A short silenced echoed about the two brutes that moved away from the bustle and vocals of the other wolves. Artemis’ voice rang out into the air though the herculean was only able to catch wind of the addressing of the Lady Ameira. Horizon was glad to see the younger femme in good health physically, but she appeared to still be suffering from the ghouls and ghosts of her past. The kalak hoped that one day these objects of past fantasies would leave and allow her the freedom to be in the present. That’s what he hoped for Artemis and even himself, but before he could even begin to ponder this idea he had to first remember what it was that haunted him. There was Akuji - the son of Farant, heir, assassin and Horizon’s half-brother. Shae, the young and beautiful lady who would be subjected to horrid things should she fail in her job to Farant. Harries was the third sibling of this trio but the bastard knew naught of him or his wellbeing. Not that he truly cared. Harries had taken to his own fancies and naturally cruelty. It had been sickening to watch the innocent pup shape shift into the monster that he was. But that could not come anywhere close to the roiling anger that consumed him at the thought of Farant—Horizon’s sire and the aberrant dictator of Faraway. Nothing to touch this tempest within his soul, save the one soul who seemed kindred to his own.

Shasta…

The young and lovely lady that had captured his entirety, and he had yet to truly figure this out. Emotions were not something the mastiff had taken care to truly understand and develop. To Horizon, the rollicking river of emotions that deluged him in her presence was just a friendship. To anyone else this would have easily been recognizable as developing feelings, but no. These vaguely known affections were just twisted up lines of contact and boundary, several of which should have been clear markings for amatory gestures. To Horizon though they didn’t really come across trying to be affectionate, but underneath it all he felt himself wanting something out of them. But he had yet to truly understand these desires.

I know you’re one of Ameira’s oldest friends in Munashii Gekko. Probably in Blossom Forest. I know you’re her most trusted ally within the pack; that much was proven with a rank compared to the others within the pack. Other than your relation to her, however, she didn’t really speak to your past or anything else about you. Horizon snapped his attention back to the present and hurriedly pieced together what the brute had said to him. Without a second to spare he perceptibly dipped his head. Titan knew nothing of what he had suffered and at this point the kalak was going to keep it fairly vague in term of the new King’s understanding of what it was that comprised his upbringing. If one could call it that. He stooped shoulder to shoulder with Blood Titan, As far as my past is concerned, it has only served to shape me into the wolf I am, same as yours did to you. Mud and amber optics looked emeralds with sharp attention. There was more weight behind the meaning than he let on, but to Horizon he saw no need to try and elaborate on a subject he could hardly recall himself. It seemed only those who had been attached to his past could dredge the memories which his mind had worked so hard to suppress. Shasta was the one exception to this rule, but rather than inciting anger and pain she seemed to bring forth a sense of calm and serenity that he could use to understand himself more. He hoped that maybe she felt something similar, but the bastard was still learning to read faces and Shasta’s mastery over an emotionless façade made it increasingly difficult to do so.

Suddenly Titan’s vocals broke through his concentration and blackened lids blinked rapidly in succession trying to clear away the muck of his own thoughts. The brute was asking what it was that he wanted in life. Horizon cocked his head, but his furrowed brows told the other that he was truly invested in finding an answer. Instead of remaining silent in his thought process, he began to speak aloud, I find that I don’t often contemplate what I want at my death. The land from which I hailed gave me no room to think of a long life. My life was of the sole purpose to serve the royal family – my half brothers, half-sister, and my sire. For I never had a father, only a man who ruined my life, perceptions and understanding of the world. I do not see the beauty in most at first glance, I tread lightly on the ground which I walk, and I fear that a wrong turn will take me back to the life I fear most. And in that life I held no chance at love, friendship, or life. A mistake could have been certain death and if they felt I was no longer useful then that very second was my last. I was guaranteed nothing and given even less. Horizon took in a breath, his mismatched orbs stared coldly into the ground feeling a boiling heat somewhere in the depths of his mind. The memories were crying to let loose, but he would have nothing to do with his demons. Not right now. So to answer your question I do not truly know. I had no hope to live for and even amongst my family now I find very little comfort in attempting to create the future. I have very little hope, when I know that the man I fear so much, has come to take what he seems as rightfully his. We are lucky that Munashii lies not directly in his path. Horizon huffed the last bit of the phrase in a mere whisper, but the quiet lull of the woods swallowed the sound.

Horizon turned his gazers to the new King once more, What about yourself Blood Titan? What and/or who made this King who he once was?