An itchy feeling of restlessness had invaded her thoughts, unsatisfaction and stagnation crowding her mind in the wake of the siege. All that excitement and energy guttering out with no sustenance. It made her broody. Unpredictable. Dangerous. A large part of her life had been spent alone and feral on the edge of life and death, abandoned and lonely but too driven by survival to focus on her loneliness. Then she'd found Valen, and Imperium, and she'd dove into pack life as though she'd never been anything but tame. But she wasn't, couldn't be. Somehow despite all the odds she'd raised three fine children even though she'd never truly had a family. Neios was the only thing left of the scattered remnants of what had counted for one in her puphood and even he had abandoned her too often - she loved her brother and she craved the closeness he'd promised, but she'd withdrawn her emotions behind a wary barrier masked by her casual insolence and cheekiness. A barrier that three small... well, not-so-small pups had managed to worm their way through. But the lost, feral child still lurked fearfully behind the mask and in the void left by the disappointment of the siege it surged to the fore. The Saxe left her children, and the three Destruction children, sleeping within her (once more expanded) densite to creep silently into the darkness. Away from the knolls that reminded her so of the time she'd been cocooned, swaddled in the safety of a pack and into the range. So much less familiar, so... empty in the darkness. Her ebony coat showed not even a hint of violet in the cold moonlight as she stalked through the still grasses. The good natured, laughing, fun-loving Cascade was faded and in her place the waif who'd been so alone and so afraid and whose fear and loneliness had twisted her so long ago. Her slim body so reminiscent of a saluki's was tensed and poised at the edge of violence. She felt... vulnerable, confused, and her keenly honed need to survive urged to her run again, to escape the closing teeth of the trap that closed around her. But she craved the teeth of that trap, and needed it and more she knew it had already closed and it would kill her to escape it's grasp. Love like no one else had ever inspired in her, not even Neios. How could three noisy, nosy kids get through her laughing indifference to wrap their way around her heart? Was it because they needed her just as much as she needed them? Because they had offered her their love instead of just taking hers? She bit savagely at a moonflower, her confusion bubbling up in a need to defile the beauty of the petals gleaming in the moonlight. Her seduction of Valen was supposed to have been just a fun little tryst, unplanned but just a game and now she had the kids, and they had her heart, and there were these jagged cracks in her armor and she was terrified of what it would do to her to lose that now and that in turn infuriated her. This was all Valentine's fault. She was going to shred his pretty little ears next time she saw him. She wanted to throw her head up and yowl out her confusion and frustration and misplaced aggression but instead she gritted her teeth and lowered her head to continue to push through the grass aimlessly. "OOC: Being kinda vague about the end of the siege because we don't know the outcome of the confrontation with Rainbow and whatever. Anyone's welcome but I don't guarantee that Cascade will be nice. She's in a mood."

ooc:  keeping if vagueish and switching it to Karabela instead of Dægmar since that twit managed to land herself in a DM  xD
ic:

Glistening fangs gleamed in the fading moonlight, slick and smooth against bleached bone.  Karabela lay outside the den, thoughts tumbling through her head as she basked in the warmth of the summer night, gnawing on an old bone her mother had brought for them.  She felt much better being outside instead of swathed in the warmth of her siblings.  She hadn't seen her mother lately.  The older woman was probably still having her wounds tended to or she was stubbornly hunting despite them.  Raba glanced back at the den for a moment before taking off into the shadowy night, golden eyes gleaming as she scampered off in search of her mother.

Nose to the ground she frowned, unable to pick up the scent she was looking for.  Hmm…  well Dægmar was always gone on errands.  Maybe she just needed to be patient.  The warriors had only started trickling back home a little bit ago.  Maybe Hati would let her chew on his hat!  She giggled, knowing such an offense was almost a death threat.  Prancing through the lush grass she suddenly went rigid.  As if time had simply stopped.  Nostrils flared, taking in the air.  Something felt dangerous.  She could feel it more than see or smell it.  Something in the atmosphere hung ominously about her.  Ears flicked lightly before she carried on her way, pausing abruptly when she saw the large, black fae nashing violently at a flower.  That was… Cascade, right?  Karabela debated turning around and heading back but she was far to curious to simply go.  And Dægmar talked highly of Cascade so that meant she had to be cool too, yea?

