< I played the game >

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

The duke had faced many challenges in the past few months, he contemplated as he walked. He began by thinking of the new heirs, the treasures that were his mother's unholy children. How they could not peacock the same valued colours that he shared with most of his full siblings. And this was questioned by his brother, Aldritch. His thoughts now take that natural wave to think of him and their bitter exchange.

That electric charge of thoughts then echoed through his footfalls, taking angry steps as he recalled the barbed tongue of his disowned brother. But he didn't let this overrule his mind for long. Quietening himself quickly, huffing away the poison of such a pointless thought. 

And he came to a stop. 

He still needed to tell his closest siblings what happened. Of the boy's betrayal and where his loyalties now lay. And Warwick tipped his nose to the barren skies, howling for his sister @Edith. Trusting she was still within Elkshire territory.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

Edith heard @Warwick's howl as she was returning from a successful hunt. She held a freshly killed rabbit and had decided to find a nice resting place to enjoy her meal. Although finding her brother had not been on her agenda but his summons was a welcome diversion. Edith returned his call—read: she tried to howl through a mouth full of rabbit—and went on her merry way. He wasn't too far from where he was, and it didn't take more than fifteen minutes for her to track him down. When she spotted him in the distance she picked up her place and strode towards him with pep in her step. 

She stopped and placed the rabbit at her paws before she spoke. 

"What's up?" she asked, knowing that her brother was not one to request her presence just for the hell of it.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

He would give it some time for his message to be received and acted upon. Remaining in his chosen spot for his sister to bless him with their presence if she so decided to listen to his beckon. Waiting, he mulled over what he would reiterate about the abhorrent afternoon when he found the remaining lost sovereign.

His call was answered, and he watched his sister approach, waiting for her informal acknowledgement. 'I came across our beloved brother @Aldritch the other day', he let her digest this first before continuing his reason for calling, 'He was intolerable. Choosing to speak ill of us all, but particularly mother, and the wrong she has taught us. He wouldn't stop like he held a vendetta against Elkshire. And I've already told mother that he is to be banished from our home. He does not deserve our love, nor prayers', and he looked at Edith with only a flash of guilt crossing his face, 'I also bit him, hard, he wouldn't shut his mouth so I closed it for him'.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

It was tea time—today's gossip revolved around Warwick's interaction with their vagabond brother, Aldritch.

"I'm proud of you," she praised once he was done speaking. "Sometimes others have to learn lessons the hard way." Edith had never been opposed to violence. It was always an option in her mind. "He deserves nothing and I hope that wound you gave him lasts." Perhaps it would get infected and kill him, and she gave a silent prayer that The High Elk would hear her wishes. "He is no brother of ours. He's a traitor." 

Then, a thought: "Do you want me to finish what you've started?" Edith would end what Warwick started if that was what he wanted.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

Her reaction had been preempted and he couldn't help the familiar smile appear on his lips at the spice in her words, it seemed the sister already carried her own pocket of resentments for him by her quick tones. 

He shook his head though, 'I doubt my wound will have much impact, though he was not in the best of health. He looked poor, and completely underweight. I believe the High Elk already has his own plans to dispose of him'. It was out of character for him to think in this manner, but perhaps Edith brought it out in him, a maliciousness that they no doubt inherited from both parents really. 

Warwick was upset with his brother, vehemently so, though he did not want his sister to do something she would later regret, even of her own will. 'He is not worth our energy. Only if he were to stupidly set foot in our home again. With or without mothers blessing, I want all to know of his betrayal and the word needs to be spread that if he is ever spotted, to show him no mercy or to bring me to him. He is not worthy of His protection or guidance any longer. He's a coward and a traitor', he nodded his head, agreeing with his sister's same choice of names.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

"It's a pity," Edith interjected, "But I know His plan will happen accordingly—Aldrich will die." She would see to it if she had to. "Perhaps I will try and track him down in a few weeks," she added, toying with the idea of hunting him down. "Or maybe the High Elk will place him in our path." They'd get him in the end—she was sure of it. 

She re-traced her thoughts, considering his sentiments. "You're right. He isn't worth our energy. But consider this:" Edith smiled slyly at Warwick, "We track him down and rip him apart for fun." @Vengeance was rubbing off on her.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

He was very aware of the tight bond the favoured trio shared. One that could almost be unbreakable. But with his sister's truancy, he couldn't be so sure of her anymore. It was no secret in this instance how the dark cloud of their sire's impression had affectively loomed on his sister's own. Never had she been a delicate petal, but Warwick got a glimpse of a side he'd rather not have known. 

He listened to her speech, listened to her advice and ideas. Whilst there was a mutual understanding for Aldritch's disown, and also for their ill opinions of him. Warwick would not feel it was correct to seek him out. He wouldn't want to see his brother ever again, in his mind. 

Something twisted in him though, he wasn't completely innocent. 'I believe he will die, by His will. He's not eating and claims the High Elk places food when he needs it, but by the state of him, I don't think the High Elk sees him in a pleasant light and is giving him a gradual, steady sentence'.
A slow death, starving him slowly, though his brother completely opposed this notion.

'Edith', Warwick half-laughed, half-frowned at his warped sister, 'that's such an awful thought', believing his sister was only jesting about such a barbaric ending.

 
[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

"Edith", Warwick half-laughed, half-frowned at his warped sister, "that's such an awful thought,"

She shrugged. "Sometimes awful people are met with awful fates." Anybody who abandoned them deserved to be treated harshly; she knew her brother disagreed. "But I suppose you're right," she agreed, deferring to his good-natured conscious for now, "The High Elk will take care of him in time." Edith felt the way Warwick (rightly) judged her and knew it would not benefit her to press any further. She would drop it and tuck the thought towards the back of her mind for a rainy day. 

