Little Lies [Jaienyx/Valyn]

[Deleted]

every day we're getting closer

the sun is getting dim

will we pay for who we’ve been?

The boisterous voice of a jungle bird screeched overhead, its vivid red feathers standing out against the dark green tones of the overgrowth. Athena stared up at it, orange eyes a subdued shade, glazed and unseeing. The trees were all around, obscuring the view, with no sign of the horizon for miles. She heard nothing, senses clouded be the horror churning in her, making her sick to her stomach. The day was still new, the morning air carrying a lingering chill as the sun slowly climbed toward its zenith. It may as well have been night, as far as Athena was concerned. She had spent the dark hours alone, lost in her scattered thoughts and her growing anxiety.

She felt different. Inside and outside, different. She could not put it into words. Athena, normally so distant and reasonable, had become a victim of her own biology. How could she be so foolish, giving in to the innate urges that she should have ignored? It was not her first heat, she had escaped mother nature before. Why was it different this time, now that she had a home, a pack, and so much to lose? The hormones had made her irrational, and the little pleasure she had found with the male stranger in the throes of a tempest brought with it consequences she had not intended. The breath hitched in her throat along with the rising bile from her unsettled gut. She was suffocating.

Reality was a harsh mistress, leaving the silvery femme with a sickness as she considered the truth of her situation. Much to her chagrin, she was certain she was pregnant now – and by a wolf whose name she had already forgotten, who she certainly had no interest in meeting again. The memory made her queasy, and the shame was now unavoidable, unless she eliminated the problem. She had watched it happen before: eat a certain toxic flower or strong root to become violently ill, and the problem would be gone. To do so could be deadly for Athena. Too much could kill her, and there would be no one around that had any knowledge about plants to save her. A part of her, a selfish piece of her heart, wanted to carry on. If she carried the litter, it would be something that belonged only to her. Maybe she could do it, in spite of never having a maternal role model as a young pup.

But it was wrong, all wrong. What business did a wolf like Athena have trying to raise pups? She would be a terrible mother, and besides, she would not know what to do, how to care for them or how to raise them.  She was utterly clueless.

What if he came back? If he was smart, he would never return to Valyn’s lands. The thought of the brute, the father of the pups she carried, made her angry. He had not even asked for her name. In hindsight, the encounter was nothing short of baffling and unfortunate, but the lack of concern between the two had suited her just fine that night, the first night of a long winter. Shamed, she sat by herself near the border, considering the few options available to her. The fae had hoped her divergent deeds would not be discovered, but the disaster had only just begun to unfold for Athena.

words: 586
tag: Jaienyx

[Jaienyx]

This kingdom was beautiful. It was vast, it was regal, it was mysterious, and it was very well on the verge of perfection in the eyes of someone that was hardened to any beauty other than her own, searching diligently for flaws, for the imperfections that were always there for her inspection, but for once finding none and being content to assume that perhaps, just this once, there were truly none to be found. She could get used to calling this outstanding realm her home; sharing it with other females that valued their heightened sense of self when compared to the lesser gender. She was drawing closer and closer to a place that she already felt immensely attached to, and there was a feeling of permanency in the air that, as of yet, she didn’t care to try and explain. Jaienyx had high expectations for Valyn, for its Alpha female - the gender that was meant to rule - and those expectations were only furthered, only finalized, by the sight of the only she-wolf that she could genuinely admit to having tolerated, having actually found pleasant, seated on the borderline of Valyn as though she had been anticipating the arrival of the golden female since their last encounter.

“Athena,” Jaienyx’s voice was warm in greeting, a delicate smirk unraveling along her slender muzzle, “we meet again.” She was too prideful to admit that she had longed for someone’s company more than they had longed for hers, but taking her recent encounters into consideration (the monstrous Goliath, the female, Messoria, with a vainness that dared try to rival her own, and there was no forgetting charming Banks and her annoyingly submissive follower, Rita) it was difficult to ignore the pleasantness that coursed through her veins at seeing a face that didn’t immediately make her lip curl in disgust. She settled a comfortable distance away from Athena, the silvery she-wolf with eyes a powerful shade of orange positioned neatly on the side of the border that Jaienyx hoped to soon inhabit herself. “You wouldn’t imagine the horrors I have witnessed since we last went our separate ways.” The mesmerizing vagabond of amber hue rolled her eyes dramatically, hoping to emphasize to her companion that there were truly horrifying specimens to be found in this place. “They have heightened my eagerness to align with Valyn. From the way you last spoke of it, I believe I can only truly be content if I am here.”

