The Righteous Never Falter
#1
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yay he's back

Much had gone on in the male’s mind, after the meeting with Nayru his mind was no able to comprehend the incident in only a matter of hours. It had taken him several days before he discerned the meaning behind their spat. Both of them had left each other with marks of anger, but most of all Nayru was ready to defend the pack. Her skills had developed and would only increase as she grew older, and he was satisfied that she had held her own against him even if he had been holding back. But that wasn’t all of it, the fact she had sought him out told him where his place was. His path in life had brought him to Dahlia and he had left that sacred place only to be jolted back to reality. Dahlia needed him, the wolves of the pack needed him around as the reminder of evil, and the teacher of war. The pack couldn’t survive without warriors, defenders, and safeguards to keep those who stray back in line. Nayru reminded him of that, even if he was the one who had strayed. The relationship with Layla was over, his mind had finally come to terms that if there ever was a women to keep his interest then they truly would be out of his reach. No he wouldn’t father offspring now, maybe never, the world already didn’t know what to do with one Tremblay male, how could it deal with anymore?


The return of the behemoth was not met by a ticker tape parade, or a chorus of howls in greeting. He slipped back into the territory knowing where and how since he’d mapped the entire expanse of Dahlia for awhile now. Saluce didn’t want anyone to know he had arrived yet, he had one person to talk with before he’d go rouse Saul and see how he’d been making out. He’d also check in on the female he had brought to Conor, make sure she was alright. Seems they where a pack of strays that had somehow all came to call this place home and it wasn’t a bad thing either. The pack could shed its ties with the terrible regimes of the past and grow in a new light.


Saluce continued onward toward Conor’s home, knowing he’d be up at this young hour. The pack he held carried the contents of his gift for hibernal, knowing he had missed the day and as a senior member of the pack he had to do better next time. What Saluce had been running away from was responsibility, it had never been what he had looked for, but it had found him and it had terrified him. Now though he accepted the role, so that one day he could sit back and enjoy watching others take over the reins. The pack carried several items, along with a small fawn draped across his shoulders. A soft nock on the door was given and his patience to wait out for his leader to arrive stayed within him.


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#2
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sswm 625


The celebration had been a little disappointment to the golden alpha of the pack of flowers. Overall it was no large deal, as he liked to believe that he offered his subordinates exquisite amounts of freedom to make up their own days, but he found his thoughts return to that evening often as he spend his lonely hours doing various duties or nothing at all. Was it his fault—was he failing to treat the pack as a loving family? Where did the error lie? No doubt it was his, but the man could not figure out exactly what he had done wrong, if this was the case. What he knew was that the majority of Dahlia’s members had been painfully absent, this despite knowing about the festive activity. To be fair, the hibernal had not been a failure overall, but the absence of many members had pushed the mood slightly down, at least for the young alpha. There were many uncertain factors in his life—factors that should have been certain at this point, or so he believed. Was it his own fear that kept him from being able to find certainty in his life? There were no signs that anything was about to change, so perhaps it only existed within him. Did that make it less real though? Would destruction come through him, eventually?

Thoughts were interrupted by a quick rap on the door, and the man shifted in his seat, slightly torn as he recognized the knock to be Saluce’s straight away. The man had been distant for some time now, and the gold and cinnamon hued man had silently pondered whether or not he would see the Jager again. Perhaps the man had needed to take some time off, away from the Dahlian pack lands and the members residing within. Conor was not pleased with the man, and had expected at least a notice from the man before a disappearance, but he had not been given anything. It helped strengthening his pessimistic doubts and further weakened the leader’s confidence in himself. He surrounded himself with too many gloomy thoughts, but Conor could not always help it. He had improved a lot since his childhood ended, but he had worked hard to create security within himself, and he found that he was quick at doubting himself. At least after the hibernal. They had let him down despite what he had done for them. The Soul male shook his head, forcing his focus away from the topic. There was absolutely no use dwelling with the negative thoughts, but it was hard to abstain.

