Blackberry Fields Matters of the Heart

In a flash, it was over. Narime' had found a bit of her own confidence and strength. Something that he knew that she worried she lacked for an alpha. He didn't know where she'd come from, but apparently jealousy of all things was the catalyst that she had needed. The emotion and her reaction to it was a fleeting one, but it was proof. Her victory in the brief spat brought him endless amounts of pride in his young mate. Although misguided, she had asserted herself in and undeniable manner. Despite his pride in her, he felt badly for poor Ashanti. She had done nothing wrong, save lose her footing and she'd lost a bit of fur for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Narime's apologized and toned down her aggressive stance, but did not relax entirely. He couldn't help leaning into her when she came to stand next to him with a silent rumble of pleasure vibrating his large torso. The entire encounter had only taken moments, but it seemed to be a turning point of some sort for his mate. He hated that Ashanti had been hurt and gave her an apologetic look as he followed up Narime's introduction with on for her. "Uhm... sorry for the confusion." He really wasn't sure who he was apologizing to, but he had to try and smooth things over. He'd be in the Woodlands a while longer and he didn't need any misunderstandings between these two young women.

He completed introductions and tried to smooth things over. Nina would not like this, he feared. "Narime', this is Ashanti Aranna. A Healer of Secret Woodlands. She wanted to help with some hunting and I suppose that I stopped a bit too fast when I saw the warren." Without breaking the contact between them, he tipped his head in the direction of a cluster of burrows. Any rabbits that might have been out were long gone with the wolf fight mere yards away.

Knight of Honor

Ashanti’s eyes were full of wandering thoughts; she still hadn’t received much of an explanation as far as what the connection was between the two. She wasn’t so good with connections; she noticed the last names were the same. She appeared to give a middle name too. “Are you two siblings or relatives?” She asked in a confused voice, more directed towards her packmate then the strange wolf that had ripped out part of her fur. She didn’t really like Narime, but she had to stand the wolf a little bit to be protective of her whatever he was to her. Her tail was flicked with annoyance as she apologized and Sloane explained to her about how they were hunting. Why was he apologizing so profusely? She saw no reason for him to apologize to this other pack wolf. “I guess there won’t be any rabbits for the pack today.” She said, she wasn’t needed here anymore, she should find some ergot for the stores too. There wasn’t much left, perhaps after that she could go out and find a hole to jump in and hide. She just needed some time to herself after this and the talk she had had with Sloane.

She was obviously still mad, she had never actually never gotten this mad, normally she kept a cool head, the only time she had been truly angry was when she had been attacked by that strange brute Valiant near where they were now. She thought about it, she didn’t really do too well with being attacked. She assumed that it was from her times as a child when her family was slaughtered before her eyes. She was nearly two years of age and would take the official role as healer. “Thanks for trying to help Sloane, but I don’t think getting attacked by Narime was what I had in mind.” She said, feeling bad that she was being rude, right after. Sloane couldn’t have known that Narime was going to attack; she knew that from his reaction to the fight. She started to walk away, just abruptly leaving she had to in order to regain her composure and make sure that she didn’t attack the both of them. If she did that then she’d probably have Nina to answer to. As it was, she was sure Sloane had to answer to Nina on why Ashanti was returning from a hunt with him and she was missing fur.

As soon as Sloane backed her and apologized to the white she wolf Narimé felt a little better as he stood so close. Her eyes softened a tad bit as she looked at the white Woodlands wolf. Even a look of amusement crossing her gaze as Ashanti asked about them being relatives.

It was at the moment that Sloane introduced Ashanti to Nari that something clicked in her head. The silver wolf had known that name from somewhere. Though she was positive she did not know this she wolf. Her name.. Ashanti..Aranna..Aranna.. Where have I heard that? It took her a few minutes with a thoughtful face before she remembered her encounter with another wolf with the Aranna name.

Ashanti turned to leave and as she did so Narimé, with a look of surprise called out to her.

"Wait! Your sister.. She was Isen Aranna right?" Narimé asked hoping the white wolf would hear her. Was this wolf really the family that Isen was looking for? She thought quietly at first. Her description did match, and as Kashikoi had told her, Ashanti was in the same pack as Nina. How ironic... Narimé wondered if Ashanti was still looking for her sister Isen. The silver wolf might not be able to help much there. After only meeting Isen once in the Ghastly Woods.

Sloane groaned inwardly at the expected tension. Partly his, envisioning just how Nina might react to this whole episode, but especially from Ashanti. She really couldn't be blamed for being put off. She'd just been attacked for no real reason other than a stumble against his side and she'd lost a small patch of fur in the process. She was ready to take her leave, had in fact taken a few steps, when Narime' stopped her, asking after her sister. He remembered Isen. Her efforts to get Ashanti out of a desperate situation had definitely stood out in his mind, but she had vanished without a trace. Which was one of the reasons that he'd been hunting with the white yearling, to try and take her mind off of Isen for a bit.

