[open] One foot toward the gallows || Dovev, Vulgaris ||

[Wolfbane]

Dovev, Dovev, Dovev … A name that’s built itself into infamy but still finds itself here, in the Pampas, as a captive and forced underneath the scrutiny of those he now openly mocked. Bane finds that he’s humorously enamored with the reaction from his relatives - each one so different and yet similar! They are Heartfire’s children, surely, and Dovev is a proud claimant to their blood as well. He seems graced with a large, gaping mouth and a particular inclination to use that mouth like others used their assholes.

Yes, his decision to ask Briella to leave had been on purpose, but it garners the answers to several question Wolfbane hadn’t wanted to ask aloud because he doubted Dovev was one for much pleasant talk. He knew that by pushing instead of prodding, the animal Dovev claimed to be would rear its head in anger to lash out, just like it’d done when Vulgaris had confronted the bony stallion at the river and just like Heartfire had warned when the Loessian and his Champion later traveled to Nerine.

What that anger exposes are facts: Dovev is a father and Bane understands now how important these children are to him. He’s arrogant, (he has reason to be) but he underestimates what stands against him, even in the face of captivity. He’s prone to mistakes and some day it’ll cost him. Just not today. Bane smiles quietly to himself and observes how the bone-armored stallion avoids his gaze (scared, perhaps?) before jerking down to look at the youngest girl. Brazen gets the tongue - Wolfbane sticks it right out into the open, playfully taunting her threat while crossing his eyes - before his attention directs itself back to Briella.

“And I'm a monkey's uncle.” He barks sarcastically, smirking. Heartfire should have told her lot just how little he cared for family relations these days … everyone in this damn world was related to everyone else.

His luck is in swing though, since the aforementioned mare and the true focus of this steal (at least for him) arrives to take the spotlight. What she says is directed towards the gilded, blue-striped pegasus but in the same manner Dovev had so callously avoided him, Wolfbane stays pleasantly quiet and laughs eagerly along with Vulgaris’ ready reply. Honestly, he couldn’t have put it better himself; Bane catches the sideways glare from his Viperous right-hand and only shakes his head. Theatrics, that was all Heartfire could provide at this point and her grandson could see this conversation was reaching a quick end.

“Are you worried Dovev couldn’t handle the situation and your brood, grandmere?” He feigns surprise, “Or do I and my friends scare you that much?” He asks a bit more seriously, humor draining along with his patience. The roan woman had no reason to come here if she trusted him (like she should) and even less reason to wag her tongue while claiming the ability to bring war down on their shoulders. “Don’t be senseless.” He warns her casually, sighing afterwards before flicking his eyes over the gathering one last time.

“Briella needs to meet with Noah or be healed if she wants to stay, that’s an order. This home isn’t mine but it’s mine to keep safe. I’ll do exactly that in whatever manner I deem appropriate, regardless of how anyone feels about it. Otherwise you heard Vulgaris. He made the steal so his demands should be met and if not, then your mate can make himself comfortable for the remainder of the year.” The edict goes, no longer brightened by a smile or lightened by a gentle tone. “You and I -” He says, frowning disappointingly towards Heartfire, “- we need to talk. Privately. I’ll give you time but not forever.”

And that was it. Despite they way they’d treated him, Bane breathes in the scent of acrid hate from across the divide of horses and finds that he can’t harbor that same hate against them. He’d expected them to act this way, after all, and they’d exceeded his expectations when it came to keeping things interesting.

If anything, they’d brought some fresh action to a quiet herdland.

King of Loess : Leader of the Southlands

Wolfbane