((for you my love :D))

Eyes closed tighter against the rays of sunshine that slowly began to seep into her den and cause the backs of her eyelids to turn red. No more sweet darkness, not it was time to wake up according to the sun. Normally she would turn herself around and flip her tail over her eyes to keep the sunlight at bay but even the cool dirt and rocks of her den was not good enough to keep the heat at bay. She was often forced to find a new place to sleep during the day now. It was awful of her, she knew, to be so focused on her beauty sleep rather than recruiting new members as her status would suggest she do. Vi had taken a bit of a hiatus, one could potentially call it, from pack life after the eruption. She had shown her face to the pack when the founding meeting had been called but that was about it. At first it had been the altitude that had bothered her, having not been in the mountains since she was a young pup she found herself dizzy and sick for the first few weeks and had kept to herself. But after that she had passed she had remained by herself, slinking about through the mountain side, often chasing the nimble goats that frequented their territory. It was a nice little game that kept her on her toes though she was rarely successful in those hunts, the nimble bastards often going where it seemed no one would be able to go.

Finally the slender female stretched herself out on her side. Back arched languidly as paws reached in various directions. Muscles strained until they shook and toes flexed to further the stretch but finally she relaxed and went limp, sharp gaze not turning to the mouth of her den. Maybe today would be the day she actually did something? She doubted it but it was better to wake up with a plan she found, then at least there was a bit more motivation for her to do something. Not that she ever really felt bad when she didn?t do anything but hey, it was a start. Though today she wasn?t especially interested in doing anything for the pack, there had been a wolf she had been meaning to call and formally meet for quite some time. Morphine. Vi had only met her in passing at pack meetings it seemed. She had started out at the bottom, then had replaced Vi when Vi had been promoted and now it seemed that she and Kaien were leading this pack together. Were the mates? Color her curious but she wanted to know who she would be bowing her head to from then on. So with that plan and thought in her mind the lithe female rolled herself over onto her belly and slowly slithered her way out of her den that was nowhere near big enough for her to stand. Immediately she shook herself, hoping to rid her red and white coat of any debris that she might have collected in her sleep. Bed head was not acceptable when it came to meeting a queen after all.

She moved slowly away from her den, not bothering to hide her passage as she moved back towards the area that Kaien had originally called the pack meeting. Sharp orange eyes slid over her surroundings as audits twitched to and fro to catch if anyone would try and sneak up on her. She wasn?t much in the mood for being seen oddly enough and that much was obvious in her guarded, almost aggressive posture. Head was carried low and shoulders rolled in a rather feline manor. As she approached her destination head swung back, a lips forming an easy ?O? to allow her voice to funnel through. It was a simple request for Morphine, not nearly demanding as she normally was. But the sad fact being that Vi didn?t really care one way or another if she showed up. If she did then great, they could chat, maybe plan and Vi could run some ideas by her but if not then the red female would simply carry on her way and hang out by herself as she had been going almost every day since the volcano. But somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice nagged her to take her job more seriously, to finally attempt to be a part of this new pack. And well? She wasn?t fond of Kaien but maybe Morphine would be the kind of gal that would make Vi want to participate in this lovely pack life again.


Speech!