He hadn't realized that Narime' had ever met Isen and he hoped that she might have some good news for Ashanti. Lord knows the girl could use it, especially after their little introduction just moments ago. His amber eyes flicked towards his pack mate, trying to gauge her reaction to her sister being mentioned. Then he tipped his shoulder back towards Narime', his concern still easy to read in his eyes. He refrained from speaking, allowing the two females to talk. He'd been no help earlier, aside from an ear to listen. Perhaps Narime' would have some good news to convey. Something that might ease Ashanti's young mind a little. He glanced between the two again, wondering how Ashanti would respond to an inquiry about the sister that had her so tied up inside.

Knight of Honor

Ashanti turned and glared at her when she mentioned her sister, she had frozen where she was and anger radiated off of her pelt. The very wolf she was trying to forget kept popping up. “She’s not my sister, not anymore. She abandoned Sloane, Nina, the entire pack.” She said in anger, she was tense as she glared at her. She had been attacked by this wolf, and she would not be emotionally damaged as well. It angered her now to hear her sister’s name, for she had denounced her sister. She thought of changing her name, but that was only if something extreme happened.

She was always trying to forget her. “I have no hope left in her, she is dead to me and she betrayed my trust, I’m trying to forget her and I don’t think I can do that here.” She said in a rather rude manner as she turned and walked away. She was still tense, but her anger had calmed slightly. She just wanted it all to end, the pain and suffering. She doubted that her sister left for noble causes so she tried to forget her, it was a form of reaction to help her cope, but it didn’t seem to work.

There was no hope left for a peaceful hunt either, all the rabbits were gone after she had fought. That was all it was, a hunt, then that bitch of a mate to Sloane showed up. It pained her because something always happened. She was starting to think she was an omen of bad fortune.

This will be my last post..

Nari listened to Ashanti once more growing a bit frustrated with the female as the woman denounced her own family. She was lucky to even have any family in Lore. So what really happened to make her hate Isen? the silver hunter wondered silently while lifting her head once more and putting on a serious face. Her claws dug into the hard earth as she watched the white wolf walk away.

The scent of her mate floated along the breeze as it changed from one direction to another. Having him close made her feel more secure and thus calmed the silver wolf down a bunch. The breeze ruffled her fur made of dark and light grays and gave the woman a good picture of the land where the breeze came from; forested but still caught in the crisp chill of winter.

"Well. I guess the fact that when I met her she was looking for you wouldn't interest you then." She gave the woman a hard gaze then turned and moved her head under Sloane's chin as a good bye. The silver hunter still had a lot of work to do. As much of the same work that Ashanti and Sloane had. To hunt for her pack, the silver wolf didn't have time to dawdle here any longer.

"If you wanna know where I saw last saw her. It was far up in the reaches of Ghastly Woods. However that was the last time I've seen her." She finished giving the white woman a chance to search for her sister should she change her mind about Ashanti's hatred of Isen.

Nari slid her body along Sloane's as she padded away from where she'd come from. Her head cast over her gray shoulder looking at the russet wolf fondly in a silent "goodbye and good luck". Rabbits were calling to her, even though Nari was tired herself after the previous scuffle. Maybe I should rest a little before I start the hunt again. She took a few deeps breaths while plodding along her trail back into the stubbly grasses.

(Exit Narimé)

Sloane breathed a sigh of relief as at least some of the tension abated. Unfortunately, Narime's good-hearted mention of Isen seemed to darken Ashanti's mood once more and she turned back towards the Woodlands somewhat rudely. Given her introduction to Narime' he could not fault her entirely, but his mate had no way of knowing that Isen had appeared and then vanished, leaving Ashanti hurt and confused. By her words, it seemed that Ashanti had chosen to close that door, perhaps forever. The thought saddened him, but he had no advice for the yearling. Nothing that would help in any case.

Narime' called out a few more bits of information to the girl's retreating back. Then she rubbed her silver form lithely along his large frame, sending shivers down his spine as she marked him as her own and covered herself in his own scent at the same time. Longing to be with her welled up in the huge male, but he knew that it was not yet time. Soon though. He could only pray that the weeks would fly by until they were together for real. He grew tired of their brief encounters, though he would never give them up. Even a moment with her was better than alone.

With a sigh, he watched her go, ever the dutiful Huntress. Then he too turned towards the Woodlands and hurried his steps to catch back up with Ashanti. He didn't say a word, just left her alone to her thoughts as they headed back home together, while his own thoughts were filled with the silver fae headed in the other direction.

{Exit Sloane and Ashanti (via permission from Namara!) }

Knight of Honor