Rising from the couch and placing the book he had blankly stared into for most of the morning on the table, he turned to head for the door, Lavender eyes several hues darker than usual. He could not really extinguish his heavy mood, but he couldn’t ignore the knock on the door either. He wanted answers; at least a brief explanation that could give him an idea of what was going on. Conor knew that Saluce and Layla had lost their children, but not that they had separated. It was yet to be discovered, and probably would be soon. Opening the door fully, he gazed to the returned pack member, wondering exactly what he should expect. For all he knew it could be a resignation and a notice of Saluce’s departure. No voices rose from the alpha’s mouth, and he would let the older male seize the scene and reveal his reasons for coming to Conor’s home at such an hour. He was not oblivious of the animal draped across the dark male’s back, but his full attention remained on the canine.


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#3
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We is totally bad ass

There was eternity, before there was their existence, and before that the great expanse of time and space had bent and weaved it’s fabric bringing them to this singular point. The cosmos itself moved on such slow vibrations that one could live their life without ever noticing the subtle changes and decisions made in them. They were all changing their future with every breathe, every move brought about a whole new world to them and yet today Saluce had chosen to return back to the place he had called home. Blue eyes glowed in the expanse, a black hole that seemed to bridge the gap between the door and his form. It wasn’t fear that made him uneasy; it was more of self pity. Saluce had left without saying much of a word to his leader, nor was he updated on his recent split as well. And he had missed hibernal, which he was sure was a big thing for his young leader.


Then as if time itself shook with a forceful sneeze the door opened and there he was. No friendly greeting was offered nor did his expression speak very well to how he was viewed at the moment but it was rightfully there before him like a bad reminder. For a moment he felt like a kid about to be scolded, and he sat there staring back at the dark lilac eyes of his alpha. A lot of how they got along or lack thereof wasn’t expressed much in words just how each other acted toward the other. Today though he could feel the friction in the air, it almost made him snarl, the dominant side of him wanted to tear through Conor and claim this land as his under the one and only God but that same thought brought restraint to the slowly reforming behemoth. There was a purpose to this, a prophecy, a reason he was here. Helping the weak was only secondary, and now as those blues looked back at those lilac he almost thought he heard the righteous voice in his mind poking him, pushing him to recognize that this was his purpose. The purpose to be his right hand, to help this soul who seemed to be haunted by things his sire had done.


“I am back Conor. I missed Hibernal and I’m sorry, although I did bring you a foal for the hungry mouths to feed on today and some other gifts along with it that are for you. I hope in spirit at least I fulfilled my obligation. “ for now that would be all he offered to Conor. Conor had a voice and a mind, and if he wished to ask questions Saluce would answer them honestly. Those blues never left Conor’s Lilac, the air between them seemingly as dense as lead.


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#4
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sswm 373


Gaze seemed somewhat clouded as the Soul male gazed at the older male, wondering whether or not he wished to have this conversation right now. His subordinate had no trouble maintaining direct eye contact, and he wished pound down on it as a threat. The man before him harboured a dominant soul; The autumn painted alpha had witnessed this several times. Would there be a time when Saluce was to rise in an attempt to steal the throne? There was tension in the air, but it did not belong to Conor. He was secure where he stood, knew what to do now as he was faced with the issue. It was when he was alone that unkind thoughts returned to him, whispering treacherous words to make him lose the confidence to believe in himself.

Expression did not change as words were filtered through the frosted air. Only, when the male’s voice fell and finished did his expression turn into a hybrid between interest and dull suspicion. Gifts would always be appreciated, but Conor could not be bought. His disappointment could not be soothed by the tangible offering. There had yet to be a true need of meat since he had risen to leadership, and the issue had not been mere lack of dedication from one of his highest ranked. No, he had completely disappeared without a word, and Conor had genuinely expected more from him. The trust he had put in the dark hued brute bore cracked lines now.

”Back from where, exactly?” the orange male wondered, lilac gaze no longer consisting of soft liquid. ”You failed to attend when I desired your presence one week ago—I’d say that is not how you fulfil your obligation.” He was reluctant to let this pass by without addressing the issue. What was worse was that the cinnamon man thought that Larkspur had perhaps been right Too soft. Yes, he was too soft, and certain individuals were still not able to perceive him as anything else but a child king without control. These were issues he had to pull up with the root. Truth be told, Conor needed someone to walk alongside him, but that would have to be someone he could trust.


