Moonspear dynasty decapitated

Upon returning to the mountain - fresh from his run-in with the massive bear - Revui was still fuming. He wanted a fight, he wanted to shed some blood, but most of all he was enraged and could find no outlet. The first thought was to seek out his brother @Arcturus and challenge him to a brawl, or maybe @Hydra if she was around; yet as he blugeoned his way across the mountain paths, he could find no trace of either of them. Perhaps he was too agitated to track them.

Soon enough he came upon the scent of @Charon and rather than fleeing from it as he was known to, keep to himself or otherwise let off his steam elsewhere, he chose to follow it. The longer he did so the more energy he burned, until his rage was merely smouldering - but his father's scent was stronger still, and soon enough his father's pale coat was visible along a nearby ridge. Whatever he had been doing, Revui was soon on his trail and ready to put a stop to his work; something he likely would get a smack for, but this was important to him.

He announced himself with a deep boom of a bark, and came upon his father's flank within moments. Once he had his attention he drawled hastily, There was a bear in the lowlands. Large, white, bigger than me - its gone now, he paused for breath, and to consider if he should tell Charon the truth of the encounter, but opted not to. I am strong, you know this. I left to become stronger, and I returned to serve the mountain. Make me your Beta. As he concluded this plea, there was a shaky confidence to the boy's expression; yet it hardened over time, becoming the typically stern visage the leviathan carried always.

He stood upon the ridge overlooking the lands below. Much changed over time, but there was one thing that always remained: the lands. Fire had wrecked some of the lands but much had remained untouched still. The lands could not be taken, as the tall sequoia trees in the ravensblood forest testified resiliently.

An ear flicked back as he heard his son's approach. It surprised him, for it wasn't often that his son came to him. Least of all with words in tow.

The first statement was a bit frayed for Charon; little details were shared, and it seemed a boastful statement. Only when the next statement was made Charon realised that it had been intented to boast, indeed, an argument to the cause that Revui was here to plea. Charon listened to him in uncharacteristically stoic silence.

Charon let the words sink in. Beta. Hydra had held the position for some time and Charon expected her to rise back to the position in time. It was not too long since Charon had discussed with Amekaze she may take the helm some day. He looked at Revui in thoughtful silence for another moment. You are strong, and one day you will lead, he stated matter of factly, then: But I don't believe you are ready now, even if I appreciate your forwardness. A Beta must be strong, but a good leader, too. You left us without word when you thought you were not strong enough. You got stronger, perhaps, but as a leader, you must think of your pack first -- you must communicate. It was how Charon himself had gotten his position as Beta, when he was young, and his position as Alpha as well as Amekaze's mate, simply by claiming. He appreciated that; the abrupt leaving without word, not so much. And therein still lay a lesson for Revui.

He then decided: I will give you a challenge. If you fulfill it, then you will be the pack's Beta come the end of summer. He looked at Revui to see if he agreed with this while deciding on the challenges.

The man stroked his ego, and the fire of his ambition seemed to swell within him. Then there was a counter-point, and whatever Charon had done to bolster his sense of pride within himself was cut short. He did not lose his naturally defiant posture as he listened, but there was a shrewd quality to his features as the information registered. Charon said he was good enough - strong enough - but still held doubt, still did not wish to grant him what he felt he was owed. The final jab, that he needed to communicate more, brought forth a low note from his chest - not appreciative of this synopsis. To Revui, all that a leader needed was strength of will and combat experience, and he had ample amounts of both. He was not asking to usurp his father but to take the next step down. To learn, to acquire what knowledge he may need in the future.

I will give you a challenge, his father finally offered; Revui almost didn't want to listen to this part, but he had to. His father deserved all of his respect and more, so even if he was still a petulant child to some degree, it would not show. He could bide his time if he had to. With that in mind, he refocused on Charon - and then he nodded, expecting further information. To show he was serious, he cleared his throat and offered a verbal, Continue. Erh, please. See, he could communicate fine.

Revui looked eager, and Charon considered that a good thing. It was a test, in some ways, that he should receive a challenge: the first challenge was already in how he would respond to this initial rejection. Whether he would see it as rejection or decide to continue on. In truth, part of this for Charon was also showing Revui that he needed to stay in this pack, be there for its wolves, and communicate with them about when he left and things like that. A lot of time had been spent looking for Revui when he vanished and he needed to realise that, somehow.

There are three elements to this challenge. The first is that I want you to learn something from Speedy. I want to hear from you both what it is she taught you. What she teaches you is up to you both. Something in the healing corner was the most logical thing; Revui fought often and that way he would get to see what it cost Speedy to tend to his wounds each time. But Charon would leave it up to Revui and Speedy what they should choose. Something that would help him further in his journey towards becoming a leader, he hoped. Next up: The second is that I want you to patch things up with Arcturus. I want you to get him to come and tell me that things are well between you two again, when things are well again between you two. Brothers shouldn't fight. That one should not be the hardest, in Charon's mind, who'd always been very close to his brothers. But that was in a world where his brothers were the only thing he had, and he was all they had. Perhaps Revui's situation was different in that way.

As for the third... Charon contemplated for a moment what else he should let his son do before he would be worthy of being a Beta. I want you to search for Yami. The requirements aren't that you have to find her to pass the challenge. But you need to know what it is like to search for someone, not knowing when and if they will be home... And perhaps you will find hints as to her whereabouts on the way, who knows. Search for her and report what you find. Charon looked at Revui, waiting to see if he understood what was being asked of him. Charon knew his son could fight, and he played with the thought of making Revui his champion, to fight for him if the need should arise. But first, he would have his hand at these challenges.

He tried to focus on what his father was saying, but it was a lot of words. He wasn't a beast of great vocabulary or strong locution as it was, but he knew his father was owed respect and he wasn't about to slight him for being pedantic. As each task was given to him Revui seemed to grow further distracted, although his ears cupped those words and he truly was focused upon them as best he could be.

Speedy — that was an easy one. The boy had been meaning to find her either way. Arcturus was a different matter entirely and Charon probably knew that. The boys had once been very close but with Revui's sudden disappearance, something of a rift had formed. Revui did not know why he had reacted so strongly to his brother when he returned, but they were bigger now and stronger too, so perhaps some part of it was a natural rivalry that even their twinning could not rival. When his father brought up the topic of Yami, though, Revui's gaze hardened. He couldn't help the challenging gleam that entered his stormy gaze, furious at the very thought of his missing sibling — not angry with her absence really, but irate because it seemed like the easiest of emotions for him. 

He was silent as he nodded; afterwards, when the stillness grew too thick, he realized his father might still be testing him — so with a grunt he blurted, I will succeed, I promise.

Revui seemed to be taking it all in at first. Then came the acceptance of the tasks, and he said he would succeed. Charon offered a confident smile to his son and he said: I'm counting on it. Charon appreciated the strength of his son, and he knew that he could do these tasks, even if they would cost him time. But he had months laid out in front of him so time he had to get it all settled. In Revui Charon saw something different than he had seen in Hydra, whom he'd asked herself to step up as Beta at the time, but there was definitely something there. He was an Ostrega, after all.