gonna assume cat and art never met.

Like a phoenix from the ashes she emerged, rejuvenated and prepared once more to take the world between her oversized paws and toy with it like she had believed herself capable of merely months before her abrupt disappearance. Mental calamity, however, had ambushed and forced her to the brink of self-destruction, causing her to flee the only home she had ever come to recognize in favor of regathering and dominating her own sanity, shunning society and putting pause to her plots to destroy and conquer as she built herself from the ground-up once more. The death of her mother and the near-demise to her family name had reduced her to a pathetic shell of who she desired to become--who she was destined to become, but now that she had learned to accept whatever hand was dealt to her in the cruelest game of life, the pallid prodigy was ready. Alacritia would find itself demanding her presence once more, and whether or not she would be welcomed home with opened arms by the locals, she cared little; the island called to her, beckoned her to its threshold. Chaos was imminent; but for how long she could keep her meddling paws out of everyone?s reach, she knew not. Willowy limbs carried the wretched hound with the elegance of a sovereign as she glided towards her former haven--the kingdom she had purposely abandoned months ago--as curiosity flooded the premises of her diseased mind while she wondered exactly what fate had befallen the pack that had never been. Idly, she occupied herself with believing that one of her own had swept into the forest (her forest) to claim the pack she had named in honor of the surname her mother had brandished her with, her faith in the idea dwindling as she made her hasty approach to the enigmatic wood she had once reigned supreme over, where an entirely unfamiliar stench lingered. Minutely, the phantom allowed her upper lip to unfurl over her bleached incisors in a brief display of her displeasure towards the idea of a complete stranger residing within her forest before she halted at its borders, not out of respect towards the current sovereign but for the uncertainty of what lurked beyond; would they pull such a cowardly move and attack her all at once, or would the tyrant brave a battle on their own? Tasting the very idea upon an eager tongue, she sneered momentarily, settling into a comfortable position as her skull lowered defensively over her jugular and her tail outstretched evenly with her spinal column, instinctively preparing herself for a fight as rage bubbled within her chest cavity. Inhaling deeply, the babe allowed her skull to tilt back, a soprano howl cascading from her parted jaws as she released a curt beckon for the current ruler.

Phone post, couldn't wait XD

The dust had settled and she was no longer calling meeting after meeting. Her higher ranking wolves had been given their duties and they had parted ways little issue. So when a call rung out, she almost allowed it to be answered by another, but there was something different about this caller. They demanded her presence and her alone. The silver temptress would rise, picking up an easy lope, turning towards the border. The Queen would arrive in a few minutes, coral pools resting on an unfamiliar pale face. She would come to a stop several feet away, noting the girls defensive stance. Had she expected a battle? A smirk tugged at one side of her lips, crown lifted high, tail swaying at her hocks. Nostrils flared, taking in the rogues scent, and immediately she would recognize it. When she had first claimed these lands there was a faint lingering scent, one she had memorized should the once Ruler ever decide to return, and it seemed she had. "There is no need for such hostility, you are safe. For now." The silver woman remained standing, her weight carefully balanced on splayed toes as she readied herself for anything the girl may throw at her. "What can I do for you?" She didn't know the girls intentions and she was determined to find out. If the girl was so foolish as to think she could just back what was no longer hers, she was sadly mistaken. If she hopes to join, then arrangements could be made. Coral gems resting on the pale girl, her gaze piercing, her expression blank. This would be a balancing act, the girl clearly expected the worse and the air of confidence that surrounded her made the Monarch wary of her intentions.

