Farewell to the Shadows

Takes place before the discovery thread. @Meldresi & also tagging @Cicero in case he was with Mel at the time, and wanted to tag along (and so he can say goodbye to his toy, if he wants to).

The journey back to Blackfeather had seemed much longer than usual this time around. Perhaps it was because of what he had to say, or maybe his time was still slowed due to the time spent with Scarlett. Either way, he wasn't so sure if he was prepared, but on the other hand he knew he was ready. The albino woman was someone who truly cared for, and starting a pack with her sounded like an amazing idea. She would be treated with respect that way, and he would be there to make sure of that. He would protect their lands as he'd worked to do with Blackfeather, except this time he would be protecting more than just a patch of the Earth. This time he would be protecting someone he loved, as well as the wolves who had pledged themselves to be loyal to their new pack. Everything was on the right track and steadily moving forward, but he knew he needed to do something before he pressed on any further. He needed to say his goodbyes to the land, and to inform the Queen of his leaving.

Throughout the entire trek back to the dark woods, Kove had thought over what he was going to say, and how he planned to say it. Back when he'd first joined, he'd witnessed a female chased out due to her informing them of leaving, and he wanted to avoid that. The ghost still wanted to stay a Brother, and he wanted to depart on good terms as well. Anything less than that would not be ideal, but he would make himself manage just as long as nothing set the shadows on his trail. His head shook away the idea, hoping it would never come down to that, and continued further on until he'd passed over the border. Having entered the land, he refused to go to deep in, and instead tilted his head back to call for the dark woman. His mind was still in a slight jumble, but he worked to set it straight quickly, and to recollect what he'd planned to say. How he was leaving to start a pack with the one he loved, and how he hoped that his leaving would not cause those of the Brotherhood to see him any differently. With his train of thought back on track, he stood there, waiting patiently for the arrival of his soon-to-be ex-alpha.

I hope it's okay I assumed that Cicero tagged along with Meldresi here :-)

When the howl sounded, Cicero did not instantly recognise it as Kove, but his interest was piqued nevertheless. The pup had followed his mother, whether she wanted to or not. When he found out that it was Kove, the toy that went along well with all of Cicero's games, that had howled, well, his excitement only doubled. Little did he know that he was about to be disappointed by the reason of his toy's call.

Cicero was happily trotting alongside his mother, but when he saw the white form of Kove through the Woods, the boy cheered a happy "Yay!" and clumsily galloped up to his toy. He licked the underside of Kove's chin while his tail wagged excitedly. "Sees found toy!" Cicero looked over his shoulder to see if his mother was following. "Sees-roh yaaaaa-haaaay!" he then sang happily while his tail propellored happily at the reunion with his toy.

Kove had disappeared for sometime, and marked his return with a howl, beckoning for her. The queen rose from her den, following the call, only to see that Cicero had joined her. She ignored the little jester as they walked through the woods, but when she saw his white coat in the shadows, Meldresi could do nothing to hold him back as he ran towards Kove.

Meldresi chuckled as Cicero greeted Kove, calling him toy as he did to everyone not his kin. The priestess sat down, her eyes dark with amusement at her son's antics. "Why did you call, Kove?"

Kove hadn't needed to wait as long as expected for his call to be answered, which made him suspect the Queen had not been busy. Whether that was true or not, he still did not wish to take up too much of her time. He gave a nod of his head in greeting when he saw her approaching, expression serious. The serious look faded when he saw Cicero, though, and he gave the young boy a smile. He felt bad for what he was about to say due to the boy being there, but knew he had to. It was an important thing, after all, and could bring him right to the side of his lover. "You did find me!" the man said, the sound of a praise showing through in his voice. "Very good job, Cicero." He shot the boy another smile before turning his attention back to Meldresi, his smile falling into a more neutral expression.

"I called because I needed to inform you that I am leaving," he said, wanting to get his reason out quickly. He couldn't hesitate, because if he did he might just rethink his actions, and that wasn't something he had the desire to do. "Scarlett was kicked out of her pack, and I can't just leave her alone. We will be going off to form our own pack together. I hope you can understand." Kove still respected the Queen entirely, both as a leader and as a priestess, but he just couldn't stay in Blackfeather any longer. Not when the one who held his heart was such a long ways off, and without the protection of a pack.

feel free to skip me if you want to, as Cicero won't have anything to say unless he is directly spoken to :)

Cicero bobbed his head excitedly as Kove confirmed the fact he had been found. He looked over his shoulder to see his mother arrive, and Cicero smiled cheerily, as he always did. "Hiiii hi!" The child was soon distracted by other things while Kove talked, and didn't catch the part where Kove mentioned he was going to leave Blackfeather Woods and start a new pack with someone else; probably for the best.

"Toy pretty," Cicero said to himself while he watched Kove's tail as it moved ever so lightly. Cicero didn't listen to what the adults were chatting about, and he sat down on the ground next to Kove's behind while he watched the tail, mesmerised by it for reasons that were likely beyond anyone's comprehension.

