Wolf RPG

They walked along the ridge line, ignoring the ache in their shoulder as they tried to collect their thoughts. Masque knew they should seek out @Mountain Boulder. Did he still have one foot out the door? Fear hit them like a punch to the stomach. Perhaps Avicus’s death had changed that, along with everything else.

Masque found themself stumbling down the slope in the general direction of the borders, their legs suddenly wobbly beneath them. They nearly lost their footing but managed to stay upright at the expense of their injured leg, which they had to strike out hard to avoid pitching. They gasped as their entire foreleg twinged.

And then they reached the foot of the rise and paused, not entirely certain where they were going or what they were doing. Maybe they should find @Mulherin, their rock, or @Redd. Masquerade felt, deep in their bones, that it was time for one of Avicus’s two eldest to step up in her stead.

They trembled to a stop, mouth watering as nausea rolled through them. But their stomach was empty. They hadn’t eaten in days. Masque breathed harshly, lowering their head toward the snowy ground, waiting for the queasiness to pass.

They began walking again on only slightly steadier legs. Their stomach settled but their chest began to hurt. Masquerade supposed that made sense. They were heartsick, after all.

Redd was bereft in a way that was expected, but despite her silent mourning, she knew the pack was to be her first concern.  Wealda was truly gone, and now there were to be no placeholders.  Someone would need to stand in her stead.

Redd had always wished this, though never in this way.  She had hoped to stand in when her mother’s strength had been stolen by the years.  Instead disastrous accident had thrust the decision upon them now.

Redd sought her sister too.  When she found them, she noted their heartbreak and came to give them a nuzzled embrace, the same heartsickness reflected in the sympathy in her gaze.

They would need to speak. Without Relic it was theirs to decide.

I would take it, if they agree.  But you are heir.  Redd studied them.  She would back Masquerade in this if it was what they truly wanted, but it need not be a choice of necessity.  They were fit to be Wealda.  Yet it came with responsibilities that Masquerade showed little interest in, and if neither they nor New Snow desired it, Redd would allow ambition to flicker in her spirit.

But only if.

Their sister appeared, as if summoned by their thoughts. Masquerade swallowed the lump in their throat and limped toward her, their leg throbbing now. Redd reached out to nuzzle them and the Caru gratefully returned it.

They were equally obliged when Redd rose above their mutual grief to address the logistical concerns of their mother’s passing. Masque swallowed again, letting out a long, shaky breath.

You are more suited to be an Alpha female, they acknowledged, their voice a throaty croak. I will support you as your second-in-command, retaining their title as Caru. I only ask that we invite Mulherin to be our Berserkr, soon if not now. And I’m hoping our Ulfhedinn will remain.

Their heart felt heavy in their chest as they relinquished the crown to their sister. Masquerade knew they could’ve taken it too. But they spoke the truth. Redd would one day take a mate and produce offspring, something which Masque did not endeavor to do.

I think the pack would approve. I think mother would approve, the Caru said quietly.

Redd tipped her head, warmth for her sibling’s agreement filling her as she kissed Masque upon her chin.  She would look to them for guidance, but was relieved to hear that they recognized her reasons.  Redd looked to a future of a mate and children as a pragmatic reality, a duty she would fill, but not an unwelcome one.  One day her daughters and sons would fill this Rise and strengthen it.  Not as heirs, necessarily, but as the heartbeat of a pack that would continue to thrive.

Hunt-wife deserves it.  But if she will not fight, I will stand.  She agreed, accepting her condition without complaint.  It was Wealda’s right to appoint those worthy to places of leadership.  It would be Mulherin’s responsibility after to prove he could hold it.

They didn’t possess the energy to refute Redd’s statement outwardly, though they shook their head lightly. New Snow was an incredible asset to the rise, yet she had never stepped up as its Wealda. And now Masquerade felt a fierce possessiveness rising within them, an intense and nepotistic need to honor Avicus’s legacy. Only one of her bloodline should be Wealda.

It’s you or me, Redd, they insisted, quietly leveraging the power they knew they held, and you make the most sense. I will stand for you. And I think the rest of the pack will too, if I do.

When the lead hunter approached the pair of siblings, Masquerade’s stomach clenched. Mountain Boulder’s opinion mattered more than most, as a standing leader, but Masquerade wouldn’t let anyone stand in their way. At the same time, they knew they desperately needed his support not just with establishing the hierarchy but with upholding the rise as a whole.

Redd will be Wealda, Masque declared softly, seeking to hold his gaze, and I will stay as Caru. Please tell us you’ll stay as Ulfhedinn. We need you now more than ever.

