Long legs carried him through the dense woods, kicking up topsoil and leaves with every push and pull. He ran along the border of the pack lands,cleat-like claws pushing into the dirt and ripping it from the earth In.Out. This was how he vented. No one could hurt him, not Collision, not Ephiphron, no one. He was immortal here. As long as he was alone, no one could hurt him. Animals parted from their usual routine as the beast blazed past them,the paths of streams were disturbed as he passed over them. He was immortal, he was an ultimatum, he was Neo Adr-No. Just Neo. He was just Neo. And he liked it that way. Everyone else did to. Part of him knew that was a lie, but part of him wanted to believe it was true. The part of him that had been planted in his mind since he was introduced to his 'Siblings'. His jaws clenched around a squirrel that made the mistake of crossing his path as those painful thoughts entered his mind. His head thrashed wildly from side to side, through the shrieks of the dying animal until it grew cold behind his fangs. Killing didn't make him feel better, it made him feel guilty. He dropped the dead animal and laid down in front of it, mourning it in some small way. Pitying the life he took.

The brunette lord was merely walking, his old bones needing as much lubrication and flow as they could get. He was reaching an age most wolves didn't even get the right to live to, and he was doing a fine job, so far. 'Course, admittedly, if there were things he could do differently, he probably would have let himself fall head first onto a rock so maybe he would get a heavy case of amnesia and for just awhile forget everything. Though, he had to admit, not understanding those around him to help them because of it...that would hurt.

A faint scent of blood crossed his nares and the lord would turn to it, a casual gait upheld for this was the scent of prey, not that of his own. Yet, he would come to the vision of his eldest son. His eyes seeming troubled...there was something here. He moved with fluidity to the child. His own body attempting to slide alongside the boy. He was growing up fast. Soon to be a man in his own right. "Do you wanna tell me what ails you? Or am I going to have to start muttering random lectures to peg what's going on?" A slight smile would rise on his lips as he turned his sapphire gaze unto the slate male.

For Fen<3 Table code courtesy of Frayer

His mourning was interupted by the familiar din of his adoptive father's voice. He was never quite the same after his mate died. His memories of Cairo before the loss of his mate were vague, but he could remember the now absent spark in his eyes that told them, all of them, biological children or not, that he was living, truly living, rather than just alive. The adolescent huffed quietly and turned away from his "Father's" listless eyes. "It's none of your concern" he grumbled. Cairo was one of the few wolves he respected, he didn't want to burden him with his problems. Words words words This is speech

There was a sort of vague...longing in Neo, at least, that was how the brunette lord felt. He saw his son as someone who really needed to just look at life and find something beautiful. It was saddening really. How had Cairo failed him? His tones would cause the brunette male to flicker his ears back towards his head, and with a stern look and a loving voice his head would cascade down towards the brute, "You are my son. Everything about you is my concern, Neo," Cairo really had no clue as to the entire story with Neo, no clue as to what ailed him, brought him to such a defeated state. It seemed as though there wasn't much he could do, but he had to try. He always would.

The brunette male would continue staring at the dull toned male, waiting for him to give some kind of sign, simply letting his child be so upset was not an option, and whether Neo liked it or not, he needed to learn some very important things in life, and Cairo was the one who was going to teach him. That was final.

For Fen<3 Table code courtesy of Frayer

His claws dug into the ground momentarily, frustration clouding his thoughts until he couldn't take it any more. " What does Collision see in Chrysanthe, and the others that he doesn't see in me or Preston?!" While Collision had been so easy to hand out high ranks to the other siblings him and his brother had gone without. True they had yet to prove themselves, but they had also never had the opportunity to prove their mettle, and that, Neo felt, was where they had been robbed. "With the right training I could be a better warrior than Ephiphron, and Preston would make a better healer!" And as he vented he was reminded of the reason. Why things were what they were. Why he felt so lonely and so empty all the time. "You say we're your kids but we're not! And everyone knows it, and everyone thinks that makes us inferior!" His heart was pounding a mile a minute, his head was spinning, he couldn't think straight his mind clouded with rage. Words words words This is speech

Cairo would sit a long moment, waiting for the child to just tell him what it was, and with quite the passion he would burst, his mind roaring to life with everything that had happened. His head would remain straight, and without intervening whatsoever, he would let the child scream, explain, and just vent in general, when it seemed all of his words were out the brunette male would turn to face him yet again and he would make an attempt to touch his nose to his son's shoulder, "If someone fails to see you as my child, that's their problem, Neo, no matter the circumstances, you are mine, and I'll not even let you deny that, even in this rage,"

