Redtail Rise onyx

She returned.

Instinct had driven her to leave.  When the fever struck, the memory of Riley and Masquerade, driven mad with violence, pushed her to isolation.  Alone she had ridden out the worst.  Alone she approached now.

Wealda was gone.  It was uncertain within her who remained.  She has done what she needed to and in doing so abandoned them, an action that might spell an end to her dwelling here.  Even if she was not wasted with illness and suffering her injuries still, there would have been no pride.  She assumed no welcome.  Still she could not disappear entirely.  Only death could part her from her pack.  And they were still hers so long as they did not drive her away.

Practiced and ingrained knowing brought her to a stop at that familiar boundary.  It was late; she did not call.  Instead she lay down to wait with eyes fixed on the shadowed rise.

They had withdrawn further. Ruckus ate enough to fuel themself, but they languished. Now, whenever anybody approached them, they reacted negatively. Nobody was to be trusted, not even those Redd had called "pack." They retreated to the outer reaches of what the Rise claimed, finding solitude their only friend since Redd had gone.

When a whiff of her came upon the wind, Ruckus froze. She was not dead.

A flurry of thoughts hammered through the Bearn's mind, and before they knew it, their feet were taking them in her direction. Ruckus slowed as they approached, their eyes a confused mix of relief, joy, and hurt.

tags for ref/joining!

blood star returned.

the crimson of her form was visible even at a distance, but she did not cross the boundaryline. she did not announce herself.

@Ruckus ailed. the little one called chipmunk by @Moon Runner was plied with food from her, from the huntlead himself, from @New Snow. yet it had become clear that wealda's disappearance was perhaps correlated. he could think of no other reason.

a snort; he wondered if @Mulherin had caught her scent on the wind as he strode purposefully toward the border. the stories of her travels; taken in breaths. he found her eye; he looked for sickness and found her thin, wounds in need more of healing touch.

but she was here. and in his mind, she was home. the rise had only one wealda.

his heart gallops in his chest.

it is true—he finds, pacing into the clearing, that finally

redd is home.

he is not the first to get to her, both the huntlead and masquerade’s boy had found her. a difficult task; she is silent, lay in wait by the border.

the berserkr stands from afar and watches.

but part of her is gone; her strength, confidence, authority.

unease prickles the hairs along his spine. there was something inexplicably uncanny about the encounter which troubled his mind.

he finds the side of mountain boulder and shadows his assessment.

to redd, he offers a pitied wave of his tail to coax her near.

wealda could be hers if she had the courage to take it.

a wealda should not be stricken with guilt.

They came but revealed little.  She looked to the youngest first.  With a small whine her tail swept behind her, inviting them closer.  She would reassure that departure had been temporary.  There was a responsibility there, not quite maternal, but not quite apart from it either.

Ulfhedinn and Berserker came next.  Redd attempted to read them as she rose wearily, but aside from relief she saw little.  If either sought to usurp her now was the time.  She was in no state to defend the rise, neither her title nor their borders.

Perhaps Wealda was more than this.  Redd did not know.  And so she remained neutral, still, with her shoulders set in an unsure slant.  This trust was theirs to give.  For the first time she felt no drive to take it, knowing that physically it was not a promise she could fulfill.  

She could only do as she always had and look to the good of the whole.  Be that at their head or at their side mattered little to her in this moment.  The end to her solitude was enough.

The alpine wind carried a familiar scent. Others congregated near the border to meet it and when Moon Runner arrived Wise Father, Chipmunk, and Faraway Shadow were already present.

The wolf formally known as Wealda had returned after a month, just as Faraway Shadow had. Now, the young she-wolf had the experience to know that many things could drive a wolf from their clan, such as sickness, and so she wasn’t quick to act reserved as she had with Faraway Shadow.

Moon Runner approached the group with a calm and gentle demeanor, ready to welcome this wolf back into the arms of the Rise. However, she, too, noticed the absence of light from the red wolf's mien.

Moon Runner's mouth was closed and her lipline was tight – a canine tell that alluded to a shift in her view. There was no submission or deference in her body. It was as if she was a balanced scale waiting to tip one way or the other…

Previously, Wealda had earned Moon Runner’s total trust and devotion. However, she would not be led by someone with a weak spirit. The girl’s wild heart had too much integrity for that.

