It was hard to lie to Myranda.
They had returned with a whole bunch of different goodies - sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, more peanuts than she wanted to count, and some berries and edible flowers she used for decoration and ground for spices.
While she wore a grateful smile, her eyes plead for the thing she wanted most, "Did you see him?"
Joss lied with a frown as he actually thought about how badly he wanted to tell her that she was accepted and loved. "No, I'm sorry. We found some tracks, but they weren't fresh. On the bright side, there were no other tracks accompanying him, which means he went alone."
Jyriah beamed. Not only was he getting the peanut butter he desired, but he was filled with pride that his sister was chosen to be the next Luna.
The youngest wolf amongst them had not missed the expression. "...Why are you all smiles? Pleased about your peanut haul?" Myranda questioned with a quirked brow.
"Yep" her older brother replied and gave her a thumb's up. "I want two jars before you sell the rest, please," he requested as a follow-up.
"Uhg - fine. Thank you for going out for me. You're welcome to wait here until dinner is ready, or come back if you have things to do. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," she pointed out with a little bit of sour sarcasm.
"Well that's good - then you'd not have time to make that peanut butter," Jyriah jested. He watched her pick up a wet rag and hurl it at him, which he nearly was able to dodge, but still took a hit to his side.
"Ew! What was on that?" He shouted with a dirty look towards her as he looked in horror at the wet stain on his shirt.
"Dirty counter juice. I just cleaned them. Now maybe you should be going somewhere, dearest big brother," she mocked and then stuck her tongue out at him.
Jyriah returned her gesture and poked her forehead intensely as he passed her. "Well - I guess I'm staying, then. I'm using your shower - and your nice shampoo that Syrana got you."
"Fine. I hope it makes you smell better," Myranda shot back, but his expression made her smile as he crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her playfully.
It was nice for her to feel like she was back to herself, and the fun banter with her brother made her smile and forget for just a bit that she felt only half-alive most of the time.
******
Metas had waited at his most cherished of spots once the sun had gone down. With the moon absent in the sky tonight, he felt much safer in the embrace of the dark. He didn't eat in the castle anymore; he couldn't trust anyone there to not poison him. Each night, he'd go out and catch his own meal and then wait for Lara and Gerald.
He had found a really cool little cove behind a waterfall about a hundred years ago by complete accident when he literally stumbled into it as he flailed through the cold water. He truly thought he would die that day as the waterfall pushed him under the surface - ironically, it ended up being his safest place.
Part of him was worried he had made a mistake to trust Jyriah and Joss with his location, but he had no one else to help him in the lower levels, and they were his mate's loved ones. It was worth the risk if it meant he could be closer to her in some way, even if by proxy.
The length of the cave was nice, and could fit about seven adults in it comfortably. He too, had painted the walls as a child, but most of it was washed away and replaced with layouts of important locations, and little dots where he had found secret tunnels and hiding spots.
He even had a make-shift bed he had made out of old linens and forgotten comforters, and his favorite pillows. This was where he slept, planned, and protected the forest.
His paws touched to light up the soft glowing crystals that he had set up and affixed into natural holes in the cavern walls so that he could see, but light didn't escape through the curtain of water. Then, he sat and waited as he thought of Myranda.
As he began to suspect they weren't coming, Joss entered through the hidden entrance and sputtered from how cold the water was.
"I did not expect this to be that cold...sorry if I scared you" he apologized as he pulled back a cloak that had done very little to shield him from the water.
"You didn't. Thank you for coming. Did Jyriah change his mind?" Metas wondered as he noted his absence.
"No. Silas saw us leaving and Jyriah distracted him so I could at least come ahead and warn you that he may be late - but we're still keeping our word," Joss assured with a kind smile, and pulled out one of the grass boxes from Myranda's shop that he had tucked underneath the cloak he wore.
The silver-haired male offered the box towards Metas with a wide grin. "It got a little wet, but I hope it brings you some comfort. It's some sweet buns and that peanut butter Jyriah was on about all day. Myranda made all of it - I hope it eases you."
Trust was not something easily won by Metas. It was why he took it so hard when Myranda refused his company, and resisted his good nature so much. With the way things had turned, though - the budding Alpha was honestly really glad she had rebuffed him, otherwise she would be a constant worry for him.
He eventually reached out and took the box from Joss with a weak smile. "Thank you, truly. Is she okay?" Metas asked with honest worry.
"She's okay, and completely safe. Silas had even prodded us about whether or not she was crushed. Jyriah lied pretty well - which concerns me as his mate, but I trust him," Joss explained with a nod.
"I appreciate your intel more than my words express currently," the Prince thanked with steeled eyes.
"I believe you. Since my fireball is going to be late, let's start to discuss some plans he and I talked about," the icy-haired man started with pride in his voice. "We're leaving Jyriah's home clan out of this so no one tells Myranda, and so that Silas has less of a chance of hearing about a stir. I, however will be telling my fellow textile workers your plan, and your need for help. They will all be excited about it once I convince them that I'm not just spitting out false hope, and word will spread that you need help." Joss paused, for by the looks of Metas' face, he wasn't entirely on board.
"I see your expression, and I understand your apprehensions, but I'm smarter than I look," he reassured the Prince and put his hands up near his chest as he took a step back.
Metas nodded and spoke evenly. "You look very intelligent, so that's pleasant to know."
"Oh, well...thank you. At any case, your highness - I will start with the ones I know who hate Silas the most. Being that he follows Harbinger around like a little lost boy, he often emulates the old man's cruelty. My family has personally witnessed his wrath over a tiny stitch being off his uniform."
"...A stitch? His temper is that bad?" Metas doubted - but only in hopes Joss would repeat the words again so he could validate his notions.
Confirmation came swiftly as Joss repeated, "yes, a stitch. He lost his temper and threw things off of our counter, yelled at my mother for being insubordinate and not fit for her job, and then sentenced her to a week in the mines. When they found out that Jyriah was the brother of Silas' wife, they were apprehensive, but now they adore him."
"If you give the people what they're so desperately hurting for, they will follow - and I can do it. I just wanted your blessing before I ruined any plans," he added.
The Alpha opened his mouth as though he were going to say something, but Jyriah tripped into the secret entrance with his hand over his left eye. Blood wept between his fingers, and his shirt was stained with drops of blood.
"Jyriah - what happened? Come here - come here," Joss stood urgently and sprinted to his side.
"Harbinger...that ass...ahg.." the stubborn flame let out between his clenched teeth and looked to Metas with a crazed grin on his face.
"Good news, though...." he started, but was stopped by the arrival of Lara and Gerald - their words spilled out so fast that they overlapped one another in garbled nonsense.
"Metas - youcan'timaginethewordIhearditoutinthehallsechoingthey'rereallyontopofthepeopleandhesaidallaboutsomethinto....."
It was all so much for Metas to process, that even the white noise from the waterfall added to the chaos in his head.
For the first time in his life, Metas was overwhelmed by the amount of people in his presence. He looked at them all with a solid composure, but in his head he attempted to stay calm. It all seemed to go into the void, and soon he heard a long, high-pitched tone for a stretched second.
...and then the thought of Myranda's eyes snapped him back to reality, and with authority commanded, "stop. One at a time."
Immediately they all obeyed and seemed to become rigid as they awaited his next words on pins and needles.