Shadewood Perdoname Mi Amor

Let the trouble begin

It didn't take long for Higoro to eat his own weight in rabbits and the rare deer carcass over the past few days. Weight was beginning to pack on again but there was still noticable ribs protruding out and his coat had yet to make a full recovery either. Though his coat wasn't as bad as the rest of him looked, tired, dull eyes from a full day hunting, sore, blood red paws from a years journey, and of course the ribs. However things were looking up for Higoro, once he let Minori go after their little talk he trailed her scent when she was out of sight. Gaining useful and fantastic information in doing so, she was in a pack, it made him giddy that it would be easy to keep tabs on her. Wouldn't have to constantly move.

But, the male gave it some thought during the days hunts. Why not join the pack? He saw no harm, he could benefit from the security of a territory, the assumed food cache stocked with sustenance and then there was Minori. Constant accsess to her would help speed the forgiveness along and give him plenty of tools to help show her he truly was sorry. 

Finishing off the lastest rabbit, Higoro treked to the territory, his belly stuffed to the brim made him a bit sluggish and slow but that didn't stop him from snagging another rabbit along the way. Plump as hell made for a slower thing which made Higoros job all the much easier. He didn't catch it for his sake, well he did but he wasn't going to eat it. He was going to give it to whoever greeted him at the borders, in hopes of procuring their favor.

It wasn't long before Higoro came upon the border, the smell of it was strong so perhaps someone came through recently. The male let out his song, a low toned vocal but it carried far and wide. Higoro was quite confident Minori would hear it, and either come to meet him or stay hidden away. He was excited to find out.

if she could not have a husband, she would have a role within the keep. kukutux had kept to herself these past several days, even avoiding her densite for fear cry would show again. frequent forays outside shadewood had steadied the girl, given her the strength to return each night, to sleep. 

today, however, kukutux roamed the forest openly. her beloved rabbitskin had finally given up its ghost, and her heart grieved for the loss of the one thing she had brought from home. burying it outside her den, the girl now carried a darker harefur in its place, longer and with the hind paws still attached. plants would have held her focus, but the howl that rose through the trees intrigued kukutux, and shyly she approached.

a man, dark with moonlit accents. he clearly waited for cry or for gwen, yet the pale duck drew near all the same. "hello," she murmured, unsure of the proper etiquette for border joinings.

Unsure if the highlighted Hello means its a different languge but gonna guess no, correct me if I am wrong!

Higoro waited for an unknown amount of time since he didn't bother keeping track of the shadows the tree cast on the forest floor. He was bored by the end of his howl so that wasn't any indicator either, but the time was finally upon him. A wolf approach. Higoro sat up more, his rabbit neatly laid beside his paws, and his chest was puffed out a little more. He was expecting Minori but instead he got some she wolf that clearly didn't have a lick of knowledge in how border meets go. So no Minori or Alpha. Greaat, he thought sarcastically. However her inexperience was fine with him, meant he didn't have to show any sort of respect. That includes the gift hare. His body relaxed, slouching a bit more but still looked halfway upright and his chest remained the way it was. He saw no need to completely deflate.

With a clearing of his throat, he spoke. "Hello, my name is Higoro Nakamura. I've come here to seek a home within these borders. I've brought a plump hare," Well why not, to him she seemed malleable, so this would most certainly gain him some points. "Take it, it's a gift from me to you." He smiled gently, his golden yellow eyes laid softly on the females own but only for a brief second before looking down to the rabbit and nudging it forward. His attempts at being charasmatic would hopefully sway her thoughts about him towards a positive light but if not, what does it matter? It doesn't, he was just toying with her. "As for what I would bring to this pack, well I can hunt, fight, and I have useful battle stratagies if needed. However, as you have probably noticed I'm on the lesser side due to a year of harsh winter traveling and scarce food but I promise you. Once my strenght has returned, I will be of use again." By now his eyes were back to the female, and his smile had faded away. He wondered if she was overwhelmed by how fastly he pushed things along, too bad everything he told her would have to be repeated once the Alpha or a higher rank showed. At least, thats what Higoro assumed.

