Demons in the Night

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Nico

Seal was a fascinating food. To see it washed up on one of the small beach areas along the coast was a treat, but perhaps it happened often. That would be enough to make one desire to live there, but there was no way the male would see the value in standing on the pits of hell every day. Nico, for what it was worth, was not a fan of anything bigger than him. That meant the ocean ranked a fair high scale on his list of things to avoid. But on the other hand, a washed up meal while he walked restlessly was too much, and the lack of his twin by his side failed to curb the impulsion.

Yes, it proved a fair problem when he was separated from Xanthus. The male became an absolute wild card, and at the same time he seemed shorter to anger in some ways. There was nothing to fuel the fire, there was no defense at his side. Not that Nicostratos ever required such a thing in his life. There was nothing of use that his brother could have ever offered him, the male was a beautiful piece of artwork in the most deranged ways. He was nothing pretty to look at, like his brother, thus intensity was pulled from the edges.

Choices. It was one of his favorite things in the world as he growled like a mere pup, hauling the thick half froze flesh off the body, backing himself into the moonlight. The clouds lingered though, wanting to haul him away and sink him into a hell. It was too much to be questioned over the notion, but his tail swished as the crackling of flesh gave way, and the pleasure filled his body. Not even a death he had created, but he was content to come along like a vulture and rip away the last mementos of life as possible.

When his teeth released the flesh, he watched it clatter to the ground. Eying it, the laughter softened his featured as his tail swished merrily. "Chubby little sea princess." He greeted as he bowed dramatically, rounding on the seal to face the half missing face. "How lovely you are in this moonlight!" Voice sung merrily, his delight was evident enough to prove that he was far from normal. While redemption might have lingered in his soul, he wanted nothing to do with it. Redeemed, redeemed from what? Surviving?

The growl followed though, as he stalked forward and pried open the mouth of the seal, reaching in to rip out the tongue. That way the silly female seal would not have the notion to talk back to him, and thus would not end up like the delta alpha did in Nico's quiet little fantasies since meeting the male.

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The ivory-coated girl hurried towards the beach, her blue-grey eyes unseeing of the rocks in her path. They clattered left and right, making her stumble and trip. But she cared not, too desperate to get away from the terror she had just witnessed. She felt ill, her stomach heaving with nothing but stomach acid. She was thinner than she had been, and the brisk winter's wind was uncomfortably cold against her downy pelt. Common sense would have dictated she stay tucked away in the den. Closer to the hell she was trapped in....but warmer, too. The moonlight did nothing to make her getaway stealthy, it's cold light making her gleam like a beacon between the rocks. Away, away, away she thought wildly, slipping down the slope to the beach. She lost her balance half-way down, and so she let gravity tug her downwards. The sharp pain of rock grazing her belly was ignored in the face of the horrors she had witnessed. Pain was secondary to her at the moment; not when the screams of agony emitted by others still echoed in her head. The very thought had her scrambling to her feet and retching, the bitter taste of bile filling her mouth. It was terrible. TERRIBLE!!! The poor wolf had only mistakenly crossed the lands, the sea's winter anger washing away scent boundaries that weren't particularly strong to begin with. But Kerberos had ignored the pleas. No, instead, he had listened to them as though it was the sweetest thing on earth - lapping up the broken whimpers and harsh cries of pain. And she had been forced to watch! Oh, she knew it was supposed to be a lesson to her. She, who struggled so much in adapting to the pack's callous ways. He'd found her weak spot to...or maybe she'd told him. It hardly mattered any more. All that did matter was that too many wolves were suffering under his paws....creatures whose pain she could not ease, no matter how much she tried. She wasn't watching where she was going, nor listening for sounds of pursuit. So it came as quiet a surprise when she found herself face-to-face with a large, dark grey wolf, bent over the carcass of a frozen seal. "Ahhhh" she whimpered, stumbling to a halt in her terror. Not him. Not him here! In the back of her mind, she had known he would find her - he always did. But she had so hoped that she would have some time to get her mind back into working order and soothe her aching heart. At her cry, the creature moved and she ducked out of habit. The gaze that met her's was orange, though. Not Ker, she thought with a deep sigh of relief. She was momentarily safe. But that broad skull and dark colouration looked far too similar to her captor's for her to feel quite safe. "Speech"

