That Crazy Old Hag

Other BCV wolves welcome. This is current-dated, after @Scarlett brings Meldresi (which I am assuming) to BCV and after the storm

The night was dark and full of terrors indeed.

Her mind had cleared from its feverish fog just in time to marvel from the rocky edges of the Valley at the natural spectacle the summer had brought to Teekon Wilds, the one she had faintly remembered sensing in the mist of her fever. Lightning illuminated the sky, dancing in wicked patterns as the rain poured down, telling Meldresi many things of the months to come. Death, growth, betrayal, fulfillment. These signs focused most on the children of the pack, both hers and Lusa's. She sighed when she thought of Lusa. She would have birthed them by herself, and now what? Blackfeather would be in the proximity of the storm. What would happen to her beloved home? The skies showed no signs of that, only that something familiar would return to bring her back. She hoped it was Burke.

She had fallen asleep after that, and would later see that the river had cleared and Scarlett's pups had been safely transferred. She did not regret sleeping during that period. For one, she was not officially recognized as a guest of the pack. The Night Queen requested a safe place to stay, as far away from the pack as she could be without disturbing them, and as close as she could to have emergency medical attention. She asked for food, medicine, and pelts for herself, and healed herself. She would not be a leech. Secondly, she was in no state to be escorting pups from a riverside den. No state to be walking about in a storm, either.

But now it was time for the Night Queen to rise. She had spent days lolling about this makeshift den, and now felt healthy enough to walk on her own, if just for a bit. Looking more like a witch than a priestess, Meldresi walked along the stones of the border, willing her body to become strong enough to take her home.

The silver king found himself liking the Leo kid more and more. He was a likeable and curious being, he was less annoying than Xan who felt as if the world revolved around him and around him only and demanded everyone's attention to only be on him. Leo was a gentle child and would most likely grow up to be a good listener, a counselor or caretaker. But then, what did Raziel knew of the kid? He had only known him for a short time, and he knew he shouldn't...what was the word...care for him so quickly. After all, it still smelled fishy. Who would dump a child by their borders unless they knew that someone would take him in?

If it was up to Raziel, he wouldn't even bond with the child, he would throw him into the wilderness and let nature take care of him. Obviously, the silver wouldn't do that now as he had grown to..um..love the child to an extent, but he would have done that if he was the one to see the boy by the borders instead of Scarlett. 

Lost in his thoughts, Raziel decided to go on a patrol. Pissing, scratching, those rhythmic and natural movements helped take his mind off things and he was daydreaming rather pleasantly until he saw an unfamiliar figure by the borders. Immediately, his hackles bristled and his posture changed from casual to openly hostile. He charged forward with fangs bared, a low, warning, guttural growl rumbling from his maw. She would back the fuck off or she would die.

Mercy did not come naturally to the Roman. Hell, it didn't come at all.

«Hey here. :P »



After taking a minor break from the rendezvous with children, the ebony make began his way of circling the perimeter, filling caches as he went along with the minor animals he came across. It was a bit closer to the actual border that he saw another figure in the distance. 
Damnit.

A dark figure, and female. Older. Was she of this pack? A helpful breeze confirmed the worst. She was not. 
Unfourtionate for her.

"Get off of these grounds, before I bury you in them."

The threat was snarled, and as good as an athletic build that he had, he sprinted to her form, hackles raised, and fangs bared, nearly as identical to his lighter leader who sprang at the fae from the opposite side.

Oh God, don't kill her. XD

The jagged scar that was emblazoned on her side, along with the good chunk taken out of her ear, was a reminder of what happened when you messed with the wrong wolves. Meldresi had hoped the situation would not occur again, but lo and behold, two stronger, younger male approached, murderous intent in their eyes.

"It seems Scarlett did not warn you of my presence," Her voice was rough now, turning her normally sultry voice into a husky one, and not the appealing kind either. She stared at the two younger wolves with tired, resigned eyes, knowing that she was in an even worse position than the one that got her here in the first place. "I am Meldresi, alpha of Blackfeather Woods." Not really, of course, but she would be once she returned — if there was still a Blackfeather Woods to return to. "You warded my children not too long ago?" She hoped that the two males had been there when her children had arrived. It was her only failsafe.