Should she had worried at all, she need not, anymore. There he was, watching over the interaction, frosty glacials on the ruddy dark male clearly talking too much to his Little Duck.
Onyx lids narrowed over winter jewels. Yet he kept his icicles sheathed in the cave confines of his dark maws- he would not be using them, right now. His peripherals straddled over her body, noting her stance and her energy aura, her reactions to this newcomer. Should she need him, he would be there. 

As for now, he kept his distance, one with the many shadows of these woods that Higoro couldn’t possible keep track of.

But should any wound come of his property, whether it be physically, mentally, or even should he offend the arctic bird, this Phantom would move, and unleash the smothering fury of winter upon the enemy.

the man’s demeanor swiftly changed, for he no longer saw fit to be submissive upon the borders. and yet he granted her the small furry body at his paws, at which kukutux gazed a moment before returning her attention to him.

he was speaking again, quickly, but the duck was silent. his name resembled the likes of issun and minori; perhaps this higoro was a relative of some kind.

seemingly pressed to prove his worth, urgent to gain entry, the stranger stood somberly before the girl once more, and in that moment she knew cry was near. she had felt the touch of his gaze far too often not to know it now, not to know he lurked in the cunning dark places of the keep, and suddenly she no longer wanted to be at the borders.

but she held fast all the same. ”i thank you,” kukutux murmured, using one small paw to draw the rabbit toward her. it would make a fine meal for gwen and minori, she decided, for she herself had not earned such a gift. ”it seems you were led here,” she ventured, ”but that is not for me to decide, higoro.”

@Cry must emerge now, take the burden from her shoulders, and judge this man while kukutux herself fled back into the dappled forest.

Yuup

After the female was gone Higoro just laid on the forest floor, "UUUUUUUUUGH" He groaned, "Fuck my life" He was being a bit dramatic but there was nothing to do but lay there and wait for whoever else to come along.

Minori had been stalking around the depths of the keep, knowing all too well who stood at the borders. She had smelled Kukutux and Cry and had chosen not to show up and give him what he wanted. She had hidden away where she could hear what was said and as soon as Kukutux stepped away she strode forward, lips wrinkled with disgust at how he just lay down and groaned "Really Higoro? This is how you present yourself now?" truly pathetic but she held back from saying so. She scanned the surrounding area for Cry, having smelled him nearby. "I don't want you here. I haven't changed my opinion of you but Cry owns this land and whatever he says goes. I will not let my silly history hold this place back..besides..you are useful" she admitted that much. If he wasn't acting like such a child, he could be very useful. Especially if they worked together.

He had watched Kukutux dismiss herself from the stranger, taking something small and furry in her grasp before departing back into the home with swift and intent ease. He hadn’t been able to deduce that she knew he was there or not...but it was fading from his mind as a groan as pathetic as a kicked pup. 
Teeth showed themselves, glaring and sudden as they were unveiled from a curtain of midnight. But before he could throw himself at this ignorant fool, Minori cascaded from the Keep as a magnet drawn to metal. She was clearly disgusted with this male as well, but what seemed to prevent her from outright killing him was their history. 

Intriguing.

Replacing his mask upon his face, his gild of apathy kept him in line. Striding forward, he pulled himself from the embrace of darkness to meet this situation head-on.

”Who are you and what do you want.” This was no question- it was a demand. And the answer had better been delivered a hellovalot better than that groan had been, or else not even Minori could stop him from ravaging this male right then and there.

