Redhawk Caldera It's a long way down

He was grateful for the spring. A heavy rain poured down, still the cold, wet of winter, soaking his pelt and making the old warriors injuries ache. 
He hadn't heard from Black Hat in roughly a week, the scents on the borders were fading again. Still- he couldn't see himself leaving the area. It was good territory and the prey was returning. 
He made his way through the timbers, cresting the harsh, Rocky terrain. He was lonely, a sensation he never thought he would experience.
A noise captured his attention to his left, a grunt- squealing...he almost whooped for joy. Wild boar had begun to farrow, meaning food for those brave enough to go after it. He changed direction quickly inhaling the scent of blood and afterbirth.

The rain made hunting difficult, if he hadn't heard the squeal he'd have passed right by. Valour followed the sound, lost in thought about the pups and the lack of anyone besides Hela showing their faces much. What had happened to the pack while he was gone? It seemed to be near vacant, though he knew there were still wolves doing their job for the caches stayed filled enough. A grunt in the distance gave him direction and he picked up his pace, eyes alert as they swept through the Caldera finally landing on a familiar sight. A large brown furred man stalking toward the same place he was, the name took a moment but he gave a low chuff to gather his attention "Memory!" he greeted as he padded closer, ears perked and tail giving a friendly wag. "I think we're hunting the same thing" he pointed out the predicament unafraid, studying the older warrior "Do you want to work together?" he asked not bothering to wait for pleasantries to pass. The rain soaked into his fur weighing him down and he shook his head as rivulets ran down into his eyes, blinding him for a moment. 

I'm all kinds of rusty, sorry for the crappy start

He was single-minded, the rain hiding his scent easily as he moved toward the farrowing sow. 
He was intercepted by a familiar, and not unwelcome, face. Valour- the pup Alpha he had taken under his paw at one time, before he had vanished and the pack had lost its appeal. 
The greeting is eager and friendly, much to his surprise- he notes a few new scars on the kid's visage.
"I don't see why not. Could probably use an extra hunter. I'll keep the sow busy, you kill the piglets." 
He spared the pleasantries as well- no need to have unneeded conversation that could alert the boar.

The plan was laid out quick and he nodded having no complaints with being given the fun job. Conversation would take place after business, Valour was curious as to what the man was doing since he wasn't at the Nightwalkers anymore. Without further hesitation he resumed tracking the scent taking his place unnoticed and waiting for Memory to go at the thing called a sow. He stared at the prey of choice watching with a cool gaze as smaller versions of the fat black grunting creature suckled at it's breast. Saliva pooled in his mouth and he stood at attention looking to Memory as he moved in and readying to spring into gear.

He was grateful for the rain. The noise hid his scent and the wet earth hid his pawsteps, allowing him to move quickly and efficiently. 
he knew he had to be careful- wolves had died at the fangs of an enraged wild boar. 
The sow rose to her hooves, standing over her hours-old young, screeching. He lunged, dancing back and forth, enticing the sow to charge. She finally did, and he gave Valour the signal to kill. The sow roared at the threat to her young and moved to charge, but he intercepted, taking a nasty bite to the shoulder and wrestling the beast back, his jaws closing on the sensitive ear. He snarled and tore, a circular dance before they released each other and the sow turned to flee, Memory hot on its flanks, biting the hocks. He managed to grab the tail and ripped it off as the sow spun to attack again, screaming in pain and rage. He snuck his head between her hind legs and tore at the soft flesh, the smell of piss and bowl filling the air as her organs slid onto the wet ground. 
She stood, splay legged and bleeding heavily, spinning to strike whenever Memory got too close. Finally he got her hind leg and pulled her onto her side, shaking his head so violently it dislocated her hip. Satisfied she wasn't going anywhere and would be dead in a few hours he playfully picked up the tail, limping on his torn open shoulder and shaking the hairy tassle about, a satisfied smirk on his features. 
"Hell of a meal. Six sucklings and a sow. So, pup. Where did you vanish off too? I oughta smack you for vanishing from your duties." 
The threat is light-hearted, not meant as any sort of challenge.