He lunged forward with the grace of a feline, only noticing that Cry was doing the samething opposite him. Ah, he liked that male already but he would have to tell the dark male wolf that they would not use words when there was an unwelcome wolves next to the borders. They were wild beasts after all, and they should know better than venture so close to pack borders; they did not deserved to be warned of an attack if they so stupidly came so close to the pack's lands. It was their fate, as far as the Roman was concerned, and the world would be better off without idiotic arseholes.

The dark female spoke instead of backing away, saying that apparently dear old Scarlett didn't warn them of her presence. Oh, brilliant. Just bloody fucking brilliant. Why, why did everything, every single damning problem somehow be traced back to the albino Beta. Bloody hell! He would deal with her later, they were a pack, not a goddamn sanctuary for broken and injured wolves. Raziel met her eyes evenly, his normally calm turquoise eyes still blazing with rightful fury.

He did not care that she didn't seem the threat; everything from the outside was what they were, from the outside and thus did not deserve any mercy as far as he was concerned. "Back the fuck off, woman, and then maybe I'll hear you out," he snarled, baring his fangs. 

The pitiful excuse of a wolf introduced herself as Meldresi, the Alpha of Blackfeather Woods. Ah, so she was the leader of that pack of darkness that dear old Scarlett wanted to form an alliance with? Great. All the better. Bloody brilliant. "You're their mother?" Raziel half scowled, half smirked and not in a nice way either. "Well, I'm pleased to inform you that they were the most arrogant and pompous kids I have ever encountered in my whole damn life, save for the kid with bicolored eyes. Cicero was it? Other than him, the other two were unbearable."

The regal drew himself to his full height and advanced forward threateningly. "I'm the Alpha of Bearclaw Valley and unless you have a valid reason of being here..."

Cry halted the assault in unison with his leader, as if the action was pre coordinated. However, his scruff was still far from its condition of relaxed. The onyx snaked a circuit to Raziel' s right flank, his body visibly coiled to spring at any given sign that it should.

Frozen glacials watched the seemingly exhausted elder femmora, and flint hued auds caught not only her words, but the alphas. He had interacted with relations to this female? 
Interesting. Didn't sound to fun, on Raziel's behalf. 

As still as a mortally murderous viper, the death resembling Cry kept silent, but observant.

JESUS GUYS! Scarlett would never bring in Meldresi because she knows how much Raziel hates Meldresi/Black Feather wolves. XD She would make Meldresi stay just on the borders though! The cliffs that make the entrance into Bearclaw!

Scarlett was just about to check up on Meldresi. She had kept her a secret for a good reason. Raziel hated Black Feather wolves. She wanted to help her because Scarlett knew very well that she had been pushing Raziel's limits for a long time, especially with taking in Leo in. And also with loving Kove. God damn. Scarlett really had to make it up to the man. Her heart stopped when she heard a growl and voices. She rushed forward, seeing Raziel, and a dark wolf by Meldresi. "Raziel! No! Please!," she called out. Scarlett was a sucker for taking care of other wolves. Not just babies.

She stepped between them and hunched down low because she was a bit guilty of not informing her... alpha. Those lines were so blurred after Raziel confessed his love to her. She moved forward and licked over Raziel's cheek. Meldresi was probably clueless about what happened and why she was licking Raziel. She stepped closer to Meldresi again, between her and her pack members. "She is my friend! I had to help her! Raziel... Don't... Please! I'm sorry I hid this from you but with Leo already accepted... I just.. I just didn't want to put more stain on you," she let out and frowned. "I'm not sorry of helping her. But I am sorry for not telling you though. Meldresi has always been kind to me. I had to return the favor!"

Scarlett knew Raziel had to deal a lot with Scarlett's shit but she couldn't help it. She had to help other wolves, especially friends. Close friends. Meldresi was one of her best friends. All the others had left het. Creyr, Kesuk, Blue Willow, Rhythm had been gone too. Meldresi was the only loyal one. She let her big red innocent eyes look at Raziel, basically giving him the ultimate kicked puppy look. She had to convince him not to attack Meldresi. "This of Cicero! Otherwise he wouldn't have seen his mother again! What if I was close to death!? You would want someone to save me, right?"

