Blackfeather Woods You'll marry Ser Loras

the title came from GoT I was trying to come up a title and this line came up lol

The pups were still in the Spiderlings' Glen now as their mother was away. It was the safest place for him to protect her children, and he roomed outdoors when the weathers suited outdoor living. The man bothered them little — he was no father, not after what happened to his son. He was simply a protector. He fed them and kept them warm and safe.

But there was one other thing he could do for them, and that was train them to fight. His nose pushed through the lichens and moss to glare over the pups tucked within. @Kotake was gone, presumably somewhere off in the Woods, exploring. @Ganondorf was sleeping, his body widely splayed through the den. That left @Vaati, the platinum and sand pup who he knew little of. His parentage, like the rest, was a mystery to him, but that did not dissaude him from waking the pup, intent on sparring with him in the Glen.

mind if we present date this? :D

He does not know his Uncle, either of them. They have shown very little interest in becoming a person of value to him, emotionally; however, he recognizes the value of having the two on his side, politically. They have significant sway on what goes on within the dark woods, and Vaati must utilize it for all its worth. If he wishes to solidify his claim to Blackfeather Woods over others, connections must be made, bridges built. He must garner trust, trust that he will not return, but trust nonetheless; Clavicus's personal Web of Lies. It is the very reason that draws him to rise in the presence of his uncle as the intruding nose barges its way into his consious. With a bit of a stretch, he drags himself out of slumber to face the executioner, a resolute glare settled on his eyes.

*great/grand uncle?? Miraak is Potema's uncle. Once you get above one level you're done omg. And yeah, sure! Go ahead!

The boy shifts, and that is enough for him. His head ducks away from Potema's domain, knowing how protective women were of their children, even when they were as old as Potema's brood. He waits for the child out in the Glen, watching the steady trickle of the small waterfall as time passes. When the boy comes out, he turns to him, and gestures for him. Follow me, He commands, before ascending the slopes and heading off to the nearest clearing.

LMAO true xD

The man beckons him to follow, leading him towards a desitination that is unknown to him. It is not so much as to where they are going that sparks his curiosity, but why. "Why?" He asks in a way that reveals he did not expect the man to tell, and he does not expect him to answer. Miraak is strange to him, but Vaati knows he is a powerhouse of experiance and education; it only boosts his spirit that the man had chosen him to call upon.

He is not followed blindly. The young boy calls after him, his voice impertinent in its childlike way. Miraak turns but for a moment. You'll see, He responses simply, continuing on his path. The boy would learn what Miraak had intended soon enough and not before. Surprise was a large part of the old man's training regiments. There was little certainty in life, and he made sure that his students learned that before they set out into the world rather than after.

Silently, he follows; content with the two-worded answer he recieves. Miraak is correct, he does not follow blindly. He walks alone, or he follows with caution. The judgement of others is not one he relies on, for it is the idea that he must survive on the decision of another that pushes him away from doing so. Mistrust or simple self-preservation... even Vaati himself does not know. He follows this time with a trusting caution, ears flickering ever so often, alert at the highest degree. What exactly he is being cautious of, is left to his imagination.

He takes them to the open field of the Redgrove, far from Meldresi's skull, but still within the red leaves and flowers. He trots fast as they approach, losing Vaati as soon as he can. He'll double back and try to surprise the boy if he isn't already aware of his plot.

The slayer walks faster, suspiciously faster, seemingly attempting to shake Vaati from his trail. But Vaati is no fool to follow blindly when such suspicions arise; he slows to a stop as Miraak vanishes under the cover of the dark forest. But the feeling of eyes upon him does not sate, even as his presence stands alone. The entirety of his body tenses, ears twitching ever so often as they seek out any audible sign that his uncle lurks nearby. It is a challenge, one he is ready to take on, one that he excells in. The snap of branches and crunch of depris under the paws of another circling by, the movement of the wind pushing forth the familiar scent is a dead giveaway, but exactly what his uncle plans to do remains unknown. Pivoting to face where he believes Miraak lurks, his hackles raise, stance ready for what the man has in store.