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Nico

Meals were something to be embraced in a way that could not be denied. A dead seal was a treat that was supposed to be coveted, and his mouth forever seemed a twitch as he tasted and tugged his way through what belonged to him. There was merriment in the actions, but Nico was a dangerous beast to come across while he was enjoying his spoils. While he might not have been the one to slaughter the seal - it appeared a shark had succeed in that - he was still just as possessive as a scavenged body.

Ears slipped on his head as the sound rocketed into his ears, and the stillness overtook him. Someone was around, and it was another problem that was faced with the readiness. Oh heavens, dealing with such a monstrous tone of agony was the last thing that he could have wanted. The large male twisted, orange eyes sparkling with mirth as he looked upon the terrified looking female. Heavens, that was something to be embraced, readily enough, and his head cocked to the side with a willingness not to be denied.

"Blasted land bird, what is all the squawking about?" Chipper tones teased, warm voice ringing through the air as the readiness over took him. Cautiously enough, he stepped over his claim, and eyes narrowed after a moment. What if she was a lure! Perhaps he would chase her all over the coast and nibble on her legs, while someone stuffed themselves merrily with the meal he had conquered. It was not a thought the odd wolf embraced at all, so his suspicion readied itself further.

"What's troubling you?" He appeared so innocent, not as loopy as he could have been. Perhaps it remained the fact he was well catered to, or perhaps he was just the smidge bit softer without his brother's presence. "Cat spook you or somethin', little sparrow?" Intent words whispered, humored by his own little joke. Large head cocked to the side though, his wondering features remained intent. He looked exactly as his father did, but simply inverted colors. Such would have scared someone who had known his father, not the son that ruled; not that Nicostratos had any clue about any ruler.

Other than Tree bark. Tree cone? Pine cone? Branch? Buddy the branch? His confusion laced his face momentarily, but then he masked it away. Whatever the phony excuse for the alpha had called himself, it was no longer a concern. He wasn't around the infested little flea monger anymore.

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She tilted her head at the odd words that floated to her over the sound of the waves. Bird? She wasn't a bird, and she was hardly squawking. She was further taken aback when he continued speaking, a normal question leaving his lips. She sighed deeply, raising herself up to her full height. He didn't smell of the pack, which meant she was safe. If Ker did stumble upon them, she was fairly certain the male would bear the brunt of his wrath first. "Death is troubling me" she answered honestly, meeting the orange eyes with a slightly calmer gaze. "Well, murder to be more precise. Everything must die at some point." She clenched her teeth to prevent herself from retching again.  She shuddered, giving the male a sharp look. He definitely shared physical traits with Kerberos...the moonlight reflected off the blunt angles and broad bones. She didn't quite dare to pose the all-important question, though. It bothered her, this similarity and finally she could bear the tension no longer. "Are you related in any way to Kerberos, alpha of these lands?" She tried to keep her tones neutral, but there was no mistaking the worry that laced her song. Worry at the mention of the king who caused her grief, and worry at what being relatives might mean. She set her rump carefully against the shore, feeling her legs tremble slightly at the anticipation of the answer. She could almost hear the affirmative ringing in that smooth voice, and she quaked at the thought of what that might mean.  "Speech"

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Nico

Ears twisted on his head, the look in his features were not to be denied. There was still a bit of confusion over the thoughts that had rolled through his head, but now he had to look at the conundrum that was in front of him. A female who was so utterly scared, so far out of her mind that he reckoned she was liable to explode. What had set her off, that was his only question. Nico was behaving himself admirably.