For surely nowhere else would suffice. Here, alongside these wolves, Jaienyx believed she could lead a relatively happy life. Athena made her ego swell pleasantly, and she was downright greedy when it came to taking advantage of that feeling. No part of her was aware of the young that blossomed within the other female, and it was because of her current oblivion that there remained no traces of repulsion present in the otherwise friendly look of her uncannily dark eyes. She could understand a female taking on the responsibility of motherhood because she desired it. If such were the exact case, then the female had never lost control, and had taken the proper steps to make use of males in the one way that they were usable. In Athena’s case, however, having unknowingly given into the temptation, had given more power to the male over the situation than they deserved to have, and it was that fact that would cause her to lose what little respect she had thus far gained from Jaienyx. For the time being, she didn’t have the knowledge that would turn the tables so completely, and so until then, Athena could content herself with knowing that she had not yet lost the potential of Jaienyx’s friendship. She would have every right to be content, after all - her friendship was an incredible thing to possess.

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Word Count: 638
Tags: @athena , Valeria
OOC: N/A.

[Deleted]

There would always be a part of the silvery fae that remained wary of others, for every wolf was capable of violence, she knew. She had seen the savagery enough times for one lifetime, and was resigned to the fact that she would see it until her dying day. At least she would not be expected to participate in future battles. She would be there instead to cure, given a purpose and a second chance by the Valyn pack. Athena was at her best when she was healing those open wounds, setting broken bones, away from the heat of the battle. She was alright with blood if she was not expected to spill it. Life was fragile. Athena seldom learned the fate of those she had helped to heal along her journey, but she was living proof that she had the skills to be a shaman.

But now… What next? Rumors of Kairos and of war spread like disease, over the border and into Kal’dyne. While the battles were not yet raging, Athena had little reason to heal. She was still struggling to let go of the life she had left behind. It had never been glamorous or easy, but it had been hers. Was it a sign of kismet or simply good luck that she had encountered Valeria? Willingly, Athena had followed the female into the jungle to be a part of something she never dreamed possible – a pack created to serve females, not to diminish them.

Now, the silver female was thoroughly convinced she would have to leave. They had no reason to trust her. Her misdeeds gnawed at her, and another wave of nausea that nearly made the expectant fae gag.

Instead of emptying her stomach contents onto the earthen ground, however, she was startled by the sudden sound of another. Too lost in her thoughts to realize, someone else had come, and Athena’s head jerked up when she heard her name. The she-wolf’s normally calm expression clouded with obvious panic. She was stunned to see the golden female again, her pelt the color of a sunrise and dark eyes alight. It almost seemed as if she was happy to find Athena there.

Jaienyx said she would come, so her presence was not entirely shocking… And yet, Athena’s façade betrayed the lingering surprise. ”Jaienyx.” She uttered the beautiful wolf’s name like a sigh. ”You are here.” Her stare had fallen to her paws before the words had left her maw, quiet and laced with anxiety, well aware of the other’s low opinion of males. Worries shifted from Valeria to the gold wolf who sat before her. How could she tell her the truth…?

You wouldn’t imagine the horrors I have witnessed since we last went our separate ways. Oh, but she could – Athena had seen the worst of lupine nature, had met the worst wolf that claimed lands nearby. Her eyes felt unfocused as she looked down at the dirt. Jaienyx’s final words did not seem to register. Athena felt far away, as if she was watching herself.

Silence followed. Athena blinked hard to pull herself away from her trance, forcing her eyes to meet the other female’s again. She knew she had to say something, but too many thoughts ruminated through her brain, leaving the silver female disoriented.

Speak. Speak now, you fool. Mustering a tense smile, Athena nodded a slow acknowledgement. ”I am happy that you are here.” And she was – but her courage failed her, and she scrambled for a way out of a confession. ”Where did you travel to?  What did you find out there?”

words: 625
tags: Jaienyx + Valeria
ooc: new Valyn member!

