Where Do I Go From Here? [Mara]

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She saw everything that happened in her soon-to-be home. But it had been hers in the past as well. When Tenebris had reigned she had ruled over this place as well, and soon she could claim the lands once more for Ravenis. But her actions were not rushed. In fact, since Elysium had crumbled beneath her she had slowed her ambition slightly. She had worked to actually bond with her family and those loyal to her. She was certain she had built up at least some relationships since she had brought the remnants of her past to the south and built Ravenis from the ground up. She was stronger than she was before, and so was the pack she led. Though her mate had not appeared for quite some time, leaving her stinging with the memory of relief just outside of her grasp.

But she did her best to keep the irritation that accompanied her heat at bay. She needed to be a more stable leader this time around. She needed to not only be a Marauder, but also a mother. Though she had given birth to multiple litters in the past, this time was different. Her previous pups were blood, yes, but it would be a stretch to call them true family. Lorelai and Tanha had followed her out of necessity or laziness at best, and simply thinking about the betrayal of Ronove and Banshee brought a soft growl to the back of her throat. They had chosen to remain in Elysium under the usurper that had stolen her home from her, and she was not certain she could forgive such a transgression. But she tried to focus on the good instead of the bad.

Her eyes traced the progress of the enormous male as he walked into her homeland, though she knew that she had yet to officially make it hers once more. He was doing nothing wrong, at least to his own knowledge. Icy blue eyes blinked slowly from the shadows, though if one looked closely enough her petite outline would be fairly simple to pick out in the darkness. The majority of her form was white, like a ghost hovering in the background and waiting to make itself known. When he finally spoke, demanding she show herself, she did ultimately step into the light. There was confidence in his posture, and the faintest hint of a pack scent on his fur. Had he been of a high rank wherever he had come from? He had the size and the boldness to pull it off, sure, but there seemed to be some sort of brokenness in his eyes as her own met his face.

Her stump of a tail remained relaxed as her ears perked and her head tilted ever so slightly to the right when she came into view. He had an injury that appeared to be healing, most likely from something that had happened within the past few months. Fur was beginning to grow back over it, but slowly, and she wondered what his pack had been like before he had come to her. "Hello." She said softly, her voice as feminine as ever as she lowered herself gracefully into a sitting position. Though her personality was a combination of fire and ice, the little female appeared for all intents and purposes to be a sweet and feminine little wolf. She had always had beauty on her side, a handy trick to manipulate those around her into bending to her will. But in this situation her expression wore her true feelings of curiosity and interest as she looked over the large male. He was larger than Merak, but smaller than Raum, with Armistice falling somewhere in the middle. She had enjoyed several partners in the past, but at the moment she stood alone, and her confidence never faltered. She did not need a male to lead. She never had, and she likely never would.

(Killian)

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If she had cared to notice, she might have seen the slight surprise on the male's features as he spotted her. But she had gotten used to others underestimating her. She was small, yes, but she was fearless and not to be trifled with. Still, he had done nothing to insult her. He introduced himself, and she offered him a small nod of acknowledgement. "I am Mara." She said softly, her voice still feminine and friendly. At least for the time being. He was no threat to her, or at least he was not behaving as if he meant her harm. Instead he seemed confused, as if he was uncertain and perhaps even lost. "Ravenis, my pack, does reside here. We have not, however, officially claimed the land as our own." She said, allowing her head to tilt curiously in the opposite direction that it had been in before. She watched him for a reaction, curious to see what he would think about a pack staying in a land and not immediately claiming it.

There had been no need, but as more and more wolves were wandering in their direction, she was beginning to make plans to officially claim the territory as her own. It bordered The Occasus, where she knew Kharak had settled down with Khalsa. But she had never been on bad terms with the Rajah, and she doubted he would contest her claim. Perhaps they would work well together as neighbors and allies in the future. But her mind returned quickly to the task at hand, and she allowed a soft sigh to leave her jaws. "You smell of a pack as well, however it seems...distant." She said, pausing before she chose her last word carefully. He seemed lost, and perhaps like a very recent wound could be opened quite easily with only a word.

She had no desire to upset him, but she could not help being curious. He might have been wandering, but this was her home. Regardless of whether she had officially claimed it or not. She would defend her pack and family, but for the time being she allowed herself to remain calm and relaxed. There was no reason to put her guard up yet, no matter how cautious she was. She had youth in the pack, yes, but her own pups were growing quickly and could probably be considered adults now. She had, however, noticed that Lisanna's belly was swollen with pups and Lorelai had been behaving oddly as well. Could she look forward to grandchildren in the near future? The thought made a small smirk appear on her face for a moment, for she did not consider herself old enough for such things. Still, it seemed as if it were going to happen anyways.

