Silas's Den

".. Silas you can't have both." she said softly. "You can't have them, and me. You're different, for your family." she said, watching his eyes. "And different with me. you have to pick what you want to be.."

Silas hung his head, "The only way I can do this..." He shut his eye's
"You'd have to meet my family..." He was willing to introduce her, to try and make his family understand. But he wasn't sure how willing she was.

She watched him, taking a shaky breath. "Anything." she murmured. "I just.. want you to be my silas." she said, slowly sitting down. "The Silas I know you are, and love."

he looked up at her sitting in front of her attempting to nuzzle her.
"I will try." He said, "I love you Ananth."

She flinched away from the nuzzle. She shifted away a bit, and laid down, resting her head on one front paw. she watched the water. ".. and I love you." she said softly.

He nodded, not moving watching her. This was fine for now, as long as she wasn't leaving. Remembering he left Nootau back at his den he looked around the treeline trying to spot his friend.
"Noonoo come out come out wherever you are!" He called for his friend, knowing he was probably watching from somewhere.

He did tag along and watched hidden in the treeline. He was as much relieved as he was surprised to see Ananth with Silas, but the mood was tense and bitter

"You'd have to meet my family..."

Nootau's eyes widened "That's crazy! They'll kill her! They'll kill you"" he thought, nervously, he wanted to jump out and protest about the idea, but instead shook his head and readied himself to leave.

"Noonoo come out come out wherever you are!"

Silas's call made him pause in his tracks, he let out a low sigh and turned back towards the two, slowly padding out of the bushes "You called?" He asked and looked down at Ananth with a light smile, even though she wasn't looking.

Denton hated leaving home. Silas had been gone for a few days, though Darius didn’t think much of it, Denton did and because he was older, Silas was his responsibility.

He sighed and continued down the trail, his pace nothing but a lazy walk ‘You would think to find a different den by now.’ Nearing a bend in the path, he picked up his pace but when he rounded the turn and the den came into view, he came to a stop.

He spotted a mauled deer by the entrance of the den, a small fox picking away at the carcass. He snorted and advanced towards it, the fox leaping away but remaining close as the Shinlai lowered his head to sniff the meat. “Yep,” Denton said, recognizing the scent that lingered on it, “that’s him.”

Denton raised his head and looked to the small cave, stepping over the deer to further inspect it. Silas had definitely spent the past few days here, but the scent had lost its warmth. He cocked his head and called into the cave, “Silas, you in there?”

The cave echoed its response and he snorted in return, “This is just great.”

He turned around to see the fox back at the deer, looking up at him with bright brown eyes. Denton ignoring him and stepping away into the trees, his nose following a stronger scent, another mingling with it, “You got someone with you?”

Unbeknownst to him, the small fox was following on his heels.

The sound of chatter brought his attention to a small clearing in the trees up ahead, Silas’s deeper voice amongst them. A female voice occupied as well, and so did another male.

Denton could feel the anger rising up again, the same anger that he took out on his brother a few days ago. He wanted to apologize, but with the voice of the female drifting back to him, that was the last thing on his mind now.

‘Maybe he needs this…’ He tried to convince himself as he neared the gathering, ‘Maybe he just needed support from his friends.’

He didn’t want to scare them when he stepped into the clearing, so he purposely cracked a large branch to announce his entry. The trio looked to him when he entered, his gaze drifting from Shinlai to Shinlai before he settled on his brother.

“Hey, Silas.” He said, his voice cracking. He bowed politely to the other Shinlai beside his brother.

Ananth lifted her head sharply when she heard the branch crack. She didn't recognize the new Shinlai, not at first, anyways.
but then she scented him, and her mind drifted back to their first, and last meeting. She had... pseudo-fought him, last time.
It was half hearted at best, but it put her on alert none-the-less. She tilted her head, then shifted to get to her feet and edge back from him.

This was Silas' brother, she remembered. Denton. Silas talked about him, and she knew enough from other Shinlai to be wary.

