He was a little shaken from the recent events.
Donovan had taken leave to talk to other packs, Nemisis had gone missing, and Derg was seemingly left in charge.
If Donovan didn't return, he wouldn't know what to do.
All except war.
He sipped water from the falls, the water drowning his termoiling mind.
He needed peace for a few seconds.
And a distraction.
things were messy. that was an understatement. but nemisis’ absence had benefits, as long as she did stay away. less to clean up when she inevitably went off the deep end, less people fighting amongst themselves. if there was something renard found frustrating, it was packmates too busy squabbling to pay attention to a real threat; all they regretted was that she had left, instead of being met with the consequence of her actions.
derg would have more sense. exactly how much more sense he had was up in the air, and they meant to find out before things declined even further. they wouldn’t underestimate an enemy with more people and more ties. donovan leaving on his own, to meet people who loathed them, was a bad idea. he could come back fine; he could come back half-dead.
he might not come back at all.
they followed his scent through the scrub and sand, winding a path down to the falls. silent, now, only a barely-audible crunch of paws against gravel. sticking to the shadows, still; it was the height of summer, and everything was still scorchingly hot, especially under the baking heat of the afternoon sun.
the sound of the falls reached them before anything else. it muffled their steps as they came to the edge of the lake, watching the saints’ new overseer as he sipped at the water. mist curled up and around them both like a cloak, pleasantly cool on renard’s face.
“overseer,” they said, putting an edge to their voice to rise above the roar of the falls, though it did not at all water down the dryness of the next words. “i hate to interrupt."
He saw Renard's dark form sidle in along the edge of the water.
He spared him a glance, checking him over, and returned to his deep thinking for a few more moments.
He closed his eyes, lifting his crin, letting the spray settle on his neck.
The sun beam down onto his muzzle.
And sighed.
Renard spoke, and Derg couldn't help but feel..a twist of guilt at the title.
Overseer.
Could he have stopped this? Perhaps. Was he there? No.
He turned hsi head, opening his eyes.
Derg snorted at his words, "I'm sure you would," he replied. Renard didn't seem to be one to care much for who he bothered, and Derg didn't mind that.
"What do you require?"
He asked, turning his body to face him.
renard took two steps into the water. a mirror of the first time they’d met, and fought, back on the plains. this time they reserved the invitation; they watched him as he lifted his head into the spray, sighed, and turned to face them.
there were better things to be doing than bathing in the falls at a time like this, but their place wasn’t to question. not out loud, not yet. he spoke, and standing quiet and ankle deep in the lake, renard met his eyes.
“donovan left you orders, i assume. what to do while he’s gone. …what to do if he doesn’t come back.” there was little concern audible in the the words, a thoughtful hum trailing off as they drew their head back against their neck. their gaze swept over derg, over his place in the rushing water; a pointed observation without words. “are you ready to lead or not?”
Derg nodded.
Yeah, Donovan had said as much.
He wanted Derg to look after them. Hold their ground.
He didn't know if that would be the right move, but Derg would accept.
Unless he could be persuaded.
"We are to stay here, and fight any invaders. If he does not return by the turn of the next moon, we are to assume his death."
It was longer than Donovan said to give him, but Derg wanted to give him some more time.
But his second question? Was he ready?
"Fuck no," he chuckled. But he wound and could, if they needed him to.
Perhaps he was willing to admit it.
Perhaps it was because he was scared to fuck up and wanted to throw the reins at someone else, to alleviate himself of responsibility for the others lives.
"Better to say now than to deny it and fuck up," he replied softly.
He knew, and he wanted the others to know that he may not be the best, and he would not be dissalusional to think he was perfect for the job, when some days he woke up and it took everything to actually get up and work for the pack.
Perhaps it was Donovan that kept him going.
Getting up in the mornings would be harder.
A thrashing slapsh, and Derg's eyes alighted of his packmate turned assailant.
Did he think Derg was weak and shouldn't lead after his admission, and wanted to do so for himself?
He was about to open his mouth to meet his attack, but jaws closed around his muzzle in dominance.
He stood still, tail high and waving in disapproval.
He rumbled low, giving the man, who he thought was posing a real challenge rather than a test, a warning. He didn't want to end up hurting Renard. Or getting himself hurt.
Renard squeezed tighter.
And tighter.
He snapped his head up just as Renard released him, bristling, tail curling.
He wanted to see what he'd do.
Derg didn't do much.
He thinks he's weak, he shouldn't be in this position, shouldn't have the power Donovan gave him.
Derg didn't want to prove it to Renard, but perhaps an example would be good.
Then the words came, hot and hard.
