The night had always been the time of the day Orthrus found more comfort in, with the shadows embrace, feeling some peace, safety. And this made that he started to be more active during the night, sleeping mostly at daylight. He did his best to also be around whenever his brother wished to play or hang out with him, when not he would expend the day resting, and when the sun went down he began his adventures, his wanders and anything he found fun with the stars as company. And as today's day came to an end, he would go out of the house he shared with his parents and siblings, hoping into the sand and simply head to the beach, to find such a dreamy view. The moon rose above the ocean, bathing it with its silver light, stars dancing around it. The breeze filled his hair, closing his eyes. The pup was really liking this and he would rather not be asleep and miss such a beauty. ""

Tonight, we dance; I wondered if I could ever spend a night happier than this one. I doubted it. I could feel the difference when my mind finally made the connection of doing things for myself without any regard to anyone's opinion. All the frustration and anxiety escaped my muscles until they were loose again and languid. I don't think I ever really felt this way. The rhythm of my paws against the earth echoed the beating of a drum inside my chest. Hardened gray paw pads clawed vigorously against the sandy shore, pushing my body forward with enough momentum to make me feel as if I were barely touching the earth. Deep orange eyes were lit up with adrenaline, excitement almost. My chest felt better than it had in the previous weeks and god damnit I was going to enjoy myself tonight. For the past few nights, I had resumed my training as if I were back at home and surprisingly enough it brought me more happiness than I have felt in a really long time. And I mean a REALLY long time. The feeling reminded me of home but it brought my head back to doing something that I enjoyed and something that I was good at. Furthermore, I didn’t have someone overseeing any of it. I was free to do what I wanted when I wanted to. This was a new feeling for me and one that I hadn’t realized that I was missing until recently. I felt free! A pink tongue bounced up and down while my body moved. My jaw hung open as I panted heavily – a white mist lightly gliding against my cheek lightly obscured my view when I slowed down at turns. My optics scanned the distances ahead of me, not looking for anything in particular but rather for better places to run up to. I hadn’t been paying attention to where I was going for I figured I would go for as long as I could without someone stopping me. I wasn’t planning on hunting in the area, nor heading inland where I knew I had a higher chance of meeting another soul or worse, stepping on some hot head's toes… I mean, pack borders. The world around me began to come to a stop as I rounded a bend and caught wind of another wolf’s presence. My gait slowed to a trot. My body was finally beginning to feel the effects of sinking in the sand further as my weight evened out under my paws. Hm… I couldn’t tell how close they we- Ah. Nevermind. A white nose lifted into the air came back down with a snort. It wasn’t a strong scent. So…female? A young wolf? Bingo. A wolf, seemingly younger than myself was hanging out on the shoreline a few yards away. Mmmm, nope. Little ones meant SOMEONE was nearby. I was the type not to care about venturing over certain lines but being next to another wolf that was this young meant more trouble than I was willing to get into tonight. Especially since I was in such a good mood. I came to a stop some distance away. Close enough that I could see him and his details clearly, but far enough away that if he saw me and wanted to run… and hopefully if he did he would keep his little trap shut… he could get away without any concern about me getting to him too quickly. The wind ruffled my crimson and black mane this way and that, picking up in speed and dying down as erratically as if pleased. Oh… I remember being this young and spending the nights to myself on the mountains outcrop… I began to think about if this little guy was living a better life than the one I was used to. Or if it was this way for everyone.   I speak • I think • Dimitri speaks

Table by Rhune. Art by Ink

The earthen-hued female is patrolling the island under the moonlight, enjoying the sound of the rolling waves and star filled sky. Since joining Fenmyre, she has learned that keeping a pack safe is a never-ending job and Athena has welcomed every opportunity to help out. The night is lovely and she wonders if anything could ruin it. Stopping for a moment, the earthen wolf lifts her nose to test the air for any predators or unwanted and she gives a soft snort of laughter when she finds scent of a pup on the air. Her joyful attitude is suddenly crushed when another, unknown scent reaches her nostrils… and they are close to the young pup. Without hesitation, Athena races forward, moving to where intruder is, while releasing a howl as she sprints, calling for Cerberus's help with the interloper. Head lowers as she races on and soon enough, the coat of a red and black brute comes into view. Athena moves to intercept him, running straight toward him and growling angrily. When she is close enough, Athena aims a bite at one of the large brute’s front legs. If she hits, she will attempt to pull the leg out from under the trespasser. No one fucks with her pack. Athena vs Kage for Dominance Round 1/? Age: Over 1 year Size: Medium Build: Light Companion 1: Little owl, Male - Flying Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Intellectual "Athena Nocturna"  ’Thought’

Cerberus like Athena was running a patrol around the island, it was not a one wolf job. He came across the unfamiliar scent of an intruder and immediately sought out the trail because an unknown wolf on the isle couldn't have an easy explanation as if they accidentally wandered onto the pack territory. A large sense of tension built in him as he grew closer, and his younger brother Orthrus' scent was also nearby on the beaches.