"What else have I missed?" she asked next, steering the conversation away from the topic of their brother.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

She seemed to retract what she joked, and Warwick sensed there was some truth to her suggestion, but he was glad she decided to not delve further into such a plan.

With the coming and going of his two close siblings, he was unsure of what news she would've been caught up with and there was something else he needed to share with her. 

His eyes and head then strayed westwards from them, his nose flicked into its direction to engage his sister's attention. 'I met with the leader of a new pack currently residing over the river. Mother will be heading over to meet with them and assess their intentions', he then looked back to his sister, seeking her eye to gauge her reaction, 'His name is Madmortigan, suited in colours below par'. Of white and black. He wondered what their mother would think of such an abomination, as he had, yet their meeting was so brief and at that time, he couldn't help but believe the man to be a trustworthy alliance, contrary to his religious instincts.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

The topic of their conversation changed to something Edith was somewhat familiar with —Madmortigan. "Ah, yes," she replied with a knowing grin, "I met him awhile back and taught him about the High Elk." He had been a good student, and she wouldn't be opposed to meeting him again. 

She lowered herself onto her haunches and began to scratch at her ear, soothing a sudden itch. "He seemed fine to me—but I'll continue to be wary of him." She'd continue to be cautious around any wolf that was shrouded in sin like him, even if he had seemed trustworthy enough at a surface level. "What did you think of him?" she prompted next, lowering her leg.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

He recalled his initial distaste for the male, but in actual fact, there seemed nothing to cause him to judge him poorly aside from his obvious taint.

His sister surprised him with her nonchalant demeanour of the sinner. And the duke shrugged, 'He seemed actually rather pleasant... And courteous', a gentleman to the prince from the start of their greeting. 

Warwick moved on, 'I'm actually thinking of travelling', he wanted his own break from Elkshire, just as others took their leave, 'And wondered if you'd be willing to join me. I want to head north, for the mountains'.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

"He was," Edith agreed wholeheartedly, "But you just never know." The implication of her words lingering in her knowing expression—'Ya know, since he's one of them. 

"I'm actually thinking of traveling," Warwick said next, "And wondered if you'd be willing to join me. I want to head north, for the mountains." 

"Of course," she quickly replied. "The furthest I've ever been is to a forest just north of Blackwood Reach—to a forest called Foxfire Woods." Both of her experiences there had been significant. She'd experienced her first stirrings of infatuation there and had also made a long-time enemy; these were memories she would always keep to herself. "I can lead the way until we get there and then we'll follow wherever He leads us." 

"When were you thinking of leaving?"

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

He knew. Only time would tell if the bi-toned man was as honourable as their first encounter.

Warwick recalled the woodlands his sister named, only visiting them himself not so long ago, 'I've been there. I met a brother of ours, or so he claimed. I believe he's a son of your dear daddy', there was a distaste to Warwicks words, and he made no attempt to hide it. Discouraging from being attached to their sire unlike his sister and brother. Though he realised he made himself open to his sister investigating why he found himself in the woods to begin with. He never let it be known he ventured closely to Nightwalker borders from time to time.

'I'd prefer to avoid meeting any of the Nightwalkers. So around the outskirts of the forest would be best', they didn't need to map out their journey from there on, only using the natural compass of the suns dial and He to guide them to where they needed to go next. 'Soon. I need to speak with mother. I want to let her know when I'll be leaving', he raised a condescending eyebrow at his sister, a dig at her own exit being unannounced. 'And then we can go'. It gave her time to run her own errands before their departure too.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

"Is somebody scared of the boogeyman?" Edith teased, "Our dear daddy won't bite too hard—I promise." She wondered who Warwick had met, but she didn't press; she didn't care to familiarize herself with those bastards. 

She rolled her eyes as her brother explained that he needed to talk to their mother. "Need to ask mommy for permission to leave?" she asked with mirth, "I thought we were old enough to make our own decisions." She shrugged. "Do what you need," she added dismissively. "I'll be ready whenever you are."

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

Warwick snorted at such a retort, with a display of disgust, 'Here I thought you were the one afraid of him, say, didn't you follow him with your tail firmly tucked between your legs?', he recalled his sister recounting her tale of when daddy had intentions of killing her upon sight. He shook his head, 'I don't want anything to do with him, ever', and Warwick was firm in his honest threat. 

And to her second answer he merely kept quiet, with only a thought shielded behind his lemon gaze, believing Edith was still quite immature. With her lack of responsibilities and roles, it wasn't a big surprise, and this was his trail of thought whilst he remained quiet.

With that, he nodded, there was nothing further he needed to speak to his sister about. He would now look forward to their own adventure, and he would now speak with @Calhoun too if he wanted to accompany them. 'I'll ask Calhoun if he wants to join us too'. He didn't think Edith would have anything against this.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

"Yes and I survived," Edith retorted sharply as she looked away; Warwick had gotten her good. "As I said: I think that you're afraid and that's why you won't meet him." She always had to have the last word, even when her ego was bruised. 

He went on to mention inviting Calhoun and she nodded in agreement. "Sounds good," she said. 

They hung out for a little while longer until they decided to part ways. Edith took her rabbits and headed in the direction of the nearest cache to add them to it. She wondered how long it'd take for her brother to gEt MoMmY's PeRmIsSiOn, but figured it wouldn't take too long. She would spend the next few days preparing herself and waiting for the signal that it was time to go.

the staff team luvs u