Hushed Willows vergnügen

he is down from the borders, close enough to be spotted in the distance, but not close enough to be trespassing <3

his muscles had grown harder since he had come to live in the mountains, and while felling game was harder here, he was not alone. this alone provided the gargoyle with a deeper confidence, and it was with an outrider's rangy stride that he traversed the stone paths.
mahler was headed for morningside, to finish what he had begun, but there was evidence of a vast pack too near for him to ignore, and he turned his steps toward it. protected by sloping walls and brimming with the fragrance of females entwined among the willowtrees, it perhaps might have been a tantalizing place for another male.
he, however, was less interested in the pack being a place of women and more at the scent of morningside wreathed here. quietly mahler stood, muzzle reached out to glean whatever news he could without overstepping the willow-pack's boundaries.

Wanted to steal this before errands, muaha.  Also making a few assumptions.

Everything about this pack just seemed wrong to him by this point.  They had been scolded for standing up to bullies and unworthy leaders, their opinions continued to be ignored outright, their dad had been hypnotized by the witches in power...  Basically, it was awful, and it seemed like there were only two of them that seemed to notice.

The kids had pretty much been just left to their own devices.  Delight, despite whatever happens in that other thread, had almost certainly been slacking on their education if he was as distant as written, which probably left the pair of them at a pretty bad point.  Whatever hunting they could do by instinct would have been much better if they had guidance other than trial and error, so most of Mali's food came from just scavenging the caches rather than finding something fresh.  And now there were even more children in the pack, but Mali had far less ire for them than he did the initial intruders -- they weren't responsible for destroying his life and hadn't had time to be completely obnoxious, at least.  Maybe the dumb baby group would annoy them instead and finally leave them be. ... Yeah, unlikely.

In the quiet moments when he could be secretive, he'd whispered to @Brilliance that he wanted to find someplace where they weren't treated like cast-offs.  That maybe he could find Solomon since it seemed like nobody had bothered to look for her after his one sister returned home.  Either way, they deserved better than this.  Here, there was no hope, just a bunch of self-centered jerks eager to grind them into the ground.

He had wandered near the borders again, still too chicken to do much other than to look into the unknown.  One day, he'd totally head out there.  It was just a bit of wistful reflection, or was until he spotted someone looking back.  After blinking a few times to make sure that the distant wolf was real, Mali decided to do his favorite thing -- yell, If you wanna join you shouldn't, and keep goin'!  The leaders are dumb and selfish and stupid and stuff! They'll turn you into a zombie!  And had it been any other kid, maybe it would have been followed by some maniacal giggles and running off into the forest, but this youth was pretty serious about it.

It was entirely different from Seabreeze's perspective.  She had done little to bother him; she spent no time with him outside of what was absolutely necessary.  She didn't understand what had gone so wrong.  She had never tried to replace the mother of Mali and Brilliance (and Solomon's — wherever she may be).  She had never forced them to do anything.  All she had done, more or less, was exist, and that seemed to be too much to ask.

She thought that eventually he'd grow out of it, but he rivaled her in size some time ago, and shadowed over her now.  There was no growing out of it.  He just hated her.  When she heard him yelling, she was inclined to ignore it, but he'd said something about don't join and oh god, was he heckling someone interested in joining?

Seabreeze approached the pair looking less dejected than she felt; she carried herself high despite how everything had been lately.  Come again?

Lily was a wolf with the patience of a saint, and that patience grew even more as she aged. Patience not for herself, but for others. She was willing to let a lot slide for the sake of peacemaking. 

That being said, Mali's intransigence had reached a fever pitch. Khali's talk with her about children had been ringing in her own mind. What sort of mother would she be? Was she fit for parenthood? It was growing abundantly clear that the way you treated children had to differ, at least somewhat, from how you treated adult friends and allies. 

Hearing the yelling as she heeded the call, she blew past Seabreeze and made a beeline toward Mali, normally kind, round eyes narrowed to slits.

Stop it, Lily hissed, trying her best to herd him away. Bloody hell, that's not at all how you're meant to act. Come with me--we need to have a talk. 