Redd did not comment on Masquerade’s insistence, but internally, she knew argument did not matter in the end.  The truth of it was one she had known a long time; Wealda was only as strong as her pack.  This is why any but Avicus would have failed.  This is why it was not their choice in the true end.  If Masquerade wanted it, Redd could do nothing, for the pack knew and respected them deeply.  If New Snow wanted it, Redd and Masquerade could do nothing, for her children and mate would support her claim and the Rise would fracture in a way that truly destroyed it.

It would be all of them.

The hunt lead approached.  Redd turned to him as Masquerade explained, but she knew his ways.  If she truly intended to lead then she needed to know of his acceptance.  She would do the same with his mate when the time arrived.

Redd approached him, tail flagged, head raised, one tooth displayed over dark lips.  With a small rumble she awaited his reaction, tail lightly moving with her expectation.  Would he follow her as he had her mother?  Or did he see her the lesser choice?

New Snow felt the hurt of the pack. It was an open wound, one that needed stitching. And so New Snow thought, as she too looked after the kill and her children and the Rises children, old and new(er). And as she looked around, she pondered the Bloodforest. The herd had moved that direction, but they would not need to hunt for many more days. New Snow lay nearby the dead creature, on her side, and prepared to nap. But the sound of Mountain Boulder departing the scene caused her to huff, and she pressed herself into a stand to trot after him. 

After the loss of Red Woman, New Snow was far more inclined to be in his company to be sure he himself remained well. But she took her time, not wishing to crowd him in his own time of great sadness. She would be there for him, though—always. 

Some long time ago, Red Woman had accepted her into the rise, accepted her into the fold after she and Mountain Boulder had first found one another and saw their futures. New Snow was neither born here nor raised here, but she had presumed that she would die here too. 

She paused as she saw the daughters of Red Woman. Her gaze was both soft and warm, though her posture hung in some sort of in-between. New Snow had seen how it was for one to become Wealda, and she stood at a crossroads. Instinct prompted by her quickly approaching season wanted her to fight for the place—it was how one became Wealda, as she understood it here. 

But she waited for the daughter that tested Mountain Boulder to test her, and would trust more the feeling that came to her than than the one that simmered quietly within her stomach. Still her gaze remained soft as it switched from one face to the other, licking her chops and shifting her weight. True she had never claimed it before, but that was because her own place has always been certain—and her cubs! 

Now she did not know. Would they wish for the Rise to be only of their own blood? Would they seek to chase her from this place? 

What would she do, if they did?

New Snow wasn’t far behind her mate. We need you too, they thought, sore heart lifting ever so slightly as she ranged nearer. Their eyes soon flicked back to their sister and Mountain Boulder, eager to settle these matters so they could go back to licking their wounds. The promise of a better future would hasten their healing.

Several things happened at once. Redd moved toward the Ulfhedinn, asserting her intended superiority with a ritualistic dominance display. Masque felt an unexpected ripple of disquiet even before the man refused to acknowledge Redd’s demonstration. And then New Snow came close enough that her scent hit the Caru’s nose.

Something snapped inside Masquerade. Driven by a potent cocktail of grief and instinct, they sprang toward New Snow. Their ears thrust forward as their tail hooked severely over their back. They didn’t attempt to make contact, only sought her absolute submission. The soft-spoken Caru was nearly unrecognizable as their body language informed New Snow she was not welcome to breed, not before the rightful Alpha and Beta females.

And Masquerade left little doubt that she was one of the above.

Redd had never understood the concept of blood.  She had stepped aside when Lilia rose to Berserker, recognizing it was earned, even against Wealda and her own brother's intentions.  The pack was what was important.  She had run alongside the hunt lead just as she'd run along her sister, and all were family because all were here.  There were no relationships she would be willing to take or leave; the pack needed all strength.

New Snow was a mother.  She was hunt lead's mate.  Her claim was strong.

Masquerade had deferred, but now sought to withdraw.  Redd would not abide this.

She thrust herself with a snarl between, snapping at the Caru with a savage growl.  If she had not earned their trust then they should not have granted her Wealda.  We are pack.  She insisted in the snarl, finally through with allowing the pride of Avicus to fracture them.  If hunt lead chose to leave, it would be because he held no loyalty.  But she would not have him driven to it if she could prevent it.

Now it was Masquerade's decision.  Redd would not defer again.  If they wished to divide them, they would need to challenge and earn that right.

Once, years ago, New Snow had ran. 

If she did now, it would be for loyalty then—and if she ran today, it would be for loyalty now. Her gaze panned from Bloodspot, to Blood Star. New Snow did not wish to be the fracture in the pack, but she wanted cubs. She would fight for cubs, 

It was not her, but instinct that responded. New Snow, bristling, lifted her plume in turn and huffed out a heavy exhale. Perhaps she did not wish for Wealda, but Caru. Her own loyalty was for her mate, and her cubs that still took residence here—but it was also still to Red Woman, who accepted her here and who still lived in the ones before her. It was to each of her children, who New Snow looked to as a piece of herself, having helped where she could. 

