Excuses, excuses. [Carter]

[Nightshade]

It was quiet, not a leaf stirred in the last rays of the sinking sun. Twilight, some would call it, the ending of every day and the beginning of night. Supposedly it was this time of day where the spirits were at their most active, and their most powerful. Out to cause havoc, mischief and who knows what else. It was all part of everyday life; to speculate on what might exist or what might not. Was there an afterlife after this one? A hell? A heaven? It would all be mysteries until the day were you would be faced with the truth itself, the twilight of your life, the end.
All very deep thoughts, but none of it mattered to the female wolf looking thoughtfully at the shadows of the territory. Her territory. This was her land, her little sanctuary of the bloodthirsty and insane, here she ruled, her own little personal hell with the infamous Queen at its head. But of course lately it was just exactly like this, quiet and melancholic, nothing stirred, not a leaf not a branch not the grass. The land was practically empty, maybe a few haggard souls would shift and play around in the shadows, but besides this nothing was there. What made the pack lands of Sallin frightening and a sight to beware now seemed to be missing. Not completely, of course, never completely. But whoever ventured in would notice that something was amiss, the trees were sinister, the forest a maze, the shadows provided little comfort, but there seemed to be no purpose to it.

It was missing that essence of purpose.

For what good would it do to have the familiar territory, with its twisted branches, gnarled roots, chilly wind and parched earth if there was no one to inhabit it? And with that thought came the tremor of uncertainty, if any of the neighboring packs, those petty enemies of hers would find out about Sallin’s lack of manpower there might be trouble at the borders, not mere disagreements but it might be taken to the other’s advantage. Of course she had also heard that her enemy’s numbers were dwindling so there was still hope, the winter had been tough and it didn’t surprise her that those imbeciles had as much of a tough time as her pack did, but still how she would have preferred if Sallin’s numbers would have remained, that way she would have completely taken advantage of the fact.

Of course there was that little suicidal wolf that ripped through her ranks with seemingly no effort. Then again she had not heard of the idiot again, so it was within her understanding that it had been indeed been a suicide mission, at least this is what the Queen wanted to believe.

Pawsteps, slow and deliberate heading her way. She allowed herself a careful smirk to play at the corners of her black lips. “About time you decided to show up.” She murmured to her approaching son. Carter better have a very good explanation of where he has been and why.

[Carter]

Carter froze at the coolness in Nightshade's voice, the cocky young male's constitution going from upright and proud to bowing and scrapping a bit at the Queen. His tail tucking a bit between his legs as he knew he was in some sort of trouble, but for what reason, he knew it only within his mother's mad mind.

"M-mother...I never left." He had no excuses to give her, he only stated what was true, and braced himself for the worst, as he straightened himself up, he was a prince of Sallin, it wouldn't do to act like a pup.

Still Carter, waited for a lashing, be it physical or vocal, and stayed for the most part, wisely quiet. He had been in Sallin the entire while, keeping to practicing his fighting art, which was directly related to him keeping the slaves in line.

[Nightshade]

"M-mother...I never left."

The stuttering, familiar voice of her little heir made the Queen’s smirk widen. Her pupils turned around until she found herself holding her son’s gaze. He was a fine wolf, at least physically, just rightly muscled to provide that careful balance between speed and strength. Although his lack off activity infuriated her it was pleasing to remind oneself of life’s little merits. At least he wasn’t half starved, bleeding and wounded, that would have been most displeasing, she would never let him hear the end of it.

“I didn’t ask for excuses!” she snarled, thin black lips pulling over white glinting canines. For a moment her face remained in that awful snarl, before disappearing altogether, smoothing out into that smirk that wouldn’t mean anything good for those surrounding her. “Nor did I suggest that you ever left, I merely stated that you had arrived.” she said, eyes narrowing dangerously. “However, the fact that you suggested it makes me doubt its truthfulness.”

Now would probably be as good a time as any for Carter to state his weekly schedule, before the Queen decided what would be the proper punishment for his laziness. He should have been there, as the heir to the throne he should have been making sure every single little tiny worthless order was carried out perfectly. But was he? Of course not and heaven knows what in hell’s name he was doing.

[Carter]

"I would never make excuses Mother."

Carter said mother with the same reverence one would say god, for he truly loved and feared Nightshade as such, his ears back submissively as he wagged his tail ever so lightly. "I have been loyal to Sallin, and always will be." he pulled his head up high, frowning a bit that his mother would ever doubt his loyalty of all things, this was to be his pack someday, he would never leave what was rightfully his.

"I have been patrolling the borders since a few small skirmishes with Arnlan." his voice became more sure as he spoke, like a real Knight reporting towards his Queen. "Just a few dumb mutts that thought they could defeat a Sallin Knight of all things, they never stood a chance." he smirked a bit, his amusement playing over his voice as he thought of the absurdity that anyone could win against their superior fighters. "Other than that...I've been honing my skills and keeping the slaves and pack rabble in line."

