Blackfeather Woods Once a year we celebrate

maaaan I love when a thread just randomly becomes deeper than it's meant to be lmao

The boy countered the statement made by the dark prince, whose lips pursed as he realized his words had probably been too harsh. Xan was not the worst of Blackfeather Woods, in the end he would always be of Kove's blood, and something good was bound to come out of him. "Then prove it," Said Damien in both encouragement and challenge, trying to give the yearling something to strive for. Xan only needed to improve his chances of climbing up the ranks once more by actually doing something useful for the pack.

An unsettling feel of betrayal oozed from Xan's words as he replied to Damien's attempt of offering the boy some solace with a direct question. Kove was family, he was the closest thing to an older brother, or even a father that Damien had left. Nemesis, although would always be Damien's biggest rival, would also remain his sister by oath eternally. Xan was their son. In some way, Damien had always seen the child as another rival, one that he needed to discipline in order to right his own wrongs, but in that same sense, although unknowingly, Damien saw himself reflected in the yearling.

"Is that what you want?" was all Damien could loose his tongue to say, even though the Xan's tone had already betrayed his thoughts. "You came here for a reason, Xan. Kove brought you to become one of us, to join our family, but so far you've only ever defied our way of life," he stated, picking his words carefully to avoid igniting the wrong drive from the younger one's volatile emotions. His voice had become calmer as he tried to find some empathy from and towards the yearling. Damien had not forgotten that he had once taken as a mission to mentor the kid and show him the ways of the Dark Brotherhood, and he would remember it for as much as it took him to accomplish said goal. Perhaps today he would get one step closer, but that would only ever happen if Xan himself allowed the dark prince to show him the right direction.