Blackfeather Woods The demons of our past lives

All he has to do to get back home is follow his instincts. Despite having traveled inmensurable lengths and directions unknowable, Damien's soul would always trace a path straight back to Blackfeather Woods, and it did. In a matter of days Damien was back at the feet of Blackfeather Woods' foreboding treeline, just at the dead of night, hoping to find just what he'd left behind so many moons before.

But something was off. The marks at the borders, which he clearly remembered were usually garnished with the blood of their targets, was now dully scented with little more than piss and shit. He howled, finding no quicker way to pick the pack's attention since there seemed to be no one on guard.

it was relmyna who answered, stalking from behind the darkened copse of nearby trees with pastiche hackles trembling like pallid blades along her shoulders. too soon it had been since the redhawk wolves had come down upon them; it was an event from which relmyna nor blackfeather had ever quite recovered.
it was with a silent awe and horror that she beheld the pale eyes, the tall strength, the nightblue sheen of the man's coat. some voice deep within the woman intuited blackfeather was not merely a joining place for the man. nevertheless, the delta hardened herself, revealing the moonglow of her pelt and the stare of turquoise to the night creature and waiting for his address.

this is just a cameo unless someone catches astara - relmyna has full permission to PP astara thereafter <3

unaware of the customs surrounding greeting a stranger (was he a stranger?) at the borders, astara had hurriedly slipped off after her mother. as the girls grew older, it was becoming harder to corral their headstrong natures, and astara, curious as a cat, slunk deviously after her mother's departed form. relmyna had taught her much in the short time astara graced this ragged sphere, and already the sharp girl had shown a penchant for clandestine things.

she drew to a stop when her mother met the stranger; astara's watchful eyes flitted over his form. he was a man made tall, cut of a soulless black -- his face framed by ghostly white eyes that somehow, reminded astara strongly of averna. she had no word for it, but like her mother she noted his affinity for the land -- sinking deep behind a fern, astara warily observed.

Patient was Damien through the wait, knowing that this was not his kingdom anymore. It was home, yes, but now someone else was most likely on command and he knew well enough to respect that now. But the wait wasn't so long after all, and soon enough Damien found himself facing a nervous creature as she emerged from the shadows.

It took Damien a moment to recognize her, and the effort to do so helped his indifference towards the other wraith witnessing the encounter. Damien squints as the image becomes clearer and while a name never comes, the spider prince recognizes the woman's figure slinking behind Cicero from time to time. It was incredible for how long she'd been with the pack and yet Damien had never paid enough attention to even know who she was to his brother.

Do you know who I am? he asked calmly, hoping it would be a different story for her. Damien had been Dark Master after all, easier to notice. Should it be otherwise, then he would have to take the time to explain the who, the why, the where... It was not a story he was keen on divulging just yet.

likewise, the pale stare of the prodigal brother moved relmyna to thoughts of her daycub, but moreover, it was his familiarity that evoked the memory of who he was. damien. the delta did not recall having ever met him, and yet the breadth of cold muscle before her was not a stranger. cicero's brother — why had he come back? letting her hackles fall, the scarred woman gave a slow nod to damien. she knew not every detail, but relmyna was indeed aware of who he was.
and she knew the father of her children was dead, a shade in the underworld; she had scented his blood after the war and followed it over the borders, understanding cicero's trail would lead to ruin. but that did not mean the toxicologist was forever departed from blackfeather — he lived on.
sensing the presence of her daughter, rather than small, soft footfalls, the delta kept her eyes trained upon damien but gave a low chuff of summons for @Astara. unsurprised to know the undaunted little thing had followed her, relmyna turned her gaze away only to follow the shy approach of her daughter, the way astara pressed her suddenly shy self against her mother's flank. 
then now the gentle curiosity of the patchwork wolfess shone through her eyes; she let her gaze rest on damien again, knowing that in the lines of astara's small form, her colouration, the fresh glint of melonii indigo — that he would see blood bound him to blackfeather.

skipping Astara with player's permission

The scarred woman did not disappoint. Relmyna assuredly confirmed that he was not yet forgotten. Blackfeather Woods had been his kingdom after all, and he expected no less than renown upon his return. While he was not aware of Relmyna's speech condition, he didn't mind her silence. It felt respectful, submissive, despite however little truth there was on that. It made it feel like, after all this time, there was a place of recognition for the dark prince back home.

Still unaware of her presence, Damien was caught off guard when Relmyna summoned the spiderling to her side. His eyes immediately obsessed over her figure, her coloration, the way she looked at him. This was undoubtedly a Melonii, and the color of her eyes was far enough proof of it alone. It took him no time to connect the dots and silently he looked back up at the mother with joy filling his otherwise emotionless eyes. There was no doubt this was Cicero's doing, and despite the history with his brother Damien felt the prospect of a successful continuation of their bloodline renew his hope.

