It was only to be expected that Stigmata would refuse Damien's proposal, but not a single hair in Damien's body regretted standing his ground and demanding his birthright. He was an ass, a condescending brat and he had no idea how much of an ass he was. But he didn't care, he knew what he and his family deserved and there was no room for humiliation.
After a sleepless day, Damien woke a couple of hours before accustomed and made his way away from their provisional camp to clear his head at the lakeshore. Still frozen, quite undrinkable, but cool enough to settle Damien's gushing blood. He would get back at them for even attempting to mislead his woman, one day he would mount Stigmata's ugly face upon his (den's) wall, but for now casting a curse their way would have to suffice. Full of contempt and indignation Damien howled with ill intent facing the mountain. One day, Stigmata.
One day.
Moira had ventured quite far. Further then she had even meant to travel. Where was she now, anyway? The aging wolf did not know where she was. Though as she was travelling, something made her pause. For a moment she dared to look back, and cursed herself for doing so. The memories of back then came to her, and she growled as she kept them at bay.
As she turned forth, a scent hit. A mockful grin splayed out across her muzzle. A distraction. Forth she went, seeing a lake. And further along the shore, a wolf. She was wary, yet slowly approached.
With rage dripping from his mouth Damien turned his back on the mountain. There was nothing for him in it anyway, he had never meant his kids to be born trapped up there. This was all for the best. And breathing in cold winter air Damien buried his emotion for later use. Any additional minute spent thinking on diaspora would be a wasted opportunity to move forward, so he needed to gather his family and get going. For now, it seemed that Neverwinter forest would be their most likely option to settle down, and though he had his reservations they had done alright the time they spent there before.
But before he could start retracing his own pawprints back to Nyx he noticed her. A dark figure slowly creeping up on him. A figure that even his quick eye mistook for Meldresi, and for a split second his heart stopped. Pale eyes locked with her figure, and not a single muscle moved for as long as it took her to reach a distance at which he could make out her features. It wasn't her, but the resemblance was uncanny, and as he allowed for her to clear out the distance that remained between them Damien wonders whether it was possible there were more siblings Meldresi and Miraak never told him about.
Moira went along closer. Even as they spotted her. Her dark figure almost stood out to the winter background around them. Yet, the male did not move. They seemed to freeze, but not like prey would. They did not run. That was a start, and she kept the look on her face as she stopped close enough that all her features seemed to spring forth.
"So what might you be doing out here? Not thinking of taking a dip, are we?" she smirked at that. The thought of falling into such cool waters would be a painful way.
He almost couldn't focus enough to make sense of the woman's words, for her eyes, her face and even her words carried an air of Meldresi that irked its way to his heart. But his eyes went every inch around her, and the more they covered, the more obvious it became that this was not his mother.
Of course not, that would be foolish,
he dared not speak in any manner other than complaisantly to the woman, maybe it was something ingrained in his brain. I was just... Saying my farewells to some mountain-dwelling friends.
he lied, but not too vigorously. However, he certainly hoped he could pay a visit sooner rather than later to Diaspora.
She tilted her head slightly, an ear flopping in that direction. "Well good, I would hate to see someone so young waste their life...too many young ones these days, you know? Going off on ventures" she sat there, making it clear she was not passing by. Moira gave him another look over. "You are young, right?"
With a second look, it was clear that he was not that young after all. He seemed rather well built as well. Perhaps age was catching up on her sight. "Close friends of yours?"
Surprisingly, Damien could relate to the woman's feeling. Blackfeather Woods had always had a constant flux of young ones venturing off on their own, and though it was indeed the natural way of things Damien had never been able to stand watching loved ones just walk away. It happened way too often.
Did that mean that he was getting old? Surely the woman in front of him looked way past his lifespan, but in truth, it was only a year of difference between their ages. Young enough to venture in search for greener pastures,
he answered hinting his intentions. And to her next question, he simply said you could say that,
with a dull grin. What he really wanted to know, though, could not come into the conversation soon enough, so without preamble or any specific emotion other than utter curiosity Damien simply said it...
You are a Melonii, aren't you?
Moira thought on that. Perhaps he was younger than she believed, and just wasn't aging well. Greener pastures? So a better place to live, was what he sought? The next question was answered for her, so it was someone he knew. She began to think she had intruded upon something...
Until he mentioned something. Her eye twitched. "Melonii? Why...now why do you ask that, may I ask?" Moira asked to the male.
The question had made her uncomfortable, but she had given him the answer with her dull indigo eyes before the question was even asked. It was possible that Damien was just being paranoid (or maybe hopeful?) but ever since Miraak had found his way to them there had been a curious flux of incoming Meloniis in Teekon. And this woman had to be the latest exemplar.
Damien looked at her with serious eyes, furrowing his brow as he assessed her bearing. Because I am,
he informed her. May I introduce myself... I am Damien Melonii, firstborn son of Meldresi Melonii.
he said proudly with a bow.
Moira remained quiet. It seemed no matter where she went, she could not escape it. The name was a reminder of her family back then. A reminder of it all. She shook her head to get out of her thoughts as she realized she had been silent for quite some time.