Within seconds Memory squared off with the mother beast and the air filled with screeches and sounds he didn't think he'd ever forget. Watching Frozen with wide eyes he saw the prey strike back with ferocity that had him shaken. It was the stench of blood that brought him to his senses and he darted for the piglings crushing their throats between his jaws mercifully fast each time glancing upwards to see another bloody, terrifying point of the bloody war of a battle between Memory and prey


Finishing as the Sow was torn open Valour stared slack jawed dazed by the sheer force of the smell of organ flesh and blood. As Memory teased him light as day he was slow to reply, looking at him with round eyed awe before dropping his head to nudge at the piglets. "kidnapped and tormented by rogue mixed bloods" blunt as it was he wasn't fazed by his own trauma and felt awkward "I took em out, one by one though so.... That's good?" he looked back up at Memory seeking some form of approval.

The pup stares stares up at him, Doe eyed and awestruck. He's humbled by the action- the kid really does remind him of himself at that age, so eager to prove his worth to Nix. 
The difference was that Nix never gave a damn about anyone but himself. And Memory would make sure this kid had someone who cared. 
His reason for vanishing is a harrowing one, and Memory nods, a grunt of understanding crossing his lips. "You survived. You fought your way out. As long as you did that, you're ok. A warrior never stops fighting- never gives up." He drops the bit of advice and lays down with a pained grunt- his shoulder was really beginning to hurt, blood matting his fur. "I challenged Vanity after a nearly botched hunt. Only thing that saved it was me taking lead. Cowardly bitch never set up a proper duel. After I ended up walking all the way to this place...full of magical shimmering stone. I didn't realize how far I had gone... But I met a wolf there who...made me realize the Nightwalkers are flawed. They are crumbling over the fact they are by nature loyal to no one, and the fact an immature child with a reckless temper is leading them." He levels his eye at Valour, carefully watching his reaction to so freely speaking Ill of Hela. He had never sworn complete loyalty to her- in fact he had always sensed she was doomed to fail. An Alpha could sense another capable Alpha- and she certainly wasn't one. "So...I left. And I found Black Hat. Old warrior and ex Nightwalker like myself. He's a good man." 

Once again he was reminded how cruel Vengeance had truly been as Memory praised him for making it out alive. His old mentor would've found another way to to teach him a lesson from his own kidnapping he was sure of it. Sitting down he listened as out poured the man's updates and it had him frowning, the expression tense thought he didn't seem angry. "Hela has gotten things under control. We have two litters of pups to care for and everyone has settled to help"  he jumped to the defense of the young Warlord staring Memory fiercely in the eyes "We have each other's backs. She killed my mentor. Black hat was hers, he abandoned her in the lead" his words were blunt an true his posture stiffening at the mention of the man who had lurked like a traitorous snake through the woods. "How does he treat you?" he asked not meaning to issue a challenge though he sounded jealous in a way, for it was he who had Memory's loyalty first.

He listened to Valour's update- pupdate? And grinned, before turning to clean his wound. "A new generation of killers. Or warriors, depending on who trains them." His mind went back to how Nix had taught him to handle pups- his first time in the dens had left him scarred for life. "Where I come from we would test them at two weeks. We would kill all but the strongest two- and any shewolf who stood in the way. Somewhere out there I have a son, if Nix didn't kill him." 
He didn't honestly know why he was sharing this information- he was many things, but he wasn't a pup killer. Or a raper, and yet Nix had forced Vicuna to lay with him. Every detestable thing he had ever done was at Nix's orders. "And how about you? You find yourself a family this season?" He was curious, and seeing pups from his little student- Adopted son?- would be enough to bring him back to the Nightwalkers. 
At Valour's question he frowned. "Seemed alright. Haven't seen him in about a month- running a ragtag bunch of wolves, trying to start his own pack." Had he again put his trust in the wrong wolf? He notes the jealousy in the kid's voice and chuckled. "I only stayed with the Nightwalkers for you, kid. I thought you had run off and got yourself killed like our kind tend to do." 

He's seen terrible things...


