He'd wasted so much time in the north, searching for the bitch who's selfishness had torn his family apart. Looking for her, and looking for Kharnage, but to his growing frustration he found no trace of either of them. He'd been forced to abandon his search as a failure, but, he promised himself as he crossed the bifrost to Auster, he would be back soon to take up the search once again. He didn't like to leave things unfinished, but the longer the search took the more the feeling grew in him that he was running out of time. He was mortally afraid that if he didn't force his brothers together now, with him to referee, something awful was going to happen and it would end in blood. He'd dragged Lykos with him, but in his impatience he'd outdistanced his brother and misplaced him. If it was anyone but Lykos he'd have been worried that the wolf would go back on their word without him there to bully them along, but unless his brother had changed beyond all recognition, Gryphon trusted that he would be there. He'd left Lykos a trail a blind, scent-deaf pup could follow, straight to the borders, so he had no doubts about him showing up. Well, not many doubts. The ranger came to a stop on the border, though as a member of the pack he obviously had the right to come and go as he pleased Lykos did not so the meeting would need to take place here, and threw up his head to sing for Dragon. Hopefully Lykos would hear as well, and hustle. Otherwise he was in for an awkward wait. ""

He had accompanied Creed to Boreas, but when his old cousin stopped at Celestial, Dragon decided to return to Talis for a little bit to discuss a few important things before returning to his Northern trip with his cousin. He figured his cousin would want to be home for a bit and rest before heading further North, so the young male took this opportunity. He had been back only a few hours, and now was drinking some water from one of the ponds in the plains. Kimahri settled nearby, and Dragon watched him as he drank. He had a lot on his mind, and was thinking about what things he could bring up in a meeting that was long overdue. The last one had been when his mother passed him the pack, and that was almost a year ago...this upcoming meeting would be Talis' first official one since it changed over from Ivalice, but with Auster being so quiet, he supposed there wasn't a whole lot to discuss. Or was there? One of the things he wanted to bring up was his missing brother, who decided not to follow the pack. It wasn't anything good, but Dragon had held off this long in the hopes that he would, but it seemed it wouldn't happen and he was tired of waiting. The other he supposed was the lack of training, and he wanted to get things into gear so the apprentices could graduate in time so they could get into their official ranks. He had another thing in mind...and he hoped to the stars that they would take the opportunity and be on board. They were losing resources with the winter weather in Auster, while Boreas thrived with greenery in their summer season. A howl pierced the air. And not just any howl, but Gryphon's howl. He raised his head and eyed the direction from which it came. Why was Gryphon calling him? It was unusual to say the least, and he hadn't really seen much of his brother lately...but he wouldn't wait around. He headed towards the call, and in a short time found his brother near the borders. A slight tilt of his head and a raised brow in question was obvious as to what he was thinking. What's going on? Behind him, Kimahri followed and sat a few feet nearby, interest in his eyes as to what was going on. "What's going on, Gryphon? Where've you been?" It wasn't so much as to be nosy, but rather curious and concerned since he hadn't scented his brother around for some time and had started to worry. "Speech"

Lykos wasn't actually too far behind his brother, but he decided to take his time, enjoy the solitude before the confrontation with his other brother began. He wasn't looking forward to it - and parts of him just wanted to nope right out of it and leave again... but he knew he couldn't do that. His priorities may have changed, his care may have changed, but he still had some semblance of honor left, and he would not break that promise to Gryphon.

He was, however, feeling particiularly miffed by the trail Gryphon left behind. Or, perhaps miffed wasn't the right word. He was certainly amused... perhaps a little indignant? Gryphon feeling the need to make the trail so obvious that he could be blind and still find his way. Lykos huffed quietly to himself, a ghost of a smile on his face, though that was wiped away in a moment by Gryphon's howl.

He was close, super close to the border now. He figured it take at least a few minutes before Dragon arrived, but he did hurry his pace - besides, he was still amused by the trail. Arriving did take a bit longer than he expected, but he arrived in mildly good time, and he was blinking and yawning when he arrived. "You know, dear brother, I may not be as good a tracker as you, but even-" he cut himself short when he spotted Dragon, and the teasing ended before it even began. The amusement, the almost contentedness, and the slight relaxation vanished in less than a second, and what was left was a wolf with a cold demeanor. His eyes were wary and distrusting, his body tense and not afraid of a fight - not provoking one in the least, but ready, if he were attacked. "Dragon." The difference in tone was astonishing: what was before teasing, amiable, and friendly had now turned into something flat, cold and curt... but that, of course, was the relationship between the two, too.

