Haunted Wood digging out stumps of old resentments that refuse to rot on their own (mtr.)

tagging: @Calhoun. other tags for ref
ooc notes: sorry for the wait!

Borage, chervile, and goosegrass, (and dandelion leaves for herself)—
the matron ticks every herb off her list, remembering to find something for the croon Odessa, like poppy to ease her slower days. Though, betwixt slaving jaws the tattered hems of her little stock fllit and feather from nicked lips as Rohesia curses her situation a thousand times again and again.
a seer, a healer, a herald, that is what she is. For her cousins to claim kingship so easily as if it were handouts for the needy leaves her feeling empty even with a full stomach. 

Newlywed, flushed cheeks of the bride;
no, her god could never want this. The flames had told it so, the womb of the High Elk had not burned for yet another of the felled disciples of Him to take over. No, she thinks. This is meant for the blood of the family who were casted aside by their first breath! It was destiny meant for someone who never thought they could reach it, hold it in shivering, holy palms —

A riveted gasp and the soft rustle of dropped herbs, the woman comes across somethign she'd never imagine. Twin fawns, yes, — but conjoined at the neck while the small of their backs were shared, one. It had to be a sign. For Kinglsend, for her. 

It must be.

Oop this got long

The hunter moved silently through the gloom of the woods. His opinions unchanged of the Kings, though at some point he would have to...accept the changed terms of his family. Not in the way the Kings desired surely, but in a way where it wasn't the only thoughts to consume him. Calhoun was better than that and he would prove through the High Elk one way or another that his leaders had made a mistake, one more so than the other.

Cal buried himself in his work, even now he sought to follow the scent trails of lingering prey to ensure the Déorwine were fed. As he moved however, something soiled crossed his path. The scent of death though it was not strong enough to cause repulsion. Perhaps an abandoned meal free for the taking. His mind made up quickly, he turned in his path to follow until another came into view. Rohesia.

The man's jaw locked as he assessed whether he should approach or not. The woman was neutral in his eyes, a bastard's child, but one who had proven herself. Even the High Elk had blessed her with her pelt, even if there was a slight red hue. Better than grey. It was then that he noticed something at the woman's feet. A small hoofed body of sorts that quickly overtook his interest. Curiousity stole him as his small deliema was quickly tossed aside to investigate, though what he saw left the hunter frozen in place.

Not many things shocked Calhoun, even less so that visibly showed, but the fallen body before him was enough to drop his soul into the pit of his stomach. An omen— It was a long moment before the hunter was able to pull his gaze away, red orbs focusing on his company to gauge her reaction for he had already deciphered his own meaning of the dead twins.

"Your such a detective. Who'd guess?"
the cygnet, of course. A heavery drapery of silence falls between them as hungry eyes flicker, their thoughts bubbling. It's then that the realization is verifed by Calhoun's own murmurings, yes,
the omen is of the self-proclaimed tyrants of Kingslend. 
An omen, that her cousins were not fit to rule.

The irritation she'd felt with the Calhoun ebbed away for something enlightening, new. "I assume you know what I know," she starts. Pausing with a flittering sigh. "Howl for the family and the cursed servants."

This'll be good. 

A glare was shot at Rohesia as she voiced her quip. He did not come to be chided or undermined, still, he would keep his mouth shut sure that his look spoke enough.

"I assume you know what I know,"

How could I not? His annoyance threatened to bubble over with a retort of his own, but there were more pressing matters than shutting the other up. With a huff of his own, Cal tipped his head back to summon @Cynefrid @Ken @Germanicus @Chad @Odessa and more importantly@Célnes and @Cenric . They all needed to see this and he couldn't wait to hear the pathetic excuse Célnes will come up with for such a clear sign.

It was unusual for any other to call upon the group besides herself and Cenric. When she heard her cousin, Célnes followed through to the source, and found Calhoun, and Rohesia. One alone was a bother to deal with, as the raise of religion held them deep, but when together, she could only embrace for a headache.

