Waltz of the Moon

Blackbeard can feel himself falling. He's falling down, his eyes are closed, and he knows its the end. Terrorizing the beast was a terrible idea, and yet Blackbeard feels that this is a fitting end. He tumbles, eyes still closed as to not see what comes of him - only he doesn't need to, as he takes his last breath then.

---

He sucks in a breath, it's ragged, short, and anxious. His nostrils flare, soaking in the scents of an unfamiliar place. This isn't where he was before, he can't smell the stench of the big cat growling in his face, he can't feel the pointed stones under his skin. It's different and Blackbeard finds he likes it despite having not opened his eyes yet. Blackbeard can practically taste the trees where he's laying. It's serene, he doesn't feel like he's falling, and there's no one chasing after him anymore. He feels the first calm he's felt in a long time, but there still is the lingering wonder of how he ended up here.

It's at that point that Blackbeard opens his eyes.

It's hard to see in the darkness at first, the wolf has to give his eyes time to adjust. After that, though, he can see the vague color of red on the trees around him. He doesn't think anything of it, and instead finally pulls his paws under himself to stand. His limbs crack a few times, mostly from him laying there for who knows how long. Blackbeard takes a sweep of the area, finding nothing of note, before walking. He doesn't call out in fear of who was out there, but at the same time he needs to know.

Something was fishy and he wanted to know what that was.

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 Crux couldn't stop moving.

 The morning was far from him and yet sleep would not come. Pacing through the camp had done nothing to wear him out so he had sighed and fled its borders, crossing the stepping stones with ease and not looking back. His pack could be patient, they could wait. Surely... surely they could sleep through a simple night wandering by their leader. He was still young, still inexperienced, but he knew when he just needed some air.

 He moved through the forest, scraping by dark trunks and even every so often rubbing his head or side against one, a vain attempt to soothe the energy striking its way through his veins. He huffed a sigh as he slowed finally, leaning against a trunk of a tree, its branches tucking low and shielding him from view with red leaves that faded into darkness. Eyes closed, true darkness for a minute. Then they opened, gleaming golden in the dim light that filtered through cloud and fog. There was sound approaching and his ears swiveled. He moved away from the tree, stepping out of the shadows of the brush and heading in the direction of the steps.

 He saw the stranger through the mist. Crux noted his appearance: dusky grey-brown coat darkened even further by the night and vibrant green eyes that were paired with a mask of darkening around his face. “Late night for a stroll, hm?” he mused over to the male, belatedly noticing that they stood at the same height.

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Blackbeard knows he wouldn't be able to see everything in his sweepthrough, especially not due to the fog (and the fact that wolves can't see long distances), but he feels safe enough as his paws take him forward in long, lazy but confident strides. He's at least confident enough that he'll be able to protect himself from most things if they show up, still, he also can't get being cornered by a big cat out of his head. It's unlikely he will run into one with all of the fog, but it's still a worry of the man. Either way, he walks.

Despite being attentive, Blackbeard does not notice the stranger marking the trees around him. Not until the stranger speaks, anyway. It has him quickly turning around in a rush that would wind anyone else, his ears perk and his green eyes watch suspiciously. He doesn't drop his lazy-but-confident stature, but it should be clear enough to the stranger that he's paying attention from the way he reacted alone. Blackbeard takes another sweep of the fog around him before he decides to speak.

"I could say the same to you." It comes out gruff, bored.

Blackbeard doesn't think the stranger is suspicious, at least not from the first interaction alone. Based on the smells he's getting the stranger was in a pack, but it didn't smell anything like his old home. Not from my old pack, then. He thinks, relaxing inwardly but not showing that outwardly.

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 A squirrel above startled at the sounds, leaping off of the branch and showering him in a tiny torrent of settled condensation from the fog. Nevertheless, he ignored it, instead giving the stranger a once-over. He didn't look familiar in any regard, but as some hint of an odor reached Crux's nostrils, his brow creased in concentration. Ah. Yes, that smelled familiar. He'd smelled it before, when the young one Kore had been found. When he'd met some others just after waking. In fact, he'd smelled it on himself that first fateful day.

 This wolf was Newly Arrived.

 He had to play it cool as to not cause the wolf to think him mad, like that one yearling had. “Welcome to Bleakwood.” he tilted his head, considering the other thoughtfully. “You're new.” Not just to the forest, but to the whole... world? Basically, wherever they'd gotten spat out of their old world into.

