And All He Had to Do Is Die

@Célnes would prob get a kick but if no one responds ill make it a RO since it's a fuckin monster LOL. All italicized dialogue comes from real threads in a past life. Please please please do not match post length for this :superlaugh:

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Time had been oh so kind to the young boy. He was strong and adventurous, body willing, though as the months passed he would learn what it meant to hone one's skill. Remus and his own mother had made sure of that, and with praise, his ego only grew. Freedom to linger and roam as he pleased was also something he and his siblings had begun to experience, though not without limitations of course. Curiosity would grip him as it did every young mind, and often did he find his paws carrying him to the edges of the crown where the forest broke way to burnt fields where the elk roamed in the open air.

Above all else, it was peaceful, a tie from his ancestors strung him to the will of the herd. Often did he watch them with wonder, the migrations around the field and the way the king of them would stand and watch. Even if he hid, it felt as if those eyes were on him, though the hover of their gaze did not choke him like those of his own kind might. Today had been no different as he laid beneath one of the trees at the outskirts of the field. He did little to hide himself, more interested in lounging about for once as he felt more tired than usual. He would allow the sun's kisses to sweep his hide, the soft sounds of the world around him lulling him into a deep afternoon slumber.
 

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Calhoun's sleep would not last long though, distant voices stirring him as he blinked groggily deciphering where he had fallen asleep. Though what surrounded him was not the golden fields he had initially rested in, but a forest long since charred by a flame. Ash and soot lined the ground and as he stood in a mild panic, he would find blackened marks along his side from where he too had lain amongst the wreck. He knew not of what it was or what had happened, the concept of fire and the destruction it brought lost to the innocence of his youth. The young boy sucked in a breath, caused by the rising fear of the unknown until he was interrupted by a series of coughs almost as if he had inhaled the billowing smoke that once rose here. By the time he had finished he found himself parched, paws careful in his first steps before he took to the woods in search of his family, of anyone, and more importantly water.

Well, he hadn't found his family, but it seemed he was granted half his wants, or perhaps it was only what he needed. As walked, his next step hit water, the liquid swelling around his paw as he looked down to the now muddied puddle. Confused he looked up only to find that what was charred was now replaced with the swell of life. Green sprouted from the treetops and lined the forest floors. Another step would bring the beginning drops of rain, and as he pressed on a downpour would come. Briefly, his mind flashed to the time he had been herded to the caverns with his siblings while their land flooded. Almost excitedly now he called out, sure that he was close to home and all he would have to do is rejoin his family and wait out the storm, though no one called back.

"This forest is neutral territory"

Calhoun turned, startled by the feminine voice at his ear, though once more as he turned to look, no one would be there.

"Are you hunting...

in the rain…?"

This time he spun in a circle, his hackles rising despite the way his fur was now weighed down with the on pour of rain. He braced himself for what would never come, the curl of his lip ready to intimidate whoever now toyed with him. “No.” That seemed silly. Why would he hunt in this weather? Most of his food was provided as well, if he wanted food he could just grab some from a cache. “This is Elkshire. Show yourself!”

"He will guide us to the right land eventually, Cousin."

This time the voice that called sounded...like his mother? Immediately his lip would drop, his brows scrunching in confusion as he stepped forward again. “Mother?”

"The High Elk will be pleased for his word to be spread."

"High Elk... forgive us for our sins..."

"May he bless you all."

One by one the voices filtered in, though aside from his mother, they were voices of strangers. He picked up his pace again, racing through mud and water until the land changed again. Rock shifted underfoot along with the rise of different trees, no longer bogged by water as flowers sprouted and the smell of elk filled his nostrils. For a moment he thought to see a ghost, the blur of a wolf so pale against the foliage, though as he turned back to look it was gone save for the rustle of leaves.

“Mother?!” A soft breeze trickled through the trees, promised whispers carried by the wind, though their words were largely inaudible compared to the voices of before. They pulled at his ears, an unknown push to follow into the brush until he saw the shadows of wolves against the face of a rock.

"Let him stand before the apostles!

Only the High Elk may determine his worth, but let his followers speak."

A man's voice came now, louder than the garbled voices that had begun to fill his ears, and with it a pain that shot through his skull. Calhoun winced, his head feeling light as he wavered on his paws.

"Come"

He grunted, eyes shifting to find a figure at long last standing by his side. The form was blackened and scratched with shadows much like a mistake on a test that could only be scribbled out with pen, though in the gaps there were still parts he could make out. A lightened brown highlighted with creams, and atop it all was the glint of red that peered from the darkness.

"The High Elk waits for none."

“Who are you— Where is mother?” Though he had sucked in a breath to puff his chest with his demand, he would not be answered. Instead, the stranger's gaze only lingered until the shadow turned and moved, his head swinging back to look once in a brief pause ensuring that he too would follow before he moved and disappeared...and of course, Calhoun followed.