The charge of Bloodspot was not unexpected, and she was unoffended; she understood. This was the way of things when cubs became girls who became women. And New Snow squared herself. 

She would be mother again. And if they did not want that of her here, of her and Mountain Boulder—

New Snow did not know. For all of the challenge that she answers with, there is also love there. She did not know which would win out in her. She answered only to the call of the wild in this moment, which willed this of her. 

But she did not wish for Bloodspot to go! Bloodspot, who might have cubs of their own! 

Now she saw why Mountain Boulder had moved as he did. And she wondered what was the right thing. What would keep all happy, all whole. She too wished for no great fracture. 

Blood Stars snarl brought her gaze away from Bloodspot, who would then have the advantage as New Snow heeded her, distracted and considering.

Strange how some wolves were like the glue that held together a pack. Topple them, and the pack fails. Riley had seen this several times in his lifetime and feared it may be the Rise's fate too.

So much lost to infighting.

He sought out Masque and so, was surprised to come upon a scene rife with tension. His gaze passed to each wolf slowly; the way Mountain Boulder's hard stare set on Redd, Masque, and New Snow -- the former two close as a snarl edged from Redd's throat. There was a change to both New Snow and Masquerade that Riley registered and marveled over; particularly the cold edge of Masquerade's new body language.

Riley did not bother asking questions. He knew this moment would define the Rise.

He stepped behind Masquerade, strides slow as he prepared for the fall out.

Like her mate, New Snow refused to defer. Masquerade shifted her weight, shoulders drawing together as she stiffened and straightened her neck. Before she could do anything further, Redd intervened, catching her off guard.

The Caru met her sister’s snarl with one of her own. She had stood behind Redd. Even now, she defended them both. But Redd made no effort to return that favor, which just inspired Masque to narrow her eyes at her litter mate.

I changed my mind, Masque rumbled throatily. I do want to be Wealda. And, she continued, marigold eyes cutting to New Snow. I reserve the right to decide who gets breeding privileges.

She was ready to fight for that right too, despite the pain in her shoulder. Masquerade’s own posture did not relent. Her heart throbbed in her chest, full of fire. Maybe she’d breathed in a little bit of Avicus’s fiery spirit before it had left this plane entirely.

Masque sensed others gathering in the background. She resisted the urge to seek Mulherin, if he was one of them. She needed all her focus and strength right now to stand her ground and claim her crown.

Masquerade did not need to say this openly; Redd had recognized it when her sibling did not trust her to handle New Snow.  If she'd respected her leadership, she would have respected her choices there, but her decision had been proven false.  Now conflict was inevitable.

Redd was tired of conflict.  She cared deeply for all involved.  But she would not choose blood over pack bond, and in her eyes, she no longer saw Masquerade as fit to lead.  Not if she would cast those loyal aside over pride.

Redd snarled and struck out at her sister, seeking to dominate and push her into the snow.  She was not large but she was fast, and if she was lucky, the element of surprise would be hers.  Masquerade would no doubt fight her for this, but in the end, one of them would stand victorious.  And that wolf would choose the future.

All others were ignored unless they interfered.

Red Woman’s blood was still fresh in the snow but it did not stop a reckoning.

Moon Runner heard snarls and growls through the silent winter forest and loped toward them.

There, the adults of the pack had gathered together.

They vie for dominance, the spirit said.

Moon Runner hung back, ears cupped forward towards her parents. However, her amber eyes say the signs; the preceding actions of a fight about to break. Blood Spot’s rigid posture. The snarl on New Woman's [Redd’s] lips. Suddenly the two women clashed and Moon Runner looked on. She would not interfere in this rite.

New Snow understood little of what was said, but sensed what was said was for her when Bloodspots gaze found her own. New Snow sighed through her nose, wondering if fighting the girl would earn her respect. New Snow looked for none, this only being about her own rights—and as she felt Bloodspot double down, New Snow brightened.

Something like pride in her gaze, too, shone. New Snow moved to defer—

But it was now daughter of Red Woman against daughter of Red Woman! 

Her heart ached. But she too could not move to intervene. New Snow thought she saw in Blood Star her mother, but also in Bloodspot. 

And then she looked toward her man. There was no room for them and theirs, here. She could not find it in herself to even seek to take another thing from the daughters of Red Woman, who had lost enough. 

New Snow drifted toward Blood Star, offering her a submissive look, too, as her gaze averted. Riley got a long, intrigued look that passed onto Bloodspot. 

