Redtail Rise And it seems such a waste of time

She returned a day after her voyage, confident that it had been a worthwhile investment of her time. She perused the border along the swamp, making sure that the sow bear and her twin cubs hadn't chosen to revisit their borders, and felt satisfied that they might not return anytime soon now that they were aware they were not welcome. With a half-digested meal in her gut, she turned then for the inner packlands, hoping to scout out @Avicus and regurgitate a small meal for the kids while she was at it. 

She was keen to know how Avicus might deal with the news that she brought with her, so she might learn what it was that her Wealda would choose to do. While part of her hungered for conflict, she saw profit in peace, as well.

Lilia is a quandary to Avicus. she loves the girl, but it's at a level beneath that of her own offspring—but with Redd's standoffishness and Masque's calling to care, it seems Lilia has surged ahead of them in terms of duties and activity. 

perhaps a match can be arranged. . .Lilia and Relic. . .

speak of the devil. she spots the dark-hued girl ahead and chuffs at her, tail flagging as she approaches the Bjern with a pleasant look.

how ih' going? Avicus asks, standing at the edge of the rendezvous—while keeping her children in her periphery. Reki is here, too, looking after them, but they're becoming boisterous enough that it's all hands on deck to keep them corralled.

Lilia was glad to see Avicus up and about again; it shows in her bowed posture, and in the sweep of her tail from left to right. She rumbled an affectionate greeting, before quieting the note and lifting her head to attention. She nodded, and smiled. "I got newth," She said, and then glanced fleetingly toward the kids, who prompt another smile from her. "An' a belly fulla wabbit fuh them," She said, in a quieter voice, so she might not draw too much attention from them just yet. She figured she ought to spill the beans before tossing her cookies. 

She was eager to report, and to prove herself much in the way she had done since joining the pack. Making herself worthy of praise and promotion had been her focus for so long, that it had finally begun to feel almost tangible- especially when none had stepped forward to challenge her. But in light of it all, she still cared deeply for her packmates, including the one before her now. "Yuh feelin' better now, yeah?" She asked, hopefully.

Avicus regards Lilia's news and blessing, and nods, canting her head deep and inviting her nearest the rendezvous. Once Lilia's given her meat, Avicus will wait, 

Ears pricked for the girl's news.

She's out of the loop, and cants her head again, murmuring, Mmhm, the brief vocalization illustrating her willingness to lead.

But there's more, and Avicus straightens, waiting.

Drawing nearer, Lilia caught sight of two of the kids- Pupper and Fifth- both dark children who clamoured for a moment as she lowered her head and spilled the contents of her stomach onto the ground. She chuckled as they growled and supped, licking her lips free of any residue before she turned back to Avicus again. She heaved a sigh, redirecting her muzzle so the Wealda might not have to suffer the sourness of her breath. 

"Well, a couple-a thingth," She said. "Fiwtht off, there've been a couple-a trethpathuth. Augur an' I mothtly been keepin' on top of it, but they're kinda bolder'n I thought they'd be. Thtealin' food, in the Thpringtime, middle of the day," She said, through gritted teeth. She shook her head. "Didn't think they'd be tho dethperate. Might mean thingth're lean, out in the wildth." She hated the idea that there might be a prey shortage; she knew the keen sting of starvation, and never wanted to feel it again. 

"Altho, there'th a new pack formin' up in the mountainth, juth't where the funny-shaped mountain ith, the one with no peak." After all, she had no word for volcano and likely would have been mortified to know what exactly it was. "Leaduth nameth are Void an' Meylodi. Pack'th name'th 'Midnight Thcaw,'" She said, desperately trying to hide any trace of skepticism. The name was a bit dramatic, she thought. "There'th thickth in the pack, she thaid. She'th altho very pregnant, for the firtht time...She'th athked if we have anyone to thpare to give her a checkup, help with her birth if pothible." She hadn't made any promises- though she felt Masquerade might not turn down the opportunity to help where she could. That much was for Avicus to decide. 

She straightened slightly. Oblivious to the conversation Avicus had had with Relic, she felt the topic was worth discussion. "My Dad ith gone. I wanna take ovuh for him." She said, a slight thickness creeping into her voice as her throat tightened. "I wanna be Bertherkuh. I been doin' everythin' to detherve it, an nobody challenged me when I thaid it. Augur wath there, too."

trespassers and new packs, they can deal with. the mountains are far enough away that Midnight Scar doesn't give her pause. 

it's what Lilia says next that sends ice creeping into her heart.

whatever had happened had not reached her ears. or perhaps it had, and it had slipped through—but her mind was not normally a sieve! whatever the case, a terrible miscommunication was afoot, and Avicus swallows, levelling her indigo stare at the girl while keeping her voice steady.

i have namedh Relic warlordh, she says. wha'ever 'hhallenge 'hhat occurredh, i didn' know abouhh'. buhh' the rank ihh' hihh'—i alwayhh' meanhh' ih' for him.

bomb, dropped.

things would not get easier from here.

last post from me! feel free to archive here or post again

Lilia bristled and stared hard into the ground when Avicus spoke. The selfish thought of but I won it fair and square! flashed through her mind though it felt too immature to voice out loud. She gritted her teeth. Perhaps she should have gone to Avicus the moment she moment she took her role back- but she couldn’t bend time. 

There was only one thing to do. 

She could see why Wealda had chosen him. Relic was fierce- and he was also her son. She fumed to think that she might not be thought of as family, too- but no matter how much blood she spilled on the borders, it would not change hers. 

She did not want to go against Avicus’ decision, but the way in which Relic had simply been handed the rank bothered her. Augur had implied that Berserkr should be fought for- and she had seen that none of the others had wanted to oppose her. They had all accepted her.

Avicus hadn’t seen it’d, though. If she had, things might have been different. But there was no changing the past now. 

Once their conversation had ended, she touched her muzzle to Wealda’s jaw gently, hoping she might be forgiven for her dying need to prove herself- and went off to think. 

<3