With the season of love and lust coming to a painfully slow close, the hormones of the wolves were died down and dormant. The bellies of the already impregnated she-wolves swollen and full of growing and maturing life. Many of which had already birthed the little hellions into the world.  In Erenyx itself, there were few faes who dared to take upon the feat. Although a pack, the system his brother ruled by was none to recommended for raising young children. And with the event that happened in the previous spring, which he was not present for, it almost promised a fifty percent chance of death when just being born. Though the death of these children did decrease the possible numbers for the group as a whole, Lyonitus understood his Alpha's actions. Some things had changed from his last rule, and some did as well but still stayed the same. Teren preferred his pack to be strong rather than have weak links. Previously, he had not even allowed female pups to have a chance, and elder kidnapped ones were solely there to breed once or twice until they were murdered. He had improved, but, yes, he still killed off the weaker ones one way or another. And that is what the people of this land failed to see: Teren isn't as awful as he used to be. The blood of the brothers' would never be innocent, he understood that, and there would be many that disliked them. Even in the black brute's current rule, he could hear the murmurs of gossip and hatred about the old guy. About him sometimes even. It was the part of the life as a family member of a supposed hated family, and he took it in stride.

Night have been a sort of sanctuary in the winter months. He didn't have to hide away from the desperate females that only wanted their desires to be sated. And that one she wolf, who he hadn't bothered to learn the name of, the one he had brought as a token for Teren was gone. Disappeared. Probably, hopefully dead. He never wanted to see her again. She was fun while it lasted, though he never would have given her what she might have wished from him. Back to the topic at hand, nights were peaceful. The same went for all the seasons, including the current one which he disliked; Spring. Most were sleeping and therefore witnesses were lesser. He could be himself while alone, the big goofball that was hidden under the hardened "I'm an arse" exterior. Tonight was no different, and as he pranced around, tail held high, the redwood forest he caught a scent. A very familiar one. Taking the risk of either being accepted or aggressively asked to leave, the Elite approached. Not loosing his current playful manner. The Lead Healer was a vixen he had some sort of affection for. Love? He doubted it, it was the very thing he promised would never happen to him. To fall in such a spell was like falling into a ravine with water and sharp rocks at the bottom; Death. But the she-wolf was different. For some reason he had treated her with empathy, an emotion he hadn't felt or expressed since his younger days. She seemed to not belong in the pack of demons, but yet she fit in so perfectly. Strong but good. A combination he had never seen before. So perhaps that was it, the thing or quality that intrigued him. Nevertheless he wanted to get closer to her, even is she found him as a pest.

As he stayed in the shadows, watching her exchange with the crows, he was both confused and amused. Who plays and socializes with those damn birds? Pesky little vermin. She then trotted off, hiding away her kill of a badger and searching for something. Perhaps a meal for her friends who refused to eat the large rodent-like thing. Leaning against a nearby tree, he softly rocked back and forth, awaiting her return as he relieved some of the tension in his body. His eyes were closed until her scent became stronger, her form entering his line of vision. She gave them food, little mice and such. Caring... and with them she dined, on her own personal feast. A meal that looked like could spare a few bites for a brute like himself. But no, he would be a gentleman tonight, or as much as he could be. Instead of just eating her meal, he could take it. Show off his innocent intentions and then perhaps join her and the birds. Crouching low he stalked forward, using the shadows and bark of the tree to his advantage. He made sure to stay downwind, taking in the target's scent but it not her own. And then, with a large leap, he burst into view. A grin stretched on his face as he landed before her, between her and the black birds who flew up into the air cawing out in protest before landing a few feet away. Bending his head he quickly gripped the smaller animal in his jaws. Moving away as fast as he came, he bounded a yard or so away. His tail was wagging playfully and a mischievous glint in his bi-colored orbs. The flying things that had moved away form him now returned cautiously back to their meals, pecking and tearing away at the smaller flesh. He kept his eyes on the girl however, lowering his head in a playful challenge. Either she'd leave the meal to him, or she would chase after him in a game of keep away. He wondered what she would choose.

She was shocked for a moment, as he bounded away with her meal. But that shock soon turned into annoyance and anger. Through his playful attitude and mischievous eyes, he could take in every message she was currently sending him. And none were positive. His tail waved to and fro behind him, trying to get some other reaction out of her. The crows had settled back down by then, their beady eyes glaring at him too. I feel greatly outnumbered.. For whatever reason his body language began to change. His head raised and tail lowered. He cocked an eyebrow up at her questioningly. But then she insulted him. Telling him to "grow up," and spitting his ex-rank out with such distaste it stung. He couldn't deny it, he winced as she turned away. The burn from the demotion only adding to the wound of the cold shoulder she was giving him now. She's chosen birds over me. What is more degrading than that? Closing his eyes, the elder sighed in defeat. Cliche wasn't the she-wolf to play around with the blood of an enemy. But for some sadistic reason, Lyonitus found it absolutely thrilling.

Except, of course, in moments like these.

Walking calmly back towards her, careful not to scare away her precious woodland friends. They looked up at him, watched him carefully. Some ruffled and flapped their wings in warning, but he paid their movements no mind. He didn't want anything to do with the birds, he just wanted the species of his own that sat with them. Cautiously he took each step, never taking his eyes off of her stiff form. She was attempting to remain calm, to refrain from yelling at him. She was doing what any lady would do; keep her tongue in and dangers hidden. He came up behind her, maneuvering his body around her own but careful not to touch. Lowering his head he lay the badger at her paws, gently. And as he raised his head he softly murmured, "Elder." After resuming his full height he stepped back a few paces. His voice then becoming a little more rough with a bit of a bite to it, but it wasn't directed at her. "It's Elder again. Teren threw a fit and demoted me. Guess I am just a worthless piece of dung. My own brother sees me nothing but a damn fool." He chuckled darkly, his laugh devoid of any humor. "And you as well. I don't know what I did to you to deserve this treatment. Anything that I said or did wrongfully to you I apologized for, and yet you treat me just like everyone else has. And I thought that you might be different. That one night of Satan's Cliff... I actually thought I had found someone else to confide in; to trust. To get to know me and like what they see not because of Teren but because of who I am. But you're just like everyone else. Blinded by the demon's hellish actions towards you and the awful thing that your damn ex-mate did to you that you won't even take the chance. You've given up, Cliché. What happened to that fae who didn't hesitate to put me in my place? Where is she? Because she sure as hell ain't here anymore."

He shook his head and turned away, walking back into the lines of trees. He paused then, not bothering to turn his head back. He knew, despite her closed of demeanor and jabs, that she was still grieving for the losses she had made. But what the wolves of Erenyx and she needed was hope. Even if he was empty of the emotion it didn't matter much for him. He was getting old, nothing extraordinary was going to happen to him. But the lead healer had her whole life ahead of her.She couldn't let this one tragedy ruin her. "Your son, the one who fell of the cliff during the battle of pups... did they ever find his body? If they didn't, how do you know for sure that he's dead? He might be alive, waiting to come back. Don't let him see you so broken when he does."