I remember the old times

Please allow @Meldresi to post first. If she's fine with it, anyone who's interested can pop in afterwards.

The plan had been to leave the second the first rays of the sun's light started to brighten up the sky, but that had not happened. Having not wished to leave without giving an explanation, and letting it be known he'd be returning, the Inuit had made the mistake of stopping by the den that housed his ex-lover and children. Once there, he'd shared a few words, and then spent some time with his children before deciding it was time for him to head out. Xan had wanted to come along, as he often wanted to follow every time he saw his father, but was not permitted to. The journey was still too far for him to travel, plus Kove had yet to check out the land since the storm. He didn't know what to expect of the land, and had no plans of leading his child into a potentially dangerous situation. So, he left on his own, and started the journey to the pack of shadows.

The trek itself was not as bad as he'd been expecting it to be. The land was not how it once was, but the changes were not enough to leave it unrecognizable. He still knew where to go, which steps to make and what paths to follow. The direction to the dark forest was one practically engraved in his mind. He could never forget it, no matter how much time passed between his visits, or how much the terrain was changed by an aggressive storm. It was the first home he'd had since leaving the one he'd been born into, and he had a tie to it that could never be forgotten. The woods were where his queen resided, the priestess he was loyal to despite his place within another pack. No matter where he went, or what pack he joined, though, the loyalty he felt towards the dark woman would not falter. It had been clouded over once before, and had led to him losing his place as the leader of the valley. Never again would he allow for such a thing to happen. The whole point of his journey was to prove that, and also to strengthen the ties he held to the dark land of wolves once more.

As the outline of the forest came into view, his run slowed to a steady jog, before he finally came to a halt a respective distance from the border. There was a hare clutched in his jaws, a gift of sorts he'd stopped to catch on the way over. Though something bigger would have been preferred, transporting anything else would have slowed him down considerably, and he'd already been away long enough. Placing the hare down by his front paws, the man then tilted his head back, muzzle pointed towards the sky, and let out a long howl. He called for Meldresi, the dark priestess of the woods, his queen. Despite his call for her alone, he understood if she planned to be accompanied by other members of the pack. His absence had been a long one, and so he could not blame her if she wished for him to leave immediately. In spite of his uncertainties, he sat and waited patiently, not allowing his minor worries to show through his features.

After that blissful week of her heat, Meldresi was delighted when she showed the signs of holding children inside her yet again. She was ravenous, eating more than she normally did, even when she was pregnant with her first litter, only to turn around and vomit most of it up. This pregnancy's first trimester was already hard for the priestess, who had taken to sequestering herself away in the tunnels to rest her body as it went through the rapid changes of being pregnant.

But of course, she did not trap herself inside the Web. She walked around the surface for brief periods to exercise and get sunlight, but they were always brief, for hungry or sickness drove her back to the Web.

This time was different, for she was being summoned, by one who had not been seen near their borders in moons. Kove. She could not ignore the call. She had a lot to say to the Inuit.

Mustering all of the regal dignity and aloofness she had left, Meldresi delved into the shadows, heading towards the borders. When she reached his area, she paused at where the black forest ended and the plains began, watching Kove with dark, unreadable, indigo eyes. "You've taken your time in coming back here."

As seemed to be usual, the man had not been made to wait long before he saw the dark woman appear. She carried herself in a manner which was normal for a wolf of her standings, and he greeted her with a deep dip of his head. He kept himself low as she spoke, his mind working over a way to explain things. He didn't know where to start, in all honesty. The reasoning behind his long absence was far from being a positive one, and might not even pass for being a decent excuse. "I apologize for that," he started, deciding not to get ahead of himself. "Time got away from me and, though I had wished not to say it, I was rather ashamed of the events that have taken place within the valley." The woman had given him the right to leave her pack in order to form one of his own with a wolf a loved. To lead a pack that would work in relation to Blackfeather. It had all fallen apart, though, and he knew there was no one to blame but himself. The pack had fallen under the reign of another, of a man he felt he could not trust, and even his marriage had been turned to ruins. Things had not gone well, not in the slightest, and he knew it all was due to his previous need to visit his homeland.

Picking up the rabbit, he moved to the halfway point between them, before setting the body down and backing up once again. All the while, he dared not try and raise himself higher than the priestess. "I bring this to you as a gift, though I am certain it will not make up for my time away." At that point, he wasn't sure what could make up for it, but he was determined to do whatever was necessary. "I wish to make up for my absence at any cost," Kove added, feeling a need for how serious he was about the matter to be known. Words danced on the tip of his tongue, then, a question having formed that he would not allow himself to ask. The Inuit wished to know whether Damien had shared what they'd discussed with his mother or not, but felt himself to be in no position to allow such an inquiry to leave his maw. Even if the boy had, he'd be more than willing to tell Meldresi directly, if it was asked of him to do so. For the time being, however, he kept his mouth shut and waited to hear what else the queen had to say.

