Porcupine Ridge they call holidays an option for a reason,

the world was going to shit, and caiaphas with it.

twice now she had nearly turned into a grease-spot beneath the sudden upending of a pine tree, and once even, had nearly walked right into a deadfall suspended over a fresh-laid scar in the ground. she was losing her touch, her sharpness -- more than once she had been unpleasantly surprised to catch a pair of eyes watching her.. eyes of which she would have easily detected the owners of, not so long ago.

she was hungry and in a pisspoor mood as she made her way from the collapsed moraine. it was frustrating going, and her inner compass screamed that it was all wrong -- that she should head north, not west.. but caiaphas had seen the destruction laid waste to the moraine and the prairie beyond it, and that corridor of safe passage was closed forever.

she could not decide which was worse; death by humiliating starvation, or being wiped off the map by a barely sentient tree. her energy stores were nigh depleted, and if death was coming for her, caiaphas hope it came on smooth wings -- for it was beginning to be a bumpy ride.

Why he was going up into the mountains, he didn't know. Perhaps he was tracking prey that seemed to be scarcer than ever, these days, what with all the rumbling. Perhaps he was seeking out the Diasporans, hoping that they were okay in the wake of what seemed like a shitshow there. But mostly, Vercingetorix's human is an impulsive ho and couldn't resist stealing this thread oh-so-close to Kaistleoki.

So -- up he went.

Fortunately, he did find the trail of a wayward mountain goat, cut off from its comrades at some point. He began to track it, stomach already rumbling. He was starving, and most if not all of the kill would go to the kids, anyway -- his own first, and then Speedy's if there was any left. Perhaps he could pick up a snack on the way back.

And then the smell hit him. Smell, and then sight. . .oh, my, oh, my, what a sight. Blackhead lookin' like shit.

This wasn't just a snack, he thought, as he began to prowl down the path toward the old crone. This was a whole goddamn feast.

insert scream emoji

as if things were not shaky enough; another rough beast raised his wicked head, prowling towards caiaphas as if he were the harbinger of all her recent misfortune.

and maybe he was.

caiaphas had not immediately detected him, for her attention had been stolen by the scant scent of musty goat, causing a formidable rumble in her belly that rivaled even the tremors below. caiaphas stilled, a jagged formation of fur rising along her spine. to come across her old enemy in foreign territory was perhaps the gravest misfortune caiaphas had yet to encounter; she would have to be wary, and sharper than ever.

canting her muzzle in a sidelong gesture, caiaphas focused her yellow gaze on the male. he was in better shape than she, she realized with some dismay. hello, comrade. the siren chirruped in a honeyed voice, just as sweet as a poisoned honeypot. come to finish the job you started?

*types whilst falling asleep on phone screen*

Man, she really didn't know how to shut the fuck up, did she? He supposed it was endearing, in a way. Made them kindred spirits. Verx might have taken kinder to her sarcasm had she not once turned his throat into hamburger meat.

Oh, yeah, and the infanticide thing.

Looks like other folks are doing my job for me, he clapped back, sneering. She really did look awful. Age was beginning to take its toll, as were injuries -- had she ever returned to Rusalka? Or had she been out here this whole time?

He raised his brows in wry query, continuing to travel down the path toward her at a even, gliding walk. Panther-esque. You deserve everything you've gotten, you know, Verx remarked. That Easthollow pup the first kid you've killed? It looked like you might have some experience with that.

His stomach twisted. He'd never unsee it, and would die of shock to know that the child still lived on.

she did not like the way vercingetorix walked towards her. it was calculated; a basilisk’s prowl — and she knew better than to trust his advancement as anything other than a threat.

all the same she stayed her ground. if this was to be her final stand, so be it — she had a wicked run, and if she was just lucky enough, perhaps she could take one last dragedan out with her before the earth crumbled in on itself.

long ago caiaphas had grown immune to insults, particularly when issued from the tongue of a male. vercingetorix’s words did little to sway her, for she suspected he was simply doing what he had always done — verbally searching for some tender spot in which to rile her up enough she would commit some godawful mistake. watching him approach, caiaphas was reminded of vlad and how once, they had endured a stand-off too. truthfully, caiaphas had not expected to survive.. yet here she was, still breathing — while vlad had fucked off to some distant reach (likely hell).


vercingetorix shared not a single positive trait of vlad’s, save he too had left her to die in the end.

