Open to anyone! She's tracking
@Scipio but that doesn't mean she has to find him.
The night was early and she was in good spirits. Even the pinpricks of rain did not dampen them, but rather, goaded her towards the cover of a nearby forest. Once the wanderer had breached the edge of the foreign tree line she began to scout the area - looking for something familiar, or at the very least something edible. There was a slight aroma upon the evening air that was indeed familiar, however, Basilie could not place the scent. It was akin to the metallic scent of blood, only fainter. Very faint, in fact. She did not hold back in her pursuit of understanding; the trees parted before her, and as her dark silhouette eased through the gap between the red trees, she thought she saw -
No, it was nothing. A hopeful flicker of imagined movement, maybe. The scent had faded, leaving her surrounded by the dying fires of autumn and the soft applause of the rain.
Hey sis :P I'm going to set this before he arrives at BDP
The wounds on his body was slowly closing, though sometimes blood still leaked from the cuts and matted his fur. He felt better now, and new determination coursed through his body, once he found his brother who from one of the friends that Hadrian had made in these lands, had told him that he had founded his own pack. So much had changed since he had left Noctem Vagus, so much had changed for the brothers, the sons of Aku that had not left. For their was no savior, no bigger brother to protect them and take their punishment, they were alone to face the real savagery and brutality of their father. The females had it easier though.
He was searching for Hadrian, but also Valerius. The halfbreed knew that Hadrian was somewhere in these lands, but he had no trace whatsoever for Vale. Though perhaps when he found Shadow, he would know where Vale was. Or perhaps they had already reunited and were living happily in their pack. The thought of that made the Greek Roman scowl enviously in his head as he trotted beside the stream.
Little did he knew, his younger full blooded sibling had also ran away from 'home'.
There was a tangle of blackberry bramble that caught upon the fur of her sides, combing through like a fine toothed comb. As she moved through the dark forest, the young creature noticed the dampness of the rain pooling around her paws. The soil softened the longer she wandered, leaving a trail of wide paw prints behind her - interspersed with soggy leaves, of course. Basilie moved aimlessly now. Without the scent of her brother's blood (if that was what she had found) she had no idea where she was heading.
And then, as if to answer her unspoken prayers, the scent renewed itself. It was just as metallic as before; there was a strong crispness to it, like that of water, but not rain. It wasn't a salty scent. Alert now, Basilie hiked around a copse of thick-trunked trees, and caught sight of a nearby river. At the head of the river, or at the very least exposed to one side of it, there was a figure.
She knew who it was without needing to call out. Her search, therefore, had reached a conclusion. With a cautious advance, she was drifting near his position within a handful of moments - however, Basilie remained concealed by the thick shadows of the forest.
Scipio moved silently and swiftly, slipped and vanished into the shadows for a second before reappearing a moment later. It was a gift to the line of Angelus Mortis wolves, even if that particular wolf was half a Greek. If only Aku had not raped his pathetic slave mother. He would have preferred Diana as a mother even if she was a cold hearted bitch. If he had been a slave, he would've run away at the first moment he had, there was no honor, no dignity for the position of a slave. But then, he remembered a lot of Greeks at Noctem Vagus. Some were women, used for breeding when Aku allowed the other wolves to breed, or for pleasure, or just to humiliate. The others were greek men, they were reduced to scraps, the once proud warrior they were was gone, replaced by the pitiful, starving figure, working at the hands of their enemy, obeying orders without question. The agouti yearling had cursed his Greek ancestry in him, believing that all greeks were pathetic wolves with no honor and dignity, that would rather serve and be tortured then try to run away even if it ended up dying. He would've loved to renounce Aeode as his mother, if the slave hadn't begged Aku to not punish him when he was younger, that had always tried to help and care for him even if he just growled at her and pushed her away. And then his father decided that once wasn't good enough and raped the slave again, producing another litter of halfbreeds.
Scip did not talk with them often, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he would never be truly Roman whatever he did. He tried his best though, he always did, no matter what, but the shadow of his tainted ancestry would always be with him. And his halfbreed siblings, his full blooded siblings knew that he too was also a halfbreed. A bastard. That they were closer to him that Hadrian and Valerius and all the others were. He had bastard siblings.
He continued his walk beside the stream, though he smelled the familiar scent of a bastard. So she also left their 'home' behind didn't she? At least she had more of Rome in her than Greece. The Roman did not turn, instead continue trotting in a swift graceful manner, the gentle, lightly accented words slipping out from his mouth. "You left Mother, Father behind too, dear sister? Wouldn't have thought she would let another of her children away from the safety of Noctem Vagus. Dear old mother." although his tone was light, it held a heavy note of resentment and sarcasm that only those who knew him well would understand and Basilie did.
He knew she was there, that was obvious enough. He was trained well enough to detect her, which was something she counted on. As he moved along the river's edge, he did not invite her close; thus Basilie took the initiative and crept from the shadows, flanking her brother's position without a sound. He spoke soon enough, and the acerbic manner in which he commented upon her sudden arrival made her smirk, albeit briefly. A slip of the mask which was hidden well enough by the surrounding dark. I was granted my leave by father.
