Standing on the border between the knolls and the forest, Valentine tipped back his head and howled for Mercy. Recent events led to his decision to call her to him. Despite her age she was doing well in her chosen field. Her eagerness to defend Imperium impressed him, as did her desire to better her skills. To say he was pleased with Dione's rescue would be an understatement. She routinely went above and beyond her rank and it was time she was recognized for it. Not expecting a long wait, the brute sank to his haunches anyway. He'd been making his rounds since before sunrise and while his body was largely accustomed to the constant movement it wouldn't hurt to give his paws a brief respite.    "Talk" Think "You"

She had been stalking a groundhog when the howl came for her, ears perking up at the sound of it. Valentine was calling? Her heart pounded in her chest quickly, but there was no urgency in it. Ah, good. She just hoped that she hadn't done something wrong. Eying her prey, she knew that she was close enough to just catch it. Maybe Valentine would appreciate the little snack. So she pounced, killing it quickly and taking it with her. She wasn't too far away from the border of the range, so it only took her a few minutes to trot up to him. Dropping the still warm prey at his paws, she sat in front of him and looked up, a small smile on her face. Elongated white tail curled around her flank as she licked the blood from her chops. "Here, Mister Alpha man," she teased softly, although there was actual respect in her tone as she dipped her head. "Anything I can do for you?" Mercy was more than eager to please, and if there was a fight in mind, she wouldn't say no to that. The last fight she had been in was a maim with that little boy at the death match, and that had seemed to go okay. Plus, he didn't hold her back.

Mercy was quick to heed his call. In no time at all she was before him and dropping the portly body of a groundhog at his paws. "Here, Mister Alpha man," she teased, eliciting an amused snort from him.  "Thank you, Mercy." "Anything I can do for you?" the young Legionary queried. Valentine nodded. "As a matter of fact, there is." He was proud of her and it was about time she knew it. He let his statement hang in the air for a moment, impishly hoping that she'd sweat the seconds, and then parted with the words, "Keep up the good work. I've been very impressed with your actions as of late and I just wanted you to know that."    "Talk" Think "You"

He thanked her for the food, and she simply gave him a curt nod. It was no problem at all, really. She needed to hone in her hunting skills anyways, it would be easy enough to go and hunt for something else. Maybe a bird or something... she would sure look pretty with some black feathers tucked behind her ear. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Valentine said that there was something indeed that she could do. He paused though, which instantly made the girl nervous. Did she do something wrong? Squirming in her seat a bit she chewed on her lower lip, the anticipation was driving her mental. So when he said that she just needed to keep up the good work, she let out a quick breath as her long tail thumped on the ground. That she could do. Mercy really wanted to do well here, to show everyone that she was not going to be weighed down by her past. Just because she left her parents, it didn't mean she was a bad kid. She blushed softly under her pale cheeks, ears flickering with delight. "I'm glad that you think so, Valentine. I really would do anything for this pack, and for you," she said softly. But soon she fell into a bit of a silence, her head bowing down slightly. Letting out a soft sigh, her ears pulled back as she slowly glanced back up at her Alpha. "I do have a question though... about The Range..." her voice had grown quite quiet, a softness in her tone that even she wasn't used to. "Was there a pale woman with black markings like mine, but shorter? She has a long tail too, and is usually with a multi-coloured male with the same markings as Revenge on his face." There was no hope in her voice, although there was a slight edge of fear. If her parents were held captive here... she wouldn't wish to see them.