 Would this stranger be friend or foe? He hoped friend, though he would not pile on the friendliness as to seem in-genuine. This wolf seemed suspicious and stoic, which was fine. “My name is Crux.”

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Blackbeard takes note of the movement above them, but he makes no move to gaze that way. Taking your eyes off of your opponent could be the difference in life or death, not that the stranger was going to attack, but still. He felt safer that way. The expression the stranger made didn't go unnoticed, but as Crux began to talk Blackbeard understood a little bit more. As much as he could without ever having been to the area before, at least. It sounded like the stranger lived here, or at least frequented the place. The place was called Bleakwood, and the wolf knew Blackbeard was new.

"I am." He responds, shifting on his feet.

Blackbeard distantly wonders if everyone wakes up out of nowhere after their deaths, or if this one is just... alive. He also files this away to ask about later, if he sticks around here long enough. If the scent of pack on the stranger meant anything, it meant they might be recruiting, and Blackbeard was willing to play the gamble game to figure it out. Or maybe he could just ask, but they were having a different conversation at this point.

"Blackbeard Quway."

When the silence hits, Blackbeard lets it stick there for a few moments. It's awkward, and strange but he doesn't entirely care about the feeling of it that much.

"I assume your group lays claim on this area?" He can't smell the scent of any borders directly where the two of them were at, but the assumption is that the two are close enough.

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 Blackbeard Quway. It was an interesting name, one that Crux appreciated. However, he did find it quite odd that more and more wolves he was meeting had two names. Perhaps their bloodline name? Or their mother's or father's name? He supposed it made sense, though it would take time for him to fully unravel what two names might mean.

 “Yes - Event Horizon.”  He indicated to the red wood around them, leaves as full of color as ever. “We own these woods.” Though they were quite new at it so he wasn't sure how thick their scent was. It was something he had been working on, mostly on his own he felt though he knew that he could trust at least a few of the older pack mates to also mark a tree or two.

 The combined scent of the Pack was still growing and being formed, its trace of deer he knew had to be apparent.  “You recently woke, yes?” he would tilt his head. “I can smell it on you - every wolf I've met so far has woken up with no recollection of how they got here.” Here being the greater here, of course. Some wolves had traveled a hair to get to the forest, which was fine.

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Blackbeard was oblivious to Crux's momentary confusion, he might have explained his second name if he was aware of it. Instead, his attention was taken to the name of the pack, and the fact that they did indeed own this neck of the woods. Perhaps he hadn't noticed the borders just yet, or the fog was preventing him from smelling that far out, it was a wet type of weather. Either way it was good to have that assumption confirmed. Event Horizon wasn't that odd of a packname, and he was reminded of the sunrise he liked to watch back home when he wasn't being sent off to murder.

He shoved that thought away quickly.

The comments after that almost caught Blackbeard off-guard, he smelled off? He hadn't even noticed! Blackbeard didn't go around smelling himself anyway, so it wasn't much of a surprise that he didn't notice the scent on his body. It was good to know that those Crux ran into so far smelled like that when they arrived - it gave Blackbeard a way to know who'd been around for some time and who hadn't. The conversation also gave him the information he was looking for regarding how much he could say.

"I'm not sure how I got here either." He brought up. "The last thing I did before waking was die, and well." He looks around. "It sure looks like I'm alive."

Besides the fog that permeated the place anyway.

"Say, is your group looking for more members?" It felt weird to ask that now, but there wasn't much of a point dragging out a conversation about his own death that didn't matter anymore. "I was an assassin in my previous pack, so I could very well protect those in yours."

Of course, he doesn't bring up the fact that he hated that ranking and the job. Or the fact that he was taught to completely mask his want and emotions while performing that job, but well. The latter seemed to be an expectation for it. He also doesn't bring up the large experience difference between them, it was a pointless thing to bring up.

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 It all added up. But man, what a last memory. Crux's brow shot up in curiosity, but then he laughed. “You certainly seem to be! The last memory I have was running.” From what, or from whom? That... he couldn't quite remember. Probably those of the fire pack that wanted to destroy the remnants of his pack.

 Blackbeard inquired about membership and Crux hid his excitement under a mask of polite listening. Yes, yes, Crux was perfectly professional*. He nodded at the right points, too.

