Wolf RPG

Manauia needed to speak with her queen's sister.

It was a driving desire and one that led her to track down the woman shortly after their founding call.  Thoughts had been building since first she sought out Tyrr, and one opinion was slowly becoming more and more prevalent.  It was a view that went against all they sought to do here, and one that she needed to get off her chest before she went any further.

She doubted much credence would be given to her words, but the fact that they made such resounding sense to her made her wonder.  She realized what she was about to say was nigh on treason, but she did not fear bringing the words forth.  Any reaction she brought forth would be unavoidable, as she could not hide how she felt, no matter how badly it might turn out.

Tracking her superior through the ridge, she attempted to pin down her location, hoping to approach and share words.

Citali's brief interlude with a loner just outside the borders after their claiming howl left her confuddled. What to do... What to do... She stormed back up the ridge and decided she'd be better off letting fate cling to her as she awaited further orders from Xiuhcoatl or grew too impatient and made up her own mind about things. For now... Frostfire Ridge was her home, but she doubted it's permanency if only because she was certain none of this was what the Queen had in mind when they'd sent them all off to find her son.

Then again, Citali was wondering if the queen was off her rocker to begin with since this precious son of hers was, in fact, a son (aka: male) and therefore worthless. That they'd even be tasked with something as a "high honor" to serve someone such as he had her wondering if she'd fucked up royally somewhere down the line to have been cursed to such a fate.

She huffed, brooding as she climbed the slopes and approached the area where she'd heard Manauia call earlier. If she was still chatting with Xuih, she wanted in on it. She needed to speak with the Queen's sister just as much as any of the other amazon women who'd landed here. What she found, was Mana by herself. Not quite the same, but whatever.

"She didn't show?" Citali asked, moving into the scene. "I expected more from her..."

She was left waiting, unable to find the diplomatic queen anywhere. She would have liked to have spoken with her first, but when Citali approached, she knew they should discuss as well. It affected her greatly as well, though she knew Citali's views were true Amazonian, as her own. Noctli was another matter... She loved the girl, but definitely wondered sometimes. She didn't know how much her sister guard differed though, as she hadn't been around her much in this strange place.

"Doubtless she's busy elsewhere." She sighed. It was the only explanation, as she doubted any distraction save an important one would keep her away from a summons from one of her Amazons. "I'll still need to catch her but... Cita, I've been thinking." The use of nicknames wasn't something she tended towards as often as the other two, but in some instances it felt right.

"I think we should let Tezca.... 'Tyrr?'.... remain. He is right about one thing, the Rise should never have a king. Least of all a king who fears his own ghosts and refuses to face who he is. I would not follow him, nor would any of the others." Since coming here she hadn't let that false name cross her lips, and it felt odd upon them. If that was strange, she knew the treason she'd speak now would be doubly so. Yet it needed to be said.

"Quetzacoatl is too blinded by love for her son to see it, and I think, without intending to, she would allow him to destroy us. We can't let that happen." She watched for the other's reaction to this opinion. "I want to leave him where he is. Well away from our home, where he would be elevated to a place he does not deserve. At least here his title means nothing."

She joined her amazon sister and the conversation was immediate. No hesitations, just a quick launch into what needed to be discussed. She liked that. It meant they would spend less time with casual conversation and more time saying what needed to be said. There were words, lots of them, that needed to fill the air.

Citali snorted. She couldn't imagine what Xuih would possibly entertain herself with out here. This place was an absolute nightmare and she hated it. She imagined the rest of them shared her sentiment if only because they'd come from everything only to find themselves in the clenches of what felt like poverty. There were times when she wondered what she must have done to find herself in a position this low.

As Manauia continued, she turned her ears and listened carefully. She was soft spoken and cautious in her words. It was almost as if she'd been considering these things, but to shy to speak of them until now. Citali? She'd been very very outspoken about her opinion of all that was going on. It was no secret how she felt about their present situation.

"He can call himself whatever he wants and it won't mean anything anywhere. The guy's an ass." The fact that he was a male was proof enough of his incompetency. "And an idiot." She wasn't about to beat around the bush. She did not approve of his rule, nor of this false impression of a pack. Citali had zero respect for the wolf who called himself a king. This was a mockery of a monarchy and they were merely entertaining his dreams at the expense of their own.

