Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice ....................................................................................................................................................................................
Say what you like. I could give a rat's ass about your opinion of me. You're a liar and a worthless one at that. You stand here and tell me she's no prisoner when you had to threaten my life for her to even go to you. The only wolf she needs saving from is you. You claim to care about her and yet you keep her away from the one she loves. Can't you see how much this is hurting her? Look at her, you worthless dog. Look at her tears and tell me who's the monster. Nikandros' words did nothing to harm the King - he was well aware of Kohaku's feelings for the Prince. Instead, they brought forth his ire. He had not kidnapped Kohaku nor had he ever harmed her. She had come to him seeking help, and it seemed that all that his agreement to help her had done was to create trouble to his pack. His morals and his fear for the safety of the pup was all that kept the King from ripping out the throat of the young brute. As his vocals began to rumble once more, a soft whine stole Kalgalath's attention, one of his auds raising from its flattened position upon his cranium to localize the cry. It was behind him, and it was only his rage that kept him from recognizing the owner of the whine. But then a single word rang into his pinna and there was no doubt in who it was - his daughter. Father. The grey mottled brute sighed heavily and turned his head, his icy blue gaze falling upon the faeling. Her own gaze matchd his and his body slumped ever so slightly as she shook her head slowly. The tiny form moved toward him and pushed against one of his hind limbs. So young. So innocent. So naive. And yet in the silence, he knew she was right. Bloodshed would solve nothing. All that mattered was that Khaleesi remained safe and unharmed.
Turning once more, his attention focused upon the Prince of Malignant Felicity and that was when he saw the streak of black from his peripheral vision - Magic had managed to sneak around the backside of the stranger without him noticing. Her amber eyes gleamed and the smallest of nods tilted her head. Kalgalath kept his gaze focused on the Prince and gave no acknowledgement of her presence - he would not give away that she was there. As a strong, frigid breeze blew against his rump, he smiled deep inside - Nikandros would certainly not be able to pick up Magic's scent, especially since she had been patrolling the terra; the wind was in their favor.
Before any more words fell, another form appeared and he tilted his head slightly and a smaller dark form was seen - Leila. Her arrival was accompanied with a gasp and then a whine before she moved to Hellene's side. The whine soon turned to a snarl, joining the cacophonous sound of agonistic threats that were rumbling from those of his pack that were present. It seemed that the Alpha was right - his pack held no anger at his continual absence. They had rallied behind him at his urgent call.
Soft and silent, Kohaku's own vocals entered his auds, loud enough so that he could hear her, but no one else. I did not run from him. If I am no prisoner then I am no longer required to stay here. I sought you out to tame my thoughts, not my heart. I realize that now. And you have managed to put them at ease. You should not be hateful towards him. He is less likely to kill the pup than I am. A soft growl escaped from his maw at her words, for they were not what he expected from her. Perhaps her time with him had been spent for naught.
You already know the plan. A trade, the pup for her freedom. You want to seem like the good guy around your pack, the hero of the story but you're neither. You held her here against her will, holding my blood as ransom for her continued 'loyalty.' You're sorry, Kalgalath. If she wanted to stay with you, she would have gone to you willingly. You wouldn't have had to persuade her. At least I don't put a face on around my peers. I don't care what they think of me. I do what I have to. I'm not forcing her to come to me. I'm not saying she has to leave with me now, or ever. I'm saying she has the right to leave if she wants to. She has the right to be her own wolf, with or without your influence. No more threats on my life. If you come after me, I'll hunt you down. If you send any of your wolves after me, I'll scatter them and kill them, one by one. Just try me. I'm trying to keep the peace. The pup's freedom for her freedom. Let her go. Let her cross the borders and be who she wants to be. She's not yours to possess.
"I did for her what she originally asked me to do, nothing more, nothing less." The brute paused as yet another femme appeared at his side, her hackles and lips raised. The support that his pack members showed and rallied when the safety of one of their own was in danger almost brought a smile to his lips. Almost. But now was not the time for niceties and for admiring their loyalty to not only him but for each other. Now was the time to save the pup, no matter the cost. Not a second latter the sound of breaking brush attracted his attention as did another sudden cry. Khaleesi! Kalgalath's cranium whipped around to see Hellene's adopted pup and Khaleesi's brother, Destan, planted in a heap underneath the fae. This was not right - this was not something that pup's should ever have to see. It would shatter their views of the world at too early an age. And yet it was a huge step for the pup who he knew was why and fearful of the world - because of his love for his sister, he had purposefully thrown himself into perhaps the worst situation of the pup's life.
After Nikandros fell silent, Kohaku's soft white form moved, first toward the border, and then over it, pressing herself underneath his jowls and then swiping his pillar off of the faeling's spine. Kalgalath let loose a sharp bark and lunged forward, stopping just short of the pair and reaching out with his muzzle, grasping the scruff of the pup and leapt backward. Motions slowed and he padded his way to Hellene's side and softly set the pup upon the ground next to Destan. His black nares gently nuzzled the pup before he addressed the pair who now stood outside of his boundaries. Turmoil swirled within him. He had started to trust the fae and had thought she had began to trust him. Perhaps he was wrong, on both accounts. A deafening silence resounded, as his thoughts ran wild.
He was thankful that she had saved the pup, but her presence had caused so much drama and danger for his pack already... "Nikandros. Should you ever be sighted closer to our border than you are now, there is now an order for you to be killed on sight. You have done unspeakable things that cannot be forgiven. As for you Kohaku... you have a choice to make. Make it known now what it is you want. Should you leave with Nikandros, never return to Aurora Borealis. I wish you no harm, but your allegiance to him is clear, and as he has already threatened the life of one of the pups, if you are with him, I cannot trust you. Should you choose to stay, you will have free movement. You always had that option, but you put upon yourself limitations that I never orated myself. Should you stay, you can of course see Nikandros, for that is your right. But your loyalty would have to be first and foremost to the pack." He fell silent and moved to his daughter's side, his pink tongue escaped to caress the top of her skull affectionately. It was up to Kohaku what would happen next...
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**adult*male*ALPHA - Aurora Borealis*tied to none*Azura**
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