The air was tinged with a sickly sweet aroma. The autumn sun, the constant rain, and the natural progression of fruit trees brought with it a particular flavor. There was something off about the way the air smelled, but it was also tantalizing. A soft hum lined the edge of every breath the wolf took. He inhaled deeply, tasting the essence with the finest of pallets. The acidity, the zing, the sourness, he relished it all. The aromas rolled around on the back of his tongue, soaking into his olfactories. Before long, he was drowning in the smell. The wolf of fire could almost not believe his eyes. His noes had neglected to tell him of the plethora of prey that gallivanted into the black hole of fermenting fruit. Of course, the ungulates were rather particular. From his vantage point, he watched as they were choosy. Not this one, not that one, but this one. If the fruit was too bruised, or too ripe - in the way that man would see fit - they mozied around the specimen. If it was just right, only a few bruises, still crisp to the bite, then it would be devoured. "And why shouldn't they be picky?" The wolf mused. His voice rolling from his parched tongue. The orchard offered both drink and meal. It made the wolf a little eager. He inhaled deeply, held the breath and let it out slowly. Composure was once again restored. Though he longed to hunt down a deer for himself, it was unlikely that he would be successful alone. He doubted the fruits would do him any good. Well, if he picked the leftovers, he might have a better time than just good. Stilling near the edge of the forest and river he contemplated his choices.   "Let the darkness sleep"

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speech Thought

He was in a mood again today, still nettled by the betrayal of his family, in particular his uncle. He had seen great potential in the two pups he had met in Ruina but clearly their uncle had other plans for them. A shame really, they were born and bred warriors, and they would be living among a herd of sheep!

He swatted a rotten pear from his path and watched as it exploded against a tree in a splash of sickly-sweet pulp. He shook out his fur and snorted his distaste before he continued to skulk through the orchard. He needed a distraction. The browsing animals seemed a likely candidate for his venting, but he was no hunter and had never killed anything he couldn’t break the neck of with his own might. The promise of red hot meat was alluring, but on his own he stood little chance, in spite of his size.

By chance he glimpsed the red male who seemed far too content simply watching the animals pick their way through the turned fruit rather than chase them. He supposed, if nothing else, a conversation would do to get his mind off his uncle and his half siblings.

“Greetings.” He spoke into the silence, doing little else to announce his presence. It seemed he started every conversation he had now with the same word, what he earned from each interaction however differed greatly.

There were victims among the herds. They just didn't know it yet. The wolf was calculating, plotting, deciphering a pattern as he watched so contently by the wayside. The image he had painted on his face was one of bliss with perhaps a hint of, was that cheer? It appeared that as so. The wolf was brewing up quite the different story on the inside. Funny how a mask could hind all the horror, all the gore. The orchard would be red if he only could have his way. Alas, without the aide of another, he was stuck watching and waiting for the illest, lamest prey he could spot. Valkorion's concentration was pulled in a new direction. His head moved slowly, his eyes remaining on the herd for a moment longer, his lids narrowing as he held onto the image just a second more. When he finally relinquished his gaze he wasn't disappointed. My, my, my, someone must have heard my hunger. He mused. "Good afternoon," handsome. That almost slipped out. Careful, careful, careful, Valkorion. You can't let your flattery show too early. "Tell me, what do you find more satisfying, fermented fruit, or warm meat?" he posed the stranger a question. If he was honest with himself, he hopped the man said both. A little beer with your meal was never a bad decision. While he waited for the answer he took note of the brute in front of him. He looked fit, healthy, and of course easy on the eyes. Something about a monochromatic man with toned edges brought a flutter to Valkorion's heart. The polar opposite was true when it came to the female sex. Those porcelain dainty women brought the devil out in him. Something about the purity they visually (and more often than not, actually) represented sent cravings throughout his body. Little sparks of electricity sizzled through the air and alluring eyes settled upon their new quarry. "Let the darkness sleep"

Tyranis couldn’t remember the last time he ate deer meet, on the Maw it had mostly been goats and before that he and Rain could only manage to kill small game. The thought of hot red meat now and the sweetbreads of a deer’s organs had him salivating, and he licked his chops with anticipation, but something the man said had caught him off guard. “I can help you hunt, but why would I want fermented fruit?” Even in all his travels Tyranis had never experienced the numbing warmth of alcohol or the sweet weightlessness of intoxication. The suggestion that he eat rotten fruit struck the lightning king as a suggestion to eat dung and his hackles raised slightly at the prospect, but he would wait until the man answered before he made any judgement "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

It had been an accident. The day had been hot and his venture too far. He thirsted more than he hungered and the fruit was far too tempting. It didn't look bad. The pear was still a pear just mushy, but he was young, dumb, and bold. What could have gone wrong? Several soggy pears later and he learned a valuable lesson. All things were excellent in moderation. He watched as the man's face turned sour and he shook his head as he pushed himself to his paws."Have you ever had too much of a painkiller herb? That sweet numbness that makes you forget?" He shrugged as he looked back out over the herds, "Fermented fruit has a similar effect," the Red Man's words trailed off as he leaned forward a little more. His eyes narrowed, ears swirling forward as he became hyper-focused for a moment. If the stranger near him said anything, he might not have heard more than mumbles. "If you are offering, there is a lame doe just outside the thicket of trees. An old, metal thing just to her left." He didn't know what a truck was, but the remains of a rusted heap of metal, all fabric stripped away and plastic baked into something unrecognizable were nearly cloaked in untrimmed grasses. "She has just the slightest limp to her back right leg, a stiffness in the knee." The rubies that sat in his skull shifted to the other man. "Do you run, or do you strike?" He asked as he formulated a plan. "Let the darkness sleep"

