Altar of Twilight I was angry with my foe

@Hydra

By no standard had the girl on the mountain given her home's suitor an easy task. Then taking his age into consideration, it had been even harder to complete.

But for the directionless Kavos, with nothing and no one but a steeply arduous task to live for, the weeks were spent in a goal-oriented fog that provided a well-to-do escape from his ponderous loneliness. And when the boy emerged victorious, he not only had the means to be proud, but he was now intimately aware of his own tenacity.

He looked over his collection now, making sure he had everything:

"A squirrel with fur like mine."

The black rodent had been the easiest of his tasks to complete, although finding the appropriately dark-furred critter had been the true test of his patience.

"Two birds -- one small enough to eat whole, and one bigger than you."

Hunting birds had proven more difficult than he had originally conceived thought of, but in the end he'd managed to find a baby wren that had fallen prematurely from its nest, and had a scuffle with a vulture with a wingspan that was easily longer than any wolf, nose to tail-tip.

And the leg bone of a moose!

The girl's final request had felt particularly malicious; perhaps given to him with the expectation of his failure. In no universe would he have been able to take down a moose on his own, and it was by far the task that had taken him the longest. He nosed the massive bone, complete with hoof and ankle-joint, and snorted as he remembered forcing a bull to chase him into the bog, where he became trapped and died a slow, week-long death as Kavos watched.

He and his trophies had settled near Moonspear, but with an explicit warning not to come too near without permission again, he loomed far off in the adjoining mountainous territory, waiting for the day the ravens might find him.

Her tasks were difficult ones, she knew, but they were given so that the white male would have a 'way out', so to speak. He had been humiliated at worst, and at best simply felt foolish over it all, for his mistake of trespassing. If he never wanted to show his face again, at the very least it could be said by those of Moonspear it was because he had been given tasks that were near impossible. But they weren't impossible. Hydra did not know what she expected, but as the days came and went he faded from her mind. 

But not completely. There were days she would patrol and look for the shape of him without quite knowing it. And today, staring from several hundred feet up, she swore she saw what she had not thought to ever see. And then the she-wolf was on her way, moving fluidly to Moonspear's borders. And then beyond. The white blip she had seen to begin with might not have been him, but eventually Hydra did see him. 

She moved with her head and tail high, despite being out of Moonspear by much more than a mile (though this was because she knew what he wanted, and she wanted to be certain he knew how to defer). Hydra's eyes surveyed the obstacles she had given him laid out before him, and her blue eyes flashed. The male before her was perseverant, and his completion of the task said much about his character. The fact remained that he had made a mistake, though—Hydra did not wish for him to forget it, as she found in a remarkable twist of fate that she did not want him to die. 

You have done well in completing your task, Hydra commended, what was the reason you trespassed, all that time ago? This she found she needed to know. Would he ever be compelled to trespass (again) into the realm of another...?

Most of Kavos' unfortunate life had been filled to the brim with glum silence and egregious solitude. These things, not customary to any breed of wolf, had long ceased to bother the boy. He remembered what it was like to have company, but he could not fathom a need for it; not after what he had been through. Not when he had just become so capable on his own.

He reclined with his collection, focusing on the broad Moonspear looming ahead of him with an unreadable expression. He wasn't lying there long when he noticed a swift shadow detach itself from the spilling shade of the mountain, the sight of which drew him to stiffen and stir.  


The first signs of Others, always made him anxious.

Prickling, he rose up warily, pressing his ears and nose forward in an attempt to identify the creature as it glided ever nearer. It was several beats after that he recognized the girl who had given him his task— though even as recognition flitted across his stony countenance, his body remained tensely uncertain.

Her posturing gave the tattered teen direction, at least. His tail automatically kept low, and his ears fell across his filthy skull as he acknowledged the sub-adult as his judge and jury. The tip of his tail wiggled when she spoke, understanding the compliment as it was given, but her follow-up question seemed to confuse him greatly. His perpetual frown deepened until it appeared he wouldn't answer at all... and then: what's trespassed?

LEMME KNOW IF THIS PP ISN'T OK!!!

 
His inquiry alarmed her, though she imagined perhaps he did not know the word. Hydra was confounded by words she did not know before, and subjects too—so she gestured to her side. Come with me, and together they moved toward Moonspear, him keeping to her shoulder as opposed to walking beside her along the way. Once they arrived, which did not take too much time, Hydra paused before the zig-zagging borderline. 

The scent of pack, given off by scent glands and piss alike, seemed to leap forth from the earth. To Hydra it was welcome, but to lone wolves it was unnerving—even if they wanted to join—in the warning the claim screamed: do not enter, or else. She looked toward the pale stranger, and inquired: would you pass through a scent like this, uninvited? Her ears flicked.

