Blacktail Deer Plateau the dolls

for @Dante, when/if u have a chance. i thought they needed an updated thread <3

muscles tightened in his jaw. on the wind were faint rumours of tonravik, that she had returned. lasher of course resented her for having abandoned him, though with recent dealings in the pack, his loyalties had been silently but thoroughly tested.

he regarded the wilted and dormant bulbs outside his den ruefully. soon winter's first snow would be upon them, and the world would turn to shades of light and dark. presently, the man turned away and plodded with no particular purpose into the thicker recesses of the forest. wishing to avoid the dubious company of the ruby, and even peregrine, he breathed in the scent of dying green things and slid into a haze of muddled thoughts.

<3!

Lasher wasn't the only one avoiding their alpha, though Dante's withdrawal wasn't exactly purposeful. He just hadn't gotten around to speaking to him much since their last encounter and his subsequent rise in the ranks. True, the situation was tense, but that was mostly his own doing. He couldn't say he was sorry, though, to put a possible repeat off a bit.

Currently the black and silver wolf was idly wandering, thoughts split between winters approach and his current state of being within the pack. While the former was formidable, it was the latter that weighed most heavily now. True, there were few now that he did not know (and he intended to correct this), but the aspiring counselor wondered if he had in fact made himself available enough in that capacity. Did his pack mates agree with his rise and feel comfortable enough with him to entrust him with the dominance? Or, as had occurred with Fox, did they resent him for it? After all, though he had been here longer, he was the type of wolf who kept his thoughts close and mostly to himself.

It was by pure chance that he encountered Lasher then, for the other male's reaction had been one of the ones he most feared. He was Peregrine's lover and might feel the position should have been his. And Dante would not fault him for that.

Lasher seemed preoccupied, so Dante was loathe to interrupt his thoughts, but he did not wish to walk by rudely without a greeting either. "Lasher, good morning," he said, voice warm but a tidge wary. He wasn't sure the reaction he would get, though he thought he knew the man to be a friendly and unassuming sort, he did not want to chance it.

<3

in truth, lasher had been pleased by dante's acension into leadership. though at the time he had outranked the gentle creature, taltos recognized that he himself was not sorted for leadership. his role was one of a companion, a confidant, and he was content with that as his lot.

therefore, when he heard the pleasing baritone of dante's voice, and caught the beta's scent, lasher turned toward his friend with a glimmer of delight in his murkwater eyes. "dante," he rejoined, reaching out with his usual affection to brush the side of the other's neck with his muzzle, "i have not yet congratulated you."

drawing back, he regarded dante quietly, turning so that their steps would mirror one another. with the saintly man's rise to power, perhaps some of the negativity that fox had wrought could be alleviated. blue willow, though firm, was kind, and undoubtedly distracted with the albeit joyous task of nursing atticus back from the black place he had been. peregrine was fierce as ever, though he had suffered a mild injury during a failed hunt. but taltos sensed that when the spitfire ruby entered her season, his panther would be quite focused on that interlude for however long it took to impregnate her.

"what do you think of fox?" he asked suddenly, with little pleasantry beforehand. he wished to know if he was the only creature in all of the plateau who resented her, for then he would continue to chide himself for what was surely misplaced jealousy — but if he was not...

At Lasher's warm welcome, Dante felt tension he hadn't even realized he had been holding onto dissipate. Thoroughly relieved, he smiled. "Thanks," he responded quietly, not all that accustomed to receiving congratulations. It went far too closely with praise, another thing that he wasn't so comfortable with taking.

The chocolate male's next question came seemingly out of the blue, but followed so closely with his previous train of thought that Dante did not think it out of place. He did think for a moment, though. He was never one to answer rashly and in the cases of passing his own judgement on another he was especially cautious of misspeaking.

"I am not sure yet, having not spoken with her much," he answered truthfully. He thought back to his most recent encounter, the one with Bones and Ira on the border. "I believe her to be harsh in judgement and rash in action, but I do not believe she wishes ill for the pack, nor those within it." That was about as much as he could say right now. He could see her love of power, and even her selfish nature, but happily so far neither had threatened the well being of the pack.

And if the time came when that was not true, he would... what? Leave? No... and this answer surprised him. It was likely that he would challenge, and if that was seen as a rank challenge, so be it. The realization that he would be willing to fight for the pack he had grown to love so much put him ill at ease. He hoped with all his heart that the time would not come, for he had little desire to ever see that side of himself again. He highly doubted that Peregrine would allow it to get to that point either, and that thought served to settle his nerves.

he gave a low hum beneath his breath, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the beta verbally. he pondered the other's words, and found them truthful, yet vague. surely dante had seen decisions made by fox that he disagreed with, even if lasher was not privy to such knowledge. for the epsilon had only her strife with the willow, and the hatred of her words toward him with which to contend.