Thank you Lube ♥ Morning found the woman wide awake at the summit of Tortuga's mountainous domain rather than groggily pulling herself from a deep slumber as she expected most of Tortuga's beasts to be doing. Being the insomniac that she was, she was rarely able to catch a decent amount of shut-eye, but it still had its perks; she always managed to witness the sun's rising over the horizon and the beautiful array of hues that painted the sky because of it. Viewing the wondrous sight every morning was enough to bring some satisfaction out of a sleepless night, but she never had the opportunity to watch for very long, for the queen had her duties to attend to and her borders to patrol to ensure that everything was in the correct order and that no fool had stepped out of line and into their territory to wreak havoc upon the band of monstrous canines taking refuge within Tortuga's ranks. It was unorthodox in her mind to shy away from those duties that she had wholeheartedly accepted with her crown, and she somehow would have felt unworthy of her title if she skipped even a minute's worth of her tasks. Thus, she was up and about immediately after daybreak, cautiously writhing her way through the dangerous slopes of the mountain until she reached its base, eyeing the scene that greeted her there with mild interest. Neither canine nor prey animal was in sight, but something did manage to pique her curiosity; it was not a sight, but rather a sound that triggered her apprehension, for it was aimed at none other than the wretched queen herself. Brows furrowed as she followed the summoning howl to what she expected to be its epicenter, going over a thousand scenarios within the sanctuary of her own mind because the voice had been foreign to her and the creature whom it belonged to was obviously within Tortuga's boundaries. Was it a tresspasser? If so, why did it desire her attention rather than attempt to avoid it? Her pace quickened with every thought, and she soon approached the creature who had called her and led her right into the area where Tortuga had been founded a second time. Metallic eyes fell upon the familiar and sleek frame of Tortuga's beta, earning a bit of surprise from Morphine as she hadn't seen the bitch much since that day that Kaien had called on all of the pack, but her own visage failed to portray this slight shock. Curiously, she padded closer to the woman, her skull leveled with her spinal column in her typical warrior's stance, but her tail draped slightly above her rump to display her authority over the other woman. As she neared Viridiana, she could not help but notice the elegance of the canine before her and the beauty that accompanied her feminine features she had not noticed before as a twinge of jealousy arose within her, for Morphine had always depicted herself as attractive, but this woman obviously had looks on her side. A smirk drew upon her own visage as she halted a few meters away from the other, nodding a greeting briefly to the other as she simultaneously lifted her skull to meet the other as best as she could when she dwarfed the other by a few inches. Viridiana, is it? My, my, my.. What's the occasion? Her tone retained its usual sarcasm, but she remained unreadable beyond the infamous smirk plastered to her countenance. It was an honest question, however mocking it was, for she hadn't spotted the girl in quite some time. Her ears flickered forward in pursuit of the other's response, feeling she deserved a bit of an explanation as to why she had been called out. Speech,

The altitude still seemed to be messing with her head, at least she assumed it was the altitude seeing as she had never experienced sickness before. Altitude sickness yes but nothing of the physical sort, her body had never adjusted quickly to changes in weather or sea levels when she traveled. It make life quite the pain especially when traveling with the great behemoth of a beast she dared call her brother who seemed to shake everything off. Vi's shoulders rolled back in attempt to do just that, shake off the little bit of dizziness that rimmed the edges of her eyes. But it remained as the lithe female paced slightly, moving about the rocky patch of ground Kaien had dared claim for them. Even she wasn't sure what was swirling though that devious skull of hers but she hoped it would all fall into place with Morphine. When she had originally joined this pack she had been placed as the Ricitaar and Jaeger had begrudgingly accepted his spies opinion. He had placed a huge weight on her shoulders, forcing her to gain his approval and that had always been where Vi had thrived, working under pressure. Now that that pressure was gone and replaced with Kaien she wasn't sure where was was going or what she was doing. Did she even belong here anymore? She had joined with the hopes that the alpha would use her particular skill set to help him and maybe Jaeger would have eventually but Kaien was soft, he didn't want to step on too many toes it seemed.

It was hard to spend your life walking on egg shells, Vi knew that from experience and she hadn't come here to do that and it felt like that was all they were doing here. Jaeger had let them do some chaotic stuff every so often but Kaien seemed like he was trying to rein everyone in without having a firm hold on them. It was getting frustrating and Vi wasn't even participating in pack life currently. Another sigh slid from velvet lips as sharp orange eyes were lifted to see if someone had silently joined up but they had not. No one was here to witness the ponderings of the young woman thankfully. Slowly svelte frame was lowered to the ground, haunches placed carefully to the ground before bushy tail was flipped over toes in a rather impractical but delicate manner. This position would be for nothing, though, for Morphine was soon to arrive on the scene and Vi was not one to be caught sitting before her superiors. She could play the roll of submissive bitch but as she had learned upon first joining this pack, that roll wasn't always appreciated. She had been balancing her personalities delicately ever since, a strange mixture of submissive, vocal and opinionated seemed to be the norm here though depending on who you were talking to some traits often had to outweigh others. Though at her current ranking there were few she had to worry about reigning her tongue in with. Only Morphine and Kaien. She hadn't spoken to Kaien since her promotion and his promotion and Morphine had only just recently risen to power.

Enter Morphine.

Sharp gaze turned to the warrioresque female sliding towards her and slowly Vi stood. Though her features remained neutral a mixture of begrudging respect and envy rose within her. This female was stunning in her own way, metallic eyes seeming to draw Vi in but out of respect for her superior the red female kept her gaze averted. Morphine walked at first with head lowered and tail slightly up in authority. Vi's head also remained parallel with her back, though her posture exuded submissiveness as her tail licked easily at her heels. Morphine was simply ready for anything and for that she had Vi's respect instantly. She was pretty though and that didn't sit well with the vain young woman. She didn't like competition. But at the same time, this woman had started at the very bottom, lower then even Vi had and she had slowly scratched and clawed her way to the top. That outweighed everything else in the selfish female's mind. That was enough reason for Vi to bow her head to this ice queen that slid towards her. Morphine's voice was sarcastic and guarded, Vi knew the tone well and it made an easy, almost sly smile curl up the edges of her lips. Vi wasn't surprised that the queen barely knew of her, they had never crossed paths in their old home and had only seen each other at pack meetings it seemed. No matter, they could do something about it now.

