Blacktail Deer Plateau Walk the line

assuming that Blue told Dante since she said she would. We can play it out in our thread if you like Danni :) but wanted to post this

For @Koda if you have time love <3

Edit:,sorry for the double tag, but want to clearly indicate this thread now directly follows (and slightly overlaps) this one but Dante has no knowledge that Osprey's pups have been born

Dante's expression was dark as he loped into the woods that lay at the base of the Plateau's neighboring mountain.  Though he was loathe to punish another for their opinions, he had thought he made it clear that those opinions were to be kept away from pack business and far from causing problems.  Apparently, though, this was not the case.  Dante could not have such arguments and bad feelings tearing the plateau apart.

With a heavy tone he called Koda, summoning the man for a chat.  It was not a talk he was looking forward to exactly, but with his days going the way he had, he found he was not dreading it as he might have before. He sat down to wait, gaze cold as it traveled over the trees, searching for the one he had called.

Koda put his confrontation with Saena and Blue Willow out of his mind and went about his business as usual. He wasn't too worried about the Beta female's threat to bring the issue to the leadership (yes, he had heard that part of her spiel). She'd calm down, realize how she'd completely overreacted (as females often did), apologize, and everyone would get on with their lives.

But when he heard Dante's call, he realized that maybe this whole thing wasn't over just yet. With an irritated growl he turned and headed toward the Alpha. As he moved through the trees, he thought about what he'd say. He'd explain that Saena had got upset over some silly thing he said, and stormed off before he had a chance to apologize. The whole thing was pretty much one big, unfortunate, misunderstanding. Surely, another man would understand. Girls could be so dramatic.

He came upon Dante sitting out in the open, waiting for him. Koda approached, head low and tail slightly between his legs. Properly submissive, but not overly so. "Hey, you need somethin'?" He asked.

edited for timeline!

Koda approached at least with proper submission, but still Dante got straight to the point.  He needed to get this across to the man, because even though Saena was leaving had left, the issue could just have easily come up with Blue or Osprey or even Kesuk (who Dante wondered about).  Respect needed to be shared amongst all members, not just low to high, and the fact that Koda had also somewhat disrespected Blue Willow made Dante all the more irritated.  Add to that the unease that had heen building all day and you had a trifecta for disaster.

"I thought I made it clear during that hunt that, no matter your thoughts, you are to treat your packmates with respect.  I don't care how you were raised or what your own personal credo is... but I sure as hell can't have you mouthing off to other members simply for trying to do their jobs and provide for the pack.  If that is going to be a problem, then feel free to leave."  His patience was thin at the moment, and he hardly wanted to mince words or step around the seriousness of this nature.  This was a topic he felt strongly about, and if Koda didn't feel up to the task, then he wasn't welcome here.

"I didn't mean no disrespect, all I did was ask her how her tail got hurt, and she flipped out on me," he told him. Unless Blue Willow could read his mind, there was no way she could prove he'd meant to provoke Saena. "Course I bet you didn't hear about that part," he stated dryly. 

"Girl's got a damn mouth on her," he added, yellow eyes smouldering with anger as he recalled her insulting remarks. "I think you should be talking to her about showing respect."

edited and added a little bit, hope you don't mind.

No worries! <3 omg I'm gonna be so sad if Koda/Kesuk leave ;.; such great drama, but god Dante's pissy.  *facepalm* (Though tbh I'd love to see him get his own pack, the fun that could bring)

Edit: altered for timeline!

His phrasing of the encounter wasn't as Blue Willow had described it exactly, for there had been a definite reference to the previous hunt in his question.  "I realize that she flew off the handle, but you could have kept your mouth shut about the hunting," he said tersely.  "It isn't your place to comment on that, especially after what you said on that hunt.  It isn't that hard to see that it would have been taken badly."  He had been willing to let it slide then, with the understanding that his views wouldn't be openly directed at anyone again.  Apparently that wasn't the case.  "And you didn't only disrespect Saena, but Blue Willow as well.  I'll have a talk with Saena, but I am going to have to ask you to apologize to Blue."  Little did he know, Saena would be the one having a talk with him first.

If Koda could suck up his pride and apologize to the Beta, Dante would be willing to give him another chance.  If not, though... he didn't want to expel him, but he saw little choice in it.  "In this pack, everyone is equally able to hunt and to hold any trade they wish.  As I said before, if you can't keep your opinions on that to yourself and stop them causing rifts in the pack, then I can't allow you to stay."  His voice was even, for despite his irritation at other matters, he was trying very hard to keep a clear head in this one.

I'd love to make it happen, and I might have to after this!

"So you're takin' her side," Koda muttered, "figures." Of course a bleeding heart like Dante would defend poor little Saena. Koda didn't believe the Alpha would actually talk to her about her disrespectful comments at all.

"I'll talk to Blue," he grudgingly agreed, and he would but only for the sake of saving face. He hardly thought the Beta female deserved an apology from him, not for defending Saena, but for what she'd said about Koda and his mate. Despite his controversial views he was a good man to Kesuk, and for her to imply that he was anything but was an insult he could not easily forgive.

But what Dante said next made Koda throw any intentions he had to patch things up out the window. His Alpha was actually threatening to kick him out, just because his opinions might hurt someone's feelings? "Fuckin' bullshit," the gray wolf growled through gritted teeth.