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#5
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Saluce would never address Conor without eye contact. If anything eye contact to him was a sign of respect when asked questions, it reinforced the truth behind the words that one couldn’t simply bring across by looking at the ground. Whether or not Conor understood why he chose to address him in this manner meant little to Saluce. The reverberating stare after those words were spoken did nothing to scare him but he knew he was still not pleased with him. And with good reason he guessed.


Then his voice greeted him but not in the friendly manner he had always greeted him in for so long now. Had something happened that had magnified his insurrection? Had his presence been needed for something other than hibernal, was there some attack that meant he wasn’t here to do his duty. That hurt him more than any word could, the feeling that his leader was unhappy with him. He felt a stabbing in his chest as the questions came in a nonchalant way. Saluce had thought he was prepared for such a reaction from him but when the time had come nothing could have saved him from this. If he explained why he left, it would only be a chorus of excuses. Excuses that would seek to make him feel better but the result was still all the same.


“I left to wander by myself for a few weeks. Layla and I are no longer together. With this brought scares to me that I had thought where gone. Scares of battle and of bloodlust, pent up anger that left me broken. I couldn’t stay here while I was in that frame of mind, couldn’t do something stupid that would bring more heavy problems to lay on your shoulders.” The answer was blunt, and honest, his eyes never left his leaders while he spoke but as if out of character in this great act between the two, his eyes moved downward in a submissive move. Saluce had long ago pledged his loyalty to this man, even though at that time he wondered if he had what it took to lead. So far Dahlia still sought out its identity and Conor’s leadership had still left much to desire for him, wanting Conor to take a higher stance among his pack.


“I am back, and the words of my former teacher finally found a home. I know how to control those urges, to purge myself of them. I can only offer an apology and remind you that I pledged my loyalty to you and no other Conor many months ago. And that promise I still honor” He said eyes downcast, his heart was what kept him from looking up. Knowing on some basic level that the promise to this man was a promise made and he could not rightfully say things as if he was his equal in this situation.


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#6
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sswm 1352


It felt as much had changed since the last time the two men had gazed into eyes of different hues and ages and soul. Saluce could be considered his opposite of sorts, though he had always held the man in some regards because of his mature opinions and loyal companionship. Now doubt had been inserted into this relationship, and his respect for his man was on unstable ground. He needed to surround himself with individuals he could trust, and he had expected Saluce to become one of the pillar stoles that he could lean to when times grew tough and he needed to seek out guidance from someone holding more experience than he. Saluce ways would never be Conor’s ways, but they seemed to have shared a common interest for Dahlia de Mai, and the young leader appreciated it whenever the dark furred male conjured his opinions and different point of views to the matters that were discussed. And now all seemed to be jeopardized, and the young male sometimes named as the child king of Dahlia de Mai did not enjoy this.

Hard purple in darkening hues watched and waited for a reply, and the male did not keep him waiting, lifting his muzzle to answer his alpha’s stern and unkind words. As usual, the words were plentiful, but Conor would never hesitate to listen intently to a pack member’s words, even if he was deeply unsatisfied with them. New information was revealed. The Soul male was not aware of the breakup between the two Dahlian wolves. In the start the pair had surprised him with the quickened pace they had moved when it came to that mateship. However, Conor’s ways of dealing with things were not their way of dealing, so he had of course had no judging thoughts about the matter. The relationship with Bris was still progressing, though he knew by now that there were several individuals lurking and waiting for something to become official. Truth was that Conor did not hide his romantic relationship with the beautiful Stormbringer woman, but the step into mateship was the same as marriage, and he still liked to take things slow and not to rush into things. If she could not handle this, it meant that they were not meant as the perfect match after all. Bris remained extremely considerate, and he knew that she would one day be a lovely mate.

