Redsand Canyon Now time for Plan A

He’s caught a whiff of what he’d felt certain was @Towhee’a scent, as he neared an area that looked peculiar and out of place in the area. Red sandstone gree, and the land fell away toward a canyon- but the border scent markings were strong. He would not trespass- but when he caught @killdeer’s scent as well, he decided to stay.

He supposed Fennec might have already found the boy and let him know. Bronco was a slow traveller, and had been moving even more carefully once Blueberry had decided to go off looking for her siblings on her own. Silence had really settled in, and made itself comfortable.

And so, with a quiet huff, he settled down onto his haunches and wondered what kind of pack lived here. Towhee was around, and Killdeer as well- did that mean that anyone else had come here as well? He’d simply have to wait and see.

all tags for ref!

preparations were underway to depart. he had delivered the report of the queen's possible poisoning to @Ruenna, accompanied by ramesses' request for soldiers. a threat to the palace might be none for mereo, or perhaps they would be next. they shared the same enemies after all.

with @Towhee's delivery imminent and @Aquene's perhaps already begun, germanicus had asked that @Arsenio report into the canyon, to stay close while the imperator took a patrol to the palace.

@Kallik would already be here, and between the pair he felt mereo would be well-guarded.

the eagle intended to bring @Phox and @Drakon, with a place for @Killdeer to also come upon a first formal mission. @Maxim would stay here. germanicus did not intend for towhee to feel completely abandoned.

his steps were brisk. he came across a scarred man upon the borders and approached sternly. "state your business."

As he waited, he allowed himself to lean upon the assumption that this was where his son had settled. He wondered, then, if Fennec had made her way here yet. He couldn’t decipher her scent in the area, but it was still entirely possible that she’d passed by. And if Killdeer already knew that his parents had separated, how had he handled the news? 

Maybe they should have told their son together, but there was nothing he could do to change that now. 

The man who approached bore an austere stare, which caused Bronco to fawn slightly, curling his posture in appeasement. In all the times he had assisted a pack’s leader with border patrols, he’d never smiled upon the idea that guardians needed to be so stiff and formal. He’d always had an inclination toward being outwardly friendly, despite the risk it might’ve meant should that kindness be seen as weakness. It made his heart sore to be greeted by someone who was so serious but he submitted nonetheless, regardless of the ache it caused. 

”Friendly,” He said softly. A declaration of peaceful intentions that was earthy and earnest. ”I’m a traveller, searching for family that I believe have settled here.” He answered, with a slight twitch of his nose.

sorry for shortness D:

the man submitted and offered a word of friendship. germanicus did not change his expression. "and who is this family?"

he suspected it was towhee. who else had so many relatives upon mereo's borders in so short a time? if so, then the man had standing. 

but until this was confirmed, he would remain a guardian.

did mereo go to war? this would be discovered in the days to come.

darlin’ I am happy to read anything you write even if it is short <3

Bronco remained supple and respectful, though his tail waved softly in appreciation when he was given an invitation to speak further. His features warmed as he spoke their names. 

”Towhee, I can tell for sure. She’s like an aunt to me. And I think my son, Killdeer? He’s here too?” He asked. He felt certain he’d smelled Killdeer’s tracks nearby, and if Towhee was around, her grandson was likely to be here too. ”I Uhm…I used to be a part of the Redhawks, before the pack split up, like Towhee. An’ Killdeer’s been off on his own for a bit now, I’d…I’d really like to see them again,” He explained.

<3!

so he had been correct. the eagle straightened, though seemed to grow minutely more relaxed. "both towhee and killdeer are here." he cleared his throat. "i am germanicus, imperator of mereo. we are a military pack. and i am taking troops to our ally, to answer an emergency."

he considered for a moment.

"i will allow you entry if you mean to stay. it will be contingent on your accompanying myself and the others." towhee might trust, but germanicus was not in a mind to leave a strange man in his home and around his recovering wife. 

he waited.

His relief was short-lived, his soft exhale fell short of its mark and was halted in his throat. Trying not to look so visibly disappointed when he heard the word military he forced himself to breathe again, though he felt his lungs squeeze with effort. 

He might’ve expected Towhee to be at home in a place like this. Military meant structure, strength and security- but not without sacrifice. Fennec might’ve fit this place well; Niamh certainly would have. But this was not what Bronco wanted for his son. 

