Wild Rye Fields Wrapped

For @Drestig only.

They settled. Jessie did not think she had seen Drestig look so happy in his life and she was just as happy to be able to spend this time by his side. While their pack was still strong, its members proved capable of staying together and defending one another. The mother was mostly concerned for Percy but her little girl was growing as the days went on and it would only be a matter of time before she would be able to defend herself. Surely Drestig would be able to show her how. The  appreciation she had for her new family grew as the weeks passed and Drestig's constant presence was a weight lifted off of her heart. He would not leave her, she was sure. She had, admittedly not spent as much time by his side as of late and the Tainn wanted to remedy that. As soon as she happened upon his scent, Jessie started to track him. It did not take her long to find him. A small smile was drawn to her face when she saw his larger form. For a moment, she appreciated the sight before making sure he knew she was there, if he didn't already. The pepper-and-salt colored woman moved closer to her mate, wanting to close the distance between them now that they were finally alone. With Percy and the pack consuming most of her thoughts, she felt as if taking time for themselves could wait. Jessie knew that she needed to take time for the two of them. The time they shared together was important and the aging pair could not take any of the time for granted. Without words, she pressed her head against his shoulder and inhaled his scent, a silent reminder that she was there and that she loved him. They had made it. Jessie Tainn

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He still couldn't quite believe it. They'd done it! Winter was settling over the Fields, knocking down the Rye and blanketing the Lowlands in snow. But to the Avalon they were just as beautiful, none the least when he saw his daughter tumble through the plains of white, often followed by one of their loyal members. The thought made him smile to himself, tail sweeping back and forth around his rump, firmly planted on a stone he had cleared of snow for that purpose. He was gazing out over his land, eyes narrowed against the winter-brightness, yet vigilantly scanning the rolling hills, keeping watch of his pack while his legs rested from a morning patrol. It was a rare peaceful time for the alpha, running a pack was busy work, but he felt rejuvenated by it. This was what he was born for and though it had taken a long time, he'd finally managed.

None of it, of course, would have been without Jessie. He relished seeing her thrive in this new home, opening back up to a world that had already thrown so much hurt at her. This was the woman he had fallen in love with, the strength and steel had been appealing yes, he enjoyed their banter, but the heart behind it was his true joy. Once he'd gotten to it, he knew he could never let it go. It wasn't unusual for the dark man's thoughts to drift to his partner, but it was mostly brief, in the middle of the days stress, a ray of light he soon had to push out. But it would figure, that right in this moment when he had the time to revel, not only did those same daydreams appear, but soft paw-steps soon sounded in the snow behind him.

He would recognize those everywhere, so light it took great attention to notice. But he knew them intimately, after several years. He didn't turn at first though, keeping his fiery gaze on the quiet landscape unfurling before his paws. Surprisingly she paused, the crunching of snow ceasing, and Drestig's ears fell backwards, curiously. Finally he turned to look at her, finding her green gaze sweeping his figure, a small but gorgeous smile on her lips; He still wasn't used to seeing her smile so readily, and he would never get tired of it. Their eyes met and he returned the expression in a characteristic, crooked manner, eyes twinkling pointedly; I caught you! She came to him then, and he waited as patiently as he could. Her silent gesture shifted his smile into a gentler curve, head lowering over hers in a soft embrace. If only they could sit like this forever. At least for now, he would enjoy the quiet moment.

Word count: 461

"Speech" Thoughts

She should not have been surprised that her mate noticed her presence. She was not embarrassed that he caught her staring, after all, she had earned that right after baring his child. When they finally touched it was as if she were finally complete again. The Tainn women breathed a sigh of relief; she would never wait this long to be with him again. One of the best things about being with Drestig was seeing his usual sarcastic features soften. Jessie did not want to break the silence but knew that she could not communicate all she wanted through her actions. The woman's jaws parted so that she could speak to her lover, ”I have missed you.” She pulled away to look at him, instantly drawn to his sparking amber eyes. There was so much that could be said between them, but no words could do their relationship justice. Percy was growing up by the day and it was only a matter of time before her imagination ran wild. Surely, she would soon want to explore other places aside from her home and Jessie's only hope was that their child was smart enough to know what was and was not safe for her. Her lips relaxed into their normal position, neutral. The pepper-and-salt colored woman stretched out so that she was laying next to him, eyes moving to gaze out upon their domain. A small sigh escaped her lips, her mind running wild before she spoke, ”You know that it is only a matter of time before something happens, Drestig.” She did not mean to bring up anything that could possibly taint their lives, but Jessie knew that nothing good ever came from her happiness. The woman was worried about what was to come and it was only fair that she voiced her anxiety to her partner. After all, she was not alone anymore and Drestig had made that clear more than once. Jessie Tainn

feainne-stock & Dawnthieves.de

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

It had taken him a lifetime, but he had finally achieved all he wanted. Feeling the heat of Jessie's body in the curve of his own was a clear token of that, especially here in the heart of their own land. Unexpectedly, her voice was the one to break the silence, it's low cadence vibrating against his chest. She pulled back and he did the same, tilting his head lightly as he looked down at her. He could point out that they'd both been right here every evening for the past many moons, but for a rare instance he didn't feel like making a snarky retort, he understood what she meant. So he lowered his muzzle to plant a light kiss atop her head, murmuring softly: "I'm right here."