As his call echoed, muffled by the greenery, Gryphon settled himself on his haunches to wait. His face was set in a very serious expression, face and body and eyes alike as still and blank as though he'd been carved from stone. He wondered which brother would show up first, and for a moment was almost thankful he hadn't managed to find Kharnage on his journey after all. From what he got from Lykos, just Dragon and Lykos together had too much potential to explode in his face, let alone adding his seemingly perpetually-angry other brother to an already volatile mixture. He couldn't help but wonder though, in the time while he waited, where Kharnage was and what he was up to. It turned out that Dragon would win the race he didn't even know he was in. Gryphon's forest-green eyes snapped to his brother as Dragon's cinnamon form appeared through the grass. Ok, awkward wait it was. His muzzle opened to answer Dragon, but snapped shut again as his gaze zeroed in on the creature following behind Dragon. Jaguar! Gryphon's eyes darkened and he leaped to his paws, but the snarl of warning died before it even left his throat as he realized that the jaguar wasn't stalking Dragon - it was heeling him much in the same way his mother's bird companion always seemed to follow her lead. Still, Gryphon continued to stare with distrustful, narrowed eyes at the cat, one fang bared still in warning. But Dragon had asked him a question, so Gryphon dragged his attention, or part of it, from the cat. "I went back up north months ago to look for Kharnage and Lykos," he began, then the rustle of pawsteps from behind him caught his attention. Lykos' voice bantered cheerfully a moment before cutting off with abruptness. With a sigh that was mostly internal, Gryphon pivoted and backed a step to bring both brothers into his field of vision. "I brought Lykos back with me," he told Dragon, his inflection very carefully neutral, as his eyes passed between his two very different siblings. Carefully neutral, so as to not betray the irritation he felt with the both of them. The whole situation could have been avoided if his family didn't insist on acting like a gaggle of toddlers. "The three of us need to talk about this 'prisoner' nonsense." ""

He waited a moment for Gryphon to respond, though was surprised and somewhat taken aback when his brother leaped to his feet. What the hell was wrong with him!? He followed his brothers gaze for a moment, oh right...Gryphon hadn't met Kimahri yet, so no wonder. "Relax, he's with me." He responded simply, returning his gaze to Gryphon as he spoke again. One ear cocked forward when Gryphon said he had gone up North to find Lykos and Kharnage, his gaze slightly confused. No wonder he hadn't scented Gryphon around lately...but really, he didn't know Kharnage was here already? "I wish you woulda told me, I've been starting to worry. And Kharnage is here, he must have shown up while you were gone or something." That was the only logical explanation he had if his brother didn't know that their siblings was already in the pack. Before he could comment on Lykos, he appeared first with a happier tone than what he had greeted him with. If he could even call it a greeting. Dragon didn't move from where he was, nor did he really do much of anything except cover up whatever he was feeling at the moment. He wasn't sure how to react. His brother had pretty much stayed away for a year or so, which Dragon didn't like. He wasn't sure if he should be angry, or sad, upset...glad maybe that his brother was alright. On the outside, at least. Gryphon spoke again, and once again he felt a little confused. "Lykos was never a prisoner." He exclaimed with some irritation in his voice. Why the hell did he even think that!? It had been made clear that he wasn't. "It's not my fault he went and acted like a jerk. He had every freedom with the exception of leaving the territory without someone else when mom was the alpha. If he were a prisoner, I would have gone and dragged him back myself, but he's not. Of course, he would have known that had he been around. But instead, he chose to stay where he was and break pack law for a whole year." He flicked his tail, clear indication that he was annoyed and irritated right now, somewhat at both of them for assuming he was a prisoner, but mostly at Lykos for doing what he'd been doing. He didn't have to explain himself, however. Neither brother had asked him, and the last time he had talked to Lykos he had told him they'd discuss it another day because he had been busy preparing the pack to move. Lykos knew that. But maybe he decided to not tell Gryphon that or something. "Speech"

Okay, it was rather difficult to hide the scoff, but somehow, Lykos did it, swallowing down his retorts. He instead kept completely silent, his eyes glaringly cold as he stared at his brother, listening. Of... course. Of course it was all of Lykos' fault; of course it was seen that way. Forced to stay within the pack, and then denied the right to leave the pack, and now he's being told that it's his fault - and that he was breaking pack law for a year. Breaking laws that he never agreed to. Breaking laws of an alpha he would never, and never has bowed down to. Breaking laws of a pack that had he not been denied his right to leave, he'd never been a part of. Lykos took a deep, controlling breath and released it carefully and slowly before he spoke.