men, right? caiaphas had only wished she had trusted her gut that many moons ago, and told illidan he was wrong to trust the snake disguised as a friend.

and did you get what you deserve? caiaphas returned in an even tone, unashamed of her life’s course. she thought vercingetorix deserved far worse than the blemish she had bestowed upon him. his pack had caused rusalka tremendous grief  — and had even killed one of her own. for that, she believed vercingetorix deserved a life of endless torment, with no reprieve.

if only she knew he had done far worse. if only she knew he had turned on her son, the only wolf willing to vouch for him.. then she might not have received this traitor so coolly; then she might have pointed out he was natrona not to one, but two packs that dared entrust him.

despite all her iniquities, caiaphas would die proud and unashamed. many had been crushed by her wheel; some deserving, and some not — but the wheel had never discriminated, for that wheel was driven by one sole focus; crazy, unhinged, batshit-insane love.

she would never regret the harm she had inflicted in the name of love. easthollow had hurt her family, drageda had hurt her family — in the end, they all would pay (and they all had in some small measure). easthollow knew now the sting of an undeserving child’s death.. and drageda had tumbled into a sea of nonexistence. that was caiaphas’ vow; to end those that would see fit to end her own. at least as long as caiaphas drew breath, the enemies of her children would always walk with a red target on their back.

she did not answer his second query, for caiaphas thought it evident enough and indicated so with a shrug of her thin shoulders. vercingetorix had her pegged all wrong.. not that she would waste time explaining or justifying for the likes of him. caiaphas did not love to kill — she killed for love. were there any mother more steadfast in her worship of her children, caiaphas had never witnessed it; for even if she was displaced now, she had done it all in the name of blood — and would keep on her scarlet path until death, or reckoning... whichever came first.

She didn't balk. He drew to a halt a few lengths away, lifting his chin so that the differences between their respective heights were even more pronounced. His eyes were playful, mocking -- at least until she spoke. They hardened and froze quite quickly when she questioned him.

He wasn't thinking about Rusalka. In Verx's mind, everything he'd done to and with them had been justified. Caiaphas had unknowingly struck a nerve because the most massive fuck-up of his life had been letting his son fall into harm's way, and --

No, Vercingetorix said shortly, frowning. No pain beyond death will be what I deserve. Probably hella cryptic to Blackhead, but crystal clear to him. He thought of the ruddy young man, the one wolf he hated more than her. . .but then, hadn't she gone one worse? Hadn't she committed the ultimate crime, while the brute who'd taken Dragomir escaped it (though merely by chance)?

He bared his teeth, all sense of humor gone. You're a fucking baby killer, he growled, voice choked under the strain of restraining himself from ripping her to shreds without a second thought. He saw the mountain savage in her place, suddenly, and felt his jaw twitch. You deserve far worse than death.

Maybe he should give it to her. But then, would it be fair, with her in such poor shape?

casually crashes this. lmk if thats not okay! and for reference, im gonna say this is before ali reaches bcv in his own timeline

He leaves the @Kid with @Midar, unable to see any change in his condition and becoming a little restless with the situation. Having a child around makes him nervous — mostly because the boy isn't his, and he has no idea if his parents would try to rip his face off. He tries not to think about that possibility, though, so it stays stored in the same place he locks away his fears about the earth's recent trembling (which has yet to affect him in any real way bc xynien sucks).
A voice draws him from his thoughts, low and angry, and a moment later he belatedly registers the scents of others. He pauses, head whipping around until he spots the pair of wolves in the distance. He curses himself for his fogginess, realizing he recognizes one of the scents, though he can't quite recall who it is. Curiosity drives him forward with little regard for the consequences of the intrusion, and he only starts to regret his decision when he's too close to take it back.
But at least he remembers the wolf he's seeking. Oh, it's you, He says as he comes to a halt a few yards away, blinking and glancing over her emaciated figure. And... His gaze flits to her dark companion as he fully realizes the tension of the situation he's walked into. Somehow it doesn't bother him as much as it should — but maybe that's just because he's getting way too used to uncomfortable situations. Sorry, don't know you. Am I interrupting something?

editing because i didn't see alarian's reply -- sorry!!

there it was, the nuanced blow. caiaphas had always had a way of killing with her tongue -- certainly, the siren had caused more grief with a single word than she ever had inflicted by her fangs.