 They could always do with more defenders, even an assassin if the role ever became useful. He didn't have any particulars in mind that needed killing and honestly, he hoped that would stay that way for a long time. Killing was messy business and he much preferred living and being around other living wolves. “We could always use another protector. We're still very new, but we're growing.” Every day, it seemed like. Crux was not at all upset by that fact, mind you. He was just... a bit blown away by it.

 He considered Blackbeard a moment longer, then went on to say, “Some ground rules though - the fawn by the name of Hawking is mine and is not to be harmed,” No, not even a taste. “We work as a family. If you have questions or complains about anyone or anything, come to me.” He considered what else there might be to talk about at such early a meeting.

---

*Reader, ignore the slight tremor in his tail as he forces it not to wag.

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Part of him wondered if he would ever really get used to this place.

It was breathtaking of course, truly I
one of the nicest abodes he had encountered in a long while. And of course,  he could hardly dare complain about the company. A sweet little girl and her deer had been his most recent encounter,  and if such bliss was indeed fact here then why did he still feel at odds with himself? Perhaps sabatoge had run through his veins so long, he was struggling to break free of it's very bindings.

It was fast approaching that magical hour of twilight,  and he couldn't help but shiver with the magic. Wandering along the broken path, still somewhat flattered by the stains of red all around.  The very color of his life story.  He had no particular destination in mind,  that was until he happened to catch a whiff of HIM drifting along with the cool breeze. A slight hesitation,  a sudden freezing in his bones. Struggling to ascertain what exactly he was feeling for the man. After all he was the first beast in a long long time that managed to inspire his curiosity. Alongside the feeling that perhaps he could indeed be a better example to the world from now on. 

And with just that, he slunk carefully into the midst of everything. It didn't take long to find him, lingering just out of sight as he watched the other male slowly appear in focus. Well now, he just had to see. Because after all,  curiosity always killed the Satchel. " I didn't realize that the party had already started." a silky smoothness to his vocals as he slid into view as suddenly as a ghost. A careful glance between the both of them, licking his inky lips slowly with anticipation.
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"I was on a mountain while traveling and got chased right off a cliff by a large cat." He grunts out, though it nearly turns into a grumble. To anyone it could sound cool, but to Blackbeard he really knew what happened. Getting close to the thing was enough of a bad idea, but watching it come at him with nails and teeth was even worse. Running towards a cliff was the last straw. Though he wasn't explaining that to Crux in the moment. Crux's was running. Blackbeard wondered what from, but if Crux wasn't going to say what from them he wasn't going to push it.

Blackbeard's ears perked when Crux called him a protector instead of a killer and maybe that made him feel a little bit better about mentioning the rank in the first place. It was pretty clear, at least from the outside, that Crux was not planning on using him as a weapon like his previous leader did. Blackbeard would be here for when the pack needed someone for defense, not for attack. Not unless an alliance went wrong. That was fine, he thought. He wasn't going to be sent out for weeks at a time to follow a subject. Not that Blackbeard was ready for that kind of thing. He never had been, and he'd prefer if he didn't have to.

"I won't harm your fawn." A nod, and then another, though silent one when Crux mentioned coming to him with any concerns.

Sound caught Blackbeard's attention and he instinctively stepped a few paces backwards away from Crux and the strange sound. That wasn't like the squirrel overhead minutes before. Green eyes gazed in that direction, and he found that moving away was a good idea since another wolf came into the picture. He was smaller than the two already at the scene, and Blackbeard would be able to take that one on alone, or Crux alone, but not the both of them together. He swallows, and sidesteps to put more distance between him and Crux. It would give him more time to get away if this was an ambush.

His eyes narrow, and Blackbeard flashes his teeth for a moment in hopes to gauge the reaction the stranger would make to it.

"Is that one yours?" He growls out to Crux - just in case. Just in case.

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 Crux grit his teeth at that - Ouch. That sounded like a pretty painful death, all the rocks and walls on the way down. Until you were knocked out, he assumed you felt every hit and slash. Nevertheless, the conversation moved on without much comment. Blackbeard reacted positively to the acceptance of the invitation - Crux assumed - and agreed not to harm the fawn.

 Then a familiar white form appeared, making his way up to them. Crux began to smile but noticed Blackbeard was beginning to react defensively. Not good.