"before peregrine announced that we would be a triad, i had offered to father a litter for blue willow. this was before atticus returned to us. i sought out peregrine to inform him of my offer, and he informed me that it was a decision he would discuss with fox." reasonable enough, though taltos would have rather that his panther pulled rank and ruled in the favour of one who had been so loyal as the willow. at any rate, such an offer was moot with atticus' faculties returned to him, but lasher pressed on nevertheless.

"fox sought me out to tell me she would only consider a union if we were courting, or mated, the willow and i. i did not offer this to her, only a seed which rightfully would put children in her womb. she has been long loyal to the plateau, and even stepped down to tend her love and to avoid strife with fox, who does not deserve the position. i was informed our children would be bastards, apparently worthless in fox's eyes no matter how they had been born, and when i pointed out that it was not solely her decision, she demanded a physical show of submission from me, as if we were savages without words. i gave her this of course, but i have not spoken with her since."

he gave a small laugh at his own verbosity. "i talk too much, but that is the apex of my dealing with her. she is rash and often cruel, and i do not relish what she will raise her children to be. already she drove junior and saena away with the tensions among us. i am sure tytonidae will follow, and even pura."

Dante had known nothing of what was going on. This was his first word of such troubles in the pack and he made no attempt to hide his surprise. Turmoil had been right under his nose and he had completely missed it. What else might he have missed!?

Fox's dismissal of their children was one thing. The final word on that, in Dante's opinion, was Blue's. And if she did not wish to argue for the ability then Dante did not feel it his place to cause issue over it. He agreed as much as they that for her recently held position and longevity in the pack it was a right that should be given to her, but now with Atticus' return perhaps it would.

Her treatment of Lasher, though, was what irked him. To totally dominate a subordinate who has come to you with an issue was something that would have happened in his homeland and left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Does Peregrine know?" He asked, clearly troubled. This situation needed to be dealt with, for to have such arguments between the leadership and one of their own, arguments that could very well expand to quarrels amongst the two alphas, the pack unity would only suffer.

"Perhaps I should share a conversation with Fox." He was a wolf eho, no matter how he trusted a source, liked to hear both sides of an issue. And before he jumped to Lasher's defense he would like to hear what she had to say. Emotions could run high in such situations, and while he did not think lasher would lead him falsely, he wanted to know if Fox's reaction had been as unwarranted as he thought. If it was, they obviously had very different ideas of what being a leader meant.

taltos watched worry spread across dante's face, and not for the first time, he wondered about the gentle veneer of the man and how, why it had come to be. his own gaze softened. "not unless she has told him. i feel as though i am operating from a loss, and a seemingly jealous place, to find friction with fox. peregrine knows i disapprove of her place in leadership, and how hastily he elevated her."

his ears wavered, slipping back to cup his skull briefly at dante's suggestion. "i caution you against it. if her dealings with me and the willow are any indication, she will not take kindly to anything she deems criticism. it may go badly for you. but the suggestion is appreciated, dante."

lasher himself would eventually approach his panther, for he adored peregrine, and would abide the possible anger that would arise from not having been informed at the moment of the conflict. but unless the devil took his wench in hand, the problem would persist, and worsen when fox spawned her children.

worse though, was the thought that fox had only agreed to enter a mateship with peregrine to supplant him, for her ambition knew few limits. the idea of his lover being used in such a manner caused lasher agonies of sorrow and rage; the only solution in his mind was for the ruby to be put out, but that was unlikely to happen.

So Peregrine did not know either. While this made Dante feel better about his lack of knowledge, it did nothing to alleviate his unease at the situation. If anything it worsened it. What would occur when he was informed? Would bringing even more of the leadership, and their agendas, into the situation make things worse?

"I can see how some would think that, but since Perry knows you, I doubt he would see it as jealousy." Anyone who spent any time with Lasher could see that the wolf was much freer when it came to affairs of the heart than most. Nor would a jealous wolf be arguing for the rights to grant pups to another woman.

Dante appreciated Lasher's concern, but it did nothing to remove the resolve from his mind. As Beta and a counselor in training, this was completely within his responsibilities, at least as far as he saw it. If he couldn't help here, then what was he even doing holding the position?

He did not wish to start a quarrel with Lasher on the subject, though, so did not voice his intentions. Rather he focused on the good. "With Atticus' return to us, perhaps Blue will have the chance regardless. That at least is something." It did not remove the problem at hand, but was a happiness all the same. Dante hadn't even stopped to think about whether or not the former Alpha would want a family and what she had potentially given up by stepping down. He felt a bit badly that he hadn't realized sooner.