she did not hide that she had seen that darkened emotion, the brief slip of jaunty composure -- but if she planned to use it against him, she did not immediately indicate so. her falcon-yellow eyes rested upon the proud stag of a male, coming to rest along the ugly scar that traced his throat like a horrendous brand.

another accusation was thrown upon her; babykiller. it had no savory ring to it, but caiaphas wore the kenning proudly just the same. it was her title to brandish, her honorific imposed; if her life's events lead up to that moniker, at least it was done so in the name of her family.

she shrugged. "babies grow to become killers." not a moment hence had caiaphas spent, pining the loss of the babe she had allegedly killed. she hoped that fucker hurt -- she hoped valette looked upon her dead cub's face, saw nothing but lifelessness pool within those innocent yet pained baby-blues, and knew every form of inhumane torment and grief there was --

and it would still never be enough.

it would not bring back kierkegaard. it would not return rhakios to her side. nor would it change ephraim, and the harrowing course his life had taken away from her.

it would change nothing, but caiaphas knew how cruelly the loss of a child sorrowed a mother..

and that was almost just enough.

"i kill for my family. something makes me believe you would -- or have -- done the same." it was a simple kind of dogma, and caiaphas followed it unerringly.

in the back of her mind, the siren queen wondered how long this dialogue would take. how long before vercingetorix advanced more than just pointed words towards her? how long, until she disunited the smug bastard's larynx from his throat, silenced that endless and insufferable clap, and then closed her own hawkbit eyes forever?

shifting her weight and lifting her chin (ignoring too, the pronounced difference in height between them) caiaphas spoke lowly yet evenly. "if you are going to kill me, get on with it.. i have friends i look forward to seeing on the other side."

no sooner had she spoken, a sound of pines and twigs snapped underfoot. caiaphas registered the interruption with a flick of her torn ear, but was loathe to remove her gaze from vercingetorix. in that moment, the tension seemed nearly unbreakable -- and for some strange reason caiaphas felt as long as she was holding the dragedan within her sights, he would not easily overcome her.

the scent that pervaded the still air was one only faintly recognizable; after several seconds, caiaphas realized it was the male that had accompanied rusalka not so long ago. now, the tables seemed turned -- or at least, she was not guaranteed death tonight. it did not make her any less alert, for caiaphas believed any moment some catastrophic event might happen and flip the balance wildly. luck often despised giving her much of a break.. yet here it was, incredibly -- arriving at an hour most dire . "what a reunion." the sylph quipped, still focusing her lambent gaze on vercingetorix. "allow me to introduce you to vercingetorix.. the man that kindly gave me all my scars."

No shit, he responded nastily, rolling his eyes. She didn't have to explain to him how fucking nature worked. The fact that she was so blasé, so fucking chill about the horrible thing she'd done -- God, he'd done bad shit, but not THAT!

Her explanation brought a flabbergasted snort from his flared nares, his eyes widening. Even when she made the jab about killing her, he had nothing but words in this moment. Nothing but incredulity.

"-- interrupting something?" He didn't hear it. Didn't smell a thing in his rage.

That kid didn't do SHIT to your family! Vercingetorix hollered back, voice beginning to rasp in earnest. You don't think I know what it's like to hurt?! I saw my own child at the edge of fucking death because of a monster like you! FUCK YOU --

"-- interrupting something?" The words finally registered. He whirled on the small man, snarling and unwittingly leaving himself vulnerable to attack.

Are you INTERRUPTING SOMETHING?! Fucking read the scene, bro! Verx turned back to Caiaphas, having missed her snide retort, blood in his eye.

It's a lot to take in. The situation goes from tense to Alarian realizing he might be about to witness murder in about three seconds, and it takes another five or so for him to fully comprehend it. The introduction had been slightly amusing, given he isn't even on a first-name basis with the woman who'd offered it, but there is little time to dwell on it. He can only blink when the man — Vercingetorix, he reminds himself — turns to snarl at him, frozen until the other turns away. After a moment, he takes a step back, glancing to the woman again.
Well — He starts, but something cuts him off. His hackles rise, spine prickling, and dread fills him in the half-beat of silence before the ground starts to shake. The rumble fills his ears, and his heart leaps into his throat as he takes another shaky step back, strangers forgotten as the earth trembles fiercely under their feet. He recognizes the sound, but the shaking is new — and absolutely terrifying. His legs almost collapse beneath him, but he fights stubbornly to keep his balance, hearing little now but the rush of blood in his ears and the rumbling around them. He tries not to look at the mountains, afraid of making himself nauseous with fear. It seems to last forever, and through it all, he can only form one coherent thought: what the fuck?