Meldresi complied, backing as much as she could, legs shaking visibly. The Queen kept her eyes on both wolves, though her wariness were all for naught; she could barely fight even if she tried. The woman watched with interest the wolf that accompanied the loud, angry, silver male. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought the wolf a statue, or a snake hidden in the grass, ready to strike. The second metaphor seemed more appropriate. A pity he came to the Valley instead of Blackfeather Woods.

Despite her injury and sickness, Meldresi felt her hackles raise slightly at the silver wolf's insults to her children. "Insulting children to their mother's face is never a wise thing to do." She hissed, in no position to remedy his insolence. "I am at the very least pleased to hear that they made an impression to their guardians." She expected such a thing to occur, from Damien at least. He was a lazy, spoiled thing from birth, after all. Potema was a bit of a surprise, but the girl was just as feisty as her brother when provoked.

She was unimpressed as the wolf strode forward, drawn to his full height, growling threateningly. Her mate was a larger wolf than he and she had lived with more intimidating wolves by far for almost a year now. The woman stared him down, unwilling to flinch or look away, even as she heard Scarlett running towards them, pleading with the silver wolf, Raziel to leave her alone. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of Scarlett submissively licking Raziel's cheek. Was he her mate now? What had become of Kove? "Had Scarlett been in the same state as mine on my doorstep, I would have helped her just as she did for me."

Raziel watched, hardly satisfied as Meldresi backed away from the borders, her legs shaking. Gods, how in the name of Jupiter had the Dark Queen of Blackfeather Woods gotten into this hell of a mess, the Roman did not know, though he was very interested in her attackers and what she had done to provoke whoever did this to her. If she was smart, she should never even have ventured out of the shithole she called home; there were enemies everywhere and he didn't doubt that many wolves in their right mind would despise her pack. She, being the leader of that pack should know that.

He raised an eyebrow as she hissed at him, then he smirked a cold smirk. "I apologize for my bluntness," he said. "I simply meant that you should teach them some respect. They sauntered into my home like they were the king and queen instead of mere guests, they also seemed to think that the world revolved around them. I hope you will be able to remedy that." His expression shifted seamlessly back into it's usually stoic look, eyes regarding the female in front of him cooly.

She stared at him and he stared back, his icy eyes staring daggers in her direction. Here, she was at his mercy, and if she wished to live, she might as well respect his authority. He was about to leap forward and pin her to the ground, to give her a few scars to remember him by for her utter insolence but was stopped when Scarlett came. She stepped between him and his rightful prey, slipping into a submissive posture as she licked him on the cheek; he simply stared at her icily, unable to find it within himself to soften up. Scarlett pleaded, saying that the sack of bones was her friend and that she had to help her.

But her pleas made no impact on the stone coated brute, who simply gazed at her with blazing teal eyes. She claimed that she did not want to put any more strain on him; he only managed to withhold the scoff that threatened to break through at those words. Her being here was a strain enough to him, couldn't she see that? She stared at him with her eyes, but they no longer did anything to him, he was immune to that now. "I'm tired of you and your never ending bullshit," he said with an eery sense of calmness. "This, this is the last time you're going to do anything like this. I don't care of your endeavours to help everyone that needs help. This needs to stop. Bearclaw Valley is not a sanctuary for the injured and helpless, we are a pack and we protect our own, and our own only. If this happens again, there will be serious consequences - strike that, there will be serious consequences for this later. Do you understand?" Here, he was no long Raziel, the one who loved her. Here, he was Raziel, Roman, the Silver King, Alpha of Bearclaw Valley and Scarlett should know it. 

"Meldresi was attacked for a reason, a very good reason I presume. So, why should I interfere with fate's work?" he looked at the bedraggled queen. "You ventured out, and you paid dearly for it. You should have known that this would happen. Tell me, Meldresi, the story of your attack."

