Blackfeather Woods A cruel Demon's fate

@Damien and @Aries for a cameo - takes place after THIS thread and so this isn't trespassing, they were still apart of BFW

When the message from beyond their realm had reached the couple, there was no time to lose. After she had reassured that Damien was fine, she went on to seek out Aries and retrieve some items from their den with the bigger focus on the moonstone. It was the one thing they could use to contact the ones in The Void, something with power they couldn't comprehend and that was most definitely dangerous when in the wrong paws. From the place the ritual had taken place, a peculiar raven followed Nyx all the way into the woods and perched on a stone near their den. With its sooty eyes did it stare at the nocturnal creature as she carried the moonstone and several other important trinkets that she could fit in her mouth, out of their home and into the deeper parts of the woods.

With the raven fluttering along with her, she found Aries. She told him their plan and what they had heard from beyond the grave (that now was the time to go), and nearly ordered him to come with her to the borders where they would be waiting on Damien to take their leave.

ZOOOOOM

After a couple minutes of steady breathing and dizzy spinning Damien managed to grasp reality once again enough to walk without tumbling. Only two things needed to be done before he could rendezvous with his lover and take leave, and the first thing on that list was making sure that @Relmyna was safe and that she knew what they were doing. While she was already briefed on their plans, Damien didn't expect his mother's instructions to be so short-timed, and Relmyna needed to know that he wasn't abandoning them. "It's better for the girls if you stay here for now," he'd said, and was emphatic on the fact that he wouldn't be gone for long.

The second, and last thing to go was informing @Sascha, who had kept to the edges of pack life for so long that it was hard to believe they were still alive. But blood is blood, and every Melonii would have a place on Damien's reforged clan. The message to them was short and to the point, and once he had tackled that he was ready to gather up with Nyx to leave.

In much better conditions did he emerge from within the woods to find his lover and her ward awaiting his arrival, and with a hurried lets go, he marked the first step of the rest of their lives. One last glance at Nyx to make sure she had the stone with her and after a loving nudge he walked on. There was no time to lose.

Damien wouldn't have waited for Sascha and Relmyna (or @Averna & @Astara) to follow but you guys are welcome to cameo if you wish!

The raven that followed her landed upon her back, its claws not even trying to be gentle with her, but she cared little. She was fixated on picking up the steady footfalls of her lover, her own feet itching to get to the lake to meet up with Vaati. Their band was small for now, but she was sure their connections ran throughout all of the Teekon. They would have no problem with finding mind likened souls to join their cause.

Her raven went "caw" and there came the forest king, back to his former glory now that the traces of The Void had left him. She smiled, her grin going 'round the small amount of trinkets which included the moonstone, before she returned the loving nuzzle. The raven flapped its pitch black wings yet did not take off, probably wanting to catch a lift from the speckled female. Well alright then.

She motioned for her ward to follow, keeping close to her mate's flank as they left the place they were both born towards an unknown but undoubtedly greater future.

Aries was acknowledged with a nod that expressed how grateful he was for his loyalty towards Nyx without stepping over boundaries, and through the same gesture was officially invited to join the couple in their first big adventure together. For what it's worth Aries was part of their little family if Nyx believed it so, and Damien had always found it rewarding to return faithfulness with honor. it was something that Vaati would find hard to understand, but for Damien if was the way things should be.

We will come back for Relmyna and my nieces when the time is right. For now they are better off under the forest's protection, he commented as they started advancing away from Blackfeather Woods. He trusted Kove enough to at least take good care of Relmyna; he had done it before anyway, and the girls were old enough to be considered out of danger. He just hoped they understood that he was not abandoning them.

Cameeooo

The soldier of steel was mostly silent as he and Nyx grouped up with Damien, stoic as he often was. Perhaps if you stared long and hard enough, you could catch a glimmer of excitement for the days to come within his icy gaze. The young man did not flinch even as the blackened raven landed upon the dark wolfess, eyes trained upon the woods until Damien emerged from betwixt the trees. To him, Aries sent a nod of greeting - they had not seen each other for a prolonged amount of time. The youth recounted only one clear memory of meeting him, and it was beside Khalil; even so, if Nyx could put her trust in him, then so could Aries.

