Blackfeather Woods dreamers

he's looking for @Potema but anyone is welcome! :D prefer quick replies considering the looming plots this ties into, as it will get outdated quickly otherwise.

Charon wasn't sure why he had let himself be seduced into going to the Woods again. Vaati did not like him, and Potema was his mother... But he also had daughters here and Potema was still his friend — it felt wrong to leave her to her devices and let her be slaughtered for the sins of her son. His breath fogged up in the cold air as he arrived at the ominous borders of Blackfeather Woods and a shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the horrible things that must pass here.

After a short-lived pause along the borders Charon lifted his nose to howl for Potema, requesting her presence. He would see if it would draw any other unwanted presence, and if Potema was able to visit at all. She must've had her pups by now. He should tell her to get them somewhere safely. Moonspear, he thought, but it would be like playing with fire. Amekaze must never find out what happened, even though he was sure he could lie his way out of it like he had with Althaia. It was their words against his, and who would listen to a filthy Blackfeather wolf? Not that he thought that way about Potema, but he knew others did. It made things the slightest bit easier. Thinking of the situation gave him a mixture of anger, resentment and a reminder of the soft spot he held for Potema, his childhood friend. He didn't know why he cared so much, even after what she had done to him, after how she had lied to him. Fuck, why was he even here? He stared at the borders a moment longer, feeling the urge to turn and run crawl up to him with every passing second.

Cameo. He's just watching unless someone spots him or whatever :)

He was spending less and less time in the glen, and as his confidence in exploring the territory expanded so did the distances he travelled. He was nearing the pack borders this time when a unfamiliar howl caught his ear. He had heard strange howls before — but when he was a denizen of the glen they were so distant as to not really entice him. This time he could not resist the pull of curiosity and the chance to practice his skills, both the ones he had developed on his own and the new ones Cicero was teaching him.

The pup slunk toward the caller. He hid himself in shadows and in brush and placed each paw deliberately to avoid the crack of dry twigs and other noisy detritus. He kept himself low and his his pace slow, further steadying a gait that was already marked by ghostly smoothness. It took time for him to spy the white figure against a snowy backdrop, but when he did he slowed even more. His final approach was marked by frequent pauses to check if he had been detected and further increase the odds he would not be, by moving when the other wolf moved or while his head was turned.

What did this male want with his mother?

Euron prostrated himself in a low spot to wait and to hopefully eavesdrop.

She twitches into clearness, the fog from her mind disappaiting from the sound of Charon's voice. It startled her, both the suddenness of it and the realization of who it was. She lingers for a moment, unsure whether to move and greet him or hide away. Both had consequences that she was unwilling to face, but she does not want to risk Charon's life. If he spends too long alone at the border, with no one to vouch for him, what would become of him in the end?

Potema moves, tearing herself away from @Kjalarr's embrace, no doubt waking him up as she pulls away, staggering out into the cold snow-covered landscape. Her strength had slowly returned, the worst of her withdrawal ebbing away. It had been a painful few weeks (perhaps a moon or more now) without the bliss of the poppy, and it had showed in her body, decisated and gaunt. But she moved towards the border with a confidence that she had only reserved for searching for the blessed red flowers, now directed towards something else, something much more meaningful. The mere thought of the flower and its seeds were enough to make her salivate, though.

She had hoped to be the first to see Charon at the border, and thus hurry him along with little fuss between him and her packmates. Her hope was quickly dashed and overcome by worry as she say the small mottled pelt lurking in the grass. Leave, She hissed to the small boy. Of them all, she had hated him the most. Not because of his deformities, not because he lacked them either, but because he looked so eerily like his father, his uncle — save for one Melonii-indigo eye in place of Cicero's bright orange. She did not want Charon to see him, or to see Cicero.

Potema glared at her son — she nearly gagged again — until he skittered away, out of her sight (whether he was completely out of earshot was the least of her worries, so little did she think of her latest litter). She looked up to Charon, hoping to have some sense of control over her appearance (she doubts it). What brings you here?

Charon waited, his feet itching to leave because he knew the state of things around this place and he knew that it was unsafe. The borders themselves told him as much. Somehow it felt much grimmer now but he also realised how little he had actually visited Potema in the past. They'd always run into each other on neutral territory instead. He didn't realise anything that was going on just outside of earshot, just heard rustling in the bushes that made him nervous.

Just as he thought one last time about leaving she came into view. Potema looked like shit, but she looked alive and no longer pregnant and all that. Maybe the war drove her to stress or maybe something else was going on, but truthfully Charon didn't really care what else was going on right now. He just wanted his friend to live. The way she asked what brought him there that day was almost funny in some way; Charon quirked an eyebrow but he had no time for pleasantries or joking about, really. He needed to at least get the important news out.

