Redsand Canyon Your boldness stands alone among the wreck

Having come to the mountains in search of a group of healers he hadn't put very much effort into it. The only places he'd wandered weren't far from the cavern that he'd taken to residing within when someone else hadn't slipped their way inside. To the west he'd discovered a while pack passing by, sniffed half assedly at the borders and gathered that they had plenty before moving on his way. To the south was where he travelled today guided by the desire to perhaps find his way all the way back to the woods...

Then he found the canyon. Washed up more so than any of the land he'd found yet. It was raining today still....for a few days now it hadn't let up and he'd already found certain areas of the mountain to be hazardous to travel through. The canyon from where he stood seemed drowned, the plantlife flattened or drooping from the overwatering and the sweltering humidity. Yet the scent of pack was strong through the wetness, speaking of strength hidden somewhere inside. Calculating he paused at it and began to pick apart the scents one by one until he figured out there was something familiar. It was feminine....his head snapped up eyes going wide and then narrowing as he went through a series of mixed emotions that left him cold as he lifted his muzzle and howled for the leader. By the time whoever showed up did Valour would be standing with his posture respectful but with his chin held high and strong silver eyes bright with determination. Hela.....what she would do seeing him? Would she fing herself in his direction teeth bared? His heart raced at the thought but it wasn't fear....he craved it. He knew realistically things were not good...he was bitter about her abandonment. She'd gotten what he wanted from the start and then just tossed it aside....but when he'd become Warlord he could see why. He wondered if she'd learned the same thing...

Valour wanted to talk to her...someone who had known the way things were. He'd swear loyalty to some probably pathetic strangers to do so...but anyone Hela was with surely would be interesting. 

@Donovan Azura but @Derg is welcome too! Will be in threadlogs as the 9th.

Derg happened to be close to the borders at the time of the howl. And not far from the spot of the howl.
Male, he guessed. A deep, throaty baritone rather than a softer song.
He answered with a quick, short howl to announce he was coming and set off at a timely pace to do so.

Soon enough, a man stood before him. Certainly younger than he, perhaps the sort of age of Praimfaya and Hela. Well enough.
Silver eyes studied him, and Derg's autumn ones stared back.
At least for a moment as he drew himself up, mirroring the posture he was greeted with, except with the swaying of a raised tail.
Powerful, but friendly.

"What be your intentions here?" He questioned, gathering that the faint trail of scent wasn't of the pack. Good start. Not another snooper, or do-gooder.

Donovan patrols the edges of their border this time. Deeming it necessary to do the same as his pack does. He has no destination in mind, only cares to follow the edges of the canyon and mark of territory whenever he sees fit. Though he’s being interrupted by a deep howl echoing off the oddly shapes walls of their sandy home. His auds perk and he’s curious as to just who comes barking at their doorstep today.

Wasting no time he’s galavanting across the arid, drylands. Slipping through the obstacles that the desert provides. When arriving at the scene, his eyes flick back and forth between the two. Donovan already has a smile on his maw as he saunters up with his usual confident swagger. His dark, brindle coat shines red due to a fine film of crimson dust sticking to him. It seems ever present and hard to get rid of, so he doesn’t even try anymore.

His fiery golden hues check this stranger out. He hears the tail end of Derg’s question, so he gives a lazy tilt of his chin to Valour, seconding his Overseers inquiry.

The first to approach was friendly. If Valour was still a Nightwalker he'd have immediately shown his confidence and smirked at it. The risen position of the plumed limb was not missed, a signal of rank and so he chose to heed the question asked like a boy his was expected to though not before leaving the silence hanging as he checked the man out. It was habit. Study the opposing wolf's bulk, the length of the limbs, the size of the jaws. Every detail helped him figure out the level of threat or challenge someone would impose. This man....he was no scarier than Santiago and he opened his mouth ready to deal out the most basic but satisfactory answer he could before someome else approached. 


The man was a beast. The same intimidating size and musculature...the nuetral demeanor, tilt of the chin, hanging in the background. Vengeance was who came to mind and Valour swallowed down bile that rose burning in his throat ignoring the first man and instead facing the one he instinctively deemed to be the top dog. "There's someone here I want to see badly enough to join you. My name is Valour ex Warlord of Nightwalkers. I am a warrior and despite being young I've beaten men twice my size and age and lead a crumbling pack to survival for months.  the words tumbled out with a proud tilt of his chin his eyes meeting the striped man's piercing golden gaze before respectfully breaking away to return to the one who'd asked the question in the first place. "If you'll have me you don't have to worry about me abandoning the pack. I don't have shit to go to anymore" 

Donovan approached, and all attention seemed to flee from Derg to the brindle man.
He stared for a few moments; Derg could see the calculating nature that was likely drilled into the boy since he was young.
How could he take down Donovan.

