sound of a gun

AW, but please let @wynter and/or @reek reply first. no post order otherwise. AS is bringing BFW a gift :)

Across the pristine and snowbound earth the wolves of ankyra worked, pushing. shoving. grunting with each step and occasionally shoveling the frozen dirt of the tunnel aside. They tugged and dragged, carrying with them the limp and swollen form of a butchered seal pup. Before they left the Sound they had done their best to quarter the hunk of meat, but so little could be sliced without losing valuable organs -- and most of the corpse had to be dragged intact.

By the time they reached Blackfeather Woods Caiaphas was exhausted and irritable. She was quick to drop her end of the seal pup and if it caused her members to buckle under the weight she didn't care. With an exaggerated huff the Siren Queen threw herself to the ground panting from her efforts. Soon the wolves of Blackfeather would catch wind of their arrival, but for now the matriarch was content to recover from their toiling work.

Wynter huffed as she helped drag the large seal across the ground. When they finally reached the clearing of blackfeather woods she felt some of the weight of the seal drop down on her jaw. She looked slightly startled at Caiaphas who had dropped her part of the seal and was now laying on the ground. She too let go of the large seal. and padded over to the queens side. "Are you alright?" she asked out of breath. For a minute she had completly forgotton Reek was also holding part of the seal. She darted a very apologetic glance in his direction. Then looked back at Caiaphas slightly concerned.

The drag was awkward at best. Movement was slow and the work was hard, but Reek was chomping at the bit to prove his worth to his pack. Every step was torture. With every lurch forward the pain in Reek's knees increased exponentially, but the trio sledged on with their destination in sight.

Reek knew little about the Dark Brotherhood, little about the reasons for war, little about the packmates beside him, but Reek wasn't the type to ask questions in this sort of situation. When tensions are high... follow the leader.

Both wolves let go of their ends of the seal, causing Reek's knees to buckle and him to fall forward, loosing his end. Face met snow in a wet thud. Shit happens. He shook it off, but didn't bother to get up. Instead he remained collapsed into the snow due to exhaustion. Wynter's look may have been sympathetic, but Reek knew not to expect the same from the Siren Queen.

Morgana wandered the borders of her dark pack, contemplating leaving. It had come across her mind to visit the territory of the new pack, Silver-something. She hadn't left the haunting woods in quite a while, having no need to, but now it was getting a little boring. There hadn't been a trespasser to terrorize in some time.
However, she had a nagging feeling that something big was going to happen soon, and that she would be there for it.
Her nose flared and twitched, smelling something out of the ordinary. Accompanying it, three wolves. She growled; they were not from the dark pack.
She followed the scent, getting closer she realized that one wolf had a superior scent, probably an Alpha. Morgana snarled; didn't Alpha's have their own territory all to their selves? What purpose would one come here? She realized that it could possibly be an attack, and only she was present. Running faster, she wanted to intercept the wolves before they reached the borders.
Reaching the strangers, she hid behind a large pine, watching the wanderers. They seemed to be lugging some sort of creature, one that she very faintly remembered. It sure looked delicious. Her mouth watered and she absent mindedly started drooling. She stepped from behind the pine, curious to what they were doing with the creature.
What are you doing? She addressed the wolves, putting in her intimidating and dangerous look.

Crescendo soon appeared at the side of Morgana, who appeared to be trying to look hostile. He had to stop himself from chuckling, there was the fae he had pursued that one day, along with two others. "Hello there, maggot" he greeted her in a low voice. "What brings you here again?" He shot a warning glance at Morgana to play nice, then turned his attention back to the maggot and her friends. The seemed to be dragging something Crescendo had sampled before, and liked, a lot. It was seal, and definitely not from their caches, which led Crescendo to believe they were giving it to them. But why? Perhaps in exchange for a foul deed of some sort. If so, he was all for it.

The handsome brute glanced back the way he had come for a brief moment, he expected the dark queen to emerge at any moment. She was always in the center of the action, always seemed to know all. It was all part of her appeal.

Leucothoë had come, too, and her eyes looked in the horizon. She truly did not like departing from the Sea, but had done it to learn more of the place that she had come. It would give her an advantage against any that she did not know simply to know things. Beside her was her twin, and presently she pressed her shoulder gently into her mirror image.