When he spoke, he tried his damned best to keep it controlled, neutral, and emotionless - and succeeded, thankfully. "I was denied the right to leave the pack. Twice. First by our mother, and then by you. To be denied that right is what is meant by prisoner. I am not being forcibly held in the pack lands, but I am being forcibly held by you in allegiance to this pack. The reason I broke this 'pack law' is because, as I told you, if you did not release me... I just won't come with. I'd release myself. I once bowed down to our mother. I was part of the pack Ivalice. I was not, and never will be, a willing part of the pack Talis." Lykos paused, his eyes flicking only briefly to Gryphon and then back to Dragon. This was when a bit of emotion slipped through - it made his voice softer, more tired. "You can smell me. I do not smell of your pack. No stray wolf would associate me with Talis, because I do not carry even the slightest hint of your pack's scent. That's how I want it to be. Can't you see that the only thing I want is to be away from you, and the rest of the family? Can't you see that trying to force me simply drives me further away, makes me want to leave even more?" Lykos shook his head and sighed. He didn't say any more - he already said more than enough; he already said too much. In fact, he spoke more than he expected to, and with a lot less anger than he expected. He was just... tired of this bullshit.

""

art by birmapus

He'd been waiting for some sort of answer from Gryphon, but he supposed his brother just wanted to sit there and not say anything else. So that left him talking only to Lykos, unless his other brother decided to speak up when it was convenient or something. He felt like he was being set up, and he didn't like it. So he grudgingly listened to Lykos, listened to the crap that spilled from his mouth. Green eyes narrowed, tail flicking irritatingly against his legs. Meanwhile Kimahri sat somewhere behind him with very keen interest. Although Lykos may have been able to hold back a scoff, Dragon did not. He did scoff, and made no attempt to hide it. Even the roll of his eyes was as obvious as day. "You 'bowed down to mother'? That's the biggest wad of bullshit I've ever heard! You never wanted to be with us, never wanted to be a part of the pack! So why the hell did you even show up, huh? You hardly ever talked to us, never really made an effort to try and be there except when you had to be like at meetings and shit. Call me a liar, but I tried to make a relationship with you, and you spit on it!" His voice was a growl now, and he didn't bother to hide any of it. Lykos had tried his patience, pushed it way too far. And yet he had the nerve to show his face. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he began to think that maybe it would be better if Lykos never came around again. He was beginning to wish that he could erase his memory of anything and everything to do with the wolf he once called brother. The brother that thought himself better than everyone around him. He listened to what the rest of Lykos had to say, and that's when something in his mind snapped. Tail lashed further, green eyes zeroing in on the black form of his brother. He was soooo lucky Kharnage wasn't here, because more than likely his brother would have egged him on to do something. Or perhaps Kharn would have done something himself. He lived for chaos, but he had a hell of a lot more loyalty and everything else that Lykos did not. At least, that's what was being shown in his opinion. "Well, if that's how you want it, then that's how it'll be. Since we're so horrible, and you feel so fucking miserable around here," He hissed, teeth baring slightly, "Then I'll give you what you want. From now on, you are no longer a part of this family. When you walk away, then your fate is sealed.  So go find your friend and take her name, because from here on out, you are no longer an Ancora." He shocked himself, to a degree. He never thought about that before, stripping the name from his...brother. Could he even call him that anymore? Did he want to? But he did, and there was no taking it back. "Congratulations, now you have no ties to us, and no more family. I bet you're ecstatic about that now, aren't you?" His gaze and voice were cold, the male trying to reflect as much of Lykos' cold emotion as he could. It was so foreign to him, to feel this way. But why should he be any different when this was what Lykos wanted? "Speech"