But Nightwalkers...
His ears pricked, taking a step forward. He didn't know where He;a came from, just that she once had power.
"Vengeance? What happened to him?" He certainly wasn't close to the man, but close enough to be offered a place in the pack. But he wouldn't have left Rusalka.
Or Grezig.

Ah, it clicked into place.
Vengeance had the sense to train a kid like that.
Was this his kid? He had the size on him. Barely.
But that would mean that...something had happened to the man.

"I killed him."

the howl had been familiar, enough to draw her away from her hunt and toward the sound of it. her wounds no longer slowed her as they had a fortnight ago, and she'd felled two hares that morning. the familiar burn of the activity, the dull satisfaction that came with the crunch of bone betwixt fang, was lure enough to make it difficult to stop. 

but as her gaze fell on Valour now, detached interest there, she was quite content with her decision to investigate the call. the nightwalkers were well and truly gone, then, as she'd expected. valour had stepped into the role she'd so neatly left vacant, and the group had continued along its downhill trajectory. a glance to derg and donovan in lieu of a greeting, though molten stare returns firmly to settle on Valour's.

As Donovan strolls up, he enjoys the way the agouti makes eyes take him in. Seemingly distracted and there’s a glint if something in this stranger wolf’s eyes that he can’t quite touch on. Not sure exactly what it is, but perhaps it a resurfacing memory. Though his own wonder fades, disappears before his eyes and replaced by a newer type of curiosity when he starts speaking.

He speaks of ex-warlords, familiar personnel, and being an excellent warrior. He can lead too. A young man who had no option but to mature faster than he was intended to. To become a man when he was only but a boy. Those truly are the best warriors.

Yet he’s endlessly intrigued by him. Half lidded eyes, starlike at which they shine, never leave him. He’s casually eyeing him down, almost flirtatiously — something that’s not so surprising when it comes to the playboy alpha.

He briefly looks to Derg as it seems he knows of this old pack the agouti male  says he reigns from. Donovan is clueless. Doesn’t know this man, doesn’t know his pack, doesn’t know how Derg’s affiliated with the two. Or even this Vengeance Derg speaks of. He’s lost in the sauce and plans to find out. 

Readying his own stream of questions until he hears another padding up — Hela. The roguish woman gives a simple answer to one of his internal inquiries. A blunt I killed him. At this point Donovan knows there’s some hidden tea here and his ears perk up and swivel to the others, looking to gage their reactions. Though Donovan is the Grandmaster here, he’s honestly becoming just a by stander. It seems all three of them know each other. He’ll sit another round out for now.

Inside he was seething with the anger and irrational desire to flip shit that the memories of his upbringing brought. Then it was washed away with a chill as the man who'd first greeted him asked of Vengeance. Nightwalkers was known...how much had Hela spilled, what she said about them? How did this man know? Was he going to deem Valour a monster?

"He was-"

Out of nowhere came the one he sought. Blunt as ever and looking even colder, Valour's silver gaze drank her in for a long moment with only a slight slip of expression that showed his eagerness at her arrival before her admission ran him cold again. "For shits and giggles apparently because you abandoned ship the second I got back" the last bit had a bitter edge but he was quick to breeze over it and turned now to the striped man who eyed him predatorily...which was how he took it with little to no experience with flirtation or being eyeballed in such a way. "I kept our pack going long enough for the children to grow legs and discover they could leave. Trained new members to fight and maintained an alliance with Moonspear. I lead wolves who stayed loyal beneath me despite my age....and I'm willing to stand beneath you" he held the man's gaze through the declaration though started to study him again...instintively looking for wounds or weak points because the guy wouldn't stop eyeing him like he was the best part of a kill. Pausing at the curled tail he blinked realising that the man wasn't full blooded.....how the hell was he so big? 

The young woman piped up this time.
So, she'd arrived.
He looked to Hela, expression fathomless.

It would explain a lot about their spar. Vengeance had beaten him too.
So, perhaps he'd stolen the pair of children who didn't look too much like siblings.
And trained them, perhaps too well.
He couldn't help but be reminded of Grezig and himself.

"I see," he replied, almost resigned.
Another fate of a former packmate told.
He watched Valour tell of his achievements vacantly.
He'd liked the man, he guessed Donovan held a likeness.

