Ankyra Sound [VS] in her harvest I'm embraced

Challenging for your rank, KEK.

It wasn't like he'd meant for this to happen.

The beach was calm, the sky was clouded over but the weather was milder than it had been in a while; it seemed as if the grip of winter had released, receeded. As the transition occurred Firefly had been busy helping both Erzulie and Rosalyn reach their desires, and by the time spring had drifted in to view he was hard at work trying to provide for them.

Because of his intensity as he worked, Firefly ate more often and slept less. He fought against his fear of the dark forest in order to gather additions to the cache system, worked his way up and down the rocky path that had previously been a tedious, dangerous, and often-times impossible feat. His body adapted. He grew stronger, and now he resembled something new. Something wild, brine-heavy, healthier than he'd ever been in his life. His limp had all but vanished (likely because of his good spirits, indicating that on some level the injury was psychosomatic).

He'd come to realize his attachment to the Sound and to the people living here. Erzulie, Rosalyn, Illidan -- even the ornery young Yami. Perhaps that is why he chose this moment, fresh from a run along the sand, to careen towards the dark throat of the caves. He stopped with a skid as he came to the entrance, smelling the heavy scent of @Caiaphas, and upon straightening-out his stance before the yawning maw of black he bayed a challenging note in to the depths.

YESS <3 CONGRATS!!!

just like that, caiaphas' wig was snatched reign came to an end.

no, but really. observe:

of all the wolves to challenge her, she hadn't expected firefly. he was industrious, sure. he was handy, capable, and best of all, he had made himself busy siring caiaphas' favorite things: puppies.

but, firefly -- really?

she had expected vaati - maybe even grezig -- but the dark form that blotted the grotto's mouth was neither of those envisioned adversaries. caiaphas straightened her posture and cast the male healthy side-eye. had he always looked so strong?

the crone cleared her throat and accepted their spat with a nod of her thin muzzle. brusquely, she motioned they go towards the open -- and once the two were in the cavern she whirled upon him, eager to put him down.

except... firefly was not so easy an opponent to put down. he was strong, and for every attack she threw his way he had a counter prepared; he seemed measured and calculative. the siren realized her energies were being gradually taxed from her, and he was easily overpowering her. their spar was bloodless, as all rusalkan spars were as a rule -- but soon if a winner was not exacted, they would be forced to resort to harsher methods.

crafty as caiaphas was, she was not prepared for the final blow: like a python firefly's fangs landed upon her throat. her eyes widened as she recognized the pressure, and dumbly she settled into the ground meek as a doused cat. the growl that had rumbled deep in her throat became extinguished, and she bent her proud head beneath the jaws of her victor, accepting his triumph with a crone's embittered mutterings.

There was a practiced manner to the way Caiaphas moved; she welcomed him in to the cavern but like the cougar who had once lurked in the depths, she spun on her heel and began to assault. The battle was not as difficult as one might expect, but that was proof that Firefly had indeed mastered the realm, toughened his body, and that the woman was not fit to rule. He had no desire to rule, not really. What drove his actions now was the intoxication of good sex and the biological desire to be top dog, without further thought to what that entailed. He was proud of himself. Eager to show off his good health, even if that meant demoting a woman he admired.

And when his jaws snared around her throat, the battle ended. She buckled and crunched against the dirt, and he was left the victor — the master of the Sound, whether he intended this or not was beside the point. Firefly did not rest there for long either; he thought very little about the wounded ego of the crone as he released her, and pulled away from where she sat in the dark of her cave, silhouetted by the spring light filtering in from the seaside.

He looked at her - watched for further aggression, for distress, but could only make out the vitriol of her gaze as the light caught upon the pair of yellow eyes. She was unhappy — but he was the king.

firefly was the new king indeed -- as his jaws loosened, the wretch slipped from his grasp and stalked heatedly away. it only took a few strides for her to regain her composure before she whirled around to him, the lambency of her gaze unblinking. "congratulations on your conquest. you will want to howl, so that they know of your ascension." the crone spoke, her tone level and hiding her fury at herself well.

she did not stay for further conversation.

it had been a fair fight, as far as any fight could be -- and she had been bested, simple as that. as she emerged from the grotto she stood on the strand and slowly looked about her. siren queen no longer.

yet, the beach remained the same. the grotto was unchanged. the only thing different was her.

she waited for a lull in the wind, and then the siren queen threw back her head in a howl, informing those within rusalka's fold that it was no longer she that ruled the roost.

The stare would've unnerved him on any other day. Her words less so, being somewhat clinical in nature as she tried to hide herself behind them. She slipped away afterwards and headed to the beach - stepping out, leaving him in the darkness. He thought he could smell cougar for a moment and finally felt a sharp thrill in his chest, prompting him to turn and head for the exit just as Caiaphas tossed her head back. It was like she had summoned a gale; a gust of salinated air pushed across her coat and pulsed to the cave as he stepped out, messing his wild gold scruff. As her song died, Firefly gave a moment of silence and peace — and then lifted his chin and let his deep voice ring out. It swept across the coast, flooded the caves, netted in the black pines of the forest, and then silenced.

oh, how she hated that howl -- the final peal to announce to the world her downfall.

but caiaphas had been downed before; she was no sweet summer orchid. her tendrils were deep, her stem resilient -- with a cold glance rolling off her back, the siren quickened her pace until she was well away from rusalka's newest monarch.

may his empire be fruitful, his reign long -- and may no beasts lurk at his back.