Whitebark Stream cerno
an hour of wolves and shattered shields
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#1
Joining 

one would call him arrogant. germanicus knew it only to be the proper bearing of one who meant to serve well. calloused paws at last stilled his trudge near the borders of a stream-watered fortress. men here, women. in the manner of a soldier loosing his pack , germanicus regarded the quiet forest with a cool eye.

no threat.

it was a crisp, short note that rang out; — please meet with me at your leisure.
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#2
He'd been lounging in the sun when a call sounded from his territory outskirts, gaze soft on his cubs as Dawn settled them for a lesson in nearby flora. Artyom felt his heart expand and still, after all these weeks of being made anew by fatherhood, he could not believe his luck to have found something far more wonderful than he'd ever dared to hope for.

He exchanged a knowing glance with his mate, who made sure that the children's attention were on her to allow him an opportunity to slip away unseen. The gilded ranger vanished from the scene with a hunter's silence, and made his way at once to Whitebark's borders.

The figure he found there was not what he expected: a young wolf, but a strong one. A warrior's frame, he felt. Artyom regarded him curiously; Whitebark's ranks consisted mainly of healers and hunters, and he wondered what it might be that brought this male calling. News of Aphrodite, perhaps? Another of his lost pack-mates?

"Good day to you," the Alpha called out to his latest visitor, tail offering a friendly sweep. "My name is Artyom. How can I help?"

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#3
the bone-deep ache of traveling had begun to work upon the centurion, but he remained poised, upright. he had not been snapped in twain by eagles to falter now. 

it was a pale man auraed in a dusting of gold that answered. his voice bore the sound of cold places that the wanderer had not yet walked. "hail," he grunted, tones colored with disuse. "i am germanicus julius caesar. grant me a place, and i shall serve you well."

no one need know who he had once been.
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#4
quick cameo :)

aphrodite's scoldings echoed through his mind, but alsek could not stop his curiousity. he crept toward the border where the call was heard and hid within the budding branches of a nearby bush. moments later, artyom arrived, and the pair went on in some inaudible conversation.

alsek tried to watch the movements of either adult's mouth, mimicking the patterns to himself. he wondered what things they might be talking about— the blackbird went on imagining strange tales of the dark adventurer.
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rising sun valley · closed for threads (0/5)
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#5
An name came in response, followed swiftly by a request for admittance. Artyom's ears pricked forward in surprise and he blinked. He'd anticipated recruitment to come, but not quite this swiftly.

"Ah," he smiled then, a little awkwardly, and straightened himself as earthen gaze swept curiously over the newcomer's tall frame. He seemed healthy enough, a little travel-wor but nothing that couldn't be rectified with proper rest.

"Well, this is Whitebark Stream," he thought to include, and wondered if his pack was simply the first one that the yearling had happened across since presumably dispersing that of his birth. "In what way do you wish to... serve? What skills can you share with us?"

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"before this i helped to guard the farthest gates of my homeland." though young for it, the nature of germanicus had made him easily hardened to the rigors of daily marches beneath the hot sun of his firstlands.

"when we hunted there, we ran the hinds off the edge of a cliff. perhaps that is something you and this whitebark might find useful." his tongue was wearying, for germanicus did not enjoy trading words, and so they were all toneless, muted beneath his respectful air and silent watchfulness. "if you have need of more, i am able to learn."
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#7
A guard! Artyom was sold at once, maybe foolishly. With so many youngsters to feed and defend, Whitebark's peaceable wolves were in dire need of new bodies to aid in defending them. "We are a peaceful pack and mostly keep to ourselves," he smiled assuringly, glad for their many friends in the valley and beyond; he was optimistic that no harm would come to their land. Still, it was always good to have a plan in place, and that was something he hoped Germanicus might be able to assist him with.

"Our ranks consist mostly of hunters and medics," he added, "but we welcomed many cubs this year, and any assistance offered is welcome." Artyom canted a gilded lobe, uncertain of the newcomer's experience with little ones. Rearing them to fit well into the hierarchy was the responsibility of the pack entire, not just the parents. "They are young still, but many are bold. Perhaps you might consider aiding us in the training of our young in your field?"
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#8
there was no peace without the threat of bloodshed. that this place had not yet suffered was of silent interest to germanicus, and he would do all he was able to ensure this continued. artyom was given a quick nod. 

many cubs. "the women here, they are your wives?" the boy inquired in a voice more gruff than his short life might indicate. a harem then, maybe, but he would wait for the pallid regent to confirm his pagan ways.

artyom's suggestion pleased the soldier, brightened his travel-beat gaze with a brief interest. "i will teach them what i was taught as a boy."
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#9
Made a little more comfortable by the information shared between them, Artyom turned to invite his newest recruit alongside him with a friendly sway of his ivory plume and shifted his weight to begin deeper into Whitebark territory. All seemed fine until an unexpected question made him stall, and he cleared his throat.

"Боги нетone," he assured, having never found the idea of taking multiple wives appealing. No, one she-wolf was enough to satisfy him, though he was made curious by the newcomer's question - did he seek a mate of his own? It was the natural way of young wolves, he supposed, to depart their families in search of unrelated partners to find a place of their own, to carry on their bloodline. "Just one. Her mame is Dawn," he continued, "she founded this pack, but stepped down temporarily to better focus on our pups."
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the explanation given by artyom did little to stave off germanicus' confusion. the punctuation of a guttural language was intriguing, however. a mental note was made of the name 'dawn,' but the former eaglebound must clarify a last thing.

