Dragoncrest Cliffs Scarred

Rusalkans? Tag for reference

It had been bothering him since Wylla had said it. A leader with scars had moved their wolves over to the cliffs. Everyone who had ever taken shelter in the cliffs had been evil, according to her. He remembered raising his voice to question such a quick judgment, for as far as they knew, these wolves had done nothing to suggest menace apart from looking a certain way.
Being a child of fascism and genocide, Taikon was not willing to take Wylla's fears at face value, and he knew others like @Asra felt the same. If their dark leader was going to try to instill them with hatred and fear for no reason, Taikon knew that part of his duty to his pack was to check things out for himself.
So he made his way from the mountain to the cliffs. He didn't know how to descend them, and so he stayed close to the edges. In the distance, he could hear the waves roaring and sea birds making the most of late autumn. The air was freezing cold. The white prince wandered the borders of the cliffs, noting that they were marked by others in a clear claim. Determined to know their purpose for himself, Taikon lifted his head and howled a note that asked of peace. The ocean swallowed it, and he listened for word.

A summons.  Rosalyn heaved a heavy sigh.  She could be optimistic, hope it was someone calling to join, but they were two for two on antagonistic harriers and she never had been one to ignore the odds.

She descended quickly, rolling into a run as she stretched the stiffness from her shoulders.  The salt air did wonders for her mood and, ever so slowly, waking up by the sea had reminded her why it's beauty seemed to calm her.  The longer they stayed here, the more it felt a stone hung over their heads, yet the less she wanted to leave.

There was only one this time, it appeared, though last time a few had appeared seemingly from nowhere.  Rosalyn appraised him, but remained back, on her side of the scent line.  At least his call had been polite, but he did carry the bitch's scent.  A messenger, maybe.

Yes?  Curt, abrupt, and prepared for the worst.  Yet her stance remained neutral; if there was to be a fight, they'd send more than this.  The woman had threatened as much.

WC: 180

The woman who found him there was unnerving, and Taikon could see immediately why Wylla had jumped to conclusions. However, he did believe that she had in fact jumped to conclusions, and he was not willing to let such bias take unhealthy root in him. She was lovely, in her way. Deep, rich chocolates surrounded her where the scars did not break through. They shared only the colour of their eyes in common, for they otherwise may have been a different species entirely.
As the woman approached, he knelt down with wary respect. She was alone and didn't openly threaten him, but he knew that tensions between their packs were high. Taikon was not a person easily caught off guard — he half expected her to have backup in the wings that he couldn't see or smell.
I'm Taikon of Sagtannet, he said, bowing further, deep and low, as he nearly always did when meeting strangers. When he rose, he kept his tail curled around his side gently. He was not here to cause problems.
What brings you and your pack to the cliffs? That is, if I can ask, he asked politely. He did not mention Wylla or Mahler intentionally. Surely, at least one of them had come here to meet this woman, else Wylla would not have been so bothered. Surely, if they were to be neighbours, they could find some understanding with one another.

It was tempting to jump to conclusions and to suspect his reasons for asking followed the same line as his predecessors.  Why do you think you can settle here?  Fortunately everything about his posture, his bearing, and his tone spoke of respect.

Rosalyn found herself grudgingly shifting towards approval.  Rosalyn.  My wife and I lead Rusalka.  There, a name to put with their fear.  She wasn't quite warm enough for a 'well met', but she saw no harm in answering his question.  Perhaps the pack merely saw fit to understand.

We came here to be left alone, she replied, with a small wry smirk that spelled out plainly they both knew how that ended up.  The moors we left were exposed, and a bear was near.  The cliffs have proven impenetrable in the past, and this time, I sought to be on the defending side of them.  It was the most honest answer she had.

Then her look sharpened.   Your leaders fear us.  Why?  She was missing something, some catalyst that made them guard the cliffs so jealously.  If they were mad as Drageda so be it, but if there was another cause, she would know it.  She wanted to put this to rest so they could proceed to ignore one another, no more, no less.

WC: 216

just a cameo!

Asra watched Taikon head down the mountain, and out of curiosity, she followed him from a safe distance. Her nose to the ground following the scent-line, but when discovered his crossing over the Tangle.. She stopped.

A shake of the head upon the realization of what he was doing, especially after what happened toward the meeting, and their questions regarding the matter. However, Asra disapproved of him heading over there; as after all, they were only thralls. Holding neither rank nor' a place within Sagtannet yet, she found it would not end well if Wylla especially, found out he personally sought them out.

Though she wouldn't say anything on the matter to the rest, and only hoped he would return safely, and turned back toward the frozen mountain.

It was rare that Taikon met people who were openly gay. Interestingly, though his mother had denounced many forms of love including that which he'd had with Cella, homophobia had never been a norm in the Farukan Kingdom. Though the prince blinked and licked his lip for a moment at Rosalyn's mention of her wife, it was only out of surprise and nothing more.
He couldn't help but give her a lopsided grin when she mentioned they came to be left alone. Wylla was far worse than any bear he had ever encountered. She was a stick of dynamite that nobody seemed to know where the fuse led. Makes sense, he said, looking out through the cliffsides and noting their shelter. If the wolves of Rusalka wanted to be left alone, this seemed like a good place to be. Unfortunately, Wylla and others like Stag didn't seem to see any of it that way.
At her question, he sighed openly. He couldn't tell her that Wylla was trying to rally the pack to attack. Doing that would have been treasonous, and though Taikon wanted to find an alternate solution, he also didn't want to inspire the Rusalkans to pre-emptively strike. I'm not fully sure. She seemed... Careful, now. Others before you have come to the cliffs and have brought Sagtannet harm. Wylla told us that the cliffs have a bloody history, and that it's only ever been evil wolves who walked its shores. She.. she lost here eye here, he explained. He knew that revealing too much information could be dangerous. He also knew that had Wylla known he was even there, she'd probably be pissed. But he took the chance.
For what it's worth, I don't think you or your people mean mine harm. I have no evidence of it, he said, letting loose another sigh. The last thing he wanted to be involved in was a war that had no purpose or goal.