"How much do you know of our culture?"

Though he couldn't see the man, his voice still rang loud, almost as if it was coming from his own head. Something felt wrong about it though like this man's words were soured. “I know of the apostles...of the High Elk.” Hadn't that been all? Well, every family had its secrets, he knew well enough that he did not know everything. It was only recently that he overheard his mother speaking to @Warwick of their sibling's pre-told sins. She had good reason though, didn't she for not sharing? She wanted to help them avoid their fate. For Warwick to aid them.

Excuses easily made for a young boy to justify what he couldn't understand. After all, how could his mother be anything but good? The figure still hadn't shown himself again, but an itch at his neck suggested that he was still watching him. Calhoun's ears flattened, unsure where to shy his gaze as he found his voice again, “And— that sinners are stripped of their color.” The elken boy did not even know of sin, but the words had been burned to his memory.

"There is time to prepare you."

“Prepare me for what? What is all of this? Where is everyone?”

"If an elk with a white pelt is to appear, we kill them on sight, even if they are an apostle."

Once more he was ignored, almost as if he was never heard in the first place. Had he not been answered before he might have actually believed that to be the case too, but whoever this was only seemed to care about whatever he seemed to be going on about. At long last though the figure would return...or, er, a figure. This one had been masked further than the last, almost as if he was made of the shadows entirely. He blended with the woods which had now darkened considerably as the sun sank along the horizon. All the boy could make out was the peer of yellow from what he could assume was another's face.

"Tell me now, Calhoun: is your loyalty to Célnes?"

He looked on confused by the other's meaning. Of course, was the answer that bubbled instinctively. She was his mother and his pack was his home. His family. Who else would he be loyal to? Though the concept of loyalty was much lighter in weight from the perspective of a pup. Before he could answer though, the last man's voice rang again, his presence suddenly noticed once more at his side.

"Just because we do not see eye to eye does not mean that we do not know where our loyalties lie. Those who grew up with me know this."

"I did not grow up with you,

and so I cannot take your word."

Calhoun looked between the figures as he desperately tried to process what was arising. A standoff had begun, though no sooner had it started would it end, as the yellow eye figure dispersed into the shadows. He looked to the other that had answered for him, though he too was quickly eaten by shadows as the dark marks stretched out filling his vision with black until it was only he who stood amongst a void.

"Dear cousin—

be still."

Another man's voice came and after the frantic sway of his head to scan his surroundings would he spot the source. A white elk stood, far taller than any he had seen before, its gaze blank and all-encompassing. Atop its head was a crown far mightier than those of home, only to be adorned with another set atop its shoulders.

Something about the creature almost looked like it had been more than an elk, but the rest of the features were hard to decipher otherwise. It opened its mouth, though it did not move like how one would normally speak. Instead, its jaw just hung agape as the voices of before echoed like a recording. 

"The time is now."

Again he heard his mother, but it was only a beast that remained in her place.

“What's the meaning of this?”
"What's the meaning of this?"

To his own surprise, his voice was echoed as well, though it was not just his own that had come through. Distinctively aside from his voice was the male from before who guided him, but he too was absent. A pounding reached his chest, almost as if he knew what would come next, but he didn't and he couldn't explain it if he tried. The two stood there, one boy, one elk as no other words were shared. Instead, it was silent, save for the pumping of blood in his ears.

Then when it felt as though there would be no end, the beast charged.

Pain stabbed him, coursing through his body despite never seeing the elk reach him, and then even the elk faded to black.
 

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Calhoun awoke with a yelped start, his head and heart pounding as he raised his head only to find his vision dizzy. The boy gasped, greedily taking deep breaths as his tongue hung from his maw in rapid pants. Red eyes quickly scanned his surroundings as the familiar soon came to view. The distant mountain, the golden plains, the herd. It was all there, it was all the same. He was...fine?

The boy quickly shifted his gaze down to his chest, his sides, his paws. All was there, perfectly intact save for ruffled fur from his start. Had... had it all just been a dream? The elken boy swallowed, his throat already much drier than usual as he tried to process and replay the events in his head. It had all felt so...so real? The reds of his eyes drifted, not really looking for anything in particular until they crossed the elk.

The king of the herd still stood there, and despite his munching, Calhoun could feel his stare once more. What in the High Elk's name...

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As days went on and her children grew the two in particular.. Were growing more and more like their counterparts. Especially Calhoun, as his pride came soaring and gradually she could hear his comments about the High Elk every once in a while — just like her deceased cousin. Though she mentioned here and there, most of the time it simply felt.. Taboo, to mention. He was one that all cherished, the pinnacle of what a Déorwine desired to be ; and a jealousy would bloom from the depths of heart, and an anger from the days past of his constant challenging. Loyal to the end though, but not to her, only the religion he takes closely. Thus the downfall he so took in a distance past.. That was caused by her and another. 