@Kove I edited the age to six months instead, so the pup is a bit more independent when s/he arrives.

When she herself returned to Blackfeather Woods, the information gathered from Bearclaw was quickly transferred to her. Burke had informed her of everything that had occurred in her absence, without a single detail missing. How could she be Queen if she did not know her realm?

Much of what they told her she already knew from her brief stay at the Valley. Kove was no longer in power, and Scarlett's heart seemingly belonged to another, the one who took control. Whether or not they were mates were uncertain, but it was clear that Scarlett and Kove were no longer married.

"You have failed." Three words that she was certain would have an effect on the northerner. She did not rise to grab the rabbit, instead staring straight at Kove, her eyes the blue flames she was named after. "You let another wolf take over your pack, one who despises our pack to the point that I doubt we can ever consider any kind of alliance." She was angry at one of her own, one of the first Dark Brothers, failing her, and not even at an assassination! "You could have very easily called for the Dark Brotherhood, Kove. We could have solved the problem." Raziel wouldn't even be a problem now, if they got involved. They would have made sure that the wolf would have disappeared without a fight. But now he knew of them. He would be wary.

"However, part of the deal was bringing one of your children to Blackfeather when they were old enough, to be trained." The pups would be, what, two months now? Hardly time for taking them away from Scarlett. "That part of the deal still remains. You will bring one of them, by any means necessary, at their sixth month." Any means necessary would possibly mean breaking Scarlett's heart, one way or another, but her Brotherhood's loyalty meant more to her. It would replace the hole Chevalier, and her soon to be adult children, created. And by that sixth month, the little Apaata would have their own children to play with, in due time.

Three words. Such a small number, so little to say, and yet the sentence alone managed to voice enough to fill a novel. He had failed. He'd known that already, he learned of his own failure almost directly after his return to the valley, but hearing the words leave the dark queen's mouth seemed to make them all the more real. Her voice solidified his mistakes, and caused his ears to flatten against his skull in shame. Not a trace of the pride his people carried with them from birth could be found, those three words alone having stripped him of such a thing. He would, no doubt, regain his composure before arriving back at the valley, but as he stood in the presence of the priestess, the energy necessary to do so simply did not exist. He could not muster it up from any part of him, nor did he believe he was entitled to do so. The words were the truth, and that was something unable to be covered and hidden away by him when speaking to the lady of the shadows. If anything, the most he could do was allow for his head to lower further, and let the words sink into him and do as they were intended.

"I know I've failed," he said, the words leaving his own mouth being the final kick he needed to make his resolve concrete. He would fix what he could, and that was that. As her voice trailed on, he listened, hanging onto each word. The doubt she felt towards the idea of an ongoing alliance was one he, too, held, and it was something he was not pleased with at all. The original plan had been demolished the second Raziel took power, and there was no way for him to change that given the current situation. Even if the Brotherhood were to get involved now, the Roman's knowledge of their existence could prove to make things difficult. If that were to happen, and it was discovered the Inuit have been conspiring against him the entire time, there was no doubt in Kove's mind that he'd be banished from the valley. Perhaps that wouldn't have been too big of an issue, but with his children still too young to travel, he could not risk being forced to leave them behind. "I had not thought of asking for help. I had planned to take care of the issue on my own, but it appears I've not been able to do even that. You allowed me to leave for the purpose of that pack being a base for the Brotherhood, and my leaving ruined the chances of that happening. I know my apologies can not mend that, but please know I am not willing to give up." He'd wait, as he'd told Damien he would, before striking. His children's safety needed to be assured before he could do such, so thus the waiting game began.

Kove looked up at the mention of his children, and the deal he'd made. It was one thing he'd not failed at, and something he would not allow himself to prevent from happening. "I will make sure to bring one of them, I will not fail in doing that," the man informed her, needing not a moment to think about it. It was the deal that had been made, and the deal he would honour. "If you'll allow me, I wish to bring as many of them that will follow, if only to meet you. They've grown knowing only the Roman as a leader, and that is something I do not want. Even if only one of them is trained, I want for those willing to follow me to know that you are the one they should look up to, not Raziel." He'd thought of doing so before, and the idea had never faded from his mind. As their father, he wanted the best for them, and to him the best was serving under the queen of Blackfeather. He doubted the silver man, his skills and his mindset, and the mere thought of his children being raised believing his way to be best was far from ideal. Still, he would not bring them without permission from Meldresi herself.

