Rays of the early morning glimmered and danced across the surface of the tumbling spring. The soft bubble of water across river stones echoed out into the morning air. The air still hovered in comfortable a temperature and the birds of late spring still cooed and cawed in the branches of fully furnished trees. Nearly matching the quiet rustle of undergrowth was the muted sounds of a sleeping wolf. The figure was curled near the entrance of a deeply dug den. His gentle breaths sent shivering motions through his tail feathers each time he breathed and the glint of sunlight across his spine created a coppery sheen that was accented by the glossy obsidian cape across his withers. The nearby splash of a trout jumping from the watery depths made his onyx towers take a sweep backwards making sure it was only the fish. But the uneasy tension that had lifted the maned wolf from his slumber kept him from truly falling back into the abyss of sleep. A tempered grumble vibrated the whole of his chest as he stirred trying to pull himself from the grasp of dormancy. This fathomless, dreamless sleep had been long overdue, he had not slept so deeply since. . . well, since puphood really. The kalak had never privy to the amenities like sleep. And to most sleep was not an amenity, but rather a necessity. But for Horizon it had been a luxury to receive an opportunity to sleep. That was the life of a bastard servant.

Blackened lids blinked away the heavy sleep from his vision making the backside of his den more or less definable. A large yawn opened Horizon’s maw, revealing his pointed canines, but his lips pulled back into a contented smile removing an ideas of malfeasance. Horizon was not a bitter creature, for it would have been his worst fear to become his sire – Farant. Nothing could scare the bastard more than the idea that Farant would one day come for him or others who had escaped, like his three heirs—Shae, Akuji, and Harries. Akuji was the only one that he had seen, but he knew from his half brother’s words that the other two were somewhere around Blossom Forest. Horizon’s “reunion” with Akuji had not been what one might have expected. Family should be a happy rejoining, right? Wrong. With any of Farant’s children, baseborn or heritor, the idea of family was something entirely different. Family was not happily ever after, it was just a faint association to the fact that one might have decided to procreate, forced or otherwise. And Horizon was no stranger to the use molestation and despoliation of young fae’s. Horizon’s upbringing was mixed, though the influence of his mother was prominent even over the abusive ideologies Farant had beaten into him. The lengthy stilted, illegitimate child would never be Farant, because even if he did not fully understand family and love Horizon knew that rape was part of neither of these. And to do so would put him on equal par with his sire and be the complete loss of himself. Neither of which he wanted to suffer.

Slow shuffling movements edged the kalak from his den allowing him the space to rise up and stretch out. Pops and cracks went down his spine and a relaxed sigh left his maw as he rose up to his full height, just shy of 42 inches. Horizon towered over most wolves for just being a kalak but even for his own breed he was tall. The herculean padded to the water’s edge and dipped down slowly, drinking down the cool liquid. Days had been passing quickly and for the first in forever Horizon felt like he might finally have a day to himself, though the sudden pang in his heart made him wish that he had company, especially Shasta’s.

Horizon rolled himself into the little creek, letting the water waves roll over body trying to wash away the empty feeling that wormed into his chest. Shasta. . .the fae had somehow weaved herself into the fibers of his being. Her faint sent still clung to the bank from her short visitation and her memory did the same to the bastard. For the sake of himself Horizon could not forget her, nor the heat that had burned in his heart when he thought of her. And had Horizon been raised in a different way maybe he would have realized that this reaction was the development of affection for her. But alas that was the case and Horizon could only wander confusedly through his thoughts and emotions trying desperately to figure out what this warmth could have meant. And he could not for the sake of his sanity figure it out, but the hollowness of her absence filled with the same warmth as he thought of her. In the last few days Horizon had been busying himself while Ameira was away on a challenge, the second one of her reign. And Shasta had been a part of this distraction though she meant more to him. Shasta was a friend, only his second in Blossom Forest. Their friendship was somewhat rocky, no thanks to his half-brother, who was Shasta’s father, but Horizon was hoping that over time this would change. As the maned wolf rested in the watery embrace a small smile had lifted his lips, but the happy thoughts were interrupted by an abrupt howl. Ameira—the Alphess was back.

Horizon rose up from the creek and padded to the bank before shaking out his now clean coat. The smile and thoughts of Shasta rushed away from him as he rushed to the clearing. Fear, worry and excitement mixed together at the sound of his Queen’s call. He worried about the wounds she had sustained but he was ecstatic to know she was back home safe. It would never cross the brute’s mind that Ameira had struck a deal with the challenger. Horizon’s den was so some ways away from the pack meeting clearing as so his arrival would be slower if the other’s had received her call and were already on their way. He was a blur of obsidian and copper as he galloped through the terra, his lengthy gait swallowing the land with each stride. The strange scent that had crossed his path did not bother the Zeta, to him it was only a new wolf coming to join. Not the challenger who had come to rule beside Ameira, or rather Ameira by him. Horizon slowed to a walk as he came upon the briars that surrounded the clearing. He shouldered his way through letting the thorns comb through his fur giving him a more calmed appearance. The shimmer Ameira’s coat gathered the maned wolf’s attention first, she had not a spot of blood upon her. Horizon stuttered to a stop utterly confused by the sight. Her coat was a clean as freshly fallen snow and the brute that sat to her side smelled familiar now. And then it hit him, this was the challenger. Horizon looked between the two, his hackles slightly flaring but he showed no emotion otherwise.

Horizon finally focused his attention on Ameira but he kept the brute in the sides of his vision. Lady Ameira, it is good see you home once more, but I cannot help but be wary of this brute’s presence. If I am not mistaken this was the challenger you took to Quarrels Clearing. Would I be out of bounds to question why he is here? the was a layer of confusion in the bastards voice, but he did not raise his voice to Ameira. He was not angry. Horizon was concerned, not a scratch was laid upon either and Horizon could not fathom why. Horizon remained standing, he could not feel at ease with this brute until he knew the reason for he being here.