If he, or Hela for that matter, wanted to rise up to challenge the Overseer or Grandmaster, he'd put them into their place.

he's angry, as he's always been. accusing, quick to gauge intentions and motives. "putting down the challenges of the disloyal got tiring. I'd no obligation nor intent to watch the pack fade to nothing." something he'd obviously chosen to do, be it misguided loyalties or fear of striking out as she had, she did not know. his attention turns to donovan, listing off his credentials neatly. perhaps it is the memories of the last few months of her time at the nightwalkers that his appearance dredges up that stir her ire; for whatever reason, the anger she'd thought she'd overcome, come to control, spurs her next words. 

her features remain detached, a trait neatly learned from her time on the coast. "you took the rank I left empty and kept a shadow of a pack alive for a few months. composed mainly of children, which you also managed to lose." she was able to read between the lines, despite the way he framed it. and the loyalty of the members -- she suspected it had something to do with him not killing their revered leader as she had and the fact that most of them had become pregnant, firmly dissuading any further challenges. she shifts, moving to perch in her haunches. "I fail to find that impressive." the probe, while born, perhaps, of ire, is also a curious test of just how he will react.

Donovan is so insanely fascinated by the twist of events that he’s flicking both ears and eyes back and forth between the two practically arguing. The corners of his mouth tilt skyward. A sliver of long, dangerous fangs gleam. His fiery golden hues could rival the sun as he watches the two argue. Drama — his favorite.

He’s unmistakably entertained, yet he finally turns his attention on Valour, eyeing him down like prey. “I’d love to have you, Valour. Consider yourself a Saint.” He hums back, a curt sip of his head. “Meanwhile, I hope you two don’t kill each other. It would be a pointless loss for the pack. Behave yourselves and play nice.” Donovan accusingly looks to both Valour and Hela, ending with his eyes on the male. “Shall we show you around?” 

Her words were evidence that she was never fit to lead. He scoffed rolling his silver eyes "Everyone hated you firescreamer. Except me" Valour was cold and to the point "Of course they were disloyal to you. What do you expect when you acted the way you did?" the fire began to burn within the pit of his stomach though his tone and expression was still cold, emotionless and the well kept shield he'd learned to raise from birth. As she continued spitting words that he blamed on her usual temper because why else would she try to create facts that she knew nothing of. "five adults and one I was training to fight followed me. Two children left, Two children I hunted down and brought back. The others took off with their mothers close behind and one even chose to stay with me under my guidance. I will not hunt wolves down and drag them back to those horrid woods by force. Thus Nightwalkers ended" he found the rage simmering down, everything he stated was truth...the only thing it took to placate him was that knowledge. Donovan's voice was what ruined the tension dragging his eyes from Hela as the warning to 'play nice' was met with a small upward twitch of his lips as he looked back to Hela "I'd like to point out that I saved your life when we were children and brought you to my home. You made it your goal to repay me with cruelty. I fail to find you impressive" If they were airing out his baggage in front of the two leaders he was content to return the favor eyes narrowed at the young woman before he looked to Donovan and with an overly sweet smile dipped his chin "Of course. Past is in the past. If you would show me the best places to settle a den maybe we can learn about each other without it being tainted by temper" he refused to look back at Hela intentionally so. Whatever alliance he thought he'd have with her was gone...she was even more horrible than he remembered her being within the woods. 

They spat venom at eachother.
Yearlings.

This new kid wanted to fight her, he could tell, but Hela was pushing him for it. She wanted him to attack her.
She was pushing all the right buttons.
And so Derg had a decision to make. Which one should he put into place?
Hela was already in the ranks, which should mean she should cooperate as and when. This Valour was new. And reacted rather than brushed off the biting words.
He said he would stand under Donovan, but would he stand under Hela, who has the higher rank?

He'd heard enough garble.
Derg stalked over to Hela with a soft show of his teeth and a half-hearted snap, telling her back down as he continued to Valour.
If he wanted to join, he'd have to show he could submit.
He rose up, pushing his forepaws against the yearling's shoulders, giving him the opportunity to submit himself rather than be shoved down; a soft taking of the scruff ensured his attempts, should Valour not try and buck him off already.
Where Derg was fair, Donovan was expected to be harsh and relentless.

anger burns from him. match is dropped before it burns her, though the damage is well and truly done. good. a soft show of teeth from Derg, the meaning of which is clear. she'd accomplished what she'd wanted here. "coming in second isn't cruelty, Valour. you just failed to measure up." it was a tired argument, that he'd used time and again in an attempt to stop her rising in the ranks, and god forbid, above him. she'd addressed the fact that him helping her when they'd been pups did no mean she had any obligations to make his life easier for him. 

a dip of her muzzle toward donovan, a glance back toward derg, who seems to be attempting to draw submissiveness from the boy. she'd no desire to see how that might end, and so took her leave, retreating back along the borderline as she moved to begin a patrol.

