Blackfeather Woods oh, hi mark!

set directly after this thread

Bless Maegi's heart, but she wasn't the most observant of wolves. Any other might have noticed the shadow child trailing her all the way back to Blackfeather Woods; as it was, it was only when she turned to see @Venamis approach that her jaw dropped a little, eyes widening with some surprise (and irritation, too).

What are you doing here? she asked incredulously. I know you think your parents are boring, but you can't just leave them. They're going to come out looking for you!

And damned if Damien and Nyx wouldn't immediately jump to the conclusion that she or someone else from the forest had taken their son. Damn! This created yet another wrinkle in the contentious relationship between the Woods and the Melonii, and there really wasn't much of a rebuttal for it, either. The boy was here, not there. Here with her.

When at last the ghost took note of his presence, Venamis halted to study her reaction. She gawked at him, clearly surprised, before barking a sharp demand for information that was regarded with a mere twitch of his tall raven ear.

He remained rooted, steadfast in his decision. His father's failed claim of the Haunted Wood was something that brought great shame to him and, now that he'd grown enough spine to venture out on his own, his choice to seek better security with a stranger's pack was firm.

"Why?" Venamis enquired, expression blank and frosty eyes boldly seeking her own. He was practically an adult, capable of choosing his own ways! And the more Maegi insisted that he take his leave and scurry on back to his parents, the more he wanted to stick around.

Gods, this child. . . He really knew how to push her buttons—which, given how temperamental Maegi could be, wasn't exactly a huge feat, but he still had the talent for it. Her brow furrowed in wearied frustration, silently mouthing his monosyllabic question before answering it.

Well, actually, no. It didn't merit a response. She didn't have to answer to a child, for gods' sake!

What's your name? she asked instead, letting the problem of Damien and Nyx be for now. He was here, for better or for worse, and if he was to stay for at least a short time, she might as well know who he is. You're a Melonii. . .right? Obviously, but she'd rather hear him say it.

let me know if you don't want me hopping in and i can delete!

it was just by pure chance that she happened to come across maegi and some random pup, she'd simply been wandering the borders when coming across the two and probably wouldn't have even given the pup a second glance; writing him off as one of the many youngsters to now inhabit their woods that she'd yet to really meet. but she came into earshot just to hear maegi's asking him was he a melonii and upon focusing on him realised that he didn't even smell of the woods. there's a weary edge to the nona's voice too that has her stepping forward with furrowed brows and a narrowed gaze. by melonii did she mean just family or...?

she stops only when she's right by them- eyes sharp as they gaze down on the dark boy before shifting questioningly to maegi. "who is...actually more importantly who's pup is this?" her look shifts back to him, maybe a little hard considering his age but her lack of experience with pups had her treating them with little difference to if this were a full grown adult standing before them.

"Venamis," the boy answered her question simply, and the mention of his family name made him blink. How did she know? How could she know? Something heavy settled in the pit of his belly, a weight that made him feel kind of sick, but he did not respond. Venamis gazed on at her, quiet and creepy as always.

She was probably going to drag him back to his parents' forest wether he liked it or not, and the corners of his mouth tugged downward to form a frown. It deepened as he caught sight of another pale form, one who turned her eyes on him immediately with... distaste, was it? He didn't know, but he didn't like the way she stared and so twitched a lip at her in frustration.

"Hey," Ven barked, unable to help himself as the unfamiliar wolfess spoke of him to Maegi as though he was incapable of forming words before glaring his way a second time, "what's your problem, bitch?"

She got a name, but not more confirmation. Not that she needed it. The look that crossed his face was all she needed to know. Maegi turned to face Tundra as she approached and didn't even have a chance to answer the Decima's question before Venamis was running his mouth, profanity included.

No, she snapped, swiveling to raise her posture and tail above the young man's, scarred mouth contorted in a snarl. You do not speak to your elders that way. The next time you do, I'll take you right back home to your parents. Do you understand me? She stopped just short of seizing the bridge of his nose; that was a last resort.

She rolled one eye to look at her co-leader, a sigh in her words as she responded, Damien's. I know. He followed me home from the prairie. I'm. . .not sure how to handle this. It was really a clusterfuck of a situation. Perhaps Tundra would have a better idea on diplomacy.

the fucking cheek. hackles raise despite being caught between wanting to rip his little head off and laughing at the language to leave his dark jaws. she steps closer and crouches so that she's face to face with the boy, eyes of darkness meeting his silvery orbs. her voice slips forth in cold tones "i think it was quite clear that my problem was you, you little brat and at least you've gone ahead and proved to me that i had reason to think you were a problem." she straightens once more before adding; "and if you speak to me like that again i'll chase you off these lands myself" her tone didn't raise once, simply maintained a cold hardness but it was quite apparent that it was not an empty threat. maegi went on to chide him in perhaps a more mature fashion but maturity had never been tundra's strong suit, likely because she'd never really been in a position of experiencing it before coming across the teekons.

as she lets the nona say what needed to be said, she couldn't help but feel slightly amused and maybe even a bit impressed by his sharp wit but not a chance was she going to let him know that, that kind of attitude could get dangerous if let run riot. her gaze flicks back to the woman as she addresses her and a snort slips free as she mentions who's pup he is. "clearly" is all she mutters to that but there's a slight concern flickering away now, what the hell was maegi doing with damien's kid? her brows raised once maegi unknowingly answered her question and she glanced back to the boy for a moment longer. "what's wrong with your home huh? why come here?" there, she addressed him wholly now although really half expected to just get some snarky response. looking back to maegi she just mutters; "in the mere minutes i've known him i've found out he's damien's child and he called me a bitch, he hasn't shown one good quality to not be thrown out right now" maybe a bit unfair and perhaps she didn't really mean it, but harsh enviroments bred harsh characters and it appeared tundra was no exception. she'd watched countless pups slain and turned away and whilst she'd never resort to killing the youth, she wasn't above turning them away much like one would to an adult due to nothing more than it simply being what she was used to.

Almost instantly, as soon as that toxic word rolled so naturally from his tongue, the duo of adults rounded on him. One stepped toward him and ducked her head to meet his gaze, daring to hover dangerously close to his wild mouth. Venamis bristled immediately, not at all appreciative of her proximity, and pulled his lips back in a fleeting display of fangs to communicate this.

Her threat was an empty one, for he did not believe she'd harm him and doubted she'd even run him from their dark woods. Maegi also issued a warning, one he turned his ears back at, for the mere suggestion of facing his father's firm scolding was enough to silence him.

Still, the boy was not sorry. The pale wolfess had openly disrespected him and he did likewise, so he failed to understand the issue either of them seemed to have. He should respect her purely because she was older? Venamis wrinkled his nose, frosty eyes narrowing as the pair went ahead with their discussion without including him, talking sourly if his sire, and he resorted to judging them silently.

Tundra admonished the boy, too, and Maegi gave her an appreciative nod as she spoke. The Decima was far more experienced than she in terms of discipline (or so she figured); it was good to have an authoritative voice by her side. Particularly when dealing with a runaway child of Damien's.

I know, she responded, sighing quite heavily. She turned her gaze to Venamis, raising her brows. Why did you leave? Maegi asked, in a tone not quite as sharp as Tundra's. She knew he wouldn't give them anything if he continued to feel slighted, even if it was justified. Don't tell me what you did earlier, that they're 'boring;' I need a better answer than that if you're going to stay here.

Something like, oh, the pack dissolved or Damien's dead. Something that wouldn't indicate that he was here as a spy for her uncle, ready to rain chaos down upon her forest.

Whatever he ended up telling her must have been good enough, for even months later, Venamis remained.