"I'm glad that you think so, Valentine. I really would do anything for this pack, and for you." Pride caused his chest to tighten. Her loyalty continued to impress him. She was rapidly becoming someone he felt he could trust the safety of the pack with. He found himself nodding in gratitude and then Mercy lapsed into silence. Curiously Valen's gaze sought his Legionary's. "I do have a question though... about The Range..." Her voice dipped and he found himself suddenly wary of whatever it was that could cause her to lose her confidence. "Was there a pale woman with black markings like mine, but shorter? She has a long tail too, and is usually with a multi-coloured male with the same markings as Revenge on his face." Ah, so that was it. A fae with a long tail and similar markings and brute with the same thing. Parents? Well, the pair had to come from somewhere. "No there wasn't." His tone neutral and unassuming, he queried, "Why do you ask?"    "Talk" Think "You"

His voice was level and calm, and she found herself letting out a soft breath of air. Good. They wouldn't really have a place to go to anyways, she kind of destroyed their den. But he asked why she had wondered, and her ears lay flat against her skull. Casting her purple gaze away from him she shifted on her front paws, clearing her throat slightly before looking at anything but Valentine. "I grew up in the Range, was born there. Until I left by choice," she said, her voice as hard as stone. She knew that Valentine knew little about her past, that when Dione brought her to him, she had been claimed an orphan. But it was by choice. It had been her own thoughts that drove her away from her family. Just the thought of them brought her hackles standing up, her lips curling back into a snarl. "My father slept around, but she was still devoted to him. Practically bowed down to him, really. But she grew upset, and when Ellis went missing from our lives well... She went crazy. She went out and started to collect puppies, apparently me and Revenge were no longer enough to fill that void. She hardly paid any attention to us at all. Neither did our father, he was too busy going out to fuck over whores." She let out a laugh that was without humor, her harden gaze cut back towards Valentine. "I knew I was worth something, so I left to find that worth. I found that here. As soon as you claimed the Range, I was worried I would have to face them again. I wasn't sure if you had claimed them or not...." Her shoulders shrugged, a sigh slipping from her black lips. She hadn't meant to burden Valentine with all of this, but it felt nice to get it off her chest.

The response he got wasn't one he'd been expecting. Mercy's behavior quickly took on a furtive quality, her eyes roving everywhere but him and when she finally spoke her voice was razor sharp. She went on to explain a bit about herself and her family; about how she'd grown up in the Range and the dynamics of what sounded like an unhealthy family life. As she spoke her tone got harder until the rage she felt manifested in an aggressive display. Through all of it Valentine remained silent, content to let Mercy purge her toxic feelings. He understood the need to vent even if he hadn't ever done it himself. Instead he chose a far less healthy approach, one whose by-products were easily seen in the claiming of the Range. "I've seen neither hide nor hair of your parents," he assured her carefully. As for the rest of her explanation, he had no idea what to say. The brute thought about telling her a bit about his childhood, about how he'd been abandoned repeatedly, how his father had been absent, how he'd wandered for a season in a fog of despair and self pity. How he'd resorted to unhealthy habits and the companionship of unsavory characters. But he didn't. She needed to vent and he was happy to listen. "And if they are wise they'll never return." "Out of curiosity, if I had taken them, what would you have done?" He genuinely wanted to know and had no ulterior motives for asking.    "Talk" Think "You"

He seemed rather content to let her ramble on, and she was thankful for that. Not once did he break her angry rant, even though she was pretty sure that her anger was out of line. But thankfully he told her that he hadn't seen them and that they were hopefully smart enough to not come back. Slowly her anger started to vanish, a huge sigh rushing out of her lungs as she started to relax. Finally she looked at him, a tiny smile teasing her lips. At least he wasn't angry with her for hiding this fact, but it wasn't really a big deal, or so she let on. When Valentine asked her what she would have done if they were here, she tensed up a bit and paused. What would she do? Fallen silent as she thought, she shuffled her weight across her paws. He didn't seem to be mad about it, just curious. "I'm not actually sure... I mean they wouldn't have a den to come back to. I erm, kinda destroyed it," she said sheepishly, a blush heating up under her pale cheeks. "I wouldn't question your choice, but I would avoid them like a rotting corpse. And probably warn you that they might be useless and my father might hump all your woman." There was scorn in her words, a bitterness that would not soon be forgotten. In her mind, they had never loved her. She had no idea just how devoted to her they had been. If they had, then her father wouldn't sleep around and her mother would have been content with just her and Revenge. "Maybe scream and yell a bit. Stomp around and act like a child." Mercy shrugged her shoulders, letting out a tired sigh. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, my past isn't something I really bring up... like ever."

