lupei

What the truth is, I can't say anymore

For the first time ever, Lupei has found a mare who’s not so incredibly droll. Para’s nip does nothing but encourage his bad behavior, rousing a light buck out of the stallion before he leaps forward with a bold laugh to stretch his youthful, slender legs into an easy gallop. They cover some ground quickly, exiting the meadow and venturing into the field before he slows his pace back to a trot and then, when they’ve come to the edge of the field and the mountains begin to loom like great purple giants in the distance, he slows to a rambling walk.

“Well I’ve never come across a mare who rose to the occasion quite like you have.” He says, his breath coming in short, rolling gasps from the exertion of their travel. The great forests that border the Chamber greet them quickly, their dark, secluded depths closing in around them as they venture further from the gathering areas. It’s quiet now, with only them to make noise as they travel an old, worn path that wound its way into the heart of his home. His eyes casually slide over her, assessing her in the moment of solitude. “Are you a fighter, or a peace maker?” He queries, trying to work out where she'll be placed within the kingdom.

He wonders if Straia will have a negative reaction to him bringing Para here. They were preparing for an all-out war and Lupei doesn’t want to burden the kingdom with a new member. But, at the same, they needed to flesh out their ranks with new blood if they wanted to truly come prepared to this fight. “This place we’re going to, the Chamber, I grew up here. I’m a warrior myself, newly initiated.” He explains, eyes turning once more to where they were headed. The night was quickly approaching, and his weak eyes in this body were beginning to get useless. He sighs, stretching his neck to the earth so he can huff the needle-covered ground to try and make sense of the path.

“Straia is our queen. She has magic, and she’s not anywhere as nice as I am. Two rules: don’t be an idiot, and don’t embarrass yourself because that comes back on me for recruiting you.” He speaks, his voice stern. There’s a hint of a joke beneath his stony exterior, but Lupei was being completely serious. He wouldn’t bother with her if he didn’t think she was worthy enough to join, but that didn’t mean he’d be some knight in shining armor. He halts, the dark finally getting the best of him. With a toothy grin he peers over his shoulder at her, ears flattening against his skull.

“Stay close. I’m not the only wolf prowling through these woods.” He chuckles, teeth snapping together before he hunches his back. In a moment, almost invisible to the eye, he shifts - turning from a large horse into a hefty, thick-furred black wolf. The creature shakes out its coat and turns to look back at Para, nose curling back to expose his fangs in a toothy grin. Without another sound, he trots forward, easing through the dark with prowess that comes from someone who has walked this path a thousand times.

In short time, they come to the Chamber and Lupei the wolf slips past the borders without blinking an eye. He halts a few feet in, shifting back to his horse body so that he can talk once more to the red mare. With a thin smile and only the low, autumn wind between the pines, he faces her like an equal. “Welcome to my home - to your new home, the Chamber.”

lupei

What the truth is, I can't say anymore

“Your servitude is all the Chamber asks.” He tells her, looking her over once before nodding solemnly. It was fun, playing the adult for a while. The way Para’s eyes looked to him for confirmation sent a little thrill through his gut, and he understood now what it felt like to have the upper hand over something for once. He looks away, shaking his head to release the tension between his shoulders and to try and relieve himself of some of the constant burn on his internal organs. He should think twice about who he eats in the future. With a muffled groan the blue-green stallion stretches his body, feeling the satisfying pop of his back as the tension slowly fades from his joints. It hadn’t exactly been a walk in the park to get back here, but now that they were settled with the night growing deeper, Lupei begins to feel the call of sleep.

“If you want to fight we’ll spar sometime.” He offers, finding that he’s not really for it or against it. Her gender was becoming less of an issue the more time he spent with her, and he doubts he’d have any regrets about throwing his weight against her. If she wanted to join the army on the precipice of war, that was her choice. He won’t be the only stallion she comes across. Besides, if his dam could hold her own and bring back a male prisoner, then he thinks Para will be capable of doing the same. “The other kingdoms in this land are mostly against us. The Valley is the only kingdom we’re truly allied with, so friendly fights with any of their members would be a good idea too.” He suggests.

He’s circling, much like a dog would do, but he won’t shift just yet. He can’t communicate with her in that form and he doubts that Para is a telepathic. It’s more of a habit by now though - he was so used to being a wolf in the night and nearly all through the winter. “Of course, I won’t go easy on you.” He boasts, as if he’s battled a thousand enemies already. He chuckles dryly, finding that he rather perfers her sarcastic remarks. “If you want to battle another mare first though, I suggest challenging Astri. She’s a Lieutenant in the army here.” He tells her, his eyes finding the outline of her body in the dark. He leaves out the fact that Astri is his mother, he won’t be tied to the sickly green woman if he can help it.

“Anything you want to know? Questions?” He asks nonchalantly, finally settling into a relaxed position opposite from where she stands.