Vaati is no fool, and Miraak is glad for that. He notes the boy's suspicion with approval as he stalks through the blood stained leaves, his awareness heightened. Miraak can already feel his eyes trained on him as he moves, eventually stopping. Miraak doesn't move, keeping his breathing low as he watches, waiting for the boy.

After little while does he believe Miraak to have stopped, and so does he turn once more, facing the shadows of which he believes his uncle hides behind. And then he charges, pumping his legs through the underbrush to meet impactful contact with the man. There is no plan amongst his attack, only instinct, and he lashes out at whatever he can grasp in his claws.

Miraak is surprised that Vaati locates him so quickly, but even so the boy's attack has no thought or planning, and Miraak can exploit it. He moves as quickly as he can at the last second, leaving a paw out to trip his great-nephew's wanton attack.

His attempt is easily thwarted with a well placed flick from Miraak, sending the boy staggering to the side. Vaati is not a fighter, not yet. He does not know where to place his feet, where to move, where to hit. Growling in distaste at his own uncoordination, he glares at the man within the shadows. "Teach me!" Clavicus demands with a certian aggression that he did not intend, instantly reminding him of Kahlil's mannerisims. But Vaati is not a monster, but dedicated to train with a severity Kahlil is not associated with, in his mind. Vaati is not a child desperate to live up to the expectations of others, he will make them. Standing back, he awaits the reaction of he other.

He hears a snarl from his great-nephew, but it is directed towards the boy himself rather than Miraak. He does nothing but back away, dodging the tirade. He snorts in amusement at his roar of annoyance. I am teaching you, He smirks briefly before lunging at the boy again, aiming to pin the child down underneath him.

The boy, despite his rather impressive stature, has no idea what to do with himself as he flails relentlessly against the efforts of Miraak. He has the brawn, the size, the components to be great in the art of defensive and offensive fighting but he knows nothing of how to coordinate himself. Vaati narrows his eyes, knowing quite well the lesson his uncle is intent on teaching. "You are making a fool of me!" He roars in return, struggling under the weight of the man. It is not that he cannot physically push him off, but the older man is more crafty than that and pins him in a way he cannot escape without instruction.

Vaati struggles under him, reminding him of how Astrid and Atshen had once done the same. He barks out a laugh, letting the boy wriggle for a moment before moving. Miraak's teeth went to Vaati's neck, gently biting there, gripping the body part for a moment before releasing, his breath still close as he whispered. A dead fool, then. He rises, though still keeping his body over Vaati, shaking out his pelt. I should have started you earlier. He clicks his tongue, reprimanding himself. I'd figure you would come seek me out like Ganon did, He pointedly slips the younger brother's name in there, knowing the conflict between the boys. He figured that Vaati's hatred for Ganon would push him to train harder and reach Ganondorf's level sooner.

Miraak continues to taunt him, biting into his own rivalries and fears. It is a tactic Vaati should have expected from the elder, but it causes his hackles to raise none the less; his threat of his own weaknesses were his weakness, and he did not like others making it apparent to him. "I am not my brother, I did not share his interests," It was well and good that Ganondorf had chosen to do so long before him, he did not care. What sent a snarl through his maw was the assumption that because he had not, Vaati was in some way, lesser than his younger, smaller, feeble minded brother. Evidently incorrect of course, but nonetheless irritating. He did not appreciate the feeling of having to justify himself in front of his current tormentor; he did not like having to explain himself at all.

The tactic worked to some degree, but not enough to truly enrage the boy to the level of inspiration Miraak had wished. Perhaps before the arrival of Kahlil and Neo, but now, he had learned the game and the game was now his bitch. "But now I do, are you going to train me or continue to compare me to him?" He spits out the demand with a violent declension on the mention of his brother, more insulted that the elder should spend his time talking about that incestual idiot than focus on training Vaati himself.

No, Miraak said, raising his body from Vaati's, looking him over. You are not, There was an arrogance in Vaati that Miraak despised and wanted to break. He was right in comparing the two boys constantly; the difference between them was palpable. Ganondorf's life as the runt in the shadow of his brother humbled him and made him more determined as a result. Vaati's position as the favored child, despite his natural strength, was a weakness. Arrogance. Pride. Such things could fell him in battle.

