Ocean's Breath Plateau six vices become wrath

@Rosalyn @Caiaphas @Svalinn @Raleska

it was time to turn inland; rosalyn had told her of the redhawks and how near they were. but winter was soon to fall, and the harlot did not think they would be followed. the ocean beckoned, and against her better judgement, erzulie answered. prey must be hunted, must be found; she and the corsair must decide before winter where they would lay their heads, but for now the chai-tea woman surmounted the plateau and turned her eyes upon the water.
and here she sang a low song to the dark and cold waves where she had made her home, something meant for her ears, something not meant to carry far; it was the throated call of the grief that burned in her chest.

While Erzulie sang her song a ways off, Rosalyn also stood back, surveying the water silently.  It didn't matter how often heartache visited her here; the ocean would always mean home.  Turning inland was less unbearable than previously though; home was her lover's side as well, and she closed her eyes appreciatively as the quiet notes faded.

She didn't know where they would end up, but she smiled as she turned around and looked to the plateau, away from the waves.  She would allow Erzulie to lead at first, if she chose.  She had no destinations in mind; all of her own bridges had been burned.

quickie <3 we can play or wait for others!

a low and sorrowful croon lifted over the sounding surf, but caiaphas didn't hear it. her thoughts and attention were turned to svalinn and raleska, who had accepted their exodus with grim understanding. it was the second time in their short lives they traveled harrowing distances -- but perhaps this time was easier, now that their limbs were conditioned by their first exile's toils.

she froze as a scent all too familiar came to her, causing the fur along her back to rile upwards. stealing a furtive glance to svalinn and raleska (who presently were bickering over a horseshoe-crab's carcass in a tidepool) the siren-queen rolled forwards at a prowling walk. eventually her gaze caught rosalyn - but not erzulie -- the umber-coated she-wolf's eyes were closed as if she were asleep.

she could ambush her now, once and for all - kill her, end the years long enmity that boiled between them. it was a dark thought, and tempting too - but for some reason the siren held back, coolly staring at her rival with a rather uncollected look.

For the first day or so Svalinn had been in a residual fume from their plateau expulsion— evidenced by the change from his typical mischievous expressions to a perpetual scowl, and the wooden gait that was a far cry from his usual prance as he jealously guarded Caiaphas and Raleska— but soon after it were as if he had forgotten about it completely. The further they went from the Redhawks, the colder the weather turned, the more rambunctious young Svalinn became.

He seemed unfazed by their predicament, mostly due to the fact he didn't yet truly understand the ramifications of being packless this time of year and therefore had no reason to fear it; but also because the gold minor simply didn't care enough to hold grudges (even if his mother insisted otherwise). He didn't blame the Redhawks for being stupid— they just were. They couldn't help it.

And they were far from his thoughts now, as he wrested the arthropod shell from Raleska and tried to maintain possession of it by out-maneuvering the much quicker hybrid. He didn't realize that Caiaphas had slunk away to potentially confront her nemesis, but when he did finally notice that she had gone a ways down the strand, he dropped the carcass (and the game) thoughtlessly and leaped after her. He couldn't see who she was facing, but her uncertainly agitated body language put him on the defensive right away.

Slowing to a walking prowl, he came up from behind Caiaphas and tried desperately to account for and keep track of everyone else's position at once. It ended up making him look paranoid, as to and fro his head swiveled, ducked, and jerked, incompetently trying to watch out his sister and the three-bitch standoff at the same time.

as the last echoes died away, erzulie's eyes reopened; awareness glistened along her senses, and she turned to see a wiry she-wolf glaring not at her, but the dark pirate alongside her. the woman was flanked by a half-grown boy, a lanky amalgamation of honey and cream; he seemed put out, antsy, wild. following the line of his gaze, erzulie spotted another child not far off, this one darker and marked with pale coloration.
immediately defensive at the expression in the stranger's eyes — why did rosalyn seem to inspire such wrath these days? — erzulie stepped into the she-wolf's line of sight, her two-toned stare level and pointed. she did not suspect there was risk of an altercation, not with a mother, but stranger things had happened.

Rosalyn did not immediately turn when Erzulie stopped - she continued to look off, across the plateau, lost in wondering where they might go next, as well as remembering some of her last trips inland.  She hadn't been primarily landbound since before saltwinter, a long while ago.