And any hope that his son might simply fall into the protected category vanished when he heard there was a call to arms. ”What?” Bronco couldn’t stop himself. ”You’re saying you won’t allow me to even see my own son unless I go with you to fight some war against a foe I don’t know, and for an ally I possibly also don’t know?” He asked, bristling. His ears turned back. ”If you’re so desperate for “troops” that you’d use youth as a trap to barter their fathers into fighting for you, you’re going to lose your battle.” His criticism was harsh and he stiffened if there was any potential it might draw the man to fight. He hoped that Germanicus simply wouldn’t risk a fight now, not right before he intended to lead his pack to war. 

”I’m not much of a fighter, you wouldn’t want me in your army. Trust me. But you’re not takin’ Killdeer with you. I’ll help you- by stayin’ here an’ doing whatever you need me to do here, but you’re not taking Killdeer with you.” He said. ”You can either let me help, or you’re just gonna hafta know that I’ll be watchin’ fer your army to leave so I can do just that anyway.” He stated.

germanicus watched the friendliness of the man die away into something that insisted and demanded. the man unfortunately became the least favored of towhee's relatives, and sealed his warrant with the final words.

"your son is my soldier. he joined of his own accord and he will serve where he is ordered. you have no say in that and far less now that you have seen fit to declare yourself a threat to mereo."

the audacity of the man was implausible. he knew nothing of the mission but saw fit to draw his own claims out into a staking-line.

the imperator stepped forward with a heavy flag of his tail. "it is only my great respect for towhee that leads me to grant you a swift departure." the eagle's face was unreadable. his body prepared itself for a conflict.

His arrival at the borders was delayed; he had been with Aquene. There had been signs that their pups would be here at any time, and he had been reluctant to leave her for anything other than getting her food. 

But the call from the borders was from a stranger and he couldn't push away the need to check it out and make sure nothing was up.

Kallik arrived just in time to hear the imperator label the man as a threat to Mereo. The leader's body language was assertive and tense. His protective instincts went crazy; with Aquene so vulnerable, his patience was almost non-existent. So he came silently to Germanicus's side, staring down the stranger with cold eyes. His training was the only thing holding him back, but one word from the imperator, and he would attack.

Once again, Killdeer found himself in the right place at the right time. He'd been sullen since Fennec's appearance and subsequent departure, only doing what was necessary to satisfy his new life as a soldier and to look after Towhee as she got closer to having her babies.

The golden figure on the horizon was a welcome sight. The angry posturing was not.

Dad! he called out, hoping to stave off the impending fight before it was too late. He burst into a brisk lope, remaining respectfully at Germanicus's side with a nod of his head to both his commander and Kallik. He then turned his golden eyes to Bronco.

You made it, Killer remarked, with a small smile. Mom said you'd come. I— What's going on here? he asked. The tension in the air was thick enough to eat; he swallowed some panic down, trying to steel himself for what came next.

*heart eyes*

Your son is my soldier.

Bronco’s heart plunged and his eyes widened. Killdeer never would have pledged to be a soldier, he was only a boy. He made a frail attempt to shake his head but felt himself freeze when another arrived, staring him down. His thoughts swarmed and buzzed, an angry nest of wasps disturbed and disorganized. He stepped back with one hind foot as Germanicus neared, and he pulled his tail between his legs but remained rooted still. 

His son’s voice pulled his attention, and he looked to see Killdeer bounding toward them. Hastily, he tensed, in case either Germanicus or his companion made a move toward his son, whose warm greeting faltered as soon as he felt the tension. 

He waited a moment, to reply, as though testing to see if he had permission to speak to his son. Germanicus had made it clear that he was being ordered away. He looked at his son, still too young and naive for the ways of battle. 

”Varmint…” He whispered, wishing he could simply sweep his son away, and find somewhere they could live and be without the pomp, circumstance and sacrifice of unnecessary war.

He returned his gaze to Germanicus. ”I’ll fight in his stead.” He said. ”Spare my son from this battle. If not-“ He already sensed he’d lost any chances at bartering for his son’s safety, after confessing that he was useless in a fight. ”Just let me be his shield.”

kallik was there. germanicus was pleased over again that his trust had been well-placed. killdeer arrived next, and the energy of the meeting had spiked. 

the imperator addressed kallik first. "scutarius," he intoned, using the pale wolf's former title. "this man is this boy's father. unlike the mother who visited, and the family who comes to the border, this man has threatened and sought to command mereo. he says if i do not change the guard i have chosen, he will lie in wait until the canyon is less guarded."

a threat, albeit one that was reducing. 