If he bolted, she'd go after him. If he stayed, she would remain a silent sentry by his side in the effort to keep his mouth shut. And if, god willing, he was amenable to her suggestion, she would take him somewhere far from here. It was time to put this to bed.

as he stood rather gawkily, a series of curious things happened. first, a lanky, silver-splashed child began to shout toward him. mahler did not know what a zombie was, nor the royal 'they' the pup referenced, and flicked an ear forward as the only sign he had heard the yelling.
the boy was soon joined by a flaxen-haired, delicate being with eyes the colour of water lapping a beach. she reminded him of grimnismal, and so mahler was intrigued. a third, now, a dark sylph with burnished eyes, coming to bustle the child away. lowering his head, mahler moved toward them, aware of his scarred sized next to their feminine builds.
"good afternoon, damen," the shadowpriest murmured. "i am not looking to join." his hard lavender gaze rested first upon the ocean-wolf. "i have caught the scent of the maplewood volves, and i am vondering vhy."

Oh great, now they were stalking him.  It wasn't like there'd been any call but his own yelling, so they just showed up because he was there.  It was the only reasonable explanation and it made him just want to leave, but then they'd blame him for leaving and not themselves.  Because they were just that dumb.  Like seriously.  It wasn't like they cared anything bout him, so why were they following him?!

Mali wasn't about to be cowed into following their whims.  Oh, you heard me.  It was all true, so why should he balk at voicing it?  He was so very not impressed.  He was gonna say something to the random dude about how he'd totally been followed, see look at these crazy witches, but that was when Lily showed up.  Um.  Why?

And from Lily's response, the expression that painted across Mali's features was that of someone utterly betrayed -- that he'd been a fool to think she was some neutral party, no she was with them.  Apparently he hadn't hated her at all until this second, but she'd chosen a side and now...  So much for that.  He refused to be moved, standing stock still and glaring her down.  Perhaps that's why his words were so poisonous but calm, No.  You've ignored me my whole life, why stop now?  Her point? Ignored.  She'd been in the pack when he was born, wasn't she?  What was her excuse?  Why didn't she care about him or his sisters?  She even knew what they'd been through!  Now he was too big for either of them to really do much to push him around.  Deal with it, reap the angry harvest they'd sown, whether they'd realized it or not.

[Narrow]Seabreeze had held the patience of a saint over the past few months, and she just felt worn down by Mali's consistent desire to ruin more or less any inkling of positivity to come her way. 

Mali, she says tiredly with a sorrowful glance, towards the stranger that reads i'm sorry you have to sit through this. I understand you're frustrated.  But you've never, not once, tried to talk to me about it.  So long as you want to throw a tantrum like a child, you'll be treated like a child. If he wanted to grow up and voice his concerns in the many peaceful avenues she had offered, he could.  But she would no longer stand for this.  I would be willing to speak with you after this man leaves.  Speaking of which.

I'm sorry.  He lost his mother.  We are trying to work through it.  She takes in a breath. Back to business.  We absorbed them, she says plainly.  They were low of number, so we offered them shelter and protection. She should really go on about how they're a sanctuary but shes tired and her player is kn mobile so.....

It was incredibly fortunate for Lily that Seabreeze was so patient. Without the Seer there, she didn't know how she would have reacted to Mali's retort. Anger rose up within her. . .but for whom? At the boy, certainly, but his words held a certain sting that only truth could provide. He was right--she hadn't been there for him. It hadn't been her job, really, but she should have made the effort. She should have tried.

She took Seabreeze's small dialogue as a moment to turn away, embarrassed tears blurring the corners of her vision. Khali had worried about his parenting skills, but what about her? What sort of mother was she going to be if all it took was one angry little boy to make her cry? What sort of leader was she if someone could toss that accusation at her--and it was true?

Her ears flicked idly toward the sound of the conversation, but she couldn't think about anything but Mali. About how the world had failed these pups so greatly.

I'm sorry, Mali, Lily said, her voice nearly as weary as Seabreeze's. You're right. . .I should have paid more attention to you three, with everything going on. It doesn't do any good to air our grievances in front of strangers, though. Can we. . .can we go somewhere and talk it out?

It was a shot from the hip, one last try at diplomacy today.

the turquoise-eyed woman spoke, but it was plain to mahler that this was not her first altercation with the child. when the darker of the pair turned away, the gargoyle bristled with indignation, both on their behalf and in regards to the lax way they allowed the pup to comport himself in so ugly a manner.
"it is not a mother he needs," the brute muttered, lip curling as he turned his stone-lilac glare upon the boy, and uttered a low growl, intending to fully grasp the little brat's attention. "you are a shameful creature. are you a suckling pup upon the teat? no? these are your leaders. they deserve respect." 
even if they do not command it, mahler added grimly to himself, straightening to return his attention to the wolfesses. "thank you. " there was little reason to explain why he had asked; it was plain that the nightjar and her sand-hued companion were quite occupied with the situation at hand.