She listened silently.  So they thought them Drageda... the irony of that.  Funny, we have that in common.  Rosalyn replied.  It made some sense that if Drageda took issue with them, they'd take issue with another.  Yet why would htey seek to protect the cliffs rather than claim them for their own?  It still seemed a fool's errand to the pirate.  If they'd done as they should have, as Rusalka did, then there would be no problem right now.  They could not hold the place empty and dwell in another.

The pack who lived here gave me these scars in their attempt to drive us from the Sound.  Now your lot seeks to drive us from here.  It's a funny pedestal they stand on, to accuse us of crimes they seem eager to commit.  She seemed to consider this airily for a moment, then shrugged.

If that's what you came to say, then I suppose I appreciate it, but you should not be surprised.  I told the man, and the woman, that they would see no fight from us lest they brought it.  If they chose not to tell you this, then I suppose they deigned not to hear it.  She'd keep her annoyance for them and hope more of their pack were like this one.  Were she there, she'd have deserted already, the instant a whisper of war reached her ears.  Rosalyn barely fought for what she held; she damn sure never fought for what she didn't.

WC: 248

Taikon was torn. Coming here and speaking to Rosalyn did not help him decide what he was supposed to do with himself now that it seemed clear that he was right. He knew that others in the pack looked down on him for questioning Wylla, even though he had tried to do so in as respectful of a way as possible. To him, this was a red flag.
Wylla had accepted him as he was. Perhaps what she had really wanted was a group of wolves who would follow her and Mahler off a cliff, in this case a literal damned cliff. What Taikon had thought was that by accepting him, she would be willing to listen to his and others' concerns openly and honestly. It was starting to appear as though she did not have this level of wisdom. Everyone else seemed to know the rules of her game did not include asking questions, but Taikon had lived through too much to accept this kind of willing disregard for reality.
Indeed, it was the pack before Rusalka that had given Rosalyn her haggard appearance. And indeed, she was not thrilled about his presence there, since in the grand scheme of things he on his own was unlikely to make any kind of meaningful impact on their decisions. He wasn't part of the "in" group. The only person he felt okay talking to about it was Takiyok.
I am surprised, he admitted. I am new, I guess, or new enough and not related by blood, and they told me when I came to Sagtannet that they were a peaceful, family-oriented pack. He was annoyed that this was quickly turning out not to be the case. He was angry that both Wylla and Mahler had come and been told the same message, but did not relay it to their family. Perhaps it's fear alone that is driving them, he postulated, splaying his ears anxiously.
If it came to war, he could not leave Takiyok. He would not. But he was also not willing to incite violence on those who also wanted peace. It was something that went entirely against his values.
He didn't feel okay telling her that. His very presence there might have been seen as treasonous. Taikon looked around him suddenly, feeling there could be eyes watching him. This worry, he knew, was another red flag. He was starting to realize the reasons why Takiyok did not feel married to Sagtannet.

Hmm.  Now, here was a question... what did this mean, his presence here.  Did it show a lack of loyalty, or did it show an instinct that Rosalyn both shared and respected - a willingness to question for oneself what truth was.  She considered it, rolled it on her tongue a moment, while she also mulled on the words he'd just spoken.  Peaceful, family-oriented.  The bitch's face, her ruined eye.  It wasn't fair for the pirate to judge appearances, so it was the demeanor she looked at.  Hardly.

If they do not offer what they promised, and you find yourself looking for fairer harbor - perhaps we can speak another time.  Until then, I wish you luck in that.  She had seen his furtive looks and guessed at what that meant.  Doubtless they did not know that he was here, and doubtless he would pay should they find out.  Well; were that the case, perhaps this one would leave their ranks and join hers to become a balwark instead.  She did not mind that thought.

WC: 173

*eyeballs reply count* I don't think I've ever had a character get this much info in such a short thread

Rosalyn was quick to offer him a lifeline, which had not been something he expected from her. Taikon wasn't exactly sure what to expect when he came here to the cliffs. He just knew that talking to the "threat" himself would make any decisions he made about whether or not to fight in a war a little clearer. While it was true that he knew now that he could not support such an effort, it also brought into question his respect for his leaders.
Thank you. Your kindness has been unexpected and welcome. I hope only that I can get Sagtannet to see clearly, he said, dipping his head in respect once more. He didn't mean that her being remotely kind was unexpected, since it was a suspicion he had hoped for. He simply hadn't anticipated her offering a potential place for him with Rusalka.
I have to go. It was a pleasure, said Taikon, nodding his head in another gesture of appreciation. With another anxious glance about him, he left her there. Dipping off back through the tangle, he had what he needed.

haha!! Bonus of straightforward characters XD <3 this was a fun one!

Rosalyn simply dipped her head in answer when he commented on her kindness. To her it wasn't... it was pure tactics.  He had acquitted himself here well, far better than either of those he looked to as leader, so if he sought to be rid of their folly he could avoid it and she would be short one enemy, richer one ally.  He seemed to consider it, which was far better than the alternative.

She watched him go, then breathed out, allowing herself a brief moment to allow her shoulders to drop.  She tipped her head up, then turned and departed with only one wry glance back.  He had a job cut out for him - she should be careful how much optimism she put on this.

WC: 126