In the ungodly hours of morning, Teren was fighting his sleep. His eyes were closed shut, not allowing any possible light to reach his emerald hues. He tossed and he turned within his den. His back scraped against the wall of tree roots and rocks. His paws rested in the cool dirt, moist from a soft rain that had fallen over the lands. Deep within his mind he saw images from the past. The first image to haunt him were a pair of silver orbs, perfect and round. They were bright and stunning, alluring almost. The smell of heat filled through his nose and he knew what his body would force him to do. Yowls and cries escaped from a dark space as they collided. But even when the fae was dead, killed by her own guards, those eyes haunted him. The next wolf to hold these eyes, a small male pup, covered in a black coat. It looked just like Teren once his eyes were closed. Little did the rest of his pack know that he had been watching this young brute from the very start. From the moment he opened his eyes, to the time he finally fled their pack. The Alpha scorned him, trained him harder than the rest. When it was time for him to kill, he did it well. He was malicious and unjust. Blood covered his large form like armor. It caked onto his fur and stayed for many days. He was a prideful wolf, just as his father was. These images made him happy. They brought back a fire to his life. But soon these sweet dreams would twist themselves into nightmares, night terrors to haunt and taunt him to his worst. Growls and snarls escaped from the sleeping wolf as his large paws kicked out. His body shook and shivered uncontrollably. He could do nothing to stop it, until he woke. He stirred awake and rested on his elbows. His breath was long and labored, panting as he looked around the silent den. Nothing stirred. Raising to his full height, Teren walked out of his den. The darkness fell over the lands with only the glow of the moon above as light. The light rain from previous night had continued on until now. Water droplets fell and hit his coat, soaking his form as he stood statuesque looking over the lands. Still nothing moved. Unable to force himself to live such a nightmare, he pressed the weight on his paws for movement. His head turned for the lands outside the pack clearing. But where could he go to take this horror off his mind? There was one place he had never truly been to. He knew the climate to be cold, chilling straight to the bone all year long. Not even the summer sun could melt the ice and hate from the lands. It was his direction he travelled, making his way to the land of snow.

Right as he entered, the rain had changed to small clumps of falling ice. It was not quite snow, though not soft enough to be rain. He believed it had been called sleet. But names of pointless things really didn’t bother the Alpha. His heart rested within his chest, helping the blood flow through him quickly to keep warm. Some had created rumors that this “heart” did not exist. Perhaps it was true. Maybe in its place rested a large void. It told him of many things, but always agreed with his mind. It seeked pain and anguish. It did not want or need love. Love was stupid. Most things in life were stupid. The large brute stared to the jagged mountain tops before him. Should he climb to the top of one? Or should he lay in the snow and wait for something to happen. He knew these lands to be rugged and dangerous. Avalanches were very possible if one raised their voice too loud. The midnight brute moved slowly, careful not to disturb the snow around him. His great weight was definitely something he had to be careful of. A chilled breeze picked up and rushed across his spine. His coat lifted and fell as it passed. Towards the closest peak, he travelled. He did not plan to climb to the top, but close enough to see over the whole area. Solitude was nice from time to time, especially after being around the pack so much just a few days ago. Teren had often thought about being a rogue, but no longer having the ability to command wolves at your will, he would lose interest fast. There was nothing better than controlling the strong to turn on the weak.

For the majority of the night, the fae slept peacefully for the majority of the night, her training the day before wearing her out enough to fall into slumber quite early, and catch a few hours rest undisturbed. She'd kept her eyes, and her nose on the newly demoted Warrior, Chiara as well, keeping watch to see if there was anything that needed to be reported to the Alpha. So far, she'd heard of nothing, but still, she had to speak to Teren, to request something. So, while the moon still hung in the sky an unimaginable distance away, suspended on nothing but invisible forces, the sounds of snarls plucked her from her fragile rest, breaking the spell of unconsciousness. As her mind awoke and her thoughts slowly clicked back into place, she tried her best to shake awake the cobwebs. By now the noises had been silenced, and while she listened golden orbs opened wide, finding herself staring at the wall of her den. Inhaling slowly through her nostrils, she pushed her shoulders back, stretching her neck out, she felt every muscle burn in indignation as she attempted to relieve her muscles of the aching sensation. After a few moments, she shimmed out of her den, stretching her legs as well. As she looked up at the sky,  view of the stars blotted out by the thick clouds that hung overhead, but the moon glinted off her gaze, giving her luminaries the appearance of being brightly glowing, silver orbs, shimmering gold when caught the right way. As she raised her nose, inhaling sharply, she noted Teren's distinct scent leaving camp, and heading for one of Erenyx's various territories, the trail fresh. Looking in the direction he had gone, she glanced back in the general direction of his den. 'Now is as good as ever, if he's awake.' The nagging voice in the back of her mind commented, and before she could tell herself not to, she propelled herself forward, toward the icy summit. She'd been here on multiple occasions, but hadn't found the time to visit it again. Though she would admit, she quite enjoyed it, being able to look down as if the whole world were under her paws, with the icy breath nipping at her lungs every time she inhaled.

