we built this city on broken glass

How puzzling a creature Raven was. At least to some extent. At her core the wolf was perhaps far more deceptively simple then she realised. At least to his own understanding. The Raven that existed the most often, meek, submissive, quiet, gentle, tolerant and caring Raven was the very being the world had forced her to be. A product off her upbringing or her circumstance. A near direct opposite to himself. Beneath the veritable pressure of the world she had shrunk away and hidden. He had fought back- and therein lay the two stark contrasts of their own personalities. Yet, within that woman before him existed an 'Other', a separate presence, a separate being, another heart for want of a more romantic description. That Other existed because in the veritable destruction of what Raven had been a singular ember had survived. One that had grown within the back off her mind and conscious until it had become a near separate entity. A final defense. That Other existed to protect Raven. That Other was made from the fragments of courage, anger, hate, despair, dominance, rage, brutality and strength that had all but been beaten out off her. A combination of potent virtues all combined into one being. It was no wonder this Other took over. It was no wonder she was powerful. Yet- she took over only when Raven's control wavered. When the Other believed there was no other choice. When she did not trust Raven to save them both. And she, that Other, would survive at all costs. Raven merely need prove herself a worthy leader. Something or someone that Other was willing enough to follow and acton behalf off only in the most desperate of times rather then whenever she felt mildly threatened. That very question Raven posed prompting the stallion away from his own internal considerations.

"She does not try to work with you because she does not believe you are a worthy leader. You are two separate entities but you share the same blood, bone and heart and I suspect therein lies the key, if you will. You are as entitled to Alphaship of your body as she is. You simply have to take the title away from her. You have to challenge her- by taking back control every time she tries to take it in turn. You have to prove to her that you are worthy of following."

It was, at its core, decidedly simple. It was a matter of dominance and submission. The very thing that underpinned their society and species. That Other would not follow Raven until Raven proved she was worth following- and keeping them both alive. Yet just how much control Raven did or did not have remained to be seen. Frost allowing that scarecrow to materialise then. His own affinity assuring that curious target looked and felt distinctly real. His hand gesturing readily towards it then. His violet gaze lingering firmly upon Raven in an ever-watchful assessment off her own subtle cues. Frost near anticipating some assault from that Other at some point. After all, she so tended to believe that he was by far the bigger threat. So much so that he suspected that Other was paying attention to little else and that in itself was a weakness. One that Raven was capable of counteracting with her on far more watchful nature. That question he posed seemed to distract the young woman for a moment before Raven asked whether or not she was supposed to stun the creature- or kill it. Hmm. How very typically Raven. The curly-haired woman suddenly speaking again this time for that Other. Well- at least he had them both present. Raven's voice taking on another edge then, her tone far more guttural and far less Raven. That voice very near unpleasant and yet....how curious he was off that being he had stirred and that bizzare grin she fixed him with. His own eyes narrowing suddenly and yet that faint simper so found his lips all at once.

"Then she is a complete fool."

He offered simply. Those words as cool as always and yet distinctly soft all the same. That, he suspected, not the response either Raven or that Other had been anticipating. Frost merely lifting to point to that scarecrow he had created moments ago. That illusion having hopped several feet closer to Raven until it stood near behind her in a near poised and striking position. Raven, he suspected, barely having noticed the real 'enemy' had moved at all. Frost content to 'call out' that Other on her error now.

"She was so busy focusing her misguided anger at me that had that been a true enemy- it would have simply walked up behind you and killed you. Yet you, Raven, had you been in complete control, would have noticed it moving- because you notice most things. You need her and she needs you- but you both need to accept it."

Neither, he was sure, fully accepted the other. Raven feared her Feral Side and her Feral Side had little respect for Raven in turn. Practice, he suspected, would see the most success. A wave off his hand sent that scarecrow away once more only for it to appear on the far edge of that clearing.

"Pretend you want to kill it. Attack it. Any way you like. I want to see what you do."

FrosT