"you are reactive and foolish," the eagle told to the stranger. "there is no war to be fought and no need for a shield. nor is there the necessity for an army, as you saw fit to spy upon. it is a mission of diplomacy, and i sought to honor you by extending the opportunity to re-acquaint yourself with killdeer and towhee before committing to your position by coming with us upon said excursion. but you are unfit."

he stopped for a moment. he stared at the man. "speak to your son now. he was chosen for the experience that visiting an ally will bestow. and then you will leave, or i will have you frogmarched and flogged at the barracks for your insolent assumptions."

He barely acknowledged the arrival of Killdeer, a flick of his ear the only indication he knew the young soldier was here. 

Rage burned in the soldier's chest as he processed what the imperator was saying. His gaze never left the man. That would have got you nowhere, he said flatly, stating a fact. Kallik would be here until the soldiers returned, and he would rather die than let a stranger trespass into their territory where his wife could potentially be in labor or caring for their newborn children. Or where the matrona cared for hers. There were too many vulnerable wolves here, and they had Kallik on edge. 

Family or not, he did not trust this wolf. 

Kallik had been on the receiving end of the imperator's anger, more than once. Combined with his words, his anger was like a whip, painful and unyielding. As a soldier under Germanicus' command, it had been difficult not to respond with teeth, so he was unsure how this man would react. Kallik remained tense and prepared just in case. 

He supposed it was Towhee that had the imperator allowing the stranger the chance to talk to his son now. Kallik could understand, but he didn't particularly like it. As far as he was concerned, the man was a threat to Mereo, and he wanted him gone.

The ensuing byplay left him dismayed. At his father's offer, he shook his head briskly—the man already had so many scars—but Germanicus's words turned the blood in his veins to ice.

Imperator, he said, deferential but pleading. I'm sure he didn't mean it. My Mom and he broke up, and she's gone, and I'm all he has. Please don't hurt him. I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm.

You don't, right? said his gaze as it returned to Bronco. He couldn't imagine so; this must all just be a misunderstanding, with Killer caught in the middle.

Dad, I did promise I'd go, he added. Mereo is depending on me

Germanicus addressed his companion. Bronco didn’t catch the name but looked at the young man, who had the look of one who’d grown up faster than he should have. Athletic, strong, muscular- but still young. Too young to look so austere, and without a doubt, trained to be loyal above all else. 

And beside them, his son. The next in line to be trained.

Had Bronco not been a humbled wolf he might have been angry with being belittled. It irked him, but he also realized the mistake he’d made. He’d leapt to assumptions, and had made himself look like a fool. His gaze fell and he frowned grimly. 

He shook his head. ”I-“ But Killdeer cut him off. He sighed softly, lifting his soft gaze to his son, grateful for the boy’s bravery and loyalty. Killdeer knew him for who he was- and he affirmed the boy’s claim with a slow blink and a gentle shake of his head. Bronco could cause no more harm than a gadfly. 

But it seemed that Killdeer wanted more from life, and had more ambition for adventure than his father, and it made Bronco’s heart ache. He did feel relieved, now, in hearing that they weren’t in fact a battalion of wolves headed off for a full out battle, but he was still not without concern. The military mindset wasn’t just something Bronco didn’t have, it was something he didn’t agree with as well. And now, it seemed, this was the lifestyle his son wanted.

The wasp’s nest of anxious thoughts in his mind has quieted, now that he’d been informed. It didn’t quite neutralize his shame, but at least he felt himself drifting from his near-hysteric outcries. 

”I’m sorry. I…I assumed. I heard “military, troops, emergency.” He shook his head. ”As you can probably tell by the look of me, I’m….Used to assuming the worst.” He said quietly. ”I gave everything I could, to protect him and his Mom, when he was young.” He said. Those memories haunted him still, but he would believe adamantly until the day that he died, that he’d done the right thing, even if it ended up costing him his relationship.

”Killdeer…If this is what you want…” He couldn’t stop him. He couldn’t help him, or protect him either now, considering the likelihood that he’d be marked as an unwelcome visitor. ”I’ll always be in your corner.” He promised.  He looked to the military leader again, and bowed his head.