Truly Carter was quite proud of himself, he was so advanced for his age, his mother would have to admit it was quite impressive, how many young wolves were as skilled as he? Not many, he wagered. "I have not seen Kaine nor Fellen this season or the last." No, he wasn't beyond narking on his Father and Sister to make himself look better.

[Nightshade]

A slight frown played over her features; however that amused smile still held place as she watched as her son slowly started to regain his past failures. Picking himself up from the floor after she had only stomped him out with a few choice words and by his own feeble actions. It was slightly amusing and if she wouldn’t have been too busy analyzing his every move she would have been furious. Of course, that feeling had no space right now in her body, she was much too busy preoccupied with the state of her pack to be infuriated with anyone in particular, if anything she just blamed the world as a whole for her loss. The climate, the cold, the packs, the dogs, especially the dogs. Useless beings had no place in the wild, they should be stuck were they originated from, with the humans, just as worthless as those dogs are. "I would never make excuses Mother."

“Tch, tch” was her only sign of ever hearing the words. Her eyes remained focused on Carter, like a cat waiting for a mouse to make a wrong move to pounce, rip their throat open and leave them twitching and bleeding on the ground. "I have been loyal to Sallin, and always will be." he continued "I have been patrolling the borders since a few small skirmishes with Arnlan. Just a few dumb mutts that thought they could defeat a Sallin Knight of all things, they never stood a chance.” he finished.

The Queen let out a delicate snort, not directed towards her son, but an expression of equal disgust and disbelief for the inhabitants of the wretched pack of Arnlan. Those stupid warriors they were almost as bad as the dumb mutts. "Other than that...I've been honing my skills and keeping the slaves and pack rabble in line." he said. The Queen nodded, a smile repapering on her muzzle.

"I have not seen Kaine nor Fellen this season or the last." he added.

Nightshade thought for a minute, wondering what would be the best alternative to take; finally she opted by letting Carter do most of the talking. She would give a little push and shove to get the conversation going; in a way she was going to test her son’s willinfulness and limits. “Nor have I, which is a cause for worry. When was the last time you heard of them?” she inquired, head tilted to the side and a sneering smile on her lips.

[Carter]

“Nor have I, which is a cause for worry. When was the last time you heard of them?”

"Spring I believe." Carter swallowed hard, relieved that for now his mother was no longer so prepared to tear his throat out, he licked his lips dryly and tried to remember where he had last seen his sister, or his father. "I can't even imagine where they could have gone...I'm certain though Mother, they are both here..." he would tattle yes, but he had no taste to damn his family to a betrayers death.

He lifted his ears a bit, not daring to smile or think the worst. Perhaps Arnlan had gotten them. The strange shadow wolves had arcane powers over the darkness...and their alphas had even defeated Nightshade once, but that wasn't to be brought up. Ever. "Unless something were to happen to them...they would never betray Sallin." he nodded sagely.

[Nightshade]

Her expression remained patient as her son spoke. There was nothing horribly important or relevant about what her son was saying. He was just opening his maw and emitting sound and that proved boring for the Queen. Like many have experienced before her mood could easily go from north to south in practically no time flat and as Carter spoke this effect seemed to take place in her body, leaving her enraged at his lack of detail or planning. He should think before he spoke, she wanted to snarl at him, scream at the top of her lungs for his stupidity. Of course she wasn’t one to scream, but still the idea seemed rather pleasing in her head. Bellowing out your frustrations to the skies was always a pleasant way to get some weight of your shoulders.

"I can't even imagine where they could have gone...I'm certain though Mother, they are both here..." he said, seeming to doubt his own words, which only added to her fickle temper. How could he be certain when he refused to meet her gaze, how? HOW?! A small scowl marked her expression, showing how displeased she was, but it was nothing compared to the rage she was nurturing, the one that was boiling inside her just waiting to be released. "Unless something were to happen to them... they would never betray Sallin."

The Queen snorted, clearly displeased by the very thought. “Loyalties are hard to set these days.” She hissed under her breath, not directing the comment to anyone but the air around her, yet still it was clear she expected some kind of reaction, particularly from her son. “No one reliable is never around, no matter how much you think so,” she finished, snorting delicately, she set a paw firmly on the ground, her tail straight and muscles tense, another sign of how displeased she was. “Which is why we forget about them and carry out from here,” she added, her gaze meeting Carter’s with intensity, her son’s next actions would be of interest and she didn’t plan to miss a blink of it.

[Carter]

"Yes Mother."

Carter knew better than to argue anything that came out of the Queen's mouth, she was wise, and strong enough to support any claim she made with quick retaliation. He dared for a moment to get a good look at Nightshade, green eyes meeting green eyes. "But I am loyal to Sallin, and I will do whatever it is you tell me to." 'Because I love you. I fear you, but I love you.' He wanted to add. But he didn't.

For now a mounting concern started to build up in his heart, he hadn't seen his father or his sister in ages, and now it seemed they could be in a lot of trouble for being so scarce. He worried for them and for the rest of his pack.