What You Have, and What Is Yours

[Gyllbane]

The autumn chill that had begun to permeate the valley had not yet made it to the denser parts of the redwood forests that Frigid Plague called their own. It was still pleasant, though not nearly as hot as it had been in summer, and the late afternoon light filtered through the greenery. Treason sat on the outskirts of the clearing that marked the meeting stone of her pack; the large stone monolith rose, imposing, in the center of it. She'd lived in these woods all her life; she knew them like an old friend. But despite the familiarity of her surroundings there was an uneasiness that had settled in her chest.

Something about her existence seemed... at odds with those around her. She was still young, but sharp - she understood the reasoning behind all of Frigid Plague's actions, whether they be aggressive or peaceable, and she performed her duties to the pack well, following in her parents' - and grandparents' - footsteps. But something felt off. She had heard stories of the Good wolves that inhabited the valley - pious, self-righteous creatures, her elders had sneered. She had listened, but had not quite understood what was so wrong; surely they had just been protecting their pack as well as Frigid Plague had protected its own? She certainly didn't consider herself to be a good wolf by any means, but was there something to be said to the fact that she empathized with her supposed enemy?

She exhaled through her nose and stepped into the clearing, coming up beside the large rock; it had been a stage for so many meetings past, the center of Frigid Plague's inner workings - was she destined to stay here, to eke out a never-quite-right existence under the banner of her predecessors?

[Cascade]

It wasn't her favorite season, but the cool air that accompanied autumn was balmy compared to what she could expect from the coming winter, so Perjury enjoyed it while she had the opportunity. Mother had left her in charge of the packlands while she and Father were away for a diplomatic meeting with the Dark Avengers, and being trusted with such a responsibility was its own reward for all of the hard work. She was on patrol for intruders now, a duty that she had performed countless times in the past, but somehow the title of "Alphess Regent" made this boring daily task feel so new and important, and decent weather only made the day better.

There weren't any intruders...there hardly ever were, except for the occasional newcomer to the valley who was very, very lost. The first time Perjury had been there to see it happen, it was a neutral who had wandered over the pack border without noticing, thinking he'd found a great place to set up a den for himself. She was so angry at his stupidity and carelessness that she begged Father to let her teach the wolf a lesson that he would never forget. But Father shushed her, and to her shock he did not take an eye or an ear, but merely threatened the wolf that he would be eaten alive if he were to make such a foolish mistake again. Then, he told him to leave immediately, not a scratch on him.

Perjury had sulked in her den that night, confused and annoyed. Wasn't it the Frigid Plague's duty to protect their home at all costs? Surely intruders were a threat to their home, and as far as Perjury was concerned, Father had valued the life of a stranger over the life of his pack that day. She didn't want to talk to him when he called to her from outside the den, and she didn't want to forgive him when he went in and wrapped his body around hers like he had done when she was a pup, protecting her from the cold night air. But then he said, "Punish malevolence with your teeth, punish idiocy with your tongue," and all she could feel was shame. Of course she had known that the lost wolf wasn't a real danger to anyone, but the letter of the law was so clear, so easy to follow...so easy to abuse. It would be the last time that Perjury felt a desire for senseless violence.

That's what she had vowed, at least, and so far she had been sticking to it pretty well. In the months since the first intruder she felt as though she had become much more level-headed. She liked the feeling of security that came with making her own judgments, and she also reveled in the sense of power it afforded. If she had spent all that time just wallowing in self-pity, she never would have made any progress toward being a capable alphess. Bruised egos were unproductive.

Speaking of things—or rather, wolves—who were unproductive, she spied Treason standing by a rock in the clearing as she came through the woods. Perjury and her cousin were close, but to Perjury she had always seemed a bit...out of place in the pack, and it was pretty clear that Treason knew it too. It felt a bit awkward to go greet her, because this "otherness" had become especially pronounced in the last few months, and Perjury had finally figured out why even though Treason herself didn't quite seem to have gotten there yet. The fact of the matter was that Treason clearly was not evil, and Perjury wondered if it would be out of line for her to mention it. Besides, how do you tell someone you care about 'I love you, but you don't belong here'?

"You should look alive," she called out instead, thinking that if nothing else she would ease into it, "I am currently neck-deep in the great danger that is border patrol, and you need be ready to spring into action as alphess if anything happens to me." Her own parents were still around of course, but Treason was next in line to be heir after Perjury. That would be unfortunate; if she wasn't happy as a beta's daughter then she definitely wouldn't be happy as the alphess. Treason as alphess would would also mean that Perjury had somehow been killed—line of succession and all that—so it would be an unpleasant scenario for everybody involved. What a great position for the pack to be in. Not that Perjury was planning on going anywhere, or her parents for that matter.

[Gyllbane]

Treason was jostled out of her thoughts by her cousin's voice; despite her inner turmoil she managed a smile back in her direction. "Oh? I can't imagine what sort of horrors might befall the Alphess Regent while on her sacred duty." It felt good to joke with Perjury - they had been good friends for as long as they'd been together, which accounted for most of Treason's conscious life, and Perjury was the one wolf in the pack who didn't make her feel like quite as much of an outsider.

