Olwen

❅.*'.*Snowstorm*.'*.❅

On the night Olwen was born there was a horrific snowstorm, one that his home tribe claims to have been the worst they had ever seen. It was nearing the winter solstice and they've been plagued by bad weather conditions and lack of prey. All had hoped and prayed for better conditions to come but at that moment they had to make do with what was availible to them.

His mother and father huddled near a fire, weak and weary. They were a happy couple, inseparable, they did everything together, shared everything they had with each other, even nessecities like food, though scarce as it may be. The two have been expecting for some time now and that night she was acting restless, refusing to lay down and sleep when her mate beckoned for her to, given how many nights she has been doing this he was also feeling rather distraught, but eventually his exhaustion force him to sleep while she remained awake. Later that night the mother would go into labor and by morning she would be found curled up around a single pup, her body cold as ice. She was dead.

Upon finding this out the father was overcome by grief, holding the newlyborn pup close to his body as he mourned his mates death.

❅.*'.*Growing Up*.'*.❅

The days after Olwen's birth would be hard on his father. He of course would take care of the pup the best he could, with some help from the tribe, but as the pup grew up he would remind his father more and more of his deceased mother, from his white fur to his budding adventurous personality. Eventually this alpha toskal would come to resent his child and even later even disowned him. The act of abandonment made no sense to young Olwen and he cried as his father tried to leave, following the footprints he left behind in the snow only to be shooed away by an angry snarl.

The pup was quickly adopted by another toskal in the tribe, he grew up healthy and strong under his new parents care and the tribe was surprised when four nubby horns started to portrude from the child's head, but though they raised him with tender and loving care the tribe could see that this pups heart was growing cold. He began secluding himself, deciding to go out and play in the snow on his own rather than play with the rest of the children within the tribe. Of course the youngsters had immidiately started to think that there was something wrong with young Olwen as any attempt at play or teasing usually ended up with a face full of snow. It was getting to the point that the rest of the tribe was starting to worry. Pups like him never act like this, normally they would be leading the pack.

That's when the leader of the tribe stepped in. Her name was Pandra and she was a highly regarded alpha with plenty of years of leadership experience under their belt. Not only was she the tribes most beautiful alpha female but she was also the fiercest of their hunters, she held her title as leader with much pride. Pandra took Olwen into her care and began to teach him all that they knew with the hope that their words would inspire the young toskal to grow into the proud apex he was meant to be. All while casting the occasional wary look to the sidelines.

Olwen did not know it yet, but Pandra wasn't the only one who would be watching him now. From a distance a familiar face watches the young pup grow up to be destined for greatness. Years passed and the difference seen in the young apex soon became clear as night and day. Under Pandra's teachings Olwen started to come out of his shell. He learned all about the ways of his clan, how to hunt, how to survive in the wilderness, moon worship, and most importantly how to be a leader. He was intrigued by the aspects of leadership and started practicing what he learned when he went off to play with the other pups in the clan while his mentor was busy.

❅.*'.*The Fight*.'*.❅

Eventually it came time for him to go out on the Rite. He gazed out at the snowy tundra before him, feeling that insinctual urge to set out on his own. His mentor had told him that it was time for him to set out and find his fortune and that was exactly what he intended to do. Pandra would stop the toskal before he heads out, giving him a few parting gifts to remember her by, a heavy fur cape and a hunting knife made from the tusk of one of the tundra's great beasts. She hugs him close, wishing him the best before letting him loose so he could begin his journey out into the tundra. Little did they know know that soon after Olwen was sent out he was going to be followed, once Pandra was out of sight the familiar face that watched the now adolescnt toskal as he grew up emerged from the shadows with one thing on his mind.

Out in the snowey wilderness the wind blew strong it was hard for the adolescent toskal to hear the sound of crunching footsteps behind him. Despite this, Olwen felt something was wrong and his suspicions were confirmed when he spotted a fast approaching shadow out of the corner of his eye, he turns to face the oncoming opponent only to be overcome by a sense of shock. It was the familiar face of his father, the familiar alpha toskal who always watched young Olwen from the sidelines and now he was charging straght at his son with claws outstretched and a look that could kill.

Olwen's eyes grew wide as he saw his fathers claws come right at his face, but he caught the oncoming paw just in time, instinct began kicking into overdrive right after and he pushed his attacker away from him and the two then began two circle each other. Once again the young apex's mind was flooded with confusion, why was this toskal attacking him? Why did his father who abandoned him so young seem to hold such a nasty grudge? His attacker comes at him again, swiping his claws and Olwen would duck away. Another swipe, again just barely missing the adolescents face. Again, no luck. The alpha was becoming increasingly more frustrsted with each swipe, angry with the look of sheer confusion he saw in his sons eyes. Finally a thought had escaped from Olwen's mind and made it passed his lips.

"Why are you attacking me!? What the f**k have I done to you!?"

That was enough to send his father into a frenzy. With blackened eyes the alpha would lunge at his son, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there. Olwen's own paws flew up to keep his father at arms length, watching the jaws above snap at him. Paws were now on the young apex's throat and his eyes were wide with fear, it was only his first day being out on the Rite and he was fighting for his life. Then he would hear his father scream something that would really send his mind reeling.

"You bastered of a child! I hate you with every fiber of my being! How dare you turn out to be the lucky one who's groomed by the tribe!? How DARE you take my mates life away from me as she brought you into this world!? I should have killed you the day you were born!"

At first Olwen couldn't make sense of what his father was saying, but he pieced things together as he continued to hold his father back. He began to understand why everyone refers this alpha as his father, he began to understand why the mother he knew looked nothing like him, he began to understand why his mentor always seemed so worried when his father was around. Everything fit together and his realization caused something inside of him to break. He went numb for a second, then a feeling he couldn't describe bloomed within his chest, it all felt so... bad, and everything went dark. Olwen felt an involuntary smile pull at his lips as one of his own paws reached up to grab something, once he got a hold of that something he pulled at it, there was a snapping noise followed by a shreik. His other paw pounded against his fathers chest with as much force as the apex could muster which proved to be effective as he felt the weight that had been on top of him was lifted. He got back onto his feet, dropping the thing that was in his hand and somewhat blindly swinging infront of him, his claws making contact, there was a scream, he felt a warm liquid on his hand and could only assume that it was his fathers blood. He screamed, another swipe, this time it missed, then he lunged foward and pushed his father to the ground, kicking him while he was down, giving it all he had to make sure that he would leave his old man battered and bruised.

"Leave me alone!" Olwen yelled once he ceased with his assault. His vision was beginning to clear now as his breathing steadied. He stared at the adult toskal laying in the snow, curled up in pain. All he felt as he looked at his father now was disappointment, bitterness, and a faint sense of remorse. He felt cold. The young apex turned around looking down at what he had dropped in the snow, turned out that it was one of his fathers horns. He'd pick it up and take it with him as a trophy, the first of many he would gather while out on the Rite.