Grizzly Hollow boy, if you're wondering

for @Tomen only, dated 11/12 late at night.
edit: almost forgot to mention, this will be nin's thanksgiving thread, in which she expresses thanks for tomen. <3

if i want you to

She had said her goodbyes to @Deacon at the border, her paws sore from the travel but heart full from the experience. He'd been left with an offer, the ball rolled into his court alone; it was up to him if he would seek out the leaders of Grizzly Hollow and request admittance. Nineva would not beg him to stay so close to her, and tonight was not a night to overthink which way she wanted her old friend to go. It was more pressing that nearly a week had passed since she'd last seen Tomen, and she couldn't recall ever missing him so much.

Despite the rest her tired legs demanded, she zipped through the forest, searching for his scent and thankfully, finding it at home within the pack's bounds. Hopefully, he was still up, and she would not be waking him. This wondering swiftly got away from her as the girl found herself wanting, more than to share her own adventure, ask him what he'd been up to these six days without her. Faintly, Deacon's well-meaning advice flitted along with her thoughts, making other questions arise.

But couldn't a girl just be thrilled to see her best friend again?

Scaling her way gracefully over a decaying log, her mismatched sights settled on her goal. Instantly, a broad smile brightened her face, and she woofed out to him before launching off the perch to rush him.

"Tomen!" she hollered, less than lady-like as she barrelled into him gleefully.

well, i want you to.

(This post was last modified: Dec 02, 2016, 08:23 AM by Nineva.)

It was fine. No big deal. She was a big girl, able to make her own decisions, and hardly needed him for protection or whatever. Maybe not protection from life-threatening dangers, anyway. Who was this Deacon guy and why was he so important all of a sudden? He used to live with her at the Caverns but that was old news, they weren't close or anything. Right? Yeah. Her going to Willow Ridge with him to help him connect with family was just a testament to how nice she was, and he endlessly admired her urge to help people no matter the cost. She was so selfless and wonderful.

Oh, yeah, that family thing - apparently he was related to the guy himself somehow. Hadn't really had time to figure lut the exact connection. But hey, the clue was in the name... Archer-Lyall. Which felt a bit weird because weren't the Archers kinda... unfriendly with Grizzly Hollow? He always made sure to keep far away from that part of the Lore anyway, not wanting to make anything worse with them. So it made him a little uncomfortable that she was just gonna waltz in all cheery with that guy beside her and Tomen just had to trust that she'd come back safe and sound. And hopefully alone.

Whatever. It was all fine.

Every day of her absence was counted, privately, just totally casually, no issues there, just in case, you know. It was good to keep track. And he functioned normally, doing the border rounds, hunting for small prey, spending time with the terrible trio to give @Veho a much-needed breather. The world was darkening and the night chilly by the time he considered heading back to the den, not wanting to let the others worry about where he was. He had already ruled out the possibility that she would be back today, resigned himself to it, prepared himself for another vaguely unsettled night's sleep, when he heard movement to his left, and at the same time the sound of his name cried out in glee. He barely processed it when she was rushing into him and he yelped in unmanly but entirely genuine delight.

"You're back!" he squeaked, hopping forward to greet her, tail an uncontrollable blur behind him - yet he was actually trying to contain himself. He couldn't just be utterly uncool about this, no matter how much he wanted to slobber all over her beautiful face. Glancing behind her, he slipped his grin into something more composed, as though he hadn't been literally keeping an eye out for her return every hour. "I mean, already. Didn't know how long you'd be away. Is - is he, uh, Deacon  with you?" Nailed it.

i swear its true

He returned her joy, and she didn't expect anything less. She thought her own grin couldn't get any wider but it did upon seeing his own, and she wriggled right up to him, tail slapping everything within its reach behind her. Not an ounce shy, she bounced right into him and nuzzled her crown against his cheek. His choice of words, the pausing and tripping, barely registered with the young woman. She felt confident that she understood what he felt, what he was feeling -- because it was the same within her own chest.

Deacon? Nineva took a step back, mismatched gaze seeking Tomen's as she casually answered his inquiry.

"I left him at the borders. Whether he sticks around is up to him," she spoke simply, as though either decision would not affect her. And really, it wouldn't. If he stayed, then she would be able to build a new friendship with him, and hopefully be one step closer to the pack she wanted. If he didn't, if he returned to the Willows or sought another place to rest his head until the time came to revitalize the Caverns, he could still prove his loyalty. After all, being separate from @Korrin did not mean she was any less there for him whenever he needed her. And if Deacon let her down one more time, disappearing? Then she would know him as he was, and move on. Nineva would not grieve the mistakes of others.

She lifted her snout, bumping Tomen's nose with her own as a sense of solemnity fell over her.

"I really missed you, y'know. It wasn't even a week but. I just did."

without you, my heart is blue

(This post was last modified: Dec 04, 2016, 08:54 PM by Nineva.)