Still, his voice tempered with a little bit of a warning, inclining his head with a show of preparation. It was something that could not be denied, and mouth delighted in mocking her. Just a little bit, although his voice remained neutral. For now, he was honestly not much of a threat. "Best you stop quivering, sparrow.” His words almost tasted apologetic on the air. "Seal might not be enough for me to be full and lulled into a harmless bear.” It was something to keep in mind for a situation like this. There was always a risk and the fact that she could end up being harmed by him had not escaped his mind.

His next words had him chuckling, offering a sympathetic glance to the female who was clearly so far gone there was nothing that could stop it. His words were but a coo as he stepped forward, but then reconsidered overwhelming her. "There's no alpha anything around here.” Chiding words were speaking to the pup that he had discovered, although she looked a little more his age than anything else. What a hardship it was for craziness. "I would have known.”

"And no,” Words continued, humoring her voice. All right, there was some crazy little beast running around in her head. That was something that could be understood, and his tail swished. Kerberos, he had to offer a wolfish grin. It even seemed like a name that Zarek would have enjoyed, undoubtedly. "The only relative I have is Xanthus, my twin.” The announcement was so evident on his tongue, it could not be denied. Tail swished from one side to the other, and his mouth turned up with a show of amusement. There was a brutal sound to his words, but he was honest. "Everyone else is dead.”

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He seemed to be mocking her, and she forced herself to take a deep breath and assess the situation as coolly as she could. She would have to forget about the brutal murder to long enough to make sure he wouldn't eat her...and from the looks of him, he really wouldn't mind eating her as a snack. She'd probably be more desirable, too - not as cold as the frozen seal, for starters. It was easier said than done, though. He looked so similar to Ker...and his quip on eating her landed a little too close for comfort. Still, she had a mad instinct to survive, so she may as well put that to the test. She latched on to the steady murmur of the sea on the shore, letting her breathing flow in time with the water. Bit by bit she let her worries wash away, leaving behind a blessed stillness. Now she could think. And listen, and generally not make a complete fool of herself. The male's words of dismissal came too quickly for her liking, and she peered at him through serious eyes. "You are mistaken, sir" she countered neutrally, not willing to start up a fight. She'd been too good at that lately, and she ached from the 'lessons' learnt. "I am one such unfortunate victim of said alpha." She let her gaze drift out into the blackness of the ocean before desolation overtook her again. "As much as I would like to share your view on the matter...there is no denying the fact." She spoke with heavy resignation, realising belatedly that she wasn't doing the pack any favours by speaking out so openly. Then again, she wasn't doing herself any favours being out here in the first place...so it was neither here nor there. If she was going to be punished, at least someone might be able to go back into the world of civilisation and muster some sort of force to free her and the others.  As much as she wished she could forgive Kerberos his sins...he was making it more difficult by the day. There was only so much she could blame on faulty upbringing. She started as the male spoke again, shifting her weight backwards a little when he seemed to loom in more closely. Namiko felt a familiar surge of compassion for the male, her gaze clouding slightly. "I am sorry to hear of your deceased kin" she murmured honestly, slowly easing the tension in her shoulders. He seemed a reasonable enough sort of fellow, and she was too worn to keep her guard up. "I am Namiko" she offered simply, giving the male a faint smile. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to offer me your name?" The question was stated shyly, more for fear of agitating the male than for lack of wanting to know. She'd not been in sensible company for so long, that she'd lost her touch of reading others. "Speech"

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Nico

Victimizing was the last thing he expected to be heard on the female's lips. Although she looked shocked down to the core, and evidently carried fear over the supposed ruler... Victim was a strong word. It fascinated him, and it caused his mouth to curve up into a very wolfish grin of intent. Very well, they would embrace what was required of the pair of them to play the game. His head inclined in acknowledgement to the heavy words that were requested for attention. Despite the fact she was an acknowledged lunatic, he would have to investigate the matter further.

His head inclined and sympathetic eyes were offered. "Pray your foes fall then, scared little pheasant. Best not aggravate the land sharks though with your fear." She had to realize what it looked like when she was going around almost losing her mind. It meant there was a risk that could not be denied, and his shoulders pulled back. Warning her was quite noble on his part, not something that he would normally do for the greater good. Not when he preferred chaos and bloodshed, but he was feeling generous.

