i am the blood of the mountain

A certain quietness engulfed me, the somber silence of these late days of winter. Spirane always held the snow and cold for longer than the other packs, the higher altitude of these lands fostering an atmosphere that kept the signs of winter around perhaps longer than desired by some. But I had come to enjoy such things, as I had lived my entire life upon the mountain. It was only nature, as it had always been. Mahogany eyes drifted out across the mountainside that was visible to me from my station upon the rocky ledge. The only movement there seemed to be in the area, however, was within her womb. The children shifted and kicked, restless. My ears flicked back and forth idly, a small smile playing across my features as I took a deep breath and my eyes fell closed to take in this moment. Life had taught me never to forget that when things seemed perfect something would invariably go wrong. But I was content to simply enjoy the good in my life as it was. I had a mate who loved me, children that were healthy, pups on the way, and a pack that was strong and capable - who had shown that they respected me.

While I did not know every member of my pack intimately, I was proud to say I knew each wolf's name and scent. I made a point of learning how each wolf came to join the ranks of this realm, though on most occasions I met the wolves at the time of their commitment to the pack or shortly thereafter. Such could not always be the case, of course. As my ears swiveled backwards once more, they caught the sounds of approaching paw steps, signaling the arrival of another wolf just moment before she abruptly joined me upon the precipice. Therefore I was not surprised by her arrival and my content gaze shifted to her in greeting. While I had heard of the girl from my son, Rhaegal, I'd never truly had the opportunity to meet her myself. She'd come to the pack gathering after my battle with Covet, but while I would have loved to socialize with each and every wolf present Niviaq, Jericho and Pan had insisted I not stay longer than necessary. My wounds had needed tending.

Despoina was the sibling of Myra, a girl who had been brought to my pack by her brother after Glorall had been taken over by Eden. He had feared that the girl's handicap would see her become a target of the new alpha, and I had accepted them both into the safety of my pack. Since then Sciathan had disappeared, but Myra remained and had gained another guardian in the form of her elder sister. Her greeting was all but curt, and I was immediately pulled out of the revere of my contentedness. It was easy to see that she was not happy, though for what reason I could not be sure. My gaze hardened slightly, but more in a concerned fashion than in a harsh one. "Call me Daenerys, if you would like, Despoina." There were half a dozen or more titles that I could refer to myself as, that others would refer to me as. But I always wanted my pack members to know that I respected them just as I hoped they respected me, and such frill and lace was not necessary between two wolves in simple conversation.

She went on to haphazardly stretch out on the ledge, wryly stating that others called me a great leader - though she hardly sounded like she believed it. I looked down at her with a placid expression as she continued, speaking of how she'd only ended up in my pack by happenstance and then asking why she should follow me. In short, the girl seemed pissed off at the world, and while I wasn't really sure what had made her so angry about her position in life, I would not let her deprecating tone offend me. She was young, and clearly in a strange place in her life. I could push her off the proverbial edge into oblivion, or I could draw her back from the edge.

"Only you can make that judgment. I will not tell you if you should stay or go. You have lived in Spirane long enough to know that we are a strong pack, one that will come together to overcome any obstacle. We will always look out for one another," I stated it simply, in a matter of fact tone, but my brows never drew together in frustration. This was a girl trying to find her way in life; I could not be upset with her for that. "You near three years of age; tell me, have you discovered your niche? What it is that you excel at?" There need not be a title given to what she was skilled at - it could be as simple as out running any wolf who dared to race her, or a quick witted tongue. These were the things one must pay close attention to about themselves, so that they could utilize them to the best of their ability. But did Despoina have any desire to use her skills for the betterment of the pack? I could not be certain, but perhaps this chance encounter with the bitter young girl would reveal more to both of us than we could anticipate.

daenerys