She was at the least pleased that he was feeling regret for his actions, and was willing to make up for his transgressions. At least he was still loyal, even during his failures. For that, she was happy to see. Her Brotherhood was already small as it is; none of the new recruits were finished with their training yet. The Night Queen needed every loyal Brother she could have, no matter how far away they were from their main base.

"We have only room for one pup." By the time the Apaata arrived, her first litter would be fully grown, leaving room for four more pups to join. The Night Queen largely doubted she would have a large litter again, given her age, but she would have to make due in order to train the Inuit's child. "Do you speak to your children anymore Kove?" From what she heard, the Roman, Raziel, had completely taken over the fatherly duties, but, had this occurred in her own pack, she would at least give Kove the chance to talk to them. Every child deserves to speak with their birth parents, even if they had strained relationships. "And you have four pups, correct? Have you already made your choice on who will come?"

Only room for one. It wasn't the best of news, but he also didn't mind too much. He wasn't so sure he'd be able to stay away if several of his children were permitted to stay in the woods, but there was still something he wished to do. "I understand only one may stay," he started. "But I was curious if you'd be willing to meet the others, too. If they'll follow me to the woods when I come to drop one of them off, would you allow them to see you?" It was important for him to have his children meet the queen, even if it was brief. Meeting her would better allow him to explain to them that Raziel was not their true superior, even if they were to never undergo training for the Brotherhood. While he didn't doubt his children as themselves, he did doubt at least two of them to be capable of fitting in with the dark wolves of Blackfeather. They simply wouldn't fit, and that couldn't be changed. It's who there were, after all.

Kove was curious about the woman's question, then. "Yes, of course I do," the Inuit responded. He spoke to then when he could, and was even aiming to teach a few of them the language of his birth place. They were of his blood, and he treasured their existence. Not speaking to them, or seeing them, was a thought he couldn't stand. "I do not get to spend as much time with them as I'd like to, but I plan to change that." There were so many things he could do with them, things he could teach them. Things he would teach them. When two more questions were presented to him, he gave a nod of his head. "Yes, there's four of them, each one having an entirely different personality." Sometimes it was interesting to see how each one dealt with the same situation, as their methods were so different. "I will be bringing my son, unless you wish for another to stay." The boy was not the most well behaved as of yet, possessing quite the attitude. A part of him believed Brotherhood training could help control that by giving him an outlet for any negative feelings. While Kove felt it best his son remain in the woods, he did wonder about the others, if they'd happen to develop an interest. "If any of the others show an interest in the Brotherhood, what would you like for me to do?"

"I doubt they will not be missed." A whole litter of pups vanishing for a few days time, and then one disappearing for months? It would not happen without suspicion. "If you can manage to sequester them away for a brief period of time, say, on a hunting trip, then I can meet you and take one of the pups from there. It will be risky, Kove. The pups that stay might say something to Raziel." She, secretly, feared having another war, especially with a pack that was so close, and with one of her friends in it as well. She had no clue on Bearclaw's strength after her brief foray into the Valley during the storm nearly a month ago, but their numbers previously was strong enough to be a match to her own pack.

"A son will be fine." There was a large chance this son may become an assassin, something they sorely needed in this Brotherhood. Males tended to lean towards that branch. "What is the boy's name?" She did not know much about Scarlett's litter, other than the size and the genders. It did not seem fair, in a sense, that Scarlett got to meet her own pups, but Meldresi could not reciprocate. "If they do, then they can train as an adult of the Brotherhood." They would not have enough space to foster two pups, but two adults would be absorbed without a sound. And young wolves were always wandering away from home at a certain age.

The Inuit gave a small nod of his head, agreeing with the woman's statement. They would definitely be missed, that was a given, but it couldn't be helped. He'd simply need to explain to Scarlett that he wished to take them out to explore, when the time came, and hopefully that would make for smoother sailing. He hoped so, at least. Again, he nodded, allowing her words to linger within his mind. There was always the possibility that, for whatever reason, one of the children would mention their little trip to someone else in Bearclaw. Knowing that that could lead to some issues, he decided he would piece together a way to keep them silent. "I will make sure those who return with me do not say a word," he stated. It would, more than likely, be far more difficult than he was expecting it to be, but he was still confident in his skills. If the easiest option would not be enough to keep them from speaking about the future "hunting trip", then he would think of, and use, another method.