 The new recruit was already side-stepped away, ready to run or fight. He leaned back and lifted a paw, waving it with spread toes in Blackbeard's direction - a very non-aggressive act, he felt - as if to try to calm the newcomer down. “Yes, one of mine,” He turned to Satchel then, offering a pleading smile, “Down, boy.” Had he been sure it wouldn't encourage the white wolf to make the dark-furred one uncomfortable, he'd have offered a wink, but as it was he hoped the smile would do.

 The speckled male indicated towards Blackbeard with a tilt of his nose. “Satchel, meet our new friend, Blackbeard. Blackbeard, meet Satchel.” Hoping that the information was enough to appease both, he looked back to Blackbeard. “You don't have to worry. None of us will hurt you, we're not that kind of pack.” If Blackbeard was to stay, he was family now and that meant that no hard would come from him from within the pack. At least, none would come if Crux could help it.

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Once upon a time, this story might have ended up drastically different.

He began to slowly return the smile, a sense of well being for once. He had not known him long, but something about it just made him ache to trust the handsome king. He had come forth and glanced again at the other beast, noticed with a sudden swiftness that he was not exactly welcoming.  A stiffness took hold and orange eyes flashed like wildfires of old, but then Crux spoke. A slight teasing of his words, but it was enough. If he was really in the mood for commitment,  perhaps now was the place to start.

So while the monster from yesterday might not have hesitated to return the flashing of fangs, the ghost of today halted and had a slight tinge of remorse. Because also, he could emphasize with the strangers feelings of entrapment.  Another inhale, and he visibly did his best to display a poster of none violence.  Ears flung forth at the sudden introduction,  well at least it was a start. " Hello there." small nod of reassurance to Blacky, and then he swallowed deep and did something in his past life he would of thought impossible.

He offered up an apology.

The words sticky sweet as they struggled off his tounge, not used to such negotiations of peacemaking. But Goddamn was he so tired of being the bad guy.  "I didn't mean to startle you, friend. " a small grateful glance at the man who inspired him to be this way,  and then he just went full out.  " I will personally testify this place is worth the effort. " offering the new guy a hint of a smile, despite the sadness suddenly lurking below.

Wondering fully if he could ever truly domestic himself, or if he would always end back up this way. Hurting others was no longer a part of his system,  and he could only pray he would be able to prove it this time
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Blackbeard's tense demeanor didn't change when Crux waved a paw around. Sure, it meant he was relaxed enough with the newcomer to let him know that the stranger indeed was one of his, but it didn't help his body which demanded all of his attention be on the new threat. Or both threats, since he'd also sidestepped away from Crux too. Realistically, he knew the two of them wouldn't attack - not with the way Crux was talking with him before this. Crux already got into Blackbeard's good graces when he called him a protector and not a killer, which was still cemented in his head. Even if it... Well even if it wasn't entirely true. His reaction to the stranger appearing was answer enough for it. The manner in which Crux spoke to Satchel did catch Blackbeard's attention, but he didn't really care to find out what their relationship was or the details within it.

Blackbeard moved out of his obvious defensive position when Crux made the introduction. He was still tense, but it was pretty clear he wasn't about to break someone's skin. His nostrils flared as he tried to get himself to calm down, but it wasn't going to happen until he talked to Satchel himself. Reinforcing the fact that they wouldn't hurt him helped more than he let on, but Blackbeard's eyes were on Satchel now.

"Hey." He greeted back, bland and bored. Different to how he reacted before.

Blackbeard's ears perked at the apology he honestly was not expecting, and he did relax then. Moving closer to the both of them, but still out of touching range.

"Apologies." He grunted out, not sure how to reply to all of that.

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 “Thank you.”

 Crux breathed a sigh of relief as tensions seemed to settle a bit. After Blackbeard's reaction to Satchel's sudden appearance, he had worried that flashing eyes would turn to flashing teeth. Thankfully, it appeared that the direct threat seemed to be abated, at least for now. He smiled gratefully at Satchel and Blackbeard both, turning to the now-turned-awkward Blackbeard. He was certain that, given time, the man's walls would come down.

 It was clear that there was a past here that would need to be taken with care. He nodded to the newcomer's apologies, accepting them without hesitation, “I can show you to the camp - you're welcome to den inside it or outside it, to your preference,” he figured with this sort of reaction, it would take some time for Blackbeard to want to sleep too close to the crowd. Crux hoped that in time the man would grow more comfortable in the pack's territory and with its people.

