Phoenix Maplewood All the King's Men

It was rare for Reek to ever consciously admit he was wrong. Typically, such a thought would be unheard of for the ragged patriarch of the maplewood, but something in particular had been weighing heavily on his mind for the past few days. The confrontation he had with Ukko had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Of course, the anger he felt still remained, but the challenge he posed was the swift kick in the pants that Reek needed to stay afloat. He had become far too soft, and now he could see the error of his ways.

The bitter taste did not fade with time, but upon the return of his wife to the maplewood and Reek's subsequent return to mental stability, he realized the error of his conduct during their heated confrontation. He would swallow his pride and make things right, this was a family after all.

He searched for his subordinate throughout the territory and found little trace. It had been obvious that Ukko had been avoiding him. But, in a last ditch effort, making sure to remove all traces of anger from his voice, Reek howled for @Ukko from the center of the territory in the hopes he would come on his own terms.

The howl reaches his ears like fingers against a chalkboard and sends his stomach into knots.  He knows he can’t ignore it like he has been for the last few days—not when it is meant for him—and using an excuse like he hadn’t been in the pack.  He’s been spending a lot of his time on the borders, doing what work he actually had and keeping his head down.  He hadn’t even visited Saena and is only vaguely aware of injuries when he noted a heavy scent of blood one day but not since.  Her scent still lingers so he doesn’t imagine her to be in any more danger.

While Ukko’s original intention had been to motivate the leader to live to his name, he’d let the doubt eat at his mind and made a fool of himself, hurting his chances of success.  Even if he’d challenged Reek, there’d been no promise he would have won and if he had, then what?  Leadership might run through him but it meant little in practicality and with Reek’s hurtful words, his own mistakes are overlooked and unforgiven.  Whatever punishment Reek might have to offer, Ukko isn’t sure he’ll be willing to take it.

His trot is slow, deliberate, but by the time he sees the other dark wolf, Ukko’s posture adjusts.  His shoulders tense but he ducks his head and his tail remains loose behind him.  He does not grovel and leaves several feet between them, looking the other over for signs of aggression.

Reek didn't need to wait for long. The subordinate heeded his call and approached him, albeit apprehensively, but Reek couldn't blame him after what had happened. The patriarch stood tall and ridged, like an imposing force— however, even with this display of power, he tried to clear himself of all the bitterness toward Ukko that clouded his judgement. Sadly, it was impossible to let go completely. Of course, he was still angry, but the blind fury of the moment slipped away.

Despite Ukko's inference, Reek had no punishment to divvy out. His intent was simple, Reek wished to try and begin to repair the bridge between them that they had both been so eager to burn down. If the wolves of the maplewood were to function as a well oiled machine, the kinks in the chain needed to be worked out.

Remaining planted to the spot, Reek remained silent for a moment. An air of apprehension had settled on both parties, but after a short moment, Reek spoke. "We should talk." Unclouded by unnecessary wordiness, Reek wished to keep this encounter as succinct and quick as possible.

We should talk.

His words aren't tense or harsh and he doesn't look too particularly puffed out but it doesn't allow Ukko to relax. The other doesn't bother to close to the distance between them, just far enough apart that they might not need raise their voices for the other to hear. They would have to come to terms eventually or let it ends in flames, burning what little relationship is left between them. It surprises him that Reek had been the first to call but he suspects Saena might have had a hand in it, consciously or not. Being the first to call the meeting gives the leader an upper hand, a way to shove it in his face that he's the bigger wolf to take responsibility. Bitterness forms in the back of his throat and he clenches his jaw, letting Reek have his glory.

Ukko has already seen him at his worse, a crumpled mess at his feet:  Reek needs this.

He doesn't speak, finding a focal point on the dark wolf's chest to stare. Any hint of a dominant posture and he's sure it'll start all over again.

Okay.

Who needs sleep? when did Ukko become such a turd

Another silence hung in the air, dead and still like a corpse.  Ukko uttered not a single word, however, his body language suggested he wouldn't leave. Reek allowed the stillness to take root, but spoke before it had the chance to fester into awkwardness.  "Well then—" he began with a quick mumble. He gulped and with it he swallowed his anger and pride.  "—I uh, I wanted to apologithe." Apologies rarely, if ever, graced the bastard's tongue, but he felt he owed Ukko something; some sort of penance for his angry words.

"The thingths I said... They, uh— I was in a pretty dark place. Like— emotionally." At the time, he lashed out in any way he could. He wanted to make Ukko feel useless, but in reality, he was one of the most valuable assets the pack had. Reek knew it— his deeds did not go unnoticed.

"So, uh— we cool?" he asked, finally shooting him an awkward grimace in the hopes it would be perceived as a smile.

The silence between them doesn’t linger terribly long before Reek begins to speak and it catches Ukko off guard.  He expected a conversation about what happened on both sides, a punishment—or at least, a warning—but the words that came from his leader surprised him.  Apologithe. Apologize. The younger wolf narrows his eyes a little to try and focus, ears cupped forward to catch every word as he waits for the apology but as Reek continues to speak, Ukko doesn’t exactly hear one. 

Ukko looks away once Reek goes quiet, leaving the question lingering between them.  The smart thing to do would be take whatever apology this is and go with it, to let Reek off the hook, but where would that leave him?  Still bitter? Unhappy? He suddenly releases a breath he doesn’t realize he’s been holding, licking at his lips to clear his mind. Part of him wants to take the apology and turn and leave and forget about it, but something keeps him from budging.  He recalls the words Reek spat at him that day left his thick fur bristled in anger and to an extent Ukko won’t admit, hurt. 