That name seemed familiar to her, and she could not yet think of why. Someone she once knew perhaps, or met once. "Moira Melonii..." she had to hold back a light chuckle at the bow, she found it rather humorous. Till her expression went back to cold. "I am guessing you are not the only Melonii around?"
He knew it. He knew what he was talking about and he knew that he could not mistake a Melonii. It wasn't hard to recognize them anyway. He smiled blandly when Moira chuckled, but Damien hadn't found anything funny about his introduction. Did she not know who Meldresi was? Did she not feel proud of her heritage?
You're right. We're many and growing steadily.
he said. I lead this branch of our family and I intend to build a new legacy...
he tried to explain as concisely as he could.
"So...there are others around. That sounds wonderful" she said, with a bit of a forced smile. But truthfully, she had wanted to get away from it all. The name alone reminded her of the mistake she made. "So, you want to lead, then? And just how many are there?" Moira asked to Damien.
Something about the woman's behavior was telling Damien that Moira Melonii wasn't so fond of her blood heritage, and though Damien saw it as a pitiful situation he still saw the value in her. Moira was of breeding age, healthy (or at least he hoped so) and she most likely carried knowledge about the Melonii that he just couldn't resist the urge to gather. If Moira didn't want to have anything to do with the Melonii Damien would do whatever it took to convince her otherwise.
I don't want to lead. I already do,
he emphasized, and we're currently four, with a few more on the way
technically, Nyx wasn't pregnant yet, but she was as good as it for there was no way he'd let his first real chance to breed the proper way pass him. There's still plenty of room for another one
At that she still had a forced smile. So he did not want to lead? That did not seem like some Melonii she knew who tended to try to topple others in charge for their own power. But some like how herself used to be were...kinder.
"Four of you..." Moira had to admit, she did think on it for quite a time. But...but she wanted to get away from the Melonii. Away from the past. "Oh, I am sure it would be great with me around. But seems crowded with four already...and I am getting old, you don't want someone old like me."
Old?
he mused. After seeing Miraak die at age 100 in a battlefield nothing seemed to be able to impress him. How old are you anyway?
he confronted her. Sure, she did look worn and haggard, but her eyes were speaking volumes of hard-earned wisdom. This kind of old was not from age, but from bad experiences.
"Aged...it is rude to ask a lady her age, you know" she remarked with a snide tone. But her age was not so far forward physically. Her mind was worn. From travel, from many things. She huffed and turned her chin the other way, as if taking offense.
'Aged' she said, and took offense as though Damien had directly insulted her. He almost chuckled but instead offered the woman a warm smile. With age comes wisdom,
he said proudly, Age is not something to regret or be ashamed of, age is empowering.
he'd seen it happen, with his mother, with Miraak and even Burke despite everything that had transpired. Those had been the most impactful wolves in his life, all because of their experience with life.
Moira managed a rather cruel smirk at that. A smile at her reaction? That was most surprising. Most of the time males were already at her feet, apologizing...then again, that was most. She had always enjoyed that reaction, how she could make them bow before her. But not this one. She was unsure whether to be interested in that, or offended by that. She started to circle about, still holding her head up.
"And with age comes weakness...battered, over and over. Pushed aside. Why do you think the young make such good fighters and hunters?" she asked, while slowly circling abut, eyeing him over now.
He got it. She did not want to give in to Damien's logic, she was too comfortable being a smart ass and a narrow minded bitch to admit Damien was her best chance at even surviving winter. Fine, have it your way. I have enough young wolves to feed my pack through winter... I hope you're wrong and your age doesn't make you too weak to survive this cold hell
he spat, and with all but concern or anger in his face he turned to find his way back to Nyx. Maybe it was a cheap trick, trying to sway her to his fold in such a childish way, but there simply was no reason to disagree with Damien's logic. With that attitude, Moira was a dead woman without Damien's help.
Moira turned away on the offer, trying to shrug it off...however, his words. They got to her. Surviving this cold hell, alone? In her condition? With a few seconds, she grumbled to herself and whirled back to face him. "Wait...wait" she tried to say loud enough for Damien to hear.
"You are right...I won't survive. I'd...I may as well help." She did not want to admit that she wanted to at least try to help. As she once used to. It felt so long ago. Then, she got that smirk again. "Besides. You called me wise. That's a good enough compliment to at least get me to have a look."
Easy enough, the older female fell right on his game, and Damien had got himself yet another pledge for his new empire. Moira Melonii would make a fine addition to his ranks despite her tough head and lack of enthusiasm, those were things he believed him and Nyx capable of dealing with, for her experience was bound to be of much value to The Melonii Clan and their future.
Damien turned with a blank expression, meeting her smirk with a polite nod. Yes, his compliment had served its purpose from the very start even if she hadn't wanted to admit it, and now they could both agree that they could use each other's help. Your help will be very appreciated,
he said kindly, Now, let us get back to our family
because they were truly family. And with that Damien turned again to seek his path back to his lover where he would introduce Moira and they could all finally find a proper place to settle down.