The perpetual blanket of fog that shrouded her once-domain enticed her with its mysterious ways, triggering the oddest sensation of nostalgia within her core as she briefly reminisced about her mother and younger siblings?the days of her youth when she had had another to guide her, a family and bloodline to support her, and an insatiable thirst for power, fueled only by her mentor?s promises of greatness. While the urge for supremacy still raced through her veins, it was not as intoxicating as it had once been; she had understood that she had not been prepared to govern a nation once she had had the means to do so, and even still, she was not quite ready to forcibly take the reins from another?not quite. However, with the ambition she possessed?the ambition that controlled her and always had?there was always room for schemes and training, and the prodigy would be damned if she let that aspect of herself wither away along with the grief over her past losses. No; she would cling to that ambition like a newborn babe to their mother?s embrace, but it would always be something underlying?something secretive. Although she had adopted the immaculate poise of a juggernaut, her marred countenance remained vacant of the slight fury that wracked her interior, so when the sovereign announced their presence with a request against hostility, the faintest scowl flickered across her visage. Despite the fact that she had, indeed, settled into a defensive posture with the expectations of battle, it was almost instinctual and practical to be prepared for combat for any wise enough, so confusion was imminent at this queen?s assumptions. This intricately-marked wench held authority over her inferiors and could easily make demands of them; however, Artemis was an entirely different story and would see to it that the stranger recognized this fact, refusing to relax while in the presence of the behemoth woman as she upheld her defenses to the best of her ability. ?Do you think me a fool? At the queen?s underlying threat, the babe?s practiced apathetic mask would be put to good use as she concealed a wry smirk, allowing instead for only a singular brow to quirk upon her forehead with unveiled curiosity. She took care in surveying the stranger?s every movement in an attempt to familiarize herself with the woman?s physique, realizing at once that the woman, too, had settled into minimal defenses despite her assurances against violence. ?Don?t you practice what you preach, love? Slowly, the former tyrant?s mismatched gaze trailed up the current sovereign?s front, lingering at the pair of coral eyes that had hardened upon her with finality as she took a moment to consider the woman?s inquiry, ensuring that any traces of emotion that dared creep upon her countenance were quickly put to rest as she attempted to maintain her vague fa?ade. ?You have something of mine, miss,? she stated boldly, her vacant gaze unwavering from that of the queen?s own. What exactly that was, Artemis had no intentions of elaborating on quite yet?she would allow this queen to humor her with blind assumptions. For the mean time, however, the phantom simply waited with an ounce of patience, allowing a smirk to slowly stretch across her porcelain visage once she could no longer contain her amusement.

The porcelain doll remained frozen, her face was void of any emotion, her posture remained defensive, not a muscle twitched. The Queen continued to carefully watch the girl, waiting for her to speak. She did not once let on that she recognized this girl, she treated her as a stranger. So when the girl spoke, a grin twisted dark features, a low chuckle rolling off her tongue. "My dear, nothing here belongs to you. I have rightfully claimed what was discarded." smooth lyrics spewed from far lips, soft as silk. She spoke the truth, everything here was hers, the land, her members, her power. Coral pools pierced her own mismatched gaze. The Queens smirk would mirror the girl as the stood in a silent stand off. She could feel her adversary's gaze raking her bodice, memorizing her every feature. The Queen would return the favor, committing her figure to memory. "What did you hope to achieve by coming here?" The girl expulsion be trouble, that much she knew. Nothing good would come of her presence. But the Monarch was well versed and more than capable of keeping an expressionless mask in place. A brow would lift as she waited with dwindling patience. She would get to the bottom of this.

The phantom had had no intentions of providing amusement for the current sovereign--had stated nothing that required for the silver woman to chortle as wryly as she did in response to her words, but the prodigy still would not allow for her apathy to falter as irritation dared to surge throughout her interior. This was no joke nor was she, yet it appeared to the titan that the dappled queen believed differently; but she was sorely mistaken and would soon see the error in her mannerisms. Artemis was hardly one to scoff at for she was not intent upon leaving her former haven empty-handed, and if the queen was under the assumption that she was all bark and no bite, then she was in for quite the shock. The former tyrant was as vengeful as she was arrogant, and to be refuted meant to be insulted, and to be insulted meant to be challenged. One way or another--battered and bruised or unscathed--the paladin would receive what she came for--what was in her birthright, and the behemoth woman would be the one to offer it back to her upon a silver platter. The sovereign would speak down upon her, utilizing false pet-names while she refuted Artemis? claims, confirming the prodigy?s suspicions that she had been the one to pick up the pieces left behind from her short and uneventful reign. The pallid tyrant choked back mirthless laughter as the woman?s speech concluded, daring to venture a few steps forward as she casually clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, contemplating a careful retort. "I will not chide you for so effortlessly sweeping in to steal a crown that I fought for,? the babe began monotonously, the sneer dispersing from her countenance as her mismatched gaze locked with the sovereign?s coral, revealing a piece of information about herself that she was oblivious to know that the sovereign had already figured out. Her words lacked its typical venom and were meant earnestly--she would not grudge this queen for thieving what she desired; no, what mattered was something different, and likely something unexpected. "I did not want the pack then, and haven?t changed my mind since.? At this, she paused in both her speech and saunter, allowing her tail to unfurl at her ankles in a display of slight relaxation, assuming that the queen would learn that she was safe--for now. "But you are wrong. You do have something of mine,? she persisted with finality, leaving no room for discussion as she inclined her muzzle in the direction of the wench. "My name is Artemis Elysius; you have been so kind to bear the pack name to honor my family,? she stated slowly, fully aware that her intentions were likely clear to the silver sovereign now. Too impatient to beat around the bush any longer just in case, she leaned closer towards the woman, allowing for her voice to drop to a hollow whisper as if her next words were sworn to utmost secrecy. "I will take a pack and call it Elysium; there is no other title that would suit my pack. Whether that is your pack or another, depending on what you decide to call your establishment from here on out, is entirely up to you.? With that, the paladin pulled away from her close proximity to the wench, still neutral in her standing with the woman, idly wondering whether or not that would change within the next few seconds.