Funny, to think of that right as she came.

Something pinged in Rosalyn's senses as off, some movement of Erzulie's or sound on the wind, but she finally turned, looking for the source.  As soon as she saw it it was unmistakable.  Caiaphas was not an easy wolf to miss nor to forget.  Her hackles rose, but she only tensed and made no other move to instigate.  Aside from Erzulie she wondered if she had a single friend to offer in these lands.  Likely not.  Just a veritable legion of enemies and hard feelings.

The reunions continue, she said, the tone of her voice joking, but with an undercurrent of an edge.  Why couldn't they just leave her be?

as the wretch studied the form of her nemesis, another being slipped into view. her hawkish eyes befell erzulie, and the mincing flash of her seafoam-green glare. she did not waver, though her posture was held coldly in pose that could only be described as "ready to react"; svalinn's flanking was acknowledged with the flick of a torn ear, though she did not notice the fumbling way he glanced from face to face as if trying to keep all in line of his vision.

it gave the siren a strange kind of pleasure to see tension rippled from rosalyn's form, followed by a voice that remained casual but carried an edge. caiaphas kept both in her line of sight, untrusting but not all-together willing to issue brawl. "reunions?" she chirped harshly, her narrow snout cutting through the air as she scanned the periphery: "who else have you seen?"

rosalyn's sardonic tones did not go unnoticed, nor did the other's harsh rejoinder. the boy gathered erzulie's stare for a long moment, but it was returned to his sharpboned mother. having little to add now that she had been noticed, the harlot was content to hold her tongue until her own words were warranted, but she would not leave rosalyn's side. it had almost meant injury for the darker she-wolf before; erzulie had not forgotten the redhawk bitch who had attacked them, and unbeknownst to her lover had vowed internally to end the wench if she was seen again.

im stuck in the cold so hope u don't mind a skip

Hmm, she seemingly struck a nerve.  Caiaphas wouldn't have known who she met - or would she? A thought dawned on her, a recollection, and it sent a paranoid bit of irritation through her.  That's right, she'd been one of them.

A Redhawk.  It didn't go well, though I'm not sure why I'd be surprised, considering you are one of them.  How could she have forgotten.  She eyed Caiaphas, then the two behind her.  Or is it were?  Now that was interesting.

the siren saw the protective bite of erzulie’s gaze, and sensed the woman was poised not unlike a snake concealed under a swath of leaf litter. she thought she detected lingering unease - more so than her reunion with an old enemy warranted. perhaps the road had been unfavorable.  

she had little loyalty remaining to the redhawks, and the indifference to hear her old pack had been at hand was easily decipherable. better the redhawks than one of caiaphas’ true enemies — but what was it Rosalyn had done to earn the contempt of their teeth?

does it look like we are still with them? caiaphas queried following rosalyn’s veiled accusation. her gaze shifted to the two cubs in tow, who appeared just as roadworn and roughshod as them. we’ve had some irreconcilable differences. a change in scenery was required. the sylph’s tone was dry, and the faintest hint of a smug sneer accompanied her words. we’re headed north. caiaphas supposed exchanging this information freely with rosalyn might keep the old hag from any backbiting— after all, what was the expression? keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?

a post cuz i've been bad at replying uhhh if i take that long again plz skip

so. they had known one another, and the woman who had come for rosalyn had been another redhawk. but the crone with pups in tow had left the pack, and now sought their own fortune. her two-toned eyes blinked, and she turned the line of her slim muzzle toward the corsair, seeking her lover's gaze.
they had been undecided as to where to go, as of yet, and they could not remain so close to the pack who threatened rosalyn's safety. while she did not appreciate the tension between the pair, it seemed they had little choice. "we have a common enemy, den," the harlot observed dryly. "i not be opposed to travelin' nor't as well, but dis bad blood between de two of you need to settle first." it was up to rosalyn, she supposed, as she had no fight with the dark-headed wolfess unless it was offered to the pirate.

I haven't minded the focus shift <3 some of my chars are poppin !!

Rosalyn's gut reaction to Erzulie's words was a big hell no.  And were she alone, likely she would have laughed at the idea of it.  Her, team up with the wench who had ordered her killed all those years ago? True, she'd been spoiling for the chance to usurp at the time, but she'd deserved the title.  Saltwinter could have become something under her command.  Now look at them.