"love is a fickle mistress, dante. he knows me, and i adored him before fox ever drew near, but with the anticipation of new children, a family began anew..." the earthen servant rolled his shoulders, heart suddenly heavy. he could not give peregrine those things, and so it was natural that the panther should seek out a woman to carry on his lineage — but taltos was discovering it stung him all the same, albeit quietly. recognizing the irrationality in his thoughts, he turned his attentions back to dante, who spoke with the same careful nature he had always exhibited.

peregrine had said little when last he and taltos had spoken of the ruby; the epsilon would have liked his lover to say more, but he did not, and lasher had not pressed the issue. though in retrospect, he did wish he had.

"yes," he agreed, a wan smile lighting his face. "her happiness has returned, and each day atticus seems to grow stronger. i do not know what he has remembered, or if he will retain his memories from before, but he recognizes her, and also peregrine." falling into a comfortable silence, lasher drew strength from his companion and the lot fell to dante to continue the sharing of words, if he so chose.

Seems many of my characters are getting heart to hearts today :D Dante needs some edumacation

Love was one thing that, no matter how hard he tried, Dante could not understand nor sympathize with. Not the love of a parent for a child, or the affection between siblings. Those he could imagine, for they were sensations he too had felt, even if in some cases the emotions were not returned. But the love between mates or those courting? These feelings were as foreign to him as the surface of the moon.

"It must be some sort of connection, to have brought him back." He had spoken to Blue Willow before it happened, told her he thought their relationship strong enough to bring him back, but even as he had spoken the words he hadn't been sure they were true. He had hoped they were, and in hoping he had believed they might be, but the uncertainty had been there all the same. Having never made that connection with another, he had no way of knowing the power of its draw.

Lasher was one of his closest friends within the Plateau at this point, and yet still Dante hesitated to broach such a subject with him. Still, he was curious, and he doubted the male would mind the question. "If it isn't to forward of me to ask, how did you know that your feelings for Peregrine went beyond friendship?" He tipped his ears back slightly in embarrassment at his naive nature on the subject, but the sensation wasn't enough to stop him from asking. He had never actually spoken of love to another, nor had he had many encounters with those infected by its touch. His parent's mateship had been one of convenience, and Tarin's love had only begun blossoming when he left her to seek out new lands.

awwww

lasher nodded. indeed there must have been a stronger bond between atticus and the willow than anyone assumed. taltos was a romantic beast who happily entertained the idea that the healer alone had brought up her love to the surface of the darkness, with her sheer loyalty and wishfulness.

love, for lasher, was a sentiment that had often been corrupted in his formative years. yes, yes, they had loved him, the witches; but their love had not been so pure that they did not also use their servant, even against one another.

dante's inquiry was unexpected but welcome, and taltos gave him an amiable smile. "i was attracted to peregrine from the moment i saw him. beauty comes in many forms, and he is lovely unto my eyes. you must first allow yourself the pleasure of gazing upon that which you find beautiful before your heart can be unlocked for deeper sensations."

"i have a deep affinity for living things, but he embodies strength and power and virility, which to me form a powerful draw. yet he is also gentle, giving, and loving. our relationship was first based upon mutual carnal interest, but has since bloomed into something that is more lasting, something that breathes warmth and light into my soul."

lasher ended his words there, gaze inviting dante to rejoin, or to remain silent, if that was what he chose.

Dante was relieved that Lasher did not find the question odd. For one approaching three years of age, to have never experienced something like that was not usual, at least he did not think so. It seemed most had paired off at least once by this age, but he had spent so much time traveling in solitude that the opportunity had never come up. True, he had met up and gone a ways with Helena, but the fem had been merely a friend and had seemingly vanished on the wind.

Listening to Lasher speak of it, though, it sounded a beautiful thing. Beauty was something he could appreciate in many individuals. But Dante perceived at least on some level that, in his case, beauty wasn't really a factor. After all, he had met many he would term as physically attractive, yet none had held any further charm for him.

Thinking of Peregrine as gentle and loving was an interesting thing... it was not a side that the Alpha showed to many beside Lasher it seemed. "It sounds like an experience." He truly hoped that their relationship was not affected by Fox and Lasher's conflict.

wanna fade this? <3 i don't want it to drag out too long since i am being so slow with replies.

he wondered if there had been such a one as peregrine in dante's life. the gentle creature was in his prime, somewhat past the point that others had taken a mate and sired children, though taltos did not judge him for it.

"it is," the earthen servant agreed, proffering a wan smile to his companion. "and it is one that i hope you will experience." murkwater eyes lifted to the beta's own, and he watched the other fondly for a long moment.

<3

Dante shook his head, but smiled. "You never know. Maybe someday." It had never been a priority in the silver man's life to find another to share it with, though as he got older he may begin to regret that decision. At the moment, however, his life seemed full enough without.

"Thank you, though. It was nice to hear the other side, a bit of insight." It would give him something to think about, that was for sure. "I'll see you around, Lasher." And with a fond nod of farewell he departed.