Athena's call was both relieving and worrying. Orthrus was not alone, but that meant that Athena was now ready to face the stranger inside their home. Cerberus' pace picked up instantly, and ran towards the commotion he could now see.

With Athena in motion as he comes to the scene, he looks at his young brother quickly, "Orthrus, get out of here!" It was not to be mean, but really out of love and care for his sibling. He would be safer back inside. Then he moved forward to close the distance of the intruder. Beside Athena, he notices where her aim is heading. Cerberus jumps up on his hind legs and attempts to hug around the young brute's shoulders coming more from his left side since Athena too was there going for the legs. He hoped the young man would submit, otherwise his plan was to just pin him without dealing any real damage to him. They could part ways, but Cerberus wouldn't do anything without his father's insight first.

"Cerberus"

Cerberus and Athena vs Kage for Dominance
Round 1/x
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Extra Large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Metal claw bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather harness with spikes
Companion 1: Tibetan Mastiff, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Tibetan Mastiff, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Goat horns - Offensive
Mutation 2: Sharpened fangs - Offensive
Skills: Master Fighter & Advanced Intellectual
Specialty: Knight

Tonight, we dance; My ears swiveled before I had a chance to process what I was hearing. It was the sound of - I turned on my heels immediately and knew what was coming. 'Times up' I stayed a moment too long. I KNEW I shouldn't have stopped, but I did anyway and I was about to pay the price for that. I got away with enough just running along the shore for as long as I had... I pushed my luck with this one and now I may be in some shit. The howl that rang out was a call for assistance. Hastily, my mind spiraled. Thinking of a few ways to handle this before weening it down to a handful. I could just run right now. I could try my luck at outrunning them at least until I get to fair game lands or another pack land. ' How long ago was that... Did I come far?' No, I couldn't remember. I didn't want to risk it anyway for the sight of me running away without an explanation because for them to suspect that I was indeed up to no good. If they didn't have a reason to kill me now, they for sure would be edged to that decision then. I groaned, letting my eyes scan around me - rapidly keeping track of where I heard the pawsteps coming from. There was one... No two. In different directions. "Shit." I turned my head back and forth, keeping tabs while I thought. I'm not near the pup, so that's good. Last I checked, that little thing was still off near the water while I was quite some distance away. I decided that I would have to stand my ground and try to talk my way out of this one. It might be my best bet. The first set of paws came into view not before long and I felt myself taking a few steps back. My paws spread out to shoulder width and my head dropped down all in one motion. I wasn't preparing to attack, but I knew that there was going to be a connection. As quickly as the first wolf showed up on the beach, she made a beeling for me and looked like she was low enough to go for - I swiped my paw up and snapped my jaws in her direction, not aiming to make a connection with her fur, but as a deterrent to trying to latch onto me. My lips were pulled back for a moment as I sneered at her clumsy choice of action. "Enough. I won't fight. I growled back at her, my maw inches away from her ears before pulling back and lowering again. If she kept at this, I wasn't sure how long I would hold out without shedding some blood. In my best of planning, I couldn't fight here. I refused to. Not with all that was against me in this moment. If I tore into anyone here, I wouldn't be given fair judgement no matter what I had to say or what their practices were. It would be a done deal. Immediately. I had to hold back. I had to keep my composure as long as I could for it could mean life or death for me. My muscles were coiled up like a metal spring, pushing against my skin and sensitive enough to react to any stimuli at a given notice. Just as I had shifted my position backward, the force of which I felt something hit the side of me caused me to lose my balance and I had no other choice but to allow myself to fall over into the sand with a resounding thud. There's just something about falling into sand that makes it SO much worse than falling into the dirt... Granules flew up around us, coating my top half and infiltrating the inside of my now open maw. This must have been the second pair of drumming paws that I heard. The weight of this one was partially on my back, partially on my side. His position was digging into my chest and I could feel the ebbing of the pain coming back into my ribcage. I pushed my weight against him as to not take on his whole body on my ribcage. "Alright. ALRIGHT!" I spat off to the side, sending wet chunks of sand flying out.  "I fucking give! I'm not here to fight!" I barked - squirming a bit under this new wolfs' weight but tentatively allowing my body to settle into a still position. My head was being kept higher than the sands surface so that I could view both the wolf on top of me and the one that had charged for my legs earlier. What a fucking welcome wagon. I didn't mean for that to have come out the way that it did, although I couldn't help the adrenaline coursing through my veins, having my heart crash against my chest. This wasn't in a response to fear. This was an attempt to succumb so that they would lay off. In all honesty, I wasn't here trying to start a problem. I understood the protocol and that this wasn't something that I should have been doing anyway, but I also couldn't help my own instincts. And right now, every fiber of my being wanted to fight back. Saliva was dripping out of my mouth at this point and I opted to spit again at the sand in front of me. For all they knew... I could be here wanting to join! Borders are borders no matter what corner of the land that you're on... and in my defense, I. Was. As. CLOSE. To the edge as I could get. The rest was water for christ's sake! A buried guttural growl began forming in the pit of my chest and I chose to stifle it after a moment truly hoping they would back down. I wasn't going to fight a fight that I knew I would lose. Hopefully, they had enough sense to at least let me speak before passing judgment. But I didn't know their ways. The rule could be to kill a stranger on sight... If that was the case. Then I suppose the death day had finally come. I squinted my eyes for a brief moment, taking in the slow ringing that was beginning to fill my ears again. Athena & Cerberus vs Kage for Dominance Round 1/1 Age: Over 1 year Size: Large Build: Heavy ooc;; Apologies for the wait! I was thinking the little one had to answer first - wasn't clear on the fighting post order rules. I speak • I think • Dimitri speaks