It was not long before they were joined. The first one was polite enough, and a woman. This immediately was enough for Leucothoë to prefer her to the other who approached and—what had she heard?! Leucothoë did little to hide her lack of amusement, and thought of a volley of things to do and say both. Instead, the woman morphed her face into the look of a woman morbidly interested in something—him—her head tilting and lobes perked forward. Leucothoë did not like men at all, but they had their uses.

AW still, just posting 'phas before it gets bigger :)

Caiaphas passed her gaze along the band that had accompanied her from the shore, committing a basic head-count to ensure none had been lost during the travails. It appeared their intrusion had not gone unnoticed -- the first to appear was a dark female equally as lovely as Meldresi herself, a rich umber black plume that would have made a raven fuss with envy.

The female's manner was much preferred over the male who approached moments after -- a male Caiaphas recognized as one she had reluctantly had the misfortune of encountering before. She ignored him, finding his presence most unsavory. To the female, she spoke -- her voice sharp and clear and a smile wide upon her triangular muzzle. "We come for the Mother of Darkness, Meldresi." Caiaphas motioned to where her packmates stood flanking the seal, and then turned back to Morgana. "A gift for Her Highness' whelps."

Wynter nodded as Leucothoe had joined them. She wanted to go apologize to Reek but with Leucothoe around she didn't think that would be a good idea. She knew it would not be worth starting conflict within the pack with all that was going on already. She glanced over at the two wolves who had now shown up. The one seemed nice enough but the male seemed to have a little bit of an attitude. Wynters ears twitched as she listened to the conversation. Her paws still ached quite a bit from having dragged this large seal here. She hopped it wasn't for nothing.

Nesaea travelled alongside her twin, never straying too far from her side. She pined for the sea nearly as soon as they left it, but reminded herself of their cause — both to please Caiaphas and also, it seemed, the Alpha of this dark forest. The journey was difficult, made all the more challenging by the seal pup they sought to gift the other pack. Still, they arrived relatively unharmed, if only a little weak and haggard.

Quickly, they were greeted by the members of the forest, stepping out from behind the trees with coats that rivalled the darkest shadows. Nesaea's ears fell back and she gently let her own shoulder touch her sister's, calming herself as the two dark wolves spoke. The word maggot caused her green eyes to harden considerably towards the male. Already he had proven himself unworthy of even the slightest bit of attention. Tail tip flicking with displeasure, Nesaea instead turned to the foreign woman again as the Siren Queen spoke.

The snow did wonders for ragged wolf's aching joints. The long trek had done it's toll on the poor bastard. Reek's face still throbbed from the fall with the seal, but this wasn't the time or place for complaints or to make jokes about it. Instead, he looked onward waiting for the brotherhood to arrive.

Wynter's sympathetic gaze had been averted with the arrival of the twins who pulled up the rear. Though he had never spoken to the two, he could assume what they thought of him. Especially Leucothoë. The night he had unwittingly arrived near the sound, she was one of the first to greet him. The welcome she gave was... less than warm. Fire burned in her eyes that night as she stared him down, sizing him up, ready to attack. If it weren't for the coywolf, he'd be dead as a doorknob.

Two strange wolves had arrived to intercept the party. One male, one female. Reek rose as they approached. An air of apprehension nipped at Reek's neck and the hackles stood on end. His ears pinned back as he stared down the two strange wolves. Maggots. What an asshole. The Siren Queen spoke and the rogue stood at attention, listening intently to the conversation that was to follow.

Morgana was skeptical of the "generous" offering for Meldresi. Why, out of the blue they just decided to hunt down a seal and drag it miles just to be nice? No. Something was going on.
Why? What do you want in return? This is not just a generous offering, Morgana stated. She realized that her and Crescendo were out numbered. If this was an attack, it wouldn't go too well. But she would not submit to this Alpha, she did not show weakness to a potential enemy.

Crescendo gazed around at the salt smelling wolves. Was maggot their alpha, perhaps? Just then Morgana launched a question, and Crescendo continued after she finished. He let out a strong howl that called for the priestess, then lowered his head and looked at Caiaphas.

"Gifts are never free. Morgana is correct. However, as I am sure you have discussed this with our Queen, I see no fault in her decisions." He said smoothly. His silver eyes looked into the dark woods behind him for a moment, wondering when @Meldresi would appear.

Leucothoë felt her ear twitch at the response of the female, commending her—internally—for her perception. The Nereid culture as a whole were very serious when it came to gifts and favors. It needed to be reciprocal. Her eyes then fall next to the male who fortunately needed no further words from them, and called to the woman he served.