He'd brought Lykos to speak to Dragon, to give his brother a safe chance to talk to Dragon without him needing to worry about the two of them going for each others' throats, so he simply stood back and waited while Lykos spoke. His pine-green eyes were hooded, though, troubled behind the calm, as he listened to their exchange. How could Dragon refuse to see what was so clear to him? That their mother had made a mistake - she wasn't perfect, no one was, and her treatment of Lykos, whatever her intentions had been, had been wrong, and Dragon had been wrong to continue it. Was he so stubbornly set on being right that he couldn't admit when he'd been wrong, and fix it? Was his pride so all-consuming to him? He kept himself as outwardly relaxed as he could, trying by example to soothe the obvious tension in the air. He quietly nodded to himself in approval of Lykos' moderate tone, pleased that Lykos had taken what he'd said to heart and was making the effort to smooth things rather than make them worse. Dragon though, clearly had different ideas, and Gryphon's relaxed air dissolved as Dragon angrily replied. "Have you lost your damn mind?" he barked, then shook his head sharply. "Don't answer that; you clearly have. What in the hell do you think gives you the right to make decisions for the whole family?" He stalked forward, putting himself back between Lykos and Dragon, shock beginning to solidify to resolve. He hadn't planned this... didn't want this... but as the words came he accepted them. This is what had to be done. "I didn't bring Lykos here to gang up on you, Dragon. I expected you to be mature enough to be reasonable about this and just talk it through. But you clearly haven't done any growing up since Mother passed Talis to you." He took a deep breath, lifting his head and firming his jaw. "Mother gave you Talis. But being alpha does not mean you can control this family. What you tried to do here proves that you don't deserve it. Hell, you don't deserve Talis and if I had any desire or ability at all to be an alpha I would challenge you for it right here. I'm not suited to being an alpha; I recognize that. But I can't stand back and watch you burn down everything that's important to me either. Regardless of whether Lykos wants to be part of the family or not," he didn't take his eyes off Dragon to glance back at his larger, darker brother even as he spoke of him, "you do not have the right to decide whether he is allowed to. He is still my blood. He is still my brother. And you will not take that away from me." He expected a rush of... something. Adrenaline? Fear? Anger? But all that came was a calm sense of resolve. He wasn't angry now, not at Lykos, or their mother, or even Dragon despite what he was planning to do. Still, he couldn't help the quiet sigh that escaped his teeth before he continued. A sigh, but his voice was firm and deep as he said the words. "I am still a member of Talis and have no intention of leaving unless I have to, and as you are my alpha I will accept any punishment that comes for this, but your actions cannot be allowed to stand. From now on I will be making decisions for the Ancora family, and if any of our brothers or cousins want to challenge me for it so be it. I will meet their challenge as well. But I cannot and will not allow you to continue to do so." So saying, he settled himself stolidly into a battle-stance, making his willingness to back up his challenge with his body and fangs if necessary. "Please stay out of this, Lykos," he spoke quietly to the brother at his back, though he didn't turn his gaze from Dragon. "No matter what else happens." How funny that he'd been so worried about Lykos and Dragon fighting that he hadn't even considered that he might be the one to do so. But then, he'd always been the one most stubbornly protective of his family, and if he needed to beat the living hell out of Dragon to protect him and the rest of the family from his bad decisions, so be it. GRYPHON vs DRAGON for DOMINANCE (right to Head of Family) Round 0/? Height 39" Build Medium ""

The moment Dragon started speaking the shit he was saying, Lykos completely stiffened. At the same time, anger flashed through his eyes. Why did he even try? Why did he even try explaining himself or his thought process? How could he have possibly thought that Dragon would actually try thinking in his paws? Or even just thought about it in a manner that wasn't a closed-minded 'I'm right, you're wrong'. He never once before tried to understand Lykos' perspective. He never once tried to talk to Lykos after the whole incident went down. He just assumed that his - their - mother was a god, and always right. That her views couldn't be skewed of the situation. That she was unbiased. But then again, he never cared about unbiased, huh? Not ever. It wasn't even worth the fucking try.

That wasn't what Gryphon thought, though, and that was why Lykos had tried. And secretly, he had hope inside too. He hoped that Dragon would actually listen. That instead of getting angry, instead of getting butthurt and instantly assuming that himself was right and everyone else (read: Lykos) was wrong, that he'd listen. And try to understand, even if he didn't. Gryphon had hoped that too, and it was all in vain.

It wasn't until Dragon spoke those final words that Lykos' eyes flashed in raw pain... and anger. How dare he? How dare Dragon try to take that away? Only then did Lykos respond, moments before Gryphon himself exploded in anger. "Do you think that will make me want to be by your side?" he hissed. "Do you think that being so closed-minded, that being so insistent that you're right and I'm wrong will make me want to have a relationship with you? This is why I don't. Do you think that behavior, which is all you've shown me in over a year, makes me want to have you as family? No. It makes me ashamed to have you as family, because my own brother isn't even mature enough to listen to other sides of a story. That he isn't mature enough to see other perspectives. That he isn't mature enough to actually care for his family, because if my so-called brother cared... then you'd have listened when I needed someone to listen the most!"

He didn't even know why he bothered answering. He already knew how Dragon would respond. Dragon would respond that Lykos didn't come to Dragon. He would respond by, of course, blaming it all on Lykos. He didn't come to Dragon. He didn't try explaining first. He hid away. He tried leaving. And Dragon would never understand that the reason Lykos didn't approach him was because he couldn't trust his brother. He never could. He couldn't know. He couldn't trust his brother to ever try understanding a different perspective than his own view. He couldn't trust his brother to ever be mature enough to admit it when he was wrong. He could never trust his brother to make an unbiased decision. He could never trust his brother to ever make a decision regarding a situation where someone else was displeased. Lykos would never win this; it was why he never bothered with Dragon... or Kharnage. For all their preaching, they sure as hell turned their back pretty quick. Sure as hell never gave any effort. And when something went wrong, they were all to happy to abandon him and say that of course he was a traitor. And of course he was even more a traitor when he wanted to leave and get out of such a toxic environment.

