Tonight and Tomorrow

Mercy's hunting skills had paid off; though he had changed his mind and had decided to become a guardian rather than a hunter, he still retained the tracking skills he'd learned as a youngster and used them now to follow the scent trail left behind by Aponi. In fact, it had been a very simple task- he'd bumped into Karpos who'd come directly from his confrontation with Aponi, so it had only been a matter of following Karpos' trail back to where it intercepted with Aponi's, and then he set off along her trail at a trot, head low so he could easily follow her scent. He'd had to bunker down, several times, to rest, but could not afford to spare too much time- Aponi was off on her own and, therefore, in danger- and the anxiety which gripped him in her absence was almost unbearable.

During one of these resting periods, Naira had managed to take the lead in finding her daughter. Mercy was unaware of this, but when he continued on his trek after Aponi, he did come upon Naira's tracks as well, and felt himself become somewhat discouraged; he supposed he should just head back to the pack, as he assumed Naira had probably dragged her daughter back to the pack, even if she'd had to drag her by her short and curlies...But he decided to pursue Aponi's trail, to make sure that he didn't lose her. He couldn't simply turn away, even if it did mean interrupting an important mother-daughter conversation.

In the end, he missed Naira completely, though he did come across the tracks the woman left behind as she returned to the Keep- alone. This meant that Aponi was still out there, so he redoubled his pace and set off again, following Aponi's tracks all the way back to a familiar place; their den. The cave they'd shared together when they'd been on their own, a place which was at once comforting and terrifying, knowing that they'd spent some nights there, albeit together, not knowing if they'd wake up in the morning or if death would steal into the dark place and steal their breath as they slept. Her scent was strong and he could almost sense that she was there. Silently, he poked his head inside the cave before he stepped inside, unable for a few moments to see anything- but he could smell her. "I knew I'd find you here." He said softly.

After the confrontation Aponi hadn't been able to bring herself to return to the cave where she had laid before. The girl had tried but had felt constricted, it had become too small, something she had left behind in her past, along with anything that had ever meant anything to her. Instead she lounged near the pool, the bones of a salmon at her paws, and a full uneaten salmon lay beside her. At first the fish had swam much to quickly for her to capture as she thrashed about, but Aponi remembered the lessons that Sagacity had taught her, be still, don't startle your prey or you would go hungry. It hadn't been long after that that the two fat fish had been in her grasp, it would seem she had a talent in something. Her stomach had been filled and the sun beat down absorbing into the silver pelt, lulling Aponi into a light sleep. Her ear twitched at the sound of paw steps nearby around the bend of the pond but she didn't move towards it any more than that. It was the voice that sent her body into overdrive, her anxiety had been shoved away temporarily as she had caught the bright fish but it had been replaced by loneliness. There was no one to share her accomplishment with and that had been nearly as crushing as the anxiety. With a laugh Aponi leapt to her feet and sped around the pond to see Mercy half standing inside the cave, did he think he was talking to her? She laughed again, for the first time in her life feeling completely carefree, they no longer had rules to confide them, she could provide for them, and they would be together. "You knew you would find who where?" She joked from behind him, her eyes twinkling in a way they hadn't since before they got lost.

Mercy was startled by Aponi's voice, which had sounded at his shoulder before his eyes had had the time to adjust to the dim lighting of the cave they'd spent so much time in. He side-stepped and lifted his head and in doing so, conked it solidly against the roof of the cave's mouth, unearthing a small shower of dust and little rocks which sprinkled down upon his shoulders. He stepped back, squinting at Aponi and grinning as he ruffled his shoulders to rid them of the debris before he swept forward and immediately nuzzled his muzzle into the fur at the nape of her neck, pressing his chest against hers. Any anxiety he'd had earlier faded away, as did the anger and frustration while he held her close. He had her in his gasp again, and in that moment of reunion he forgot all about Karpos, Hollowheart Keep, his mother.

The bliss continued for a moment longer when he took a step back to look at her, and saw how happy she looked. Though she was still thin, she looked healthier than she had in some time, as though her spirit had been freed from torment. But a moment later he remembered what Karpos had said and he stepped forward to lick her cheek reassuringly, lingering there for a moment and reveling in their closeness. "I found you," He murmured softly, and combed his teeth through the soft fur of her cheek before he stepped back and sat down. He straightened his shoulders slightly as well and pricked his ears. "I found Karpos," He said, his voice deepening. "I left as soon as that lying, hateful bastard confessed what he'd done." He said. He paused, then. "We're not going back, are we?"

It was strange how she felt now, she should have been worried about how they would survive or distraught over the words exchanged between her and her mother or her and Karpos, but she wasn't. Instead she felt a deep joy, she felt free and triumphant though she had no idea just what it was that made her feel that way. There were no expectations of her now, she didn't have to be her mother's daughter she could be whomever she wanted. As Mercy bumped his head Aponi couldn't help the single laugh that escaped her though she quickly eyed him over to make sure he wasn't hurt. Instantly she was wrapped in his warm embrace and with a content sigh the near yearling leaned into him, resting her muzzle upon his shoulder as she did so.