indeed, it seemed an awful lot to take in. caiaphas absorbed the news of an attack on vercingetorix’s child with flat eyes, unphased by his volatile (yet at this point, rather characteristic) outburst. it seemed she was not his only enemy — inwardly, she smiled to hear that someone else would be willing to do her dirty work. 

for caiaphas had not forgotten, vercingetorix had yet to feel the cold blade of her vengeance. she would come for him and his someday, if she lived long enough; that much was certain. 

vercingetorix lunged, exposing his flank. it was tempting, but caiaphas remained rooted to her spot. she was in no position to incite violence, even if the cards were in her favor. as tantalizing as it seemed to rip into the dragedan exactly how he deserved, caiaphas had darker designs for revenge. 

curious how the scarred yet familiar wolf had taken vercingetorix’s roaring tantrum, caiaphas turned to him and regarded him with cool composure. he was about to speak when the first rumbling of dissent came beneath them; caiaphas braced, feeling a rippling retort thunderously roar underneath them. 

the cataclysm was followed by distant shattering and a hollow, repetitive boom — caiaphas recognized it as the growl of a landslide. her fur was at ends as she collected herself from her braced stance, her eyes flashing with alarm that did not quite reach her voice. sounds like you’ve made many enemies, then. her noncommittal reply was followed by a cold shrug. i did what was right for my family. no use attempting to defend herself further, she thought.

He wasn't sure why Alarian left the kid with him. Midar was opposed to taking it on in the first place; why should he care about some pup that didn't belong to him? It looked like it was going to die anyway, which he had often pointed out. So why were they wasting time and resources on it? With that in mind, he had left the useless lump in search of something he did care about, once again irritated that his mate had disappeared.

But his trail was easy enough to find, and he followed it to a precarious-looking ridge. He made his way through the rocky peaks, now lead by the sound of voices as well. He felt the tension immediately as he appeared on the scene, and he prowled to his husband's side protectively just as the ground began to shake. He stumbled a little, but he refused to stop moving before he reached Alarian. The cracking and rumbling in the distance that followed the quaking,  made his ears flatten and his temper flare. He glared down at his mate. Why did you come here? he growled, also forgetting their company in the heat of the moment. Was he trying to die? 

Caiaphas's words briefly pulled his attention, and he realized then that he recognized her even in her sickly state. The other man, he didn't know; he seemed on the edge of exploding though, and Midar wondered what the hell Alarian was even doing here in the middle of something that didn't appear to pertain to them even slightly.

As if things couldn't get more fucked (and with the appearance of a second man, fucked indeed they were), the ground beneath his paws began to tremble. And tremble a lot. Verx held steady, rooting himself in place, but a new sensation washed over him -- dread. He thought of Blodreina, crushed by rocks. The kids had already lost their mother, basically. They couldn't lose him, too!

It subsided, only for Caiaphas to fire another shot his way. He bristled even more, nearly drooling with the ferocity of his snarl. Nomajoka, Verx spat, losing the common tongue in his rage. I'll fucking rip your heart out, you soulless cunt.

He was preparing himself for a lunge, the other pair of wolves forgotten, when more rumbling broke out. More intense, this time. He heard a loud crack above, and raised his eyes to see rocks ranging in size from puny to substantial beginning to roll their way down the slope, some of them smashing into trees in their wake. Certain doom, for all who stood here.

Verx looked at Caiaphas, thinking this some sort of cosmic comeuppance. He wasn't going to fall to the same fate as Blodreina, anyway.

And then he pivoted abruptly, and did something Vercingetorix had never done before in his life:

He began to run away.

more troublesome then than vercingetorix's fit-to-burst rage, was a thunderous crack above. caiaphas' gaze traveled skyward, where stone had become unhinged from mountain.

she had little time for rebuke, for a secondary noise rose from the mountains above; the throaty grumble of stone grinding to wood, crashing, turning -- coming closer and closer.

vercingetorix had already fled -- caiaphas braced her frame and turned to the duo, wondering which was more fateful: their arrival, or the stone that howled behind them. "we best follow suit." the crone suggested, already moving on thin limbs away from what was about to become a valley visited by a rockslide.

slight pp to close, skipping with permisson <3