Meldresi did not show any emotion on her face, but her mind was reeling. It was obvious that Kove was not betraying her in leaving. He had met her one-on-one and spoke his mind calmly, with a trace of nervousness betraying his worry of her reaction. She wondered if he remembered how she reacted to Raissa's declaration. That was different. Raissa was very rude about her departure, and the woman barely knew her. Kove was a kind man, not just to her, but her children as well. Meldresi would treat this situation differently.

His reasons for leaving were predictable. It was for the albino female, Scarlett. Hearing that she was no longer in Duskfire Glacier relaxed the priestess. Their attack on the northern pack would not include any aquaintances in the way. "Where are you two planning to start your pack?" She would permit his departure, but she had a few...plans in mind for him and his new pack.

Assuming Scarlett had mentioned the valley before they went to explore it.

Kove looked to Cicero for a split second, seeing he was watching his tail. The boy was an interesting one, just like the his brother and sister, and he would actually miss them—even if he didn't know them all too well. He returned to looking at Meldresi, noticing that she didn't appear to look that same as she had back when Raissa had stated she was leaving for a lover. He was relieved for that. He was confident it was not just some front she'd put up to throw him off guard, which caused all traces of his worry to start to fade away.

The question did catch him off guard, though, but only slightly. He shook his head slightly before answering. "The decision hasn't been made just yet," he started. "But we will most likely be settling in a place up North. It isn't as far as the glacier, though." The man had to stop for a second to recall what he'd been told about the area and where it was located. "I haven't seen it yet, but I know it's a valley that's close to that dark forest on the other side of the mountains."

Cicero paid little mind to the conversation the two adults had. He looked at Kove's tail, mesmerised, with his head tilted and a big smile on his face. His tongue lolled from the side of his mouth, making the boy look rather comical as he sat and stared. Occasionally he giggled to himself in a quiet, held back (for he knew his mother didn't like to be disturbed during an important conversation) "eeheehee" about one thing or another, though it was hard to tell from the outside what it was, exactly, that Cicero was so amused about.

Meldresi searched her mind's eye for the place he described. There was another dark forest to the northeast of their own (she wondered if they had been spawned from the similar seeds), and the pack would be close. Not enough to interfere with their hunting, but close enough that they could relay messages between the two...

"I ask this for an idea I have in mind, Kove." She said contemplatively. The priestess paused for a moment, the silence only broken by Cicero's giggle before the woman spoke again. "It's imperative that the Dark Brotherhood can find a way to gain more information about the packs in Teekon Wilds. I was thinking of expanding the pack, creating a satellite pack, if you will, that will solely gain information and pass it onto the wolves here, so that we do not have to split up our forces." She met eyes with Kove, her eyes speaking unseen mischief underneath the formal gaze. "I ask if you would be up to the task of leading that pack."

Each time a giggle escaped the boy's mouth, Kove would inwardly smile to himself. He liked that the boy could always be so happy, and knew he was sure to miss him (especially after their game of hide-and-seek!). He knew he had to remained focused, though, so he stopped allowing his gaze to drift to the patchwork child. He kept his gaze secured to the Queen, but not in a way that might show a challenge being made. The ghost was leaving, there was no denying or changing that, but his loyalty was not something that could be taken away so easily. The man would, most likely, be loyal to her and the Brotherhood until the end, but in a way separate from how he was to be with Scarlett and his soon-to-be pack.

The ties of loyalty he held brought his interest to it's highest peak possible as he listened to what Meldresi had in mind. He was not so sure his lover would be overly thrilled of such a thing taking place, but she was not currently here to give him her opinion. She was off, probably taking care of Adlartok or working to recruit members for their pack. He wished to talk things over with her before hand, but it seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity, and also made him feel as if he held the Dark Queen's trust. It was an opportunity he was prepared to jump for. "I would be honored to lead such a pack," Kove answered after a second of silence, offering the woman a bow of his head as he spoke.

Cicero sat and chuckled to himself, cheerful as always, while the adults spoke about serious business. He did not meddle in the conversation; not until the final words were spoken. By that time, Cicero had turned his attention back to the two adults and looked at Kove. "Kohv pack?" he asked with his head tilted curiously. He did not understand the full extent of what was discussed, except that Kove mentioned leading a pack. This was the only pack Cicero knew, so he didn't fully grasp the situation.

Meldresi inclined her head slightly in approval to Kove. It was all she asked of him: that he kept providing the Dark Brotherhood with the power they needed to be a dark shroud over Teekon Wilds. The packs to the north were too far to keep scouts on. With a pack a few miles closer, they would have eyes on both the north and the south. "Establish your pack first. Make sure they are strong and loyal before you begin gathering information. I will visit a few times to monitor your progress, but I am not rushing you Kove. Take your time."

Meldresi stole a glance at her son then, noticing the curious glance in his two-toned eyes. "Yes, Kove is leaving, Cic'. He is going to lead a pack like I do." She allowed herself this brief bit of weakness in front of Kove, only because it was understandable in this situation. Her nature forbid her from compromising her strengths in anyway, but she contradicted it just this once. Besides, the look on Cicero's face was adorable.

