unwanted espionage [open]

[[Midnight]]

Taya was naturally kind-hearted and yielding, but it was well known that she was the adventurous type. She often made decisions based strictly on a sudden whim or emotion. She could be afraid of things, but she didn't let her fear hold her back from moving forward. When Bion decided that he was joining his maternal side of the family in Falling Moon, she had agreed to join him, sort of like moral support. She had been apprehensive, but she left with the intention of someday returning to the Dancing Stars.

Frankly, however, Taya was currently terrified of her new situation.

She felt as though she was caught in a chokehold by the jaws of another wolf. She had seen him being dragged across the territory. He had left a trail of blood behind him and he struggled to stay concious. Hours later, Taya wondered if he was still alive. She felt tears well up in her eyes when she realized her current situation. Her new home may have killed her former Alpha. There was talk that Dancing Stars would soon be blackmailed. Some speculated they were stupid enough to attack, and very soon. The whole story of it made Taya's legs almost crumple beneathe her.

She had yet to see Bion since hearing of the news. She wondered how he was doing. She didn't worry too much for his safety - though he was raised in the Stars territory, he had a right to be with Duke's family. He was a relative. She felt reassured that he okay, but was trying her best to keep as far away from other wolves as possible. She had spent what seemed to her like an eternity just trying to think of a way to get to Caden to help him, without being obvious. She was already being ridiculed by her new packmates. Some just scoffed at her and told her she wouldn't last long being as soft as she was. Others outright threatened to kill her just for her very prescense.

Falling Moon was not kind. She hadn't been with them long and she was ready to go home.

But home was no longer there, she realized, as she padded along the clearing. Still, though she was scared out of her wits, she was level-headed. Taya knew what was to be done. She was determined to earn her place in the pack and rescue Caden. She'd do anything in her power to get closer and closer to the captive Alpha. What lay in the future, she was unsure of. But she felt ready to face it bravely.

"I smell fear," came a deep, gruff voice, just behind her shoulder. It jarred her out of her thoughts, and made her hackles rise. She whipped her head around to catch sight of one of the scariest wolves she had met yet. It was the Beta wolf. She didn't know his name. She had noticed how he always kept to himself, though. He was large, and his eyes were always cold and indifferent. She didn't trust him one bit.

Still, she lowered her tail and managed a polite smile.

"I almost tripped earlier," she lied, glancing at the slopes. "It was steeper than I had thought."

Justyn was not amused as he looked her up and down. He had been disturbed by Taya and Bion's sudden appearance. By being in Falling Moon, he thought he had gotten far away from his old pack. He felt like they were unwanted intruders, and grew to hate them just for being associated with his unhappy past. He snarled nastily at her.

"You shouldn't be here with us!" he raged at the small female, voice bouncing off rocks and traveling along the slope. She shrank back from him cautiously, though her eyes became idignant. He looked as though he was thinking of attacking her, and a sick feeling came over her when she knew that she was on her own and stood not a chance against him.

[Fire]

During his first few days of settling into the Falling Moon routine, Bion had come to realise that it was more or less what he expected. More in the sense that he'd witnessed his previous alpha, to whom he still felt deeply loyal, being attacked and dragged across the territory to the smallest, stuffiest, darkest den they could find. Less in the sense that he and Taya had not yet been ripped to shreds. He chose the more optimistic viewpoint; they hadn't yet been ripped to shreds. Bion was, however, deeply shaken by any account, and he feared the effect it had had on his good friend Taya.

The guilt was enough to make him feel sick to the pit of his stomach. It was his fault that she and him were trapped in this terrifying labyrinth of unease and constant fear. What made it even worse was the way it would impact the Dancing Stars. In his selfish haste, he hadn't considered how two less wolves would damage their strength. Of course he hadn't foreseen the possibility of war breaking out though, at least not within the time span he expected to stay with the Moons. It was all far too rushed, far too unplanned, and far too all his fault.

Still, they were both all right. It was dangerous, risky and unbelievably stupid, but there was no getting out of it. Bion had never been one to run away from problems, in fact he seemed to have run straight at it in this instance. Hot headed and irrational. Perhaps he really did belong here after all. For a brief moment, he began to consider this and felt an even greater weight settle on his heart, threatening to crush his spirits even further, when he caught Taya's scent. He felt lighter and more relaxed at once, and began to make his way in her direction. However, as the trees thinned and he reached a sloping clearing, he caught another scent in the air. Male. Authoritative. Presumably not friendly. Instantly, and unthinkingly, Bion was sprinting up the sloped clearing. His heart was already slamming against his chest, thoughts spilling out his head, scenarios forming in his mind that he seriously didn't want to consider.

When he spotted both wolves in the distance, the male's back turned toward him, he slowed. Taya was safe for now, and he calmed himself, forcing his mind to clear. The male was the Beta, he knew that much, but he didn't know anything about him other than that. He narrowed his eyes a little as he drew closer, his eyes fixed on Taya.