[Jaienyx]

Athena’s surprise filled her with warmth, a form of lightness that she could feel in all the corners of her elegant body, unaware of any tension that existed inside of the silvery she-wolf’s facade because, quite simply, she was too focused upon her own happenings right now to bother concerning herself with whatever issues could be prominent in someone else’s life. It was easier than it should have been to mark Athena’s comment as sincere, viewing it as genuine curiousity as opposed to an averting of attention away from what she knew would repel the pretty vagabond. Athena knew how deep, and how true, Jaienyx’s dislike of males was laid out, which made it sensible that she would try and hide her pregnancy from her. It was Valyn’s only hope of bringing new life into their ranks, that much she could understand, but that didn’t make it any easier of a concept for her to tolerate. No matter the circumstance, Jaienyx would wrongfully judge her, and despite whatever anxiety Athena was currently feeling, she was still rational enough to know what was better left unsaid in the haughty female’s presence.

With the flutter of her amber tail as it came to rest against the side of her leg, she released a built up breath of air, eyes momentarily lifting to peer over top of the pack wolf’s head as she succumbed to what memories were freshest in her mind. “Descai and its Alpha, Ryker, are hardly worth mentioning. All I can say is that I hope their kind doesn’t make a habit of leaving every single one of their guests waiting.” With Athena, she didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat her words, or to pretend that she was nicer than was true of her. She believed that she had something along the lines of friendship with her, some kind of an admiration from her, which meant she could show a few flecks of the real Jaienyx that so often remained disguised for the benefit of her company. Descai and its Alpha had kept her waiting too long, and so she had left without a second thought, finding that it wasn’t a pack worth committing too much of her time or attention towards. It was the next pack that she had encountered that made her unnaturally dark eyes appear a shade more gruesome, as though speaking of it, of who she had met while there, made her entire body vibrate with a hatred too powerful to be accurately described. “Kairos, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of everything that I adhere to, and for that I give to them the purest of my revulsion.” She lifted her golden chin in defiance. “The females are mere reproducers to its Alpha when the season comes, and I am repulsed by how many of them actually submit to that kind of undertaking, like there’s nothing better for them than that.”

Thoughts of Messoria didn’t necessarily fill her with a sense of empathy, but she was a female when it came down to it, which meant that surely she could amount to more than what it was that she had allowed herself to be given. She could understand a longing for power, for even Jaienyx wanted superiority in her own way, but the difference between her and every female that filled the ranks of Kairos was that she would not accept any less than what she believed that she deserved. It wouldn’t be easy for a pack like Valyn to become top-dog, but she thought it more along the lines of improbable than downright impossible, and all that mattered in the end was that she was willing to put in the required effort.

“Although I was deeply disturbed by what I found, it was informative nonetheless, and it strengthened my support of Valyn - speaking of, I assume Valyn has treated you well since we’ve last spoken?” As much as she loved the spotlight, she knew when it was meant to be diverted, and she cherished Athena enough as a personality to share it in small quantities from time to time. She wanted to make it clear to Athena that she was devoted to learning about her, to caring about what happened to her, so that it could, in the long run, strengthen Athena’s devotion to Jaienyx. There was a glimmer in her blackish eyes, pressing upon the familiarity between them, attaching herself to the potential of a bond. Athena was, thus far, likable enough that Jaienyx could find herself willing to actually seek out her company, and she could distantly hope that Athena wouldn’t find a way to ruin it.

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Word Count: 777.
Tags: @athena , Valeria
OOC: N/A.

[Deleted]

Silent, Athena watched the golden-pelted female. She watched the dark in her eyes as she spoke, the way her lips moved when she spoke of the adventures she had found. The mention of Ryker, Descai’s apparently absent monarch, brought a sour expression to the silver fae’s delicate features. Athena owed the her life to the alpha, but the memory of him was far from a pleasant one. He had made her feel so insignificant, so meaningless – too similar to the way her mother once made her feel. Her dainty head shook slowly from side to side in response to Jaienyx’s comments about the distant pack. Athena had once considered repaying her debt to Ryker with a litter, pups he could call his heirs, but instead, she had left in the night without a word. She had no desire to see the brute again. ”Ryker’s carelessness toward visitors is reckless. It is a wonder he keeps his title and his lands, with so many ambitious wolves roaming in search of something of their own.”