Table by Rhune. Art by Ink

The trespasser lifts his leg to avoid her attack, snapping his jaws in her direction. He growls into her ear about not fighting and she rumbles out a humorless laugh. Hard eyes snap up to ruby gaze as she grounds out, “Then you shouldn’t have invaded our pack lands.” Out of the night, the larger frame of Cerberus appears and he charges straight for the other male. The heir bowls the intruder over, pinning the male under him and effectively ending the fight. The interloper yields but Athena does not let her guard down. He should have announced himself at the dam if he wanted to explore the island, he may have been welcomed by the pack! Instead he has put the pack on guard and left her wary of anything he says. Athena moves to stand near Cerberus, following his cues and body language. Amber eyes shift to check to Cerberus, checking if his demeanor softens or changes and, if it does, adjusts her own features to match. The earthen woman remains silent, waiting to see what Cerberus does with this trespasser. "Athena Nocturna"

The young man, about the same age as Cerberus, submitted under his weight and squirmed until he went still. Cerberus didn't release him immediately, his knees pressing into the red male's shoulder to lift himself up on his paws which stayed right there on his shoulder to make sure he didn't do any funny business. Cerberus didn't want to harm him, but he wasn't just going to let him go to run inland or go find whatever group he could be traveling with to bring them back here.

Looking at the red man with haste in his breath from the run, Cerberus sent out a less urgent call specifically to his father who he was sure may have already been on his way from the commotion. "Mistakes can happen, Athena." His voice was not hard, but suggestive that he wouldn't hurt the intruder without hearing him out first at least. His mother after all had made the same mistake once upon a time. Athena did well to protect her pack, to protect Orthrus but Cerberus would have, and did differently.

"Once my father gets here, please make sure Orthrus is alright." He asked, still his paws on the young man under him. He was sure he could handle him alone, but didn't want to take the chance. Once Chimera was here, Athena could take her leave.

"Cerberus"

Tonight, we dance; "Yeah, Athena." I shot her a glare from the corner of my eyes. "Mistakes happen." I mused under my breath, looking at her with a smug expression. My anger hadn't disappeared entirely but was tempered slightly by the charcoal males' tone and choice of words. Being off the hook wasn't something that I thought I could settle with but they weren't currently digging their teeth into my neck either so... there was a moot point? My shoulders shifted under the boys weight so that I could rest my head on the back of my ear rather than having it be fully on its side and in the sand - it still wasnt comfortable. I groaned and shifted again before sighing. I knew he was only doing his job and that this would be over and done with if I continued to stay still and wait for whoever he just called here - no doubt his commander in chief. I blinked, curling my head to look up at him as much as I could with him on my side. Hm. Young guy. He looked close to my age or a bit older. Even in the low lighting I could see parts of his features that were lit up by the moons rays. His russet fur covered half of his upper torso and the charcoal grey decorated the rest. I snorted, taking in his scent clear as day. That smell I could have done without. "What - no binds for my paws and ankles?" I prodded, my voice light with satirical sarcasm while internally annoyed from his knee joints in my shoulder. I mean really, what kind of joint were they running around here? They didn't have handcuffs at the ready for trespassers like me? A muzzle even? Was his paws and weight supposed to be my only deterrant? I said I wasn't here to fight, and true... I meant it. But what if I was lying? I smirked at my own thoughts, envisioning me rolling out from under his weight or potentially aiming for his under belly that was perfectly exposed right now. Thank goodness I wasn't some deranged animal or sneaky spy just waltzing up in here. I laid my head back down against the ground with an exhale, looking up at the night sky. Funny how light this evening started to how dramatic it had to end. I speak • I think • Dimitri speaks