Names were precious little things, so he peered at her. Namiko sounded silly on his own tongue, but he wagered it meant something elsewhere. Just the way she pronounced it, although it was certainly lackluster. His head bobbed, and he offered what he would have hoped came across as a charming grin. "Nicostratos, my dear; twin to Xanthus." His proper introduction was given up freely enough, it hardly mattered if she cowered in fear by his name or not.

The issue remained that she was harboring secrets. "You're kept against your will..." He ventured softly, offering a blink of confusion. "Yet you walk away from situations freely? Why haven't you fled for the mountains yet?" It was a fair question, he knew that. His curiosity dug at him, and his mouth twisted wryly. There was no need for him to be rude, but it confounded him. Not running away, as a lady in distress?

"You could be half way Northbound towards the grand mountains before anyone would ever catch you, I'm sure." His voice offered, inquiring, probing. What more could he do? Nico actually allowed himself to take a seat beside his seal, considering the female before him. What a strange girl.

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He had a funny way of speaking, she decided. More....flowery than she would have given one of his size and considerable likeness to Kerberos. Then again, Ker had a smooth tongue himself when he put his mind to it. Still, she caught their meaning easily enough, and she laughed bitterly. "It is not my fear that aggravates the males" she informed him dryly. "It is my lack of fear that inspires them to new heights of cruelty and punishment." She was vaguely aware that telling your secrets to a complete stranger was a stupid idea, but she was past caring. He could do no worse than Ker and his ilk were already trying. Starving her, beating her because she put another's wellbeing over her own, making her watch murder...No, nothing this chap could do would damage her soft heart further. At his introduction, she bowed her head respectfully. Gracious, Nicostratus sounded pompous to say the least. Xanthus was little better. Still, it was not her place to judge others on a name. Many would think her name silly - after all, why would one name a wolf after the waves? His curiosity pulled another bitter laugh from her lips, and she hated how devoid of happiness she had become. "My being here is not quite so free, Nicostratus" she informed him. "I cannot bear to think of my...reception when I come back this evening." Her features crinkled into a grimace at the mere thought of the pain inflicted on her body. "Yet I simply could not stand another second in the den...not after the execution earlier." She shuddered, trying and failing to ban the scene from her mind. Oh, she was going to hear those screams for a long time indeed. "As for running away, it is no use. Kerberos will hunt me down, and goodness knows I do not wish to end up like Shai under his wrath. I fear Kerberos channels his father too much for me to risk escaping. Death would surely be the gentler option, but I'm not tired enough of life." She paused, sighing softly. "Not yet." She watched him make himself comfortable, shifting her paws beneath her as she let the last ounce of wariness ease from her muscles. Whatever was going to happen, would happen., whether she braced herself for it or not. So she may as well save her energy for more important things...like keeping her sanity upon returning home. "Running away would also mean that I cannot protect my fellow prisoners. I don't think I could ever forgive myself for that." She gave the male a wry grin, shaking her head deprecatingly. It was silly, really, to put the lives of others over oneself...but that was simply how she functioned. Rather die a martyr than live a coward and a traitor. "Speech"

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Nico

It was nice to be recognized, the bow of her head was grand and he offered a hint of a grin. No, there would be no permission granted to have him called Nico, not for the time being. Instead, he found himself trying to win her over, just in the faintest way. Yes, while he spoke in an arrogant tongue and he breathed in a way that made others feel unworthy, he was content to be in the company of someone with a little bit of common sense. Lunacy aside, he managed to keep his eyes lingering on her as she spoke.

"Pity that it stands, Namiko." His head inclined, "I don't know what it is to be caged beyond the own corners of my mind. Not a beast has crossed my path that I have not been able to slay." The honesty poured out of his mouth, tsking in sympathy. There was no need to be concerned, he was not going to be seized. Tail swished from one side to the other, and the pleasure touched his features. What a pity it must have been to be chained like she was, it was ridiculous in all curiosity.