In a way though, the Queen did cherish him, in the depths of her heart that would never be said. 

He haunted her from here forth, as her small prince, he was but a replica of him. Destined by name did the High Elk say, surely it was meant to be. Why else would the Patron give her little boy the same look? Even the High Elk cherished her cousin in the end, and decided to proclaim her sins — for the mold of him was now before her. Maybe too, she did it to honor him.. Something simply drew forth to that name, and only blamed the mystic arts of the Gods. She could see him within the distance, sleeping within the range. They were older, growing stronger and the ability to wander without constant permission was now around.. He was safe within their realm at least, especially as the Elkshire wolves would always be around the corner.

Not to mention, the High Elk was most definitely looking out for him. It wasn't a question. 

Though he woke in a start, and she approached with a smile, "A nightmare, Calhoun?" she asked as a gaze gently swept past to the heard that grazed around, before retreating back at him.

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A voice called from behind him, startling so as he quickly recognized it as his mother. The boy’s ears splayed back to catch her words, though he refused to look at first, his eyes still glued to the elk until he caught her looking their way too. Compared to his dream she was not so hazy to look at. She was real.

If she had asked him about the nightmare then she much have already seen him awake so there was no point denying it. He would only nod, still unsure of what to make of everything his brain had just imagined. It was as most dreams were, confusing once you woke with several holes that made little sense, but perhaps that was just because it was simply that. A dream.

Naturally though, he would have questions. The main one though would be where to start. Maybe he would save them for later once he had more time to think over it. “I can’t remember it though.” Something he lied easily. If he tried to explain it he wouldn’t even know how to and it probably meant less to anyone else so where was the harm? Heh, well, little did he know had he shared Celnes would have likely had a very large shock.

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"Sometimes our dreams hold meaning — as terror they may present, those who are blessed are given signs by the High Elk themself." She came closer and brushed her nose gently upon his face in an affection. A dream he could not remember, and she wondered what truly had frighten him so. To appease her small Prince, did she pass but a small piece of information of their religion, a chance to perhaps perk himself for those of the future dreams. To be blessed with those of a daydream, and maybe her own son was granted by a holy sign by Him. Her cousin was, always blessed to see the signs as she remembered vaguely of the fawn who held two heads.. She tried to toy it to another direction, but her two cousins protested and mocked. Though the same cousins, were dead within the ground.

Celnes sat beside him, a gaze wandering to the elk, "it's a shame they all cannot speak the same language as us. Like Vivian and Vaskian.. Though it seems they too, were destined to roam away from here." Now the knowledge of these elk could actually speak came toward Elkshire. A few who could were once proclaimed as Divine, but she had not seen them in quiet some time, nor even smelled them. It could be assumed they roamed beyond the borders in a curiosity, for unlike those bound to Elkshire, they held no pledge, nor' need to truly stay. A shame.. For the rules were created just for them, but in the end had vanished.

She wondered if there would be others, that would speak to them.

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The elken boy’s nose wrinkled as Celnes bumped hers to him, though not out of disgust or anger, but more of a tickle that crept his face from the light touch. “Signs?” Could the High Elk really speak to them in dreams? As his mother sat beside him he found his eyes wandering again to the herd, the king amongst them now looking elsewhere as if they never even existed, though he remembered his stare all too well.

Had….had it all been some sort of message after all? Once more he found his mind trying to trace through the memories of his dream, the faces he had seen, though most he didn’t know or were hard to make out. All those words he heard still made no sense but… were they a warning? Someone had said there was still…time to prepare him? As for what he was to prepare for he couldn’t say.

“How often does he talk to us? Er… share signs with his followers?” Admittedly a curiosity now dug its hooks into him and he wanted to know more, but he feared telling her more of what he knew when it could still be all figments of his young adventurous mind while he dozed. If it was not common though to receive these signs then how many did? “Are there any Deorwines here that have seen them?” It was his subtle way of asking how else he could talk to, though he would likely need to keep his findings to himself. He had already told his mother that he couldn’t remember his dream and it would likely be bad if she found him a liar.

Would it be unreasonable to say he remembered them though? Briefly Calhoun tried to recall if he had ever forgotten his dreams and remembered later, but it seemed not very out of the realm of possibilities. Maybe he could reveal whatever signs he was given once he knew more about them. His mother would probably be super impressed that the High Elk had chosen him to share something important with!

