With summer settling in the North, the landscapes had undergone striking transformations. The permafrost had finally thawed in his Father’s territories, revealing an array of foliage decorated in bursts of color. The winter chill had finally broken too, replaced by a gentle breeze that carried warmth and new scents. A welcoming change indeed. Zagan had spent much of the season’s beginning wandering through The Syndicate’s domain, content with inspecting every change. But, just like any pup, his curiosity was outgrowing him. He found himself wanting to explore the neighboring territories of the North, to experience metamorphosis occurring in each surrounding area.

Leaving midmorning, Zagan heads East of the Sparse Pines, entering a forest littered with giants that are centuries old. He’s surrounded by colossal trunks, the reddish bark seeming to touch the sky, forming a canopy of lush, green foliage. True to his age, he’s in awe as he stares up at the giants, mesmerized by their size, and how they seem to consume the space around them, dominating it with their presence. Beside him, his Panther is surveying their surroundings, trying to predict any shifts in the atmosphere. They seem to be alone, for the time being- unaware of the tiger prowling through the forest, looking for its next meal.

"Zagan Saxe"

Citadel had been hunting a duck. It had started in Armada territory, at the edge of the Col. but the moment he moved, it had reacted. Squawking and gliding just above the ground, towards the water that skirted the edge of the Red Forest. He chased after it, leaving the Armada behind without a second thought. A decision that would likely get him in a great deal of trouble later.

The duck landed on the surface of the lake, far enough to make hunting it a lost cause. Scowling, he turned towards the trees. He needed to get back into the Armada before he was missed. But first, he could catch the scent of something… something that told him another wolf was in these words. With a mischievous grin, the young boy started hunting again. This time, he was hunting wolf. He followed the scent as it led him through the trees until he could see he purple, spiky creature it had originated from. He stalked as quietly as he was able through the foliage, wondering how long it would take him to be seen.


"Citadel Fatalis"

For some time, Zagan was alone - well, aside from the companionship of his panther and raven - meandering through the redwoods, mesmerized by the giants that called this forest home. But his solitude would not last forever. A set of gold, peering eyes was watching him from the underbrush- a curious pup, one close in age to Zagan. But he was not the only creature interested in the young Saxe. A second pair of golden eyes was watching him from behind a redwood, belonging to the tigress that was prowling the woods in search of a meal. His panther picked up on both intruders, but her concerns were with the tiger, not the pup. A snarl rippled through her, her hackles raising as she gravitated closer to Zagan. Moments later, the tiger was leaping out of the underbrush, squaring off with Zagan’s panther and eyeing the delectable, purple treat it was trying to protect.

Pressing against his panther’s foreleg, Zagan puffed up his pelt, flashing his growing saber fangs and locking his eyes with the tiger. A jolt of adrenaline coursed through him, the air crackling with electric tension as he made his intentions clear. If the tiger attacked, he would fight it too.

"Zagan Saxe"

When the panther that walked beside the pup suddenly snarled, he thought the game was up. He coiled his haunches, prepared to pounce on the spikey purple boy, when he realised their attention wasn’t on him at all. He wasn’t sure what to make of that, but let his own gaze trail in the right direction.

Just in time to see the tiger, as it leaped from the underbush towards ‘his’ prey. Citadel, who absolutely thought he was invincible, leaped out of the bushes this time, his attention wasn’t on the purple wolf. He landed beside the pup, his own height already bigger than that of the quilled wolf. He leaned forward on his heavy-set bear paws and snarled threateningly at the tiger. Daring it to try them.


"Citadel Fatalis"

Pressed against his panther’s foreleg, Zagan was preparing himself for an onslaught, anticipating the need to drive the tigress away, if it didn’t back down. It would be tough for the two of them, but Zagan was somewhat versed in fighting large cats- he sparred with his panther often, and had run into the pack's tigress, Azoula, a few times. But this was different- the tiger was searching for a meal. It was out for blood. So it wasn’t going to back down so easily.

The tiger crept forward, ready to lunge again- but a sudden flash of grey and blue stopped it, as a larger, but younger male wolf jumped out of the bushes, and stood bedside Zagan. He was taken by surprise, but he was also intrigued- the boy seemed younger than him, but he was bigger than him. But the Saxe didn’t have time to dwell on it- the tiger was coming at them again, swiping a large paw at his panther, trying to draw it away from the two wolf pups. Zagan snarled and lunged forward, biting onto the tiger's other foreleg while its attention was focused on his panther. He wouldn’t let it get away so easily.

"Zagan Saxe"

Citadel, despite being in numerous fights, was yet to learn anything about how fragile a pup could be. He was grinning with excitement as the tiger made a play, swiping for the panther of the unfamiliar pup. It seemed the perfect moment to him.

While the enemy cat was distracted, he leaped forward, aiming down its side before turning suddenly, and extending his claws. He swiped them at the side of the orange creature, near its shoulders. He lowered his head, prepared to take any retaliating swipes on the crystal nubs still in the growing phase on his forehead.

At that same moment, his bear came crashing out of the woods, clearly having followed him. A little older, and a little taller for the moment, it ran towards the back of the tiger. Extending his arms, Rook grabbed the cat by his back hips, and physically dragged it back from the puppies.


"Speech"