His head cocked to the side with the sound that laced the air, the story that included a bit of a warning. The male froze, shocked with the mere mention of a name he recognized. Shai, anyone who did not know about the female had evidently never listened the full way through the story of his father. However, it took a moment for Nico to recover, evidently there was more sickening ladies in the world named Shai. It was only for that reason that he could push past it, looking momentarily shaken from the announcement.

Instead, he pushed past the notion of the topic and offered her a sympathetic look. "Why would you look out for others when they clearly care nothing about you?" His voice was singed with disapproval, his head inclined. "I doubt your noble cause will get you anywhere in life, no matter how trusting you are of the notions." His head tossed after that, trying not to look too overly amused with the notion. Ears swiveled on his head, and he laughed, "Actually my dear, if I was your so called Alpha I would make sure it was the very thing that killed you in the end."

There was a clarity that the female must have understood, but Nico continued anyway. "You have to be an actor, if you're going to be noble." His words were ginger on his tongue, "You have to be as ruthless as the next, but do the goodness under the paw." His eyes twinkled with a warmth that could not be denied, tail swished from one side to the other lazily. "That's how you outsmart a dog; you play along and cut his throat while he sleeps."

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She cringed a little at his words, her lips pulling downwards into a faint scowl of disapproval. "Why must it all be about death?" she asked softly, more for her own benefit than for expecting an answer. She would never understand what would drive one to use brute force rather than try to make amends through rational speech. "Why is it so hard to negotiate or compromise?" She stared out at the black sea, the rushing of waves on the shore filling her ears for a moment. "When you speak like that, you sound just like Kerberos, you know. Too convinced of your own superiority to look at life as a gift." There was no blame in her tones, no judgment in the sea-blue orbs that fixed onto his orange eyes. Then again, Ker and Nico did have the sheer advantage of size. She was barely big enough to down a small doe, let alone fight off a wolf. Still, there was a lingering darkness that was poking its fingers through cracks that were hitherto unseen. Evil had always been around; there had always been those who killed for pleasure. Those numbers were increasing, now. Just as the numbers of wolves like herself were diminishing. With fewer of them around to embrace the harmony of the world, it was only reasonable that darkness would breed. She grimaced at Nico's astute comments, her ears drooping at the painful truth in his words. "You are right, Nicostratus" she began heavily, keeping her open gaze on the male. "Sacrificing myself for others will not get me anywhere. It simply serves to make my existence a painful one." She paused, her lips quirking into a small smile. "And yet their is a reward for my suffering. Every blow that I may redirect, every bite that I can spare those poor souls gives them a moment of respite." She found herself getting to her feet, a fierce desire to make him at least see where she was coming from gripping her heart. She took two steps towards him, seeing herself reflected in those lantern-like eyes. "I do not expect you to understand...Few do." She paused again, running her tongue pensively across her lips. "I have nowhere to go in life. I was not designed for ambition and great achievement; there is enough of that in the world already. I am here as a reminder for all that has been lost." She peered at him intently, her soft voice laced with steel. "I am compassion. I am kindness and generosity. When I take the beating designed for others, I show them that they are worth something. I show them that darkness is only the absence of light." She fell silent, her heart hammering against her chest. For a long moment she simply stared at him wondering whether anything she said made any impression, before she took a few steps backwards and sat down. "You and Kerberos are quite alike, Nicostratus" she informed him wryly, still a little unnerved by how alike the two males seemed. "You can be assured that when he deems my death appropriate, it will be for an infraction I did not commit." She sighed deeply, staring forlornly down at her paws. "But for now, he would rather torture me with the knowledge of actions I could not prevent." She was quite taken aback when the male started offering advice, and her features twisted into a look of concern at his words. Why, he was suggesting that she...well, not lie as such, but not be completely forthright!?!?!? She opened her mouth to complain at this blatant lack of honesty, but no words would come out. Instead, she just gaped at him as he shared his words of wisdom. Half-way though she shut her jaws with an audible click, confusion plain to read on her features. "What you advise goes against my very nature" she managed after a long silence, getting to her feet and pacing agitatedly back and forth. "I cannot just leave the others to their fates - that hurts me just as much as my punishments for doing so." She was muttering quickly now, speaking aloud to herself as she ran through her options. "But so often I cannot prevent it..." An idea sudden crystallised and she swung around almost violently to face the male. "You mean I should make a show of being their model female and gain Ker's trust?" The idea was at once terrifying and so, gloriously, beautiful. If she gained Ker's trust, she might be able to show him the beauty of life that he was missing. Even Zarek had loved, though he hadn't gone about it the right way. Perhaps, just perhaps, she could really make a difference. "Speech"