Miraak would burn it out of him.

He lifted himself up, sitting back on his haunches. He looked Vaati over again, then again and again. He was quiet a long time, waiting to see how long it would take for Vaati to break, if he did, before Miraak spoke. Do you want to rule, Vaati?

Miraak stares, assessing, looking for points in his personality to turn on him. Perhaps he was right, his inner arrogance could have been the death of him... had he not held an astute sense of self-preservation. He knew when to shut his mouth, to play the right cards on the right side at the right time, but there were times when he chose not to. How would he learn if he didn't? This time, when Miraak poses the question of his want to rule, he looks with a certain level of amusement and says, "What do you think?" But there is no hint of arrogance but true inquiry; based on everything shown, every word exchanged, what did the old man believe the answer to be? Perhaps it was a stab at the man's own game, how two could play the same hand of cards in the right situation, and the younger, sharper mind would win. Vaati was more than ready to see the self-assurance in his own tactics burn out of the old man's eyes as he did so.

The anger that welled in his voice before faded, but the traces of it were still in his eyes. Miraak lowered himself down on his stomach, stretching his forepaws out before him. He watched Vaati's entire being as he spoke; the amusement in his eyes mixed with the anger and arrogance still remaining. He could have easily mocked the boy, but he knew it would diminish the importance of his words. I think that you want the title, the prestige that comes with ruling, He noticed it from watching the boy grow up, and someone expected it from at least one of Potema's brood. But you still do not know what ruling entails. What it demands of you, He fell silent, and watched him, wondering how he would respond. He expected a sharp retort, a bit of mocking laughter, perhaps, but Vaati could surprise him.

Miraak speaks with a sense of superiority that could match his own, one that talks of experience but with nothing to show for it. The old man's standing within the pack is mediocre, not enough to truly convince Vaati that what he speaks of prestige amongst ruling is entirely accurate. Vaati has not seen the man in a position of actual leadership and wonders what the old man could show to prove his claim. "And what do you know?" He returns with apparent disbelief, not in what ruling means to the man, but what ruling means in Blackfeather Woods.

"I know ruling demands patience, diligence and in the case of Blackfeather Woods — mercilessness," He knows quite a lot, not all, but enough to lead successfully should the task be thrust upon him. Vaati holds his gift of adaptability in high regard, for he is more than Miraak takes him for. He understands that to an outside eye, Vaati gives off an air of teenage entitlement, but he is far from in reality. He is a boy with a will to survive, and nothing more. He can be content under another's rule, and he will — but if the one he is demanded to serve under is not of his approval... that is when he gets arrogant. That is where he stands today. Miraak, like many others, has misjudged him but he does not mind. His true, conniving nature will be shown in a multitude of ways in the coming months, but casting those thoughts aside, he turns to the man once more, expecting what he assumes will be a shake of his head and a speech on the many ways in which Vaati is wrong.

The boy wanted to show off at every turn, but Miraak knows that a Dark Brotherhood, or any group under him was bound to fail. He listens to him as he lists the qualities of a leader. He is right, true, but Miraak knows that there is more than just those things. He says nothing about it however. Instead, he shrugs, saying — Let's see how far that takes you, — and staying there, content on letting the boy just linger there until he makes up his mind for his next decision: spar, or leave.

He is tired of Miraak's remarks, his attitude and false pretense of who Vaati is. The condescending tone the elder carries speaks volumes of his own immaturity, choosing to believe that just because he is old he is right. It irritates the boy to the point where he paces once, shaking away the feeling of the hairs on his back standing on end simply because of the wave of disrespect he feels for the old man, as the amount of disrespect he had been shown in return. "I believe we are done here," He states sourly, and walks away without sparing another glance to the man who dared to accuse him of being wrong, for simply being young. Vaati was capable beyond what Miraak chose to see; regardless of the many years of his life and the experience of his career, Vaati realizes that one does not simply gain wisdom by what you've done and seen. It is also the ability to look beyond your own faults and see the truth, that of which, Miraak could not. The old man was not as wise as he thought, after all, if he chose to believe that by being correct was an outward display of simply being boastful, Vaati had nothing more to learn from him at that time.