Her words made Treason blanch a bit, though she hid it. She knew the chances of the alphas dying was slim, the chances of Perjury herself falling to some unknown terror even less, but it was a terrifying thought nonetheless. She had learned much from her parents about her legacy - in her ran the blood of Evils, though it was beginning to feel less and less like it. She didn't doubt her capability to lead in a crisis, but could she really be expected to lead wolves of an ideology that she herself didn't ascribe to? Even the thought of being an eventual Beta - the role she was destined for in Frigid Plague by birthright - made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

She trotted over to where her cousin was, trying her best to banish the unsettling thoughts from her mind. She dipped her head in greeting as was customary for the alphas. They were almost the same rank now as it was, but she'd been conditioned to show respect where it was due, and no doubt Perjury would enjoy - at least a little bit - being treated like an alpha. "I'm sure your patrol has been absolutely riveting thus far," She said, grinning. "Perhaps I could join you." Being around Perjury, even if it called for the usually dreadfully boring border patrol, was still more appealing than stewing in her own troubled thoughts.

[Cascade]

Perjury felt okay to laugh, always comfortable to be herself and relax a little around her cousin. The bow was usually a little formal for her tastes, at least coming from Treason, but in her state of elevated responsibility she couldn't help but appreciate the feeling of being the one everyone looked up to. "Please do come along, you'll be invaluable in a fight if I get jumped by an intruder. And in the improbable scenario that we don't find an intruder hiding in the trees waiting to tear us to shreds, it would be nice to have some company."

As they set off towards the river, Perjury searched her brain for a way to tactfully bring up the subject that was weighing on both their minds. She also didn't want to be a hypocrite, because Perjury hated it it when her own evilness was questioned. On the other hand, Perjury knew she was evil and was happy with it, whereas Treason...well, the same couldn't be said for Treason.

"I heard a story," she tentatively began, "Mother told me about it. Did you know that Grandmother wasn't originally an evil? She was actually one of the founders of the Honovi along with a wolf named Acka. Apparently, the two were as close as sisters, and Grandmother even had a neutral mate and children in the Honovi. But she felt lost there because she knew she had an evil heart, and even thought she loved her family and they loved her, she couldn't stay. That's when she met Grandfather and formed the Frigid Plague with him. What do you think of that story?" Perjury waited for a moment, the air so heavy with tension that it was actually stifling to breathe, "What I think is that I feel bad for Grandmother. Acka still loved her even after she turned evil and left their pack, so all those years she was afraid were wasted. I wonder how much happier Grandmother's life could have been if she had accepted her true heart sooner."

[Gyllbane]

Treason walked in tandem with her cousin, glad to have her company instead of remaining dreadfully alone in the clearing. It was comfortable, being around her, even if she was destined to be alphess - she trusted her cousin. She listened with growing interest - and a nagging sense of dread - to Perjury's story. She knew that their grandmother was the founder of Frigid Plague, of course, and she had heard from more than one source that she had not been born to an Evil family - instead believing herself to be Neutral until having met Misdemeanor - their grandfather. She had only half-believed the stories, though - such a well-established evil pack, being formed from a previously Neutral wolf? It was hard to wrap her head around. Even their bond with the Honovi seemed like something more out of necessity than anything else; Perjury's story shed an interesting new light on the alliance.

She sighed inwardly and gave a defeated smile - leave it to Perjury, perceptive as ever, to have noticed her discomfort. She looked over at her cousin, the silence heavier than ever. "So you've noticed, then? I didn't want to worry anyone, but you're sharp as ever, Perjury." Her ears drooped slightly, the anxiety she had repressed for so long bubbling to the surface little by little.

"You make it sound so easy - to leave your birthright, to leave your home? We are allies with the Honovi, yes, but I don't know if the sentiment towards leaving is quite the same among Evils as it is among Neutrals." She met Perjury's gaze suddenly, concern etched into her features. "I'm proud to call Kiowa my grandmother. But she had Misdemeanor to help her. How would I even begin?"

[Cascade]

It broke her heart to see her cousin so willing to give up on her own happiness. "Treason, you worry me by being clouded in despair. It's not that I want you to leave either, it's just..." the words stuck in her throat. She didn't want her to leave. It wasn't like she would be able to go back and forth between the barrens and the forests every single day to see her. If Perjury had a problem, Treason wouldn't be right there at her side to listen. If Treason had a problem, Perjury wouldn't be right there to bring hell upon whoever caused it.

But Perjury was going to be alphess one day, and as much as she wanted Treason to be there as her betess, part of an alphess' responsibility was not to let what she wanted get in the way of what needed to be done. "It's just that we both know that the Honovi is where you belong, and where you can reach your full potential. You have me to help you, and I would argue that being the Honovi alphess is as much your birthright as anything you have here. Grandmother and Acka were like sisters, and Acka gave Grandmother her blessing to go be the wolf she truly was. Well, I am your cousin and your best friend and I give you my blessing to go reclaim your crown in the Honovi. And if anyone in the Honovi disagrees with that, they can answer to me."