Donovan chuckles as Derg gives the new guy a good snapping. Continues chuckling at Hela’s savage responses. He’s not too interested in their personal affairs. Well maybe just a little bit. The obvious beef between the two dates back to a previous pack. Hopefully they don’t tear each other apart. Now if they do, well then fuck it, as long as no ones dies it’s okay to him. Solve your own problems. 

So Donovan dismisses them with a wave of his paw. “Come on let’s welcome the new guy. You’re bustin’ his chops.” He hums wanting time get on with it.

Keen eyes were on Derg the second he moved. The same eyes watched the man rear up and narrowed a flash of fury crossing his expression before he pinned his ears back and lowered himself to the ground staring at Hela's tail as she turned and walked off. He would have spat at the ground she'd touched except the fact that she turned and ran away from it put her even lower in his regard. She was the weak one still....he had nothing to prove to anyone as he held his own confidence of that. Refocusing on the man who'd tried to physically push him to submission his lips twitching the only sign of his contained temper and venom toward the higher up. It was the striped man who broke the tension telling who he took to be the second in command to lay off of him which drew a more interested look from the yearling. Not caring to stay on the ground much longer he rose up and stepped closer to Donovan his gaze lingering on Derg before he removed them "If she talks to me like that I have no qualms challenging her to the death" he muttered the words more for his own sake than theirs before releasing a tight sigh from his nostrils. "Could we start this again without her throwing shit in my face? I am Valour. Where i'm from doesn't matter anymore. Who am I following?" he looked to both the men the temper gone from his voice but leaving a hollow, empty sound where the warmth had been in Nightwalkers. 

Lips turned up to him with the pointed glare.
Derg just stared at the yearling. Unfazed.
He'd dealt with enough unruliness to last a lifetime.
But to his credit, he submitted, and as soon as he did, Derg instantly took the pressure off and backed away.
He just wanted to know that with that, he could break up a fight he now spoke of.

"That will not happen," he uttered cooly.
He would be there before they could even graze each other's throats.
And they would both face his wrath.
Arrogant, but they'd both mellow out; forcefully or by themselves, he didn't care.
He'd be watching them though.

He let Donovan continue from there.

Donovan watches Derg with interested eyes as he back off the other and announces that they indeed won’t be fucking each other anytime soon. Or at least that seems to be Derg’s plan. Donovan’s okay with that. He’s the Overseer anyhow. He knows what’s good too. 

So as Valour finally stands and steps closer to Donovan, the brindle male can’t help but laugh at the others casual, yet crude words. “Yeah, nice to meet you, Valour. You want a tour? I’m gonna give you one.” The Grandmaster says comically with finality in his voice, but continues anyway. “And if it was up to me, I love to see you and Hela fight.” He gazes almost adoringly over to Derg. “Yet, if he says no then I gotta respect it. Try not to do it to the death at least, you know?” He hums casually to the agouti male.

He turns and begins walking to Warriors Heart. “Let’s go. Feel free to come with, Derg.” He offers to the other before padding off.

The man gave him no time to answer before sweeping him away solely because Valour followed, eager to step within the borders of his new home. It was interesting to him that Donovan laughed where his second seemed stern and unweilding and what could be compared to as the Jekyll to Donovan's Hyde. Yet Valour found the laughter to be easier to swing with than the one so quick to force him to bow...an act that would leave him sour for quite some time. Feeling as if Donovan was going to encourage his attitude toward Hela he gawked at the teasing man with surprise as he showed deferance to Derg. It....reminded him almost of how he would have hoped him and Hela would be together in the lead. "Yeah feel free to tag along. No hard feelings mister but I'm a hardworking and determined individual. I might prove to be more than you think" while his tone was amicable there was a sharpness to it "besides. She's the one known as firescreamer and started trouble. I was lord and respected...now I'm just trying to relax okay?" he smirked and gave the man behind him a tentative glance showing he was only partially joking around with a sway of his tail. There wouldn't be any trouble from him...for the time being. 

Last post from me!

[occ]Same here[/ooc]

Derg watched the youth pass into his lands.
With a careless toss of words. He could go where the fuck he pleased.
"I think you'll make the perfect Saint." Since he seemed to not know what Derg thought.
Though, he didn't often express how he really felt.

But he seemed to like to make his way through life by climbing over others and dragging down those ahead of him. Firescreamer. Yeah, ok. She had a sharp tongue and surely a soft kindling of fury behind it, but she could keep her cool better than he.
How a Saint should act, but should also be nurturing where required.
He thought quietly for a moment.
He wouldn't relax here.

"Just prove you're hard-working and get up the ranks, ok? Then I'll believe you."
A soft shove in the right direction. Yearlings loved nothing more than proving elders wrong.
And with that, he turned away, letting him stew with Donovan for a bit.