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Nico

It was amusing that she seemed insistent to prove that this other male existed. The very words out of her mouth proved she was trapped in her own mind. There was no one like him, that was the one thing he could be assured over. His eyes fought the urge to roll, but his tongue stuck out as he fought the irritation down. There was no Kerberos, how clear could he make the cause of that clear? Far be it for him to deny her the need to trap herself in her own little hell.

But on the other hand, he was just playing on in to the issue was he not? He watched her features as they transformed. She was listening to him, just as he had listened to her. The grand glory of her spoken words comforted him a little bit. The delight in the notion had him sighing. "Don't get me wrong, Namiko. I do acknowledge you're trying to save the world, bring back what our society has long ago forgotten in the midst of war and demons alike." His voice was gentle, almost chiding. "But for those who are like me, and had never a taste of light - why would I search for it? Why would my heart cry for such a thing?"

"Perhaps every single one of us are redeemable. But you should be careful who you pick." Kindness was soft in his voice, and he shifted to crawl forward a bit. His body came towards her, admirable in his thoughts with her intent to make the world all giddy with freedom again. Instead, head bowed and he offered a heavy sigh. "There are victims in this world who do not wished to be saved, Namiko. Never forget that in your trials."

While she seemed to cling onto his thought process, he offered her a sheepish grin. To think he was such a deviant, helping the little loon! Oh, Xanthus would be scolding him for playing with the poor girl like he was. But his head nodded slowly, although his thought process clearly not on the same track as hers had taken. "You have already realized, I assume, that you arguing at him and preaching the inevitable has done nothing but turn him into a flurry."

"So why not play to his expectations?" His reasonable voice was oh-so soft. "He wants and will open himself to a female who is, as you say, model." His head cocked to the side, and his features grew wry. She was so out of her rightful mind that Nico fed into her words happily. "Who knows what you can accomplish then! Things you have begun to doubt in your heart of hearts that you thought had finally became impossible suddenly look... attainable again."

"Sometimes you have to infiltrate in deeper through a bit of false words and actions in order to come back out with a promising result, my dear." His eyes were twinkling as he thought of the hood rat, tree mud or something; that was exactly what he was intending. Lunch! Ah, now if only he could find the perfect creature to cause heartbreak by the little worm. That would make his winter, his world; ah. Dreaming was a lovely thing.

