Sacred Grove If You Only Knew...

His words brought a smile to her lips, even as her nose lowered to point into the ground. Vlarindara lifted her head slightly, ears rotating to listen to him, her left eye focusing intently on his form, as if her entire being was leaning into his words, she took a half step when he pulled away, but managed to force herself NOT to close that extra distance. Silently, the white wolfess nodded, a sigh leaving her lips. "It...What if you won't, Angier?" She had little hope that Grizzly Hollow would allow her to return, Copper Rock certainly wouldn't.. and she wasn't exactly comfortable with the Swift River wolves enough to plead that they take in one such as herself.

Especially with breeding season coming up, Vlarindara was certain that they'd say no. She was actually rather certain she wouldn't be making it through the next few months.. But things *could* change. right? His question on if she could get out had her lifting her head and glancing upwards, noting the edge of the ditch, following the slippery sides with her eyes, even though only one worked. "I-think... so." To avoid the answer to her previous question, she turned and limped carefully along the edge until she found a somewhat.. shallower incline and began scrabbling up it. The uncomfortable feeling of mud squishing between the toes of her widespread paws left her shuddering as she sought the leverage to hoist herself over the lip of the ditch.

It was only after quite a bit of grunting and panting that she even managed to get up the edge where she could let the shaking limbs that had hauled her emaciated form up the thing collapse. A grunt of air escaped the tired wolfess as she simply.. Lay where she'd arrived, fighting to catch her breath after the climb, and willing her legs to stop shaking. Once they did - she'd continue her journey.. As Angier asked.. She'd part ways from the wolf she had developed an odd affinity for.. Until the time came for him to find her. But she had to wonder, if he'd find *her* or if he'd find a pile of bones..

Table by Katsuma. Coding by Ryn

<blockquote><b>"Pffffff..."</b> Air slipped through his teeth and lips as she questioned him. But he remained quiet until, eventually, she said nothing else and simply informed him that she seemed fit enough to climb back up. Wordlessly, as Vlarindara turned and addressed the slopes on either side of them, Angier followed her. When she began to slowly ascend from the bottom of the trench, he placed his paws firmly into the soil one step behind her on her left side in case she needed his support should she begin to slip. Though he desperately wanted to nudge her along, to motivate her further, he found that she seemingly didn't need him and she was able to drape herself onto the ledge without his assistance.

Examining her thin frame quietly once he had successfully climbed out of the ditch, he stood up then lowered his head to press his rough tongue briefly against her temple. Where they went from here would separate them from one another, he knew, but in time he hoped that, for once, something in his life would have gone <i>right</i>... That maybe they - he and Vlarindara - stood a chance against the world. <i>Together</i>.</blockquote>

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Subconsciously, the ivory wolfess leaned into his touch, her eyes closing before she shifted, glancing up at him with a frown. Weary from the effort of climbing back up from the ditch, she lowered her head again, but this time, placing her chin on one of his paws. It reminded her of a gesture she'd done to Raigo some weeks ago and gotten snapped at, which made her shiver. Would Angier do the same? "Will our packs think we're trying to threaten the regency, Angier?"

She sighed, curling her tail closer to her body and in the process, leaning towards Angiers warmth. "I..I don't want to get hurt anymore - but..the last time I didn't say what my feelings were, I lost the race. I can't hide them anymore. I can't sit here and say I don't love you.. That I don't ...want to be with you.." The truth of the matter was, she did. She'd already said that, she supposed, but was worried that either the leaders of Swift River or of...whatever pack she managed to join would think that she and Angier intended to breed and take over the pack.

Did she want a pack of her own? No.. Not right now, perhaps not ever. Once, sure, she might have wished to have a pack of her own. Did she want pups? At least once in her lifetime, she wanted to be able to watch little ones run around and know that they were *hers*..and know that at the end of the day, it would be *her* they were callin' 'momma.' The white wolf knew she was getting on in years.. Hell, she was five now.. over half of her lifespan gone.. Still, she had nothing at all to show for it.