Lykos' head had slowly dropped where he was staring at the ground, and he lifted his head again at Gryphon's words. He had half been listening, but what Gryphon was saying never really sunk in until Lykos himself was mentioned. Then it sunk in. Gryphon spoke of similar things that Lykos had thought, and on top of that, when mentioning him... he stared at his brother with wide eyes, emotion roiling through them. A mixture of pain, gratitude, appreciation, admiration and love. And when Gryphon officially issued the challenge, Lykos said nothing more, instead silent.

When Gryphon spoke to him, Lykos nearly nodded - until, of course, he realized that Gryphon was still fully focused on his other brother. "I will," Lykos replied just as quietly, before adding sadly, "His reaction is why I want to leave. They all act like that, except you." He twitched at the 'no matter what happens' part, knowing that if Dragon tried hurting Gryphon, Lykos would want to interfere. And he'd be torn, between helping Gryphon, and following Gryphon's wishes. Lykos hoped it didn't come to that.

""

art by birmapus

Avalon

She'd been hunting. Tracking down a deer and her fawn as they trailed through the plains. Lying low to the ground, amber gaze watched them hungrily as she waited for the opportune moment. She felt some twinge of remorse, simply for the fact that she kind of felt bad about hunting down a child and it's mother, but it was prey, and there were a lot of them about this spring. She was unaware of the squabble going on at the borders, unaware that three of her children were about to go at each other in a way she wouldn't like. For now though, she was focused on the prey ahead of her. Her hind legs were slightly bent, haunches almost kissing the ground as she slowly rocked, impatient and hungry, but she couldn't strike just yet. "Avalon!" Her head tilted up to find Tanarag winging towards her, the goshawk pausing just above her with a note of urgency in her voice. "What is it, Tan?" She questioned with confusion. "There's a commotion at the borders, Dragon and your other two boys Lykos, and Gryphon are there and it looks like things are getting heated!" Avalon's brows raised at the names, and without further thought she abandoned her hunt and ran towards the borders. "Lead the way," She ordered. What on earth were her kids getting themselves into? She knew Lykos and Dragon were hot headed, as well as Kharnage...but Gryphon? What was he doing? Her mind raced with all sorts of things, though primarily she thought about Lykos. She hadn't seen him in about a year, and everyday that went by and he wasn't around, she blamed herself. She knew she had gone too far that day, blinded by what that white bitch had told her. In the end, she knew that Mercy was only in it for herself, and obviously had sought to tear the family apart...and in a sense, Avalon felt like she had succeeded that day. Lykos...I'm so sorry... It took her a good bit to get there, since her fight with Mercy, her leg hadn't been the same. The scar was still evident, but it didn't slow her down or hinder her much unless she was running at the pace she was now, and she was going as fast as she could. Tan flew ahead of her, guiding her to the location of her three boys until finally, she could see the three of them near the borders, and as she got closer, she caught the tail end of Gryphon's attempted challenge and Lykos' words. She didn't stop until she was upon them, hackles bristling at the mere thought of them fighting like this. She was angry, and she had every right to be. No mother in their right mind wanted to see her kids fight. "Enough!" She came to a stop between Dragon and Gryphon, tail lashing angrily as she looked at one, and then the other. "There will be no fighting among you!" Her words were laced with anger, though almost breathless as well from her race to get here. "Dragon is not the head of the family. I am." She paused for a moment as she tried to catch her breath, "Creed is as well, followed by my brothers and sisters, as is our right. Just like my Father was, and his parents before him." She remembered the air of command that Gargoyle had, though he was the only one in his litter, he took charge and made the decisions, just like her grandparents. It wouldn't be passed down until she and her siblings died, as well as Creed, Cross, and Crucible. (though she didn't know that Crucible had passed away and that Cross was missing). She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself before she got angry enough to want to open a can of whoop ass on all of them for acting this way. "I did not raise any of you to fight against each other. You are brothers whether you like it or not. If there is an issue then I expect the lot of you to work it out." Her ear flicked back, knowing that at one point or several, she had made mistakes with them before. Lykos especially. At the thought of this, she remained where she was, though her gaze turned to her largest son. "I know I made mistakes before, but I am sorry. Truly, I am. Were it not for me, then this might not be happening." She stopped, deciding she didn't want to say anymore right now. Hopefully, she could catch Lykos before he decided to leave, and if he so chose not to, then she didn't think her heart could bear knowing that her son wanted nothing to do with her. "Dragon, I know you are the alpha, but you are still young and naive. All of you are. Your hearts are in the right place, but it seems things have gotten clouded with everything that happened in the past. Please, stop this. I do not wish to see any of you fight one another, though if it absolutely must happen then let it happen in the boneyard, not at our borders." Though she would prefer that they didn't fight at all. Of course, boys would be boys to some degree...she knew eventually it would come down to it, and if it did, she didn't think she'd have the ability to stop it even if she tried.