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"The signs can either be unnoticed or as obvious as the sky itself — it is up to whether He grants us sight to see his guidance, only very few can notice well. A few of your aunts and uncles were lucky of such a feat, but for others it is harder." She looked at him with a smile, a vague hint that she was not one of those lucky wolves who could tell the signs. Though she would try her best, in the end the only one she thought that was ; was the day of her supposed death. Even then she knew not what it truly meant, for the Queen suffered through grace and woes, a mixture of ups and downs.. Was it a curse or a blessing, a warning or a prophecy? Maybe if her cousins were not within the earth itself, they could tell her what it meant.

She wondered though, if faking all the 'signs'.. The punishment she was unable to truly see them. Celnes internally cursed the High Elk often, a feign of jealousy for He would bless many and yet not herself. Take away those she loved and felt her family would cradle too closely to her hearts. Yet for others it would drive them away — and herself in the pleasant middle of them. At least though, she could wrap it between her paws and display to her children, where it would take them far away from herself.

"Perhaps you can ask @Cynefrid, she is your aunt, and perhaps have seen more then you and I. " She almost scoffed at the thought of mentioning @Corliss for the woman held too tightly to the religion. She may whisper some words to her children that differ to her teachings — and she could not let that happen. Though wouldn't deny her son sought for the woman, but perhaps led to the other, more delightful girl who saw no discrimination within the world.. It did bring a wonder, if she too, saw any signs.

"Some say they have seen the High Elk, some say he has left signs.. Everyone prays and sees differently."

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The young boy could only blink with wide eyes as he soaked in every word like a sponge. If not everyone could see signs then what made the ones who could special? Why not let everyone hear His word? But...did that mean his dream was a sign or just some weird coincidence? Looking back parts of his dream felt hazy and fading. Alas, maybe he had a lead after all though. Cynefrid... He wasn't sure he knew which face she was (because Aso can't remember if shes one of the usual babysitters RIP)

“Er...which one is she again? I wanna know what- what stuff she's seen.” Not to compare dreams of course. Though...had he even met his Aunt? He had a few so it was pretty easy to mix up the names and faces. Mother always talked about how big their family was. Sometimes it felt like every face they met was family, though he knew for a fact some were not. “I thought you said no one has really seen him 'n that the forest could be his head?” Trees being antlers or forest being a giant elk's head, close enough.

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"She's the local medic, a bit orange with spots and red eyes. Follow the scent of flowers, and usually you'll find her." Sometimes as well Melrose would be within Cynefrid, for the healing of her sickly daughter. She held a rather weak constitution and could not play with the other seven like normal — isolated, usually, but the Queen tried to shower her with attention and affection at times.. Like a mother should be doing. In the end it was all but a guessing game, for Celnes couldn't use her own negligent mother as a reference, and she knew not how to properly teach them so. Most were by instinct and how she wanted to shape them, and yet at times, she was forgetful what else to mention. Assumptions were gradually being made throughout her children, and she remained peacefully oblivious to so.

"It's one theory, everyone believes differently how He is presented, for in the end the High Elk is a mysterious being. But if his antlers are the trees.. It's more important to behave, for then He is always watching." She chuckled slightly at such thought, a ploy on telling Calhoun to 'behave,' for the patron was always watching them through. Many theories were washed through Déorwine history, and conflicting appearances.. But she never seen him, not even a sign, and couldn't say which was truly the truth.

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Follow the scent of flowers. Sounded easy enough, but many flowers bloomed in their territory...maybe tracking her would not be so easy, but only time would tell. He would only nod as he noted the information. Sadly, he was met with similar answers to before as to what their beloved god looked like. No one really knew, and such an answer would forever be unsatisfactory to a child who could only wonder. What if everything was his body and he was hugeeeeeee? Wouldn't that make these plains like...the fur of his head?

Seemed possible... but then again he had never strayed far from home to know. A small frown curled his lips as he shook his pelt standing. “I behave!” Or so he liked to believe. A perfect son, accomplished and well. He took their training seriously and despite his age still tried to catch small creatures when he was left to his own devices. That meant he was good, right? How easy it was to be blinded by youthful innocence. “He can watch me. That just means he'll protect me.”

That's what he did after all, right? Watch out for his family and grant them protection. “I'm gonna go find Cynefrid now if that's ok?” Though they were free to wander the woods he knew they were often still watched. He wasn't much of a rule-breaker, in fact, he never had broken the rules. It was for that reason he asked even now.

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"He always will be, as will I." Before he was wisked away to find his distant aunt from their large family tree, she licked his head in affection. Such a lovely son she had, even though there was always.. A wariness, a hesitation and sometimes a longing, for he looked like him, that surely meant, there was no hope for him to return. Sometimes regret may float through her mind, but she knew her actions always were for the best. For her own, interest and safety. 

But he never did break the rules or throw tantrums — barely any of her children did. They were all well-behaved, and Celnes surely lucked out in motherhood. A smile, as she nodded, and watched him move away to find Cynefrid.

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