Raziel took another step forward, pushing Scarlett out of the way as gently as he could. "You owe me, queen of the woods. You owe us, Bearclaw Valley for doing such a thing. For interfering and for aiding you in your time of.....despair."

Cry studied the situation unfolding before him, and connected dots as  clarity shown through. This Alphess was on their grounds, while healing some sort of hurt, and Leo, the dun child, was intertwined in the affair, also on their land. 
Scarlet was trying to turn BearClaw Valley into a hospital for souls that didn't even belong . 

Cry had not been here for a long time, but he knew the ivory hellion was crossing lines she never should have, with the Alpha. 
And it was obvious he was nearly pushing her on the other side of the border, with the encroaching hideaway. 

Scarlett pleaded with the Alpha, her words sounding to Cry like those of a caught pup. It was when his voice changed, that the silent shadow knew how far below the albino had dug herself. 
Raziel took on a voice nearly identical to that of a Nightmares, the pack of unchallenged murderers that his uncle had led. Slade had used that voice when Cry had chosen to not kill his mother. After his uncle had finished, Cry had to go to the river, and wash her blood and gore from his stained pelt.

While Raziel was arguing with Scarlett, Cry swiftly and intensely focused his winter stare on the violet irises of the Alphess, the frozen sight nearly willing for her to catch his eye contact. As Raziel  chewed her out on her futile endeavours, Cry tapped his left paw, the one hidden from Raziel's view, on the soft loam three times, and drew an S. As the Alpha spoke on protecting their own, Cry drew the Shadowmark for Safe(a circle within a triangle) around the S, while keeping unwavering eye contact with the older female, and unfaltering peripheral on the upset Alpha. The moment he got to consequences, the shadow let the picture have another fleeting second of survival, before he smoothly and imperceptibly erased the picture he had undetectably had drawn. As his Alpha returned his unforgiving stare to the Alphess and demanded her stor, Cry kept his immobility, his glacial gems never having left her, and his face as always, unreadable.

Scarlett would have nothing rather to run a sanctuary but Raziel was never going to allow her that. He seemed pretty pissed, which didn't make Scarlett love him more than she did. They were so different, they would never work as mates, Raziel seemed really pissed with her, but helping others was jus tin her nature. She couldn't let Meldresi die. Nor that baby or any other creature in need of help. Scarlett was appalled that she would be punished? "I get punished for helping a friend??," she let out, clearly shocked by Raziel's display. If she hadn't seen him care for her and her babies she would have seen him as a monster. She knew he was not, but with his behavior like this it made her doubt.

Scarlett saw Meldresi as a friend, they helped her out. Even though she and Kove would break up as mates, she still was Meldresi's friend. Scarlett glared her red eyes at Raziel, wondering what he was going to put on her as a 'consequence'. It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong in her eyes. Then Raziel started questioning Meldresi, which she was curious about too so she wasn't going to intervene. Still she sat by Meldresi, her ears back and her body mostly focussed on Raziel who was being outrageous. He was always so mean to wolves didn't know. In all the commotion Scarlett wasn't paying any attention to Cry.

"As their guardian for a month, you had many chances to remedy that, instead of waiting to complain to their mother." Potema, might have listened to Raziel's lessons on humility. Damien was another matter; even she could not fix his pompous nature, and she was his mother.

While Raziel and Scarlett fought, the priestess' eyes slid to the other wolf, the snake-like one, feeling his eyes burning into her. His presence was familiar to the priestess, to what extent, she could not tell, until she saw the wolf draw an s, then the mark for safety around it. Could it be that he was related to Slade? Or at least knew him? To her knowledge, only his pack and hers made use of the signs. The message was erased when Raziel's gaze returned to her, burning ice. He questioned her, the reason for her attack. To what benefit would that be? Was he simply reveling in the notion that a rival was beaten low and brought to his doorstep? The Dark Queen thought for a moment, wondering if he wished to know who else shared his hatred for the Blackfeather Woods pack.