Thoughts could have travelled further into the lines of family and love, but this was not a scene dedicated to lovely dovely talk and thoughts of love and happiness. The male found that these words Saluce brought him were quick to anger him, for there seemed to be glowing embers in the pit of the alpha’s stomach, and they burned with heated intensity. Conor knew that he had issues with his rage, but it was usually slow to build up and it was first after he was pushed over a certain line that he felt the dark tainted wrath that had belonged to his madman of a father ripple forth and try to rip apart his pale cream chest. It was unfair to let rage fuel certain opinions though, and the male let his figure remain stable, with only dissatisfaction be revealed through his pose. Saluce’s words were probably true and all, made mighty by impressive twists of words, but it made his choice to leave sound no better in the alpha’s mind. Words become nothing but insufficient excuses for his abandonment of Dahlia de Mai, no matter how temporary it had been. It was the lack of notice that bothered him the most, because it meant that the larger male had to underestimate him, and it mattered little if that part had been unintentional. The damage had been done, and that was basically it.

The yearling appreciated the honesty though, but this was not revealed in unchanging gaze of tainted lavender. They thought him to be too soft? Very well. He waited, and more words in response appeared with the cold air slowly sneaking into the hallway of the house. Yet the male was hesitant to invite the other inside, nor did he wish to step out into the full chill of the early morning. When his loyalty was mentioned, orbs darkened further, for it seemed that the two males had different opinions of what respect meant. Certainty, the male had come back to stand before his leader and apologize, but the lengthy excuse and explanation did not soothe any part of him. Pride was still wounded. Not his as an individual, but as a leader that had depended on a high standing pack member for being there, but that had been let down without warning. The thought of demoting the other had been on his mind, but the male would remain a hunter for now, though would not be granted the opportunity to rise swiftly in ranks as long as the discontentment remained strong in Dahlia de Mai’s leader. How could the man honour a promise bearing cracks like this?

They had lost eye contact for now, and a more instinctual part of the young wolf was satisfied, at least temporarily. They were supposed to be equals here, but apparently that was not a perfect system. No rule was without its flaws, but Conor had learned this in an unfortunate way, in an evening where the entire pack should have come together to call out to the full moon. Did their traditions mean so little? Were they not a family here? Had he really been so blind—so mistaken? ”You and I are of different opinions here,” he spoke, eyes continuing to express discontentment, though his voice was at level and without the immerse aggression he wished to unleash. He was not sure whether or not he should bother to try to explain to the other his opinion on what had happened. ”I am certain that you had your reasons, but you did not come to me first. Now why is that?” Yes, he wanted a concrete answer on this. A more filling one than he had received.

Saluce said that he had not wished to add more to the heavy burden resting on his shoulders? Perhaps that choice had been made to make things easier for his young alpha, but it did not make it a right one just because his intention had been a good one. To Conor, this suggested that the other thought him incapable of fulfilling his duties as a leader of the back, and that was not a display of loyalty and consideration. Conor had not been completely aware of the responsibilities and burdens that followed a leader in the start, but he meant that he had settled in well, taken into full consideration. There had been no other protégée available to take the heavy load the day that Haku Soul was banished from Dahlia de Mai forever. Had the majority judged him insufficient for the position, he would have gladly resigned, but this had not happened. If he was not a capable leader as he had believed himself to be by now, it was the pack’s fault for failing to let him know that this system he had implemented and the way he did things were not good enough for them. He required response from the individuals that made up the pack, and the least thing he wanted was that they went elsewhere and chose to do things differently merely because “it could be too much of a burden upon his shoulders.”

So, was that what Saluce was saying? That he did not think that Conor could handle such things as well as he should? He had always done his best to announce to everything and everyone that they should be open to him and seek him out about matters, however feeble they were. Saluce had disappeared fully, and had been a fool not to notify his leader of this. Or perhaps Conor was the fool? Which one was it?



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#7
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dun dun dah

For a moment Saluce contemplated the words he had spoken. The honesty he had spoken of was just that, he had asked the question he had replied honestly. But the silence afterwards made him uncomfortable. The unsteady thoughts, the black hole void that surrounded him and he still felt like a child being scolded. It burned at him, ate at his core and soon those thoughts started to burn on the outside, reflecting in his eyes and his body posture. Sure he had left for a couple of weeks, but he would not be micromanaged as well. He wouldn’t come to Conor’s door step like some little kid asking father for permission. His head was still down but the anger boiling within him could be plainly seen.