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He understood where she was coming from...that was good. Acceptance was the first step towards improvement as far as she was concerned and she glowed privately at having illuminated at least one mind. Her feeling of personal triumph evaporated as swiftly as a drop of rain in the desert as Nico continued talking, sadness overwhelming her. She ought to have guessed, really, that he hadn't had a a warm puphood. Those he did rarely talked of killing others, after all. Again, he forcibly reminded her of Kerberos - his evident lack of wanting to change his ways. They knew there was more out there, just waiting for them...and yet they were determined to shut their eyes and ears and turn their backs upon it. She whimpered softly as he outright stated the fact, his words piercing her heart. She gasped for breath, her flanks fluttering as she tried to breathe past the heavy ache in her chest. How could he want to live this miserable existence? How could he choose pain and destruction over love and compassion? In her heart of hearts, she had always known that there were those she could not change. There had always been the nagging heaviness, that no matter how much she tried, there would be those who refused to see. Why should they yearn for something they had never experienced? They could not grasp how much they were missing simply because they didn't know. And yet, ignorance should not be mitigating factor. She had been forced to learn of evil that she would have done well not learning...and yet you didn't see her turning blindly away! She suffered those lessons, experienced what evil could cause and she knew that that wasn't the way to go. Perhaps she hadn't perpetrated sins of that magnitude, but she had a good idea of what darkness cost the soul. "Are you kin to Zarek?" The question left her lips in pained tones, the words forming before she was sure of where she was going. Perhaps it was the nagging feeling that he and Kerberos shared more than pompous-sounding names; perhaps it was his mention of a loveless upbringing. Or maybe, it was the simple arrogance in his assumption that darkness was the better path followed...that trying to learn of kindness was for fools and lesser mortals. She took to heart his words on playing the actress. Nico spoke a truth she could not deny...even if her morals weren't quite ready to accept it. And yet, what choice did she have? She was on the road to ruin as it was, and Kerberos was more likely to make her watch her fellow prisoners suffer than harm her. It was a essentially psychological warfare, coupled with enough physical harm to keep her mind weakened. It would not be long before her mind went...not matter how much love and joy she bottled into her heart. No, it was time for her to change the game...for her sake, and for those of her pack mates. "Speech"

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Nico

Tail swished as his head tipped to the side, his speech finished and the sensation left him feeling long winded. There was little that could be done to remedy the situation, so his head dropped with a warning that could not be ignored. He expected her to take the gracious advice that had been given out, and his orange-red eyes seemed dangerously ravenous. There was something rewarding to be had in her succeeding, just as delightful in feeling as it would be to hear that she failed. There was a balance that he could win, so long as he was in tune with the gossip line around the lands, either way the dice rolled in the end. The mere notion pleased him immensely, but then she broke the mood.

Are you kin to Zarek? His father's name was always welcomed on the lips of others, but not the lunatic that was standing before him. Not when he was trying to be swayed into believing her insanity, and the fact that he could possibly have another sibling. While the mood was not so far fetched, he was aware that his siblings - the spawn of Shai - had passed on. They had been fiercely younger; Shai had passed on and the pup breeder would have been quite in age herself before the pair of brothers was created in the vicious mating.

Even finding a manner in which he could speak seemed to be at a bit of a loss. His mind reeled with the way he needed to respond, his eyes flashed a pint of hateful woe in her direction. If she dared to speak ill of the dead, he would cuff her then and there. There would be a reason for her to go further down the spiral to hell, because she would be rattled enough by his fury. It was why he forced himself to close up a bit more, and the words fought around the edge of his mouth. How was he supposed to answer?

Honestly; "The wolf known as Zarek is my blood father." His words were careful, "He is the sire of my blood and my twin's. We were one of his... last." His words searched for the proper way to phrase it, his mind dismissing his yellow coated mother. There was no need to even bring her into the conversation, but his head raised arrogantly. While he was blindsided by the announcement from the female, the simplest of questions... He held himself proudly. There was no reason to be ashamed of his lineage, although he did not to follow blindly on the path of his father.

No, if he had chosen that path there would have been hopeless little young Nicostratos babies everywhere. That would be a nightmare the land never could have been able to handle. Yes, he feared the land would have sank then and there.