"Our mission was to find Tezcacoatl and bring him home. That wolf?" she said, reasoning out loud. "He may look like Tezcacoatl, but he is not the wolf we were meant to bring back. Tezcacoatl is dead. That wolf killed him. Mission accomplished. All that's left is to report back and inform the Queen that in the process of running away, her son met his demise." End of story.

She glanced towards her amazon sister and gazed upon her for a moment. "You should head back and tell her. Noctli and I would only slow you down. You'll do better to run ahead."

Not only did Citali agree with her thoughts... She did one further, and made the exact same suggestion that Manauia intended to ask. She would return, tell Quetzcacoatl of her son's fate. She knew the way and her return would be swiftest.

She did not agree that the prince they had come to seek was dead... But he was changed, and his place was no longer with them. If it ever really was to begin with no longer mattered. She could not look to Tyrr as a leader in the respect of Kingship, but she could not speak of him as Citali did either. He was still his mother's son, and she had grown to regard him with at least some affection for what it was worth. She would break the news to her Queen as best she could and hope the woman understood. Not of her son's death - but of his new life. She had to know on some level her son would never - could never - lead. It would have been foolish to hope.

Better that he rule in a land of outsiders, where such a thing was acceptable and he could do no harm to the things she held dear.

"I will go." She would speak to Tyrr first, inform him of her purpose and why she would be departing. This would not be a request, but a courtesy only. "And return as soon as I can. I won't leave you here longer than necessary." She tipped her ears back somewhat apologetically at the thought of them being forced to remain, but it was for the best.

Whether they agreed with her strong opinions of the matter or not was not what mattered. What mattered here, was that they were in agreement that this wolf, this Tyrr or whatever he decided to call himself, was not suited for the Rise. Citali didn't want him anywhere close. The wolves there did not need to see the Queen soften further and weaken the will of their fellow females. Their culture was outstanding and sound. It did not need further upheaval.

Still, Citali doubted whether or not it would be worth her eventual return. If the Queen was already losing herself to her doting memory of a son, she was uncertain as to how long the Rise would last before it crumbled beneath such radical ideals. That, and it didn't help that she was a terrible traveller. She and Nochtli both had taken forever in finding this place. Even with Manauia's guidance, she was uncertain as to whether she had the will or desire to make it back.

Even so... "I will not be here when you return," she spoke, admitting her thoughts out loud. "I can not live beneath a male." Better a lone wolf than to humiliate herself further. "And these lands are insufferable." She hated this place. Truthfully. In her roaming she'd seen far better locations. That he chose this Ridge was just further proof to her of his inadequacy.

"What of you? Will you continue to support him?" She'd been here the longest. So long that she'd perhaps forgotten their ideals and their vision of what society was supposed to look like.

She looked at Citali sharply when she said she would not be here, not quite understanding. Manauia would not be returning for good either. She intended to make things right and, if forgiveness was given, to return home. She knew she could prove herself again, and soon the scorn of this failure would be nothing but a memory.

"No. I will go home. It's all I've wanted these past months. This place has nothing for me." Briefly she remembered Tyrr's request, that she remain and advise, but she pushed any guilt away. He would be better off with those who wished to be here, not those who longed every day for a life they no longer were able to have.

"where will you go?". She looked once more at Citali, intent. Had she and Nochtli really given up all hope of going back? The Rise was their place, and Quetzcacoatl their queen. She still held Manauia's loyalty at least, even with her strange and destructive feelings about her son. She was a good woman, and a good ruler. Unless she turned her away, Manauia would not abandon her.

It was nice to hear another wolf share in her sentiment. This place... it was not for them. They'd helped a wolf they once knew accomplish his dream and now it was up to him to keep it. Citali could not continue to linger here. Her job was to bring a wolf home. That wolf was long gone. There was nothing to bring back save for a report of their failure. She did not envy Manauia that role. The wrath of the queen could be a terrible thing, but hopefully time had lessened her affections for her son. She grinned. Maybe now the queen had a daughter she could dote upon instead.

