11-20-2019, 09:03 PM
"Looming danger? Taiga is caught in a power struggle between two pride-filled creatures and you don't think that will cause a catastrophe?" Aten managed to get out before Lepis could say anything else. But the mare would continue, speaking of Heartfire.
"From what I understand, it went both ways. Heartfire may have made a mistake in threatening Taiga's wellbeing, but I am sure that a threat against Taiga from Castile or a party involved with him was made in exchange. And I never said that you didn't do any good at all for Taiga. When I first inherited the leadership, yes, I struggled to build it up, but you had the advantage of time on your hooves. I had barely a full cycle of seasons to try myself. I will not lie and say you had Taiga heading downhill since you took over, because that is not true. But look at where it is now. All because a king wants more land and refuses to acknowledge the state it might leave another land in."
He watches as she takes a step back, and then she goes on. She talked about how she gave him the benefit of the doubt despite Castile's words, and Aten held back his scoff. He spoke up again himself as Lepis began turning to leave.
"Of course he would say that, because you know as well as I do that he trusts me about as far as he can throw me," despite his negative feelings, he did not spit it out like his mind told him to, "It would've put things in a difficult situation, because Castile might've been upset with you for giving me a leadership position, you would've been between a rock and a hard place, Heartfire might try to use my position to get Taiga back, and Pteron might not like having a mouth whispering over his shoulder that isn't one of his parents."
Aten hoped that Lepis wouldn't take that with a grain of salt. It was what he thought though; if what Lepis said was true, that Castile didn't trust him, Aten didn't want to be a leader, or co-leader, or anything, if the stallion had the final say. In his mind, even considered a leader, Castile probably wouldn't listen to a word Aten had to say. And Pteron might be a grown stallion now, but with Castile in charge, he wouldn't be... no, he'd be a leader, but with Castile over his shoulder too.
Even as Lepis wanted to turn away, Aten continued on, "Lepis, I won't apologize. Castile says I can't be trusted, then fine, that's his own opinion. If he found out I was in a position of leadership, who knows what he'd do? If he found out you had anything to do with it, what would that mean for you? Castile was the one who chose to move in on Taiga just as you and Wolfbane did, but I at least had the hope that you two would take care of it and not put it and it's residents in the predicament it's in now. I fulfilled my end of the bargain, I never made a move to take Taiga back. I had hope for you and Wolfbane as leaders, even your foals. And even to be put as it's leader when you made me your heir. But Castile won't take that, not the way he feels about me before we've even had the chance to talk.
"Wherever this situation goes, I will prepare for it to keep Taiga and my loved ones safe. I only wish Taiga herself wasn't caught in the middle."
@[Lepis] this didn't quite go the way I expected, but then again almost nothing on this site does XD
Aten mainly said what he did since he knows Castile won't trust him, whether Lepis puts him in a position of leadership alongside Pteron or not. And if anything in the future, I'd like for Aten and Lepis to get back on civil speaking ground, if not being considered friends. I really like Lepis' character and Aten does have respect for her.
"From what I understand, it went both ways. Heartfire may have made a mistake in threatening Taiga's wellbeing, but I am sure that a threat against Taiga from Castile or a party involved with him was made in exchange. And I never said that you didn't do any good at all for Taiga. When I first inherited the leadership, yes, I struggled to build it up, but you had the advantage of time on your hooves. I had barely a full cycle of seasons to try myself. I will not lie and say you had Taiga heading downhill since you took over, because that is not true. But look at where it is now. All because a king wants more land and refuses to acknowledge the state it might leave another land in."
He watches as she takes a step back, and then she goes on. She talked about how she gave him the benefit of the doubt despite Castile's words, and Aten held back his scoff. He spoke up again himself as Lepis began turning to leave.
"Of course he would say that, because you know as well as I do that he trusts me about as far as he can throw me," despite his negative feelings, he did not spit it out like his mind told him to, "It would've put things in a difficult situation, because Castile might've been upset with you for giving me a leadership position, you would've been between a rock and a hard place, Heartfire might try to use my position to get Taiga back, and Pteron might not like having a mouth whispering over his shoulder that isn't one of his parents."
Aten hoped that Lepis wouldn't take that with a grain of salt. It was what he thought though; if what Lepis said was true, that Castile didn't trust him, Aten didn't want to be a leader, or co-leader, or anything, if the stallion had the final say. In his mind, even considered a leader, Castile probably wouldn't listen to a word Aten had to say. And Pteron might be a grown stallion now, but with Castile in charge, he wouldn't be... no, he'd be a leader, but with Castile over his shoulder too.
Even as Lepis wanted to turn away, Aten continued on, "Lepis, I won't apologize. Castile says I can't be trusted, then fine, that's his own opinion. If he found out I was in a position of leadership, who knows what he'd do? If he found out you had anything to do with it, what would that mean for you? Castile was the one who chose to move in on Taiga just as you and Wolfbane did, but I at least had the hope that you two would take care of it and not put it and it's residents in the predicament it's in now. I fulfilled my end of the bargain, I never made a move to take Taiga back. I had hope for you and Wolfbane as leaders, even your foals. And even to be put as it's leader when you made me your heir. But Castile won't take that, not the way he feels about me before we've even had the chance to talk.
"Wherever this situation goes, I will prepare for it to keep Taiga and my loved ones safe. I only wish Taiga herself wasn't caught in the middle."
@[Lepis] this didn't quite go the way I expected, but then again almost nothing on this site does XD
Aten mainly said what he did since he knows Castile won't trust him, whether Lepis puts him in a position of leadership alongside Pteron or not. And if anything in the future, I'd like for Aten and Lepis to get back on civil speaking ground, if not being considered friends. I really like Lepis' character and Aten does have respect for her.