Can I talk to him? asked the Dark prince, referring to Cicero, unaware that the answer to that question could break his cold heart down into a million shards.

damien was visibly moved at the sight of his niece; relmyna beheld the delight welling in the gaze that had moments before been stone-hard and dangerous. but his words, quiet, mentioning the brother that she knew had found his end, struck relmyna and excised the warmth from her own eyes. she stood before the dark prince, unable to cease her withdrawing.
some stone shifted within the woman, some small barrier that had thus far held back the weight of her grief, but no more. the earth received relmyna's stare as she fought for composure, but it was a tearstained countenance that she lifted to damien, and she could not halt the trembling of her ruined lips.
softly, relmyna shook her head — it was only euron and ramsay who could tell the returned brother what he wished to know, but that was only if they had been with her creator in the end. cicero, sheogorath — endlessly her heart pined for him, cut off at the apex of what they might have been in another iteration of this life.

The joy that fluttered around him suddenly morphed into a dull feeling of confusion. Damien expected a diligent welcome and perhaps even being escorted down the forest to find Cicero sitting in a dark corner, where he was surely tripping on some new herb. That's how things were supposed to be. But Damien was met by a look of trembling stability from the scarred woman to which he did not know how to react. For a moment he thought Relmyna was denying him passage to the forest. It would make sense, in a way he was a deserter, but that was not the case. It took him a moment to connect the dots, but no words were needed for him to understand.

After a long, thoughtful look at Relmyna's sky eyes, Damien shifted his gaze towards the dark cub once more. She was his brother's legacy, all that was left of him.

I should have come sooner. says the man, whose voice was now tinged with pain and rage. His eyes travel back to Relmyna's own, but to her they are compassionate. The wolfess clearly shared a bond with Cicero that, although Damien didn't really understand, was definitely strong enough to hurt.

Maintaining his composure was now harder than ever, but one full breakdown was enough for the dark prince to know  it was best to do whatever it took to stay afloat. I — I need to talk to someone who can explain, he demanded, by now it was clear that her speech was limited, and though he felt the urge to ram through and demand an audience with whoever was in charge of the pack now, he respected the rules he would like to see enforced himself.

smol post is smol

Kove was far from the prince’s site of return, patrolling the border directly opposite of him. For this reason, he was thankful to find that the howl was not entirely unanswered as he arrived, the mute wolf noticed; she did not hold his attention for any longer than it took him to greet her, however. Within seconds, he was upon them, staring at the darkest of the pair in disbelief. “Damien?” he questioned, needing confirmation to ensure his eyes and nose were not fooling him.

relmyna can be PPed/ignored unless one of you tags her back!

his voice fell in octaves, glimmering with the reddened shadows of his pain. relmyna shared his glance, watching damien with the deepest affection and sympathy she could muster.
the returned prince's words held still in the air; the scarred delta would have called for kove then, had not the dark master stepped toward the trio, the towering of his pale self driving back her ears in submission. 
gathering astara to her side, the woman stepped back, allowing the pair several more inches of space. relmyna could not comprehend how she could be needed, not with kove's presence there, but did not feel it belonged to her, that she should whisk the child away and depart without some word to it.

Thanks Eb! Love threading with u always

As though his voice had charmed reality, Kove materialized from the darkness not seconds after Damien had requested his presence. Kove, he replied with tones of relief and a thankful flick of his tail. It wasn't surprising to see his old friend, but after becoming conscious of Cicero's demise it was deeply relieving to see he was okay.

I am so, so sorry... that was perhaps the first time he'd said such words, or at least the first time he truly meant them. There was an air of grief all around him, strangely mixed with the relief of being back.

Kove... Is he... Is my brother truly gone? he dared ask, still feeling the need for verbal confirmation. His ears pulled back shyly in anticipation of the response he already knew.

The child was glanced at before his gaze trailed back towards the mother, silently dismissing her, should she wish to leave; he did not mind her presence but understood if she’d rather lead her child back into the woods. No longer than a second passed before his attention was back on Damien, however, at whom he smiled once the confirmation was there. He had missed the boy, truly, and likely would have embraced him had a question not fallen from his lips.

“He is,” he responded. “Vaati caused the woods a great deal of hardships, caused us to be driven from our home, and Cicero did not follow. I do not know of his fate.” He’d not found a body within the woods themselves, but that did not necessarily mean that there was not one to be found; he’d never looked beyond the woods, choosing to live without knowing, that way he might save some face when it came time for him to see Meldresi again.

Kove's response made Damien realize that perhaps he'd jumped to conclusions way too fast. Cicero's fate was a mystery even to Kove, and given Relmyna's crippled communicative abilities the Dark Prince decided he had to find a way to confirm what Kove could not.