Jaienyx spoke of Kairos, the dreaded, and Athena’s eyes snapped wide open in surprise. Why had she willing sought out the pack? It was a dangerous pursuit. Athena was relieved that the other had escaped with her life and her dignity. She could not imagine the shining fae tainted by a male. Athena’s heart still pounded in overtime. She longed to be near the enchanting wolfess, closer still, but she could not bring herself to move from where she sat, still as a stature.


When the focus shifted instead to Athena, her posture unconsciously changed, shoulders sagged, head bowed submissively. ”Valyn?’” For a lingering moment, Athena considered an appropriate response. She intended to stay there in Valeria’s territory, but she was uncertain if she would be allowed to stay, given her current state. As if on cue, a new wave of nausea roiled in Athena’s gut. The placid expression the silver she-wolf normally wore was replaced by one that betrayed her anxiety, finally. Her breath hitched, lungs aching as if she were drowning. ”These are uncertain times.”

She was torn – should she come clean, tell the truth before the truth told itself, and risk Jaienyx’s esteem? No. She could not bear to lose the budding friendshp with the golden wolfess. But some facts were unavoidable. Her unintentional litter was coming soon, too soon, and the secret burden was too great to carry alone. ”Jaienyx, I… I must confide –“ the female’s speech was haltingly slow, the words faltering on her tongue. How could she admit what she had done? She knew it would jeopardize something she did not want to lose so quickly. ”I am in trouble.” She spoke quietly, the timidity of her youth seeping through the years of confidence and freedom. Life had never seemed simple, but it had never looked so complicated.

She had to tell someone, and Jaienyx was the closest thing she had to a friend. The other Valyn females… It was difficult to connect with them, and Athena saw them so infrequently, it was almost as if she did not exist at all once more. All along, unbeknownst to the terrified healer, many of her pack sisters would soon find themselves in the same situation. The jungle would be thick with their copious offspring by the summer solstice. Most of the young ones would be sired by brutes from the pack Athena feared the most, though she had not yet learned of the dark allegiance her litter’s sire swore to. No fathers would be there to help rear the pups, but Athena had never had a paternal figure of her own. The vagabond who raped her mother had never knew of her existence, never thought twice after his misdeed. Athena would be less fortunate.

words: 654
tags: Jaienyx + Valeria

[Jaienyx]

The expression on her face was suddenly distraught, and there was a moment spared in which Jaienyx fleetingly regretted inquiring about how she had fared in the days leading up to their second encounter. By no means was she sympathetic; she could not be trusted to fake a smile in the face of someone’s troublesome times, because she simply did not care. She could not process what drove someone to the point of falling apart, what allowed for someone’s feelings to be so easily manipulated or fractured, when here she was, the optimum of dignity, because even though her ego could be scarred, it never showed on her pretty face. The importance behind appearing composed even when not was something she knew backwards and forwards, so she expected to be forgiven when she could not comprehend why someone would let their composure falter, would broadcast their weakness to prying eyes, much like was happening with Athena right now when her voice betrayed her and she could not find the words.

And yet Jaienyx’s lip did not tremble in protest, the vagabond who believed wholeheartedly in her marginal beauty performing an effortless smile, something nurturing, something inviting, that would express to the silvery pack wolf that she was being patient, that she was listening respectfully, to whatever it was that she was trying her best to communicate. Even though she did not care, not truly, she would try to be supportive because, whether or not she liked it, that was what it meant to be a friend to someone and, right now, she wanted to have Athena at her side when she joined Valyn’s ranks. She did not want to be an outsider, but instead someone that had already planted her roots, formed connections, and had a sense of belonging amongst the other females. Much to her liking, paying attention had proved beneficial in the long-run, and she had been able to decipher from facial expressions alone that she had something of a fan in Athena. If it was not the look in her eyes, it was the movements of her mouth, or the shuffle of her paws. Jaienyx was almost certain that it would not matter if she was unkind. She could say something bluntly rude, and Athena would still come back to her if she wished for it, and though it was a hypothesis she rather liked the sound of, she was not quite confident enough yet to test it, and thus the gentle smile on her face.