She corrected him swiftly, with a bite to her words, as if to defend their progenitor. There was no mention of a mother - for to Basilie, she had no such familial connection.
Unlike you,
Her voice was smooth now, confident but quiet. I intend to bring honor to his name. There was no reason to chase me out.
She had indeed gone willingly. With some scorn, perhaps, but nothing that was said to her face - if that were the case, then perhaps blood would have been shed. The honor of Aku was at stake, and his narcissism was what kept her in his good graces.
But she was curious. What could Scipio be up to? He had survived the assault by their father, proving (at least to Basilie) that he was far more Roman than many of their bastard siblings. She valued his tenacity but not his weakness; he had not died a true death in a proper battle, like a proper Roman, but he had allowed their father to prove his weakness. Tell me, brother, do you miss living in Aku's shadow?
"I was granted my leave by father." she corrected him, her words having an edge to them. A sardonic laugh slipped from the halfbreed's lips. She was a female, she had never endured the brutal and cruel treatment their father put his sons through, sure, she trained herself to be a fighter and got into lots of trouble, but she was never punished as much as the boys were. She had absolutely no idea how cruel their father was.
The older wolf wanted to smack some sense into his younger sister, she was brainwashed, too naive to see Aku's true nature. His father hadn't bothered with her yet, of course, because she was female and she was young. He would've either killed her if she was useless, sent her to live with the other female helpers, or if she had reached sexual maturity, he would've raped her. Father wouldn't have cared that she was of his own blood, incest meant nothing to him, if he needed children, he would get them. Daughters meant absolutely nothing to the brute, but simple servants and breeding tools. Scipio might be wrong, but he was pretty sure he got a lot right.
"Bring honor to father's name?" he laughed mockingly. "Granted leave by Aku? No reason to chase you out? Surely you are not so blind, little sister." sea green eyes were emptied of feeling as he paused and gazed at her. "Father deserves no honor, he has no honor and the gods damn him. You are a female, Basilie, you were never treated the same way our dear old dad treated his sons. He treated you differently for you would never be his heir, and in his eyes, you would never be a true warrior of Rome. A bastard that he never meant to have. No halfbreed would be granted a real place in Noctem Vagus." although his father had treated him worse out of all his sons because of his heritage, he still taught him useful fighting skills, albeit cruelly and brutally. "Of course Aku gave you permission to leave, a bastard daughter, he didn't need you. And of course their was no reason to chase you out, why would he need to chase a bastard female when he could just use you for his own pleasures, for you to do woman work?" he leaned closer to his sister. "No matter what you do, little sister, the blood of the greeks will always run in our veins."
Scipio then turned and continued walking, "Aku didn't have a shadow, he had no honor, dignity, real respect from any of the real Romans. Fear was what made them obey him. He was cruel and merciless to everybody, without justice. True Romans are better wolves, such as grandfather and the surrounding packs. You might think they are weak, sister, but they will be stronger than Aku would ever be. It takes more than fake power and making others fear him to have true courage, dignity, honor, respect, mercy. Father will be damned to Tartarus when he dies, and there he will receive what he deserves, that is, if he didn't get it from my brothers when they rebel." he smiled, the crooked sarcastic troublemaker smile.
”And that fight in the end was one of the best things that ever happened in my life, for I finally knew Hadrian didn't leave willingly. You can go try and restore father's long forgotten honor, but I shall go and find my brother who is a much better wolf that father ever was, and now, a true Imperator of his own pack."
The boy was quick to point out the flaws in her words, to which all Basilie could do was scowl. The barest hint of an expression slid across her face, her eyes narrowing minutely while Scipio seethed before her. There were many points of contention between his spilled words and her own idealized view, but she wasn't eager to combat his speech with her own - even if it did rile her spirits. The more he spoke, the more Basilie felt her views confirmed: Scipio was weak, and not only that, but he was a sore loser. Ranting about the evils of their father and in effect, exposing the toxic view which would have made even the halfbreed drive the bastard away, given the chance. Nobody who fought against Aku could be welcome within Noctem Vagus; it didn't matter what Scipio said, she was a warrior, she was a Roman, and Aku would praise the day she returned.
Of course Aku gave you permission to leave, a bastard daughter, he didn't need you. And of course their was no reason to chase you out, why would he need to chase a bastard female when he could just use you for his own pleasures, for you to do woman work?
Scipio stabbed at her with his words, and as he leaned in close, she felt the betrayal of her own body: she involuntarily lifted her lip and flashed him with the tips of her fangs. But he was pulling away soon enough. No matter what you do, little sister, the blood of the greeks will always run in our veins.
That didn't hold true for her - she refused to believe that even the blood of a Roman could be so easily overpowered, tainted. Aku's will was a true force to be feared; offshoots of his desires sprang up like weeds within Noctem Vagus, and each of them was privy to the same chance at life - they need only to take it. To rise out of the squalor as she had, by sheer force of will. The very nature of her existence proved that she was connected to Aku in a way Scipio could never be (or so she believed, in that fouled mind of her's).