He cocked his head at a pear. Fruit had only ever been a small treat for the man, maybe even something refreshing on a hot day, but never had he heard of fruit being used to numb pain or lose memories. He’d hold the man to it, and would savage him if it had just been a ploy to mock him. He pushed the thought away as the male targeted the doe, her head bobbing as she walked on her bum leg, with the fruit forgotten he smiled keenly. “Run.”He responded resolutely, his eyes locked on the doe. In spite of his brother’s skill Cloud and him had only ever hunted rabbits together. The thought of wishing his brother could be here right now to aid the man and himself ached in him, but he would not show it. Tyranis slipped away from the man, moving with all the silent fluidity of a snake as he slipped into the tall grass. He was larger than most but he had found that deer only truly panicked when they scented the adrenaline of a hunter in their midst. With his head lowered he stalked toward the deer, and halted behind the strange heap of metal as he waited for the red stranger to get into his own position "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

The dark man was to the point. The red man found that a little dry, but also refreshing. He was not drowned with a flood of needless points of evidence. Instead, he was given a fact and the other held his word firmly as he began to slip off and into the shadows of the herd. Valkorion watched him for a few seconds longer, just to make sure he was moving towards the herd and not leaving. It would have been a cruel thing to do, to give a lone wolf the hope of a solid meal only to leave him in their prints. The dethroned prince moved off, he trotted with a haste to get himself in position. He paid the herd little attention as he skirted around them and in exchange, they showed him no interest save for a few. Their attention faded from the vanishing red creature quickly though. Valkorion slowed his pace as he entered the trees. The autumn wolf blended into the fallen leaves that littered the ground. Near a bush, he sank. His hind legs coiled like springs, his ears lowered and pressed into his skull as his eyes narrowed sharply. The pinpricks of his pupils locked onto the obvious deer. She grazed carefully, picking and prodding at the grass and fruit under her and in the shade of the trees. On patient paws, he waited. "Let the darkness sleep"

Like a bolt of lightning Tyranis shot from his cover and landed at the deer’s side, his jaws snapping threateningly as the doe tore away in fear. The rest of the herd scattered but Tyranis gave them no mind. He herded the doe like a shepherd, darting from side to side as she attempted to make her escape, all the while heading closer and closer to the waiting male. Tyranis noticed that the doe’s movements seemed delayed and for a brief moment he wondered if something other than an injured leg weakened the deer. “The fruit.” His thoughts supplied and he supposed that stood as proof that the male hadn’t been lying to him. "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Out of all the character traits that Valkorion possessed that were vices, lying wasn't one of them. The deer moved with a staggered step. Her footing wasn't sure of itself, and her previous injury was making it worse. Still, on her nimble hooves, she was able to make turns that wolves just couldn't quite produce. At least, not wolves the sizes of the two hungry males. The stranger did his best to direct the doe into the treeline where awaiting jaws licked hungrily. It was both anticipation and actual need that left the red man salivating. When the doe was within ten yards, the wolf sprang forward. He darted from the shadows coming at an angle from the right and head on. The elongated pupils of the deer widened as the second wolf came into her view. She all but forgot about the first at her heels. Snapping jaws viciously lunged out at the deer as their distance closed. She hit the breaks, her injured leg causing her dodge to stumble. The deer tried to pull away, to dart between the pair leaving them hungry, but her drunken movements caused her to slip and fall to her side. Valkorion's jaws were met with frantic hooves, but the back of the deer was open. "Let the darkness sleep"

Tyranis was on the deer in an instant, his powerful jaws closing on the back of her neck and holding the doe while she kicked and mewled in fear and pain. The doe attempted to flail free but Tyranis held her still, a snarl rippling from his throat. Soon she expended herself with panic and exhaustion overtook her. She laid still, breathing heavily, the white walls of her eyes rolling in blind panic to see her attackers before they dealt their fatal blows. Tyranis adjusted his grip on the doe, his fangs sinking into the tender flesh of her throat. The doe struggled once to break free, but the cut of oxygen and the weight of exhaustion proved far too much for her. A span of three minutes passed before the deer stilled entirely. Tyranis opened his jaws and the doe’s head hit the earth with a dull “ thump”. The kill had been his and his natural dominance overtook any diplomacy he’d had. Without hesitation he tore into the doe’s belly and began to feat. He raised his head to lick his chops and finally addressed the stranger. “Not bad.” He mused. “What is your name hunter?”He asked before he continued to feat. He raised his head again after pulling the doe’s organs from her carapace and claiming them resolutely by placing his paw on top of them. “I am Tyranis Praetor, leader of Erövrare. I could use a hunter like you.” "Talk"  Thought "You"

