Achilles

Cousin of Odessa, Arvella, and Kitty. Father of Timber and Sarabi.

Spoiler"Well I'm the future king!" boasted the young pup, stretching to his tiptoes and holding his head high in the air. His pupsitter Echo just blinked down at him for a moment before smiling.

"Your uncle Bax thought that too. So did you uncle Goliath before him. Tetra still chose your mother Min to lead instead of them. There are other potential heirs, young prince, don't believe for a moment that you are guaranteed the throne." She knelt down, snatching the pup up by his scruff, and dragging him back into the sitters dens.

"... I'm the strongest though!" "No. That would be your sister." "We- Well I'm the fastest!" "Both of the twins are more swift than you, Achilles." "Oh."

Echo could hear the disappointment in the pups voice, but all she could do was smile at him once more as she pulled him close, nuzzling against his cheek.

"Your mother, Queen Min, was neither the swiftest nor the most powerful, pup. She was the kindest. She carries on Queen Tetra's legacy of trust and understanding. In that regard you are the one with the most promise, but that does not guarantee your place. You must stay humble, you must learn to listen to your fellow wolf, and you must dedicate yourself to the betterment of the pack. That is how you earn your place as a leader."

"...But what if I want to be a strong leader?"

"That is strength, Achilles, at least the strength that matters."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The amount of cursing Achilles heard as his Uncle Bax climbed the hill towards them nearly made his ears hurt. He whined, and moved behind his father. Hemlock smiled down at the young wolf before turning his attention to the royal pain in the rear.

"Good evening, sir. What seems to be the problem?" Hemlock questioned, tilting his head to the side and watching closely.

"You know exactly what the problem is, mongrel! Give Achilles to me. He should be training with someone of royal blood.." Bax growled, moving forward and trying to grab Achilles by the scruff. Hemlock nudged Achilles out of the way with his rump, moving to where Bax instead got a mouthful of 'mongrel' fur. Bax made a second attempt which led to similar results, this time Hemlocks nudge knocking Achilles to the ground where his father could stand over him.

"Move!" Bax growled, baring his teeth.

"Now Bax, your sister, the queen, wants Achilles to train with his father. I agree that I am more than capable of teaching him to scout, don't you? Maybe you should bring this up with Min if you disagree." Hemlock suggested, a sideways grin crossing his face.

"You teaching him quite the lesson now, aren't you?" Bax grumbled, glaring down at the young heir.

"I think so, Bax. Something about not backing down to bullies, maybe?" Hemlock suggested. Bax let out another snarl, baring his teeth at the two of them.

"Min will hear about this."

"I'm sure my mate will have much to say on how she has chosen for the two of us to raise our cubs." Hemlock agreed, returning to a relaxed stance as Bax turned his back and padded away. He smiled down at his young son, moving out from over him so that he could once again stand.

"Well that was fun, wasn't it?" Hemlock asked joyfully, tail wagging behind him.

"I- I suppose."

"Now. Lets return to the glacier. Did you know that's where your mother spent most of her time as a scout? A bit chilly but that thick black fur of hers is impenetrable."

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You have used up the RMA - check out the results! Gray Tamaskan Unders was applied in slot 1!
You have used up the RMA - check out the results! White Nose Bridge was applied in slot 6!
You have used up the RMA - check out the results! Cream Half Socks was applied in slot 10!
You have used up the RMA - check out the results! Beige Throat was applied in slot 4!
You have used up the RMA - check out the results! Honey Back Half Patch was applied in slot 9!

Fully RMA his markings? Make future breeding male? - Done and done.

Oh crud forgot to log the rest. These were the markings added:
Slot 2 Yellow Undercoat (80%) [Horrible, terrible.]
Slot 7 Gray Smudge Heavy (47%)
Slot 8 Black Rump Patch (84%)

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Achilles has only become more distinguished as he has aged. It is believed he will be a wise and kind leader. While this seems to be the case, he is also gaining a reputation for sneaking around with the female members of the pack.