Want to wrap it up soon, or is there more you wished to add? :o

Kove gave a nod of understanding to the dark woman. He would work with Scarlett to get the pack together, and then work to gain the trust and loyalty of the other wolves. There was no doubt in his mind that they were completely loyal to the albino woman, and probably trusted her greatly, but he also wished to form the same bond between himself and them. “Alright,” he responded. “I will take my time to be sure of each of them, and to be certain they can be sure of me, as well.” The ghost was not foolish enough to expect such dedication and such over the span of a single night, so he planned to constantly work with it. The idea was to have the pack as similar to a family as they could manage, and what was a family without trust? A mess, most likely, which was something he didn't want to happen.

The man turned his copper gaze to the young boy once again, offering him a reassuring smile. “Though I am leaving, I'll try to visit you when I can, little one,” the pale being told him. “I'm sure you will be nearly impossible to find if we ever play a game again.” He didn't know how long it would be before he would visit Blackfeather again, but was sure it wouldn't be overly soon. The children of the pack would have probably developed even more before then, and he silently looked forward to seeing how much the patchwork child would have progressed by then. Slowly, he returned his optics to Meldresi. “If you would have me, of course. I would not want to intrude.”

Meldresi turned to explain to Cicero that Kove was leaving, and Cicero listened with tilted head; first to his mother, then to Kove. "Kohv leaves?" he then asked Kove personally, who was quick to confirm this fact. Cicero didn't understand why Kove had to leave, but he was used to wolves coming and going around the den, so he did not think too much of it.

"Bye-bye Kohv-toy," Cicero told Kove, seemingly untouched by the news; perhaps because he did not really understand its meaning yet on the long term, or perhaps because Cicero just did not get attached to others very easily.

End here. Last round after this?

Meldresi nodded. "Of course. You will be welcomed in Blackfeather, make no mistake." The priestess said. She was thinking the same as Kove; by the time he would return to Blackfeather, the pups might already be blooded in their first hunt, and officially become apprentices in the Dark Brotherhood. She would visit his pack for certain, to check on their progression, but there would be no true meetings for months, at least.

The priestess curled her tail around her son, gesturing towards the brightness that was the outside world. "You had best be going, then. Your new pack will not build itself. Best of luck to you, Brother Kove."

OOC: Sounds good. Last post from me. Thanks to both of you for the thread. c:

Kove gave the patchwork child a smile, then returned with a 'bye' of his own to the younger male. He seemed to be taking his departure well, which he was grateful for. Had his leaving upset the boy, he probably would have come back to visit much sooner than what he had originally planned. His smile was then directed to the dark woman, though instead of one of goodbyes, it was one of thanks. It was good to know he would be welcomed back. “Thank you, Meldresi, for allowing me back in the future, and everything that I was permitted to be apart of within your pack,” he said, giving a final dip of his head out of respect to the woman who had welcomed him into her home. Had he never joined, he was not so certain he would have met Scarlett, or be in the same state of fortune as he currently was.

The ghost's smile turned to a grin as she gestured to the outside world. It would be strange calling a place other than the dark forest his home, but he knew that, eventually, he would grow use to it. “I appreciate the luck, Sister,” he said. “I'm sure it will help.” With that, he turned and headed away from the mother and child, a new burst of eagerness coursing though his veins. Kove was certain his pack would thrive, and that he would be able to serve the Brotherhood while still looking after his pack mates. Hopefully he would come across a helper, someone trustworthy enough to assist him on any missions given. His legs carried him further and further from the dark forest he'd called home for so long, leading him to a new place to settle, a new home with his lover.

ooc: my last post too (:

ic: Cicero watched as Meldresi and Kove chatted a bit more about Kove's new pack. He wondered when he would see Kove again, though it was the same for the wolves that Cicero had met inside of the pack; he never knew when he would see one of them again, seeing as he was dependant on whether or not they would visit, or whether he would happen to run into them.

Cicero watched as Kove vanished, away from the woods, to wherever he was headed. "When Kohv-toy visit?" asked Cicero as he looked at his mother, and then he got to his feet. He looked over his shoulder to where Kove had vanished for one moment before he looked at his mother, let out a rowdy wuff, and started to dash back towards the den.

Meldresi watched Kove disappear, parting from the darkness that had cloaked his pelt for so long. The priestess sat there for a while, her eyes gleaming as she contemplated things for a while in silence. She hoped that her plans would come to fruition with Kove and Scarlett's pack. It would take time, but she was a patient woman. But regardless, Meldresi was happy for Kove and Scarlett. They would be together and happy.

"Soon, Cic'. I am not sure when. He will come when he is ready." She said to her son. She was not sure if he heard, for he scampered away soon after asking the question. Meldresi only snorted with amusement, turned back one more time to where Kove had disappeared, then followed after her son into the darkness, back to their den.