What was it that Saluce wanted here, what was his purpose to stand for this shit? The dark grey male had done nothing but help his alpha bring their younger charges up into adulthood, he’d protected the borders and even fought for them. Now the first mistake he made and he had to suffer this treatment. A part of him almost wanted to just leave, throw the bag in his face, shout some expletives at him and leave this cursed ground but he had promises to keep. And as he spoke his ears flicked in annoyance, it would have been a fine point to make except for the end of it, the condescending tone he carried with that simple remark. Baiting him to answer so all flaws could be revealed. More questions he didn’t want to answer, except this time the person wasn’t merely asking them to help, but to in his opinion destroy.


Words did not leave his mouth; no he’d make him wait this time. As an equal he didn’t feel like he needed to bring his personal matters to him, he was a man and perfectly capable of dealing with them. If he felt otherwise he might have sought his assistance but if he was truly that pissed off about this infraction then nothing he said would matter anyways. Now though his mind considered the question, maybe as some would say he was to soft and Saluce had felt he could have gotten away with it, or a combination of both their differing views of leadership. Trust was what he had hinged his exodus on, trust that Conor would have had in him to return. Trust in the fact that whatever was bothering Saluce was something he didn’t want to reveal to him yet. Ears flicked again as his face slowly raised up to peer at his boy king, eyes burning, setting a flame the friendship they had once shared it seemed. If he felt like he needed to prove himself then prove himself he should, and if it was his mission to make this boy king into a man then so be it. A simple motion let the sack fall from his shoulders, then the foal he had carried. Gifts that he had gotten to show how much he did care for the pack and of how much he cared for Conor but now they were just items discarded. The rift growing between them as each second passed.


A crack could be heard as the knuckles in his right fist flexed together into a fist, the fuse was lit, and even Saluce was unsure if he could control his anger enough to avoid doing something stupid. This was a test for him as much as one for Conor. He had worked to dispel these demons, this anger that flooded him and yet all too soon it was festering within him once again. Oh how he wanted Conor to know the thoughts that ran through his head, of watching his little Lilac eyes burst out of his head from the pressure he would apply to his sick little neck.

“answering your question further provides your reasons for asking it. I pose to you this question then, What do you want of me?” If the lilac male was ever going to grow some balls and lead then silly questions didn’t matter, he knew exactly why he hadn’t told him of his intentions and speaking them did nothing to resolve the matter at hand.

“I will only say one thing in answer to your question. Because I’m not sure whether or not you want your feelings hurt or want some bloody battle, I respect you as a friend but leader I don’t. You are still growing and if this is the cross I have to bear for you to understand what it takes then so be it.” The last few words were spoken as his voice calmed a bit. They had always shared a frank and blunt relationship, and nothing until now had tested the uneasy balance between the two but if it took Conor having to stand up to the most independent and assertive of his pack then that’s what it took.


Eyes gazed across at his young leader, wondering just what his answer would be. Knowing that none of this could end well depending on how everything went, but one thing was for sure, if it came to blows he’d make sure Conor knew the price of leadership before the day was done.



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#8
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sswm 1707


Never had the young leader been stern with the other, and there had not really been much use for it. Saluce had been a liable, friendly face that he had been able to put trust in. It was very possible that the young male was not being entirely fair with him, but nor had he acted out of line. There was rage in the young man as well as the older, though his was not apparent as Saluce’s seething anger as he watched traces of it spill from the other male. Conor had been there to catch his own issues early, and though it was not a possibility always to extinguish the flaws he harboured, he would chain them down and keep them under his surveillance, hoping to forever keep them in check. Even back at the borders with the loner man that had thought he owned such impossible rights and attacked a Dahlian openly. He had felt it then, the strange hunger inserted in each of his jagged fangs. It had been strange, and it had frightened him, for they had longed for the meaty taste of flesh and blood and a fleeing soul. What would have happened if he had acted upon those hideous desires? Would he too have fallen from grace and become his father’s twisted shadow? No!

