Turtleback Lake Rose-Colored Boy

"Ahh."That made sense, it took a whole pack to raise a litter after all. Everyone had to do their part. I just figured because you're very patient with them, it's good practice though, I suppose. He laughed a little at that, quietly, so he didn't  startle their little brood.

With each step they drew ever closer to the water, the few ducks that remained were all staring at them with their beady black eyes. He couldn't tell if it was because they recognised the ducklings, of if they were spooked by the approaching wolves and howling coyotes in the not so far distance. Perhaps it was a little of both.

His ears perked forward as she asked whether he had any children of his own. The short answer was yes. But things were always a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. Ellery was his, there was no denying that, but what of Ravenna's children? He knew that there was another man in the picture, that he was a good man and that Ravenna thought highly of him but...Elias knew it was worlds apart from his upbringing, the Selwyn had never met his father, but the thought of his possible children never knowing about him made his chest ache and his eyes get all watery. It was true they weren't missing out on anything, that for all intents and purposes their father was in Willow Ridge as well, but it mattered to him. He had to do something about it before it was too late.

"I do." He told her, before the silence stretched on too long. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me." His smile was wide and beaming, he couldn't help himself, he adored her.

He looked ahead to the water, which was only a few feet ahead and....One of the ducks seemed particularly flustered, all anxious and shifty as it swam back and forth, closer to the shore than the others.

"I think we've found Mumma Duck."

I'm sorry for the delay! <3

"I suppose it is. -Good practice, I mean." Helping to raise her handful of siblings had surely been good practice, as Elias had put it, but she had never put a lot of thought into what it would be like to have kids of her own. Not yet. In a way, perhaps she was waiting. Waiting for the right time, or the right circumstances, or the right one. Thoughts of all of these things seemed far away, like dreams she'd yet to have - ones that began blurry and hadn't yet come into focus. She wanted to believe that love and the life that came with it would unfold for her in time, and - if she was as patient as she'd been observed to be - she believed that life would be well worth the wait. The summer breeze rustled up her back and between her ears before rushing off across the lake, and it took her thoughts of all the big things with it.

The way Elias beamed as he answered her question brought a subtle smile to her face. But before she could further their interaction, it seemed as though they'd found what they were looking for. "I think we've found Mumma Duck." Lyanna's gaze followed his to the anxious bird at the water's edge only moments before the row of ducklings affirmed their discovery by quacking happily and clumsily waddling their way over to their parent. She was relieved to be freed from her watch of them, but couldn't help the tiny tinge of fleeting sadness she felt with their departure. One barreled into the water, followed by another and another until all of the fuzzy ducklings were reunited safely with their mother.

"It's kind of bittersweet to see them go, huh?" she commented. The tawny girl watched contentedly as the little family of ducks began to swim away before returning her attention to Elias, eager to continue their light conversation. "What's her name, your little girl?"

(This post was last modified: Jul 16, 2018, 07:38 PM by Lyanna.)

It was all so sweet, Elias couldn't help but smile. He had feared that this would be yet another story with a sad ending, even more kids without their mother to look after them. It was true that Elias and Lyanna had both gone out of their way to keep them safe but it could never have been forever. Wolves and ducks did not mix, they ducklings would be happier with their own kind. The Selwyn let out a long puff of air as he sighed in relief. Lyanna was right, it was rather bittersweet. Was this what it would be like when and if Ellery wanted to leave the nest? Selfishly he hoped it would never come to that.

"Ellery Prudence Hervok" Elias told her, not immediately realising how...self absorbed her first name made him seem- and then it clicked and his cheeks flushed hot. "Uh, her mother came up with it. It's pretty, I think. Soft, but strong." In his scramble to save face he'd made a right pillock of himself, hadn't he?

Heck.

"She had three brothers but...they didn't make it." A fact that would haunt him till the end of his days. He cleared his throat and dragged his gaze away from the water back to Lyanna. " Just means I have to dote on her even more, right?" He forced a smile, old habits died hard.

