Golden Glade Extended Family

@Emory :) Directly after the thread with her at the borders

As the two walked back to the tunnels to introduce Emory to her nieces and nephews Aspen wanted to speak with her and begin to get to know her as a wolf and not just Alder's twin sister. "So tell me a bit more about yourself Emory," she spoke with a friendly and warm smile on her maw.

Later when they reached the tunnels Aspen would quickly go over some of the key things to note about the court though Emory would be put straight into the inner circle because Alder trusted Emory with his life and to be honest...they were family. They grew up together. It wouldn't make sense to keep her as gentry because that is for wolves still working to earn the alpha's trust.

Emory hadn't expected the question, and hesitated speaking of herself around this new wolf. Though, she knew at some point they would grow closer...right? That's how normal families worked. Besides, Alder probably told her plenty already, which was somewhat uncomforting, especially since she knew little to nothing or the wolfess before her. "I'm sure you know of my conning lifestyle, since that was all Alder and I use to do." She exclaimed trying to walk in sync with Aspen. 

"Uh, what about you?" She wanted to deflect as much about herself as possible, and preffered to learn more of her new sister-in-law versus the other way around.

Aspen's ears twitched and she nodded when Emory explained about the conning lifestyle her and her brother undertook. Aspen new sort of but not fully what was going on but as the fae deflected the question it seemed perhaps she did not wish to talk about it. 

Aspen shrugged for a moment. "I come from a rather....cruel family. I met Alder here back in Larksong Grotto where I'll admit I wasn't too happy. Your brother changed that though. He made me feel safe and like i could open up to people and he was one of the first people to know of my previous family and all that came with them," she stated noting she was rather open about that sort of thing now to various wolves. Even some wolves she didn't neccessarily trust. It's just those wolves she never went into detail about what happened behind closed doors.

The two of them fell into a rather awkward silence until the entrance to the tunnels was reached. "Well, I guess I should probably say a thing or two before we go inside. These tunnels are where all the inner circle members of this pack stay, you included. Wolves that still have to prove something to the Alpha's take residence outside of these tunnels until deemed worthy of a higher ranking. Meetings for inner circle wolves only are held in the main den. We currently don't have any gentry as we call them so all the members of the pack are in here," she stated as she then moved to lead Emory to her den. "You can dig out a place anywhere you like," she said glancing back with a smile.  

As they finally reached Aspen's den that she shared with four pups and alder she smiled seeing that the pups were all awake but minding themselves and behaving. "Kids I have someone I would like you to meet," she spoke softly as she moved to let Emory into the den. "This is Emory, she is Alder's sister and technically your aunt," she spoke.

She glanced at Emory and smiled. "Emory these are my kids. Rowan Stoic Pryor is the small white one, Tigerlily Emory Pryor and Rose Aspen Pryor are the twins, and Hawthorn Charley Pryor is the somewhat chubby darker furred one," she said speaking proudly of her children.

Aspen continued on by answering the question, a wave of relief washed over the wolfess as she no longer was being made to open up. The Queen then continued on about the pack's policy's and such, and she listened best she could, taking note of what she had to say. The idea of a perminent den was...intruiging. She almost forgot she'd be sleeping in the same place for now on, which was unfamiliar and strange. She could take her time too, instead of quickly digging one up to sleep for the next few hours before moving on. She no longer had to rush all over the place, she could relax. 

It wasn't until they reached the children did she truly brighten up. She looked at them with a sense of love she'd never felt. Her ears lowered and eyes lost the sense of desire they always seemed to hold. No, they were purely innocent and beautiful. For a second she felt as though she would cry. "Aspen they're...they're amazing!" It was strange to have a family again, and not one as awful as the last, or only her and her brother. This was a group, a group that truly cared for one another, and she loved it.

Aspen watch Emory as a shell she had seemingly built around herself seemed to be melting away when she saw Aspen's children. Aspen didn't know what it wwas and she wasn't going to ask because the girl didn't seem ready to talk about anything with the queen. Maybe that would change but the girl wasn't going to push anything. The two really only had just met.

Aspen smiled warmly at the compliment Emory gave to her children. "Thanks Emory, I honestly love them to death. They're just over two months old now and they're speaking almost fluently," she said trying to hold back as much of the pride she held for these guys as she could but it was hard. 

This life, this family that Alder and her had created was amazing and now Emory was here too. Adding another side to the story that was their life. Least Alder had good siblings. Unlike her own.

"Oh, I guess there is one more thing I should warn you about pack wise. If a black male wolf with blue eyes....named Onai.....shows up at these borders....hes NOT allowed to be here. Don't bother calling for me...just...chase him off. I'd rather not talk to him," she spoke in a low whisper little known to her the two had already met.

Hehehe I couldn't help that one. It flowed as i wrote. Idk if that thread was rightly timed...but it could be played as the onai Emory thread was before she came to the court..