"Other packs — They're coming for your son," he said hastily, sounding like he was afraid they might come right this instant and he wanted to be out for that. "And for your pack, for what you did to Dho— Wildfire," he corrected, realising nobody else used 'Dhole', not realising they did not know her name here, "You have to leave, Potema, before it's too late. Let the rest of these shit bags pay for what they did to harm others, or throw Vaati at them, I don't care — But leave this place as soon as you can, before it's too late. Don't die with the rest of them here." With Redhawk and this-other-pack-Dhole-was-apparently-at-now moving, Charon didn't know what would become of her if she stayed here. He didn't know what'd become of any of the wolves. He didn't want her to share this intel with the rest of Blackfeather Woods, either; he just wanted her to go and let the rest of the asshats here take the fall, not realising how unreasonable a thing that was to ask of anyone.

"You can come with me — stay at Moonspear, if only for a little bit." Well, that was the dumbest shit idea that he ever had, but he just didn't have any alternatives for now. He didn't want to leave her here to find out that she had been killed the next day or such.

His mother discovered him.

He could not hide the huffy look on his face at having been noticed — and worse, having been told to leave. Euron slunk away, slowly, turning his head just enough to watch Potema in his periphery until he was certain that she thought he was leaving or had already left. Then he crept forward a few paces and settled down again, flattening himself as tightly to the ground as he could. He was further away, but with his ears cupped forward and all his efforts concentrated on listening, he could still hear them. Faintly. Maybe he would not catch everything they said and it was unlikely he would fully understand it all anyway, but it was enough that Euron was feeling smug and amused about it.

Euron scurried away, but Potema doubted that he was completely gone. If the lingering traces of Cicero's scent on her children meant anything, it was that he was training them, filling the void she left behind as a teacher. Spying, poisons, why their mother was a terrible person — no, Vaati was teaching them that. It did not seem that Charon had seen the boy, which soothed her for but a moment before he spoke.

She was silent for a while. A year ago, had someone told her that packs were coming for her and she had to abandon her pack, she would have snapped at them with a curt no. This was her family, her everything. The legacy of her mother, the sacred site of Mephala, a portal from this world to the next unlike anything else she had seen in Teekon Wilds. Why would she leave all that behind?

But now...

Their pack was small, dwindling, a lurking shadow compared to the dark nightmare they had once been, lashing out to maintain the last vestiges of fear they could command. Damien had gone insane, Cicero was already a gibbering madman, Miraak was old, Kove was absent, Astrid had disappeared. One by one their best and brightest had faded away, leaving naught but children. And her.

The pack, she felt, she could care less about. But the land itself? There were many a sacred thing here that she had to protect. The Temple, the graveyard where her mother and Pietro and many lost children's bones lay. If she had one duty in life, one connection to Blackfeather Woods left, it was the spirits lingering here. I have things here that need protection. My protection. Not wolves, mind you, but things that are important to me. If they are coming here I will not let them desecrate my land in their search for revenge,

The offer he gave her was surprising. Just me? She asked. It was clear that he had come to plead for her life. Whether or not he held any affection for his daughters was unclear. If they hate us as much as you say and I suspect, I doubt they would stand idly by as you accept one of us into your ranks, She did not know the manner of this coalition, whether they all knew each other and kept in contact, or just joined in hatred. But even those within his pack would be disgusted to see the Mother of Vaati amidst them. 

He didn’t get it when she said she needed shit to protect here. What could possibly be so interesting to risk her life for? He decided he wasn’t going to let her do this to herself. ”Things to protect? Are you listening to yourself? If they come here and murder you those things won’t be safe either. What things even are you on about?” Nothing mattered as much to Charon as his family and even if leaving his mountain would be a definite kick in the pride, he’d do it to be safe.

She asked if it was just her. At first he opened his mouth to say yes, but then he remembered the daughters... He was silent for a moment while Potema went on about them not accepting this. ”I don’t give a shit about the opinions Drageda or Redhawk Caldera. Don’t know the former and the latter has been a hated neighbour for a long time. My mate and Beta know you are my friend and I want you safe. They’ll accept it, as long as nobody ever knows about... About the daughters. I want them to be safe too, Potema, but I fond think you should bring them.” He frowned somewhat sadly, and hoped she understood. Maybe she could instruct them to go elsewhere before leaving. He could even help bring her shit, if that’s what she wanted. Anything to help her see the necessity in his plan.

Charon clearly didn't understand. How could he? Sacred things — fragile things; the Temple, the infirmary, the graveyard — Charon I will not let a marauding band of wolves destroy them, Over her dead body. but not literally, someone needed to lead if Vaati died, and certainly not Astrid

She despised her latest three children, and hated Vaati for what he has done to their pack. She would love nothing better for Cicero to die, drowning in his own blood. But there were those who deserved to live, the true members of Blackfeather Woods that deserved better than what was given to them. Charon's children. Kove. Miraak. Astrid. Kjalarr. They needed a leader who wouldn't abandon them. No. I won't abandon my pack. It is not all of them who need to die; it is not all of their faults. 