Shitty phone post mfs, fight me

As Higoro laid there, wallowing in his own pity like a pig in mud, he heard a sweet, honeydew voice call his name in utmost disgust. Not to mention her compliment that was seemingly dripping with reluctance. His heart pounded a few beats, taking the compliment to its fullest anyways. The male roused himself from his pity and dusted himself off with a quick shake of his fur. "Minori," He purred, a warm smile on his lips. "Nice of you to drop by, I was getting worried you weren't going to." More like throwing a fit. Higoro stepped closer, his smile as warm as it was when it first showed and of course his honey yellow (or golden) eyes was soft, loving and maybe held a dash of seduction. Though Higoro was sure his attempts at being nice would be swated away like a sky raisen (Fly). For now, he would be testing the waters and hoping to find warmth.

Then, like magic came a black shadow slinking out of the forest. Demanding things of Higoro. His smile was quick to fade, the look in his eyes quicker. Any hair brained animal could tell this male was Alpha, the way he carried himself and demanded respect radiated 'large and in charge'. Higoro fought a smile, and instead gave into proper respects. The bow of his head but eye contact would remain, further testing of different waters. "I am Higoro Nakamura. I have come to seek asylum within your borders. As you may notice, I am not in the fittest of states but once I regain what I have lost, I assure you I shall earn my keep ten fold. If need Inwill march into battle, or fight off those that wish to hurt the ones within." His eyes glanced towards Minori, he would do anything to protect her. He wouldn't let a soul hurt her, he refused to make the same mistake.

As soon as she appeared the childish sulking melted away and there stood the snake she expected. Her eyes scanned over his weakened body and she scoffed though she secretly made note of how he oozed confidence, charm and incredible sex. Her reaction was to bare her fangs and take a menacing step forward to match his "Not a step closer, Snake" she hissed ears flattening back against her skull. She swallowed thickly, disgusted with herself for even noticing the charm. He was lucky Cry had showed up when he did otherwise she would have attacked. 

She let Higoro speak before turning to Cry. Cry had spotted her skill and immediately said he needed her, if he thought her skills were helpful he would surely want the man who was her second. The history between them was not a reason to prevent the Keep from growing stronger. "He was my second in command. We have bad history and I recommend he be watched for a while but...." she hesitated her heart racing as she panicked over what she was doing. She took a step backwards and then froze, steeling her resolve "but I recommend you consider him. He was a good soldier" there was a pained edge to the word was and she flashed Higoro a baleful look before dipping her head to Cry "Don't let my history prevent Shadewood from becoming great" she said and closed her jaw, lips trembling as she avoided looking at Higoro, sure she would see a smile look on his face. He would think she did this for him but he would be wrong....right? 


She had felt saddened by his appearance, remembering a golden eyed samurai with rippling muscle. He looked so...beaten down. She pitied him...and perhaps to make her own ego go up and feel like a great person she had vouched for his spot so he wouldn't die. She wasn't happy he was around at all but the memories he caused to surface brought so many mixed emotions, a lot of them bittersweet and sadly nostalgic. It was like the wound was reopened and made fresh again and along with it her feelings resumed being confused. She would never let him know it though as she was loyal to Issun and she loved him, she was bearing his children for hecks sake! She could never revisit memories and old feelings even though a dark part of her wanted to be able to goof around and be how she used to with Higoro. She snuck a glance at him and for the briefest of seconds her expression became fearful. She feared him, she feared what he made her yearn for.

He acknowledged the pair differently- Minori received an ear to her suggestion, a curve of his tail in a slight arc that humored her, while Higoro got a sideline raised lip, a peek of a single fang among the horde of them. “You do not seek refuge here.” It has to be fact. There was nothing this pack would offer this delusion of a wolf. “You seek to rekindle what you and Minori shared, and it happened to lead you to my threshold.” Should the eyepatch warrioress be spending her life in a tree, the dog would follow her up the trunk and bark the same song. Cry was no fool, and would not be played for one. 

Nor would he allow some whining mutt within their borders whom wallowed and whines as impudent as a newborn from boredom and impatience. 