She would leave speaking to the Siren Queen; she was here to learn, to observe. At home, she and her sisters never interacted with those outside of the Nereides. There was never a reason to. But this was something else entirely, and she understood that. She felt her sisters touch and shifted closer, to comfort.

"They have asked for our services, dear Brother and Sister." Meldresi was fashionably late to the party, as always, parting from the shadows that blended in with her coat effortlessly. The priestess stood in between Crescendo and Morgana, her dark indigo eyes observing the gathered wolves and the seal they brought. Caiaphas was joined by five other wolves, one of them male, and it seemed only the coywolf and the priestess knew of what was going on. Meldresi did not tell her followers of the job yet; she was busy thinking of the best way to look for a child. It looked like Caiaphas had done something similar.

"Thank you for the gift, Caiaphas." The queen stepped from the dark woods towards the light and the Nereides, her gaze focused on their queen. "I will make sure he will be safely returned."

last post from me! ty all for joining<3!

they awaited, quiet hanging about them like a fog. the siren queen fell silent even as the two dark wolves pressed questions into the air -- she had said her piece, and now waited the mother of darkness.

when meldresi came, she was no less lovely than the last time caiaphas had beheld her -- her witch's features painted with all manner of cryptic and dark symbols. caiaphas rose then, deigning a dip of her muzzle in the wolf's direction as a sign of deference. she cast her gaze to those in her following -- expecting them to show the same humility.

"it is appreciated." the salted coywolf said with an air of finality, turning then on her angular limbs. she would wait for leucothoe, wynter, nesaea and reek to peruse ahead before she followed up the rear and cemented their exit.

(Is there a PO :l I cant tell. IM going to post. But if i skipped anyone ill delete.)

Wynter looked confused for the wolf that had appeared from the shadows. This wolf appeared to know exactly what was going on. Perhaps Caiahas had already spoken to this wolf prior to this meeting.

She decided that was probable and watched as Caiaphas turned on her heels. Wynter too stood and turned on her haunches and began to head back in the direction of the sound. She would be glad to be back home and not be dragging a huge seal. Her paws still hurt and she was looking forward to a good rest.

That was it? The exchange had ended as fast as it had began. It would have been an understatement to say that the raggedy wolf expected more out of the situation than just a quick handoff to the other pack. No talk of strategy or tactics, just a small confirmation of the safe return of the pup. The bastard bowed his head as a sign of humility but quickly shot the painted lady, Meldresi, a wary glance. The burden's on her now.

Wynter had already turned back toward the Sound. He nodded wordlessly at his Siren Queen before walking behind his agouti friend, as if to ask permission. The long trek back was not something the tired wolf looked forward to. Though he longed to be back at the Sound, his knees still screamed for respite that the road would refuse to give. But, the bastard soldiered on without complaint. A good boy.

Morgana was puzzled to what service was needed, what was being kept a secret. The exchange had been planned out, obviously. She could tell from the looks on the other wolves faces, they were also confused as well, but nevertheless, Meldresi had told us. Therefore it couldn't be anything of dire angst. Anyway, it didn't concern Morgana, just yet. She turned, walking past Crescendo back into the forest.

just an exit post~

Leucothoë watched as the leader of this place come unto the scene, and when she did, the silver youth first looked to her leader. She was swift in copying her, and her tail swayed limply between her legs. After showing her own deference, mint green eyes fell onto the body that was given to the other leader... and then, it was time to go. Leucothoë was glad for this; she wanted to return to the sea swiftly, to see what other things were in store.

And so, she turned to go as prompted silently, allowing Reek ahead of her only for reasons regarding protection. She moved, sure that Nesaea would follow suit.

*chucks in a last post too >_>*

Their services? Nesaea regarded the dark woman who approached now with equal parts curiousity and wariness. It was clear only the Matriarch's of both packs were the only ones who knew what this exchange was all about. Even the violet-eyed woman's own pack mates seemed to be puzzled. The other female, in particular, who had been dubious of their gift. Despite the unease she felt, the youth still dipped her head in respect, mirroring her sister and the Queen. A small frown creased her features at the mention of a he being returned safely. Was this all for some lowly boy?

But then the exchange was done, and they wordlessly began to take their leave. Nesaea watched as Wynter turned first, followed by the scrawny consort, before looking to Leucothoe and quickly falling into step with her as they made to return back to Ankyra Sound.