 Especially once they truly became a pack.

 Once they had built a name that would dispel lonely attackers... and sadly, likely interest malevolent packs. He hoped that his positive encounters with wolves of other packs would mean that they were less likely to turn on this rag-tag group the moment they had something to gain from them. His thoughts returned to Vengeance and Hydra and he shivered - they would be formidable enemies that he did not want to make.

 And then Satchel wandered off, offering a quick goodbye. Crux watched after him, tail waving, before he turned back to Blackbeard, expectant eyes curious and waiting for the other's answer.

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Blackbeard almost wants to apologize for making Crux thank the two of them for not going for each others' throats right off the bat. He doesn't, and instead keeps both of them in his sights. Even if Crux says the pack won't kill him, Blackbeard has a hard time reacting in such a way that would make them believe he believes it. He does, but that isn't the point. He wouldn't be able to cut out his gut reactions instantly like that, anyway. He's thankful at least Crux and Satchel seem to be okay with that. That he's got problems that won't be going away until he dies. Blackbeard doesn't plan to die anytime soon. With his line of work, though... Nothing is certain.

Crux mentioning that he was allowed to home outside their specific camp was welcoming. He didn't think he would attack any of the members if he ran into them - in fact, Blackbeard shouldn't have had that reaction to Satchel at all. If he stayed alert the entire time, he could have seen the lighter wolf coming. He didn't, and that meant Blackbeard was the one in the wrong there. He was for starting a fight in the first place, but he can't blame instinct for something it makes him do. Satchel seemed to get bored of them after a little while, to which Blackbeard was grateful as well. The white wolf wandering off had him relaxing all that little bit more. He would have to talk to Satchel later, if he could. About this. If not, then he'd just let it fester. A bad idea, but when was Blackbeard known for good ideas?

"Alright." he nodded, still feeling awkward.

At least he found somewhere mostly safe to linger.

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 Satchel now gone, Crux could return his attention properly to Blackbeard. He was a quiet fellow, evidently unsure of what words to say, if any. That was fine with Crux, sometimes words got a bit much after all.

 He'd nod in return and turn towards the camp. He, also, wasn't sure what to talk about at this point.

 Crux, also, wasn't sure what to talk about at this point. There was so much to learn, but he felt the need not to pressure the shadowy man about information or history. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to try. “What was your old pack like?” Whatever it was like, Crux would have no reason to judge. He, himself, had been from a terror of a pack. In fact, he had been a terror of a wolf there, trained by another monster. “From what you can remember, since this place muddies memory so much.”

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Blackbeard should have seen the question coming.

That was the first thing that popped to his head when Crux tried to dig. It was natural to want to get to know any wolf in your pack correctly, especially to see what they would be like when they joined. No one would want a traitor or a murderer of packmates in their ranks. Blackbeard knew that personally, after watching so many either get killed or chased off for breaking laws. He wondered how Crux would handle such things - most likely the same, when it came to killings anyway. Most would. He didn't disagree with that, really. Though other things were... Questionable, especially those who ran things. Blackbeard would have to be weary and see how Crux acted more over time if he wanted to know things here.

"I remember everything." he murmured.

Wolves not remembering things was news to him. He supposed the trauma from finding yourself in a random place with no idea how you got there would be a traumatic way to get some to not remember some things. Would those that forgot remember eventually? Or would they be memoryless forever? Some wouldn't want to remember too, so Blackbeard wouldn't be surprised if some never recovered from it. It was good information to have, though, especially if he saw someone he knew around. Perhaps they wouldn't remember, and Blackbeard could get away without having to deal with teeth. Blackbeard also supposed he shouldn't lie to Crux about his old home.

"It was a military-based pack." He started with, of course, Crux might have guessed that by now. "When you're young you begin training with the higher ranking members, and then you rank up through challenges. They mostly tested what we learned." Most were easy, but as you went up in ranks... Some didn't survive. "Some of us were chosen from birth to do specific tasks." Blackbeard was one - strong from birth even through the cold temperatures year-round.

"The pack was on top of a mountain that had snow on it year-round. It was harsh, and many of the pups didn't survive." They were raised to not care about that kind of thing, and many of them didn't get proper burials. Crux didn't need to know that part. Or maybe he'd realize it from context clues, either way, Blackbeard didn't mention it.