 ”I’ll be respectful of your boundaries.” He murmured. He wouldn’t make Killdeer choose, not when he already had enough to deal with following the splitup between his parents. Nor would he aggravate the leader Killdeer chose to follow by hanging about. He felt crushing defeat begin to settle in.

perhaps germanicus had come down harshly. but he did not take to having his orders questioned, especially by one not within the pack. the surplus of towhee's family had made him feel rather outnumbered in mereo. and the successive rapid and deep emotions exhibited by this man were enough to cause anyone a spin.

killdeer revealed information that germanicus had not been privy to before. it explained the outburst, the protectiveness, the demands. in fact it was this familial squabble which had very nearly cost the stranger physical face.

the man was depleted. germanicus would not relent. he would inform towhee of the odd and brief arrival, but no more time for pleasantries. the imperator had no sympathies to give. it was a moral failing he had tried to address with failure.

mereo was not a place that took well to rash individuals.

"killdeer," the eagle said next. "when you choose to be a soldier, you do not stop honoring your father. but your loyalty must be to those in mereo first." he did not need a rejoinder. "escort your father away from the borders."

Kallik wouldn't argue with the imperator's decision, even if he did feel uncomfortable assigning Killdeer the task of leading his own father away. So when the two were dismissed, Kallik offered a nod the the imperator and left. 

He would remain close, in the shadows, watching until Killdeer did as he was asked. Only then would he return to Aquene.

Bronco explained, or tried to. Killdeer gave him credit for trying, at least. But it was in vain, and he should have anticipated Germanicus's response; the boy visibly deflated at the order, shoulders sagging, eyes glazing over as they wandered from his leader to his father.

Okay, he whispered, then cleared his throat. Um. Yes, Imperator. Dad?

He began to walk toward the edge of their territory and beyond, gesturing for Bronco to follow. I'm sorry, he said once they had put distance between themselves and the Mereo wolves, voice still quiet. I needed. . .a place. I needed to feel like I was actually doing something, instead of fucking around with Caracal.

He stopped and turned to Bronco, face mournful. I'll visit, he promised. Wherever you go—I'll make it happen. And maybe one day. . .

But his voice trailed off, and the promise was little more than wishful thinking.

He felt an itch at the back of his neck when his son addressed Germanicus as Imperator. A fancy label, used to command respect- something Bronco had never felt comfortable with. He kept quiet, and once the bristly affair was over, he obediently, quietly turned to leave, with his son acting as his escort. 

He allowed the silence to fill in the air between them as they went, for some time. If Germanicus had sent his companion to follow and eaves-drop, Bronco wanted them to catch nothing suspicious, nothing that might jeopardize his son's position. He kept one ear turned back, as though listening for the sound of a misplaced pawstep- but as far as he could tell, they were allowed to retreat in peace. 

The first thing his son said, when he broke the silence, was an apology. It seemed like he'd simply needed some sort of purpose, somewhere with structure and expectations that he could fulfill. Things that he had failed to provide, no doubt, especially when the pack he and Fennec had tried to establish fell apart. It made sense that Killdeer would want a place that had a solid foundation, somewhere that felt stable. He felt jealous, knowing that that was something he'd failed to provide. 

He nodded quietly. "I think I understand." He said. "It's good to have goals, and guidance. This place probably seems like the kind of place that can give you that," He said. Of course they would. He'd be trained, taught, and they'd shake any negative behavior patterns out of him, if there even were any. "I won't go too far....probably back to the Caldera, and I mean it, I'll always be in your corner, Varmint." He said. He paused, then, and reached for Killdeer, to pull him in toward his chest with a nudge of his chin. His son was taller now, they could almost match shoulder to shoulder. "Just promise me you won't let them change you." He murmured.

germ out!

to killdeer's credit, he answered the order despite his tangible discomfort.

kallik remained watchful. "at ease," the imperator murmured.

go back to aquene.

the words did not come but they were implied. he stayed as he was, and would wait for killdeer to return before he turned to his other duties.

He wouldn't hesitate to turn and leave once he was dismissed. He was eager to return to Aquene, and the imperator seemed set on keeping an eye on things.

With a nod, Kallik turned and left, putting the meeting out of his mind and returning his focus to his wife and her impending labor.

last from me!

Promise me you won't let them change you.

He didn't understand. He'd come here to change for the better. But he nodded, understanding that Bronco was in a vulnerable position.

I'll find you, Dad, Killdeer promised.

He left the scarred golden-brown man past their border, turning with hunched shoulders to return to his territory.

Both parents, gone.

All he had was this place.