Bearclaw Valley I roam these halls, search the night, in hopes that I might see
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Ooc — Chelsie
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While he lay in the bracing darkness of the medicine den, Aventus thought.

Would @Merrick approve of his decision to act on Nyra’s presumed vulnerability, he wondered? The one-eyed dragon seemed to him a vengeful creature with a sinister agenda, but also a man of words over actions. His son looked to him for guidance, but it was Astara’s savagery he’d wielded that day. Would Merrick be proud of the little beast his son became then and there, or disappointed that Nyra wasn’t treated with more hospitality?

At four months old, even Aventus knew there was a hierarchy in the life of wolves. Even Aventus knew to abide by its laws. He was a young thing still, with plenty of time to develop an ego and test it against the authority of Ursus, as all boys eventually would, but for now, he knew to fall in line. Nyra was flagrant with her disrespect. Was he wrong to mistreat a wolf like that?

He was thinking too much. He wanted to leave this place, melt into the shadows and use those big ears for listening to the pack’s secrets instead of dwelling on his thoughts. But Evien had told him he couldn’t move much. With a gentle huff, Aventus gingerly changed positions so he was lying with his hind legs splayed to the side and draped his chin over a thin arm, sulking.
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Ooc — ebony
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he had caught a stoat traversing the edge of the stone-teeth rift. his first instinct upon seizing the beast had been to beat its brains angrily from the cracked skull, but merrick had held himself. this was food, meat; with the instinctive cycling of something like paternality, the bearwolf gathered the limp body up and took it to his recovering son.
it was a lucky catch, something bestowed rather than earned. his leg was still healing, and the bitemarks received both from easthollow and nyra oozed blood from his efforts; droplets matted beneath his ear as he dragged the kill into the den and settled near aventus.
eat.
not a request, merrick's silent searchlight gaze skimming aventus for any sign he might suddenly give up the ghost.
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A shadow blotted the light from the entrance of the den. Aventus lifted his silver eyes automatically to it, and was surprised to see the subject of his ruminations striding into the den. Merrick was the object of Aventus’ combined fascination and fear, most of the time, a god among mortals. He’d never known his sire to be caring, and didn’t expect him to now.

But Aventus was a product of protective but not necessarily loving parents, and didn’t want sympathy or the soothing embrace of a father. He wouldn't know what that meant. What he did know was hunger, and upon spotting the kill, he realized his was bottomless. The loud growl from his stomach was only drowned out by a slightly louder growl from his jaws at the sight and scent of fresh meat and blood.

Despite his broken ribs and the tight wrap that confined his torso, Aventus practically flew at the stoat, seizing it and practically straddling it in his haste to cram as much food into his mouth as possible while defending it from Merrick, who might snatch it back. It hurt like hell, but he could've swore he never tasted anything so damn good.
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Ooc — ebony
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merrick winced in consternation as aventus leapt forward to stuff his jaws full of the newly killed flesh. 
"slow the fuck down," he growled in a spasm of the controlling artery. "you almost just died. don't go out choking."
but there was no scolding in merrick beyond that moment; he lay his own battered figure down nearby and pinned his gaze to the ceiling of the cave. "she's going to die for this. only a matter of time." merrick would always return for what he believed belonged to him,
and nyra's throat would be the dripping ruby in the crown of thorns merrick had jammed atop his own brow.
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Merrick's command was met with a grumbling growl from his son, who didn't slow the fuck down at all. If anything, he went faster, perceiving a potential threat to his meal. He swallowed it all down, narrowly avoiding choking on a bit of bone that found its way into the mix.

His sire proclaimed that Nyra would die. Aventus whapped his tail approvingly on the floor. Donovan’s white-furred demon was too much of a wild card. He’d underestimated her when he launched his childish attack on her, but he’d learned a few things in the process. Where before she had only been a disrespectful bitch to his mother, now she was an enemy to Aventus, and he'd found her weakness.

