you become what you hate

Paranoia can create a weak man. Suspicion and doubt wiggling their way in, seeded into the mind until it forces their brain to succumb. Coercing thoughts of negativity that can't be ignored. Constantly looking over their shoulder, sleepless nights, very much on edge to the point that their hair is always standing up. Permanent goose bumps, difficulty breathing, a raised heart rate. All symptoms that Ghoul unfortunately began to exhibit. The day that Cricket came to him, informing him of her pregnancy, his mind had begun to reel. Quickly spiraling into all the reasons as to why he wasn't good enough to be a father. The main reason that appeared to bother him the most? Having control of situations or lack thereof. If he wasn't the one leading the pack, then who was to say danger wasn't right around the corner? Never before had he doubted Medusa's ability to lead, but now? No one except him would be good enough.

He had never been much of a scout. Traversing terrain that was unfamiliar to him had never been his favorite so he would utilize his new companions. While he loved his caimans to Hell and back, they weren't as effective as he had believed they would be. Spending more and more of his time out in the prairie, he watched the wildlife, noticing how many birds there were and what the different species seemed to do. Eventually, he settled on taming and befriending two falconets that had happily taken to him after more than enough pieces of fish. Sending them out on their journey, Ghoul instructed them to go to the other packs of Boreas and Auster to see what his options were. Of course, the logical option was Medusa. Everyone else across the continents would believe that to be the smart choice. She had taken Habari from his mother, attempted to kidnap his siblings, and had there been whispers of her being interested in someone? Perhaps just a whisper. Plus, with the surplus of pups she had doled out in the past few years since obtaining the Alpha, Ghoul's paranoid doubts of her ability to lead grew. How could she focus on raising pups and leading a pack?

There were other options though. Twelve packs in total reigned throughout the two continents. Any could be viable options in Ghoul’s eyes, but he would soon whittle them down. Ashen was led by his uncle, Chimera. How could he turn on what little family he has left? The Raiders had recently taken a raid win from an Auster pack, they surely wouldn't give up their ranking so easily. Then another pack farther east, Elysium? While they were quite elusive, Ghoul didn't see any reason for their downfall. The mountain pack, Heidinn? Their leader, from the sounds of it, treasured his pack, definitely not an easy target for him. Between them and Insomnia, there was Avalon. A peaceful, farming pack, that in reality might sound easy to take, but their utility would be beneficial to keep around. The Hallows? Ghoul knew better than to try and take the castle from a sword wielding alpha. There was the mysterious bamboo pack in the far south that Ghoul had never been sure of, but they too weren't on his list.

The other two Auster packs, Ethne and Norad were supposedly allies between each other. Peaceful packs that really posed no threat from what he gathered through his intel. Then there was the Armada and from what his mother had scolded him for countless times before her passing, they were supposedly an ally, but his rivalry with that little punk always had him doubting. Though the idea of taking Armada was tantalizing, Ghoul finally settled upon Valta. A secondary pack to Armada, run by a son of Sirius. A potential ally? Sure, but also a weak spot. Leftovers tossed away that weren't good enough to keep within the main boundaries of the Armada territory. That was who Ghoul finally had his sights on.

Taking to the Battlefield, Ghoul stands tall. Over a year has passed since his critical, near death injury that left him feeling better than ever. Adorning his skull helmet and leather clawed gloves, he takes his time. He needed a perfect place, one where he wouldn't see himself slipping or stumbling. Summer was on its way out, but it was clear that rain hadn't fallen in weeks. Cracks in the dried mud spread out over the barren plateau, not a single drop of water to be seen. Tumbleweeds danced along, crossing his path and onward toward nothingness. Carrion birds spiraled overhead, an occasional screech alerting him to their presence. Feeling the warmth of the sun beating down upon his back, he almost wished for some cloud cover to dissipate the arid conditions and help stop his ruby colored eyes from squinting so much.

Spending a few minutes to stretch out his muscles, he ensures his loris companion is tucked neatly on the back of his neck, nestled between his shoulders. Her extra few pounds is almost comforting. Something to ground him to the earth, telling him that he is real and what he was about to do was very serious. Giving his pale coat a good shake and releasing a long breath to let out some tension, Ghoul finally turns to face the center of the Battlefield, head held high, prepared for both the best and the worst. Lifting his muzzle to the sky, he lets out a call for Kotori, challenging him for Valta.

GHOUL vs KOTORI for VALTA (Pack Challenge)
Height 40"
Build Heavy
Round 0/?