Blackfeather Woods Never been a perfect soul

@Black Hat

He shivered, feeling rather alone in the world now.
Andraste died, he was chased by creatures too big for him to fight in the night. He tried to find help but was ultimately, and prematurely, departed from Courtfall.
His Mother would be worried, as would Tundra. He hoped they'd stay together.

But he'd fled for Blackfeather. Home. 
It was quiet, the birds trying to stay warm. Stone and Void were with him, and some others who trusted in him - as a wolf- to find food. Shouldn't birds help wolves find food?
He snapped up some snow, wincing at how it bit on his teeth, but it was refreshing. There weren't many patches in the woods, and the streams had frozen up.

The woods were desolate.
He needed to eat.

He was hot on the heels of a hare, which led him into the phantasmal woods as it darted for cover. But he predicted its movements and was thus able to cut his quarry off. Without the luxury of being able to torture the thing, he gave it a swift death, though the hare cried out one final time before it never would again. He sat and huffed to catch his breath. Once caught, he laid down and began to devour what was merely a snack for a wolf his size.

The was the screech of death that cut theough the woods, warranting investigation from the boy and the birds. 
Death meant food. 

He followed the birds, the dark mass that swept through the branches like a plauge. And behind was a large boy; he was large for his age. 
But what lay before him was much larger. 

He didn’t hold claim over the woods and therefore was in no position to fight the man for his meal. He stared, hunger panging at his sides. Void futtered down, and he remembered something. 

He’d seen birds pester coyotes for a meal then steal it from them while looking for his brother. His ears twitched, Void cawed. It would only be time before she started to irritate and distract the man. Rowan would go to Mephala’s Web to escape. 

A crow cawed nearby, which earned it a glare. His gaze trailed over to a boy who was stood there gawking at his meal. He was alone from the smell of him. Black Hat saw an opportunity. You're a bit young to be on your own. I bet you're famished, He said cooly, sitting up. I can share. He didn't toss him a piece in case he'd bolt with it. He wanted him to stay and open up a bit.

He nodded softly. He was hungry. Then the stranger offered food.
Now, Rowan wasn't stupid. Lone adults who looked like they would eat anything they came across likely would. And Black Hat was the exact picture of that.

His auds pressed forwards, head tilting. Everything screamed trap trap trap.
He called for the crows, emitting the sound that to them meant food. It was something like a puppyish howl. Soft and almost awkward.
Down some came, perching on lower branches and the ground by him.

"You look dangerous." He stated. It was a fact: one scarred eye, ragged appearance, and larger by far than he. 
"How can I trust you?"

It was common sense not to trust Black Hat; everything about him should've set off warning bells in any rational being's mind. The boy let out a mewling howl that summoned more crows. Friends of his, he reckoned. He must've been a resident here before the pack fell, probably born in these woods to wield such trust with the crows. That was his lightbulb moment.

Eyeing the boy's companions, he said, You seem familiar here. Do you know Hela, by chance? He inquired with a tilt of his head. My name is Black Hat; I was her mentor. Now, she leads the Nightwalkers in the Haunted Woods. He stopped there to gauge his reaction.

His eyes widened, the tips of his ears flicking backwards. Was Black Hat here before? Did Rowan just not know him?

 It sounded like a lie. Hela was too petty to be a leader. Too shrewd and selfish. “How?”
He needed to know. If this man knew her and how he trained her, Rowan can now get better than her. He would have the training of Tundra and the stranger. Plus many more in the future. 

Nightwalkers. Isn’t that the place wherer the strange woman was? His Mother’s enemy? 
“Are you a Nightwalker?”
For if he was, Rowan would have to kill him. 

From how the boy was taken aback, he appeared to be right on the money. That drew a toothy grin from him. Well, I've years of experience under me, but it helped that Hela was a star pupil, Black Hat boasted. She challenged the previous warlord and won — killed him, even. Now, the title is hers. It was a crude and barbaric system, hence why he'd no respect for it. A good warrior did not necessarily a good leader make.