"You may call me Vi or Viri for short if it pleases the queen." she purred, voice lacking Morphine's sarcasm but holding a similar guarded tone. Neither female would see anything in the other that they didn't want seen. That smile remained as sharp gaze finally looked at the queen. "I have yet to have the honor of meeting the new queen of Tortuga, I figured it was about time" she said easily, now sinking back onto her haunches as they would engage in casual chit chat for a while. Though she kept herself positioned with her forepaws forward and haunches collected neatly under her so she could leap up if needed. She had a reason for this meeting but it was just a tiny piece of a much larger picture. Her mind worked and churned over everything presented before her while visage remained pleasant and calm. "And of course, I had to congratulate you on your wedding. Will there be pups in yours and Kaien's future?" she asked easily, honest curiosity evident in her tone. She had no idea of the terms that Morphine and Kaien had worked out in this whole arrangement but she was curious. Every little tidbit of truth she could pry from the queen's lips would be helpful...

Speech!

Thank you Lube ♥ Morphine made no attempt to impress the sanguine-hued woman before her even though she was mentally prepared for the examination the beta was granting her, for she knew most canines preferred to get a feel for how their company moved as she had also. Her own pupils traced the other?s figure, noting on the slightly submissive stance she had adopted in the presence of a higher-ranked member that earned her a positive judgment in Morphine?s eyes; personally, she was not fond of a strictly submissive stance or one that screeched disrespect towards her authority, so Viridiana?s stance was compatible with her own tastes. Thus far, the russet female had managed to slip around the harsh judgment of Morphine without earning herself a single negative opinion, which was nearly impossible with the way she critiqued the creatures she surrounded herself with. Her ears flicked briefly as the woman?s vocals greeted the air, a soothing, feminine purr that appealed to Morphine with the usage of her title, but she simply nodded at the suggestion for the use of an alias other than Viridiana, making a mental note to begin dubbing the woman as ?Vi,? for it was short and sweet. She could not help but miss the almost detached tone lingering beneath the words Vi spoke that were similar to the tone she utilized, and she could not help but wonder if Vi was like her in the way that they desired for none to see beneath the fa?ade of emotion they wore. She didn?t think much on the matter as Vi chimed in again, granting her the knowledge that she had initially desired from the wench; she just wanted to meet her queen. However convincing the woman?s words were, her conscience told her that there was probably something greater that her new acquaintance wanted out of her, but it was too early to decipher what it was that the other truly desired. So she brushed it off for that moment, mimicking the female as she rolled back onto her haunches to situate herself, the smirk never vanishing from her visage as she awaited further words from the seemingly charismatic wench that had called her out. Vi did not disappoint, offering Morphine congratulations on her matrimony. The words caused her devilish expression to dissipate from her pallid countenance, her lips automatically pursing and her jaws unhinging slightly in confusion with the woman?s words. As Vi mentioned the possibility of whelps -- Kaien?s whelps ? her brows ascended upon her forehead to further portray her confusion with the assumptions the bitch had thrown at her. She hesitated following the conclusion of Vi?s words, searching the woman?s face for any trace of mock or jest but found only genuine curiosity there. Of course, the whole presumption that she and Kaien had been unified through marriage was not totally out of the blue, for Morphine doubted many knew exactly how she had managed to snag the secondary Vecaan position as she had. Her cunning mannerisms had brought her to the Tortugan throne, but Vi obviously had been in the dark on that. An understanding smile morphed her visage as she looked upon the other, amusement evident with the slightly nervous chuckle that cascaded from her leathery lips. No ? no! Kaien and I? she trailed off, shaking her skull from side to side to emphasize the point she was attempting to make. There is nothing between us, I can assure you. The queen hadn?t even contemplated the concept of marriage, however, she was not entirely certain on her position towards offspring ? sure, she wanted a daughter to preen or sons to train, but Tortuga was also in need of an heir, for she was almost certain Kaien hadn?t had a secret litter, nor had she. Whether or not it would be Kaien?s son or daughter that she offered as Tortuga?s future was where her uncertainty lied. After a moment?s pause, her expression settled back into its initial state and she inclined her muzzle in the direction of Viridiana, her eyes widening slightly as she addressed the woman. Now, tell me something, Vi, she spoke easily, her vocals still holding a trace of amusement from the bitch?s last words. I do not know much about you? But what I do know is that you?ve been around Tortuga for about as long as I have, and yet I have never had the opportunity to get to know you, or even properly meet you. I do wish to know what it is you excel at, dear, she practically cooed. She desired knowledge over anything else, but it probably would have been helpful to the queen to learn what it was her beta succeeded at over everything else. After all, both Nnoitra and Kaien had seen utmost potential in the woman and had granted her prestige right off the bat, so it was only natural for Morphine to wonder what it was that earned Vi her respect within the pack. Speech,