Between mouthfuls, Aventus quietly stated, I will. She had the jump on him before, but he was still growing. He still had much to learn. The next time he came against her, he was sure it would be very different. Her grotesque size would not save her.
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Ooc — ebony
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the lantern shifted in its socket. empty cup and flame in the other haunted aventus for a moment, banking down into an ember of approval. "evien says you're going to be all right. when you're healed, i want you to train with whoever i choose."
it went without saying that he and the jetstone queen would take up the bulk of whetting their children into honed hunters, killers of men and of beast. but neither he nor she were large in stature. aventus, therefore, must learn not to let his size be a disadvantage, and learn to pit it against those far more massive.
"learn to be ready for anything that might happen."
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When had he stopped being afraid of his sire, and started respecting him, really respecting him? Aventus didn't know, but he felt the tingling of excitement, and the ever-present reverence, when Merrick looked upon him and decided he would be trained. A proper apprentice to Ursus' god-granted might. He was still a little boy and couldn't stop the wagging of his tail.

Who? he asked immediately, pushing the stoat aside. He was much more interested in the promise of training than food. His ribs protested the movement and he winced in spite of himself. He silently berated himself for it and arranged his face into something more serious and focused, fixing his eyes on Merrick's nose. He couldn't show weakness to the one-eyed dragon. He couldn't make Merrick regret this opportunity.
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Ooc — ebony
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the boy maintained himself well despite the scent of herbs and blood clinging to the still air within the den. merrick was pleased; his gaze glinted with it, and then he crossed his paws. "bishop. skoll." skoll had shown great loyalty to ursus, and the boy-king wished to reward him by testing the bear-prince against the soldier. he would teach aventus the ability to marry accuracy to speed.
and bishop. neither merrick nor the blackbird were large in stature. the dog-man was cunning, brutish, massive. aventus must learn to use his swiftness against a beast able to crush his leg in a first blow. and thus, when someone like nyra threatened the shadow again, for it would come — he was of ursus — it would be blood that his son would take going forward. "your mother, of course," but merrick did not command the rook; she would train them both to be grave and terrible in their meting-out of savagery.
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Ooc — Chelsie
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Aventus knew Skoll from having met him once before, and from the altercation with Nyra, but Bishop wasn’t a name he’d heard before. If Bishop was half as imposing as Skoll could be, despite his gaunt figure, then that would suit Aventus just fine. His quicksilver eyes lit with excitement, which turned to mischief when Astara was mentioned.

Good, he murmured, fixing his muzzle over his slim forelegs. The smell of stoat blood prompted him to lash his tongue across his ankle, tasting it anew. Astara was a wolf of average proportions at best, but her ferocity was unmatched even among the Ursus ilk.

He was tired again. He only realized it when his eyes fluttered open; when had he closed them? They danced up to Merrick’s red ear as he stifled a yawn, eager to prove to his father that he was worthy by not falling asleep like some baby, no matter how fervently exhaustion tugged him into its arms.
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Ooc — ebony
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merrick was obstinate, but not so that he was unmindful of aventus' needs. he waited a long handful of minutes, however, teasing out the limit of the boy's mental energy. and then the man chose mercy; he straightened, cleared his throat. it had been harsh, this time, and he had not yet considered analyzing all he had felt.  it was not his way, and the bearwitch would never capitulate.
"i'll be back." terminator. ha ha. "rest." merrick had no timeline for this sort of thing; he was impatient. only evien kept such numbers. he felt suddenly that he must leave, but lingered a spate of seconds longer, watchful.
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Before he knew it, his eyes were closed. They snapped open again at the sound of Merrick clearing his throat. Damnit!‌ Why was it so hard to keep them open?‌He half expected a reprimand for his weakness, but Merrick only said he would return later and lingered long enough for Aventus to offer a slow bob of his head.

Which sank then onto his legs, and within minutes he slipped into the peaceful waves of sleep, where darkness alone ruled.