Paradise Falls so many angles, so many lines

@Chan - a direct continuation from Riven’s joining thread ^^

If you feel you belong here, then you do.

Riven hardly ever thought of things so simply, but there was comfort in it. How he felt was rarely what he let guide him, but maybe that wasn’t as correct as he once thought. Chan’s words were soothing, easing the anxiety that had built up in Riv’s chest and drawing a soft sigh from the healer.

“That’s good to hear. That I’m welcome, and that I haven’t been taking advantage,” he responded, eyes fixed on the ground they were traversing, before he glanced back over at the other man and said, genuinely, “Thank you.” It was like a weight dropped from his shoulders, knowing that he had somewhere permanent to stay. He wasn’t sure exactly how much he could offer, but Chan hadn’t asked. Not that it would be an issue - Riv would do what he could, where he could, but he was in no way fully physically capable anymore. It was likely that Chan could tell, which made the immediate offer even more heartwarming.

The blond took a deep breath and offered the older wolf a small smile, tail swishing a little. “Would you mind some company on your walk?” he asked, tilting his head to the side and studying the tawny man.

That was that, it seemed. Chan hummed a low note of agreement, acknowledging the proffered gratitude with a nod while his eyes briefly closed. Still at seven years old, he struggled with accepting both praise and thanks even in the most routine and expected of circumstances. The habit of moving past these instances as swiftly as possible remained.

"Not at all," he sunnied at the query, and motioned for Riven to tag along as his paws began to move again. All he had been doing was a routine patrol, something company could only make better.

"Can I take this as a sign that you're doing well?"

It would seem to be, but Chan knew better than to assume, especially as leader. If Riven was joining the fold, he had the right to feel comfortable and cared-for within it, as they all did.

Well... all but one, maybe.

Chan accepted his thanks graciously and invited him along, and Riven was quick to fall into step with him. His back had been feeling much better with the rest he’d been able to take, and it showed in his gait, measured and even steps instead of the stilted limp he’d sported before.

A smile formed on his maw at the question. Doing well might be an understatement - he was happier now than he’d been in years. While he certainly didn’t have all of @Adelard’s attention - and wasn’t sure he wanted it all to himself, in fact - the other man wasn’t shy with affection and had made Riven feel safe and secure in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever feel again. He spent much of his time with Isla, Riven knew, protecting her and the pups the healer assumed belonged to Ad, but that was only natural. It would be far stranger if the pups weren’t his and he was following the young woman around for no reason.

“I am. Very well,” he confirmed, tail swaying. It was likely he carried Adelard’s scent on him now, another layer of security - though he was completely in the dark on the tension between him and Chan. “And you? It must be stressful to lead a pack with two litters on the way.” Hudson had wandered off not long after Rhaegara and Saga had given birth back in the Chasm, and the shift in leadership had been difficult. It must be a lot of responsibility.

Riven spoke affirmatively, and Chan's own tail wagged in calm, wide arcs. He was genuinely happy to hear it. The question was returned then, with a specific nod toward what the Spring had wrought. There was so much more that he grappled with on a daily basis, but Riven was not at all off the mark. Any pregnancy brought risk for both the mother and her litter, and that alone was enough to plague him, especially now that he'd been saddled with leadership. He would certainly feel much better once both @Isla and @Hazelnut were out of the proverbial woods.

His smile remained and his shoulders rolled subtly in a shrug, mismatched eyes watching the trail ahead. As obvious as the reality of it was, all Riven would get in this instance was another quirk.

"I'm well," reflexive and utterly untrue, "as much as we have going on, the wolves here never shy from helping one another. I couldn't ask for an easier pack to lead."

The praise for others was far more genuine upon his tongue. Truly, the only issue rooted in their membership was @Adelard and the insipid game he seemed to be playing by himself. The rest of it, well, it couldn't be helped.

"Was the Chasm all you're familiar with here in Relic Lore?"

Volleying the subject back onto the other was more than etiquette. Chan would much rather talk about Riven than himself.

(This post was last modified: May 27, 2024, 09:35 PM by Chan.)

It was likely a fib, Chan's automatic I'm well, but Riven wasn't about to call him out on it. They were both old enough to know that the role of leader wasn't without stress, and Paradise Falls was a large pack with a lot of moving parts. The two young mothers were just quite high on the list of concerns in Riven's eyes, and he was willing to bet in Chan's as well.

He did believe the next part. A pack with many members willing to help one another. It sounded almost too good to be true.

"However I can help, I will," he said simply. "I was a healer in the Chasm, and before it. But I understand it isn't a role that can just be handed to someone. I'm willing to work to prove myself."

It would be good to get back into the groove of things, as well, rather than be granted full healer status right away. Riven had been away so long, and while he didn't doubt his knowledge, he doubted his confidence. His paws might not be as steady as they used to be, after all.

Was the Chasm all you're familiar with here in Relic Lore?

Riven laughed a little. "Yes, for the most part. When I settle in a place, I don't tend to wander very far. Even less now that... well, I'm sure you can tell I'm not quite in the best shape." Even now, his back throbbed a little, protesting at the movement. Exercise was good for it, he knew, but it didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"And you?" he prompted, looking over at the man. "Is this where you've always lived?"

Another healer? Chan's ears tweaked subtly at the information, happy to hear it but not yet too excited. While he was tempted to give Riven more credence than he normally would a stranger for the fact of having served in Fool's Gold Chasm, he had to acknowledge that he did not actually know that it was a fact. He only remembered a Leviticus, and Adelard's verification would mean far too little given the leader's suspicions. It wasn't just any time of year, either. He had to be sure, and he had to be fair, setting the same guidelines for Riven as he had their other aspiring healer.

"Thank you for understanding," he spoke warmly, following Riven's claim of being willing to prove himself.

"Adrestia is working toward the same, if you don't already know. It would be wonderful to have you both available in that role. Given the nature of the work, I would like to feel confident in your skill before you tend to the others. It's a standard precaution of mine."

He listened to the answer to his own question, sympathy tinging his smile a touch as Riven mentioned his injuries. It felt the right opening to offer, "I have medical training and experience as well. If there's anything I can do for you in that capacity, just say the word."

Then, of course, the query was returned to him. Chan smiled widely and shook his head 'no.'

"Far from it. I was born up in the mountains to the west, but I have lived many places in and out of this region."