The dark sand coated her paws, the horizon a violent red as she watched the waves roll up the beach. Even in the summer the air here held an edge to it, an unspoken threat of the cold that was yet to come. It reminded her of what used to be, Sea's Plain and the life she'd had there, how it felt like she'd had it all when in reality it had all been a farce. A pretense, an act she'd been playing for so long it had sunk into her skin, felt real in its own right. But she knew herself better now; the world ought to know her too.

The red sky ought to have been unnerving; the foam of the tide looked like blood, like someone had culled all of the sea life and their innards were starting to wash ashore. A waste of good fish, she thought, that was one of her few quarrels with living underground as she had. The few fish that lived in the subterranean ponds and lakes didn't taste quite the same.

Still, she tipped her head back and called out to her son. Didn't know how things had changed here, but knew well enough to make an educated guess. For who was meant to be King aside those of her blood?

Basilisk was beginning to realise that his mother was a flake of a wolf who would turn up every now and then to whine about how perfect she was and how terrible her life was. The moment she had abandoned the pack during the flooding, something in his heart had changed. Changed to both Hanako and Azure, who he no longer aspired to please any longer.

The giant trotted along the beach towards the little white wolf. An alpha, a father. He had stopped being a son when those that had brought him into this world had abandoned him. He wished he could say he felt nothing when he looked at her, but the bitter love and resentment simmered beneath the surface. “Trespassing, mother? I wish I could say it was beyond you.”


"Basilisk"

Hanako turned slightly as Basilisk approached, her tail wagging despite herself with slow and easy swipes. Because she did love her children, as much as someone as selfish as her could at least. His success was her success; and seeing how large and powerful he had become- it was just further proof of what she'd been told, what she truly believed to be true. Her children were special, their bloodline set above the rest.

"There's not a lot beyond me, love." She told him, her voice smooth and sweet. That even at her age she was still beautiful, but not quite as smooth as before, not so effortless. And she knew that a softly soft, forgive me I'm your mother approach wouldn't work. They were beyond that, too many bridges had been burned, too much time had passed. He was a man, not a boy.

Honesty, mask off. She had been educated not to pretend, though it was a hard habit to shake when it was something she'd fallen back on for as far as she could remember. Smile and look pretty, that was all she'd thought she was good for.

"It reminds me of the Long Night." She spoke, watching the horizon, the irony of the world ending vibe at her return was not lost on her. But it didn't have to be a bad omen. She'd given birth to him, no? "But I know you don't need to be afraid, you're not like the rest." She stepped a little closer, careful, because she knew what he was capable of. "Feel as you may, but I'm glad to see you."

He had been born during the long night, he had heard a little of it. His parents senseless and wild from the strange occurrence. His grandmother had sacrificed herself at Samhain, would this strange occurrence bring life or death for his family? Did she mention it on purpose, a reminder of who had birthed him? He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to sit there guessing at his mothers games.

“Father didn’t want to visit?” he asked, ignoring her mention of fear. She was not privacy to what he was or was not afraid of, not anymore. She had given up that right when she had abandoned him during the flooding. He didn’t care if he lived or died then, so why start now? He wanted to tell her that he had children, but he didn’t dare let her in. He held her at arm's length.


"Basilisk"

Hanako's expression sharpened slightly, her brows furrowing at the thought. She was over him, or at least that was what she'd claim- but even then the bitter feelings remained and likely always would. She didn't miss him nor what he had provided, but she was staunchly bitter about the whole thing, that she had trailed after him like a little lost duck, only to be abandoned. Left behind. And had she any sense or desire to self reflect; she would have realised that's exactly what she'd done to her children.

"We're no longer together," she didn't feign a shrug, or try to play it cool as she might have with someone else. She was as open as a woman like her could manage around Bas, she had no reason to lie. "What he wants and doesn't want to do is no longer my concern." She was quick to put the pieces together, Azure had not been here and would likely not receive such a lukewarm welcome as she had. Which was to say blood would have been shed.