-Father will be damned to Tartarus when he dies, and there he will receive what he deserves, that is, if he didn't get it from my brothers when they rebel.
Oh, enough. A snort fluttered out of her at this mention of the brothers. Scipio had been driven out, and Basilie wouldn't be surprised if the others were as well. I doubt that any of you learned enough from him in order to best him in battle, even at his worst.
Basilie quipped, but held her tongue as soon as another name was uttered by her brother.
Hadrian. So he had survived as well? The strength of Aku's bloodline was quite obvious now. Hadrian didn't leave willingly. You can go try and restore father's long forgotten honor, but I shall go and find my brother who is a much better wolf that father ever was,
Such brotherly love from the little bastard child. It was almost cute. But oh, the best was yet to come. -and now, a true Imperator of his own pack.
Imperator? You want me to believe that father chased out one of his own, but the poor fool still clings to the Roman ways?
It was important information, and she would squirrel it away in her mind for later, but the thought of Hadrian leading anything - aside from Aku's armies, as was intended - made her want to laugh aloud. Instead, she began side-stepping around the bastard's hulking figure, treading carefully beside him as if they were truly allies. He is not even fully yours, but you would follow him?
This was the truly incredulous fact that Scipio had shared - by merely voicing the news of Hadrian's survival and subsequent rise to power, Basilie saw this as political support from Scipio. But why would he ever choose to follow a half-brother, instead of a sister?
And what of me, brother? Are you so filled with rage that you would choose him over me?
The thought alone caused ire to rise within her breast. A line of fur along her dark spine prickled, although it was difficult at this point to tell animosity from curiosity.
Scipio rolled his eyes when Basilie spoke, she had always idolized dear old dad even if the rest of them saw his true nature. All his sons did for it was them he treated the worse, and the best at the same time. Basilie was living in a world that did not exist, no one would bow before her ignorant arrogant figure, a Roman needed to know when to yield and when to not but she was just another Greek. Clinging on to her childhood and what Aku fed her, Father was just making fun of her when he taught her crap, life was not like that and Scipio knew that more than a lot of wolves.
"Imperator? You want me to believe that father chased out one of his own, but the poor fool still clings to the Roman ways?" the agouti threw back his head and laughed, ”Just because he and I do not like Aku does not mean we hate Rome. We saw Rome with our own eyes, not Noctem Vagus but real Rome and it was a sight to behold. We're proud to be Romans just not spawns of a demon." he said casually and continued trotting forward. Scipio loved Basilie dearly but he knew his sister wouldn't appreciate it, what was the use of loving someone who didn't know the meaning of sibling love? ”And if he is a fool, little sister, you would be a thousand times more of a fool than him." The halfbreed said nothing when she began moving beside him, as if he was already on her side.
"He is not even fully yours, but you would follow him?" The agouti Roman paused and turned to gaze at her with fierce green eyes. ”Yes I would, he is my brother and a true leader." then he turned and began moving forward again when she spoke once more. "And what of me, brother? Are you so filled with rage that you would choose him over me?" A low mix between a snarl, a sigh and a growl slipped from the halfbreed's lips as he stopped in his steps once more. ”Gods, may the gods have mercy on your soul, little sister. You are my sister, true blooded sister, born from a rape between dad and a greek slave. I love you like I love all my siblings but yes, I would choose Hadrian over you if it came to who was leading. You cannot lead, dear sister, you don't even know how to." The thought of her leading a few wolves, let alone a pack, made him want to laugh. There was no way anyone would follow her.
Basilie was indeed blind to the true nature of things. She had lived in a world ripe for the picking, where the only caveat to power was the insistence of bearing children; and yet, the girl had chosen the life of a warrior - but not even a true warrior. Had she ripe fruit hanging between her legs instead of the basket to carry it, perhaps things would have been different. In the haste to prove herself she had been made a fool of; and not even Scipio's snide little insults could deter her from the fantasy she had cultivated for herself. She was as Roman for as long as her delusion lasted - and thus far, it had held up to the scrutiny of Aku and his armies. Her ego could brave the cutting words of her bastard brother too, if need be.
And yet, Scipio's refusal made her give pause.
Gods, may the gods have mercy on your soul, little sister. You are my sister, true blooded sister, born from a rape between dad and a Greek slave. I love you like I love all my siblings but yes, I would choose Hadrian over you if it came to who was leading. You cannot lead, dear sister, you don't even know how to.
The words lanced through her hardened heart, cutting to the quick. She halted her advance alongside him and simply stared - fuming behind him, his little shadow. It would be best if he kept on walking, for now the meager distance between them was urging her to step forward and act. To cut him just as deep, to tear out his awful little heart. I could if I wished.
There it was, her delusion. Her head raised as she spoke, and while she still raged internally the tumult was controlled.
Alas, she relented from her chase of him. With this statement she ended her side of the conversation, and turned away - removing herself from the situation despite the great urge to do otherwise. He had told her everything she wished to know, and now his voice was grating in her ears. She could rule, and she would prove it.