[Gyllbane]

Perjury's suggestions very nearly sent Treason reeling. To not only leave her birthright in the Frigid Plague, but to claim the right to the Alpha position in the Honovi? The thought was almost too much for her to handle - desperate hope and fear of failure rose unbidden within her.

"It may be so; the Honovi would accept me into their ranks, I have no fear of that. But to become their alpha? Even if the position has not been filled - how are they to know that I would give myself to the cause just as much as any of their older members would?" She floundered for a moment; could she really take up that mantle so easily? It was times like these when she wished Grandmother were still alive - now, more than ever, she could use advice from someone who knew her plight better than anyone else.

"Because I would. I would give my all to be alpha; leadership is in my blood, as much as it is in yours. I would happily serve as their leader - but will they see that, Perjury? Without the threat of your wrath looming over their heads?" The two had come to the river that cut through their territory, and Treason stopped on its banks, the cool earth beneath her feet grounding her and pulling her away from the anxiety that threatened to overflow.

[Cascade]

Treason's trepidation was, to an extent, expected. It was a tall order to leave the home you'd always had for someplace you barely knew, especially to then declare yourself the leader of that place. Had the situation been reversed, Perjury didn't know if she'd be able to do it. The first time she had been to the Honovi lands was when she was a small pup, just barely old enough to make the journey. Mother and Father had taken her there to show her to the alpha, and the whole pack had fussed over her with a level of affection that Perjury found uncomfortable. They weren't bad wolves and she respected them very much as allies, but she preferred the subtler displays of love that her parents showed her to the Honovi's cooing and fawning. A proud smile when she successfully caught a mouse or a small nuzzle for speaking without nervousness at a pack meeting were much more appreciated than a stranger babbling "Who's the cutest little future alphess in the whole valley? Is it you?" at her.

But this wasn't about her, and they weren't pups anymore. "The Honovi are our allies," she said, stopping with Treason at the bank of the river, "When they celebrate, so do we. When we mourn a loss, so do they. We are connected to each other and if the lives of theirs are just as valuable to us as the lives of ours, why should they not accept you as an alpha? It is your claim by blood and you are more than capable as a leader. You said yourself that you will give your whole self to the cause. I can see that plainly, why shouldn't they? As I understand it, the current alpha only holds his position because the last alphas had no heirs when they passed. Don't you see? They're waiting for someone with a claim to take their rightful place. They need you to be alphess, Treason."

[Gyllbane]

Treason took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Her cousin was altogether too smart; only she'd be able to convince Treason that this was in any way a good idea. But what else could she do at this point? It was painfully obvious that she was not fit for Frigid Plague - and from what Perjury was saying, the Honovi needed an alpha now more than ever - the situation could hardly get more perfect than this.

She smiled, gentle, something like hope in her expression. "Well, what choice do I have then? You've laid out my path before me; now I must be brave enough to follow it." She looked out over the banks of the river, through the trees to where the hunting plains - and the Honovi's territory - lay beyond. She reached to take a tentative step, then hesitated looking back at Perjury.

"Thank you, Perjury. For showing me the way." She brushed her flank against the other wolf's, a familiar gesture. "You'll tell my mother and father for me, will you? I think if I wait, I'll overthink this even more."

[Cascade]

Perjury nodded solemnly, glad for her cousin's acceptance of her true calling but unhappy to see her go. "I'll tell them." she said, unsure of how her aunt and uncle would take the news. Hopefully well, hopefully they would be as strong as Treason was being now.

The river burbled and birds sang in the trees. The branches of ancient redwoods shaded them with their tall canopy. The soil was soft and fertile from fallen leaves. Where Treason was going, there would be none of these things. The bluffs weren't bad, but they weren't perfect like this place was. They weren't home.

"I'm going to make my power stronger," Perjury said quietly, "I will have greater mastery over the earth than any wolf ever has. I will even surpass Grandfather. And I will use that power to bring life to the barrens, like our Honovi and Frigid Plague ancestors did. I promise that I will finish what they started and bring our home to you in the barrens." She felt like that was all that needed to be said. Right now it wasn't about being evil or neutral or good, it was about making things right in their world, and that was the part that Perjury could play.

[Gyllbane]

Perjury's offering of her own power surprised Treason even further. Perjury's mastery over soil had been the one thing that Treason had ever been jealous over her for - she'd since come to accept it, but for awhile it had been a small thorn in her side, nagging her every time she witnessed her cousin's display of the mountain magic innate within her. To have Perjury offer not just her solidarity but her own strength to aid the Honovi would be a great blessing that she could bring to the table; moreover it would only strengthen the bond between their packs, much like her ascendance to the role of alpha would.

She paused for a moment longer, meeting Perjury's gaze; she had never doubted her cousin's resolve before today, and she would not begin now. "I know you will. You're the strongest wolf I know." Perjury's determination and will were forces unrivaled by even Treason's own. There was no question that Perjury would fulfill her promise.

With that said, she stepped down the bank. With the winter looming, the water was shallow, and it afforded her an easy crossing. She looked back over her shoulder once she'd made it to the opposite bank - there was no going back now. She paused only a moment longer before trotting easily up off of the bank and off in the direction of the Barrens. Her whole life was ahead of her - all she had to do was seize it.