Table by Rhune. Art by Ink

Yes, he'd heard the initial call. No, he hadn't done anything about it. Often, Chimera left things up to Cerberus and, since the call had been for him, he assumed that the boy would be able to handle it. Time passed and the Fenmyrian king continued poring over his ledgers and scrolls, settling the books as he did monthly. The call hadn't left his mind, but had simply been pushed aside. Eventually he would hear about the incident as Cerberus would report any odd occurrence to him at the end of the day, but it seemed that his aid was needed in this matter. His son's voice rang out from further inland and Chimera placed a marker in his ledger so that he could pick up where he'd left off at a later time.

Powerful legs and stamina built from long days of physical labor brought the dual-toned man to the scene. Athena and Orthrus stood around Cerberus who seemed to be pinning a black and red wolf into the sand. The brow above Chimera's milky white eye lifted and his pace slowed to a stop as he neared the quartet. "Cerberus," the behemoth of a dire spoke his son's name in rich, low baritones. While he waited for an explanation, the brute gave each of his wolves a quick visual inspection, checking to see if anyone was injured.

"Athena," he began. "Take Orthrus back to his mother and have her collect the rest of the boys." It would be prudent to have all of his young sons under lock and key until they discovered whether or not this young wolf was working alone or as part of a group.

"Chimera Klein"

Cerberus glared heavily at the young red man under him, finding it insulting that he would speak to Athena that way. And he still kept up with his sarcastic, apparently large ego while he was pinned under Cerberus' paws. "You're walking on thin ice. I suggest you think before opening your mouth next time." Just as he whispered in growled tones in the young brute's ear, his father was there to meet his call.

Chimera asked Athena to take Orthrus back inside, almost as he had asked of her. Cerberus waited for his father to be attentive and Orthrus to be away from the risk, "Athena was here first. I'm assuming he was willingly trespassing." His paws pushed into the shoulder of the red brute, pushing his body slightly into the sand before he released him with his father there to pursue if needed. "I was giving him the benefit of the doubt but it doesn't appear that he has any manners." He was waiting to see and learn from what his father would think and do. Most of their unknown wolves washed up on shore, they weren't found frolicking on the beach. This was a lesson for the young heir. For a boy who was usually very calm and kind, his demeanor was completely put off by how the red man spoke to Athena, and to him just that one tiny sentence spoke in volumes to him.

"Cerberus"

