Paradise Falls contingencies

Finley and Chan were quiet, each of them seeming troubled by expression. Colette volunteered to keep watch at night, and then so did Marigold. Flair added that she’d assist with that as well. Knowing the three of them would be watching had Jet feeling better about leaving. Marigold also offered a suggestion for a place to go. North, to the lowlands. From what little he knew of them, that seemed like a good idea.

Flair agreed, proposing that the lake be their first option, and that they could then follow the river north, to the tundras if anything happened. Jet offered a nod of agreement to those ideas. ”The lake or tundra it is.” Either one of those would work. As long as the group had some idea of where to meet, should something bad happen...

But then, Ryder spoke up. The dark one couldn’t hide his momentary surprise, as he sought Finley’s gaze. His co-lead left it up to them, and with a shrug, Jet looked back to Ryder. ”I’d be alright with you coming. We can cover more ground that way,” he rationalized. Both in the search for danger and the missing Caspian.

”But you, my girl,” Jethro continued, turning towards his daughter with a half-apologetic smile, he echoed Flair’s words, ”aren’t big enough for that yet. I need ya to stay here and help as much as ya can. Your day’ll come.”

And sooner than you think, he almost added. She, and all the kids, had already grown so much.

”We’ve already been through so much,” the dark one spoke up again, with a look towards all that had gathered. ”As long as we keep together, we will get through this, too.”

i’ll leave this up until around the 20th if anyone’s got any last remarks. Otherwise fade, and thanks everyone (:

Colette and Marigold spoke their pieces but the mother was only partially paying attention, she was still staring at Ryder. She had been hoping he would meet her gaze and they could silently agree on a plan to keep looking for Caspian. Instead he said something unexpected and hurt welled in her belly. Blinking harshly against the sudden moisture in her eyes she turned her face to stare down at her paws, trying to mask her emotions.

Flair spoke in favour and so did Jethro and Finley knew they were waiting for her to jump in and say something, but she couldn’t. Instead she gave a single curt nod and before a tear could fall she nudged Atara back to her paws, ”come now, let’s go.” She refused to look at anyone and rushed her daughter along before the first tear began to fall.

Finley exit

Chan’s older daughter offered a suggestion for where they could go, should things get hot, and additionally volunteered her services for night watch. So did Flair. Colette would look between them both, briefly offering a tiny nod of thanks, glad not to be the sole guardian on a night shift.

What was most interesting, however, was the exchange between Finley’s oldest son, some of the younger children that piped up after, and their leaders. Cole observed it all with her brow arched in vague interest, half surprised that Ryder would volunteer to go out, too.

But then again, as he believed Caspian was his brother, perhaps she shouldn’t have been. The other kids were far too young to go out too, but their eagerness could be a good sign.

When things seemed like they’d wrapped though, Cole didn’t hesitate to turn about and take her leave, too.


--exit

Chan's eldest was among those volunteering for nocturnal shifts, and the children wanted to join their father on his trip. Things he could have found endearing if he wasn't so deep in his own grief and apprehension. He just continued to listen, passive in presence and thought alike, until Mica's voice joined them. He blinked his bleary eyes open and regarded his son, mind far slower than the others in coming up with a proper answer.

He wanted to offer to take his children on their own little mini-trip, to share with them how thoroughly he had enjoyed scouting throughout his life, to encourage curiosity and optimism and growth. Danger, his nervous system insisted. He lowered his muzzle back onto his paws, but his eyes remained active, scanning the surroundings for colors in a particular order. If he let himself think, he would spiral here and now into a sniveling mess. He was not his best self for his children, and it was completely out of his control. The world was not safe, it did not receive them with love, and having any kind of a future seemed to be a privilege.

Red. Flair's fur.
Yellow. The autumn leaves.
White. The sky and it's clouds.
Silver. The whiskers at Jethro's chin. Those weren't always there, were they?
Gray. The smoke.
Black. The ash- no, Micaden's nose.
Teal, the grass. Blue... he shifted his weight, brow furrowing.

Where the hell was there blue around here?

aka chan stayed uh, 'chillin'

Very boring, Mica's mom told him, but Atty had a hard time believing it when Ryder seemed so intent. Her green eyes narrowed with suspicion. And it's only for big wolves.

Already the urge to argue and dissent was bubbling up within her throat, but she would not have been Finley's daughter if she gave into such things. Her mother had taught her manners, and she tried her best to maintain them, even as the words the adults passed around made her squirm with upset. At least, for a few moments, she was able to hope that her dad at least would take her side.