Earthen hues turned vivid in the pelt of the Soul male remained still, though shackles wished to rise in response to the tempter he witnessed within the other. Or, well. They did not wish him to be the homely guy he tried to be, so why not? Still though, he did not wish to act on these urges, because he knew it was his vivid contentment that conjured the will of aggression. He did not wish to be such a creature, and again, would attempt to find other ways to solve his issues. There were always another way of dealing with matters, but it was not Conor’s job to tiptoe around this male only because the guy had issues containing his anger. It was a trait he recognized as his own, but had expected the older wolf to disguise it better. In other words, did this mean that Saluce wished him to see this? Was it an attempt to intimidate through a passive, slightly submissive stance? Cinnamon hued ears twisted to rest against gold and vivid, orange copper, for instinct demanded him to show signs of recognition of this anger. Not in a way of respect, but to adjust his pose so that he would not risk becoming a passive part that eventually had to turn into a submissive one. These lands belonged to the alpha, and that crown rested on the Soul yearling’s head, not the Tremblay male’s.

The former words had wanted to reassure the Dahlian male, but the man he stood watching he pondered on what Saluce’s words had really meant. The man often spoke with big words and big meanings, but they often remained abstract that required the auditor to guess at their contents. Was it too much for Saluce to stand here and be addressed his faults? Conor was not unreasonable, but nor had he decided to be soft in this case. His words had been simple without strange twists and turns. He sought only to get to his point, to make his words clear as he spoke them. Why had the male not come to him in the first place? It would have required so very little of him, but apparently it had been judged to be too severe for the alpha’s ears, so the yearling had not even been offered a chance. This was what he did not want to have here. Members stalking about, refusing to reveal facts and matters that were necessary for the man to hear. He would not have it. A pack needed a leader, and if he was not the one, then he wished that they could at least have the decency to come straight up and tell him this, and then offer him a reason.

Dark purple was decreased to mere slim slits as the rude response rose from the angered male before him. To produce such resentment for such a puny reason was unacceptable in a superior’s presence. The autumn hued canine would not rise his finger and repeat the words and the simple message and question they held, because he knew that no adult would like to be put in place like a little child. Even in his angered state, Conor refused to sink down to such a level. Instead, if Saluce chose to toss in bold reactions to his simple questions, he would have use hard versus hard. He failed to see the relevance of the question, and while he was not required by anyone to answer, he chose to do so because he knew where he stood in this matter. ”That is of no relevance to the simple question I asked,” And while his voice had carried only a subtle glow of sternness before, a subordinate’s lack of manners had made it hard as stone. ”I will amend my question then: tell me why you claim to be my friend and equal if you undermine my position here? Why speak so highly of loyalty when yours is weakening?”

Loyalty was not the ability to swallow voice and mind and nod to another creature’s every word, and Conor would never expect that of any of the members of Dahlia de Mai. What he knew was that this loyalty had been absent for quite a while if this anger within the Tremblay male meant that there was a lot of built up emotion about his superior. That was where they both had failed. Conor had not managed to pick up signs of discontentment in the friendly sessions that had led him to think of this man as a friend, and Saluce had in return never let a word rise about the things that troubled him. Conor knew that inexperience was an issue, but had believed it was something Dahlia de Mai could work its way through together as a whole. It was wrong by the dark man to assume that he was aware of everything that went on within every creature that owned the pack’s tag. The young leader was but one man, and could only be at one place at one time, and though perhaps he should have had a better intuition to discover internal pack matters on his own, it was not possible for him to do anything without his members’ trust and honesty.

What he wanted from the dark coated male was the truth to be laid before him. Ignorance was often said to be bliss, but not when pressure eventually had to be released like this. Never had the young Soul male faced an angered Dahlian of this degree; not even Larkspur had chosen to display this kind of behaviour.

Next words did in fact injure beyond flesh, though face remained stone with dark purple slits. The taste in his mouth was bitter, for it tasted of a friend’s betrayal. Could not the other male see that all he wished for was a little bit of honesty? That was all he had asked for, and now, when he finally seemed to obtain information of this sort, he realized that the man had perhaps not been such a good friend as he had thought he was, and it saddened him greatly. ”I have told you this before, Saluce,” he breathed, his voice still in comparison to his opponent’s. Lavender orbs opened up, but they lacked the warmth that made these eyes his. ”All I want is your trust and honest feedback. Of all people, I expected you to be there to speak the truth, for how can I hope to improve without it?” He resisted the urge to shake his head with melancholy, for this was a scene he was required to carry.