“You’re in trouble.” She echoed, an indirect reprimand of the silence that had followed such an obvious cliffhanger, prompting Athena to continue with haste. She was here to join, after all, and wanted to spend as little time as possible on any subject that even slightly differed from what she wanted to receive. Attempting to play the role of a caring friend was more demanding than she had hoped for, and surely it was only a matter of time until she got fatigued of Athena if, everywhere she went, she brought along with her these troubles that Jaienyx did not want to hear about. The last thing she was expecting to hear right now was that Athena was carrying offspring inside of her, of the belief that the nature of her burden would be far less serious, and these thoughts were quite clear given the slow flutter of her golden eyelids, like she anticipated that she would be able to remain relaxed throughout the duration of their pending conversation. She was absolutely unprepared for what Athena had to tell her, but if there was one factor that could be predetermined about the outcome, it was that she would not be happy.

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Word Count: 620.
Tags: @athena , Valeria
OOC: This can be when Valeria enters? That way the conversation can be cut off and then Athena no longer has an opening to tell Jaienyx.

[Valeria]

The wolves were numerous these days, and as it drew closer to her due date, the alphess grew heavier with each passing moon. She could not deny the fact that the massive brute had not only left her heavy with pups, but that they were going to be quite monstrous in their own right. It was the only thing that could explain why she had blown up to nearly twice her size in such a short period of time. But this was the next generation of Valyn, and Valeria was pleased to have found a suitable donor for the cause. These pups would bring greatness to the pack; she was certain of that.

However, pregnancy did not come without its downfalls. It was taking her three times as long to go anywhere these days, mostly because even the act of breathing was tiring. It was lucky that none of the others were quite as heavily pregnant, or they might have a situation on their paws. Perhaps best to think ahead next year... We cannot have the whole pack incapacitated at once, she mused silently. Sure, the alphess knew that several of the others ventured out in search of suitors as well. It was not an issue to the alphess; the pack was in its early days, and they needed fresh bloodlines and pups to grow their ranks. The alphess was far more keen to allow a male raised within the pack from birth to stay around rather than bring in strangers from the island. They would be more trustworthy, and they would be raised under the watchful eyes of Valeria and her sisters. Surely there could be no harm in a few straggling males to keep an eye over the pack as well.

"Athena!" the black and gold alphess yipped in greating, meandering up to the white femme and her companion with a gentle smile. She slightly dipped her head in greeting to the other she wolf. "Hi there. I am Valeria, the alphess of Valyn. And you are?" she inquired gently. There was no alarm in Valeria's demeanor, mostly because she knew Athena well enough to know she would not bring any harm upon her pack. Athena was a well trusted and gentle soul; she was proud to have such a wolf to call her sister. There was little doubt that whoever Athena had here would be an excellent member of their pack, should she choose to stick around, that was.

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Word Count: 413 words
Tags: @athena & Jaienyx
Notes: Not my best. Sorry my muse has been down the crapper lately.

[Deleted]

Trouble. The word jumbled up every other logical thought that lurked within her skull as her courage failed. Her distraught stare intensified, focusing upon the dust beneath Jaienyx’s dainty paws. She felt no better than the dust under foot in that moment. Trouble. The bile rose in her throat when the image of the vile wolf who had done this to her surfaced in her mind. Jaienyx would never understand. Even Athena could not wrap her brain around the mistake she had made, and the consequences she faced. A sharp breath parted her lips before the words finally came out, barely above a whisper. ”Something has happened to me. It’s – trouble,” she repeated the word again while the internal voice inside of her brain cursed her for her foolishness, her tongue refusing to pronounce the word that terrified her most: Motherhood.