"So Junior can run off an injured former pack mate, and Osprey can get herself knocked up, and you don't make a fuckin' peep," his voice grew louder as he spoke and his posture became increasingly aggressive. "But hurt Saena's little feelings, and that's crossing the line!"

ooooh yes! :D  If you do I'll have to throw Colt your way for a thread <3

Dante could, and probably should, have explained.  After all, the line was clearly drawn within his head... Juniors actions had been against a friend, yes, but an outsider.  Osprey's had been against herself, for her pregnancy had luckily not endangered the children already within the Plateau.  Koda's actions had been against a packmate, and that was unacceptable in his eyes.  It was one of the few things from his old pack that still held true... the pack is a unit, and any conflict within needed to be eliminated before it could destroy the whole.  He would do anything to prevent BDP from crumbling, and if that meant expelling members who were not willing to compromise, so be it.  Koda had been given his chance.

And he refused to take it.

He took a right step in admitting that he would talk to Blue, but then two backwards by showing Dante blatant disrespect and calling him out.  A low snarl lifted his lips, teeth bared in a clear display.  He'd had enough, and it had suddenly become clear to him that Koda wasn't going to admit his wrong, nor change his ways.  "That's it.  Out.  Now."  The message in his posture and expression said it all.  And unless Koda wanted to challenge him, and turn this into a physical fight, he would heed the words.  

battle start! edited post dice spar. link to spar thread link

Koda snarled in defiance of Dante's command. If he was going to leave, he was going to do it on his own terms and not because this pussy was ordering him to. If Dante really wanted him out, he'd have to do it by force.

Enraged by his insubordination, Dante made a lunge for Koda. The gray wolf tried to jump aside, but he was too slow and he let out a yelp as the silver Alpha sank his teeth into his shoulder. Koda fought back, biting Dante and forcing him to release his grasp.

Yelps and snarls filled the air as the two wolves traded blows, struggling for dominance. 

Though Dante fought hard, it was pretty quickly clear that Koda had the upper hand.  Despite the Alpha's size, the younger wolf was quicker, able to break through his defenses and leave wounds that would last.  His training did not help him either, for most of it lay in fighting to kill, and it had been a very long time since conflict had been something he had found necessary.

Though he got in a good bite or two, an opening allowed Koda clear access to his side, which the other male took full advantage of.  Now sporting a large rend, and standing heavily on only three steady legs (the fourth having been injured somewhere along the line), he gave a snarl of defiance.  This was his home and these wolves depended on him.  He wasn't going to turn aside so easily, though the fact that this battle had gone so far south so soon was a massive jolt.

Lunging, he made one last desperate attempt to grasp Koda's muzzle, hoping to dominate through sheer brute force.  It was a sloppy move, but he was tiring quickly, loss of blood telling him that he needed to end this quickly or it would definitely not go his way.

Dante's first brutal strike had put Koda at an early disadvantage, but the gray wolf recovered and very quickly turned the fight around in his favor. He was able to nimbly dodge most of the larger wolf's blows, all the while steadily whittling down his opponent's endurance. As the fight wore on, loss of blood made Dante's movements sluggish. The alpha exposed his vulnerable flank, an opportunity Koda exploited without mercy. Blood soaked his fur as his jaws ripped open a large wound in Dante's flesh. Koda was sure he'd ended the fight after dealing such a savage blow, but Dante remained standing seemingly through sheer willpower.

When the Alpha made one last grab for Koda's muzzle, the gray wolf dug in his nails and lunged at his attacker, overpowering the weakened alpha and slamming him hard into the ground. Panting heavily, Koda stood over him. "Stay down," he snarled, pushing Dante's head into the dirt.

Sensing his opponent was defeated, Koda stepped off and glared down at him. "All I ever did was provide for and protect this pack," he spat in anger. "And none of you have ever given me the respect I deserve!" It suddenly occurred to Koda that as the winner of the fight, he now had the right to claim Dante's rank as Alpha male. But he didn't entertain the thought for long, knowing that none among the plateau's ranks would be willing to follow him.

"But don't worry, you'll still get you want. I'm out of here," He said. He'd been on the fence about leaving the pack, but he'd just been very violently shoved off. He would seek out Kesuk to see if she would come with him, and then he'd be gone. "Do not follow me," he ordered. "If any of your lackeys come after me lookin' for revenge, I'll send them home in pieces!"

And with that warning, Koda turned his back on his defeated foe and walked away. His shoulder was on fire where Dante's fangs had sliced the flesh open, but he refused to limp. Though in the end he was still an outcast, he was the victor and he would leave the plateau with head held high.

Already off balance, when Koda's weight slammed him down Dante fell heavily.  The pain that lanced through his torn side made the world darken a moment, though he could listen to Koda's words.  He'd fully expected Koda to turn his words on himself, forcing the Alpha to depart instead while claiming his spot as his own.  That was not to be the case, though.  Somehow he didn't feel much like celebrating regardless.

Hot shame burned through him as Koda spat his parting words, then turned to leave.  Dante watched without a sound from his position in the dirt, too stunned and exhausted to move.  His mind was having a hard time processing, be it the rattling it had recieved or the pure out-of-the-blue nature the entire skirmish had held.

It would be some time before he would be able to pick up and haul himself a short distance away, and in that time his mind raced, trying to make sense of what the hell had just happened and what it meant for him as well as the future of the plateau.  No answers were forthcoming.