desire to claim Ravensblood Forest as his own, but in order to do so, the stocky wolf also had to find others to join him. He struck out, weaving through a thick coniferous forest before finding himself at the base of a jagged mountain. He was tempted to turn back – to seek the warmth of Durnehviir. He was dangerously close to the Moonspear, and he wasn’t sure how welcome his presence would be so near them. He wondered briefly if Aria had returned to them – or if they had answers about what had happened to the misplaced dove.
He trailed upward, his footing graceful enough after being born upon the plateau. His eyes captured the distance between here and Charon’s domain, but his gaze was soon drawn to the lake within the spine. Had he not been keen to remain closer to the shores, he would have considered this territory a contender for their pack – but he was not yet willing to give up the scent of the ocean and the nostalgia that came with it.
He hadn’t expected to come upon another at such heights – yet the rusted hue of another caught his attention raptly – though she was not Durnehviir. Canting his muzzle slightly, the
shadowrunner rumbled his presence with a casual growl. He had come this way to seek others – at least he had come upon one other.
no worries! <3 i took the liberty of assuming she'd know who he is, but let me know if that's not okay and i'll edit!
mona was too riveted on the sights roundabout her to notice the man, or hear his greeting — her jaws parted in awe and she gazed skyward slowly, dizzied somewhat by the wheel and caw of birds far above her. however, as the mayfair followed their trajectory, her muzzle turned toward the stranger, until after a blink and a recovery, mona focused on the rather large dark wolf who had, in her opinion, materialized along the ridge not far from her.
a backwards step of surprise brought a stumble; a frightened yelp wrung from mona's lips. however, the yearling found her footing a half-second later, and swallowed, a sheepish flush heating her cheeks beneath the carmine velvet they wore. in the next moment, true to her manner of reacting to things, mona had all but forgotten her near-fatal misstep, and stared in abject stupefaction at the uncanny familiarity of the stranger.
for a moment her spirit whispered it was her father, come to fetch her, and mona felt the beginnings of relief. but instinct told her it was not, and besides, this wolf had both his ears. yet the heavy fall of dark sable fur was the same, and the burning coins her father — brother — wore for eyes. mona's ears slid back along her skull; she began to pick her way along the ridge toward the other, tail curling under her belly where its tailtip gestured she was no threat.
if allowed, the girl sought to pause some feet away, her wide eyes drinking in the fellow's features. your father has a brother, mona heard in rowan's voice — she'd never been able to decipher the wistfulness she always heard there. "constantine mayfair?" mona asked in a fearful, hopeful little pipe.
All good by me!
He felt regret when he clearly spooked the slender creature. She stumbled, and her yelp was harsh in the silence offered by the jagged mountain. His ears flattened, his own muscles coiling as his initial reaction was to spring forward, as if he could make it in time for his jaws to grasp her ruff and pull her from the devastation. It would have been impossible – but it didn’t matter. The girl gained her footing, and Constantine stilled, his muzzle lifting up as his fiery eyes grazed over her.
She studied him with rapt interest, moving forward with certain intent – he was about to break the silence when she spoke his name. His brows shot up in surprise at first – he was fairly certain he didn’t know the girl before him, and he hadn’t anticipated
this.
She stopped, leaving a distance between them. His surprise turned to a darkening frown as his tongue swept over his lips, considering what any of this could mean.
“Yes,” he rumbled, his stocky form stiffening, before he decided to try to close more of the distance between them, trying to gain some grasp of control at the strangeness of the unfolding scenario.
“Who are you?”
Small PP, I can edit if not okay! Xo
The diminutive creature before him slunk lower under his scrutinizing gaze. His presence, while at times commanding, didn’t usually elicit such reactions, and only until she spoke did he fully understand perhaps why she remained in such a submissive stance before him. Her eyes cast downward – it was almost as if he could feel the jolt of her heartbeat as she spoke, and he felt his own features darken with a frown.
Rowan Mayfair.
He had never truly believed the woman when she claimed her pups had been his father’s. That, coupled with the need to assure Aria had been the two reasons the swarthy Mayfair had escorted her from their home and toward Silver Creek – though she had given him the run around. While he was pleased to know she had found a home with his brother, the
shadowrunner was uncertain if he could call his twin family any longer – not after the words that had been spoken. The drama that had encompassed the fiery girl’s conceiving and birth was enough to stir the stoical wolf’s jaw to tighten, and he considered his words before responding.
“Look at me.” It was a command – though his words were gentle as they preened at the girl. When her green eyes would flash toward him, as if his father and Deirdre were once more looking to him – the murky steel of green and shades of blue.
He softened then, noting her excitement, and uncertain of where he stood with not only the girl before him, but those who raised him. It now only became painfully obvious how wrong he had been – and that Rowan and she had possibly suffered for it.
“You have his eyes,” he finally said, allowing his stocky form to settle back upon his haunches.
“I’m surprised your mother even told you about me.”
The mention of Casmir’s name had a far more emotional reaction in his heart than he would have expected – when his twin had cast him aside over their fight, Constantine too had pushed him away. In the moment, it had felt logical – if Casmir had so easily disowned him, he could do the same. But now, after so many moons that passed, the chocolate Mayfair knew there had been no right in either of their actions. They had both lost, that day.
Casmir, at least, had tried to make amends. Constantine had only pushed him away.
He winced at the mention that his brother had referred to him as ‘a good guy.’ Was he? Rowan would disagree wholeheartedly – Aria, Deirdre, Emaleth. Perhaps the only one who would agree with his brothers sentiment would be Durnehviir.
“Cortland,” he repeated quietly.. He had known the existence of the two, but never the details. Seeing her before him – the exact shade of green eyes his father had held, there was no question now of her paternal relation. And now she was far more real. More tangible, standing before him. “Where.. Where did you all end up settling at, once you left Teekon Wilds?”