The girl wanted to protest as he pulled away but instead she was silent as he watched him check her over and felt a vulnerability she never had before. Aponi hated the weakness that she felt when he was away, so much so that she had began to detest herself whenever she felt it, but this was a different feeling. If it had been anyone but Mercy who had looked upon her like that she would have been tempted to rip their throat out, but with him she licked the underside of his chin when he moved closer. This was her equal, her guardian, her Mercy.

The quiet moment quickly vanished as he mentioned Karpos, and a darkness entered the blue eyes, for the first time in her life Aponi truly hated someone. All throughout puphood she had thought she hated Mercy, but perhaps they had battled so frequently because they both had the same dominance inside them. Karpos however, she would gladly shred to pieces with her own fangs. Looking away the girl said nothing as the boy continued, she had nothing to add, as far as she was concerned the Slayer boy was as good as dead.

There was a brief silence before Mercy asked her a question that floored young Aponi, We're not going back are we? Was he coming with her? So blindly, so willingly? Looking back to him there was warmth in her eyes, "I'm not, but you have to make that decision yourself, I would not ask you to make such a large sacrifice because of me, it has to be something you want." This was so different than who she had been as a pup, then she would have expected him to follow her and thought it an annoyance. Now, now she craved his company but knew this was something that he would have to decide for himself.

Mercy assumed, now, that his life was devoted to Aponi, and he assumed that she knew that as well. He was surprised and a tad disappointed by her silence, and he knew that in that moment, there was one word she'd heard that had stopped her short. We. But he meant it and would not take it back- he was not leaving her side, for he knew the anxiety that would claim him if he let her go and did not know whether she was safe or happy. He would've have regretted not going with her, and gone out in search for her until he'd died. This way, he could guard her, stay with her, take care of her and know where she was, so that he didn't lose her. He was her guardian now, just as Crowe had made him promise to be. Though Crowe had intended for him to be a guardian of the pack, he knew one day he would be- when he and Aponi had a pack of their own. Until that time, Aponi was his pack and it was his duty to guard her.

"I'm yours, Aponi," He said with featherlight softness as he reached over to nuzzle her cheek gently. He rumbled a deep, protective and proud note, when a thought occurred to him, and he could not keep himself from speaking it out loud. "My queen. Though she was a queen by nothing but birthright, and she had been away from her homeland now long enough that that right might have begun to fade, Mercy knew that Aponi would one day be queen, and he would be her soldier, come what may.

MAGNOLIA Glen

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

Aponi leaned into his light nuzzle until she heard his words and for a moment her whole body froze, unsure of what to do. Adrenaline shot through her veins, she had never had much verbal affection in her life and never knew how to respond when it was offered. Her mother's words came to her then, Caring will only cause you pain, be careful who you lay your heart out to. and with steely determination she pressed her cheek against Mercy's; she would not be her mother. This was the man who was her equal, he was strong in his intentions and his actions and she knew already that she trusted him to keep her safe. The silence had stretched on for a long while before she finally spoke, "You're mine, and I am yours, my King." If she was to be queen then Mercy would be her king, he was worthy of the title, perhaps the only male she had met their age who was. Karpos was soft, and Ashton had just been arrogant, but Mercy was a king.

They stood there for a long time, cheek against cheek, chest against chest, held in an embrace of both each other and the sun's rays. Eventually though the female pulled away and a twinkle admonished her blue eyes as she looked upon the man as far as she was concerned was her mate. Like a fan the silver tail waved behind her, leaving a trail in the dirt as she remembered her accomplishment from earlier. Turning away she led Mercy back towards the stream gesturing for him to follow, for there waiting for them on the river bank was the plump silver feast.

It startled Mercy to be called a king. He couldn't imagine himself ever being one- given that he'd never been a prince. He'd been much less than one, in fact, especially in Aponi's eyes. He'd been less than a little peasant boy, a bastard who'd been fortunate enough that someone with a scrap of pity had found him in the wilderness with his mother. But so lovingly were the words said that they were accepted, albeit with surprise and modesty. Her conviction was infectious, and he fund himself, while he was there, pressed against her, pleased that she had addressed him as her king. Having never thought of himself as such, it pleased him to know that she cared for him, and wanted him by her side, not as her guardian, not as her knight, but as her king. He breathed a soft sigh of contentment. He would do anything for her; even though it was not necessarily the healthiest relationship they had, given that they'd become co-dependent, he couldn't feel anything negative about what they were experiencing just then.

He followed her toward the fish she'd caught, knowing that it wouldn't be long before they began to climb the mountain, which she hoped to claim. He looked up at the craggy peak through gaps in the trees, and found his heart thrumming. He would be a king on the mountain; not by birthright, though in all likelihood he supposed that he too, having been born on or near the mountain, would be accepted as its king. Speech

MAGNOLIA Glen

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

There is an elk carcass nearby. It looks like it froze to death. +12 Health