At first he remained sitting when she laid down, following her gaze out over the Fields and lowlands beyond them. He enjoyed the slight elevation of their home, not only because the small hills echoed of childhood-mountains in his legs, but because it gave them this view of their surroundings, all while shielding the main part of the territory in the valley behind this main rise. Eyes turned to the white-dusted landscape, he failed to notice the shift in his mate's expression, and when she spoke up again he was shocked by the change in her tone. Ember eyes widened as they turned back down at her, a frown replacing the smile on his silver-dusted muzzle. He couldn't blame her for her cynicism, she'd lost so much in her time, seen happiness turn to sorrow in a heartbeat, over and over; They both had. But it pained him none the same, the dread in her eyes sending a stab through his heart.

For a moment he was mum, mind grabbling for way to comfort her. Usually he was a master of words, able to spin a speech for any situation. But he wouldn't lie to her, tell her that everything was alright when they were both wise enough to know better. Instead he slowly lowered his head, pressing his cheek against hers, the tip of his muzzle coming to rest at her nape. For a while he simply sat like that, filling himself with her presence and letting her feel his. Finally his answer came in a soft but determined voice: "And when it does we'll face it together." It was a small comfort, who was to say that something didn't tear them apart? One way or the other. But as he pulled back slightly to meet her dark emeralds, he willed her to feel how much he loved her, how happy and proud he was for what they had created; "Whatever happens, we had this, we had each other and Percy and the Fields." He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath and then smiled faintly at his love; "All we can do is enjoy it while it lasts."

Word count: 491

"Speech" Thoughts

(This post was last modified: Dec 20, 2016, 09:27 PM by Drestig.)

She was met with silence. Jessie felt anxiety quell in her stomach but she remained silent, her emerald eyes shifting to turn to the expanse of their land. While she certainly liked their flat land and the protection that it provided, she missed the forest. It was what she had always known and there was something comforting about knowing where every bush and tree were located. What was even more fascinating being when a new one took form and it was just another one that she had to add to her list. Of course, trees would have a special dark place in her mind now but the forest was still where she wanted to be. But Jessie also knew that she would give it all up to be with Drestig and Percy. It was worth what she was being given and she just needed to live with it. The Avalon reminded her of such with her words of comfort, coming in after moments of silence. She looked back up at him, tracing his face for any sign of a lie. Of course, he was not the kind to deceive her about this kind of thing and it warmed her heart to see the sincerity behind his eyes. The fact that they were together and happy was a miracle in itself. It was wrong of her to thing negatively on their future and she felt bad for even letting her thoughts enter such territory. After all, she should have been taking care of the needs of her mate and the members within her pack. Or finding new members, since there did not seem to be too many in their ranks at the time being. She offered him a smile, her words soft, ”You’re right. I’m sorry, I should not have said anything.” She let out an airy laugh at the end of that, shaking her head as if to shake the end of her thoughts out of her mind. The Tainn woman wished that she could forget about such things but new that she would constantly be waiting for something bad to happen. The grey lady certainly did not want to be caught off guard again. At least, she could be sure that no tree would be falling on Drestig within their territory. Jessie Tainn

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That last sentence </3

Seeing her face clear up made his smile broaden, his words seeming to have eased her worry as he'd hoped. He hated seeing her fret so much, knew the darkness that could so easily suck her down. More than anything in this world he wanted to keep that away from her, keep that wonderful, happy smile on her face; The one she showed him now. It was strange to think that before they came here, he had hardly ever seen her smile, more than anything, that was his confirmation that they had done the right thing by leaving Spectral Woods. He returned the loving expression, meeting her eyes as she spoke again. The light laugh send a tickle through his fur, but the words themselves surprised him.