The large, dark-pelted Dancing Star arrived in time to catch a snarl, and a burst of vicious words directed at his friend. Bion felt searing anger rise in his chest, the likes of which he had never experienced, and a vicious snarl ripped through his throat. Tensions and emotions were running high within him and he was fighting the urge to leap at the second in command. Thankfully, the rational part of his brain was regaining control again and recognised that starting a fight with authority in his first week would be a bad move.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" he sneered, stepping protectively between Justyn and Taya.

Bion was a respectful wolf. He understood that females were, obviously, just as capable of handling fights as males were, and his intent wasn't what he would call chivalrous.
But he'd be damned if he let anyone harm a single hair on her pelt whilst they were caught in the middle of a mess that he'd dragged them into.

[[Midnight]]

Taya was relieved at the site of her friend. Her confidence returned, but instead of pushing forward towards the Beta, she just nodded her head to Bion, and looked back to Justyn warily. The Beta seemed somehow more infuriated than before. Granted, Bion had sort of butted in with a sarcastic comment, but Taya didn't think it was that highly offensive.

Justyn wished his eyes could strike another wolf dead, instantly. His hatred towards the male was not hidden as his snarl deepened in response to such ignorant words. Of course, he had no idea who Bion was. But he was a Stars wolf.

"Mother?" he said quietly, menacingly. He scoffed.
"Tch. I have no mother, you bastard. My father killed her. Your previous Alpha was a murderer, too!"

Confused, Taya blinked stupidly and perked her ears. She really didn't have a clue what he meant. But he was clearly upset, and the fact that his father had killed his mate made her want to cry for the Beta.

"I'm...sorry to hear that," she said quietly, her words full of genuine concern. She looked over at Bion.

"Bion doesn't have any memories of his mother. He lost them all. You two are both motherless, in a sense," she said in a curious tone, still looking at Bion. She felt her legs trembling slightly and realized for the first time that she was ready to cry with fear. It was only because Bion was still here that she was standing on all fours. She could fight, but it wasn't in her nature to do so. Justyn was simply terrifying to look at.

The black and brown wolf also flicked his ears forward. The name Bion sounded vaguely familiar, and his anger lessened slightly while he took a moment to search the name out in his memory. Nothing came to the front of his mind, so he took to snarling again.

"You really are stupid. You're going to die if you stay here any longer," he growled, looking into Taya's eyes. He could see she was scared out of her wits, but her composure hadn't lessened. He gave her a little credit for trying to be brave. The male, on the other hand, had seriously offended him, and he stared him down for a few moments.

"Don't ever talk to me so casually again. I am your superior in every way. I have authority to kill you. If I scent you anywhere near Caden, I'll be the first to taste your blood. You're a typical Stars wolf - you have no idea what kind of world you've stepped into," he explained. His was seething with anger, still thinking of their heritage. In the back of his mind, he seemed to be asking himself... Why am I angry with them?

They were only ignorant fools.

[Malo]

It had been awhile since Fallon had seen the clearing and her restless body and mind had told her to go for a walk. She strayed from the den, poking her head out to see if anyone was near. Silence greeted her. Justyn had been gone early that day, probably off doing Beta duties. She figured he would be back later, and she would take this time to once again seclude herself.

Roaming towards the clearing, she took it easy, resting frequently to avoid working her paw too much. It was oh so tender; a feeling of deep sorrow overwhelmed her whenever she exerted herself too much and wound up putting too much pressure on it. Fallon had always been vain, knowing full well she was beautiful and strong, but her injury made her feel weak and ugly. Who wanted to court a handicapped female? Who wanted someone weak in their pack as a possible liability? The more she thought about it, the more it affected her. Her sorrow turned to anger. How dare Caden damage her perfect body! She would make him pay if it was the last thing she did. He would suffer. In anger, she smashed through the forest, destroying branches and plants with her three functional legs and snapping at small animals that drew too close.

Eventually she made it to the clearing and three voices, carried on the wind, reached her ears. One was familiar. She picked up her pace, still irritated, and made her way towards her denmate. Her ears flattened as the three figures came into view. She did not like what her eyes beheld. Coming up by Justyn's side, a low growl rumbled from her throat. The two wolves she did not know were new recruits. Dancing Stars. She eyed the two newcomers with a look of disgust. They were weak, naive. They could not possibly begin to understand the implications of their joing the Falling Moons. They were traitors to their own pack. At that thought, Fallon paused in her whirlwind thought process. Perhaps they were Moons material after all? Like hell they are. She snorted, turning her nose up.