Her smile didn't cease as she looked down at the yearlings with joy. She didn't notice, but her tail wagged the slightest bit as Aspen continued to talk about them. "I can't wait to get to know them." She insisted, glancing back up at the ivory Queen before her. It wasn't until she spoke a familiar name, Onai, did her upbeat mood seem to stop. 

"He's your brother?" Emory question, her eyes widening a bit upon realization. "Why don't you want him around?" She asked, a flashback to the shadow calling himself an asshole replayed in her mind, was he truly a bad person?

" I am sure they will love you," the queen spoke softly. "Here lets let them be, we can go to one of the meeting dens and chat there," she spoke as Emory questioned more on Onai. The silver queen strictly did not want any of the pups, especially rowan to wake up and over hear the conversation.

Aspen padded down the tunnels and entered the cave that contained the small pool and sat down as she waited for Emory to do the same. "Yes Onai is my brother," the queen stated. "The reason him and I do not get along goes way back to when I was a child. You see, my parents did not like me, i was the runt of the litter, and the only girl. I was seen as weak and useless to the rest of the pack and so when my brothers beat me up, or abused me verbally. No one cared, sometimes my parents even encouraged it," she stated. She had no idea why Emory needed to know so much information having only just met her, but the queen felt the need to make her point clear. "It got to the point where at 8 months old they chased me out and told me never to come back. So I swore I wouldn't and I refused to see or talk to any of them again." she  explained keeping her cool.

"He left scars on my body no one else can see, scars that haunt me behind closed doors. Even today. It used to be so much worse but Alder, and my children, and my pack. They're working to heal them, so that I'm rarely ever bothered," she spoke before staring at her paws. As she began to speak again she lifted her head.

 "Unfortunately, not long before you came here, he showed up. Claiming he meant no harm, and that he was checking up on me. I had no care for it. Especially with my young children here. I was filled with so much anger and pain, feelings I swore I would never let my children see. One of them did witness it though, and I feel like shit about it," she stated  glancing back out towards the tunnels.

She understood the need to leave and entered the cave along side Aspen, and sat down. As the Queen continued on she felt a sinking in her stomach, she almost couldn't imagine the stranger she met to be so cruel. Especially with their more than generous expirience together. "Wow...I had no idea." Emory exclaimed, feeling as though she betrayed Aspen in some way for sleeping with her abusive brother. 

"Him and I met the other day, I would have never guessed of his past." The wolfess said, still flabbergasted by the new information. Emory couldn't believe the chance of her and Onai's meeting, and wasn't sure if she preferred it to have gone another way. Aspen didn't have to know, lying was her strong point. She'd keep it from her and Alder, neither of them had to know.

Aspen nodded as Emory listened intently and explained that she had no idea. "Not many people do," she stated. "It was something I kept to myself for a long long time, your brother....he was the first person I told," she stated with a rather emotionless look on her maw. "I deal with it, I'm moving on...slowly," she added.

Though despite everything Aspen just told the girl she would never have been prepared for what came next. Emory explained that the two of them had already met. Which startled the queen. He was still around....closer than she wanted him to be under any circumstance. Why couldn't he just leave everyone around here alone. Emory explained she never would of thought a wolf like him had a past like that. "Yeah well...hes a pretty good actor. He gets people to believe what he wants them to believe," she spoke. 

"I don't know under what circumstances you two met, or what he's told you, and quite frankly I don't care. Just know that I don't want him here and that if he does show up..he's to be chased off. He is not welcome here, or anywhere near my children," she stated bluntly.

It was completely understandable of Aspen's to order to keep him far from her family, though a part of her felt like something was being taken away from her. For a moment a flash of regret of joining her brothers pack filled her mind and she couldn't stand the idea of being restricted, but ripped herself from that mindset and relaxed. It was fine, the wolf had a suiter anyway. It wasn't likely the two would ever meet again and apart of her hated that. Why did she want to, all of a sudden, burst out of the cave and go searching for him again? Maybe it was her need of rebellion, being told no only made her want things more. But she would resist, for Aspen and her new family. 

She fancied the idea of him being a con artist like herself, it made him all the more exciting and alluring, while also dangerous. "I understand." Emory insisted, and despite the roller coaster crashing around in her head, her expression stayed the same, not showing a hint of her thoughts.

Aspen nodded as Emory stated that she understood what the circumstances were. "Thank you," she said calmly. Aspen yawned. "I think it might be time for a snooze. You're welcome to do what you like here Emory, be it digging yourself a place to stay or going for a stroll. You know where to find me if you need anything," the queen said with a warm smile as she rose to her feet.

"It has been nice talking with you and I hope you come to like it here," she said dipping her head as she left the cave and wandered back to her den to lay down with her children.

Last from me. I think things are about to get interesting >:)

Emory nodded, and wished Aspen a good rest before exiting the cave and strolling about herself. She had time to think, though it wasn't like there was much to think about, right? It was simple, stay away from Onai. No matter how much more alluring it was now that he was forbidden in some sense. Then again, he just had to stay away from the court, which meant all she had to do was go to him.

Wait, her mind stopped, why would she go to him? 

Oooo I love drama!!