Yet Cairo knew, just somehow knew, that it wasn't so much as not being looked at like he was a son of Cairo, but so much as the inferiority complex that ate at him. Yes, it was true, he could be a better warrior than Epiphron, Preston a better healer, it came down to a matter of work, and what it seemed Neo was missing, was the blatant fact, this was the problem, "You are fueled by passion, Neo. I watch you, even now, close of your heart, but if you were as stone cold as you wanted everyone to believe, why would your heart be set on your brother as well?" Clearing his throat the King would turn his head forward and sigh, "If you want the rank before your sisters...prove you deserve it...you are old enough to handle it, find an opponent that you can beat, and prove you deserve the title. Epiphron is not just getting her rank, Erani hold lead Healer, and she's had it for a very long time, I don't know that it should change. Back to Epiphron, she is having to show her skill set before the rank is hers as well,"

For Fen<3 Table code courtesy of Frayer

He took a deep breath, having effectively expelled his inner demons. His father's words touched his heart, just knowing that part of his family accepted him was enough. "Thank you...Father." He said. The word sounded foreign on his tongue. But he and his father hadn't spoken in a long time. Now that he thought of it, this was the first time the two had spoken alone.He stretched out his legs, acting as if his emotional outburst had never happened. As far as anyone was concerned, it hadn't. He yawned and stood up straight, newfound pride in his stance. He just needed to find someone to challenge, and Ephiphron was the perfect target. And then everyone would see. They'd all mutter about his strengths in combat rather than his social shortcomings, they'd congratulate him on his victory rather than tease him for his stark contrast to his siblings. He would win, and Ephiphron would lose her chances of becoming the lead warrior. Words words words This is speech

There was something that made Cairo feel as though the reasons Neo desired the power, was something far more dark. He did not want to see any child of his, especially with how well endowed with love they were, become a creature of hatred. It made him feel like Xylinthian still lingered somewhere out there. The thought chilled him. It ate him. It saddened him. He honestly prayed that Neo was not before him thinking dark foreboding on his sister. Sibling rivalry was one thing, doing something to watch others fall out of spite, was something else entirely.

Cairo reached out in an attempt to brush his tail alongside that of Neo's and he offered a gentle smile, "Make me a promise, son? When you do this...it isn't for anything other than the soul feeling you know you can benefit Valhalla. Valhalla is everything to me. It is the world I crafted for my children. It is the world I crafted for those that need someone where they have found they have nothing. Collision is in control of ranks now...if he sees maliciousness in your behavior, even if you win, he won't allow you the title. It has got to be your heart, not your head,"

He knew in his heart what his true intentions were. He wanted respect, he wanted what he felt could only be taken by force. He wanted to win and rub it in Ephiphron's face. He wanted to be more than his siblings, he wanted to be the Adravendi everyone remembered. More than Cairo, more than Collision, more than his siblings. He looked at his father momentarily, briefly looking away. He couldn't say it. He couldn't lie to his father and tell him that what he wanted would only benefit Valhalla. But what else could he do? How else could he make them notice him? "I...Will do what's best for Valhalla." He muttered. His plans for domination crumbled almost instantly. He couldn't challenge his sister, because deep down he knew she was what was best for Valhalla. Words words words This is speech

Raising to his paws the faded earthen male turned towards the boy with an attempt to place his muzzle over the top of Neo's head. Pivoting on his legs the ex-arkhos allowed himself to step back and Search for the boy's eyes, "I love you, Neo," Neo was his son and no force on Earth would change that. Admittedly, he wasn't as much fun as if he'd had them at Earlier ages, but he still tried. With a forelorn smile the brute pivoted on his legs, "Find me if you need me. I will never allow anything to hurt you," Perhaps something would ebb him temporarily, but Cairo would die for him.

[Exeunt Cairo]

With that his heart shattered. He would never exceed his siblings, never gain their respect, never gain anything from them but snide remarks. He watched his father leave him, alone, with his his thoughts, quite possibly the worst thing that could be done at this point. He needed to clear his head. With a sharp snarl he broke into a run again, fleeing Valhalla's borders and heading west. Towards Wolf Paw lake. -Exit Neo- Words words words This is speech