“Soldiers do not make themselves appear weak on the footstep of possible enemy turf,” he began, Icelandic gems narrowing in their judgment. “What can he offer more than being a liability for us, Minori?” He turned to cast his question upon her fully.

What would she say of this golden-eyed mess?

Higoros' face turned void of any emotion, the males words struck and clawed at Higoros' ego like a pissed off cougar. Any previous respect for the alpha dissipated like fog in late morning, in its place, anger. It was raging, Higoros own personal wildfire burning within his body. Golden eyes locked onto Cry, the males expression remained lifeless but that in its self gave away just what Higoro was feeling. Hatred, burning fiery hot. There was nothing containing it besides the males own will, he would try not to break. It wouldn't do him any good but Higoro being Higoro, he was bound to let loose his fury. The tension in the air was thick, all thanks to Higoro, exuding off him in large amounts. He swore, before he died that male would wear more scars or fashionably wear death but that was certainly for later. Crys' insults were most definitely not going to go unprotested to some extent, Higoro wouldn't allow it, he even quietly promised it. A stupid promise at that. Sure as hell not from this thing but first things first. "So you know of our past," A quiet sigh slipped from his lips. Honesty would be the best card to play, Higoro guessed. "The extent of your knowledge isn't know to me but 'rekindle'? No, atone, if even partially so, yes." Higoro did have some hopes of rekindling the fire that was Minori and him but after seeing her pregnancy, and learning of her mate, it made things painfully clear. There was no more hope. "Surely even you know of wanting forgiveness."

Then there was the snide comment, Higoro couldn't help but snort as he thought about it. This male was irksome, continually proving to be a pain in the flank. Higoro let loose some of his anger, a easily kept promise. "Oh, and for the record.." He breathed, "I am no god damn liability!" He roared, thick and large teeth flashed. Higoro huffed and eased his voice back down, he may have just fucked himself over. "Asylum was too strong of a word. I can handle anything, even in this state, ask of me what you will and it shall be done." Higoro kept his voice strong and prideful, he couldn't let the chance of being in the same pack as Minori pass up. Even if he truly wasn't in the best state to do anything, he would damn sure try his damnedest. Though his of getting within the pack might dwindled to nothing after his outburst.

A wave of affection though only as a friend came over her as Cry tore at Higoro with brutal, honest words. She revelled in the rage coming off of Higoro, for she had seen it before when he snapped at the soldiers who had the guts to talk bad of her in front of her and behind her back. This time though it seemed it was more an offended rage than a protective one. She couldn't help the sharp cackle that flew from her maw as he said he wished to atone for his deeds not believing a word of it. Then she froze and became deadly still as he roared at her alpha and with sudden ferocity she had sprung across the borders roaring back into his face "Your rage and your ego make you a liability Nakamura!" she shouted at him in the same voice she used to break unruly soldiers back home, throwing his last name at him to demean him. She shoved forward aiming to slam his shoulder so he'd step backwards and then took a step away herself "Cry I do believe he has forgotten what it means to be a soldier. He wants to atone for his deeds, he can do so by being retrained by myself when i can do so. I will punish him for his mistake here. Higoro was my equal once and together we make an almost unstoppable team, that is where the asset lies. He picks up any mistake I miss and vice versa. The keep could benefit from someone stepping in while I nurse my children besides Reiner. Morgan has a pregnant wife and is still fairly inexperienced. Reiner has a lot already." she turned to speak directly to her leader and then sighed softly. "He probably isnt in his right mind due to malnutrition. If you trust my judgement I ask he be given probation under my authority. I will handle him, teach him respect and train him again myself whenever I can" she clenched her jaws shut tightly and turned to Higoro her eyes sharp and burning. She had plans for him if he kept his mouth shut and let Cry think, he would atone for sure when she left new scars upon his body and beat him down. Her rage burned just as brightly as his did and it shone especially fierce in her eyes.

Too much. Chaos erupted as the drama sprouted before him, two shouting  adults that were supposedly forged from the same steel-
yet to Cry,
They were weak.