Pulling back a little he fixed her with serious look, smile fading from his lips. "No," He rumbled lowly, making sure to hold her gaze, wanting her to know how much he meant every word; "You should. Always!" His voice remained low, but insistent, even as he struggled to find the right words: "I don't want you to worry but… Even more I don't want you to worry alone. That's what this, us… That's what it's all about!" Silvered brows furrowed, a sigh of frustration falling from dark lips. It was so important that they were honest to each other, that they trusted each other; Otherwise, what's the point? Shaking his own head, like she had moments before, he let his eyes drift, trying to gather his thoughts. They had made a good home here, a fresh start, but it was true that it could all crumble so easily.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't worry," He mused, gaze once more trailing over the waving grass; "You have every reason to. Nothing lasts forever." Again he turned to his mate, lowering his nose to hers in a gentle caress; "Which is why we need to cherish it now." The statement was nothing but a whisper, his eyes closing as the words fell, nose slowly trailing along her muzzle. He knew no amount of words would ever truly ease her troubled mind, it was who she was, just a small part of what he loved. But he wanted her to know that he was here, to listen, or to distract her; Whichever you need most!

Word count: 390

"Speech" Thoughts

She first started feeling uneasy when the smile disappeared from Drestig's lips. His serious looking being something she no longer associated with him. At least, not when he was dealing with her. The last time she had dealt with a serious Drestig was when they were talking about...Hotei. She swallowed nervously but his words were not as worrisome as she feared. They warmed her on the inside, causing her heart to speed up a few beats. He did not want her to be alone. That was something that Jessie constantly worried about. Ever since her parents died, being alone was something she always tried to avoid. In Cordova, her parents had taken such good care of her sister and her but it seemed that even when Jessie tried to reunite with her sister, nothing good happened out of it. Cali left, everyone left, and then Hotei had died but now. Her focus shifted back on her lover, his gaze returned to their fields. Now she had Drestig. His words were a painful reminder of what she lost but she remained where she was, knowing he meant no harm by them. Drestig would never bring it up intentionally she knew. Their gazes locked once more and her gaze softened. He was so different with her now, it was hard to remember the time when they could hardly speak to one another, walking on eggshells. Of course, during that time they had been forced to be together but they had not been cooperative in the least. She did not utter a response but relished in the physical touch he offered her now that they were alone. She streched her neck to curl around his, her eyes closing as she reflected on his words and their time spent together. Jessie would say that they were happy. Her next words were a soft whisper, "I love you." The Tainn had never explicitly said the words to him but she knew it was time to change that. As he said, they had to cherish every moment they had together.

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(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2017, 04:59 AM by Jessie.)

They had been through so much. Since before they even met each other both their lives had been littered with loss and tough battles. Then of course when they did meet; Well, it wasn't exactly love at first sight..! The thought made him smile to himself, mentally rolling his eyes at his own arrogance back then. Jessie had been assigned as his mentor, and she'd taught him everything he knew about scouting, how foolish he had been to not see that at first, too caught up in her stiff façade. Later he had learned just how much reason she had for being that way. But it wasn't until they both lost, that they truly learned to depend on one another, something that had been immensely hard to both of them. But here they sat now, together, watching over the land they had claimed as their own. After so long, it seemed they had finally achieved what they'd sought for; We've made it, together! It was true that it would not last, in the end nothing did, and they had both seen too much loss to ever forget it. But they needed to appreciate this now, to relish in what they had had created, and in each other. Share this well deserved happiness. Eyes still closed, the dark man leaned further into his silvery mate, lowering his head to let her embrace him, his heart swelling at her touch. She was the best thing to have ever happened to him, the sole reason he was sitting here today. And her soft voice echoed his unconscious thoughts, the words themselves sending a shiver down his spine. "Jessie," he murmured, burying his face in her salt and pepper fur, muzzle brushing against the edge of her ear; "I love you too, more… More than I can say." It was rare indeed, for the words to leave him so completely, but he had no way to express the connection he felt with this woman, so much deeper, stronger than he'd have ever thought possible before. Love seemed far too small a word, but he couldn't think of anything better. So instead he just pressed his cheek into hers, staying silent and still, trusting that she understood.   Word Count: 372  Thoughts "Speech"

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Even now when she thought about how their union had come together, it never quite made sense to her. Jessie was so grateful for him and truly did love him with everything she had to offer but she could never remember when her love for him had first planted its seed. Had it been when they first went on the scouting trip together? Their first altercation? When? She knew the love had not always been there because she remembered the hot angry hatred she felt at him for the first many moons that they knew one another. It was because he did not understand her and what she did. But now he did and that was probably when everything changed for Jessie. It was life-changing to have someone love you even though they push you to the brink of madness, only to bring you back to the living when all else has gone. His soft murmur of her name brought the woman back to the present, emerald eyes connecting with amber. It was only for a moment because he soon buried his head with her fur and during that time she was glad he could not see her face. His words stirred up wonderful things inside her: love, empowerment, joy. But it also brought along something that traveled with Jessie her whole life: fear, and that fear was alight within her jade flames. The Tainn shut her eyes, not willing to lose this moment between them. She pressed her cheek against his firmly and reminded herself that she needed to live in the present, in the now. Fear would only steal precious moments from them and neither of them wanted that. She enjoyed this silence and let it pass between them until late into the evening.

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{FADE}