Kove was inwardly relieved to hear that his son staying would be fine. While he had momentarily considered Nanook, he felt it would be best to send him after what had happened at the gathering. A feast turned sour. The little polar bear's actions portrayed on that day had certainly been impressive, but what had happened afterwards was not ideal. When her query reached his ears, he was pulled from the not-so-distant memory, and back into the present time. "His name is Alexander, though the nickname 'Xan' is preferred," the man answered. The Northerner made sure to include the second part, not wanting to run the risk of his child getting worked up over nothing when he was to arrive at the woods. For a brief second, he found himself wondering about what it would be like for the young Xan to be so far from home. Sure, he was already showing a rather independent nature, but he grew curious as to whether such a lifestyle would stick once he was cast into a place away from the only home he'd ever known. Figuring those unasked questions would be answered in due time, he let it go, shoving it to the back of his mind. "Alright. I do hope more than just my son develope an interest in Blackfeather, and the Brotherhood, when they're older." It was wishful thinking.

Alexander. Xan. She locked the name in her memory, wondering what kind of child this Xan might be. She doubted he would be anything like her own children, but a child as young as he would be malleable. There were certain traits he would have that she could bring out to assist his training. She would have to train him first, to introduce him into the Dark Brotherhood. Then, she could turn him over to Burke, or even one of her sons. It would all depend on the child.

"When you spend time with them, speak of the Dark Brotherhood and Blackfeather Woods. Make an impression in their minds." She had a feeling he had already done so, but to hear direct orders from his superior would increase the mentions of her pack and Brotherhood. "If this Xan is your best candidate, then he can join. If another child of yours does, choose them instead. Interest is what I'm looking for here, not potential." If he knew what he was getting into, then training the boy (or maybe even girl), could be much easier.

Want to wrap this up soon?

Kove gave a nod of his head, committing what the queen had said to memory. He would be sure to mention both Blackfeather and the Brotherhood to his children whenever he met with them. No matter how short his conversation about it may be, he would still be persistent with his mentioning of the dark woods. “I will make sure they hear about it every chance I get,” he promised, seeing nothing wrong with doing so. He had a sneaking suspicion that he would, most likely, need to keep any discussion of the woods on the down low when in the valley. Even so, perhaps that would be best, as it could give an example to the children. It would also keep him from having to deal with a negative encounter with Scarlett, or perhaps even Raziel. As long as the whelps didn’t share their private discussions with the entire pack, that is.
 
“I’ll keep a close eye on all four of them,” he told her, wanting to make sure the best candidate was brought, rather than the one he currently believed would be the best fit. “Whoever shows the most interest towards the Brotherhood will be the one I bring to you.” Kove was then left uncertain of who would end up going to the woods. Xan showed potential, as did Nanook, but potential meant nothing if there was not a strong interest to back it up. He would need to pay closer attention to each of them, both individually and as a group, so he would be able to see how they developed. To see how they react as they learn more of the pack cast in the shadows, and the order that exists within their ranks.

Meldresi was proud of this wolf, who, despite all of his failures, was still eager to serve his Goddess and his Dark Siblings. While he could no longer serve, his children, his blood, still could. She was fine with that, as that was part of the plan in the beginning. He was fulfilling his duty as a Dark Brother.

The woman strode forward, her eyes firmly locked on Kove. Gently, she butted heads with him, nudging his muzzle with sibling affection. He was still her Brother. He needed to know that.

Bending down as best she could, she scooped the hare into her jaws, meeting Kove's eyes once more before turning back and slipping into her dark forest, leaving the Inuit alone to think in front of the dark woods that were once his home.

Thank you for the thread~

The male watched as he was approached, uncertain of what he should expect. Though no words were exchanged, the nudge he received seemed to shout a thousand things. It told him he was still a brother of the Dark Queen, still a member of the Brotherhood. Despite his failure as a leader, he had not been cast out of the one thing he felt he could count on to always be there. He returned the gesture gently, feeling as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders. The heavy worries that had, unknowingly, dwelled within him were carried away. It felt good, but he knew that the weight would fall right back onto him if he failed again. No matter what, he would be sure to return in due time with one of his children at his heels. Whether it would end up being his son or one of his daughters, he didn’t know. He couldn’t decide—not just yet.
 
Kove kept his gaze on the dark woman as she picked up the hare, and stood in place until she’d disappeared back into the dark woods. A few moments after, he remained standing there, staring into the shadows that filled Blackfeather. Releasing a breath he’d had trapped in his lungs, the male turned and began his journey back to the valley. He missed the woods, he really did, but he could not return. He had his children he needed to watch over, he needed to figure out which would be brought to his previous home. Such thoughts were the only thing to fill his mind as he continued on in the direction of Bearclaw.