Silas turned and stood up when he heard the branch snap. Denton was the last thing he thought would walk out of the tree line. Silas was obviously nervous and did a terrible job at concealing it.

“Hey, Silas.” He said nervously his voice cracking. Silas stepped forward toward his brother a little, noting Ananth’s apprehension.

“Hello brother.” He said keeping his voice semi-even. He tilted his head to the side looking past Denton,
“Uh what is that thing following you?” Silas asked noticing the small fox behind his brother.

Nootau turned his head along with the others when he heard the crack "D-Denton?" he thought and sat up. There was a tension between the two brothers, it was easy to see. Nootau was surprised when Denton bowed towards them, he'd normally only seen him be well...basically a jerk, but he supposed it was a form brotherly love.

"I believe it's a fox" Nootau answered Silas's question, tilting his head to the side to get a better look at the little thing.

Denton shifted nervously when the two Shinlai began to grow uncomfortable, pawing at the ground when his brother called back his attention.

"Uh, what's that thing following you?"

Confused, he turned his head back to see the small red fox from earlier sitting by his foot, it's large brown eyes staring up at him. "Huh," he huffed, "would you look at that."

"I believe it's a fox." The red Shinlai said.

Denton glanced to him, his face somewhat familiar. Nootau? he thought, remembering back to many references his brother made about this friend of his. He shifted is weight to his other side, trying to think of something to say, "It must've followed me."

Their gazes burnt away at his pelt, and his face felt flushed. He didn't know what to do, Denton was never much for social gatherings, or any contact other than his brother and father. Not wanting to panick, he took in a deep breath and tried to talk. "So, uh..." He shrugged his shoulders, "I wanted to check on you, Silas, see how things were going..."

Ananth tilted her head, gaze affixed to the little fox. she shifted her weight, then edged forward a bit with her head low.
"Aren't these little guys usually... timid?" She asked, sounding as if she were asking the question to herself.
Still, at least she didn't seem afraid to come closer to Denton.

Well, especially now that Denton seemed as nervous, if not more so than any of the other Shinlai there. And the curious little fox at least provided some sort of distraction. She just made sure to keep a safe distance from Silas. She wasn't sure how much he had told his brother.

Silas nodded slightly in agreement with Ananth, then looked back at his brother. He took a few steps forward before speaking.
"I am fine..." Silas replied almost sounding unsure, "There is someone here I need to introduce you to." He looked up at his older brother, carefully watching his facial expression.

"There is someone here I need to introduce you to."

"Silas!" Nootau jolt his head up and looked at Silas, rushing towards him and getting between the two "Excuse us for a momment" he grinned at Denton nervously and pushed Silas aside slightly, lowering his head "Silas, are you sure this is a good idea...introducing Ananth? I mean...what if your father finds out?" he whispered, worried.

Silas stepped away, giving his brother an annoyed glance, hopefully lightening the mood.
“What?” He asked impatiently.
"Silas, are you sure this is a good idea...introducing Ananth? I mean...what if your father finds out?" he whispered, worried. Looked condescendingly at Nootau,
“First you should know better than to interrupt a conversation between my kin and I. Second I have already made up my mind, there is no tiptoeing around this anymore, we need to come together if this is going to work.” Silas gave Nootau a dismissed sort of look, and turned back toward his brother sitting in front of him. Taking a gentler tone he continued,
“As I was saying brother, there is someone I need to introduce you to.”

(Sorry my internet has been down!)

“First you should know better than to interrupt a conversation between my kin and I. Second I have already made up my mind, there is no tiptoeing around this anymore, we need to come together if this is going to work.”

Nootau sighed lightly and gave Silas a nod and sat back down "I just hope you know what your doing.."

Denton pulled his attention away from Ananth who was curiously gazing at the small fox by his side and turned to meet his brother's eyes, "What're you talking about?"

Silas gestured toward Ananth,
“Denton that is my mate, Ananth.” He watched his brother, waiting for a reaction.

