Dead Empress Backwater don't tell me not to complain about my money and fame

Backdated to take place after this thread, for @Viorel, @Nia & Sage only.

HANDLE YOUR OWN WHEN YOU BECOME A MAN

Eros had still been trying to reach a level calm when another howl went up, this time from @Sage. There went his extra time. With a sigh he hefted himself up onto his paws and dropped down from the large log he'd been resting upon. He would meet back up with his father first, so that they could approach as a united front. It was clear by the scent trails still floating through the air that Sage was with her mother, and he could guess it was the same reason she had called. Better to get it over with now, wasn't it? Did she know though, what was about to happen? Or was his friend hoping her mother would be given mercy? His stomach twisted.

BECOME A MAN WHEN YOU HANDLE YOUR OWN

They had been trying to take a little bit of space to cool down, but the leader had not even gotten to the borders before the call went up. He had not planned on going far, close enough he could hear Eros when he needed him but far enough he couldn’t be seen. He wanted to pace, and grumble to himself, and maybe even get the nap that he had been heading towards before finding the scent. But, he got none of those things.

The call had been for Eros, but Viorel could easily guess what it was about, and so he sought out his son. Things were tense, and he felt awkward, so instead of speaking he just offered a knowing nod and remained silent. Falling into step a half flank behind ready to be the quiet enforcer if things went south. He wasn’t expecting much fight from Sage since she was sounding the alarm, but Nia might be a different story. He didn’t care about the older woman’s feelings considering she was knocked up within a week of being here, hell the timing was so close she was probably already with child when she arrived at their borders.

It was twisted of her to ask so much of her daughter, get her a pack to live in, only to betray them all immediately.

Nia Hervok Side by side or miles apart  "So you're going to betray me like that?" Venom dripped from her tongue, lips pulled back to show teeth. Nia didn't understand. Her plan was slipping through her toes. Sage wasn't going to leave with her and start a new pack. The woman had never imagined her daughter not going with her every whim. Her heart thudded, stomach dropped. Was she going to do this alone? "You've got it wrong." Her daughter's voice pulled her back into searing anger. The younger wolf shook her head before calling for the alpahs. Nia's ears flattened, would they attack her for breaking pack law? "I can't watch this." Sharp eyes locked onto her daughter, hanging onto the words as her form faded into the tree line. Off to find her precious Oleander most likely. Nia snarled, hoping the sound would burn into the other's memories. "You'll come crawling when you realize they're not your family.." "Talking" Tags: @ OOC:

Sage was not present when they had arrived, something that surprised Eros. He looked around them, his friend's scent atill hanging in the air, but when there was no other hint of her he focused on Nia. The harlot. His gaze hardened.

"Already said your goodbyes, I take it?" he asked without caring about whether or not she gave him the answer. He certainly hadnt planned on sending Nia off without allowing her daughter to have a chance at farewell. That Sage had been here, called for them, and now left told him that that window was closed.

"That'll make this quicker. You knew the law. Let's go, Nia."

Viorel looked around the area, expecting to see Sage there since she had been the one to raise the alarm, but she was nowhere to be seen. It was clear that she had been here, even if she had not called, her scent lay all over the area. Nia ws clearly agitated, but he didn’t care. Half of him hoped that she struck out at them, either verbally, or with her teeth, so he could really show her how he felt about her transgression.

Staying slightly backwards, he allowed Eros to be the one who spoke, though his tail raised behind him until it was a banner over his back. He would wait to see how she would respond to what his son had said, but as soon as the words were out of his co-lead’s mouth, his own lip curled to display yellowed fangs on one side. She would find no sympathy from him, and granted her daughter was the one to rat her out and was no longer even here, it was clear she hadn’t found any there either. She had made her own bed, now it was time to lay in it, and he would be thrilled to tuck her in.

The old woman grumbled at the remark. Goodbyes. What a joke this all was, her daughter hadn't said goodbye, she'd merely betrayed her flesh and blood. Sage would see. When they turned their backs on her for not being one of them, she'd realized the self-condemnation. Eros urged her onwards and begrudgingly she obliged. Yes, she knew the law, it was one of the most important. That is why she'd proposed they left before anyone came looking.

She walked with dignity in her step, although she'd been stripped clean of it. Her ego and pride were wounded in one swift blow. One would not know by looking at the twisted grimace bestowed upon her face. Her eyes boiled with fresh stewing anger. The border hadn't been far, and she stepped over it gladly as they saw her out. Her head turned for one last snarky remark. "She thinks you're her family, pity be the fool she has become. You're doing a fine job pulling the wool over her. She'll come running to mommy."

Eros was quite relieved that this was going so smoothly, at least in this aspect. Of course, he'd take an all-out brawl if it meant saving Sage from the emotional pain she must have been feeling. It remained pretty astounding to him that a woman Nia's age had done something so selfish and immature. The struggles his friend had been going through when they'd met made even more sense now.

They reached the point where the markers faded out, and Nia began to speak. He listened, and had to wonder, what exactly had they done to make her despise them so? When did this change happen, or had she never really wanted to be here?

"We might lose Sage," he conceded, tone biting and without patience, "because her Mommy is about to be in dire need, isn't she?"

Was that what she wanted all along? For Sage to have no choice? A fresh wave of anger and frustration rolled within his gut. She knew how her daughter would take something like this, how responsible she was likely to feel. How awful would that be? No, he had to be reaching. Still, he couldn't help a few more words slipping out at the thought.

"Walk tall, Nia," spat just under his breath.

The father had not been intended to say anything, only be a silent enforcer in case this interaction went south on them. But, he words cut him down into his bones and now all of his teeth were on display with a low growl. Eros had his own words, but he couldn’t keep it in, ”we’ve been more of a family to her over the past year than you have been. You had the chance to prove yourself worthy of her love and you chose a quick lay instead.” He wanted to add whore at the end, but out of respect for their younger member he held it back.

His judgmental tone implied it anyways. Yellow eyes watched every move closely, not trusting her not to try something out of desperation. Flee back into the territory to steal from a cache, lash back out in anger, it wasn’t like he put much thought into how her actions would impact Sage, or her unborn kids. He had made his own transgressions, but at least Vanadis and he would have a pack to support their cubs, Nia could not say the end. He huffed, scratching his paw against the earth, tense, muscles bunched and waiting to launch.

(This post was last modified: Jul 23, 2024, 01:11 AM by Viorel.)