Was it anger that had leaded the male to speak these words or was that finally a piece of god damn honesty? He wished he knew, but had now finally discovered that the person before him was now who he had though he was. He appreciated the words if those were truth, but either way there were new cracks growing between them, for he felt somewhat deceived. ”My answer remains unanswered,” he reminded the other, hoping that he understood that this was the core of the simple question. Why did not Saluce trust him? Where lied the deep flaws that were too heavy for the other to witness without anger? The yearling expected the man to have stated these words for reasons beyond what had happened today, on this porch. ”Why is this?” A simpler version of that initial question was given, and his stance remained strong, unwilling to let the curled fists intimidate him. Saluce was still out of lines according to common manners, but what Conor desired most of all was that answer to the question.

It was a foul scene, and he did not wish the house’s inhabitants to awaken and listen in on this conversation. Waving a hand to inspire the other to move back to allow him to step out onto the porch without breaking into personal space, the male stepped out of the house and closed the door silently behind him. His own calm remained surprisingly strong; holding back the ugly words and vicious fangs that wished to destroy the insolent face of someone that should know better than this. Once outside, moderate purple gaze returned to the other. While still young, he was fully grown by now, and had adopted the size and form of his father. All he lacked was the thirst to ruin lives. All he wished was to maintain them and make them worthwhile. He sought contentment for those around him, but it was clear that Saluce Tremblay’s requirements were not met. It was the result of errors on both sides, but right now it felt as if it was only Conor that deserved to be crucified for this wrong.



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#9
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As soon as the words had left saluce’s own mouth he regretted them. And even he could feel his former teacher scolding him harshly for his hot head and quickness to speak without a proper head on his shoulders. The man before him was rightfully upset, he could tell even though he didn’t out right show it, and even for two males to be in such a discussion it was somewhat a marvel that it hadn’t come to blows yet. Conor still wanted his answer, wanted to know why he had left without telling him. Well again it was a question he didn’t wish to answer, was it really that bad to admit he had fucked up? Even as his superior continued the conversation his anger like a boiling pot was taken off the burner. If there was any chance at salvaging any shred of a friendship they had then he best start trying better to do so.

His form easily moved out of his way so the door could be shut, taking a moment to consider his reactions and questions. Eyes met his once more before he looked at the bag full of gifts and then back to him. The reason he had left had already been explained, but he had hoped he wouldn’t have had to answer why he didn’t tell him, because honestly he never considered it. It wasn’t because he didn’t respect the man, it just hadn’t crossed his mind.

“I didn’t tell you because I never thought too. I assumed that I wouldn’t be gone as long as I was, doesn’t change the transgression but it was never about your leadership if that makes sense” He spared him all the details of how this was the first pack type organization he’d been a part of. At home he could roam however he felt as long as his loyalty was to his king and he answered his call, otherwise he was free to move as he saw fit. Here he hadn’t wished to seek permission because it just never was something he had really consciously ever did. On some small level the differences where obvious, he lived in one country where there weren’t numerous packs in a small area but one large pack, here everything was miniaturized.


His anger had diminished considerably, usually bubbled up fast then dissipated just as quickly. Most of the time because he usually did something he’d regret or didn’t intend to do. Other times he was able to catch himself before the damage would become too great. For the first time in a year he wanted a cigarette, which seemed alien to him since he hadn’t picked the habit back up since then. Now he just had an overwhelming feeling of being forlorn, almost enough to just make him leave the pack all together and spare himself these terrible feelings. But the Alpha stood between him and the steps and his escape path, the route for him to drown in his self pity and wonder why he was truly this fucked up. Was it really his problems with authority that triggered this whole damn episode?


“I’ve never wished to usurp you, being Alpha doesn’t intrigue me. I’m here to serve, and protect. If that means I must notify you of my absences then I will from now on”



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#10
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300+


He could accept those words, easily, but Saluce’s outburst had caused new questions to soar—far more serious questions. Conor’s brain attempted to wrap itself around the reasons for this, but he could not read the other man with ease as he so wished. It had not been the golden man’s intention to blow the issue about Saluce’s absence to an abnormal and unworthy size, but perhaps it was Saluce’s response that had kept him going. He was glad though, for the outburst suggested that the other had far more issues that he had hid away from his leader. The boiling anger seemed to be decreasing within the other, but Conor felt only cold residing in his core right now. Perhaps he was poor with confrontations and poisonous revelations exploding in his face. This could possibly sting for a while, knowing that the person he had seen as his strongest ally was not as much after all. True, Saluce insisted that he was there to serve, but why would he serve a king that he couldn’t respect and agree with?