But she wasn't alone, and the winter was already hard.  Erzulie deserved more than scavenged scraps and cold nights, and if Rosalyn had to swallow a bit of her pride to deliver it, then she would without hesitating.  She wouldn't roll over for the witch.  But she could place... decently.  If not nicely.

"Seems numbers may work in all of our favor.". She said, glancing long at Erzulie.  The look was accepting, and a bit wry.  She would be lying if she said she didn't find some amusement in the concept; she'd never imagined she'd be offering to walk at Caiaphas' side again, but time had a funny way of flipping things about.

it is the cinnamoned she-wolf that speaks first; caiaphas' ears perked instinctively at the wry twist of her words, the strange affectation of her tone that speaks of a foreign and strange upraising. the siren queen had not missed there was a bond between the two she-wolves she could not quite articulate -- but if they could be augmented into allies rather than enemies, caiaphas was willing to turn her cheek (just this once).

she studied the two of them for a long moment, her mind weighing the decision. if it came to it, and the two turned against her, would her children be safe? and what if they came for raleska or svalinn's throats too?

but her children were not so young anymore; day by day, they blossomed into their rapidly changing, growing bodies. and then it would be three against two, gods forbid it ever came to it.

caiaphas had changed too much since saltwinter; she was still an errant and embittered creature, but she picked her battles more carefully now -- the ugly wound that snaked her muzzle attested to that. after drawing a measured and contemplative blink, she spoke again. "the grudge is buried. we are going north -- to look for the rest of my brood." she motioned to the loitering youths behind her, though in her heart she knew she would not find them at ankyra. "we were separated - chased out by a bear, then a storm took three and my mate. if they are alive, they will be at the sound.. which reminds me -- the last time i saw you, there was a wolf with us that looked as if she would want to kill you. do you know who she was?" caiaphas had known only she was drageda -- and at the time, had been more of an enemy than rosalyn.

and just like that, the enmity was sheathed, at least for now. erzulie let her eyes linger on rosalyn lovingly, for such could not be easy for the pirate. yet her lover had done it, and now, at least for the time of winter, they would not be alone. 
north, and mention of what sounded like another enemy. fully expecting to, at some point, be filled in on all who stalked her auburn companion, the she-wolf approached the crone gently. "i can tend dat for you if you want," she offered, a gesture of goodwill to the sharp-edged woman's wound. no doubt it had been granted by the redhawks, or perhaps erzulie only hated them enough to believe each incapable of being aught but a savage. 
the woman had lost much, and still maintained a resiliency that was admirable.

They would have a home, or at least a group.  Despite her hesitance, and despite their past, she felt a lot of the weight she'd been carrying fall away.  Numbers meant food and security, two things she had greatly feared lacking these next months.

Her gaze sharpened when Caiaphas mentioned the other wolf, and she immediately recalled the day.  Thuringwethil.  She replied with a slight edge to her voice.  Last time they had met it went poorly.  She leads Drageda.  I was with them a time, after Saltwinter. Just saying the name brought memories of Vlad, and she met Caiaphas' gaze levelly before directing towards Erzulie.  Seems they feel similarly to the Redhawks when it comes to wolves leaving.  Last time she saw me, she wasn't really interested in talking. That had been around the time she met Erzulie, and the scars were doubtless still visible from where her lover had applied her trade after that encounter.  She glanced out of habit, but figured that answer enough.

while caiaphas of all people could admit it was ruthlessly satisfying to bury the hatchet into flesh - to let it sink through thick viscera and cleave through membrane - there was something as satisfying as watching that hatchet drop.

of course, it came without the succulent sounds of flesh rent and meat ruined -- but still, she felt a little better to know these women were willing to tag along.

their band could use more members - and as much as caiaphas was loathe to admit the virtues in her enemy, she knew rosalyn to be a gritty old thing -- a perfect role model for a stinker like raleska. and perhaps even svalinn could learn a thing or two from erzulie, if he so wished -- or was inclined.

rosalyn's answer was absorbed quietly - caiaphas nodded, but didn't say much else. she understood the trailing end to rosalyn's words, and studied the scars (new to her) placed on the russet woman's hide. erzulie's offer to see to her wound was gracious -- and after a few exchanged words, caiaphas followed the duo back to their temporary densite, eager to put miles and worries out of her head.