taking steps is easy; standing still is hard

Stoic and silent the man was making his way to the first home he had known. It had been a long time since he had last seen Jupiter and in the wake of her death match and his move to Amenti he had not yet had the pleasure to meet her children. And he thought that being among the young wolves would ease his anxiety regarding the litter that would be his only a season from now.


There were many miles between Amenti and Ludicael. Deteste had chosen the route that sheltered him most from the summer sun as the season was not his favorite and the weather was especially warm to a wolf his color. At the moment the man found himself among a great cavern. He had not expected such a dramatic landscape but his sense of direction was strong and his route remained true as he pressed through the dark. For the length of his walk within the cavern only the consistent pattering of his heart had accompanied him but now the walls of the cave shivered with the voice of company. The voices were indistinguishable and Deteste could not understand what words were exchanged yet he was wary of those he may come upon for the darkness could attract unsavory strangers.


The man took up a silent gate. The fall of his feet mostly inaudible and eerily akin to the thud of water that dripped upon the cavern floor. It would take a while for his scent to reach him, judging from the heavy, dampened air but he found that he was upon one of the stranger's old trails and though he did not know who the stranger was he recognized the scent immediately. It was Jupiter. Yet it was not. It would be one of her children and the realization caused the man's hear to fluctuate. He was unsure just how old the whelps would be now yet this was not a welcome place even for a grown wolf and the fact that the pup had company alarmed Deteste further.


His gait gained speed though he stumbled upon them abruptly. The thump of his forelimbs echoing as he heeled before them. The glint of his cerulean eyes shifted as he studied the young wolves before him. He did not know the young man before him but his scent was familiar enough for Deteste to understand the peculiarity between the interaction before him. He did not act nor think maliciously of the young man for Deteste was not one to judge another for the sake of their family. Nor did he see any threat between he and young Aegira. He knew the names of Jupiter's pups and only assumed whom the girl was by her size. She did not appear to be the litter's runt. Hello. he spoke, his timbre gentle but distanced, addressing each of them with a simple nod.

"speech"