A sigh slipped past her lips before she frowned, ears folding down over her nape, amber eyes closing. She wondered if alpha's of packs realized there was more to wolves being.. mates than simply having pups. Or.. was that all there was to it? She felt incredibly close to Angier, more so than she had with Borden when she'd been younger. Though, she had to admit.. if she did join a pack, and they permitted her and Angier to be together as mates would - without the addition of . pups coming into the equation - she would be absolutely ecstatic.

Table by Katsuma. Coding by Ryn

<blockquote>His golden eyes captured her frown for a moment and returned a quizzical glance of his own. His brows evened out as her lower jaw rested lightly on one of his forepaws. He missed the shiver that shook her figure but, tenderly, he nuzzled his forehead and the bridge of his snout to the side of her face before looking down at her. Vlarindara's question made him scoff; he simply smiled. <b>"Maybe,"</b> he mused before allowing her to continue.

Her words made his heart swell and begin to skip a few beats here and there. <i>Was this what love felt like?</i> If it was, he had to wonder now how he had managed to almost live life without it... <b>"Don't worry,"</b> he stated softly. <b>"When the time comes, let them think what they like... If they don't like the idea of two souls working together... so be it. It'll be their loss if they don't understand or accept what it means for us to be together, just <i>being</i> with one another. We'll just leave if we have to, and if it'll just be us for a couple months, well, two heads are better than one if you ask me. We won't be living comfortably apart from a pack but I think we'll be fine until we find one that'll <span class='word'>approbate</span> the idea of a <i>pair</i> of subordinates... hunters, pup-sitters, Seconds, or what have you."</b>

For a few seconds it felt like pieces of his life were falling into place. Answers were presenting themselves to the questions he had asked himself several times for the past few years. What was life truly about? Finding one's better half; if it felt this good to give and receive affection of this degree, it surely had to be the reason why anyone woke up in the morning. Why hadn't he met his end after so many months of being on his own (even nearly starving to death at one point)? He still had a purpose. Why had he been drawn out of Bertram Valley and into Relic Lore? To live the life he was meant to live. Why did he keep running into Vlarindara when he least expected it? <i>Destiny...</i>

<b>"Truthfully, Vlar, as reckless as this sounds, I don't give a damn about what anyone else thinks when it comes to us,"</b> he remarked. <b>"I don't care if I have tons of things to mind or stomachs and caches to fill or tracks to trail... as long as I can get to you at the end of the day, I'd be the happiest man alive. We'll make this work, you and I... I promise."</b></blockquote>

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His words brought a smile to her lips and Vlarindara shifted, lifting her head wearily from where it lay and watching him before struggling to get to her feet. She might not have thought much of their chances - but here they were.. Against the odds. The white wolf leaned towards him to gently bump her nose against his lower jaw, the ragged tail wagging almost pitifully as she watched him. The wolfess approbated the things he was saying and felt for once that there was a *VERY* real chance. a *VERY* real chance of enjoying life.

Vlarindara glanced back at the ditch before looking towards Swift River - she could smell the scents on his pelt and frowned at him, her ears folding over her nape. "Y-you ...should go before you're missed..." The wolfess lowered her head, not enjoying that thought in the least, but she knew it was a requirement. She did, after all need to go find something to eat - if she intended to still be there when Angiers work with the River pack was completed. Though, it was obvious in the way she was leaning against his fur just slightly that she wasn't too keen on the idea - even though she'd been the one to say it.

Table by Katsuma. Coding by Ryn

<blockquote>He was quick to catch her frown and he tilted his head as she reminded him that he did have other things - pack things - to get back to. <b>"I guess I should,"</b> he stated bittersweetly. A smile remained along his tawny features and he gently pressed his nose to her temple. <b>"It won't be for long,"</b> he whispered. <b>"I'll see you soon. <i>I love you.</i> And, <i>be</i> careful."</b> Taking a step away from her... withdrawing from her side... made it feel like an invisible string was beginning to stretch after finally becoming slack. With one last reassuring glance, a wink and a small, he paced slowly into the woods until he could no longer see his beloved through the trees whenever he looked back. <i>We'll make this work... I promise.</i></blockquote>

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