A sudden sound, too close, startled Athena from her daze. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Valeria appeared – she was so intent on her secret and incessant staring, that she had not heard the alpha’s lumbering gait as she approached. Weeks had passed since Athena had seen any of her pack mates, and even longer since she had encountered her alpha. Her orange eyes flared open, shocked by the enthusiasm in her alpha’s voice as she came closer. But the biggest surprise of all was yet to come. Her head ducked in a sign of respect for the much larger fae, topaz eyes turning from Valeria’s golden markings to her body, which looked very different from the tall, but lean female she had met months ago. Athena was even more stunned to see the large female’s expectant state – the undeniable rotund belly, even larger than Athena’s own. It was, indeed, very hard to miss Valeria’s pregnancy

”Valeria… you are…” Her own terror was quickly replaced with sincere confusion. She could not begin to guess when or how all of this had transpired… Had another male trespassed, taking advantage of Valyn’s alpha and compromising their feminine ideals? Her words were cut off before she could ask any further questions, and, mercifully, Athena was spared from sharing her secret. She could feel the faint flutter of movement within her, the signs of the life she was carrying, but her belly barely looked larger than usual, and to those who did not know her well enough, she looked healthy and well-fed, not pregnant. But Valeria… She was not weak. No male could take from her what she did not want to give. Athena was certain of this, though she did not know her alpha very well yet. Either Valeria was going to birth a dozen pups – or the few that developed inside of her were as large and impressive as their mother. Whatever the case, it was plainly clear that Valeria had not conceived just last week. She was simply too large to be newly pregnant.

The focus had shifted to Jaienyx, a foreigner in a new land. Athena’s eyes flicked to the amber-hued goddess to see how she would respond to Valeria, anticipating Jaienyx’s similar surprise to the unexpected situation.

words: 544

tags: Jaienyx + Valeria

[Jaienyx]

Athena was more dubious than she remembered. She repeated herself, the same words dancing off of her tongue with little to no alteration, as if she was speaking to a mere puppy, someone too young to comprehend her meaning, her purpose, and if that was the case then Jaienyx would take from her the ultimate offense. The closest tie she had to the youth of this world was, perhaps, her youthful features, but aside from that she could not uncover any drastic commonalities. The immaturity that puppies radiated, much like a male’s lust during this vulgar season, had her turning away, nose wrinkling in a lack of appeal, like she was above the concept of motherhood and could not fathom to sink to the same level on which so many other females took up residence. She found their bubbly personalities intolerable, their naïvety inexcusable, and above everything else, she found their innocence foolish. If there was one thing she sought to rob from the cherished time frame of childhood, it would be that - their foolishness - because age was, frankly, of little relevance when it came to understanding the world that would only disappoint them later if it did not disappoint them now. There was a lot about the world in which she lived that she wanted to change, that she wanted to make better for herself, for other females that had not yet had the pleasure of realizing their own greatness, their own sovereignty, but she recognized, albeit reluctantly, that it was not within her capabilities once foolishly believed limitless when she had been younger. She had become hardened to the outside, to some, cold and unforgiving, relentless and harsh, but that was because she knew better than to have high expectations; she did not expect that if she chose to lower her guard, that she would not be attacked for having faith in a world that did not deserve it. There was nobody to protect her other than herself, nobody that could do a better job of it than she could, she understood this, she breathed this, and for that she did not like to waste her time much like Athena was doing now, still choking on her words, unable to say what she wanted to say, as if Jaienyx would not be able to handle so merciless a truth.

It was not to say that she would not be able to handle it, but rather to say that she would not be able to digest it. She had come to expect a lot from Athena against her better judgement, composure and stability, regality and confidence, because she had been the first female in a while that she had seen, that she had spent her time on, and had actually agreed with when it came to how they viewed this world. It was her right to have offspring of her own if she wanted, and Jaienyx could find it within herself to excuse the usage of a male to obtain this honour, for even she pondered with each passing season whether or not it was worth an attempt - she would be able to raise her children to think like her - but to be the one that had been used? It was disgraceful no matter which form it was analyzed in, and surely Athena knew that if she said it aloud, that if she admitted to her accident, then Jaienyx would never extend the rich invitation for friendship that she so readily did now. She would not be able to associate with such a lousy excuse for a proud female without rippling with disgust, because it was that very course of action that went against everything she believed in, everything she had been raised to uphold, and nobody was important enough to her that she would be able to make an exception.