At her behest, the boy obeyed, falling seamlessly into step at her shoulder with no present instinct to act otherwise. He looked back once, checking over his lean shoulder for the trophies they were leaving behind. He supposed those things didn't matter anymore— because to anyone but him that collection seemed to be nothing more than a haphazard pile of bones, fur, and feathers left by some hungry beast or other— but these were things that had consumed weeks of his life without relent or remorse. He had focused so singularly on them that he had lost every bit of his own identity and replaced it with some sort of driving force that seemed to be entirely absent now.

He looked forward again, finding that he was able to detach from the only thing he'd cared about in months, with an ease that was almost sickening.

She brought him to the cusp of Moonspear, gesturing to what he should concentrate on— a thick line of scents he remembered quite well— and he turned his ears towards her as she asked if he would cross it. This, he understood. His mother had shown him borders, and advised him not to cross them, but he hadn't understood the gravity of doing such until after he had crossed the Spear's threshold all those suns ago and wound up with the choice of proving himself or being chased out.

If he had to go through that dealing with all borders, then he had already learned his lesson. No, he said certainly; not again.

Most of those things Hydra was not concerned with anymore. Except for the giant bird—which she intended on going back for. But she wanted to see how he handled it, walking away from all that he had done... it was a sort of cathartic thing in a way, demonstrating that if he could move past that, they could move past... well, his transgression. Still, though perhaps she should have been satisfied by his answer if she wished for bygones to be bygones with him, she had to know: then why on that day did you? and, after a beat, she informed, that is trespassing. Hydra knew now he could smell. The pale wolf before her was obviously physically fit enough to perform the tasks she had given him. And he did not seem mentally incompetent... but he had acted that way when he had passed through the borders.

But she realized in this moment there would never be an acceptable answer to that. Only by her mothers grace did he live, because Hydra—in these matters—was her fathers daughter. She would have killed him and not regretted it, even knowing what he was capable of now. She shook her head and said quickly after, it does not matter. Do it again to any other pack and you could be killed. Mostly, that is how trespassers are handled here. You are lucky, and it was no compliment. It was dumb luck, but luck nonetheless. Who are you?

Kavos, even in his vast ignorance, was not just some stupid boy. Feral and uneducated, perhaps, but not stupid. He canted his head at the oil-dressed guardian, and his ears pressed forward tightly. His gold eyes became smaller as he narrowed them in an effort to understand— as if he could see what she meant; hear what she meant if he hunted for it— but she had asked more than he could answer for.

Whys were beyond his present comprehension. So far as he was concerned, he did things because he could.

Fortunately, before he could even fathom a response, she was dismissing the question altogether and informing him that his first trespass had been an unusual instance. Under normal circumstances, he'd be dead. Kavos knew what it was to kill something; he knew only that he didn't want it for himself.

Her next question too, seemed far more existential than he was capable of imagining. He knew the word name, but she had not asked him that. She'd asked— in a very weird way, mind you— if he was somebody named Who. I am not Who, he said flatly, his pale unibrow descending in mild affront.

Hydra wondered if this were some sort of joke. Had he not accomplished all that he had for her request, she might have turned and went her own way... but he had, and so he had earned her attentions and time. That's not what I meant, she retorted bluntly, her tone remaining stoic. "Who are you", or, what is your name? she pressed. Hydra wondered if she ought to give him a name. If he did not have one, she would. She even provided an example: I am Hydra Ostrega, her head lifted, proud of her name. Hydra, she hoped, would also become a name more than Moonspear recognized. She was a practicing warrior, after all. 

Language was not all that important to Hydra to begin with, fortunately for the strange pale wolf. Still, he understood some of it and if she could teach him more she would. But if he understood the most important thing (which was abiding by instinct, and speaking the langue of the Wolf, which was through the body) then all would be fine.

As she clarified, Kavos' face relaxed into an expression that was slightly more understanding than before— if the emotion could be read there at all— and he returned his skull to its upright position. Kavos, he confirmed immediately, though was unable to provide a surname, which he didn't even know he had. Hydra Ostrega? he asked then, assuming all the syllables he'd been given was what she wanted to be called all the time; your home? His muzzle waved towards Moonspear's slopes, asking for its name without proper inflection.

Kavos. Hydra decided she liked that name. When he asked if this was her home, Hydra stared for a moment... until she realized that this was not the question he was really asking. He was keeping to the theme of "names". Moonspear, she supplied, proud of that name, too. Obviously the male could hunt... and she was sure, since he had taken down the large bird, he was decent in combat as well. 