"I was picked to be an assassin. We faced harsher conditions than the others." But he didn't say more than that. "There were a lot of wars with our enemies - our leaders liked making them. Eventually, I left. But they would have sent wolves on my trail. They don't like it when information gets out." Stupid secretive packs. Even if they had a reason to be. "I doubt any of them made it out here." he quickly added just to be safe.

There was no telling if that last statement was true, but Blackbeard didn't want to make Crux worry about it. He could deal with it on his own if any of them do show up. Not that he was going to say that, either.

"I could tell you more, if you want." Truthfully, Blackbeard didn't want to talk about any of it.

It's bad to lie to your leader. You'll get found out and be murdered for it.

He pushed the thought away before it could get dangerous. Blackbeard didn't plan to lie anyway. He just wouldn't say anything if he didn't have to. And would hide after this to stop his panic. Something was going to happen. No one likes traitors. He sucked in a harsh breath to ignore his own heartbeat.

I will be fine.

No you won't.

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 He remembered everything? That was interesting - though Crux supposed he remembered a lot, too.

 At least, he remembered a muddy, morphed view of his past. Still, he sat and listened intently to every detail that Blackbeard imparted, both the good and the bad. He kept his face impartial as he listened, finding similarities in parts of it and differences in others. Little did he know, this pack was much closer to his own father's birth pack than the Valley.

 When Blackbeard offered to share more, Crux responded with a little shake of his head. “My birth pack was similar, in a way. The forced mystery, ready to hunt down any who came close enough to learn anything. Warlike.” He'd not taken part in any of the hunts himself, but he knew that some of his own kin were to be killed if they were ever encountered.

  “It was eventually their downfall.” He peered over at Blackbeard again, “I can understand leaving that. Some might call it treason, but if your heart guided you away from that path, it couldn't be helped.” As long as he didn't go about sharing details that could put Event Horizon's safety in jeopardy, Crux didn't mind his previous transgressions. This was a new world, a place to redeem and remake in whatever image they desired, new or old.

 “In time, we can talk more about it. For now, let's get you settled in.”

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It was good that they grew up in similar ways, not that fighting constant wars were good, but Crux would understand some of his reactions. At least, he hoped so. Within a group where the lot of them fought for things they didn't even know about, given directions they had to follow to a T. When they say 'jump' you ask 'how high'. Constant fighting and constant instructions would drive someone mad. Maybe that's why Blackbeard's leader was so keen on never letting anything out. The group had secrets, sure, but there had to be a group that had more of them. Then again, each of them were secretive about different things. For Blackbeard's, it was their location, their members... Any information they had. Honestly, he was surprised the group went as long as it did without being found. Taking so many detours getting home would do that.

Blackbeard was good at following directions. He still is, if Crux were to ask him to do something, he surely would do it. Regardless if it hurt him or not. If someone had to give their lives for a group, it meant they did their job and should be thankful for it. Thankful for their own death. He saw it too many times, from killing other pack wolves, or killing the 'traitors' in his own. Each of them were loyal to something. Whether it be their own pack, their family, or to themselves. Blackbeard was like that at one point, raised, trained, all to give his life for the group that didn't care about any of them. Sure, there were funerals, but the leader was just as likely to tell them to kill their own as an enemy. Living in those kinds of conditions were not worth it, so he'd had enough. Didn't get you far though, did it?

"I will not allow them to find us." Blackbeard responded in kind. "They would have found my body from... Before." He brought up with a pause. "I don't think they will find this place."

Still, it was good to keep an eye out. Blackbeard also knew how important keeping borders marked was, and he knew he'd be doing that task often for this pack.

"Alright." he hummed. Blackbeard didn't think he could keep talking about it anyway.

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 Blackbeard seemed certain of one thing: That those he ran from would not find him. That they would believe him dead and would no longer be hunting.

 Perhaps it was optimistic, but with the way this new world seemed, it was just as likely, if not more, that what he said was true versus not. So far, Crux hadn't found anyone from his past and honestly, he preferred it that way. This way... he didn't have to worry about meeting specific expectations. Didn't have to pray to a god he didn't believe in. Didn't have to die for her.

 It was refreshing.

 Their conversation essentially over, Crux nodded to Blackbeard's thoughts and continued on, leading him home.

---

Exit?

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