Taking a few steps closer she spoke. "I have some bones in front of my den, I'll share with you.  They taste better than flowers for sure!"

"Speech"

Blood stained her maw as she worked at picking the coyote apart piece by piece, imagining every inch of entrails to belong to that spineless rat Dione. The siege had been won swiftly. The mere presence of the small band of Imperium wolves sending the oddly colored freaks scattering in their wake. Yet, the warrioress had been looking forward to battle. To win a victory without any struggle was frustrating and she had no stories to share with her children. She could only regale to them what she would've done had she gotten hold of Dione's retreating rear end. In the mean time she could at least bring them a coyote corpse to play with. Dægmar was in the process of dragging the mangled creature back to the densite when she caught Karabela's scent. Oh good grief… she growled lightly. She didn't mind the kids wandering Imperium's packlands during the day but at night they were to stay strictly by the den site. As she neared the source of the scent she caught Cascade's as well and slowly relaxed. She trusted the other woman and doubted the other would harm her daughter, perhaps Cas had stumbled upon her restless daughter and they were out for a walk? Dropping the corpse she spoke, "Raba! You should be in the den sleeping . Run along home and get some rest… I'll have new training for my little warriors in the morning. You don't want to be tired." She pressed a paw into the carcass before moving to lick her daughter's head and nudging the girl back towards the densite. Once she was out of site the mottled woman turned her emerald gaze to Cascade. "I hope she wasn't troubling you… boy... you look like you could use something to chew on, hm? Want to help me mangle some assorted wildlife?" Dægmar may not have been the most sensitive wolf but it was clear something was eating at the other woman. Was it mere disappointment at the lack of blood shed in the siege or something deeper?

The small voice startled her, coming out of nowhere, and she spun on the small creature. But it was just one of Daegmar's small children, and for a moment she didn't know what to do. "Maybe some other time, sweetie," she finally managed with a forced smile. But now what? Shoo? Run along home so I don't have to worry about hurting your feelings?

She was saved from figuring it out when the child's mother appeared dragging a coyote corpse. She sent the girl off herself, and Cascade grudgingly inclined her head in thanks. She didn't want to thank anyone for anything today. Polite wasn't something she wanted to do. The offer to mangle wildlife with her, though, coaxed a less forced smile. "Nothing could appeal to me more right now." But she hesitated, eyes darting toward the horizon where, some distance away, her kids rested, and her paws clawed restlessly at the grass below her. Abruptly she asked, "Daegmar, how do you feel about your kids?"

Cascade agreed to go mauling with her and the mottled wraith grinned maliciously. Excellent! What to go after next though? Another coyote? Maybe an unfortunate lone wolf? Deer? Rabbits? ….. squirrels? Dægmar pawed absent-mindedly at the coyotes stomach, savoring the squishing noise as she waited for the adrenaline to ebb. It made it difficult for her to simply stand still. However as Cascade began to speak, Dægmar froze, emerald eyes examining the other woman. What the fuck had happened that she would ask Dægmar that? Oh lord…. had something happened to Cascade's children while they'd sieged that mutated green fruit cup? Dægmar's paw settled back on the ground, breaking connection with the corpse she'd been using as a toy. "What do you mean?" It was a rhetorical question meant to buy time though at the same time she was asking for clarification. She was asking why Cascade was asking her this. Her first inclination was to brush it off jokingly but she could tell from the other faes mannerisms that this was no time to play jokes. Face hardened as she met Cascade's gaze. "I'm not mother material. I never ever planned to be. Most of my previous litters…. well it's complicated. Let me say that this recent litter is the first I've ever bothered to raise myself. I view them as my warriors and I as their leader. I will instruct them and look after them as best I'm able but I have expectations in return." She shrugged, uncertain if this was even remotely the answer Cas was looking for. The two of them were on completely different planes when it came to rearing young. "But if you mean more than that… well… what can I say? I guess I'm proud of them. Their obedient, focused for their age and they listen well. Their trust in me is a little alarming though I'm sure that will change when they become teenagers." Dægmar took a careful step forward. "Cas… did something happen? Of all the things you could ask me, why that question?" "Speech"