The girl was bold, speaking out against the Queen. Eyes would narrow only a fraction, though she would continue to listen to the girl, to amuse the child. The more she spoke, the clearer it became that no one had put her in her place, she thought of herself as invincible. The girl would continue to persist, but before the silver Queen had a chance to amuse her with the question of 'what', the girl would introduce herself. Immediately Cat knew what this girl wanted. A vague smirked tugged at the side of her mouth as the girl rushed to continue, it seemed as though she was desperate to lay it all out before the Queen, not giving the older woman a chance to speak. It would not go unnoticed that the girl relaxed, even if it was minutely. The older woman remained unfazed as the girl dared to creep closer, to cross of line of respect and into invasion of personal space, but not even a blink came from the Queen, she doubted this girl was foolish enough to attack a Queen in her own territory. Haunches lowered themselves to the ground, the Queen settling in for what was bound to be a long discussion, though she did not let her guard down around the girl. "You come all this way after disappearing to ask me the change the name of my pack?" A brow would lift as she mulled over the girls offer, weighing the pro's and con's of her options. "Luckily for you, the name holds no meaning to me. I do not pride myself on a mere name, however, I am not one to simply give something up. I'll offer you a trade." Jaws would close, eyes watching carefully to see if the girl would take what she offered or not. "I'll give you the name, if, when you have a pack of your own, you make me your ally." She would allow the offer to hang between them, curious to see if the girl would take it or not. It wasn't too much to ask for, an eye for an eye so to speak. The Queen would be foolish to turn away someone who clearly knew what she was even doing, even at a young age. One day, the girl would be a powerful leader, and a powerful ally.

As she adopted a less threatening posture in the presence of the queen, it would appear to the paladin that the dappled woman, too, would find comfort in the situation, going so far as to seat herself even as Artemis devoured the slight distance between them. Again, the prodigy would be forced to conceal a smirk as she judged the sovereign to be a woman who lacked fear or did well to obscure it?a trait that the babe could almost admire for she possessed similar characteristics. However, she would maintain her practiced fa?ade because of the current and serious circumstances, not once allowing for her mismatched gaze to waver from the queen?s coral as she waited for her verdict?not only the one that would decide which nation she would be forced to destroy, but also of the dappled queen?s fate. Silence encumbered the duo, but it would be short-lived before the unnamed woman responded rhetorically, causing the former tyrant to merely incline her skull in the sovereign?s direction as if to confirm her previous statement. The stranger would receive Artemis? blessing as a leader only because she was not yet prepared to dictate?she had had no intentions of waltzing into her former haven with the expectations that the new sovereign would so willingly hand her the pack without so much as lifting a paw in protest; however, she did presume that the title of the pack would be changed upon request. After all, the pack she had thieved and renamed had been branded out of reverence towards her surname, so the prodigy did not see a reason as to why she would be denied unless the dappled woman truly did wish to honor her family?which would appease and amuse the former tyrant greatly. However, with the older woman?s next set of words, it became clear to the paladin that that was not quite the case; her wish would be granted, but only if she would comply with the queen?s demands. ?Smart move. With her interest piqued, Artemis would quirk a singular brow patiently, as if to coax the dappled wench into revealing her desires. After a prolonged and dramatic period of silence, the stranger would make her offer and Artemis? apathy would immediately falter in favor of portraying the amusement that coursed through her interior. She would not need to ponder this offer for long, for potential leaked from the queen?s silver pores just as they emanated from her own; together, she figured, they would be quite formidable against any who dare oppose them. ?Certainly,? she stated simply, sealing the deal between them with a single word. With that, she pivoted slightly away from the queen, indicating that their business was finished here?for now. After all, with her return after her season-long disappearance, she had other matters to attend to. ?I expect that this will not be the last I see of you, miss,? the babe concluded pleasantly, knowing already that she would be at the queen?s threshold at a later date?but for what, she was uncertain. With one last glance towards the woman, the porcelain paladin turned upon her heel and vanished through the mist. ? ? ? ? ? -- exeunt artemis.