The sharp white female mirrored Vi's position and sat before her, though her aura still exuded royalty even in her more relaxed position and Vi felt herself drawn to it like a moth to a flame. It was a sensation she hadn't felt since Jaeger, that instant respect and desire for approval. Easy smirk remained drawn on her lips but her mind churned and worked over the wave of feelings that were washing over her. Respect, envy, a desire to be liked by this female, a need to please her, and an overwhelming desire to possess her. Fuck, Vi would probably do anything this female asked of her at this point and they had only just met. Vi wasn't yet at a comfort level to allow Morphine to know exactly the level of devotion that was rising inside of her but soon... Soon... Maybe next time they met, and there would be a next time. Vi found this striking woman far too enchanting to not have a next time with her. Why did Kaien get this woman? What had he done to deserve her? What had convinced her to say yes to that spineless bastard's proposal? Was she as power hungry as Vi was or did she truly love him? Questions such as these slithered through her mind and coiled about her like a venom as orange gaze kept her attention focused on Morphine.

How could one not focus on her?

It seemed all these questions were answered as Morphine's expression morphed into one of shock at Vi's question. Morphine seemed to be searching for the humor in Vi's words but the red woman's own brows knit together in confusion as the female stared at her. Was that such an unusual question? But slowly a smile slid across her ebony lips once more and Vi allowed her head to tilt to the side in honest curiosity and ears to twist towards her company to show her undivided attention. Morphine had had that since the moment she had walked onto the scene. She was chuckling, an enchanting sound, as she attempted to correct the mental image that Vi had put together of the two of them. She was shaking her head and Vi chuckled, an honest smile sliding across her own lips now. Nothing between them hey? Sly smile returned and she chuckled again, casting her gaze down as she spoke. "I apologize for the assumption. But congratulations are still in order for your rise to power. You certainly suit the position" she said honestly. Though she had been unsure about this female whom she had hated for the simple reason that she had taken Vi's old rank it was obvious not that it was undeserved. She suited this rank, had been born for it it seemed. If only she had someone better to lead with her.

After a moment Morphine seemed to settle back into herself and Vi's head inclined to the side again as she returned her gaze to the female seated before her. Though sly smile had returned to match Morphine's once again guarded expression she planned to answer whatever questions this female might have and just chat if at all possible. Those other plans could wait for as long as needed, for now she wanted Morphine and her approval... Some primal need to be desired and liked by this female had lit inside of her. Amusement was still evident in her words as she pulled the attention back to the red female rather then herself. A pity, Morphine was far more interesting... But eyebrows raised and a slight nod was given to show she was willing to tell Morphine the information she desired. The statement and question that followed were ones she had yet to be asked by anyone. The sly smile grew slightly wider but even as it did shoulders rose and dropped in a silent answer. "Its hard to explain without starting from the beginning. A female named Steren accepted me and I was thrown into the rank of Ricttaar, something Jaeger made me work for. So I have become fairly skilled at spars and fighting with or against more then one wolf since joining this pack. But before I was trained as an assassin. Not so much the typical one but an assassin none the less. Up until I joined this pack that was all I did." she said easily, head straitened now as she spoke, a frown creasing her forehead.

"May I speak bluntly?" Vi asked though it was a rather rhetorical question, whether Morphine said yes or no Vi would still share what was on her mind. "I loved Jaeger... As an alpha that is, I would have done anything for him if only he had asked. I don't feel the same pull to Kaien and I've felt... I feel as though the pack had fallen since the transfer of crowns, though I believe that he did one thing right. And that was choosing you as his second, or allowing you to take it, or however you came about the position..." she said slowly, a frown pulling her features together. She never spoke like this with others, to be completely honest in the world of lies she lived in was a huge step for the young woman. Not that Morphine needed to or would know that. But she did want to say more even if that left her exposed and vulnerable before this woman. "To be perfectly honest I do feel that pull towards you. I think that this pack could be great and that you could get us there... I would like to offer my services to you in any way you wish to utilize them. I'm tired of slinking around and being the faceless beta I've been since the volcano." she said easily, eyes still cast to the ground. But after a moment she looked up at Morphine, that sly smile sliding back into place. Oh all the things she could and would do if only this ice queen would let her.