ooc// This might be a bit choppy because of all the other responses XD bear with me lol

His mind was made up. Or was it? Almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, he regretted it. He felt pain inside, but he didn't let it show. He couldn't. If he did, then he was sure that his brothers would jump all over that and use it against him. He was always a compassionate creature. Bull headed sometimes, and often took things to another level in his mind, but he never stopped caring about everyone no matter how much he tried to stop. He just...couldn't. Even when Lykos decided to never come around again, even though he felt completely disrespected by his larger brother, even though he'd been so angry about it, he never stopped caring. But in the light of things, his pride sometimes did consume him, and he didn't like to admit when he was wrong. Especially when he was confronted with two of his brothers. Maybe had it just been one, he would have been fine. But even though Gryphon had assured him that they weren't trying to gang up on him, he felt that it had been their plan from the start. He stared hotly at Lykos, his brothers words almost going in one ear and out the other, though mentally he stored them away and they stung. He didn't show it, no. To show that it hurt would make him look weak, and he wasn't about to break. That's what he thought, anyway. He had listened to his mother, all that time ago. Wasn't that what  he was supposed to do? He was questioning himself now, and whether or not he was fit for this position. Part of him felt ready, the other part...not so much. Would it be better if his mother resumed the role of Alpha? He wasn't sure... "You never wanted to be with us." He said simply, words directed at Lykos. His voice held no emotion, though he truly believed that his brother really didn't want to be with them, even from the beginning. And he wondered why he had even shown up to Ivalice. Was it because he had nowhere else to go after Imperium's fall? He never asked. Though he wished he had. But it was too late for that. Then Gryphon decided he would finally speak up, and Dragon directed his attention at him, glaring at him. His hackles bristled, tail lashing, though he didn't feel like responding really. He just wanted this to be done and over with. "If he doesn't want to be a part of the family, then it shouldn't matter if he doesn't have the name. He's still your brother! I'm the alpha, and the decision stands!" He retorted. Really, he believed Lykos didn't deserve to bear the Ancora name. Though he knew this was all happening because things were heated, and none of them were backing down. As he bared his teeth, hackles bristling and tail lashing, he prepared himself to fight with his brother. He didn't want to, but Gryphon had decided he wanted to fight first. Before he could make a move, however, his mother had come to stand between them. "Enough!" He stopped snarling, standing straight again, though his hackles refused to settle down. His tail still lashed with irritation and anger against his legs, but he wouldn't fight as long as his mother stood between them. He knew she'd try to stop it, and that was exactly what she would do as long as she was able to. Ears flicked as she spoke, green gaze diverted away from his brothers to the ground, and slowly it drifted upwards until it fell on the scar left behind from the fight with Mercy. It's all her fault... He thought bitterly. Mercy had started it all, and if it weren't for her then none of this would be happening. He looked away, brows furrowed as his hackles slowly lied flat once again. There weren't many things he did that he regretted in his short life, but he did regret the way he treated his brother and the fact that he wasn't there when he was needed. He listened to his mother, his stance no longer in a fighting pose. He didn't really want to fight his brother, but if they decided they still wanted to then he had no problem meeting them in the boneyard. "If you're gonna leave, then leave. Before I change my mind." He said aloud, referring to his brother's position in the pack. If Lykos didn't want to be here, then he wouldn't hold him here anymore. He wouldn't admit how he felt though. Not now. Not in front of everyone. Green gaze remained averted from the three of them, though he wouldn't be the first to walk away from the scene. He didn't feel like talking anymore, and really didn't feel like dealing with anyone for a while. Sometimes he hated feeling things, but he couldn't help it. He half wanted to talk to Lykos alone, but he wasn't sure what the hell he would say. On top of that, he doubted Lykos ever wanted to talk to him again after this. So he decided he had a new resolve. He'd find Mercy, and he'd make her pay for what she did. It was thanks to her that the rift in the family had started. His mind was set. "Speech"

Ugh I feel like I'm skipping a huge portion of what I wanted for this post but I can't remember. Oh well.