"you are emperor here. all the children belong to you, then? salutis et virtutis." it was a boon to have so many children, though germanicus had yet to feel the pull toward fatherhood.

he expected, somehow, that it would never come. the only flame in his heart was a vestal who had veiled her face and not returned to the land of their birth. forbidden.
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#11
Emperor? Was that what they called an Alpha, wherever Germanus had come from? It sounded powerful, regal, like the title of someone to be feared, and entirely unlike anything Artyom ever claimed to be. He rolled a shoulder smoothly. No, he was just Artyom. Artyom the leader, the husband, the father.

Artyom the wolf.

"I don't wish to reserve breeding rights just for myself," the gilded ranger answered. He could next season, perhaps, should the pack struggle with their numbers through the Winter. Whitebark had been more than capable of supporting Grezig's pups when she and Kavik turned up on their borders in desperation, and Kaori's litter had been a happy surprise in his opinion; he wasn't sure he had the heart to turn away a family in need.

He looked over at the newcomer, warmth in the curve of his smile. "Four of them are mine," the leader shared, "and we have Grezig and Kavik, who were pregnant when they came to us. One of our healers, Kaori, is our newest mother with two boys - their father perished in a hunting accident before their birth." Ah, Salvatore. He'd been a fearful expectant parent, but Artyom wished only to see the best in him. He felt sure that he'd have been a proud father.

"Eight children, overall," he concluded cheerfully, "all thriving, and all with great potential."
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#12
germanicus listened politely, but it was not something he had ever heard done. those with royal blood filled the halls of their palaces by producing many hallowed offspring. perhaps artyom did not mean to be so. or perhaps he did not understand the danger of allowing cubs without his blood to be brought up. 

they would usurp him.

the warhound saw no merit in suggesting this to his new leader; germanicus only stretched his closed lips in a close approximation of a wan smile. "i will hunt for them today." et octo. he considered tiberius a brief and agonized moment, then put the image away. "do we have others nearby? any who might bring risk?"
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#13
If Germanus thought him weak or foolish for his rules on breeding rights, Artyom did not care enough to scrutinise or press for an opinion. Whitebark Stream had survived for many months and, confident that it would thrive in those to come, he saw no reason to worry. If there was danger to possibly be faced in the far future when the children were grown, then there was no point in wasting time being concerned over the "what if"s he might have now

All he wanted was to give all of his pack's cubs the ability to live a full life for as long as they lived under his rule. A good life. He wanted them to be safe and happy, and want for nothing - that was what they deserved.

"Thank you," he said in response to the centurian's kind offer, though he hoped he would not burn himself out so soon. Still, Artyom did not wish to disrespect him with rejection. He hummed thoughtfully at his question of others nearby. "Easthollow to the South, where my mate was born. We would consider them to be our allies," he said, then looked toward the proud Sunspires, "and there is a pack in the vale within the mountains - Reneian Empire - who I would also consider friends of the stream. Legion is our closest neighbour," he carried on, "and their Alphess, Arbiter, is made of stone. She is not a bad wolf, but she is as tough as they come and can be stubborn. I'd say we are on more neutral terms, and share hunting grounds." He did not dive into detail of his past comradery with Lost Creek Hollow nor the circumstances of his departure, figuring that would be a conversation for a later date.
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#14
artyom's continued willingness to explain, and in detail, pleased the reticent soldier. he did not enjoy the art of conversation, but often it was the only way to glean information. eight children was a boast, even if germanicus had not seen the arrangement before. he was in service again, and those who wore the red crest did not question their orders.

easthollow, the sound of sunset. reneian empire, a name which he liked. legion, which he enjoyed more. this world did not suddenly seem so different, and he found himself appreciative of the alliances that artyom had cultivated. no risk then, to be considered. "my father wished me to make a good marriage, for matters of state. i will leave that choice to you when the time comes." already his gildwoven regent did not seem inclined to arrange a mateship, but germanicus knew his own heart, and it would never change from who it had chosen. therefore, he would do what he was able for whitebark in this manner.
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Germanicus, already, had proven to be a wolf full of surprises as he spoke suddenly of marriage. The golden Alpha's ears pricked and he shot the soldier a curious glance, a brow arched as he reached out to confirm: "you wish for me to choose a mate for you?"

That was a new one - a leader selecting a wife for a comrade. Artyom had heard of packs betrothing their cubs to other groups solidify alliances, and his own parents fathers had paired him with Anastasia back in Timiryazevskaya, but the idea of taking away one's choice had never really felt right to him. Yes, he grew to love Ana wholly and completely, but he knew not all couples would have such luck - and that would be a miserable existence indeed.
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a nod. "it was a choice i expected would never be my own." therefore he was happy to give it away, for the realm of wives and the expectation of children were nothing he cared about. save for one. but he did not speak that stricken name now; only in the moments before sleep did he allow himself the sound of her syllables.

it was a way to show fealty, to allow this man the course of his own future. but perhaps it was not so here. the eaglebound was silent then, considering his next steps as he waited for artym to respond.