Knowing her mother was presently busy, Hydra threw her head up and howled for @Charon—Kavos wished to join, and he had passed the test she had given to him before her mother. Judgment day has come, she informed him. If it were up to her she would give him a shot.

He had been sufficiently occupied with the puppies and supplying Amekaze with all that she needed in these sensitive times. Charon was content with where the mountain stood at this time -- his daughters were growing up and they brought Moonspear at a healthy count of adults in the next week or so. They pulled their weight and it was nice, after a winter of being small, to see his mountain flourish once more.

Right now he was tired and grumpy from being tired; he spent most time by the den and a lot of the time some pup or other was bawling or screeching. He'd been asleep when he heard Hydra's call and and was awake straight away. After nuzzling Amekaze awake to make sure she knew her sentinel was gone a moment he turned towards the borders, heading out towards Hydra's call.

When he reached her, his eyes fell on the stranger and tail waved proudly in the air like a banner of dominance, head lifted proudly to match. His scrutinizing eyes fell onto the stranger, silently demanding submission and an explanation of why he was called.

Posing tensely at her shoulder, Kavos watched The Moonspear with ears and nose quivering, as he was forced to idly await his judgement. He had no words to fill what little space was left between them, but he made no attempt to stray from her side. Watching him closely it would become clear that despite his visible  anxiousness, it was not fear that made him tremble, but excitement. 

He was barely containing his whines when the Alpha finally approached. The boy tucked his tail and arched his spine tall, reacting to the dominant male's posturing as he edged forward on bent knees to present himself. Head bowed, he titled his muzzle up towards the male, ears and lips pulled back into a submissive grimace.

He wants to join, she filled her father in swiftly, not wasting any time (as ever). I gave him a test a while ago, and he completed it. I'll bring you what I can—he hunted many things. So, he really wants in, he also had had a lot to make up for... but this slipped Hydra's mind as the only thing on it was, hurry-things-along-so-dad-can-get-back-to-babies. His name is Kavos. He's a great hunter, one of the better ones that she had ever known given the things he had taken down. Another hunter to bring food to Charon so that he could spend time with Amekaze, she felt, was a good addition.

Charon was pleased with the wolf's submission though he thought it a bit weird that Hydra would introduce him while he remained silent through it all. She rushed through the introductions, clearly taking into account that he had puppies on his mind. She said that he was a great hunter, but what else was there?

He turned to the stranger and after a quick introduction — "I'm Charon Ostrega" — he could not help but ask, "How are you around young pups?" Because at the end of the day, right now, his youngest were the most present on his mind and he needed to know how he'd handle himself around them. If his pups would be safe with this wolf as part of their pack.

Charon Ostrega, which was only a couple syllables separated from Hydra Ostrega, would be easy for Kavos to remember. In fact, with no real concept of surnames or the idea of family names, he wondered if their similar monikers meant something— or if all the wolves of Moonspear were bestowed with matching names. He couldn't think about it too long, as he was asked a question then that he did not entirely understand.

He wasn't sure what pups were, but since he had been called one before, he could assume it wasn't a bad thing; although, when he considered this, he realized it had been quite some time since anyone had called him that. There had been a point in his life when everyone and everything started treating him with more wariness than he thought he warranted, and these days he had only just started acting as he was treated. To the question, though, he could only shrug and add mildly: I don't... know.

The fact that his mind didn't go straight to lying, even to make himself look good to a superior, was unfortunately quite telling.

His response was not one Hydra thought much (or little) of. Some wolves were not exposed to their siblings, she supposed. Some were. Hydra felt fortunate to be. And though she wasn't the best around young kids (her patience being far from outstanding), she was protective over the cubs. They were family. Hydra felt that if anyone behaved badly around them, they'd be dealt with in whatever way necessary.

There seemed to be some processing in his mind before the surprising and strange answer came out. 'I don't know'. Charon looked at the youth with the look of someone who thought they might be getting pranked by a hidden camera show. "What do you mean, you don't know?" he asked back, his tone changing from neutral to guarded and snippy. It didn't help that he was tired and worn from tending to the pups and he didn't feel he had time for any of this bullshit. "You know if you're going to be teaching them good shit and making sure they grow up healthy like pack should, or if you're going to sit on them and break their fucking bones or let them fall off the mountainside, right — how can you not know?" There was a venom in his voice as he looked at the boy, having little faith that he'd do well because at present time Charon was completely dazed by puppy-madness and so having this question unanswered in such a dopey way gave him little faith that he didn't have another Lazarus or Nishu idiot on his hands, but then he looked to his daughter.