Though a smile to them both and a polite nod despite the tension between, but her fire-lit eyes grazed to before them. She almost turned to disgust to what was seen, and preferred not to have her eyes linger further on the blasphemy. She could already see the two finding ways to turn this onto her, as the elk woman and the two Déorwine's were not on the best terms.

"Two lands we have found each other-" she did not count the original taiga, where only herself, Cenric and Freo' were originally in. They formed in two lands. The Mountains, and these flatlands of the wilderness, slowly but surely the family was forming between the two. However, there was no signs of where they could call a 'home,' "show they have been discarded by the High Elk. We have not seen him, and this," her paw waft over, "shows so."

Flawlessly said, even if she did not believe it herself.

A sudden gasp, the old oak stares upon the hideous sight of the disfigured twins, morphed together and bound in sin. The shock of it and the fires which plagued the woman's lungs caught her into a fit of coughs and she folds into a sit as she does so. Unlike Celnes, who disregards it, Odessa cannot turn away. Celnes quickly comes up for an excuse to hide her shame before she is even judged for it. Typical. The guilty spoke first.

"oh, shut UP already," she spits accompanied by a hissing leer. "you aren't a seer, not like us," she begrulignly notions to calhoun and herself. the swan duabs herself under cool breeze to numb the sizzling cracker that spraks and spins in her cranium. just a little longer, she restates. even straigher does she align herself, her golden-dripped gaze sweeping meacingly over the quad as she adopts a looming countenance.

"don't pretend. even odessa knows what it means. i'm going to tell everyone. i'm gonna prove once for all you're not a queen -- your're a fib." 

And there it was, even more pathetic than he expected from the King. He had his own judgment on the matters, but Rohesia was quick to butt in. She wasn't wrong, but Calhoun had to admit being abrasive wouldn't always work, he was learning that quickly these days. If he wanted to drive the point in, he'd have to explain in a manner Célnes would listen to, This is not about the land, Cousin. You and I both know that. If it was a sign to our past locations that we already knew were not fit, we would have heard sooner and through the land. This is a body. A sign for another body, and considering who it's presented to be, I'd be more careful if I were you.

Red eyes shifted to the other seer who was so quick to deem that she would ruin Célnes' name, but perhaps that was not the answer either. If the goal was to ruin her it would have happened by now. Maybe it was the High Elk's grace sparing Célnes for redemption, but she had to prove herself now. Do not be hasty. There is still time for Célnes to right her wrongs. We all have seen her faults before now, you do not need to ruin something she has already done to herself.

Celnes narrowed her eyes at Rohesia, and curled her lips back to reveal a slick set of teeth. She let out a warning snarl, but did not fully intake a war-antic onto the reddened woman, "You will start to respect your King," she said a lower-voice and a small glare.

Her fire-lit eyes momentarily glanced to the two-headed doe, and couldn't help but think.

There was two who prominantly went against her so, Calhoun and Rohesia. Was this a sign sent from the High Elk that these two would be chaos to the Kingslend realm? Or was it a sign of disaster to fall upon herself and Cenric. She could not read signs like others and only guess-

but Déorwine will not accept more of Rohesia's fire, "we did not have to accept you in. Back then- and even now, cousin. Continue so, and you are no longer welcomed."

Then she turned to Calhoun- while they disagreed, she suppose there was more respect to him. He held more tact, and definitely held firm on the group the religious side. The star amongst them- there was some envy as she thought so, remembering the elders glamour him and fawn over so. Her eyes continued narrowed, and asked him so, "What do you think it means then?"

where célnes went, germanicus accompanied. still begrudged against himself due to his failure, the soldier had grown silent, reticent.

pretty rohesia had discovered something dire and twisted. the sight of the wretched dead thing threatened to spur his gorge. and célnes beside him, teeth clacking as she dealt swiftly with the defiance of her relative. 

he himself did not move; germanicus, quiet and empty with his acceptance he might not see ico again — he only prepared to be the elk-woman's tool if she sought to wield him.

It was true, she was not a seer, not like the pair which read the signs now. And she was not old enough to have lived and learned the history and tradition as Odessa had, who knew, who knew all too well this was not a sign to take in lightly. The old crone had perhaps raised the youth of Kingslend into their yearling state where they took to their own care, but from there she could only hope that they would continue the way of Deorwine, that they would practice their teachings.