"You never....you know.." Valour started to question if the man had participated in it but fell short unable to bring the words past his mouth. It was a startling realisation of how good his morals were when men like Vengeance commanded him to be the kind he could see killing a weak child. If Memory had done it he didn't know what he would say, he just knew he wouldn't hold judgement though he'd be damned if any of the pups were harmed at home. "Maybe you'll find him one day" he pointed out trying to change the topic before he could find out darker truths about his new friend just as Memory asked if he'd found himself a family which left them both in silence as he stared with utter confusion. "My own?" he wasn't an idiot, he knew what was being suggested mainly due to being given a lesson at an early age. For a moment he pictured Vanity but it only made him frown more before Hela took place in his mind. His heart quickened and he remembered what he was supposed to do, the thing Vengeance had taught him meant to put possession on someone.

"Oh...no. I didn't know I was supposed to" he stated stammering and losing all of the structured composure and just for a moment looking like the young boy he really was. He ignored the talk of Black hat though it put the scowl back on his face and gave Memory a sideways glance, picking up a piglet and beginning to devour it listening to the flattering bit at the end and snorting as he swallowed a mouthful "As if" he said to the bit about dying and then more seriously "you should come back now that I'm there. Give Black Hat a few days to turn up, I have things to do before you come anyway but I would appreciate having your guidance while I work with Hela" he began to eat again pretending it didn't matter either way though he hoped that Memory would follow him back. He needed more warrior training and someone with a good head on their shoulders to help him with decisions and Vanity was great but he wanted more than one wolf under his trust in Nightwalkers.

"you never..." 

Memory looks away shamefully and doesn't speak. If only the pup knew the things he had done, had been taught to enjoy. One day he would drown in the blood and nightmares that pooled around him. "Not willingly. And It was a product of Nix's madness...I won't continue it." 
The pup makes mention of his son and he smiles, aware of the fumbled attempt at changing the subject. That was a lecture that would have to wait, then. And then the kid shows his age, confused about pups  and  families and memory snorts in laughter. "Shit, kid! Nobody taught you about mates? When I was your age I...I had my first heartbreak, by then." His eyes went soft, more memories coming to mind. "Connor. He was the sweetest little golden brown thing. So soft and gentle. He was a healer, only surviving that hell we both were in by being good at stealing and hiding. I would be a very different wolf if not for him." One day he would find love again. One day when politics and loyalties weren't so... complicated. At the kids bashful answer he blinked. "Supposed to? Kid- love isn't something you... supposed to. You can't control it. You find another wolf that just...makes you feel...like everything in the world makes sense with them. That you can see yourself spending forever with. That sets your heart- and other stuff- on fire. And then you take them, and you share uhhh... pleasure...with them...instinct kinda just...ahh..." He trails off akwardly. Did he really have to explain that, too? 

Thankfully the conversation changes again and breathes a grateful sigh.. 
An invitation to come back. He thinks on it, rising to his paws with a grunt and grabbing a piglet, the delicate bones crunching. "Not as if anyone else in our little gang is around. If I can find Black Hat I'll let him know. A week from today, sound good? For now though, I'll help drag this boar to your borders. Let's find a branch you can drag the pigletts on." 

After the sharing of such personal matters Valour was left feeling speechless. The rich taste of the piglet sat on his tongue and he crunched through bone, the only sign he was listening being how his ears shot up at the name of memory's past lover. A boy.....He was in love with a boy? He glanced up wide eyed and remembering Clay, the pretty, frightened boy who'd  been his best friend. Valour missed him....the realisation's affect was a sharp quick stab in his chest and he frowned ignoring the sudden swarm of hurtful thoughts and sensations brought up by Memory's speech about love. He was relieved when the man paused to give him time to breathe. "Love sounds dangerous" he muttered and if the signs of his already damaged young heart were enough he didn't want to figure it out. Why was he only thinking of Clay? And what was the fire... he'd only felt a burning emotion once and that was anger. "And confusing" he said giving Memory a disgruntled look. 

As business was agreed on Valour stood and looked at Memory with a nod "I'll see you then. Things work a little different now, i may have a job for you"he gathered the piglets "If you need the wound tended find me sooner, I'll take you in" he was risking getting himself attacked by Hela if he did but he wasn't scared of her, he digured they'd probably always bicker even if they had one another's back. Picking the piglets up by their hind legs he gave a wag of his tail and headed off toward the pack to stockt the caches and speak to Serem. 

You can set up the thread anytime you're ready, he's gonna be general in a few days.