When he revealed his beloved daughter's name and the fact that he and her mother had lost three boys, a somberness settled on her features. Tension took to her brows as she imagined what that must have been like for the both of them and the feeling of loss she envisioned wrapped around her heart easily. It made her chest feel tight, sucking the breath from her lungs. No parent should have to experience the loss of a child, surely there could be no greater heartbreak in this world.

Inhaling quietly, her eyes fell before searching for his. "I am incredibly sorry for your loss, Elias." She meant it whole heartedly. "...But, Ellery Prudence Hervok is a beautiful name. I imagine that it suits the beauty of your love for her." Lyanna didn't think badly of the child's name or the way it resembled her father's; on the contrary, to her it was a perfectly acceptable custom - the naming of children after their forebears. Actually, she didn't consider the matter at all as he may have, but she noticed the way he'd momentarily become sort of bashful.

"That's right," she went on, "-all daughters should be doted on by their fathers. I imagine Ellery is happy to soak up all of her daddy's affection." She grinned. Her own words reminded her of just how much she missed her own father, and how her life might have been much different if he hadn't loved the disenchantment of being a motherless daughter out of her, even if Kite's disappearance had been a temporary one. Her tail flicked slowly at behind her. "She and her mother must be missing your company on such a beautiful day?"

Fade with your next post?

Nin hadn't seemed overly bothered by the loss of their sons but...The same couldn't be said for Elias. He wasn't over it, nor would he ever be. By no means would he ever trade the life of his daughter for his boys but it was still a bitter pill to swallow. Why couldn't they have had them all?  Logically it made sense, they had been loners during Nin's pregnancy and food had been awfully scarce but-Elias sighed, there was no use in getting all worked up over it now. What was done was done.

At her soft, reassuring words, Elias smiled- an honest one this time, the sort that made his eyes shine. He grabbed a hold of them and squeezed with all of his might, it was a pretty name and he really really really really did love her. It felt a little more real, knowing that someone could see that, that someone recognised he was doing his best to be a good father. To one of his children at least...he'd have to do something about the others later.

"She does seem to like having me around..." And that was true, she always smiled most when she was by his side. Maybe his sunny disposition was rubbing off on her. Again, Lyanna had a point. "But uh...yeah, you're probably right."He laughed, his head dipping forward a little as his eyes scrunched at the corners. "I have a tendancy to wander off at the moment, probably should be heading back." He raised his front bird-foot, only to pause as a frown dawned on his features. "Will you be okay out here on your own?"

She wasn't at all surprised when he mentioned that he needed to get going and she obviously couldn't blame him. After all, fathering a beloved little girl was much more important than enjoying a pretty view with a stranger, or taking care of a band of ducklings, for that matter. Still, she couldn't help but to be disappointed that their cordial exchange had come to an end. He'd been like a ray of sunshine, good company to a girl who'd now spent what was beginning to feel like too much time on her own. But she didn't let the disappointment show, instead offering him a final, encouraging smile. "Well...I suppose you'd better get to it, then, huh?"

Her earthen-colored fur danced in the breeze and the sun lit her golden eyes as if to make them glow like they were part of it. "It was nice meeting you, Elias, truly. Maybe one day we'll meet again. Until then, I hope little Ellery fills your life with happiness." Lyanna inhaled, considering whether or not she would really be okay out on her own. Physically, yes, of course. But, mentally? Well, the world was a lonesome place for a wolf without a pack. "I'll be just fine," she reassured him. Was she lying? Looking him over a final time and appreciating all the kindness he exuded, she dipped her head as if to wave goodbye. "Take care, now."

Turning to face the not-so-distant southern forest, Lyanna parted with the blond-furred, blue eyed boy, loping away from the glinting waters of Turtleback Lake with ease. Eventually, she didn't hesitate to stop and look over her shoulder.

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