“I was carried away with my intention,” Ukko tells him.  His encouragement of his leader, albeit tough, hadn’t ended when it should.  He doubted his leader that day.  Whether or not he does now, he isn’t sure.  “But you wouldn’t have said those things if you didn’t believe them,” he adds, knowing most accusations in anger are often underlying frustrations, built up over time.  Ukko hadn’t thought he’d been so far under the other’s skin.

Carried away was a blatent understatement. Reek bit back several sarcastic comments that came to mind in the sake of being polite; but at least Ukko was admitting his own fault in the matter, no matter how small he made it out to be. Baby steps.  Reek regarded Ukko's words for a short while, allowing another turgid silence to hang in the air before speaking once more.  "Right then—" he mumbled before clearing his throat.

"I still thstand by what I said... I apologithe for how I said it."  He paused, allowing a moment of stillness to set in before resuming. "You're young Ukko.  You haven't been a part of thith family for very long, and I don't think you underthtand what it takesth to lead a pack."  It was a calm reiteration of the sentiment he expressed before, but without the harsh bite of anger. "When I look at you, I see the ignornthe of youth..."

"—But, and thith is a clear 'but', I also see potential."  Reek took a step forward towards Ukko, thus shortening the distance they had laid between themselves. He affixed his gaze upon him and kept his body language strong. "You've been an athet to thith pack... I've notithed. Be my beta." He offered the position like an olive branch of peace. Part of him felt Ukko was capable, but Reek was still unable to trust him after the incident. Stipulations would have to be put in place.

'But, one slip up... and you're done," he iterated with a level of coldness in his voice. "I won't hethitate to make you a thubordinate again." Now the ball was in Ukko's court... and the only question in Reek's mind was; would he play?

Ukko’s brows knit together as the other speaks and somewhere he gets a little lost in this half-apology, half-lecture.  He doesn’t see exactly where the other is going with this and he’d soon rather have a punishment if it meant it was over quicker.  He could barely keep his bitterness in check and he realizes how much had been created over the last several days.  Reek wouldn’t have been led to his outburst of Ukko knew when to stop but the words had been said, regardless, and he can’t find it anywhere to admit more than he has.  However, when Reek takes a step forward, Ukko instinctively takes one back and bristles a little at the nape.  

The dark wolf stills when the offer is put on the table.  The confused expression widens across his face and stuns him.  Ukko clenches his teeth, scanning the other for any sign this is a prank.  His ears flick upon his head as he looks behind him and back again no less confused than he was a second ago.  

“Um, okay?” he uses to stall, ears cupped forward as he tries to figure out if he’d actually heard what Reek is offering him.  He can’t imagine the other trusts him enough to give him the title for the fact he feels the same but here it is, on the table.  Ukko bites his tongue then, not wanting to ask too many questions and look like he’d missed something. He takes a deep breath while silence quickly envelopes them and he shakes his head and refocuses his attention.

“I mean,” he blurts out when he realizes the words that actually came out of his mouth.  “Sorry.  I’m just surprised.”

A steep level of confusion was evident in Ukko's actions and speech.  Of course, it was the reaction that Reek had fully expected to receive. Having been at each other's throats days prior, the last thing any potential usurper would expect was a promotion in rank, but Reek let his offer linger. There was a subtlety to leadership that he wished to impart on his brash subordinate; if he wanted perspective, all he had to do was accept.

"Im seriouth Ukko. Think of it as a trial run,"  he suggested flatly.  "If you prove to both me and my wife that your willing to live for thith pack, you may find yourthelf in a permanent position along with us at the top." If wolves had understood the concept of internships, that's exactly what Reek would have offered the other male. In the grand scheme of things, Reek only offered to grant Ukko a path to make things right himself.

No definitive answer was given on Ukko's behalf.  "I uh, I believe this is the point where you say, 'sure... when do we start?'"

Reek emphasizes his point and Ukko stares off in thought for a moment as he considers what’s laying out in front of him.  A reward instead of punishment.  A rather confusing and misleading reward.  “Okay,” he says again as he tries to swim out of his loss for words, pulling himself together to better fit someone being invited into leadership.  He stands a little awkwardly, suddenly unsure of how his legs or supposed to work or if he can really feel his own feet. He’d been on the same track in his birth pack, somewhere behind his father, but this felt tangible.  He’d been allowed to make a mistake and still be alive to prove it, earning something on his own and not just because of his name. 

“When do we start,” he says more than asks, the words foreign against his tongue as he tries to piece together what has happened.

Want to fade this out? I'll make sure to bump your rank up ASAP!

Finally, the words he wanted to hear came. Reek cracked a thin smile, exposing a set of pearly, but crooked teeth and nodded in confirmation of his acceptance. There would be no jokes made... no Wonkaesq delivery of old as he might have done months prior. Reek treated it with the seriousness and gravitas the situation deserved. A new level of maturity had blossomed within him, born from Ukko's harsh words days prior, and he hoped Ukko would hold his new position with the same maturity and the same devotion to his pack and family.

Reek pushed forward and began to walk toward the borders. Looking straight ahead, he passed Ukko and beckoned for him to follow. They would patrol together as not only beta and alpha, but as brothers taking the first steps to repair their shaken relationship.

"We start now."

Reek pushed past him, beckoning him with a jerk of his head, and Ukko remains in his spot.  Still confused.  Still concerned.  Still what the fuck just happened?

He has little time to think about it when we start now is demanded of him and he turns to face the other.  He stands still for a moment but once Reek gets too far ahead of him, he rushes to catch up.