Her impatience was communicated with a dry huff, golden ears tipping away from Athena, away from the sound of her voice, because with each passing second it seemed less and less likely that she would manage to get to the point and say what was on her mind. Her interest had almost been completely lost, swept away in the hopes of finding something, perhaps someone, more worthwhile of her attention, until nearby greenery parted down the middle with a loud, gasping rattle, making room for the enormity that was the Valyn Alphess. She had been waiting a long time to make this she-wolf’s acquaintance, and instinctively her spine straightened, presenting herself most eloquently to the sovereign of the lands she wished to call her own. It was in the moment that their eyes met, and she was officially scrutinized by the Alphess, that Athena had almost completely been scrubbed out of her head, out of her thoughts, nothing more important than regarding the one that she had primarily come here to meet. She already knew Valeria’s name, having been prepared for this meeting by Athena personally upon their first encounter, but nonetheless she tipped her head in a semblance of respect, something that she did not give out lightly. “My name is Jaienyx. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Valeria.”

She would have hardly noticed that Athena had spoken at all, had the product of her words not been about something that she was particularly sensitive about, particularly unwilling to accept, dark eyes traveling towards the Alphess’s stomach to examine the way in which it unnaturally protruded to indicate that she carried life inside of her womb. This was not the time, nor was it the wolf, that she would allow herself to prod, holding her tongue a little too tightly between her teeth, the bitter tang of blood unwelcome in her mouth. She did not want to judge Valeria without knowing the entire story behind her pregnancy. If she had maintained control of the situation, if it was something that she had pursued on her own accord, then she would not have to suffer the loss of respect for the sovereign she had come here to serve. Athena had taken care of the questioning anyways, leaving a blank for Valeria to fill if she so pleased. Her intrigue was displayed with nothing more prominent than the upward tilt of her chin, eyes of darkest brown averting towards the black-and-gold she-wolf’s face as to not impolitely stare at her belly. She was not overly keen on changing the subject before she had the information that she wanted, the information that she deemed significant, but she had come here to join, and the least she could do was inquire while the opportunity was present for her to do so. “The beliefs of your pack, Valeria, are something that I, myself, believe. I proudly uphold the strength and the superiority of females, and I was thrilled to learn that there was a pack that shared this with me from a -” Her eyes found a place inside of the bright orange of Athena’s, regarding her with fondness in the place of the irritation that had been there only moments prior. “- dearest friend.” Whether or not she was suddenly eager to establish this connection so forcefully, so clearly, because of Valeria’s unexpected arrival was not something she took a lot of time to consider. Her patience had been wearing thin with the silvery female, but she was more than capable of putting that behind her if it meant it would bring her closer to something that she wanted: and what she wanted most right now was Valeria’s trust so that she could find a place in Valyn.

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Word Count: 1266.
Tags: @athena , Valeria
OOC: Don't know where the muse suddenly came from but oops 1000+ words.

[Valeria]

It did not escape the alphess's notice that there was a lot of confusion and curiosity in Athena's words. With a tight lipped smile, Valeria nodded her head in confirmation. Of course she was pregnant. At this point it would be foolish to not admit it; in fact, she was quite looking forward to the arrival of her young. It would be an entirely new experience, and it was the future of Valyn. Perhaps it would take a while for the others to get used to her as a mother, but she was already a bit of a mother hen to them. Why would it be any different with young of her own?

Athena's friend then spoke, introducing herself by the name Jaienyx. The black and gold wolf dipped her head in greeting to the female, interested that the word of Valyn was spreading throughout the continent. It seemed as if there was more to the story than the vague description Jaie provided, but Valeria could make due with the simple explanation that she was confident in the mission of the pack. With a soft smile, she finally spoke to the new wolf.

"It is always good to meet others who share our mission. You are always welcome here, Jaienyx, particularly if you share a friendship with Athena here. She was one of my first pack members, and certainly an asset to our pack," she commended the white femme with an approving nod to Athena. Certainly she would not bring someone here who would not be a contributing member to the pack. They were a family, and Val was more than willing to invite those into the fold that were looking for safe haven. This femme seemed somewhat different from the others, though. She did not seem to have the wariness that she sensed with some of the other females. While she had been scorned by her family and Zofia had followed along with her, many of the other femmes had darker pasts that drew them to the safe haven of Valyn. But this wolf... she seemed strong. Confident. Self assured. It was different from the others, and Val was interested to see what exactly she could grow into within the pack.

"Welcome to the family, Jaienyx," she grinned at the newest member of the pack.

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Word Count: 389 words
Tags: @athena & Jaienyx
Notes: Somehow I missed the last post in this. My bad x.x