"...I erm, kinda destroyed it." He regarded her curiously, noting the blush that colored the skin at the base of her ears and presumably her cheeks. It was implied that the destruction of the den had been on purpose, perhaps even in a fit of rage. Considering how frustrating her relationship with her family sounded, the demolition had probably been cathartic. "...and my father might hump all your women." This statement caught him off guard and in response Valentine let out an explosive, surprised snort and a laugh. "If it's any consolation, it would be the last humping he did." What was his was his and his alone. The penalty for taking what was his was emasculation. No exceptions. "Maybe scream and yell a bit. Stomp around and act like a child." Fair enough.  "Sounds reasonable, all things considered. And don't worry about it. I understand wanting to be... " For a second his mind stalled and he struggled to find the words to convey how he felt about his own past. He shook his head in frustration. "Wanting to be your own person. Not wanting to be defined by where you've been, what you've done or where you've come from." He hesitated, then, "I know the relationship between alpha and member is often a very formal one, but..." But what? Let me be an exception? Think of me as a friend, a confidante? Thinking it felt silly, so why should saying it be any less ridiculous? Nevertheless he pressed on. "If you ever need to talk, don't hesitate to consider me."    "Talk" Think "You"

His snort startled her, it wasn't a sound that she was really expecting to hear from him. Ears quivered in alarm, her face growing taunt for a moment before she relaxed at his statement. She had always had a feeling that Valentine was possessive of what was his, but those words pretty much confirmed it. And yet, even though it might frighten others, it calmed her. She knew that she was safe here, and that no matter what that Imperium was her home. Shoulders slumped slightly as she grew weary, her anger having drawn almost everything out of her. "Its a lot of consolation, really. I know that I am safe here, I have never doubted that. But now I feel more secure... if that makes any sense." she offered awkwardly. She still felt bad for snapping like that, even though it wasn't directed at him it had still been near him. Mercy had a lot of respect for this man, and showing him that had been a bit of a downfall.

The more her alpha spoke, the more at ease she felt. Visibly her body started to relax, until she flopped down on to her belly. Pale head rested on her paws as purple eyes looked all the way up at the mountain of a man, waiting for him to finish his thought. He seemed to be hunting for the right words, trying to place a few thoughts together. But when he did, she found herself nodding along with him. "Exactly. Just because they were one way doesn't mean that I have to flow through the same path. I have my own choices and dreams, and my past just... holds me back. I don't want to be ruled by it any longer. I have this pack, you, and Revenge is here with me. Really, what more could I ask for?" It wasn't a question that really had an answer, but just thoughts. Raising her head off her paws, her elongated tail thumped on the earth a few times. Man, this really had made her feel better.

Valentine however, was not done. He went on to explain that he was here for her, even though he was her alpha. The girl giggled, a true smile spreading wide across her face. "I really appreciate it Valentine, there are not many wolves that I have come to lean on. I am sure Revenge's shoulder will soon grow weary," she teased. "and if you ever need someone to bite the appendages off of anyone, you know to call me."

In the sense of being safe physically, no, her statement didn't make much sense given her prowess, but as for her emotional security? That made sense and Valentine could relate. When confronted with his father, Valentine had found himself wholly unprepared for the emotional wound the encounter uncovered. He'd been sent reeling, sent into an emotional tailspin that had been hard to recover from. Her deepened sense of security definitely made sense. Once she was done speaking Valentine mirrored Mercy's movements and sank to his stomach with one exception: he let his right hind paw slide out behind him. His tail pressed against the inside of his outstretched thigh and the tip of it flicked occasionally to brush the back of his leg. Mercy's giggle and final statement drew a lopsided smile and a rumbling chuckle from the brute. "You'll be the first wolf I call," Valen promised.    "Talk" Think "You"