Speech!

Thank you Lube ♥ A grin portraying her gratitude towards the compliment the woman had offered her on her rise to power dominated her visage, and although a bit suspicious as to why Vi had so easily thrown it at her without witnessing what Morphine had thus far been capable of as Vecaan, the white witch would eat up whatever positive feedback she could get. After all, after losing to that damned Valhallan king the traitorous Cyanide, Morphine had been devoured by self-doubt with what she would be able to accomplish during her reign beside Kaien. Surely, if others saw potential in the dwarfish white queen, perhaps she was greater than she imagined; however, she would not allow that thought to feed her ego as she personally loathed arrogance and assumed many others did alongside her. No ? she would retain the desire to become a great leader and would continually apply pressure to herself on the matter; never would she view herself as more than a foul superior who needed to better herself in order to benefit her kingdom. Perhaps, that way, she would never fully be satisfied with ?good? and strive for ?better.? At the conclusion of her own question, she watched the girl with interest, noting on the russet woman?s grin that nearly matched her own; yes, she did utilize fa?ades, Morphine just silently pondered over whether or not it was a natural occurrence for the other or if there was a legitimate reasoning behind it for residing there in Morphine?s presence. Was this simply a show for the queen?s sake, or was this truly Viridiana? Perhaps this attitude the woman possessed was how she advanced in her career so quickly, appealing to Nnoitra and having him buy it and eat out of her paws? It was a peculiar concept, though she would never voice those doubts aloud for she had her own fa?ade to maintain. The thoughts merely subsided as Vi responded, though it lapped at the back of her mind all the while. The tale ? whether true or not ? piqued the pallid woman?s interest, for she had been unaware that this woman had previously held the title of Rictaar that Morphine had also obtained in the past. The part that physically displayed her interest, however, was the mentioning that Vi had formerly held a career in the assassination department. Morphine?s own brows rose at this, the thought of Cyanide resurfacing within the depths of her twisted mind. The thought of murdering the traitor, however appealing it was, had never before breached the plotting mind of Morphine, but now that it had been conjured, it was practically embedded into her brain. She was tentative to mention the new plot that Vi had aroused, and would remain silent until the perfect moment to suggest it. For now, it was pushed aside to pester her at another time. Before she was granted the opportunity to respond to the wench, the woman asked to speak again, and Morphine simply quirked a brow with the invitation for further vocals, inclining her muzzle in Vi?s direction as she waited for what she expected to be an important speech. Her tones spewed honesty and eloquence and any doubt that Morphine had had on the other?s trustworthiness were silenced, for Vi was far too convincing with her words for Morphine to believe it to be a scam. She spoke of Nnoitra, gave voice for the other Tortugans who had held displeasure with Kaien?s ruling, put her faith towards the white witch herself, and, finally, offered her services towards the pack with the hopes that she could live up to the Akari expectations. Morphine could not help but succumb to the smirk that pulled at her countenance, for she was far too satiated with the woman?s words not to. Not because of the expectations that Vi had held her to, but, rather for the willingness of the woman to serve her part in the pack. It was impressing to say the least, and Morphine would not disappoint Vi and allow her to leave the circle without assigning her a task, the same that had entered her mind the moment Vi mentioned she was an assassin. You are not alone, Vi? many prefer Nnoitra to Kaien and some have left Tortuga because of it. Honestly, I did prefer Nnoitra as well, however, Kaien is not entirely incompetent and I?ve grown to prefer neither. I would advise you not to judge him so quickly. Just grant him some time to prove himself, and if he still disappoints, well, there?s always room for dethroning, she grinned at this, throwing a discreet wink in the woman?s direction that could have easily been mistaken for blinking to one that was inattentive. I do hope I can pull Tortuga towards greatness, and you can bet I will do everything within my power to ensure that we attain it. I do have some?plans for this pack so that it shifts from its current neutral state to something more involved, I suppose. Nothing too brash, but nothing too boring, either. She pulled herself from her haunches at this, outstretching her forelimbs before her chest cavity, padding closer towards the russet female and then sauntering in a circular pattern around her, her metallic eyes dancing over the woman?s figure for flaws, but found none. One thing that needs to be addressed to the bulk of Tortuga is that traitors are unacceptable. I believe you can help me make that point very clear?if you are willing, that is. A sly grin manifested upon her visage and she halted before the female?s front, wanting confirmation that she was up for anything Morphine had to throw at her. Speech,