The reaper strolled close behind as the group began to move, and glanced up slightly as the shadowed man peered his way. He was grateful for his loyalty to be acknowledged, despite the fact that it was hardly difficult to remain by the side of Nyx after so long within her presence. Most of his life had been spent at Blackfeather, rather than with his birth mother and father.

Conversation was not his strong suit, however, so once they began to discuss matters, Aries resorted to listening and following in continued silence.

We cannot leave them for long. Soon, there will be no pack to protect them. She commented softly, handing Tulugak some of the trinkets but not trusting him with the moonstone, making it a little easier to talk. Besides, she was worried for the two little spiderlings - especially the white ghost girl that she had taken a liking to. She didn't doubt Kove or Relmyna's ability to protect them, but having saved them from the large cat perhaps not even a moon ago made her nervous leaving them behind.

They began moving and Nyx could feel the raven's claws tighten and loosen with the rhythm of her steps. It seemed the two were adjusting to each other, and the same went for the Dark Master and her ward. Though little was said, the observant woman had caught her lover's small efforts to praise Aries and her ward's gentle appreciation for it. Perhaps @Vaati would see the band coming.

It was true, they couldn't let too much time pass before returning to get the girls and Relmyna, but for now their best move was to keep them in a safe place until their group was solid and settled. The great lake was a good place to start, but Damien doubted he would want to build the bases of his new life so close to the remains of his past one. He needed time and space to grow, and once he had the means to give his family what it deserved he would gather up and take his relatives where they belonged. For now Nyx, Vaati and Aries were too unstable without an opperations base.

Damien eyed the raven atop his lover's shoulders, and although he was by now used to their apparent obsession with the night-kissed creature he still felt uncomfortable so close to one of them. He knew crows and ravens to be cruel, vindictive creatures, and although they had mostly had a peaceful relationship with their colonies in Blackfeather Woods he had never stopped being wary of them. Who is this? he asked Nyx as though the bird wasn't there hearing everything.

If what they left behind now didn't fall like they had planned, Nyx wasn't sure where they would go. The woods had been her home for at least 24 moons. She was born and raised there and had rarely left the shadows that shrouded the place in mystery. It was where Damien and her had first met and slept together and she had hoped to raise their children there too someday. Then again, she had to realize home didn't belong to a place. Home was right with her; Damien, Aries, Vaati and even Tulugak were home now, no matter where they would go to raise their legacy to higher standards than ever before.

She cocked one brow up as she followed her lover's gaze to her back where the raven sat idly, blinking himself awake as the rocking motion of her steps nearly caused the bird to slumber. I am not sure - he has taken an interest in me ever since I left the woods about a moon ago. She explained. I was thinking of naming him Tulugak. She revealed, the Inuit word slipping comfortably from between her lips.

The name Nyx had chosen for her apparent new companion meant nothing to Damien, but he supposed that his behavior couldn't be harmful for their plans. He was used to corvids fluttering around the forest after a life spent in Blackfeather Woods, so he would even consider his presence to be somewhat familiar enough to soothe a nostalgic feeling over leaving his homeland.

Very well, he said, accepting the blackbird's presence among their new alliance. We might find him helpful... he thought aloud as he glanced at the half-asleep bird riding atop his lover's shoulders. Messengers, spies, scouts. Ravens could be very useful if one learned how to effectively communicate and strike a deal with them.

Without looking back Damien lead the group to the great lake that laid north of Blackfeather Woods. With the dark night still upon them Damien stole a glance from his lover, with which he meant to communicate how ready he was for whatever Mephala's strings had in line for their fates, and with resolve he tilted his muzzle skywards to loose a summoning cry for @Vaati, whom he was confident expected them somewhere near. Perhaps the howl would travel far enough to reach the ears of the inhabitants of Blackfeather Woods, but having put a safe distance between himself and the past Damien did not mind if such was the case. After his call had been issued he settled down near the water, inviting Nyx and Aries to join him as they awaited his nephew's entrance.

Jal I guess that since Meebee already started a followup thread you don't need to reply to this one
sorry for the tag lol