His tone softened as he spoke to her. "I'm going to leave the decision to you, Hydra. But that also means you'd have to teach him about the pups, watch over when they are old enough to interact with pack, and make sure he doesn't harm them in any way, if you make this decision that he is accepted into our pack." Charon glanced between the two, leaving the ultimate decision up to Hydra — he was sure that she'd make the right one, and if she chose to accept him into the pack then at least there was someone making sure he wouldn't do anything dumb around the fragile pups.

Kavos took a step back when Charon's tone changed. He had no reason to suspect that he would be attacked— as it had yet to happen to him by way of wolf— but instinct told him he didn't want any part of the temperamental aura that the alpha male gave him in that moment. He didn't understand half of what the freckled father said, but he understood clearly that "pups" were very important to this wolf, and if Kavos expected to live here, then he needed to know what to do about them.

Not kill them, was the most obvious answer here.

The boy swallowed, ears tucked tightly against his head as suddenly the wolf deferred to his daughter for further instruction. He tried to pay attention but lost most of the exchange's meaning as his thoughts still tried to wrap themselves around how he should be feeling about those aforementioned pups. In the end, his decision was to avoid them entirely if he could, but by this point he didn't know if he should be answering something or not... so he elected to remain silent. Probably not helping his own case any.

Her father left the decision in her paws. Her eyes turned toward Kavos. He had made an error before, though made up for it with the quest she had given him before her mother. He had much potential... and Hydra, selfishly, did not want to see it anywhere else. He will not be permitted near them until I am satisfied he can handle himself appropriately around them, Hydra decided, her ears flicking. Olive's children would be the perfect test of this. Maybe he knows, but cannot speak well. He might have been alone a while, but instinct was instinct—to mess with the children of the leaders was a fatal error. Hydra did not doubt that the pack was more than capable of handling Kavos should he turn, but he did not seem to be a wicked man. You know that to harm any of my siblings—the young—means death, don't you, Kavos? she pressed, not wanting to say yes before she knew the answer to this.

Charon listened as Hydra spoke, leaving the decision fully in her hands. She considered well and he trusted her decision, but it seemed she wasn't yet ready to make it. Charon looked at Kavos at Hydra's question, ready to tie the knot in a positive manner and leave him in Hydra's care but waiting with getting the word out until she had said 'yes' explicitely.

The word "siblings" was an unfortunate word. His mother had used it often, encouraging him forward, assuring him that where they were going surely his siblings would be. He didn't remember either Eros or Prialux well (or at all) but he did at least have a concept of what the word meant. He wasn't fond of the meaning, however, which only assured him that he didn't want anything to do with what they were warning him against.

He tilted his head at Hydra, trying to puzzle out how best to answer her, but the answer was there in her eyes; almost begging him to say this right. Kavos knows, he said, reverting to third person as his mind had wandered to and become entrapped in  a younger headspace— a time when his mother was still correcting him to use I when speaking of himself.

The way he spoke only confirmed to Hydra that he was not word-wise. But he knew what she spoke of, and so she turned toward her father with a nod. She would look after him, regardless... but she was presently satisfied with the way he had responded, enough so that she decided that this would end well for Kavos... and for Moonspear.

i'm going to just add kavos to the adult ranks since he'll be 'officially' adult in 2,5 weeks anyway.

The way the wolf spoke was weird to Charon, almost like he was messed up in the head. But he decided, in favour of his daughter only, to give the wolf the benefit of the doubt. She would make sure he would make no missteps or he would come to pay dearly for it. "You're in," he said to Kavos after Hydra's nod. "Hydra, will you show him the pack lands?" There was no need to say why he wanted to leave so soon — he needed to get back to Ame and the pups. Without further notice he turned and left, returning to Moonspear with a hasty pace.

Lol, okay thanks!

Kavos remained gargoyled to the spot. Even after the (reluctant) agreement to let him stay. It would appear he had a long way to go with the alpha male— but he had apparently come far enough to have the favor of his young daughter. The boy watched Charon Ostrega go, remaining perfectly still until the wolf had gone out of earshot, then he let out a sharp hiss of air he didn't know he'd been holding in. He looked to his raven savior then, angling his head as if to say: what now, Hydra Ostrega?

She nodded to her father, and when he departed Hydra looked back to Kavos. His look was read by the articulate Hydra, and she gestured toward the mountain and began to move in her own mute language that insisted, let's go. She would show him the ropes, and show him where he was not permitted (near her mothers den) with snarls and snapping jaws that would demonstrate the point.