Ananth's eyes drifted from the fox and over to Silas and Nootau when they had their little hushed conversation.
She tilted her head, then shifted uneasily, her eyes had just drifted back to the little furry animal when she suddenly tensed at what Silas said. Tensed, and froze, and stared equally at him and then at Denton. She wasn't sure what to do, or say, or if she shold do either at all. so she just watched, and waited, bracing herself.

Denton noted his brother's sudden and strange behavior changed when he watched him shift nervously before him. His mind raced through the possiblities of what his brother had to say, but when Silas parted his lips and began to speak, nothing would've have prepared him for this moment.

"Denton that is my mate, Ananth.”

Denton's heart sank and he drew in a quick gasp. He glanced between his brother and his mate, taking a few steps back and shaking his head in disbelief.

"Y-y-y-your m-m-mate?" He tried to speak, trying to make sense of the situation before him. How long as this been going on? He thought, wishing he had never came to check on his brother in the first place. When were you gonna tell me? Your family?

Feeling lightheaded, Denton sank to the ground with a heavy thud and heaved a deep sigh, and while he sat, he continued to shake his head. "I-I-I don't get it, Silas." He raised his head for a moment to look at the three Shinlai standing before him, it's not like his father wouldn't approve of the female, right away atleast.

Finally, he straigtened up and cleared his throat, rolling his eyes as he spoke, "I'm guessing you want to take her to Darius. Not your greatest plan."

"Y-y-y-your m-m-mate?" Denton stuttered, taken aback. 'Not a good start...' Silas thought to himself. He tilted his head empathetically to the side. With a thud Denton sat onto the ground, drawing in a quick breath.

"I-I-I don't get it, Silas." Denton said confusedly.

"I'm guessing you want to take her to Darius. Not your greatest plan." Silas sighed,
"That was a bit over dramatic don't you think?" He laid down in front of his brother,
"Yes I would like to introduce her to father. Is there anything you want to know before I continue?'

Ananth watched, and surprisingly, almost felt a little bad for Denton when he started stuttering like he did. She edged cautiously closer to Silas, to be near his side when she also laid down. She rested her head on her front paws and watched him idly, but with a tone of caution. Silas never spoke too much about his family, but he said enough to make he apprehensive.

Scylla looked on from the darkness not twenty feet from the four Shinlai. She has smelled something bloody, but by the time she had arrived, the choice bits of the corpse had been picked away. She sighed; she had been ill-prepared on her way from her own village to Velocifiero, and had lived mostly on squirrels and any edible vegetation she could find. Her mouth began to water as she saw the fox that had been following the blue Shinlai... no one seemed to pay much attention to it...

Scylla stepped cautiously from the trees as the four of them talked. They seemed to be in some sort of confrontation, but it was now or never. "Uh... y-you gonna eat that?" she stuttered, her hungry gaze aimed at the fox.

Denton couldn't help but feel irrated when his brother suddenly tried to turn the situation back on him, ""That was a bit over dramatic don't you think?"

He growled and flicked his short tail, You expect me to understand when you're tearing the Kordeth family apart? Get real.

Instead, he shook his head and listened, "Yes I would like to introduce her to father. Is there anything you want to know before I continue?"

Denton cocked his head and snorted, "You should know your own father, Brother. Darius doesn't like surprises. You expect him to understand and be completely calm when you bring in a female and declare her your mate?" He held his gaze for a heartbeat then he continued, "And no, there's nothing I want to know. I want you to know that I'm not going to let this continue. Besides, Darius isn't in the greatest mood right now, another reason why I'm here and not there."

He meant to continue, but when a strange Shinlai entered the clearing, Denton turned to see the stranger staring with a hungry gaze at the small fox sitting by his side.

"Uh... y-you gonna eat that?"

Denton shot the Shinlai a strange glance before responding, "Uh...maybe later? I guess."

As if the creature understood, the small fox darted around his side and hid underneath Denton's body, hissing at the stranger who wished to devour him. Denton, annoyed at the rudeness of the new Shinlai, snorted and returned his attention to his brother.