As she followed Teren's trail, tracking him, the rain started soaking her pelt, making the damp strands cling to her skin, making her rapidly building muscles that much more prominent. Since she joined Erenyx, she had noticeably grown in her build, from that of a loner's. She still remained small of course, speed and agility being her primary weapon in a fight, but she had gained more fat and turned that fat into much needed bulk. She had shed the look of being a young underfed pup, growing into a mature, well-trained female. But no matter what, she always craved more training, which was exactly what she was about to request. Her long, slender legs stretched out, striding through the territory, her home. Her obsidian fur mixed with her dimly lit surroundings, like a spectral apparition. After a few more minutes of walking, the fae felt the soft, gentle rain switch to a sharper shower, small ice pellets because of the decrease in temperature. Breathing in deeply, the scenery reminded her of the Winter they had endured not long ago. Rolling her shoulders forward, she looked up until she caught sight of a towering, familiar figure. She slowed her gait, walking towards him leisurely, tail swinging between her hinds as she approached him. She kept her balance, her light weight making it easy to navigate, as she avoided potential dangers. She barked softly, loud enough for him to hear as she didn't want to startle him, though he probably had already detected her presence long ago. She walked up behind him, showing no fear, but no sense of superiority either. "King Teren. There's something I would like to inquire about, if I could have your time for a few minutes." She called out to him, not daring to get to close. She kept her distance, until told otherwise, waiting patiently for an answer, any answer.

The wolf turned his head to the sound of an approaching creature. His emerald gaze shot through the night, seeking the form of the wolf who spoke out to him. He had heard the voice before, though never really paid much attention to it. Ariste. His eyes narrowed on her as she gave him so much room and spoke so softly. "Come closer and speak up, pup. I may not be as old as I look, but my ears do need a little help from time to time. Have you come to ask about your instant promotion? Curious how thing work, isn't it?" Teren did not move from his spot. She was to come to him. In the time it took her to walk over to him, he rested his rump in the snow. There was a small path of grass which was now visible. Teren took his paw and pushed more snow on top of it, covering it from the night sky. Death was good. Death was pleasant, even if it had been for something so insignificant as a blade of grass. As she arrived closer to him, he spoke out. "Go ahead, get on with it." His attitude was short and snippy. He didn't care to be labored with the long talk or explanations for anything. She needed something from him and at this moment, he wanted nothing from her.

The dark-as-night vixen watched him, multi-hued eyes fixed on the beast as she awaited an answer, tail flicking. When she received the invitation to move closer to him, ebony paws shuffled forward, prancing lightly over the snow as she navigated even closer to him, the crunch under-paw as she stepped on more frozen portions of snow, and the softer 'poof' as she sank up to her ankles in the fluffier snow beneath the layer of ice. Her strong hinds and haunches propelled her forward as she began the incline, scaling the mountain with splayed paws, claws digging themselves in for a good foothold. The snow and the sleet combined, her pelt was getting soaked, though she didn't pay much attention to such things, not with more important things at paw. Instead, her mind flitted to her duties, reviewing the previous day as well. She was doing all she could to fulfill the role of Elite, but just because it was all she could do now, didn't mean it was all she could ever do. Snapping back to reality, she focused her much-needed attention to the task at hand, not risking testing her own abilities, slipping and falling to her death. Reaching her destination on the peak nearest to the ground and walking towards Teren, she lowered her hindquarters to the ground, taking a seat beside the onyx brute. Glancing over the edge at the ground below, she reveled in the sight of the earth far below, as if she were standing overtop the world. Exactly how she had remembered it. Her ears flinched, swiveling so that the wind would not whistle and blow annoyingly into her ear, the fur protecting them from the cold. Jaws parting, words rolled from her tongue once again in her deep, rasping voice. "No, I did not come to ask about my promotion, as I trust your decision, and I don't plan on making you regret it. Actually," She paused, her tongue flicking out to swipe across her muzzle.  "I wanted to ask you about something to help me greatly improve my skills. I would like to request being mentored by you, Teren. I know that I could learn more from you than I could from any other wolf in these lands, and I want to be as prepared as possible for any situation where I am needed." She stopped, allowing the Alpha Male to mull over her words, and accept or deny them before she carried on with anything she still needed to say. She allowed a silence to settle between them, not breaking it as her head twisted to look back at Teren, though she kept her eyes on his paws. She would not look up until told to, silver-gold orbs staring firmly at the black paws clashing against the white snow, breathing softly as she awaited a response, good or bad.