They were weak opportunists who did not belong. And furthermore, they were disrespectful. She noticed the dark male's posture and took a step forward on her good paw. They should have been sumbitting, not defiantly challenging the Beta. They were even below her, lowly omegas, and she would show them respect if she needed to. The white and gray female seemed less menacing than her male companion; in fact, she looked terrified. This brought a smirk to Fallon's face, which eventually grew into a harsh laugh. "Justyn, why are you wasting your breath with these two? They aren't worth the time of day. They'll be gone in a week's time, either dead or running with their tails between their legs."

[Fire]

Bion took a deep breath in, wondered if he'd gone too far already. Nothing had ever caused him to be so irrational and outraged, and as his animosity quelled, he began to regret his outburst. The way Taya's friendliness was shot down made his stomach churn, but it was more in disappointment than aggression. Until now, he had never come across anyone as erratic and nasty as Justyn, and he was certain Taya hadn't either. That was what upset him the most. He didn't want Taya to have to see this. If he really was of Falling Moon heritage, that was his problem and not hers, and he was almost intrigued by their clear lack of morals. She shouldn't have to be subject to wolves like Justyn.

Lowering his his body and tail a little in submission, Bion nodded, albeit a little stiffly. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want to give you reason to kill me in the future. It won't happen again." He turned his head to glance at Taya and saw another female heading toward them. Of course, she just had to put her two pennies worth in.
"Actually I-" he almost said 'we', but stopped himself. Taya could leave whenever she wanted, "-plan on staying here for a while. With all due respect, you're wrong. My past doesn't define me." Bion looked from Justyn to Fallon, frowned a little. "And I won't let it." His voice was determined, steady.

The male seemed to have ignored Taya's comment about their mother's, and he was glad. Bion didn't want this brute knowing anything about his past, or the reasons he was here. Their circumstances were in no way similar, anyway. Bion had two mothers, in a sense. This wolf had none.

"Anyway," he said, and sat suddenly on his rump. "I'm Bion, and I'm sticking around, so you may as well tell me your names."

[[Midnight]]

Fallon appeared, and Justyn's eyes wavered from anger to uncertainty. He felt her fur brushing the tips of his own, and his ears flipped back up in their less threatening position. He looked over at her as she spoke but it was almost as if he did not comprehend what was being said. Her sudden appearance seemed to break the spell that had come over him, making him confused.

...either dead or runnng...

Yes, thought Justyn. He foresaw it, too. Meeting eyes with Taya, he saw fear and apprehension. There was no way these wolves wanted to be Moons after knowing what being a Moon really meant. There was a reason Duke let them stick around. Justyn didn't know what it was, but there presence deeply moved him somehow.

His brows furrowed and he turned his attention back to Bion. He wasn't as angry as before, but now looked deathly serious. Bion, too, seemed a bit less aggressive.

My past doesn't define me.

Pretty words, but Justyn was highly skeptical of them. In his few years of life, the past had defined everyone around him whether they had wanted it to, or not. Instead of pursuing that topic, he did something else.

"What are your names? he asked the two, standing up a bit straighter, tail erect.

Taya saw the change of pace within this conversation. She felt the threat of losing her life - or pack position - ebbing away. Whoever the newcomer female was, the sound of her voice clearly had powerful influence over the Beta. Must be his mate, or perhaps a sister.

She looked at Bion for a moment, incredulous at how brave he had been. Of course, he did have more reason to be confident about where he stood. Taya was nothing but a tag-along.

"Taya," she responded, wondering at the same time why the Beta wolf hated them so furiously. "Taya is my name."

[Paint]

Rose had been wandering nearby, delicately surpassing the crags in the ground as she wandered. But when a certain scent passed beneath her black nose, she dipped her head and inhaled. Bion. She followed it instinctively, having heard rumours that she had not believed to be true. A million questions may have run through her mind, but Rose preferred hard facts to speculation. She came upon the conversation as she heard Bion standing up for himself and Justyn's gruff replies. Her ears swivelled forwards, analysing the situation. Neither Bion nor Justyn was in danger.

She wondered about the idea of them fighting. Perhaps each of them would expect her to side with them. Justyn's spitting fire and Bion stuttering out his own evidence of backbone. Rose knew exactly what she would do. Nothing. Both of them should be able to hold their own in a fight, and it had nothing to do with her.

"Introductions. How pleasant," she spoke out loudly, raising a brow over her dark eyes as she took in the scene. Fallon standing close to Justyn, Taya and Bion seemingly struggling to establish any sort of dominance at all. Rose padded towards them and planted herself firmly between the two, sitting up straight and curling her tail around her in an almost feline manner as she made eye contact with every single wolf there. "Rose."

She knew that most of them knew who she was. But she had the devil in her now, a rarity that only added to her sharp intellect. So her son had joined the pack without even telling her. She let her eyes rest upon him, not seeking explanation but making her presence most definitely known.