She was talking about sacred things, whatever that meant. A temple, an infirmary they could easily rebuild elsewhere, a graveyard... What the fuck did the band of marauding wolves even care about all of these things? "Potema, I don't have the time to argue with you about these things. When they get here, they will kill you all anyway if you don't give up Vaati." He was yet unaware that there was another wolf who was wanted by other parties involved in this; he only knew of the wrongdoings of Vaati and naïvely thought that handing him over would fix everything. "If you want to save any of those places, then give him up to the marauding wolves, or take what you can and rebuild the places elsewhere." At Moonspear, he silently added, but felt the message would be clear enough.

Yet she still insisted she could not leave these people. Charon felt frustration boil up. He couldn't imagine any of these wolves worth shit if they were all like Vaati, and if they weren't, well, then he couldn't imagine any of them wanting to protect Vaati for the sake of... well, what, really? "Fine, stay here and die," he said with raised voice, although it was clear from the crack in his voice that it hurt him to have to leave her here. He frowned almost pleadingly as he looked at Potema and sighed. When younger he would've chewed her out and told her to go fuck herself, distancing himself from her, severing ties so that it didn't matter if she died. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do that anymore. He sighed and said, "Take care of.. of your daughters." Our daughters. "You're — and they're — welcome if you change your mind. I just hope this isn't the last time we see each other..." He tried closing the distance to nuzzle the side of her neck softly, to say good bye, hopefully not forever.

Potema's lips curled at the thought. I'll gladly give him up to die, And Cicero too. She would love to simply push two out before a band of bloodthirsty wolves and watch them be torn apart. Perhaps kill the three deformed ones in the process, and end the misery that had befallen Blackfeather Woods. Start anew with Kjalarr at her side. Pipe dreams, if she didn't shape up, but her mind was slowly clearing, despite the pain, jagged without the soothing touch of poppies to cap the sharp points.

It didn't feel strange to think of killing her family, and so willingly.

Her face softened for a moment. I won't die, She declared, a promise to him and to herself. Nothing would be worth it if she was dead. She was the last conduit to Mephala, the last voice until another could be trained. Perhaps she would have to wait for a new litter, or a new wolf to arrive, but she knew she had to survive in order for that to happen. 

Her daughters. Their daughters. How long had it been since she seen them? Koume and Kotake had been silent compared to their loud, unruly borthers who seemed to ruin everything they touched. She had not kept in touch with them as she should — had not done so with anyone. I will send them to you if it becomes too difficult, 
 
Potema saw his body move towards hers, and stepped forward. She accepted his embrace without a moment's hesitation, not caring, or seemingly forgetting that @Euron had been there, and was probably still watching. She would not deny her feelings for Charon, even at the borders of her pack. Especially not if she may indeed die and never see him again as he was now — locked away from him in the Void.

"Hopefully that'll be enough," Charon said when Potema said she would give up her son to die. He wondered what must've happened for her to feel so much animosity towards him. Charon would not give up any of his children to die, ever, not even to save Moonspear. He'd rather fight to save all. But towards her daughters she did not carry this same animosity, and for that he was grateful. Apparently his genes'd done something good there, at least.

Charon smiled softly, feeling somehow relieved, when Potema said that she wouldn't die. He sighed deeply, wishing that she wouldn't be so stubborn, but he knew he couldn't force her to come. She then said that she'd send their daughters to Moonspear if it'd get dangerous (or so he assumed she meant with 'difficult'). She stepped forward as he did, too, and he lay his head against her neck, breathing in her scent. "Stay safe," he said, the words uncharacteristically soft. For about half a minute he just stood there, enjoying the warmth of the embrace, before he turned round, offering her one last grimace before he turned to leave Blackfeather Woods with the hope that she'd survive.

Thanks for letting Euron spy! <3

More eye-opening than the conversation was how the pair interacted. The boy had never seen his mother behave like this. She had never wanted him or his siblings near and had never showed anyone else any sort of affection that he saw. When she was not in a stupor she was distant and cold or aggressive. He could not help but wonder who this wolf was to bring that side of his mother out.

The conversation was coming to a close. The spotted wolf was making to leave. Euron took this for his cue to depart as well before he was caught again. Quiet as a mouse, he slipped away, and immediately headed in search for Cicero or Ramsay.

I hope so, Potema echoes. She wishes that it was all she needed to keep Blackfeather Woods intact after this looming invasion. If their ire could be quelled by the death of two wolves rather than them all. Despite her conviction in the effectiveness of Vaati's sacrifice, there was a deepset doubt that made her glad to have the secondary option of Charon's mountain pack.

The embrace lingered, long enough to bring some sense of normalcy into her life, at least for a brief moment. Farewell, She whispered back. He was the one to break their entwining, and Potema was left at the borders to whisper to him and the world: Ojehikagōre va ao, Charon, before turning back into the Woods.