Hearing the dismissive way in which she said that Deacon was at the borders lifted a weight from his heart. The guy might've been here, but she clearly didn't care one way or the other, so why should he? Composure slipping as his grin grew, unashamed in his pleasure at hearing it (though he'd never vocalise the feeling), he focused on the warm feeling left by her head against his cheek, gazing contentedly into those mismatched eyes.

Where he was rapidly softening in her presence, now all happy and fuzzy that she was home safe, a strange seriousness came over her own expression as she moved to touch their noses. Reluctant to let it end, Tomen pushed forwards only slightly when she pulled away, but he could tell she wanted to say something. When she did, he just stared at her, a tingle starting in his toes and spreading up through his limbs. Every fibre of his being screamed I missed you too.

"'Course you did, I'm the only one who puts up with you," he laughed, despite it being entirely untrue and she knew it. Why he turned to jest, he didn't really know, but something about the way she'd said it had plunged a spear straight into the most delicate part of his being and he was terrified to acknowledge it. So there he stood, impaled and trying to ignore it, but relented a little. Pressing the side of his snout against hers, he sighed and closed his eyes, letting himself stay there for just a moment before pulling back with a fresh wag of the tail and grin. "Missed you too. Did you manage to do what you went for?"

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

"Pffft."

Tomen's harmless teasing earned yet another smile from the girl, brows dipping in feigned indignation. He leaned in again and she too closed her eyes, enjoying this closeness that she had so missed while being gone. When he pulled back once more, asking a question, she met his gaze and rolled her shoulders in response.

"More or less. We can talk about it later."

It had been exciting, and she had been vibrating all the way home in eagerness to tell him all about it. Now that she was here, however, the exhaustion it all had caused her was settling into her bones and anyways, there was something else she was much more interested in. Stepping past him, a nod of her muzzle indicated that she wanted him to walk with her. Nineva intended to find somewhere comfortable to rest, where the frondescence was thick and the ground soft.

"I wanna hear what you've been up to."

Probably the usual, but it mattered all the same, and she wanted to hear the details. Had anything unusual happened? How had the trio been? Had Prudence returned? Nineva hoped he would cover it all.

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2017, 12:32 AM by Nineva.)

Her dismissive reply told Tomen all he needed to know about what had happened; that it wasn't all that important. Otherwise she would have been hopping with the chance to recount it all, and he would have been just as happy to listen as he was to let it go. (It was another sign that this Deacon guy wasn't all that, too, something quite welcome to the dark yearling.) She'd only just gotten back, she probably wanted a chance to just sit down and take a break, and he could certainly oblige.

Falling in line beside her easily, his step a little springier now that she was back, his ears curved around to catch her question. He laughed at the idea that anything he'd been doing could be more interesting than her little adventure down to the willows, but her unwavering interest in his day-to-day life was just another reason she was so wonderful.

"Spent most of the time you were gone up at the caverns, actually," he said, grinning sheepishly, keeping an eye on her to see her reaction. He had said he'd need to get to know them, after all. "I can get there in a day, nearly. Stayed for three nights, wanted to just take my time exploring them some more, the bits you didn't get time to show me. I can't believe how big they are, I got lost at least four times! I'll never know them as well as you, but I'll try. Would be a pretty shameful scout otherwise, huh?"

Her mismatched eyes scanned ahead hungrily, eager to find a place to bed down. Tomen's laughter made her ears swivel and her smile grew toothy yet again, taking pleasure in the simple music of it. The joy she took was nothing compared to the warmth that spread through her chest when he spoke up with his answer, however. Nineva's eyes abandoned their search and leapt to his face instead, searching his features almost as if she had to verify the veracity of the words. Of course, he had asseverated, but it was hard to believe that he could be so... wonderful.

Stayed for three nights, took his time, was committing them to his heart as she had. There were a few reasons she could come up with to disguise the truth, but this one she wouldn't bring herself to tiptoe around. The reason he was so into the Caverns was simply because they were so important to her.

Nineva had to look away to hide the brightness of her grin, the expression so wide her cheeks tickled with exertion that couldn't be helped. She was used to Tomen and that perfect way he had of acting, how pretty much everything he said and did made her smile, kept her truly happy. Still, sometimes, specifically moments like these, it hit her hard and she would be all but overwhelmed by the butterflies he set loose within her. She chalked it up to pure gratitude, because acknowledging that it was anything more would just spoil it.

Forcing the feeling down, she focused again on searching, and soon found the perfect spot. Her pace picked up into a trot as she excitedly made her way to the gnarled, exposed root system of a toppled oak. The snow had drifted against western side of the makeshift shelter, but where the ground scooped away, it was nothing but dirt. Nineva settled in, patting the earth beside her to welcome Tomen.

"You already put me to shame. I've been slacking, I gotta get back to runnin' so I can keep up with you."

Of course, she'd never have his speed, but it wouldn't do to be completely left in the dust.

"Maybe you should come with me, next time I go to the Ridge? If you're gonna be the pack runner, @Elettra should get to know you too. Same with @Aideen and Miccah. I'd like Whisper Caverns to have a good relationship with both of their packs."