Others arrived. Those Ruckus knew but did not speak to. They found it odd that they were so silent when Raider and Riley had spoken often. Even Redd was more quiet than their original guardians. Ruckus took the invitation, preferring it to the company of others. There was no show of outright affection; they merely found themself in Redd's shadow once more, standing now alongside her as they faced the others. They would go wherever she went, for as long as they were able. Their stomach rumbled, suddenly aware of the hunger that lingered in their belly.

as the younger wolves arrived at the place where blood star stood, mountain boulder felt their energies mingling in the summer air.

they wanted wealda's answer, that she would lead. he wanted this himself, the desire of her wolves coalescing in the heat of the long day.

mountain boulder knew what he would do if she turned from the title. he did not signal an end to the undertone of tension; no snort; no flicker of his hackles.

if she wanted this, she must take it as her bloodline had always done.

The scent of Blood Star on the wind. New Snow minded her young, considering for a long moment. The way of the sick ones she had learned plenty of in recent times. Blood Star could return as Blood Spot had returned. The mind could be… not the same. 

She wanted to head toward where she knew the pack would be, but lingered for now at the rendezvous and kept to her role as caretaker. New Snow would know if she was needed, and as much as she wished to see the woman she thought of as daughter New Snow knew that Blood Star would understand, with all the sickness, why New Snow would wait to greet her. 

tag me if she’s needed!

it happened, it happened all again.

the memories were vivid now. he hadn't thought of avicus in so long, but there, her daughter stood in her shadow and retraced her steps. 

she'd gone as wealda, and came back, yet her eyes were dull and the role went vacant.

but there might be time for redd, as had happened before. would she claim it once more?

it twists his gut in the same way dark clouds do. and he prays the storm would not come, not this time.

his exterior is blank and his tail goes slack when his welcome goes nowhere.

redd, he utters. come on.

snap out of it.

They looked at her but did not move. None deferred yet none took what was there. She was reminded too of the time before, a time when she had pressed for the role to fill. The rise needed a head and the head should be strong. It took more strength than she liked to stand here, and though she was not as thin as she’d been the last time she’d returned, sickness and hunger had wasted her frame to angles. She returned their looks with confusion.

It did not make sense. She growled impatiently, the sound rough in her throat, but pressed forward with insistent urgency.

Someone needed to lead. Did they truly think it should be her?

It was not pride that raised her tail, nor was it pride that led her to take a step forward. She had no desire to fight for her rank even if she had the ability. And she certainly was not able.

She only wished to know. Her growl became a question. If one sought to dominate she would submit. And yet, if none questioned, she could only continue to try and live up to their trust.

Moon Runner grew restless and so she sniffed the ground to diffuse energy as her gaze drifted between each pack member.

No wolf moved against the red woman to claim the title of Wealda. Even Faraway Shadow simply waited. It seemed the gaunt wolf, too, was perplexed by this and issued a quentioning noise to her audience.

But as Trēow, Moon Runner could only see a family member in need of caretaking. She was weak of body and dim of spirit. It was unfair of them to expect her to step forward and claim this role and all of its responsibilites. It seemed the wolves of the Rise longed for the familiar heirarchy of yesteryear…

But if not her, then who else? As a wolf not yet sexually mature, Moon Runner did not yet have the desire to put herself above the other and defend that claim. She only had the sentiment that this wasn’t right.

Moon Runner made a anxious, frustrated noise and began to pace. She moved to Wise Father’s side and licked at his jaw. He was the wolf with the most influence in the pack. Hale of body. A mate and a young children.

I see you as Wealda, the spirit said.

Won't you take it?

Ruckus paid attention only to Redd. They were acutely aware of each breath, each movement, each sound she made. The growl that rumbled from her throat caused their whole body to tense up, unease filling them from nose to tail. She stepped forward, and Ruckus followed suit, their own tail raising along with hers. They mimicked her movements almost perfectly, taking every direction from her as if it were the only way to live from one moment to the next. Ruckus watched and waited for the outcome of this display.

Feel free to skip!