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Spoiler"Why do you do it, mother?"

"Hm?" Min looked over at her pup- not much of a pup anymore but still hers. "Why do I do what?"

"Why do you lead when it's so obvious you don't want to? Well maybe it's not so obvious to the others but it is to me. I see you going through the motions, but the only time you seem happy is when you are leaving to scout the wilderness. Why didn't you stay a scout? Isn't that what you would rather do?" Achilles looked concerned more than anything, and Min wondered if that concern was for her or for the pack.

"It is my duty. It's not a duty that I chose but one that was given to me. I always thought your uncle Goliath would lead, or maybe Bax, but I see now that they would have been the wrong choice for the pack and despite my protests, your grandmother had to make the right one. She saw the many wolves she had taken in as if they were her own pups and her only desire was for the next Alpha to care for them and mother them the way she had. That... Mothering doesn't come easily to me, Achilles. Even when they are my pups." She gave him a small, weary smile. "Scouting comes more easily, but that doesn't matter. Thankfully the pack didn't need another mother, they just needed a leader, and despite my other difficulties... That I am more than capable of. I can lead them and I can protect them, and I can find my happiness in my time away."

Achilles was quiet for a few moments, thinking about what his mother had said. He wasn't even sure if that had answered his question or simply stalked her way around it.

"Is it a duty... Or a chore?" he asked finally. Min seemed more taken aback by this than by the previous question.

"It is a duty. It is a duty I am proud and privileged to have." she replied, but it sounded like something she had said before. It sounded rehearsed.

"Well... If it was a chore. I would leave."

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His father was dying. His father was dying and his mother refused to let anyone see him before he passed on to the next world. So he waited for her to leave the den and snuck inside.

There he was, Hemlock, the brightest and kindest soul anyone could be lucky enough to know. The older males breathing was labored and weak, and it caused Achilles great pain to see him in that state. He moved closer, licking his fathers muzzle before laying down next to him with a soft whine.

Hemlock's eyes opened, but they were glossy, confused and empty. The king otherwise didn't stir, only his eyes slowly drifting across the cave- until they met Achilles'. They closed and when they opened again it seemed some of that spark had returned. Hemlock mumbled something, but it was meaningless, a long line of gibberish. A weak growl and a struggling intake of air as his eyes closed once more and his mouth opened.

"Son."

And then he was gone.

Achilles didn't have time to process what happened before he heard the snarl behind him. Before he could turn his mother was on him, snapping and biting, fighting as if her own life depended on it. He couldn't bring himself to fight back. Instead he struggled to get away and eventually limped from the den, thanking the stars and moon that his mother was no longer in her prime.

Sari nursed the young heirs wounds, forcing him to stay in the herbalists den until he wasn't at risk to break them open again. By the time he was ready to try and speak to his mother again she was gone, and so was his fathers remains. The pack still saw her in their territory, and Achilles tried to track her scent over and over again. He only saw her once during this time, but despite his best efforts he could not catch up to her and she once again vanished into the wilderness.

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"It's time."

The voice sent a chill down Achilles' spine. He whipped around, the snow of the glacier kicked up around his paws. It was his mother, standing there staring at him, golden eyes unwavering. His fur stood on end, and he couldn't decide whether he was frightened, or happy to see her.

"I knew I would find you here, if I looked long enough." he replied nervously, taking a step towards her. She looked hungry and tired, the weeks in the wilderness hadn't been easy on the elderly alpha. "Let's go home mother. Please, everyone misses you."

"No. It's too late. It's your turn, Achilles. My time is over." She turned and started to walk away, and Achilles could see that she was unsteady on her feet. She was so weak. When was the last time she had a meal? When had she last felt like herself? Achilles ran after her, and then walked alongside her as she showed no sign of slowing or stopping for him again.

"Mother please. Lets go home. Together. Sari will take care of you, nurse you back to health. You can stay with the elders, fill yourself on elk and deer. Bax is expecting to be a father, don't you want to see your nieces and nephews?" He watched a small smile tug at the corner of her face.

