Aponi was absolutely exhausted. The adrenaline from the afternoon had completely worn out and was replaced by a fatigue that emanated from her very bones. Kyna was gone, Lila was furious with the others, Spieden and her pups, Alastor, gone, who knew what else would crumble. Whatever the mother had expected her rise to the thrown to be it certainly had not been anything like this. Unfortunately despite the darkness that shrouded the woods, moon blocked out by the fog that seemed thicker than ever, the day wasn't done yet.

His scent hadn't been hard to follow, despite twisting and turning throughout the territory. It crossed with others at time but eventually it had faded until it was alone, returning to the spot that Aponi should have expected he would be at. The Aquila had no idea just why the area meant so much to him, that his mother had been buried here but she knew this is where he went to when a lot was on his mind.

Pushing forward through the snow that had recently been trampled down she approached him from behind, heart dropping at the sight of his pale form. How had this all spiraled so far out of control. She held no remorse at her new rank but everything that had transpired since had left a bad taste in her mouth for her friend. Suddenly unsure of what to say Aponi sat beside his and pushed her muzzle into the soft fur at his neck, ignoring the sting of her wound which had finally stopped bleeding but ached all the same.

The sight of his pale form almost blending into the snow was almost enough to make her pause in approaching him. Serach was obviously and justifiably upset by everything that had happened, every inch of his posture screamed defeat. But before her paws could slow or stop a fire lit in her belly that drove her forward. He deserved better than this, better than the betrayal and abandonment he had been shown today. Aponi would not let him or the Bend be defeated, over her dead body would she let the pack crumble to extinction.

Despite the burning in her veins the woman was gentle when she pressed her muzzle into his neck, is scent filling her nostrils and comforting her. He sat and Aponi was thankful for his silence in that moment, the way his body pressed to hers, that was enough of the comfort that she needed. Wincing slightly as Serach's tongue washed over her wound she licked at the bottom of his chin, an attempt at conveying that she was alright. The woman wasn't sure what the state of the medical den was at but she would find her way there before the end of the night. Naira might be a bitch but she had taught her daughter enough about herbs that she could get by to treat a little scratch.

The silence couldn't go on forever, no matter how nice it could have been. Aponi's ears dropped back at his question and her gaze lowered until she was staring hard at his chest rather than his face. Of all the abandonments she had faced today her teenaged daughter's had cut the deepest. In the end their relationship had never been able to be repaired and @Kyna had left with the others. Sighing the silver head shook ever so slightly, "Kyna left, Lila is staying but she's furious with the others. I don't think she really understands." Aquila blood ran thick in the darker girl, and Aponi couldn't blame her for being angry. Everything that had happened today was enough to leave the mother feeling her own shade of furious.

Even in the dimness of the evening Aponi could see the anger in his eyes, and what was worse the guilt that clouded them. At least, at least he wasn't upset. Anger the woman could understand, guilt even, but sadness was not an emotion she knew how to comfort. Feeling his nose press into her cheek the mother smiled despite the situation at hand, "It's not your fault, and I wouldn't have let you protect me. You should know me well enough by now to know that I'm no damsel in distress." The words were accompanied with a small chuckle. She was a lot of things but the Aquila was never dainty or unable to take care of herself.

The brief lightness of the moment quickly dissipated at his next words and the smile fell away to be replaced with a hard line. Hackles rose slightly as the blows just kept on coming, "Mother was never particularly keen on staying through hard times, she's more likely to turn tail and run for greener pastures than work for anything. She left the pack she last led with her children in tow because of a war one of her member started with another pack and because of it my father was murdered. The next time I saw her after that she was cuddled up with Triell." The icy blue eyes were hard as she stared at his chest, retelling this part of her history almost devoid of emotion other than the anger simmering beneath the surface.

Suddenly she felt she could take sitting still no more and she stood, walking a few paces away and staring at the oak tree this pack had been built for. Whirling around there was fire in her eyes, "You know what? Fuck them. Fuck all of them, the ones who can't stay when things are hard or are changing. We don't need them, as the pack always says we thrive regardless." Softening slightly Aponi padded closer, dipping her head and pressing her crown into Serach's neck, "We don't need them, we will build something stronger than even the oak we are named for."

Blue eyes watched as Serach registered what she had hinted about previously but had never explicitly said; Naira was her blood. Thankfully despite the way his mouth opened into a small 'oh' of surprise he spared her of any questions and for that she was thankful. At least for now, the Aquila knew that this was a conversation that would be held between them in the future. As it was there were more important things at paw, namely everything that had transpired that day.

Serach didn't shy away from the anger in her eyes the way someone would have and in that moment Aponi felt something stir within her. This was a man she was proud to stand beside, as equals. Neither one of them hiding from what was hard but embracing it and fighting through until they came out the other side stronger. Suddenly he was draped around her returning her embrace wholeheartedly and murmuring in her ear. Heart thudded against her chest in that moment, "You're worth more to me than all of them put together." Pressing her nose further into his thick coat she sighed, of everything that had come out of this maybe this was the most surprising of all. Not since Mercy had she felt like this, but that had been so different, so naive. This time she was an adult as was Serach, not just children playing pack as if the world would just hand them their dreams free of cost.

Suddenly she pulled back far enough that she could look the man in the eyes as he spoke of the three of them, not just the duo but of her daughter. @Lila was lucky to have such a good wolf in her life so willing to step into the paws of father figure, especially when he owed them nothing more than he had already given. All the anger Aponi had felt melted away and she pressed the bridge of her nose against the bottom of his chin, ignoring the way that it made her wound sting. Instead all she felt was thankful, and maybe the beginning, or if she was honest more than the beginning of something she was too afraid to name yet.

"And this spring siblings for Lila, Donatas, a legacy of everything we've fought for." The words were said tentatively, a tone that was strange for the silver woman who usually spoke with confidence. This however was a situation she had no experience with, and Serach was too high of a cost for her to bluff her way through it.

Aponi wasn't sure what reaction she was hoping for let alone what she was expecting but seeing his jaw drop and the whites of Serach's eyes certainly wasn't it. Luckily she had ducked her muzzle back into his chin so she could hide her face should this come down to a rejection. God help them all if she was rejected by the pale man now. Her heart pounded unflatteringly in her chest for what seemed like the longest moment of her life, longer than anything else she had ever been part of. It seemed as if he would never say anything or move in anyway and they would be frozen here forever in this moment in-between it all.

The small kiss on her forehead was enough to melt away all her nerves and left her body trembling with emotion instead. The tone of his voice brought an earnest smile to the silver woman's face, something about him had had her smiling since their first border patrol. It wasn't often that Aponi was so outwardly warm and affectionate other than with her daughters but Serach had her feeling something, different than she felt with anyone else. She had been so afraid to say it or even feel it but as soon as his words were out in the open she couldn't control herself.

"I love you too Serach."

Then they were out there in the open and nothing could ever take them back. Only, Aponi didn't want to take them back, she didn't want them hidden inside her anymore where even she couldn't say them. She wanted them in the open and in her head and in his heart. More than anything she wanted to be in his heart and now she knew she was, and that was worth a thousand desertions from subordinates. Her voice was less nervous now, steady despite the way her legs trembled with overwhelming happiness, "Maybe if our children are Donatas... I should be a Donata too?"