He could feel the glacier within crack, a snap of a dam that held a sea back. Through the rush that filled his ears, he could not imagine the speed in which he flew past Minori, but it had to have been remarkable. Could light itself do what he had just done?

Around the pregnant woman he curved an extreme arc of his bulking form to meet that of the dark and speckled Higoro, fangs free of the embrace from slavering jaws. Crisp and clean, an irrevocable dart of lethal icicles aimed for the man’s neck. Not to kill, yet ever so close to the jugular that a clear warning was due from this. And as swift as his body had surged forth and separated the space between Higoro and Minori, it pulled back from its ambush, and stood an immovable orbalisk of winter-eyed midnight on the threshold of his goddamn woods.

”I will not say this in vain so heed me, roach.” His tongue curled where his lips laid free, his words calm yet baring fangs of their own. He could feel them, each word edged, sharp, pointed, and noosing quickly around the mind of this peon before him. 
This unworthy fucking disease.

”Disrespect me, or anyone in these woods who belong to me under the home of these woods, and I will not be merciful enough to leave a full body to bury for your grave.”

He looked monsterous, a nightmare of omen alive as his nape and cape rose to dance with shimmering guardhairs. The shine of scars pacing his shoulders and back grew obvious where they had been hidden before, a patchwork of crisscrossed veins where he had survived his encounter with his past before now. Bears had not killed him then-
and Higoro was far from such magnitude.

Minori’s pleas were not lost on the Phantom, but he could not release his gaze from the whelp before him. 
And just as easy as her words came, so did his judgement. 

“No.” 

He did not relax his posture, but his hide relapsed into place. 

“I will show him what it means to kneel.”

And should the bastard think he be above such submission, then his ego would be his ticket to the grave. “We are wolves, not kits. We do not act out from hunger, whining and striking out as children do. That is no excuse for this behavior.”

That went for all of them.

Minoris' outburst wasn't so far fetched that it left Higoro in shock but it moreso surpised him to hear her General tone being used on him, as if he was nothing but a soldier. Her tone was so beautifully etched into his mind, it was oddly heartwarming to hear her like that. Even if it was directed towards him in a demeaning way, that didn't matter to him, not one bit. Higoro couldn't dare hurt a hair on her body, or hurt her in general. Sadly the latter part has been done unintentionally more often during the past days, another thing to atone for. Then came the suggestion that she be his personal trainer. Higoro was both happy and shocked that she would vollunteer such a thing, he couldn't help the slight tail wag as she contiuned on with her plans. His ego was getting filled  Things were looking bleak for the honey eyed male but with the sudden change in events, it was now back in his favor, of course all good things must come to an end. And boy did they end terribly, back to square one he went.

Cry just had to barge into Higoros' happy moment like the angsty, sad little fun sucking, god damn leech he is and ruin fucking EVERYTHING. He may as well just bit him in the ass cause now shit just got real, Higoro did his best to bite back with the short time and latened reaction time he was blessed with in his condition. Whether he bit or not, he wasn't sure but he wasn't just going to take that like a lame dog. However, Cry did get his point across. He was nothing to be toyed with, Higoro will give him that much and in admitting so, he kept his silence. Given some time as the other monolouged, Higoro came to the realization that the hole he was digging himself in was not saving him but ruining all he was aiming to accomplish, and finally, for once in all his life. Someone else came before himself. He knew he needed to be quiet, for Minori. That was a challenge, one of extreme pain. To hold in all his anger, all his thoughts was going to mean a constant uphill battle. Especially when it came to Cry but Higoro knew the two would spar, and that was when he would let his anger be known and felt. Though for now, silence was his best bet.

But this was Higoro that couldn't last long.