The sharp hooves of the doe clashed with the air near Valkorion's face. The wolf snarled, his lips pulling back as an ivory cage flashed with vehement. The wolf's tail stood tall as he reared his head back and out of the deer's reach. Hackles on end he had to reposition himself. The other male took this time to his advantage. He sank his fangs into the doe's neck and held on. The red man kicked off the ground, moving down the length of the deer to its hindquarters. He waited for the deer to kick before he lunged forward. The wolf's teeth snapped down on the crook of the deer's right leg, the leg in the air. His teeth and body weight pressed into the animal to hold it down while the dark male positioned his jaws over the deer's throat. The two waited. Their weight and clamped jaws draining the life from their prey. Eventually, the kicking and fighting stopped. The head of the animal slumped to the earth and a final kick was given before Valkorion released his grip. Licking his lips he stepped back from the kill. His tail flicked as the other male shoved his way into the stomach of their kill. This brought a growl from the fiery wolf. His muzzle curled into a snarl. He pushed with way down into the animal. This was just as much his kill and he had every right to it as the other male. Bloodied jaws racked at the chance for a tender morsel. When the dark man pulled away, a juicy organ in tow, Valkorion fished his head deeper inside the carapace. He pulled out a meaty bit as his ears picked up the other's words. "Valkorion Agnivo, and is that so?" He pulled his head from the kill his eyes moving to Tyranis. "Tell me of your pack, Tyranis. Let me here why my skills are best suited for you." Valkorion was the buyer, and he wanted a deal. "Let the darkness sleep"

He sank onto his belly, his paws protectively flexed over the cache of viscera he had chosen for himself. He licked his lips idly and began to scissor at the stringy meat with his fangs. “Erövrare favors the strong.” He said coldly, his blood dipped muzzle curling back in a smile. “The strong take what is theirs by right, and defend only the strong. Join me and you will be defended by those you defend for whatever you feel is within your right." Tyranis knew selfish men when he saw them, but with the right leader even a lone wolf could become a working member of a pack, more so if they had the strength of others to aid them. “Tell me Valkorion, is my impression of you wrong? Are you not a strong man who takes what they please?” "Talk"  Thought "You"

The wolf's tongue rolled from his maw. It lapped at the edges of his muzzle until the blood was cleaned from the edges. His nostrils flared as he inhaled the sweet, intoxicating aroma of a fresh kill. He felt at home with the stench of blood flooding his sense. Only one other was able to draw his attention, Tyranis. The male's offer sounded tantalizing. Whatever you feel is within your right. The words repeated in Valkorion's head until they were just a hushed whisper."Well, don't you know the way to a man's heart?" he huffed a soft chuckle. The red man's head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed at Tyranis' next statement. "You've made no miscalculation in my desires. I merely needed to know what was in it for me." He paused for a moment, taking a shallow breath before he nodded. "I shall join this Erövrare of yours. You should know I've already taken what I deem as mine. Remi is a mouse of a thing, scared and timid but fiercely loyal. I will not abandon her by the wayside. She is mine to do as I wish." Valkorion felt a strange protectiveness over Remi. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was her pathetic demeanor. Too many would take advantage of her, and if anyone were to exploit her, it was to be him. "Let the darkness sleep"

Tyranis had taken the concept of owning those that were far too weak to fend for themselves from his father, it pleased him to know that others welcomed the concept. Abaven had never considered owning slaves, they had been far too accepting of the natural weakness of others to believe that some wolves had a right to others. “I accept you into my ranks.” Tyranis said boldly, his golden eyes still flickering with bloodlust from their kill. Erövrare was growing strongly, it wouldn’t be long before the pack was raised and they took the south. “In a few days I will raise the pack on the battlefield, meet me there and bring your mouse. You will see your fellow packmates and together we will hold claim in the south.” He paused then “But I warn you-“ He said softly, suddenly deathly serious “Erövrare is not a pack you can simply use as a guard to do as you please, you will have to reciprocate and defend others as well.” "Talk"  Thought "You"

"Of course," the red man nodded firmly to the dark knight. "There is give and take in all things. I would expect nothing less," his voice was just as serious as his partners. Valkorion had no intentions of parading across this continent on a warpath. Even with his brother, unknowingly at this time, looming just North, he would do things diplomatically. He had no desire to stay at the low of the ranks within Erövrare either. He had no wishes to rule the pack, but he would not allow himself to be ruled over by anyone who was not worthy. Ultimately, that had been one of the leading factors in his actions back home. With the quiet of the orchard falling between them, Valkorion let his head drop back down into the carapace of the doe. He gnawed and ripped at the flesh and bones. His teeth picking and pulling apart the meat as he went about filling the void in his stomach. "I shall await your call," he spoke between bites and licks. Eventually, the wolf felt the bulge in his stomach and the contentment that came with it. He would snag a final chunk of meat for Remi before he nodded to Tyranis and began to make his leave. -Valkorion Exits, unless Tyranis stops him.- "Let the darkness sleep"