(Killian)

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She allowed her expression to soften slightly as he spoke. Though she had been harsh and perhaps cruel in her past, there was no need for such behavior here. He did not immediately pose a threat to her, and from the sound of it he did not want to put her or her pack in any danger either. She allowed him to speak, tilting her head curiously as the words rolled off his tongue. There had been a disease she was unaware of, and there was also a cure. Her expression darkened for a moment, for she knew the danger such a disease could threaten the members of her pack. Not to mention the pregnant females within their ranks. Both Lisanna and Lorelai were clearly carrying pups, and she would ensure that both litters were born without issue. After a few moments she sighed softly and nodded. "Thank you for the information, I was unaware of a disease as my pack thus far has not been hit by it." She said, frowning slightly. But she would guard against it, and perhaps it was about time to claim this territory officially for Ravenis.

"It seems as if your knowledge and experience would be a good thing to have around." She said softly, curious to see what his reaction to her words would be. He had been part of a pack, yes, but that was clearly in the past. It sounded like their neighbors to the southwest were gone, scattered and no longer held together by whatever threads had joined them before. Was he looking for a new place to settle down? It was clear that he could hold his own in a fight, and if he was truly second in command in his previous pack as he claimed to be, he was likely to be an asset in the future. But she was not one to plead for another to join her ranks. The wolves of Ravenis were strong and powerful in their own ways, and they were held together by their loyalty and the trust between her and them. This wolf she knew very little about, and yet somehow it felt like she could at least somewhat trust him.

But if he wished to join her ranks she would not deny him. It was not a lie to say that his experience and knowledge would be an asset to her and her pack, and she would not pass up such an opportunity. She was uncertain of what rank would suit him best, but for the time being she would wait and see if he was even looking to join her at all. She would not force him into anything, for she had learned long ago that force and fear alone were not enough to hold a pack together. Ravenis was stronger than Elysium had ever been because she had learned from her mistakes. She worked hard to build relationships with her members, and though they were all unique in their own way, they all trusted one another completely. They all respected her not because they feared her, but because they had formed a bond with her that was unbreakable.

(Killian)

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A small smile crossed over the female's face as Killian spoke once more and offered her his loyalty. Perhaps it was a rather amusing sight to see him attempt to lower himself completely to the ground out of respect for her position, and she nodded lightly in appreciation of the gesture. "I appreciate your show of respect, but you may stand as a member of Ravenis. There are a number of ranks that would suit you within our home." She said, tilting her head slightly as she looked him over slowly. "The ranks of Death Eaters are split into three. The Kedavra are our executioners and often the most brutal and violent of our members. Should we ever go to war they would also make up our front line. The Imperius are our master manipulators. They are tasked with the most delicate and seemingly impossible tasks from myself only. The Cruciatus are currently our most popular rank within the Death Eaters. They are charged with controlling and guarding prisoners as well as torture and punishment of such criminals if necessary." She paused there, relaxing briefly as she let him think over what she had said so far.

"There is one other rank that might suit you outside of our more combative ranks of Death Eaters. The Dementors of the pack work closely with Masyn, our pack's Minister to enforce laws and maintain peace within the pack. These Dementors report only to myself and the Minister, and are rewarded handsomely for their unwavering loyalty and support of the pack leadership." If she were being honest she was curious to see what he would choose, and she had no doubt that Masyn would be just as honest and reliable with Killian as he had been with her from the very beginning. Though she would not necessarily work as closely with him if he were to take on the Dementor position, it would truly test his loyalty to her as well as see how the pack responded to him in a more authoritative role. She adored her pack greatly, but she knew that many of them could be difficult to handle. Would he be able to manage such a difficult rank?

Either way, the choice was now on his shoulders. She would accept any of the ranks for him that she had listed, though she did hope he would choose something other than Cruciatus, as she already had Caelum, Namaah, and Nefarian in that role. Thus far she had one Kedavra and one Imperius, as well as an Animagus and a Minister. Yet she had still not found a creature she was satisfied with for the Dementor position. Regardless, she was pleased that the ranks of the pack were beginning to fill out nicely. And to top things off, she also would have grandchildren soon. Once Lorelai's litter grew they would make the pack even stronger. She had even seen a very round Lisanna waddling about the territory near the caves. Perhaps they would be blessed with more pups than she had originally expected come the spring.

(Killian)