Whoa damn

Luckily even with a fat belly she was nimble and she leaped back to avoid Cry as he moved forward. A quick gasp left her maw as she watched him brutally assert himself over Higoro with authority she hadn't seen or wielded in a long time. Her eyes widened with shock and a small smile curved her maw as she was knocked down a peg, learning that she was merely a secondary to his General. He was her leader and she was there to carry out his authority. As he denied her pleas she wasn't surprised, instead she shoved down that wave of burning emotion Higoro had brought upon her and stood stiff muscled and stoic once more. "Yes sir" she said firmly and turned to Higoro, her expression making it clear that here she wasn't the one that came first. She wasn't the General anymore but she was more than happy in the place she held as Cry's pawn. 


It was when Cry began to spew insults that were clearly directed at the both of them that she was truly shaken. She blinked and her maw opened and then closed indignant that she was being treated like an unruly soldier. This was verbal punishment, her place as the secondary was being threatened because she had let emotion make her explosive. She growled softly though the sound was directed at Higoro, who was putting her in danger of losing her new home. "You're right Cry. I'm sorry, i let emotion step in. It won't happen again" she whispered this with mortification in her voice, reduced to nothing but a pawn, a soldier ready to be ruled. 

broke my girl dammit @Cry

Higoro hadn’t bitten him back, as Cry had gotten away with the same blur of speed he had used to initially bring himself to commit his discipline. However, the aspect of the asianic dog attempting to defend himself grew ill on the Midnight King’s mind. Who was to say this dog wouldn’t try something behind his back? But with Minori’s apology and her submission, so came his. 

He felt the submission from either of them, and while it grew to appease the tyrant in him, it refused to satisfy the obvious red flag that this Higoro tended to be. ‘But that is fine,’ Cry darkly mused, relishing the sub zero waters cooling his veins to near corpse temperatures. ‘I will set him straight.’  Even if he had to use Minori as a leash to the wretch. 

“You will sleep outside of the Keep, and you will not wear my sigil until you can prove you are more than an insolent man-child.” 

With his word, Raziel stepped forth, stamping the law in place with a hard gaze worthy of the winter’s poles. “But I will oversee this progress. And either you will rise with us,” he pushed forward, testing the asianic male, to see if his submission was merely a mimic of Minori’s or whether he truly was ready to see his past held no ground in this land of his. 

“Or we will leave you the vultures.”

just gonna make this short and sweet

There was always a great deal of pain when it came to submission, to Higoro it was an equal to death. However, Minori was worth, he told himself that over and over as he kept his silence. Going as far as biting his own tongue, biting hard enough little bursts of iron came. The worse part of all was the challenge from Cry. A deep burn was present as Higoro continued to withhold the poison laced words he was harboring just for the dark wolf. His features stiffened, his body followed with raised hackles and a puffed tail but Higoro didn't move, didn't speak. His blood was boiling by now, burning his own skin as he sat there in defeat. A burden worse than death but Minori was worth it, he chanted in his mind. Minori is worth it.

It was clear Higoro wanted to strike, but Cry was teaching him temperance. Patience. And discipline that he clearly lacked, but could evidently enhance. If he was to enlist him in his pack, his growing guard of the Keep, there would be no revolts, nor disrespect to him. And Higoro was going to get these lessons, piece by piece. 

There was going to be progress, hard work, but it only took a sledgehammer to decimate a mountain. With a final look, he then turned to escort Minori back within the Keep so she might not strain herself further. He wondered where @Issun was, and what he had contributed to this pack so far besides more mouths to feed. 

He also wondered where @Takara was, and why the bard had been so scant as of late. He would have to seek them out if they did not cross him, first.

Her breathing left her in a rush as Cry seemed satisfied though displeased. She cast Higoro a look and all softness faded leaving only a silently beared snarl. She turned with Cry and slowly walked back toward the den, surprisingly numb to the fact that one day Higoro would be walking inside her home and near her pups. She breathed a soft sigh "You'll do far better than I did" she whispered to her leader before entering her den and laying down, staring out with a look already deep in thought.