Derg stalked over to Renard, a small spot of blood welling on his nose where he'd thrown his head up.
"I don't care for your sympathy, I sit here, and I think abotu how to not make a mistake."
He glared at the man entering the water.
"Come here." He stated after a short pause. Staring at the man.
He stood there, leering.
Testing him.
His heart shook his ribcage. He wasn't ready for this. To be challenged as a leader.
A leader.
Be fair to your subjects, and their loyalty will stretch for miles.
His sister had said that to him, before she'd left.
She thought he'd become the Alpha.
Derg wasn't a leader, but he had to try, with the trust Donovan placed in him.
He licked the spot of blood away, sighing.
His gaze softened. He should not be angry when challenged. It was something that happened.
"I'm sorry," he replied at last. His fur smoothing down now.
"I will be better, and you can tell me how if you want."
But he wouldn't stand for Renard to disrespect him. He left it unsaid because however, he would say it, it would be wrong.
We can fade here if you want
They both sunk into wary neutrality.
Regarding each other with caution. Derg respected Renard, but Donovan has placed trust in Derg first.
They'd both have to accept that.
He thought, briefly, about calling for a hunt.
A hunt would be a good way to bring the pack together.
They'd need prey though and may have to search for it. Canyon life would be hard.
Renard asserted that Derg would. be. better.
He licked his lips, looking up the falls.
Where the water ran off the edge and thundered down below.
"I won't be like Nemisis."
He softly smiled, looking back to Renard. He could come close to it - just had. But no. No, he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't rip another packmate apart for the sake of dominance.
No, he didn't blame Renard at all.
He wouldn't trust himself, but those were boots to fill.
Derg had never actually helped lead a pack before.
"Gimme a minute to prove myself," he chuckled softly.
He hadn't really been faced with a challenge yet. Except for Renard's scrutiny. Which was fine.
The next words from Renard earned a questionable tilt of the head before he came streaking for him.
Blonde.
All he saw were those jaws yearning to slice his face, to maim him and hurt him. Deform him.
He reacted lighting fast - faster than ever - and slammed his jaws down on Renard's own, not caring where his teeth landed, but knowing that doing so stopped him being hurt.
He then twisted his body around, aiming to slam him into the ground, letting go of his muzzle in the process so he didn't get dragged down.
Renard went down.
Derg, after detaching, followed for his second attack, ready to go for his face.
See how he liked it.
But before he could deliver his next bite, legs kicked up into his gut.
A hard, powerful movement that yielded not, making his head jerk up, spluttering and winded.
Derg staggered sideways, away from Renard.
He really should not have told him that.
Derg retched, but nothing thankfully came up. He almost crumpled, the pain great.
He recovered enough though, enough to glare at Renard. He looked so fucking smug.
Derg watched him, shifting defensively, to protect himself this time.
He was just goading him now.
Derg wasn't above torture. But he was not Nemisis. Renard could push him all he wanted, but until Donovan felt like they were strong enough to stake a claim, Derg and Renard were on the same level.
At least until Nemisis, but that's the future.
Currently, his 'power' was temporary.
A taste of what he may have to do.
"Last time I help you," he replied. Still with a joking tone, thinking that Renard was done with kicking his ass.
But of course not. Did he want to be fucked up?
Renard bowled him over, sending him into the water, holding him by the throat under it.
All he could hear was the rushing of his head, the thundering of water in the distance.
He couldn't breathe. Couldn't do this.
He swung his jaws up, hoping to grab Renard's scruff and throw him into the water too.
He felt his teeth dig into something -- wet fur and flesh.
He pulled, rolling himself over and on top of Renard, who he hoped wouldn't be able to surge out of the water beneath his smaller form.
Teeth on his neck certainly scared him.
Would Renard kill for Overseer? Probably.
Which gave him enough incentive to retaliate, even when the man was withdrawing. Especially since he hadn't stopped when Derg already had his ass handed to him.
He flipped over into the water easy enough, the ripples spreading out until they lost energy and dissipated into nothing.
There wasn't peace on these shores. Mindlessness, perhaps, but not peace.
The water thundered down too hard.
He struggled for a few moments as Derg held him, then stilled.
If Derg really wanted, he could drown him. Clamp his jaws around Renard's head and push him down hard into the water.
And keep him there.
But he didn't, and after a few moments of motionless, Derg let go and sprang away from Renard, a haughty cough and splutter from his time underwater.
He turned his head back to look at Renard, expecting him to be emerging from the water now.
Derg quickly started to trot away, looking back to the path ahead.
Fuck Renard. And fuck being drowned again.