Cambria watched the Redtails gather in the distance, surrounding an unfamiliar and decidedly gaunt figure. It didn’t take a master to read their body language: they knew her. His ears folded backward at the way they all seemed mutually hesitant.

What ailed the she-wolf, he wondered? He thought he caught a hint of sickness on the breeze, which might explain her wasted silhouette. But it was so faint and his medical acumen was limited. Cambria could only hazard guesses. And watch from his distant post near the top of the rise.

His eyes lingered most on the little red pup.

yes, mountain boulder longed for that time. and yes, as the daughter of their red eagle he had believed that blood star would want back the title she had earned.

but she did not, and it swiftly became clear that to label her wealda again was to force the title upon a wolf who did not feel herself worthy of it. she did not want it.

this jolted the man, though moon runner's mediating presence eased any sign of his hurt. 

their leader had always been an alpha female, hale and with the propensity for motherhood. the child named chipmunk saw this last in blood star, even as the risewolves considered what she was not.

change was a difficult thing for mountain boulder.

moon runner held the traces of wealda in proverbial teeth. mountain boulder swept them all with a look and then approached blood star.

his rumble was one of relief and welcome, dipping his great muzzle to take the scent from her withers and add his own.

their own.

his tail lifted over her own, and he did not hesitate because he could not. he would be wealda.

the yellow eyes found moon runner. he wanted her for huntlead, when she was ready. and to that end he would work now, believing that she should hunt while blood star took trēow. the eloquence of his expression spoke for itself. he waited to be affirmed in the role he had taken, though the dominant confidence in his heavy body said as much.

his plea falls on an audience of deaf ears. 

mulherin was far from talkative. redd even further, but he wanted the clarity of her words, her admittance to defeat. he wanted to know if not only had her body been ravaged by weakness,

but also her spirit.

and somewhere there is a bitter part of him that wanted to see her crack under pressure. that was bitter from how distant they had grown from one another; bitter that this role, not destined for her to hold, she did not seize upon return.

but she doesn’t answer. not in words, at least. she speaks in the silent language of the rise. he catches the confusion in her eye and the sound of her growl is more gravelly than he ever remembered it being. 

who will step up? she seems to ask. and it dawns on him in finality that wealda was something she no longer had the capacity for. if everyone balked, she would take it again, in a way that pitied them all for not appointing someone more fit. 

frankly, he’s stunned—irked by her lack of appetite.

he’d only comprehended redd as formidable and strong-willed, but what stood before them now was a shadow of her. the harsh reality began to sink in.

who will step up?

among the gathering, a nomination.

moon runner is quick to back her father as a candidate for wealda. the ulfhedinn, feeding from her energy, grasps the reins in his strong hands.

a large part of him agrees with this decision. he feels the rest of the rise too would agree.

yet, wealda holds a certain sanctity to him. it was more than a role to fill, but rather a role to earn.

a small whisper grows louder, 

his blood; suddenly curdling at the thought of inaction.

the huntlead had proven his mettle time and time again. if he was still deserving, he would prove himself again,

now.

he too raises his tail high, a low woof sounds in his throat, and his eyes are locked onto the ulfhedinn’s hulking form.

a challenge.

This was right.

She knew this even as her heart broke when it was confirmed.  Redd had not wanted the title for a long time after claiming it, but now it felt as though it were most of who she was.  She did not know who would remain without it.

But she had given them a choice and known the path they’d choose.  She could not defend her crown.  Wealda had only ever been the strongest, set as such when Avicus had claimed the rank herself.  Further settled when she’d fought her own sister in turn.

Still, Redd felt a fracture at its loss.  She couldn’t describe it and would not complain.  She would have tried.  She would have failed.

Silently her gaze dropped, but her submission was halted by a challenge from another.  Mulherin.  Without a word she limped backwards, away from them both, leaving room for whatever might proceed.  Silently her muzzle brushed Ruckus, drawing the child along with her.   They would watch and then they would eat.  Both needed to grow stronger if they were to serve what came next.

In life, nothing was given easily. Not a wolf’s territory. Not their rank. These things needed to be defended daily. Fought for. It was the wild way.

The red wolf stepped awayfrom the crown.