She cast her daydreams aside. The present conversation was where she was required. "I'm not sure," she admitted. Citali knew her ideals and vision for herself was a tough sell. Her expectations were high and she was a very difficult wolf to please. "Search for a strong female who leads in these parts perhaps," she said, thinking whimsical thoughts out loud. "Some female who won't forget herself to emotions or romance or other impractical things." It would help if she was old enough to have a bit of wisdom in her. She was tired of these young wolves... or even older wolves who acted as though they were still children.

Truth was, Citali was uncertain as to whether or not she'd be able to find her way back to the Rise. Her sense of direction was not so good, which was a large part of why she and Noctli had taken so long in tracking Tezcacoatl, no, whatever he wished to call himself. They'd found some wolf. It wasn't truthfully who they were looking for, but she imagined this land presented itself with some form of opportunity. "Perhaps I'll open up a clinic. A school or something. The healers in these parts are terrible at best. No doubt they do more harm than good."

If she was sure.... her ears tipped back, but she did not argue. Her plan had been to return, to bring word of her success with the Queen. If she was able to gain a pardon, she would have sought out the other two, that they could return. And even if at this time they saw no return, she knew she still would. She could not in good faith abandon them to this land.

"No doubt," she agreed, approving of that idea. Just because these wolves did not have the Rise's strength did not mean that some knowledge couldn't be shared for betterment. I would also help the healer to perhaps learn more of this foreign soil that seemed to infuriate her so. "I have not heard of such a wolf..." Her mind went briefly to the only female leader she did know of - Scarlett - and the image of Citali submitting to her was so comical she could barely contain a laugh. "Perhaps to the south there are more." She had not traveled near many pack lands, not wishing to mingle with the locals.

Then she stepped forward, giving the healer a quick touch of affection with her muzzle. "Wherever you go, run with grace, sister. With luck I'll see you again when this is done." She would come back, hopefully with news of a home that was once again theirs. And if the Queen refused, well... she wasn't sure what would follow then, but that could be a worry for future times.

It was... a wish that would likely go unfulfilled. Her expectations for what she desired to find in a true Amazon Queen was something she'd have difficulty finding. She knew it. There were few females in this world who could cast their affections aside and focus on true leadership in any wilds. Those who did were worthy of being followed. Show her a female with a strong sense of leadership, diplomacy and  an unwillingness to yield to a male and she'd be content to follow. It was... a rather specific request, but she hoped to one day find someone who met the requirements.

Citali caught the twitch of humor upon the wolf's lips and echoed it herself. "Perhaps it is too much to dream," she said, knowing of the difficulties she'd have in finding what she desired for herself. Manauia didn't know of any such female and she'd been here longer. Perhaps there was someone younger and aspiring who she could groom into becoming the wolf she so desired. Or... If Manauia was traveling home... "Maybe the Queen has had more children since then. Bring back a princess for us and we can extend the realm of the Rise to these wilds."

She returned her sister's gesture of affection, nuzzling her cheek in good faith. Her journey would be long, but a necessary one. "May the winds be ever in your favor," she replied, nodding as she too wished her sister a safe future. "Be swift of foot and wise in words. No doubt the Queen will pardon us." Again, possibly wishful thinking, but it never hurt to hope for the best. "I wish you luck." Citali gently nudged the female again. She would do well with the delivery of this news. Now Citali need only to inform Nochtli and see what Xuih was up to.

-fade thread?-

Perhaps... the younger princesses might relish such a chance to rule and the Queen might enjoy the opportunity to branch out, though whether or not these lands had real merit was unknown to her. She would report with honesty and allow her ruler to decide.

With a final nod of farewell Manauia set off in the other direction, knowing she would need to find Tezcacoatl first and inform him of her intentions. Once that was done, she would depart, for Quetzalcoatl had been kept waiting long enough. This matter needed to be laid to rest and she would do so swiftly, but with as much tact as she could muster.

Hopefully, she would need no luck. But she accepted the well wishes gladly, for very rarely did things go according to expectation.