What a tangled mess we've made; "You're walking on thin ice. I suggest you think before opening your mouth next time." Hah. Did I strike a nerve? My eyes stayed forward, keeping my vexed glare off into the sandy treeline while he spoke against the side of my face. 'I suggest you chew on mint leaves before leaning that close to me." I thought, flaring my nostrils as I exhaled. I didn't know his position here, but something did push for me to try and keep my comments to a minimum until I had a moment to figure out how deep in the shits I was. The fact that I was even still breathing held weight in my mind, for if this were anyone trespassing on lands back at home... they would have been killed on sight. I was learning though. The beings in this land were...different. From the wolves that I met along the way down to this beach, to that big cat that did everything to save my life even though I was just a passing drifter in her eyes... They all had soft spots that I wasn't accustomed to. As long as I could find the tipping point in each situation, I knew I'd be taking advantage of how much I could get away with. Within a few moments, the sound of louder thuds giving way against the sand started approaching. From the way I was facing while being pinned down it was hard to see who was coming. My body lay relaxed against the ground as I waited. Although, I couldn't help but notice that the beating of my heart was now involuntarily throbbing harder against my ribcage. My blood ebbed against my forearms and under my armpits, pulsating against my skin. My brain was pushing adrenaline into my bodys' circulation and forcing my breath to want to pull in faster. My nerves were beginning to creep up and I took a few slow inhales and exhales to try and calm my heart rate. I felt... excitement? But also on edge at the same time. What would their alpha say? Did pack members wait until law enforcement arrived to dig into their trespassers? Would I be let go or held and interrogated? Would I be forced to fight? I swallowed the saliva pooling in my mouth. I could hear the thunderous tone of the male that entered the scene behind me. My attention was split between the male on top of me, feeling the energy of the one behind me, and keeping my body relaxed against the sand underneath me. 'Stay still. Stay composed.' I warned myself. There was a time for jokes and a time for seriousness. I had many lessons on how much I could get away with while growing up and hitting that boundary multiple times tempered my mouth to a point. Sometimes though, I still couldn't help myself. The boy claimed to his superior that I was willingly trespassing, which pulled a snort from my nose. 'Oh stop it. You have no proof.' I growled in my head. All he knew was that I was here. I could have swam here. I could have been dropped off. Hell, I could have been here running away from danger. They knew nothing, but as wolves do - they assume. ' Honestly, I'm surprised you guys let me get this far.' I thought, while also mentally chiding myself on trying to scapegoat the fact that I indeed came here willingly...and purposefully. The only unforeseen variable was the kid. A grunt pushed through my throat as the male gave a shove into my body before departing. I made an effort to push against him as he hopped off, then made my way to pull myself up into a stand. My body gave a brisk shake to rid the sand and sticks out of my pelt before turning to face the alpha. Aw...man. He was big. About the size of my father, if not a bit leaner. His fur was dual-toned, split in half as if his genetics couldn't decide on what color to choose for him. One half of him melted into the night, only being highlighted on the fringes of his fur while the other half lit up with the help of the moon like he was glowing. The young brutes voice came through again and I didn't bother giving him any of my attention anymore. To a point, he wasn't worth manners. None of them were. But like I mentioned earlier, there was a limit - and I wasn't looking to die tonight. I gave a quick look at the mans' face and then brought my gaze slightly lower to his muzzle out of habit. His expression was impassive, unreadable. I took one step back to widen my personal space and kept quiet until I was spoken to. My own stature remained composed even though I could feel the muscles in my shoulders and thighs tensing up against the skin. I was ready to try and run at a moment's notice, though I hoped I could negotiate a willing release. I speak • I think • Dimitri speaks

Table by Rhune. Art by Ink

The wolf in question was just a boy. He looked to be around the age of Cerberus himself. This could have been a mistake as young wolves weren't the most observant of creatures. The trespassing also could have been intentional, as young wolves often bridled against authority and rules. As the black and red boy stood, Chimera noted that he seemed to be in decent shape. He looked relatively clean aside from the sand that clung to him after being subdued. The brute's speckled nares flared once, twice. There was no scent of pack that he could discern. Hmm. At least the boy knew enough to keep his gaze lowered.

Dual toned haunches folded and Chimera seated himself upon the sand. His posture was very much one of ease, though he held his head high and his back straight. That was simply his natural state. There was no tension in his body, however. Not like the bunched muscles of the invader before him. He could almost see the boys thoughts. Would he hold his resolve or would he flee? Time would tell.

"You've trespassed on Fenmyre lands that are clearly marked," he began in low baritones. "Explain yourself." It wasn't a request. The behemoths pale pink eye fixed upon the boy. He expected an answer. Though he had a soft spot for children, it only went so far as to how respectful they were. Manners went a long way.

"Chimera Klein"

What a tangled mess we've made; I couldn't help but idly wonder how this would go. The contact that I had with the wolves from around here didn't bring any clarity to the situation and only knowing what I experienced from life at home really challenged what I thought about how to pack life went. I listened as he spoke, searching for anger in his tone where there was none. I paused for a while before speaking, thinking of a good enough excuse. "I traveled mostly along the shorelines of the beach...I didn't notice the markings." I bit my tongue. It was mostly true. What was I supposed to say? I was having too good of a time and I willingly said fuck off to any markings strewn about? I sighed, loosening my shoulders incrementally. My gut told me the truth may do me more good here than anything else. "My name is Kage. And I didn't plan on being here with..." I didn't know the pups' name. I shook my head and continued. "I was out running the shores all day. By the time I got here, I guess I just didn't notice any markings. I've been trying to get as far from, um, my family as much as I can and... well. I just ended up here." I shrugged and lowered my gaze to the mans' chest while I spoke. My mind replayed the day after I ran away and remembered how tired I was after running for so long. I hadn't run since and this was the first moment I finally felt free enough to do so without having to look behind me. I wasn't going to go into particulars for I knew this man didn't care, but that was the best that I could come up with, even if it was a piss poor excuse. I speak • I think • Dimitri speaks

Table by Rhune. Art by Ink