"I left my pack for religious reasons. I had not intended on being gone for more than a week." She began, voice still retaining its hoarse quality. "However, when I made my way back home, I met with someone holding a grudge on my pack who decided to take his revenge on me, to which I do not blame him." Her subordinates were very harsh with the young girl, warping her with poisons, psychological and physical torture. The wolf also mentioned that one of her own tried to rape his mate, an event she had no part in whatsoever, but she took the blame for. Better her than her whole pack being destroyed. "Had I fought back, there was a chance I would not be with so many scars, but I was surrounded by his peers and had no chance of making it out alive, so I let him attack me." She was lucky to have made off with only a few scars, but fate had a way of twisting events.

This wolf was cunning, she saw. It was a shame she left Bearclaw Valley to their own devices for so long; she could have made use of the silver wolf and his silent companion. "I intend on repaying you in full...for Scarlett's sake." Had Raziel offered hospitality to her, she would have extended the debt to the whole pack, rather than the albino Beta. But it was she who brought her here, not the alpha. "I had no intention on draining your pack of resources for weeks, Raziel. I wanted to leave in two days' time; my wounds were festering, I simply needed to clean and heal them."

Raziel smiled coldly, humorlessly. "I wouldn't say I was their guardian," he said quietly. "Scarlett agreed to that matter, so technically, she was their guardian for that month. It would have been better if they'd came earlier, or later." If it was up to him, he would never have agreed to such a thing in first place, and if Meldresi was smart enough, she would never have sent her children to their pack before she came to check it out herself. How would she know that the leadership had not changed? Foolish. Alliances were a fickle thing after all, and since he ascended to the rank of leader halfway through their arrival, he could have killed them all and sent them back to Blackfeather Woods as cold corpses. The Queen should know that, and she should be thankful he was merciful then. Because he wasn't like Scarlett who couldn't kill anything that wasn't prey, nor was he Kove who still bore attachments to his former pack, he would have slaughtered them in a blink of an eye if he thought he should do it.

And he almost did.

Raziel turned his attention back to Scarlett, who questioned him rudely, asking if she would get punished for helping a friend. His gaze softened for a fraction of a second as he shook his head. "No," he replied softly. "That would be the last thing I'll punish a packmate for. It's because you didn't trust me, it's because you didn't tell me." The Roman might dislike the wolves of Blackfeather Woods but since Meldresi was Scarlett's friend, he would have - albeit grudgingly - allowed her sanctuary in the Valley until she healed. Sadly, the albino did not see fit to notify him of her actions, therefore sealing the Dark Queen's fate. Besides, even if it hadn't been Scarlett that had seen the injured queen, but himself, he would still have offered her a place to stay until she healed because it would benefit the pack in the future. And Raziel always thought of everything before he made an action.

Meldresi spoke, explaining that she left her pack for religious reasons and that she had not intended to be gone for more than a week. On her way back to the woods, she met with someone who held a grudge with her pack and decided to take his revenge on her. To the Roman's surprise, the Dark Queen also stated that she did not blame him, which told Raziel that while her pack was brutal and shitty, she, at least, still had a conscience. He softened when she said that; it didn't hurt that he didn't get a bad vibe from her either which meant she wasn't too terrible.

The Queen of the woods said she would repay them for Scarlett's sake — he smiled at that — and that she had no intention of leeching the pack of their resources; she also said she wanted to leave in a few days and that her woulds had simply been festering and that she needed to clean them and heal them. Raziel withheld a frown at that; had Scarlett been stealing from his medical supply too? He shook that thought away, it didn't matter, not yet at least. "I have herbs that can aid you," Raziel said with a birdlike cant of his head. "You may have those, if you wish. There's also a den by the entrance of our pack, and a cache nearby. You can live there until you leave, as a guest of the Valley, under our protection, that is, if you want to." He scrutinised her and added grudgingly, "I must admit, you're not as I pictured you to be, in a good way. I hope you return home safely."

He did everything for a reason.

Cry would understand the reasoning behind Raziels words, the ones spoken to the snow pelted fae. The reasoning also proved  how considerate the greyscale man was, and that alone was comforting to Cry. The shadow had aspired to Counsel, and the trade would have been fruitless if he would have had to counsel a stubborn and unreasonable leader. 

