Shadow Mountain civitas.

Set around July 22nd. Maybe @Sunhawk? Rev has a wound on his neck from Macaria fyi.

He did not waste time after the conversation with Merrick. He was in high spirits, burdened by the occasional thought of Ikkalrok, although it was not guilt so much as irritation, a frustration wrought of her denial and redirected energies. He had relinquished her to Merrick along with the two boys, truthfully believing they were better off raised to serve the bear-witch and the bestial coven than traipsing across a mountain unworthy of them.

His mountain. It rose like a black tooth against the hazy blue sky, up through the pine forest, looming over the meadow that Revui sped to cross. He should take his time and he knew that - he should eat, at least, hunt something and fill his belly before making this climb - but he was exuberant. Enthralled by the entire concept of the mountain. As it got closer his focus drifted away from food and wholly encompassed the foothills, cliffsides, paths he had previously explored; he only slowed as he came to these hills, wanting to shout out his claim then and there and stand alone against any who refused him.

It would be better to wait on that, too. As eager as Revui was to combat his enemies, he had not encountered anyone between Ursus and the mountain; he did not think of the wolves in the canyon yet, being a short-sighted individual, nor did he realize his chosen mountain was so near another claim - but that too would not matter. It would be his. If not this mountain, another.

One day, perhaps the one that mattered.

Really, a whole ass mountain?

Sunhawk was not the type that indulged in scaling mountains in his free time. He was no crazy Ironman Triathalon competitor - whatever made those guys tick was seriously effed up, anyway.

He looked up the mountain with a groan, hoping his nose had lied to him. That the scent was someone else's. He sniffed again -- nope, definitely musty Bigwig energy.

Groaning dramatically as he began his climb, Sunhawk was in a full pant by the time he reached the titan. Observing the cut on his neck with a brief sweep of his eyes Sunhawk beamed through wide gasps of air, plopping down on his haunches as he recovered his breath. "What the high hell got you climbing this mountain, buddy? Damn near walked me poor legs to nubbins chasing after you."

He was alone for now, but in time Revui hoped to build something that rivaled the greatness of Moonspear - if he failed here, he would try again elsewhere, again and again, endlessly. Every mountain would come to hold his mark; wolves would learn of him, tales would spread of him, and one day his greatness would reach Hydra, Arcturus, Jarilo, Kukutux, and they would welcome him as an equal.

At least, that was the dream.

What the high hell—! bellowed a familiar voice, puncuated by huffing and puffing and general blustering, —got you climbing this mountain, buddy? And there he was: the only ally that Revui had so far made. The man he'd found in the mountains weeks ago, who somehow still lingered. It was fortunate for the would-be king that Sunhawk was so persistent.

Damn near walked me poor legs to nubbins chasing after you. Persistent, durable, steadfast Sunhawk.

Then you should go back down the mountain and climb it again! And again! Revui called back, his voice harsh as always but this time with a touch of mirth, like a gleeful dwarf finally staring down at a tasty vein of gold. Sunhawk was just as important to Revui at this point. It will be mine - it is mine - but I welcome you, too. If your nubbins can handle it.

Cue a toothy sneer.

Sunhawk paused long enough to hear Revui's rejoinder, his grin going from 100 watt beam to darker than the region up a nun's skirt. Walk this mountain, again, and then again? He blinked in disbelief, sucked in a big breath, and shook his head earnestly. "Hmm, no, don't like that." Sunhawk replied with chipper rejection. "I'll fix a proposition for you, though. You can waltz up and down this mountain as long as you want, but I get to ride on your shoulders. Come on, it's a good idea. I might get my eyes bruised by a cloud or two, though."

The Endore was about to sit down, but he saw Revui was continuing up the mountain (cue: WHAT THE EFF quietly under his breath). Sunhawk scrambled after the shark with an equally toothsome grin. "Oho, your mountain eh? Maybe my nubbins will make do. Mebbe they won't. We'll see how your mountain treats them. Got enough of all the tail-biters and sandmunchers down in the desert?"

Sunhawk was full of cheeky banter, and pestered Revui until sundown. Nubbins or no, he made for a determined friend.

Or barnacle, depending on how you looked at it.