But back to Blood Star did her golden gaze go, a long whine for the children of Red Woman to hopefully understand: unity! And then she saw the youngest, and she wagged her tail to him, too. 

But her season was coming, and quickly. Too quickly. New Snow flattened her lobes, that fire undimming—
          
Stressed, she began to pant. Her own place here was put into question by the new Wealda. And so New Snow passed a gentle look onto each of the faces before her. Perhaps she should intervene. Was it not she herself who had caused things to come to blows, even if unwittingly? 

It mattered not. In the wilds, this was how things were resolved. Bloodstar, she presumed, fought for herself, not her, in the challenge made. From this a Wealda would be revealed, 

and the rest of her future, too. New Snow moved to nuzzle against her mate, and then drifted to daughter to kiss at her ear. The tension was high, but New Snow would settle alongside the boy who might then be most conflicted. 

Her own season was forgotten, even if the feelings of it still stirred in her belly.

She had no choice but to narrow her focus to Redd then, especially when her sister rushed her. Masquerade sucked in a breath of surprise, then braced herself. There was no time to counter, only defend. She thrust her uninjured shoulder toward her litter mate’s teeth, shoving Redd back. Only then did the Caru get her chance to leap.

Gray and red blurred together as the she-wolves battled for dominance, the air punctuated with gasps, grunts and snarls. Masque fought determinedly, keen to claim what was a long time coming, and if not for her wounded shoulder, perhaps she might have bested Redd.

But her sister hit that sore spot and Masquerade’s leg crumpled. Before she could right herself, Redd pressed her to the ground, relentless. Masque snarled, refusing to give up even though she could no longer stand up. The earth churned beneath her as she fought the ground game.

But she was in so much pain, she had no choice. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. Masquerade abruptly went limp beneath Redd, breathing harshly. Her eyes cut to all the faces gathered around to witness as her sister snatched the crown she had all but handed to her just half an hour ago.

Masque shakily lurched to her feet when she could. Her bad leg would not take any weight, so she held it off the ground. She limped away from her sister without looking at her. She didn’t look at anyone, keeping her eyes on the ground.

Redd was not surprised at how hard this challenge was to determine.  Masque was a powerful wolf in her own right and physically they were well matched.  She won as a result of a weakness, and while there was no shame in this, there was also no pride in seeing Masquerade limp away.  She had not wanted this outcome.  She would need to fix this sooner than later.

But first, Redd would end this here.

She approached New Snow with a peaceful demeanor, and if allowed, greeted her with a nudge and a lick to the chin.  Then her posture shifted, tail and head raising once more, as she looked at the woman with a querying rumble.  Redd had no mate, nor did any others within the rise.  She hoped her meaning was clear.  You will carry a piece of our future.  I will protect it.

She looked at Augur as well, uncertain, but with an unmasked yearning deep in her gaze.  She did not wish to lose more of their foundation, for a pack’s strength was not in its blood.  It lay in its fangs.

The display was violent and dangerous. Flashing teeth, whale-eyes, wrinkled muzzles, and snarling growls. Yet, it was their specie’s way to settle this without carnage, and so Moon Runner did not fear for Blood Spot’s life – only for her pride.

For a long moment, Moon Runner did not know who would come out on top. Both women were entering their prime. She could perceive the ripple of muscles beneath their skin. The point of their claws.

Strong, the spirit said.

Eventually, it was Blood Spot who crumpled as New Woman claimed the title of Wealda.

However, Moon Runner felt conflicted about this. She did not know New Woman, and that meant she did not trust New Woman.

Moon Runner’s tongue ran over the leather of her nose as she watched Blood Spot limp away. Then, she huddled towards Father, Mother, and offered calming signals like a low wag of her tail… but her uncertainty was clear by the way her ears splayed to the side. She glanced toward Shadow and Rolling Thunder, measuring them.

New Snow found herself surprised by the end of it all, and warmed as Blood Star approached her. New Snow could interpret the difference of the message that needed no words from Blood Star to herself, and New Snow chuffed amicably. There had been worry that she would need to go again, and as she looked to the departing Caru she wondered if perhaps she still ought to. 

The previous ones may have been accepted, but how would the Caru receive the one that would come from her this year?

She dipped her head toward Blood Star, accepting the girl-turned-woman as Wealda. Her own tail swayed happily to dispel any of her own worries and tension, and as her daughter approached New Snow too moved to kiss the chin of the Wealda. 

For now, all was well; she was proud of Blood Star, and hoped that she and Bloodspot would have nothing ill between them. The Caru had always been a great help to her, and New Snow did not forget it. 

To Mountain Boulder did she look next, expression warmer.