The cutthroat tone of the boy's question molded how he answered, seeing as he desired to earn his trust. I was, but not by choice. So when Vengeance died, I gladly took my leave. He leaned forwards then with fierce intensity in his stark, mismatched eyes. What is it you desire, boy? Control? Power? Security? Whatever it is, I can make it happen — ask Hela, if you'd like. Black Hat's stare never wavered, yet there was a cool collectedness to how he held himself even as he sat; the subtly intimidating poise of a man who knew just how much power he had up his sleeve.

She killed for a title.
Ruthless, soulless Hela.
And by the sounds of it, Vengeance didn't need to die. Heartless.
He left, so obviously, in Rowan's mind, Black Hat didn't teach her to be like that. Rowan knew she was like that from their first meeting.
"I knew she'd be like that." He murmured quietly. He was so happy when she'd left; hoped she'd be carried away by a coyote. But no, she would be devoured by Nightwalkers. Hopefully.

"I want to be a Guardian." A simple job for a not so simple mind. 
He knew what it meant to protect and had decided it would be what he'd always do.
"So if  Hela or someone like her threatens my family I can protect them."
He was sacrificial. He'd put himself between his scattered family and danger any day. He wished he hadn't left them, or gone so far.
He just wanted to be home.

He met the mans gaze and licked his lips. He had killed before; not a wolf but a coyote was close enough. 
He crouched, looking up at Black Hat much like a cat. Waiting for him to extend food. Or leave it. He would be stupid to move closer.

Though Hela and this boy were clearly not on good terms, he still had enough to work with. The boy said he wanted to be a guardian. Come with me, help me form a kingdom; and I will make you more powerful than Hela, Black Hat promised. Where is your family? They clearly weren't anywhere around here, which was strange considering his dedication to them.

Only if the boy agreed to join him would he back up and allow him to eat the rabbit's remains, then, he would ask, And what is your name?

The man offered riches. Why? What was his plan?
His ears flicked nervously. Unsure of what to think. What was the worst that could become of this?
Rowan nodded, taking a step closer, Void cawing, head tilting in what seemed to be excitement. A flutter of wings and her feathers puffed up.
He hoped they were right.

"I left them."
His Mother failed him and Moonshine left too. He wanted to come home and his Mother didn't. He'd made it this far.
He felt a widening pit of unresolved pain and sorrow open up inside of him. He wanted to be a guardian but yet left those dearest to him.
What did he have to show for his efforts?

Another question. Requesting another answer.
"Rowan..." He absently replied, not realising he'd moved from the food. Void hopped forward, pecking at the scraps, reminding Rowan he was here. 
The boy moved to the food, glancing at the stranger before tucking in. Slowly even though his body screamed for satiation.  

"I left them."

That came as a surprise. He was so keen on protecting them, so why would he leave? Black Hat wasn't trying to play twenty questions, but the child's actions contradicted his strongest desire, and that just didn't add up. That makes it a tad difficult to protect them. Do you intend to return to your family? Maybe he regretted his decision and sought to reconnect at some point when he felt strong enough. But that was just his speculation as he tried to rationalize the boy's actions. Black Hat needed to know whether he intended to stick around or not.

Rowan gave his name, and he tucked it away as the estranged child ate alongside one of his corvid companions.

He licked his lips, looking up.
"My Mother doesn't trust my words, she is a warrior so I know she'll be ok. My sister likes to wander by herself and I trust he can keep friends." 
He ripped another shred of meat from the rabbit.

"When I'm older and trained, I will find my brother who was taken by a coyote."
His head tilted, looking up at him with a seemingly wise look. Rowan wasn't stupid by any means. He'd find Minnow too and they'd go on an adventure for Falling Star. He would be strong, and he would be brave. He would do what his Mother had failed to do. And Father, wherever he was. 

Wrap this up? We can have a training thread next if you'd like!

That wasn't the answer he was expecting, but Rowan's explanation made more sense now. So long as he wasn't going to up and leave to join his family's pack or something of that nature, he didn't care. I see. Black Hat said no more and allowed Rowan to finish his meal uninterrupted.