So his father had abandoned her as well? He couldn't bring himself to care. Despite remembering how reliant on Azure his mother had been. He sat there a moment, and there were a lot of paths the titan could have taken. In the end, spite won out. He would never admit to it, but perhaps there were too many traits of Hana in him. “Is that why you've returned, Mother? Have all the people in your life abandoned you, have you run out of wolves that will pamper you?” 


He doubted she had returned because she missed him. He had stopped believing she loved him a long time ago. Somewhere along the way, that had been a painful realisation for a boy, a son. But he wasn't finished bleeding her for the hurts she had done to him. “You should leave, mother. Before that ceases to be an option.”

Hanaklo quirked a brow. That was about what she had expected, nor could she hardly blame him. This is the reaction she liked to think she'd have towards Azure if he returned, but she knew he wouldn't and honestly no excuse or line of reasoning he could have would ever possibly be enough. He'd made a choice and Hanako had finally made hers. Better late than never, no?

"Not quite." She moved then, moving further out a little to allow the waves to roll over her paws. She had always liked the ocean, breathed deep as the salt air filled her nostrils. "I joined a pack, I help look after the children." Which objectively true, even if things weren't nearly as reasonable as she'd make them out to be. Had she joined a cult? Kinda!

She glanced over her shoulder, watching his staunch outline, not quite as unyielding as he made himself out to be.

"I won't force myself upon you, if you insist I leave, I will. But I did want to see you, even if not for long." Her tail did a little amiable swish, old habits died hard.

She started to move, further out to the ocean. Warmed by the heat of summer, and pleasant beneath the paws. He took a couple of steps forward, following the shorter wolf. Remembering times as a young boy, learning to fish beside her. It had been a long time since he had fished. Since she had gone?

She spoke again, words inciting something inside of him. She had joined another pack. One of strangers, instead of returning to her children. All so she could look after the pups of others? Was that how little they mattered to her? To her and Azure both. So easy it was for them to walk away from the life they had created.

Basilisk moved suddenly, compelled by rage instead of logic as he leaped at her, aiming to pin her down in the water. “If you refuse to make the right choices, perhaps it's time others made them for you” He snarled at her.

Basilisk vs Hanako for Force Claim (Oops)
Round 1/?
Age: over 1
Size: Paleo species
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Shoulder Spurs
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather Faux Wings
Companion 1: Peregrine Falcon, Female - Flying - Boosted
Companion 2: Miniature reindeer, Male - Battle - Boosted
*Companion 3: Wyrm, Female, 50" - Battle - Boosted
Mutation 1: Bone spurs - Defensive
Mutation 2: Elongated fangs - Offensive
Mutation 3: Lizard eyes- Perception
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Hunter
Specialty: Bloodletter

"Speech"

The right choices? She scoffed, twisting on the spot as the water splashed around her. He didn't understand, made her wonder if he ever would. Perhaps before she would have rolled over onto her belly and begged for forgiveness, but so much had changed and her son simply didn't understand. Maybe he couldn't, simply because he didn't want to.

He was so much like Azure, so quick to anger, even faster to draw his own assumptions without seeing the full picture. Hidden amongst the Col, there was simply so much he didn't know.

"There is so much you don't know, but I won't force you to listen." If she was not welcome, she would leave.

Hanako - Flee Attempt
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Hunter & Master Navigator
Specialty: Scout
Item: go fast juice!

And the flee attempt is...

UNSUCCESSFUL

Hanako has failed her flee and must fight. Speed Roll: 15 Stamina Roll: 28 Balance Roll: 82 Total: 125 Speed[15] + 20% Bonus[3.00]: 18.00 Stamina[28] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 28.00 Balance[82] + 5% Bonus[4.10]: 86.10 Total[132.10] + 25% Bonus[33.02]: 165.12 The flee attempt is unsuccessful!

The water slowed her down, she knew full well she wouldn't be able to make enough distance in these conditions. Annoying. Her ears flattened, tail tucked in frustration as she huffed out a sigh. He didn't understand, and Hanako didn't want to. Would apologies even be enough? Hanako didn't seem to think so, nor did she think- had she really been that bad?