”Yes, if you go away for more than a week, I’d like to be notified,” he answered, leaning back against the wooden railing trailing the porch’s edges. A light sigh was given as he continued to digest the harsher words from this scene. It was true, he was young and inexperienced, but he needed feedback to improve. Walking forward blindfolded only got you that far. ”Tell me what you miss in my leadership, then,” he suggested, attempting to inspire a concrete answer from the dark hued man a second time. If there were growing issues here, then it was the Alpha’s duty to address it. He was eager to prove himself and improve his skills in general, but feedback was direly needed here. Palms too settled against the cool wood, and he thought of the blue sapphire necklace and why it was hidden away in the back of a drawer on the attic.


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#11
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Little foreshadowing but thought it worked well with the question

For now it seemed like things had been calmed a bit between the two. Saluce looked out at the field for a long time, even as his alpha addressed him once again. Not much about the male felt like answering or risking further damage to their friendship but he knew at least today he couldn’t get away with not answering that question. Still though he chose to stand against the window pane silently for now, letting his mind work on the question at hand. Hopefully Conor would understand why he wasn’t answering right away, working out the response in his head to where it wouldn’t upset him, and or come across as rude. Or even looking for the correct answer, what exactly was it about the males leadership that did irritate him.


A paw rose up to scratch under his chin in quiet contemplation, before the words seemed to magically reach his head, and where processed under due diligence before being uttered.


“Dahlia De Mai needs a purpose, we have accepted in mostly run a ways, and wanderers, but for the most part we just exist” He spoke in a calm tone, it was with a sense of respect at least that he spoke in the tense he did, but he continued. “You’ve done well to keep this pack together, but I think you need to bring up a sense of purpose for the pack, maybe a higher calling or something your pack members can get behind as a cause. I’m not talking about war but maybe something that we can offer to others”. His thoughts where more toward Conor’s laid back approach, he didn’t think he could continue to just let things happen without some guidance given to the pack. Even if it was just a simple remark about the direction of the pack, it would still help.


“You are the leader, so take up something and lead us. In times of peace and when nothing much is going on we need something to keep us focused and bonded together. So in times of disaster we can react quickly as a unit.” He then though of a question to ask him.


“If I were to ask you, what you thought about your packs preparedness to react to a natural disaster or a threat from another pack, what would be your honest assessment?” His eyes then returned to the male wondering if he had taken his words in an ill fashion or if he had listened like he used to back before Saluce had almost destroyed their friendship.



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#12
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--


He had not known anything but quiet existence and war. Yet he understand what the dark shaded man was saying. Understood and pondered. Purpose. Was it not purpose to seek tranquillity and peace? Or was that what Saluce called “just exist”. Silent breath filled young lungs steadily, and the young leader felt the calm desire for acrid smoke to scotch his insides. There were many things the man wanted to do, but was uncertain of how to go on about it. He could not do everything on his own, and in order to make great change he needed people willing to do so. It was only an excuse drifting in his head though. There was a reason why he had built up the hospital and the reason why he had liked the idea of Saluce’s weapon shop so much. But there was so much more they could do, of course.

He could have said things, but decided to move on as Saluce altered the subject somewhat. It would be difficult to provide the pack member with a solid answer as long as the question was so inclusive of possibilities. There were no fail proof plans they could make for everything. ”I don’t know,” he answered, simple so that he could fill his thoughts with the question without feeling the time ticking for an answer. He was not unaccustomed with war, but natural disasters were harder to predict. There was no longer any reason for anyone to start a war with Dahlia de Mai, for the devilish beast was dead. ”Do you have anything specific in mind since you ask?” There were no long time food stores in these lands, though the lands could be sowed and used well. ”You want procedures and preparations for disaster and war?”

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