Well, at least Lily seemed to understand the position that Mali had been put in here.  For a brief moment he seemed slightly satiated, as much as he could be, but then other things happened that in an one-two punch made things that much worse again.  His attention was drawn away from Lily's attempt at mending the situation, absolutely incredulous at Seabreeze's statement.  What.  Was she kidding?  Was she dumber than her pups?  He was not a child any more.  Sure, he was a bit gangly, but he was basically an adult in size, give or take a little and absolutely refused to be dismissed like he was some easily-shoved little furball.  Of course he'd have no respect for her if her response was to do everything wrong, then dismiss and ignore him.  She wasn't worth dealing with because she was just bad.  Duh.

With eyes burning with hatred again, he started to speak when that guy interrupted, momentarily drawing Mali's gaze.  He growled right back at the stranger.  Honestly, why would he be afraid of some dude who would get a giant pile of trouble if he laid a claw on him?  Mali was unimpressed.  This guy was one of their zombies now too, but he hadn't known that it would happen so fast.  No she doesn't, don't pretend you know anything about it.  So EXCUSE me-- he'd spun back towards Seabreeze, you think I'm still stuck on that? Aren't you forgetting someone?  Someone more important? More recent?  You know, how there used to be three of us before you moved the pack without them?  What about finding my SISTER?  Seabreeze had done nothing about it.  Delight hadn't recently either.  As soon as Brilliance was back, Solomon was not searched for as far as he knew.  She was a lost cause, forgotten and at times he was pretty sure that the only ones who remembered was himself and Brilliance.  Seabreeze (and Olive, probably) would be a lot happier if the whole spotty crew didn't exist and he doubted they'd deny it.

She went quiet as Mali seemed to satiate, her voice stolen from her as the smoked stranger gave voice to all of the thoughts that had been whirling in her head.

And for a second, all was quiet.  She felt it again, how it all just seemed to wink out.  No wind.  No birds.  And then Mali released upon her a barrage of vitriol.  

Her hackles raised, tail flicking over her hind, lip curled as she rounded upon him brutally. Don't you DARE lecture me about loss! She stepped stiffly towards him, teeth snapping the air between them.  This wasn't my decision, it was Alarian's.  He dropped this pack on me, so he could abandon us, too.  Don't you bame me for trying to keep everyone together! She was never meant for leadership, she had never wanted this.  It had been thrust upon her and despite it all, she was still trying.  I lost my husband, I lost my daughter, Olive lost her son.  Don't... she choked, Lily and Mahler and even Mali pushed from recognition. Her voice lost its steam and intensity as she went on, and her final statements just sounded defeated.  Don't you dare try to tell me about loss.

She paused, glancing back at Lily and the stranger, then back at Mali.  You have disrespected me and you have disgraced this pack.  Get out of my sight.  She pointed her nose back towards the packlands, prepared to hold her ground.

It was like stepping into an alien world. Her parents had been firm, but not openly disciplinarian. Her brothers and sisters sometimes out of line, but never like this. The stern words from Mahler, the yelling from Seabreeze. . .it felt as if she were in the crosshairs, rather than Mali. For all the strong, angry sentiments she'd shared in her life, she suddenly felt weak and small and childish and. . .

Mali, let's go, Lily said quietly, almost under her breath, in the midst of Seabreeze's command. Come on, come with me. Let's not. . .let's not bother our guest any longer. The blackbird swallowed, turning her head slowly to stare at the violet-eyed man, who must think her an absolute--an absolute fool. I'm so sorry, sir, she whispered, choked.

She made a semi-circle around Mali, far enough that the boy-almost-a-man wouldn't snap at her, trying to herd him away. Let's go, come on, she murmured, eyes down, as if chastised herself. Come on. Her heart was racing, hard and fast and lodged at the base of her throat.