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Her question was met first with silence, and she felt her heart sinking with what that meant. There was no shock on his features, only a warning glint in those orange eyes and a subtle tilt of his chin. The words when they finally came were merely confirmation of what she had guessed. Things were falling into place rapidly, and with each conclusion she made an unshakeable fury welled up in her chest. How dare one wolf have poisoned the thoughts of so many others! "Damnit" she cursed, taking a vicious swipe at a nearby rock and sending it clattering away into the darkness. "I should have known the minute I saw you." She growled angrily to herself, wheeling about and pacing agitatedly again. It was always easier to think when she was in motion. Or nicely surrounded by the ocean. Since the latter was currently unattainable - it would be rude to leave the male, Ker's kin or not, standing on the beach - so she went with the former. "Trust me to get caught up in this entire, miserable mess." She was muttering angrily to herself, pausing suddenly to stare intently at Nico. "Kerberos is Zarek's son too...though I'd wager you have different mothers" she informed him, her tones cold and clipped. She was about to resume pacing when something new clicked and she froze in place. "You really didn't know of his existence, did you?" There was a sudden, desperate intensity to her tunes, blue-grey orbs sparking with an almost manic glint. Perhaps Kerberos had broken more of her than she had thought..But she was too far gone to worry about her uncharacteristic reaction. As she waited for him to reply she rocked backwards and forwards, fairly quivering in anticipation of his answer. If they didn't know each other, then perhaps they did not think like each other. Perhaps...just perhaps, there was a rivalry between the kins of Zarek, each wanting to prove they were of the better lineage. It made sense - it happened in the best of families, after all. The younger brother out to prove that he was just as good, if not better, than the older sibling. "Tell me about Zarek. What were his dreams, what were his aspirations?" She hopped closer to the male, her ears standing erect upon her small skull. She stared into the broad face, avid interest painted across her features. Let him sing a different song to Ker she pleaded in her heart. Let this be the opportunity she was waiting for. If she couldn't save herself and the other girls from ruin...perhaps Nico could. He spoke so fondly of his brother...and this Xanthus was bound to be of similar size and strength. They must have power elsewhere! They might be able to free her compatriots from Ker's brutal regime. Speak, boy, speak! "Speech"

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Nico

Whatever Nico had expected of the conversation, it was not to have the opposing female have a meltdown while he attempted to grasp the concept before his eyes. There was a wildness in him that wanted to balk, it wanted to go after her for such an accusation. No, heavens no! He was not about to tolerate such a notion from a crazed wench! She was lovely to look at and likely a fair bit of fun, but on the other hand he was flabbergasted. This was just not the kind of conversation to be teasing an insane wolf about! Surely her, despite her state, would have realized that!

The pacing was enough to fill his features with a show of dread. Different mothers, the words made sense in his ears. It would explain why the male was not in his knowledge set, but on the other hand -- hadn't there been no others successful in breeding? None of them had ever suited the Shai-image that Zarek had assumed been reincarnated. The male was beyond near death when the boys had been born, as far as Nico had been concerned there was a despair that could not be explained.

"Damn," Soft voice was crestfallen, "No. Females were spoken about forever as failures by my father's reference. Perhaps it was just because none turned out to be Shai cloaked in the body of the reborn like he always reasoned." The frown was softer on his face this time around, trying to make sense of this. Xanthus and him could not stand for the mere notion of competition, there was no one as keen in the world as the pair. This false king, this false brother... It was absurd! She had to be half way up a tree and hanging by her feet, there was just not a chance that this could be true!

But the male was too stunned to tell her off, listening to her pace. His eyes connected with hers when she looked at him oh so expectantly, and his expression intensified with a wariness. "My father was lost in his heart. It's said he could love, he did love - Shai, as I'm sure you've heard. He loved her but he could not express it, he suffered from his bouts of craziness and rage..." The male followed off with a blink, startled that he had so quickly opened up with the honesty of what he knew about his father.

So the story continued, knowing once he started there was no sense in stopping. Perhaps she would recover a bit from this morbid insanity if she heard the real story. His grunt was rough, but he dropped to the ground beside his seal, and rolled promptly onto his hip. "His mind was gone, long before, it's said from the beatings as a pup, it caused him to lose his mind at an early age and he saw his brothers - fake brothers, of course, his kin died at the paws of another mere weeks after birth. But they fueled and cackled, always wanting him to kill. As he was trained." Cocking his head to the side, he offered the faintest of smiles.

"When he fell in love, all he wanted was a family and a home. While there was no one slaughtered fairly, all were killed for entering his land towards the end of Shai's life," His words were spoken in the softest of acknowledgment. There was something admirable in the sire's reaction, regardless. "All he wanted was safety. When he felt safe... Zarek could actually be calm. He could actually make sense."

Laughter was soft on the air, edged with the concern he could not snuff out, "What we all want in the end, I guess."