"Who did that old fool trick into having his cubs? Echo? Taal?"

"Echo's sister, Gimmick."

"A young, strong wolf, but her and Bax as their parents, those cubs will be trouble."

"Don't we all know it." Achilles replied, chuckling softly. Before he could speak again, Min's legs gave way under her and she crumpled to the ground. "M-Mother!"

"H-hush." she muttered, starting to stand again only to fall back into the powdered snow and go still.

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Somehow, Achilles found a cave, dragging his weak mother inside and laying next to her, desperate to keep her warm. She was breathing but quiet, and Achilles feared she had already fallen too far away from him. He was uncertain, knowing she needed help but not wanting to leave her.

"I will fight." The voice was softer, weaker than he had ever heard from her before, but Achilles was relived to hear her speak again.

"You will. You will and we will walk home together."

"No. I fall soon, son, I can feel it, but I can also feel my brother. He will fall when I do, we're tied together. I will fight until he sees his progeny, but I will do so here. The walk will kill me faster. Please, return home, they need you more than I do."

"...No." Achilles growled, standing and moving towards the entrance, "I'm going to hunt. Feed you and offer the crows some for herbs that will ease your suffering, and then I will stay here. If you won't come home I will stay until there's no reason to. The pack can wait."

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Not a fresh meal nor any herbs were able to slow the progression of the former alpha's end. Still, Achilles and her had a few days. They spoke of old times, and she embarrassed him with tales from his puppyhood. Neither spoke of the day she had left, the day grief had taken her and she had attacked her son. It didn't matter. Achilles understood, and he forgave her. He only wanted to spend his mother's remaining days by her side. It was a dark morning when he woke up to her still besides him. She had gone peacefully, at least, not all had that luxury.

When Achilles left he collapsed the den behind him, leaving his mother buried in the cold north she had always gone back to. The pack was relived and happy to see him when he returned that day, even as they mourned his uncle. Min had been right, they had gone out together. He too had simply not woken up that morning. Bax had, however, been given a few days with his pups. Two daughters, two sons. Achilles would take them under his wing and make sure they thrived.

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Achilles didn't think he could be hurt by another death as bad as he had been after the loss of his father and mother, but the loss of his childhood pupsitter, Echo, sent him into a depression. It was the last wolf who had really parented him, and the elderly pupsitter had meant the world to him after his parents had gone. It was awhile before he felt like himself again, but he eventually got back on his feet and returned to his duties, a little more somber than before.


Achilles has sired 5 potential heirs, not including his 2 older children. Ralik, Cochi, Calliope, Ireena, and Eternal.

SpoilerAs Achilles watched his children grow, he was hesitant to make any final decisions on who would replace him as alpha in the pack. Ralik was too ruthless, even as an adolescent, often drawing blood from the other young wolves who crossed her. Cochi was less outwardly aggressive, but still he could see the fire in her eyes, one that matched her littermates. The two were inseparable, and he knew they would run together... and he wasn't sure it would go well. They wouldn't do.

Calliope was another possibility. When she was young she was reserved and thoughtful, but always testing her limits. Unfortunately she became traumatized by the death of elder pack members, that of the finisher Eep hitting her especially hard, and has since been skittish and paranoid. He hoped her wellbeing would improve but he had seen this before. Some wolves simply were too soft for the realities of the world. He would be patient, but he needed to keep looking.

Then there was Ireena. She was a good girl, soft and caring, but she had no interest in leadership. Achilles respected her choice on the matter, not wanting to push her into being an alpha as his mother had been. She spent much of her time with Odessa, and Achilles was proud of the possibility for her to be head pupsitter in the future.

Lastly was Eternal. She was confident and curious, friendly despite being a bit of an irritant to the other wolves with her constant questions. She was also excited to become a scout, eager to see the world surrounding the packs territory. She seemed like the best candidate, but truly only time would tell.