 It had been evident, to everyone, that Celnes had lost faith in the Deorwine's way of life, abandoning it and abandoning their God. She had made that clear in their first meeting. Odessa, as mentioned, had little choice on the manner where to go. These wolves, whether she disliked some, whether she didnt share the same ways with some, or no longer could look at them the same, were family and Odessa, at her age, had no where else to go even if she did not agree with Celnes rule. 
 
This, here, was a showing of her mistakes. They knew it, Celnes hid it, Calhoun spoke it. Catching her breath (after she nearly hacked up a lung here), she watches and listens quietly, her bright yellow eyes narrowed on the servant at her side.

Much to the hunter's surprise, he was not shut down as Rohesia was. Célnes was quick to assert her role above his cousin, the mere threat of being thrown out of the family dangling upon her head, though when her gaze turned to him, it was not to insult. It was for clarification. Red eyes switched between the other seer and his King before settling upon Célnes, As I said before. I predict it be a warning for you and Cenric...

Perhaps she would chew him out for what came next, though Célnes did ask and Calhoun was never the type to sugar coat things. You've been changing our laws. Some held through generations. For whatever reason should you continue down this path you may meet a similar fate. There's unrest within our family, not all are pleased as you are oh so aware of. Once more his ruby gaze shifted to the others that had gathered, lingering longest at Odessa and Rohesia. You want change. I can't sway your mind and you are my King, even if you go against our family values, but it is not just the Deorwines you challenge. The High Elk has spoken, and he is not pleased. So fix it.

Finally, he found the grey heathen amongst the crowd of brown. He was quiet, as he should be, though he did not belong here all together. In all honesty, if Célnes was so keen on keeping him she should have him stand before the High Elk as soon as they found him. If he somehow made it into their ranks then, no one, not even him could complain. Though that would still not make the man an equal.

"All changes are to be met before the High Elk." She didn't deny what changes are to happen. It was somthing that was to be done, what she wanted to. They were no longer a powerhouse they once were, a group of hundreds of members, maybe even more. She couldn't interact with them all, but their land was just as large as these forests and plains were.

Now they were severly numbered and weakened- if she wanted to regain that power once more. Changes would be made. In regard as well, Célnes did not hold such a grudge against the grayscales or the golden as others. Blacks were a wary color to see of, but more tolerable then white.

Even she, wouldn't accept that color.

"As it has been said, all not of Deorwine, will go through the High Elk for his judgement. Is that not enough?" A fire-lit gaze passed through Calhoun, to Rohesia, to Odessa, and faintly to her guard, Germanicus. She knew he not believed in, but did not know he thought not-too fondly of worshipping 'meat.' Different religions, after all.

"We can never know what He may be thinking, and only can try to find him so." Then the elken woman turned away from them all.

skippable unless addressed <3

go through the high elk for what judgement? germanicus was not at all convinced that an easily bloodied lump of flesh like their god could weigh him so. he was not a sinful creature, but he knew his failings and his imperfections. in this knowledge, however, the eaglebound had sought to hold himself to a higher standard.

and no prey-beast could come close to touching even the hair upon the head of the lowliest wolf.

why did she submit herself so? all inner workings; he remained as he was, a smear of ash alongside her, quiet, rigid, implacable.

The hunter huffed, but truly there was nothing he could do until the High Elk himself denied the virus beginning to plague their family it seemed. So long as they are tried like any other, I can not, nor will I challenge his vision. A glance was cast to Germanicus before red eyes sought Rohesia again. No matter what they said, they would not be swaying Celnes mind. Not today at least. So he would let the issue lay and turned to leave, offering a final warning as he walked off, If I were you, I would not let your passions cloud your faith. Pray to the High Elk that you prove me wrong. And with that, he was gone.

It was troublesome. Just as they could not sway her, she could not sway them. All there was to be left was but a smile as Calhoun set off.. She gave a final glance toward the heinous being on the ground, before motioning away. 

A tail flick toward Germanicus to follow so.