Gryphon didn't back down from his stance, not when Dragon faced him with lashing tail and snarls, nor when Avalon appeared from nowhere to step between them. All he did was transfer part of his attention to their mother, while keeping green eyes fixed grimly on Dragon. His face didn't alter a hair from the determined expression he had worn since he'd come to the conclusion that he needed to take over the family. "I think time has shown that the decisions you have made for the family have not often worked out in the family's favor, Mother," he said firmly, slowly, though not with malice. "If you think you are still making decisions for the family and did not abdicate that when you set aside Talis, fine. So, if you are head of the family, Dragon does not have the power to make decisions for the Ancoras, his decision to attempt to strip my brother of that name is void, and this is between you and I then. As I told Dragon, I will meet any challenge from our family that comes from my decision to do this." He went silent, studying Dragon and watching as the other Ancora boy shifted from angry to... what? Shame? Regret? Irritation? All of the above with some sugar thrown in for good measure? But whatever his brother's feelings on the matter, Gryphon refused to allow himself to be chastised as though he was a child, for choosing to make the logical conclusion when no one else would. He took a deep breath, in and out through his nose, slowly, to settle himself, still watching Dragon. "Avalon Ancora, I believe it is time you retired your position and allowed someone younger and more fit to make decisions for the family." He finally turned his head the minuscule distance from his brother to Avalon, focusing on her fully for the first time. "I love you, Mother, but time and time again your choices have led the whole lot of us nearly into ruin. It isn't logical for you to lead the family any more than it is for Dragon to. The pack isn't Ancora, it is Talis, and if it fails and falls I will make certain our family doesn't die with it. You say we are young and naive, but I think maybe you just don't want to admit that we've grown up. That we may be more able than you are, now. We aren't pups anymore, Mother, and it's time for you to let go. Abdicate control of the family. It's the rational decision." He flicked his gaze over his shoulder briefly to glance back at Lykos, and forced his expression into a faintly encouraging smile, even managed a teasing parting shot, though there was a hint of warning in his voice. He'd been given his freedom, and he knew Gryphon wouldn't allow his name to be stripped from him, so staying any longer simply put him at risk for having that freedom taken back. "I think it's time for you to go, Lykos. I'm sure I'll find you when I go back up north again to track down Mercy for that... discussion. We can talk more then. Maybe you'll even find a real girlfriend by then so you aren't so uptight all the time, eh?" The smile slipped from his muzzle again as he turned back to watching Avalon and Dragon, calm despite the firmness in his eyes and face. ""

And Dragon didn't even care. again, Lykos tried to explain. Even if it was through emotions, he still tried to explain Instead, his brother just focused on the first sentence he said, with narrow tunnel-vision and ignored everything else. Of course he would; Lykos was saying that Dragon wasn't a good brother to begin with. Dragon would ignore anything that threatened to put him in the wrong, and so his brother had very... very selective hearing. And the bastard wondered why Lykos was so bitter and angry towards the family.

The same bitterness flooded his entire body, and he swallowed hard to keep his mouth shut, his eyes sparkling with what was quickly becoming almost hatred. Right now, it was a deep bitterness and resentment. Instead he listened as Dragon spoke to Gryphon, who once again defended his position with stubbornness, aggression and anger. Was there anything that Dragon would do with maturity? With a clear head? With... not assuming he was always right and everyone else was wrong and it didn't matter what was said? Somehow, Lykos didn't think so.

He didn't have time to dwell on it when an overly familiar sight appeared, and the male's body tensed up immediately, even more so than it had been than before. His lip twitched in a suppressed snarl as he stared at the woman. The cause of a lot of issues. and of course, she would immediately try to take over the situation, because she couldn't just well leave them alone, could she? She was the mother and had to watch over her children to make sure they didn't fight, yet she sure as hell didn't have a problem accusing one of her sons of being a worthless traitor! The anger that threatened to burst out was held inside, but it didn't hide the burning look of condemnation in his eyes as he tore them from his mother back to his brother. You know, the one who thought he was right all the time.

It snapped back almost violently at the apology. Was she really? Or was she just sorry that her actions practically lost her another child? Okay, maybe he was being a bit irrational at this point, but it was definitely hard to reign in. Lykos took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. He wondered: if he were to try discussing the same issue with her, would she still insist she was right? Would she try defending her position or would she actually listen? And sad to say, but Lykos couldn't determine which it would be.