Nope. Atara's features dropped, looking absolutely crestfallen as Jet insisted she was needed here instead. But Ryder could go, so now instead of just one of her favorite wolves being gone, it was going to be two and she had to what, sit around and wait for them? Bored out of her mind?

'As long as we keep together, we will get through this, too.'

Then why are you going?! she wanted to ask, as well as... what exactly were they all so afraid of? How horrific could 'fire' be? But she wouldn't interrupt, she'd wait for the group to start breaking apart and then she'd go right up to him and say-

'Come now, let’s go.' Mom was corralling her in the opposite direction, it wasn't a moment for disobedience, but this was all a bit too much too suddenly.

"Wait!" she cried as she was pulled from Ryder's paws, trying to escape her mom's grasp without outright fighting against her. She didn't get her way, and could still be heard insisting even after the two were vanished from sight.

This was not a fun day.

Atara was quick to copy, and Ryder couldn't help but grit his fangs and roll his eyes in true big-brother style. Of course she wasn't going, wasn't that obvious? Of course, while silently judging his little sister, he missed most of what was decided on about escape routes. The yearling certainly heard Jethro's approval, though. He couldn't help a wide smile, before instinctively looking over his shoulder to his mother. He could barely make out her face as in a blur she'd gathered Atara and turned to leave.

He frowned, brows knitting as he watched her go, confusion his first emotion. Then frustration. He glared down at his paws, then stood and took off in his own direction.

"Let me know when we're leaving," he asked of Jethro softly on his way out.

The decisions were made and then just like that, everyone was dispersing. Something felt off in the air about it, but perhaps that was just the effect of Atara's pitiful wait! After all, Marigold didn't have any previous experience with children, and she was learning they could feel very deeply about things that didn't seem so big to her.

She looked to her father, who seemed to be thinking very hard about something while staring down the grass. A sympathetic frown passed over her muzzle, and just like that she was again distracted from the others' problems. She chose to lay nearby, reaching out to tap one of his paws with her own to get his attention. She would smile, talk about the pups, distract him from whatever was darkening his thoughts this time. It helped distract her, too.

all my exits finally in x:

I've got so much time to kill

 

He didn’t think looking for stuff sounded boring, especially if ’out’ meant beyond the borders, where there were sure to be lots of things he’d never seen before. But it was only for grown-ups it seemed; Or almost grown-ups…! Micaden glanced at Ryder, for the first time in his life feeling a sting of jealousy. But at least Atty wouldn’t be going either, to her clear dismay.

Mica shrank into himself, deterred by his mother’s dismissal, as well as the heavy, serious tone in the air. A quiet whine escaped him in sympathy for Atara, ears sagging defeatedly as her mother dragged her off despite audible protests. Turning around, the boy scooted closer to his dad, pressing himself into the fur at his shoulder, seeking comfort from all the unpleasant feelings around him. Jethro’s words of encouragement did little to break the fog of gloom, only making the pup sigh, closing his eyes for sleep to finally, hopefully, take him away.

@Jethro sorry these took me a moment, thanks for waiting <3

Jethro was quick to agree, first to the escape plan, and then to Ryder coming along, which made Flair smile – to her it seemed like a perfect solution. Glancing over at Finley though, it would seem the mother was less keen on the idea, eyes cast down and body tense. Before any more could be said on the matter though, Fin had moved to scoop up her daughter – who was protesting profusely against being left behind – and hurried off, obviously upset, but wanting to hide it. Flair’s smile faded, though she tried to keep up a positive front as Jet signed off with a message of togetherness – which she underlined with a deep rumble in her chest. All in all though, the mood seemed to have soured as the group broke up, Ryder notably walking in the opposite direction of his mother. Feeling her shoulders sink, Flair turned to her fellow leader, speaking softly: “We’ll be alright. J’st let me know when y’ go an’… Don’t stay ‘way too long.” She leaned forwards to gently bump his shoulder before turning to her family, who were the only ones left. Chan’s depression had not escaped her, and as she saw him now, deep in his own thoughts with both Mari and Mica close at his side, her heart ached. As grand as their new joys were, her partner still had a heart burdened with grief, and there was precious little she could do to comfort him – though she would try her best. Walking over to lie down with them, she cradled Addison between front legs and scooted them both close enough that she could reach over and nuzzle the ears of both Chan and their son, while offering Marigold a look she hoped would convey at least some of the feelings twisting in her chest; I’m sorry, thank you, I’m here… She’d give her all to help them, in any ways possible. ”Speech" Thoughts

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