[Malo]

Fallon remained quiet, taking in...Bion's defiant stance and gaze. She gave him his credit; most wolves would have backed down from Justyn by now. Nevertheless, he and his friend, Taya she said her name was, were still lowly omegas. She cocked a brow, looking from one wolf to the next as they introduced themselves. The newcomers would keep their throats, for now at least.

"Fallon." Short and simple. Her gaze wandered back to the new recruits, thinking of ways she could get under their skin later. Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. Swooping in with her ever regal and unnerving presence, was Rose. As the two females made eye contact, Fallon nodded to her packmate in greeting. As far as she knew, Rose was a wolf of little words combined with astounding intellect. She spoke when necessary, but her words could be powerful. Had she not been around when Fallon and Justyn had gone at it...Fallon hated to admit it, but she owed Rose a thank you.

Fallon was still unsure about her feelings on Rose. At one time, she saw her as an enemy, one who would get in the way of her plans with Justyn. Now, she wasn't sure what to think of her. Rose tended to keep to herself, so Fallon didn't see her much. Maybe that was the reason for her discomfort. She didn't truly know Rose, but she knew her presence would affect Justyn twice as much as her own. She managed to keep her thoughts in her mind and off her face however; She turned back to the situation at hand, her unease hidden behind her mask of indifference as she waited for someone to speak. Bion and Taya had never mentioned why they had become traitors to the Stars and the she-wolf was somewhat curious.

[[Midnight]]

Taya shifted her weight uncomfortably. By now she was feeling that danger was averted, her position in the Moons pack secured. She was glad, though somewhat frightened, that Bion had been asserting at least a little dominance. He was staying here and that was that - his actions showed that he wasn't a sissy-footed pup and he would gladly defend himself. Taya liked to think that was going to give them an advantage. Surely Justyn and the others wouldn't challenge Duke's grandson?

Justyn and Taya turned their heads simultaneously as Rose appeared suddenly. While Justyn's eyes twitched with surprise, Taya brightened. This female did not look to her the least bit threatening. Her fur was well taken care of and she had this delicate beauty about her that made her seem almost breakable, like crystal glass. But when the she-wolf looked at Rose's eyes, she shivered. The only emotion she saw was calculating coldness. She wanted to press closer to Bion's side, but the wolf had wedged herself between them.

Justyn was equally caught off guard as Rose took a seat near the two Stars wolves. His first thought was of wonderment as to what possesed her to enter in such a detached manner, and to sit near Bion and Taya like it was a casual gathering for longtime pack mates. As usual, he felt his anger dissapate just a bit more. Rose and Fallon were both here to watch his every move, and now he felt more embarrassment than anything else. He wasn't sure in the first place what had made him furious at the sight of the two foreigners, and looking back at a few moments ago, he felt more like his old self than ever. The old Justyn went through a phase where he'd attack anyone who somehow offended him. But Taya really hadn't done a thing, she was just there, with her stupid smile and her naive eyes.

He snorted at Rose, though it was more of a laughing huff. Obviously everyone knew who she was. Once you met Rose, you never forgot her. His eyes lingered over her momentarily, before he remembered where he was. In his moment of clarity, he saw the way Bion was being stared at so pointedly. Justyn turned his gaze to the male as well, now sporting a look of pure confusion and curiosity. Who was this Dancing Star to earn Rose's attention?

[Fire]

Rose was possibly the last wolf Bion had expected to turn up, and this was possibly the worst situation for them to meet for the first time since he'd joined the back. He turned to her, his expression lifted and his face hopefully bright, only for it to fall again. Something felt...off. She looked so detached, calculating. There was no trace of the wolf who had introduced him to her pups. Then again, that was a very long time ago. How old must her pups be now? He pushed the thought away quickly, unable to deal with the guilt of abandoning even more wolves in his life. Perhaps this was Rose's defence mechanism. What if she didn't like Justyn, or Fallon? That would be understandable.

Then again, maybe this was his fault. What if he'd left it too long? He should have found her the moment he joined the pack, he knew that, but the longer he left it; the more daunting it seemed. Fears of rejection had crept up on him. It sounded ridiculous, of course, but if Rose didn’t care about him then this whole thing had been for nothing, and that was too scary a thought to even consider.

He dipped his head in greeting, keeping his expression neutral as he studied her face for any sign of emotion. “Hello, Rose. It’s good to see you.” He then turned his gaze toward the others, and found that everyone’s attention was on him. Growing nervous and a little self-conscious, he shifted his weight and tried to alter everyone’s focus. “So do you- you all know each other?”

Bion wasn't a big-headed wolf, in fact he was probably more toward the shy end of the scale, but right now wasn't the time to appear timid and self-doubting. He looked up at Justyn, and raised his eyebrows slightly. The way Justyn had snorted at Rose was odd. She didn't seem to take offence to it, and it hadn't seemed particularly malicious. He was at a loss as to whether they were on friendly terms or not.