Lily didn't wait for him, hoping against hope that he'd follow. She didn't--she couldn't wait for him. She glanced over her shoulder and gave Seabreeze and Mahler a tremulous nod of farewell before slipping like a dark wraith through the willows, tail all but between her legs.

disgusted was not an emotion that mahler oft experienced. he was an arrogant creature, however, and the sting of alarian's name mingled with the seawolf's shouting struck both chords within him. whatever the cherub had done, the gargoyle did not feel he was of the disposition needed to lead a pack, let alone a single wolf.
had mahler been anyone else, he might have scruffed the insolent child and shoved him to the snow for his continued outbursts. mali, they called him — a boy, unfit and disrespectful, in dire need of direction these women had not and could not provide. there was no sense of status here, nor cohesion. 
unceremoniously, and in a gesture that had been long-arriving, the child was ordered out of his home. mahler backed several steps then, but his dark ears were lifted with the intrigue the moment provided. this was not his affair, and he glanced only once to the dark woman as she begged the boy to come away and then retreated from the scene.
silence fell. mahler waited to see what mali would do, and the arrogance rose again. the boy needed a world of men, not the perfumed embraces of women he clearly did not respect. and while he doubted stigmata wanted aught to do with so young a pup, he was not so young that he could not contribute.

Poor Lily didn't have half a chance of convincing the boy to do anything.  Though Seabreeze lacked any ability to threaten him due to the fact he saw her as evil, Lily was just far too meek for him to listen to when riled up.  He'd come this far, so why would he back off at the pleas of someone who typically ignored him?  She was gone from the scene soon enough.

But Seabreeze really didn't care and her tirade only proved it.  Mali looked at her like she was something gross and distasteful because honestly, she was.  A complete and utter disappointment beyond his wildest dreams.  He didn't flinch, muscles only tensing in case she did something more than threaten.  He didn't bow, he didn't cave to her threats, just stayed put.  To a certain point he wanted her to attack him.  Do it, prove that she was the actual villain in this.  That he is the valiant brother standing up for what is right in the world.  Yeah, everything's all about you -- we're just trash for your stupid pups to harass.  You want us to disappear.  Good to know, he sneered.  What else was he supposed to take away about that?  It was all just how she had it so hard, woe is Seabreeze!  She has it the worst!  Not a word about how he was wrong.  Not a word about how she'd done anything to find the other missing child in the pack -- because, he knew, she never did anything.  All Seabreeze seemed to be good at was making everyone run away from the problem and giving up on people.

He was split between turning away because, well, she was completely useless and pointless to attempt to show the err in her ways, but he didn't want to be the one to surrender. Nah.  He'd stand and wait.  Besides, he certainly wasn't going to go back into the packlands like she wanted -- if the dude hadn't taken her side, he might have made a show of going off to find somewhere better for his family to live but that also didn't sound good, so he wasn't sure what direction to head in.  Oh well. He'd figure it out.

The only disgrace here was her and she had no power over him.  Mali was totally ready.  If she tried to touch him, she'd have however many pounds of unpredictable, moral-free subadult trying to do damage in revenge for all the slights both real and imagined that she'd ever inflicted on him and his sisters.  He was certain that in a brawl, he could win out of strength of spirit and spite alone -- but the fact he was bigger than her these days didn't hurt either.  He wasn't gonna start it, but he was ready just in case.  Or she could leave and he'd win that way instead.

Permission given by player to PP Seabreeze out of the thread

After a while, Seabreeze left the scene as well. Lily stopped when she heard pawsteps behind her, turning to see her friend coming. Giving her a gentle nudge of her muzzle to the other's cream cheek, the two departed at a slow trot, silence between them.

They needed to talk about Mali, and soon.

the sea-wolf turned and departed to follow her packmate, and mahler was left alone with the boy. a lift of his lip was given; he drew closer with a bristle of the guard hairs along his shoulderblades. "if you vere one of my volves, i vould never allow you to talk in such a vay." 
truth be told, mahler would have enjoyed driving submission from the boy, but he was too near elysium. the she-wolves might well return, and so the gargyole turned away, moving at an easy pace away from the borders and the loud-mouthed child. unless mali stopped him, mahler would fade into the surrounding forest.

Apparently Seabreeze didn't have much to say to that.  Ha.  Victory went to the wolf who deserved it.  -- Wait, why was he out here again?

Before he could finish the thought, that guy stepped forward, posturing more aggressively and Mali just stared him down, completely unimpressed and confident that if he tried anything, all hell would break loose.  Some people deserve it.  She's one of them, he replied flatly.  And there wasn't a thing in the world that could change his opinion on the matter.  It was as sure as the dirt under his paws.

He didn't have anything else to say to the guy. Why would he?  He was yet another adult who just seemed to fall under whatever bizarre spell Seabreeze casted and just outright believed everything she said.  He was useless and Mali didn't care any more.  The youth had only spoken the truth, and if he didn't want to hear it, then oh well.  He wandered off along the border in search of other entertainment.