He turned his head back to the world as she spoke. It was not to ignore her, but she had not earned the right to see his face as they spoke. It was a respect thing, something he had practiced with all the wolves before her. Thus far, Irrationality had been the only wolf to see such an act of high respect. The Alpha male listened intently, to some parts of it. He did not have time to listen to her whole spiel. "That is either very brave or very stupid of you, Elite." That was all he spoke, for now. He took a few steps forward, heading towards the tallest mountain. As he was a few feet away from the fae, he turned his head and shouted to her. "Come with me," he snarled as he turned his head forward once more and continued on his path. He knew their coats were not made for the winter, but Teren did not care. His body had been so broken and old, that he could barely feel the cold any longer. So many nights he had spent all alone and left for the wilds to find him. The Alpha moved ahead, and as he reached a higher position, the skies grew colder. The winds picked up and forced the larger mounds of snow to drop onto his head like small pebbles. The nasty temperatures were dropping. What exactly was he going to do with a female? None had ever had the courage to speak to him in such a way, to even assume that they were worthy enough to be so close to his presence. The king walked and finally came to a stop as the clouds above him roared and crashed with bolts of lighting. "Ariste, I do not train the weak and foolish. I do not help the sick or demented. If it is training that you wish for, then you will have to prove your worth unto me, here and now. Before you stands the highest peak of this whole range. Beneath the grey clouds showers large wads of snow and ice, rushing to the lands below. And to the sky are bolts of lighting and booms of thunder. Being the only thing at the top, you may get electrocuted. This could very well kill you. If you can make it to the top, stay there for longer than I wish you to, then yes, I will mentor you. But, if you do not go to the top, you will be demoted to Omega and the whole pack will disrespect you to my will's desires." He waited for a reply from her, whether it be of tongue or actions. Was she really prepared for such a task? Teren sure was, and he would be waiting to see just how long she would be able to stay up there.

Snowfall after snowfall, the grounds were covered in a sheet of ice and snow. Down to the base of the mountains, rested the herd. The group was rather large, sticking together to keep from the cold, though tensions were rising among the males. Short breaths of cold air escaped from their nostrils. Grunts and groans also rose from within. But one male was not about to let the others take away he chance to be king of the mountain. Butting heads with a few of the others, he started his ascension to the very peak of the frozen mountain. Through ice and snow he trudged on. He did not stop for anything, not even when he heard the hooves of others behind him. He lowered his head and pushed his body to the limits and beyond. The freezing snow started to get worse the closer he got to the top. The sounds of crashing thunder forced the male to rest in his place. Turning his head down to the others, he could see they had not been fighting, at least not yet. So it was the weather which had allowed the world to hear a crash, the clash of silence against the rage. Continuing his climb to the top, he smelled a scent that was not regular to these lands. It was a wolf. Immediately he could feel his blood begin to boil. He puffed more hot breath from his maw and trudged on further. Standing at the top now, he glared to the black female wolf before him. He stood behind her, watching the unsuspecting fae as he pulled his right foot up and charged it back and forth through the snow.

He watched silently as she moved up the mountain. She was obedient, that much was for sure. Her body seemed oh so willing to do anything he told her. Teren smiled as he watched her moving higher and higher up the mountain side. he would sit here and wait for as long as he needed to. If she came down from the mountain before he said so, then he knew she was not ready. But if she stayed and she did not bitch or complain, then he would train her. They sat there, in their own separate areas for what seemed like thirty minutes. He had thought about telling her to come down, or possibly just leaving her there to stay all night and retrieve her in the morning. But to his dismay, it appeared Ariste was going to have some very unpleasant guests with her shortly. Teren stood up, watching the male sheep make their climb up the side of the mountain. He would wait and see how she would react now. But he would not help her, even if she called to him.