"If you let me explain-" She huffed, darting to the side to attempt to dodge his lunge. Mortis had tried to teach her to fight once, it hadn't even remotely stuck. She didn't want to hurt him and didn't even really know where to start. "Didn't you ever wonder why you're so different, why no one is like you?"

Hanako vs Basilisk for dominance
Round 1/2
Age: over 1
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Companion 1: Tanuki, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Black-billed magpie, Female - Flying
Mutation 1: Agility boost - Agility
Skills: Beginner Hunter & Master Navigator
Specialty: Scout
Item: (remove if none)

What was her angle, what was she getting at? He didn't see it, so he saw no harm in giving her a history lesson, if that was what she wanted. “It’s not that complicated, mother.” He said as he caught up to her. He tried to catch at her nape and pull her back to him. He wasn’t trying to hurt her, just pin her down. Some small part of him was screaming out that this wasn’t how you treated your mother. He bottled it down.

“They breed Grandfather’s family for generations, and breed them for war, as a result theres fucked up shit in his genes. Mortis got the wings of a bird, Indigo got the mane of a lion, and my father got the paws of a bear. My height is a throw back from something they bred” he wasn’t sure what she meant about ‘no one’ being like him. His muts were pretty close to his dad, and his oldest sons even more so. Did she think there was some lesson to be learned by this history? Was she trying to remind him that his grandfather had been a slave? He wasn’t making her a slave. Maybe. Probably.


Basilisk vs Hanako for Force Claim
Round 2/2
Age: over 1
Size: Paleo species
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Shoulder Spurs
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather Faux Wings
Companion 1: Peregrine Falcon, Female - Flying - Boosted
Companion 2: Miniature reindeer, Male - Battle - Boosted
*Companion 3: Wyrm, Female, 50" - Battle - Boosted
Mutation 1: Bone spurs - Defensive
Mutation 2: Elongated fangs - Offensive
Mutation 3: Lizard eyes- Perception
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Hunter
Specialty: Bloodletter

"Speech"

Hanako supposed that was the issue with remaining in Boreas, there was so much he didn't know. She had learned so much, and it made life here feel so...like wasted time, almost. Hanako simply exhaled, this was a fight she knew she wouldn't win. Even as he barrelled in close, teeth bared she just stood there, held her ground, shoulders relaxing with the motion. He could hurt her, rip into her with those teeth of his and it would hurt, but she knew that pain, felt it before. The evidence was easy to see; docked tail, crooked tooth and notched ear.

The suffering had made her stronger, had made her own children what they were because the process had been so awful. Jagged crystals and weeping eyes, memories that didn't even feel like her own. So tiny, found him on the beach, had somehow managed to slip away but brought back into the fold. Even now it caused a faint throbbing to settle in the back of her head when she thought about it, something just out of reach.

To say that his greatness was due to someone else's design, slavery-

"What's so wrong with saying you're special? That you're different. I'm not lying to you, paying you lip service. It's what I believe, what I know. Things have changed and so have I. You will see that." She was still a raging bitch of course. "Bas, we are so much more than what others who made us out to be. And where are they now? Dead." Those slavers, from what Hanako had heard had long since died out, and Hanako's keepers now rotted in the dirt.

Hanako concedes- I'll submit this in judgement lol.

“There's nothing wrong with saying so, mother. So long as you aren’t using this greatness to abandon your responsibilities.” His voice was dry, attempting not to let too much emotion leak through to his words. His parents… they were dysfunctional at best, neglectful and cruel at worst. So easily, they abandoned their children, their family. Perhaps his other siblings would still be here if… if his parents had shown even a small pinch of responsibility for them.

“We are so much more, and where were you? Where's dad? Not here for most of our lives. Your argument is pointless without any commitment to back it up. Come, you might as well know now that you are here that Makara has returned… and I have a wife, and you have grandchildren. The ceremony was beautiful, by the way…” he said, another stab at her absentee parenting.


"Speech"