Faraway Shadow’s posture changed. He challenged Wise Father for the rank. A ritual would occur. Wealda would be decided.

Moon Runner’s expression became serious, though the tip of her tail flicked with interest like a cat's.

Her spririt was quiet and waited for what came next.

Not sure how the duel will go down but MR can be skipped until a conclusion for wealda is reached!

Another raised their tail, and then another. Ruckus looked to Redd for guidance, following suit and giving the other two space. They did not know what was about to happen, but they sensed a certain tension in the air that reminded them of the day Riley had gone from their lives. Ruckus watched intently—as well as they could with their poor vision—licking their lips in anticipation. A droplet of saliva lingered on the corner of their lip, and their heart beat quickly in their chest.

mountain boulder crowded night eye without preamble. his chest held a great growl; he invaded the younger male's space, using the strength of his longer legs and his tall height to reinforce his power.

blood star stepped back. the red pup followed. moon runner watched.

mountain boulder did not strike. raised hackles and high tail spoke enough.

the growl continued, loud, inexorable. he understood night eye's choice. teeth had always greeted the transition of wealda. would their tradition change now?

Suddenly, the scene shifted. From his distant post, it looked to Cambria like Ulfhedinn and Berserkr were about to fight one another. His pale brow furrowed. It didn’t make any sense to him. Were they battling over the red she-wolf? His mismatched eyes skirted to her, noting the way she ushered the angry pup away from the confrontation.

Cambria looked around as if hoping someone would explain this situation, though of course he was alone. Everyone else in the pack was down there, excepting the white she-wolf and her matching offspring. The Dragonling sucked in a breath upon this realization and suddenly thundered down the slope.

He galloped swiftly toward the pack, slowing as he came upon them and tried to assess the the situation now that he was closer. Cambria’s eyes bounced uncertainly from face to face, trying to read them. He stared at Berserkr longest, wishing he wasn’t too preoccupied to commentate the goings-on here. Finally, he sidled toward Treow.

What’s going on here? he asked, well aware she wouldn’t provide a verbal answer.

His hackles prickled warily as he eyed the standoff, then peered into Treow’s face. She didn’t appear upset. Her expression betrayed patient curiosity. Cambria could feel her tail stirring the air and when he glanced backward, he saw the tip twitching inquisitively. He let out a breath, still baffled by this ritual, but reassured by his fellow yearling’s mood.

As his nerves settled somewhat, he divided his attention between the altercation and the little red pup standing on the far side of the proverbial boxing ring.

the tides shifted, all eyes on him.

yet everyone else is a blur,

his focus alone lies on his competitor.

he locks eyes with the ulfhedinn, who is quick to start toward him.

he is not met with teeth just yet, but a warning. 

the huntlead puffs his chest and postures in a way to intimidate him. a last chance opportunity to back down and fall in line. mulherin does not let up—meeting the ulfhedinn with a throaty growl of his own and posture mirrored.

it is up to him to make the first move.

viper-like, he dives and lands a harsh nip to the man’s shoulder, then doubles back to get out of reach.

As Redd watches them fight, the anger surprises her for the first time.

It kindles in her without warning and for a single, reckless moment, she considers intervening.  A low growl starts in her throat and her eyes burn as they lock upon the fight.  Then the growl dies as reality douses her.

She is injured and starving.  She would only further damage herself.

Redd knows she should remain to watch.  Ruckus would gain from knowing and she owes them the respect of acknowledgement.  She cannot.

Stiffly, but silently, she departs.  She will not return to find them.  She would learn the outcome when necessary.

she can be skipped going forward!

mountain boulder was not a fighter. his strength had been placed in hunting, and it was the way of the ruminants that he memorized.

but he was a guardian. night eye struck first. the huntlead drew a quick breath and surged forward, seeking to crowd the boy again.

but this time he used his superior height to cut toward the berserker's nape, teeth flashing in a harsh grab.

his own snarl drowned out any others.

They were torn, just as Redd was, on staying or leaving. In the end, they knew that they would always follow her. Ruckus glanced back only once at the display between the two males. The bearn found their place at Redd's side, whatever doubts they had about leaving quickly overshadowed by the peace in knowing she had returned.

ruckus is out!