Apparently Blackfeather Woods hadn't had such an uneventful time in his absence as Damien had assumed it had, and according to Kove Vaati was the cause of it. Hardships? echoes Damien apprehensively. How bad could things have been for the Dark Brotherhood to be driven out of Blackfeather Woods? Which then got him to think of Who did follow, then? Who's left? Was Potema? Were her monstrous children? Miraak? Nyx?

she outtie; love you all! <3

at kove's nod, relmyna glancd once more at damien, and then to @Astara — she moved off into the darkness, daughter at her flank, but heard the last. hardships. 
a bitter expression wreathed her countenance at the sound of the dark brother's voice echoing kove's own. hardships. such a simple word for so great an assailment of tragedy in blackfeather. 
relmyna led her daughter back to their densite in silence.

Kove looked after the mother-daughter duo as they took their leave, ensuring they were alright before turning his attention back to Damien. With a nod, he explained: “He brought war to our doorstep by acting like an uncontrollable child. We were outnumbered and driven from the woods.” It angered him greatly, still, knowing that they were forced to spend time away from their home. That Meldresi’s realm was left unattended and trampled by the paws of those most unworthy.

“Astrid is still here. The mute and Aries, too,” he answered. “Maegi was here but then left. I was told she was last seen farther north—someone will be going out to find her when they’re well enough. I don’t know about her brothers.” They’d disappeared even before the pack’s return to the woods; having no attachment to either of them, he’d not bothered with locating the troubled children.

It came as no surprise to Damien that Vaati had been the author of Blackfeather Woods' defeat. He hadn't really had the chance to actually see the child grow up from up close, but he had always sensed trouble in his aura. A lot of potential indeed, but Damien hadn't had the chance to show him the right path. A pity.

Damien grumbles as Kove explains how they were forced to abandon their home. He couldn't help thinking that had he not stepped down from leadership none of that would have happened. It was all his fault in some way. I'm so sorry. I should have been here to fight for our home. he offered as an apology taking the blame.

Then the turn came for listing the survivors and loyal wolves who remained with Blackfeather Woods. Astrid's name sprang Damien's ears forward, it was relieving knowing that he would still have his chance to ask for her forgiveness. But aside from her ward and the mute, no Melonii remained. Their story was little more than one of disloyalty and desertion. The first one to leave had been Kendra, and it had all been downhill from there.

Damien made no comment about Potema's last brood. He had troubled feelings about the little monsters, still being convinced that they were some sort of test from Sithis, yet thinking they were the living proof that Potema's womb was cursed. She had brought little else than disappointments and deserters to the world. What about my sister? And Miraak? he asked, noticing there had been no mention of them at all. Could it be possible that he was the only Melonii left?

Kove did not dwell on what had never been; that Damien hadn’t been there to fight alongside them was upsetting at the time, but it didn’t matter much anymore. Everything was all said and done: the past could not be changed, it was finalised.

“Potema left. I do not know when or if she will return, I was only notified of her departure,” he explained. “Miraak did not survive the battle.” The body was found lacking the life it once held, another Melonii lost.

Should we finish this one? it's kinda old lmao

Damien met the unfortunate news with a thoughtful grunt, realizing that aside from the twins he was perhaps the only true Melonii left in Blackfeather Woods now that he was back. Was this perhaps the beginning of the end? Or was it an opportunity to rebuild a broken system? It was obvious that Meldresi's efforts to establish a branch of the Brotherhood in the Teekon Wilds had been directionless ever since her regrettable departure and this was perhaps the only possible outcome of the previous deficiency in Blackfeather's rule. Could Damien really be the answer this time around?

What a tragedy, he said, nothing was what he'd expected. But what use was weeping over done deeds? Blackfeather Woods needed to be worked on rather than mourned. We have a lot of work to do, Claimed Damien in an 'I'm here to fix things' tone, yet fully respecting Kove's authority. Would you have me back, brother? he finally asked, mostly out of decorum. No one could deny his home to Damien Mehrunes Melonii.

Sounds good.

Meldresi was a woman that Kove would always look up to, always honour. She had given him a home when he’d felt so terribly lost that no pack aside from those of the north could ever make him feel whole—but he’d been wrong. She’d given him said sort of home and allowed him to truly grow there within the forest, and that was something he would never forget. For this reason he looked after her children, too, as best he could; she had watched over him and his own son, housed the both of them without question, thus he’d always do the same for hers. “Of course,” was the northerner’s response as he stepped aside and swung his head, welcoming the boy back home.

Last, then!

It was as he expected and Kove welcomed Damien right back in the pack. Damien nodded, a grateful gesture that also signaled his respect for the older male's authority over the forest. As he would come to find out Kove's position at the top of the chain of command would be beneficial and with Damien to serve and see his judgement to be faithful to the principles of the Dark Brotherhood (which he doubted would be hard to accomplish) there was no way things could go wrong.

For now Damien took Kove's invitation to come through into the forest and he disposed himself to settle, but not before paying respects to his mother's grave, a things he'd been wanting to do for months.

Whilst the younger male ventured back into his homeland, Kove lingered there on the outskirts. He gazed out at the land surrounding his home, watching and inspecting, before the sight of something seemed to satisfy him. Swinging his head back around, the northerner moved back into the shadows of the forest, the return of the once lost prince putting his mind at ease.