She was to be punished, and that punishment would go as far as he saw fit. Cry respected his judgement on the matter. The situation with the ebony elder was one he would also find himself visibly relaxing on. The Alpha decides to extend his grace to the woman, even allowing her to herbs for her healings. Along with a compliment, a rarity for the hard but loyal leader. 
She had no idea how far most would have to achieve to receive such. 

When Cry heard the offer, his stance remained ready, but less aggressive. The frosty topaz gaze had not dropped, but he took a breath to ease his muscles slowly into submission.

Scarlett felt completely humiliated and belittled. Was she some pup that didn't know how the word works? She did know very well how the world works. She had always given the Black Feather wolves a chance and they had been polite to her. Meldresi was even her friend, best friend. If they had a problem they could always go to Black Feather. Same for everyone she helped. That was she had many favours all over Teekon. She wasn't stupid. Playing the nice innocent girl act got you way further than being mean to outsiders. Scarlett was speechless how Raziel treated her. She thought she was different than Kove. He was different. Kove would never say such things to her.

"I'd rather have a mate that is gone all the time, than a possible mate like you who talks me down in front of others," she let out out, sounding surprisingly venomous. Scarlett could also be mean she just preferred not to. If Raziel wanted to punch her in front of others she would punch him right back, verbally of course. Violence was an no-go. It seemed that her guilty face hadn't helped to now she had to go to other methods on Raziel. She then turned to Meldresi. "I am so sorry what you went through, Mel," she spoke compassionately, sounding so nice again. It was really a talent how quick she could switch to certain emotions. "It means a lot that you would help me. You are a good friend."

Scarlett didn't feel like having a confrontation with Raziel, who would probably want to talk again. At least Scarlett got what she wanted and that was Meldresi being unharmed. At least Raziel offered her some shelter. That was all she wanted to Scarlett could go back to her babies that were probably hungry. "I need to go hunt for my babies, but I will see you later Mel," she spoke to Meldresi. She bobbed her head in goodbye to the dark wolf she didn't know, completely ignoring Raziel as she walked past him. Meldresi probably wanted to know now what happened between her and Kove.

Last post!

She expected a far harsher treatment, to be sure. This Raziel was a dark angel in her mind, some messenger of the Daedra, Mehrunes Dagon, perhaps? For now, he was benevolent to her, if only for the love of Scarlett. That made Meldresi curious. She mentioned a mate leaving for a long time — that must be Kove then. What made the Dark Brother leave for so long? She wished she had the time to question her Brother, but she was far overdue from returning home. She wanted to know if they were alright after the storm.

With Scarlett gone, Meldresi had no reason to further continue the conversation. Looking towards Raziel, she dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you, Raziel. I will be out of your way in a few days, mark my words." With that, the Night Queen turned towards the entrance of the Valley where she would stay for that brief period of healing. She had only two allies here in this Valley, perhaps two if you counted the snake-eyed wolf. She did not want to overstay her welcome, not with a wolf like Raziel giving it to her.

Raziel's ears instinctively flattened against his skull when Scarlett opened her maw and for the first time since the Roman knew her, uttered words filled with venom. He resisted the urge to flinch when she said that she would rather have a mate who was gone all the time than a possible mate who belittled and humiliated her in front of others. Somehow, the Roman managed to keep his stony, stoic and cold facade and simply stared at her with emotionless turquoise eyes as she turned to Meldresi and spoke compassionately to Meldresi. He felt a mixture of emotions at her initial, venomous outburst but decided to sort through them later. 

His bright gaze followed Scarlett's form as she said goodbye to Meldresi, nodded to Cry and completely ignored him; Raziel wanted to lunge after her and pin her onto the ground, he wanted to make her understand the position he was in, but he simply stood there and stared at her retreating form for a second before Raz focused his attention on the ebony female once more. The Dark Queen of Blackfeather Woods dipped her head respectfully to him and thanked him, saying she would be out of his way in a few days.

Raziel made no comment, instead he dipped his head to her in return, though his gaze never drifted away from her shadowy form. "Keep an eye on her," he told Cry, "and good job." A tired smile graced his suddenly weathered features as he too, turned and made his way back into the Valley.