Dragon did quickly change his tune when their mother arrived. Who was really in control here? Was it Dragon, or was he just a puppet of his mother? His mother said something. Believed in an instant without further proof. His mother snaps at him. He bows immediately to the lecture. It seemed Dragon was no more an individual than the leaf on a tree, and he wasn't sure Dragon nor Avalon was fully aware of it.

Still, his gaze turned from her to Gryphon, listening while he still spoke. He detailed it precisely, and even respectfully; there was literally no way for her to interpret it as another "traitorous" action. Or so Lykos hoped. Or would she just feel hurt like her kid abandoned her for not being perfectly obedient, and then try to guilt trip Gryphon into backing down? Neither would work. Lykos could see that no matter what their mother did, Gryphon would stand firm on his decision. At least with the way Gryphon worded it, it was clear how he felt, that he still cared, and that he was going for rational and calm.

Something Lykos was unable to do at the moment, and something he acknowledged internally completely and fully. It was hard to really focus on what he was saying with the emotions raging inside of him, but he was able to catch the gist. It revolved around her, and how she no longer was capable of making choices for the family due to how a lot of those choices ended in.... ruin. Lykos could definitely see that, but he remained - tried to - expressionless as he listened.

This was why he respected Gryphon, and why he lost respect for the rest of his family. His mother called them young and naive - something that made his fur bristle briefly - and yet Gryphon deflected it flawlessly, and in a manner that wasn't insulting, just... matter-of-fact. That she was clinging to the fact that they had grown up, though everyone still had learning to do. He made it seem rational, logical, and if she were to take that out... she'd not be seen as abandoning the family, but gracefully standing aside for the new generation.

He was captivated by it, and even a slight smile of approval had appeared on his face, so when Gryphon looked at him, that smile was still there. And when Gryphon spoke, Lykos was appreciative that it wasn't a dismissal, but something... else that he couldn't quite put a word on. Lykos' smile stayed as he gave a single nod of agreement, not bowing to his brother but... respecting what he said. Lykos gave another nod when Gryphon mentioned that they'd talk more later, the smile widening briefly. Yes, they would, and that time it would be a... proper discussion.

That smile quickly dropped off his face at Gryphon's parting shot, his eyes blinking rapidly, a look of pure surprise crossing his face, his jaw evening opening once before closing it, before another smile, a genuine one, lifted the corners of his mouth and he turned away chuckling. Alright, he had absolutely no response to that one. "Take care, brother," he murmured warmly, before turning and walking away without looking back.

-exit Lykos-

""

art by birmapus

She remained silent while he spoke. And while she did not agree with Dragon's attempt at trying to strip Lykos of the family name, it would seem that Gryphon had other ideas. He wanted to challenge for the rights to make the family decisions, and she nearly lost it. Not in the way where she would burst in anger, but at the fact that he saw himself fit for the task. Quite frankly, he didn't deserve to. She didn't think any of the others would listen to him, and who knew what he'd try to do with that responsibility. No. He would not have it. He could challenge all he wanted, but he'd get nowhere. She wouldn't allow that unless she was dead, and she didn't plan on dying anytime soon. "If you want to try and fight for it, you can. But you won't get anywhere." She stated simply. She wouldn't say why, nor hint that the others would more than likely ignore what he tried to do should he decide he wanted to control them all. In fact, she hadn't even really tried to do any of that since she let go of Ivalice. And to top it off, Gryphon was hardly a productive member. He was a hunter, and that was it. He hunted. He called a hunt here and there, but other than that he wasn't really seen around let alone seen doing much. She knew about what had happened when Charm had offered to hunt with him, and the hostility he met her with was uncalled for. She'd grown more serious now, the woman barely caring now as Lykos decided to leave. She wouldn't stop him. "You say I am unfit, and you think you are better for it? I don't think you are. I've seen the way you and Lykos, and even Kharnage have treated your younger siblings. No, you will not take over. I will not give you the chance to rid your siblings of their birth right just because I tried to find a life to live happily. Just because they don't have the same father does not mean they are the trash or whatever you believe them to be. I've done what I could for the good of the family, and we've come this far. If you don't like it, then you can go as well. I am tired of all the fighting and the bullshit." She was slightly taken aback by that last remark. Rarely did she ever curse, but when she did, it was for good reason. She did not feel that Gryphon would be fair. He was protective of the family, yes. But how far would that go until he decided he wanted to take full control of everything and try to do to everyone else what Dragon had tried to do to Lykos? She looked at the two for a moment before snarling and turning around. If they wanted to fight, they could fight. She was tired of trying to be a mediator for everyone and everything, because in the end, they didn't give a shit about all the things she tried to do for them. If they didn't like it, they could leave too. She. Was. Done. -Exit- "Talk" "You" Think