Blackberry Fields A Friend Indeed...

(Hope you don't mind me placing Nina her for Sloane to find. If needed, I can rewrite it!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/SloanTable.png);background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 255px;padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">Sloane was on the hunt for Nina. He'd completed his border patrols and managed to catch a plump rabbit for her in the process. She seemed to be getting stronger every day with the supplemented protein that he and the others had been providing her since her leg prevented her from hunting properly for herself. He honestly didn't mind since it was not much more work to catch fresh game for her from time to time as it was to do so for himself.

He hadn't seen her for himself in a bit and had come across her scent trail leading a bit to the west, in the direction of the Blackberry Fields that he'd heard about, but never explored. With a shrug of his russett shoulders and energy in his step, he headed in her direction with the brown rabbit secure in his grip. As he trotted along, unnerringy following Nina's distinct scent the rodent swung rythmically beneath his head, hanging by it's long ears. With only thoughts of finding his friend and assuring himself that she was safe and well-fed, Sloane's long legs ate the distance between the border and the fields of thorny bushes in the blink of an eye.

The scent got stronger and it didn't take long for him to catch sight of Nina walking slowly ahead of him through the low slung greenery. With the wind in his favor, he might of snuck up on her and surprised her, but he didn't want her to accidentally jolt her leg. Instead, he let his suprisingly quite oversized paws stir the underbrush to alert her to his approach. After a moment, he stopped and set the still warm rabbit down and said, "Well, hello there! Fancy meeting you here!" His voice was deep and pleasant and he gave her a broad smile that went all the way to his bright amber eyes.

Knight of Honor

Perfect. I don't think I have ever threaded in here with Nina yet. <3

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;">She had finally returned to Copper Rock Creek after her long stay in Willow Ridge pack. She had not seen many pack members since her return and she had unhappily started another small trek out of her territory. Another potential member had left the pack(Shadowstorm) and she had been quite disappointed. She had left to heal herself when she was needed in her own territory. Though she wasn’t sure if she made the right decision, her gut told her she was right. Naira, an old friend of hers, had advised her to keep her own health in mind. . .and this time, the golden beauty had actually done so and taken action. She was not going to be able to run her normal errands if her leg hadn’t been healed. And so she had taken the trip to Elettra, seeking her help and had been granted with it. Luckily, the older woman had done a wonderful job with healing the other lady and Nina had returned safely to her family.

She was now looking healthier than she had in awhile, her cheek bones had grown back out and her rubs weren’t poking out with every step she took. She still had a slight limp in her step, but she was recovering quickly from it. From the two patients she had seen before taking a small trip she could tell they weren’t as well fed as they should have been and Nina felt bad. She hadn’t even caught what she had been eating. Members of another pack had and it made Nina feel terrible of how she couldn’t have been there for her pack. She hadn’t even seen Aeylen or Ruiko since the flood had taken place. She had seen none of them, saving Kashikoi. Her head hung low, but was quickly put back in its place when a voice called out to her. It was her equal, now that Volkan had disappeared, her friend, and part of her family. A small smile was soon lit on the golden girl’s face.

Her body turned towards her friend, his jaws full with some kind of animal, but none of the food mattered to her right now, just the fact that she could see one of her friends again. Her rump picked itself off the ground and she started to walk towards her friend. Her limp not as bad as it had been previous times before. And when she got near him she butted him on the shoulder affectionately and licked his chin in greeting. Her smile not lit up to her one good eye and one scarred one. "And that it is so. I have missed you." Her emerald eye spoke wonders as she stared at her friend, wondering how he had been faring while she had been gone.

(Sorry so short, lots of posts to do in very little time! The next will be better!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/SloanTable.png);background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 255px;padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">Sloane smiled broader as Nina approached and greeted him with an affectionate lick chin, which he was quick to return. Although she smiles, she seemed somehow sad at the same time. His brows furrowed slightly as he took in his friend's appearace. She looked well and not as in need of his gift as he feared. That was good, of course, but she seemed to have something troubling her, a slight meloncholy maybe?

He reached forward again and pressed his muzzle to the side of cheek, comfortingly before speaking again. "It is so good to see you again, my beautiful friend! You seemed lost in thought before. Is there anything wrong?" She had to be happy to be home, but she had been through so much physically and emotionally that he worried for her always. Although he cared for all of his packmates and would defend each one ferociously, Nina was dear to him and he felt an even stronger need to be there for her.

Knight of Honor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;">When he comforted her, she readily accepted the gesture, messing her muzzle firmly against his in a friendly greeting. She had been quite pleased when he had entered their packs lands, and had made it an important task of hers to make sure each of her pack mates felt welcomed. When he spoke to her she smiled sadly at him. Was it that easily to tell? She supposed it had brought her down more than she had hoped. She swallowed hesitantly before remembering that she had nothing to hide from Sloane. She was with her family, not some other wolf in Willow Ridge any longer. She was home. There was no place like home.

Her mouth opened and small words echoed out of them, "Shadowstorm has gone. And Ruiko and Aeylen‘s scents are fairly old. I have not seen sight of them lately either." She expressed her worries to her friend in a meaningful tone. It was as if she were speaking a warning that she didn’t quite want to admit yet. It didn’t matter any longer though. She knew that her leaders would not leave, they had of no reason to quite yet. Her frown remained though, asking for some sort of denial of her facts from Sloane.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/SloanTable.png);background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 255px;padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">The oversized male looked at his friend with concern. She seemed even more down now that it was out in the open. He was overjoyed that she was finally home, but hated to see her so worried. His lips pressed together in a grim line at her first words. Shadowstorm had been an enigma from the start and he couldn't say that he was upset to see the contradictory female go. She hadn't gone to any lengths, at least with him, to undo the mess that she'd made of herself upon their first meeting. Nina seemed saddened or at the very least disappointed by her departure, so he kept his opinion to himself on the dark lady's exit from Copper Rock Creek. So he said nothing.

Her next words, however, hit home. He too had noticed a distinct absence of their leaders. Their scent was indeed fading and neither had been seen by him in a while. This was a true concern, for a pack without leaders was like a ship with no sail, afloat in and endless ocean. Surely they had not abandoned their responsibilities? Neither seemed like the type, but he also hadn't known them well or for very long. He gave his golden brown friend another comforting nudge. "I am sure that they are well and merely off on some important errand, Nina." Without a word to the pack? Someone must know something...

Knight of Honor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;">Her head tilted slightly, gauging her friend’s reaction to her words. She glands swelled slightly when she saw him. He seemed slightly doubtful, though she was sure he was happy the black female had fled. There hadn’t been much else that she could have done to help the lady though, she just hadn’t been in the right mind set for it all. Nina had been keeping her eye on the older lady for as long as she could, but so it happened right when she had returned from her trip in Willow Ridge the female would want to leave. It had been quite unfortunate for her to find this out, otherwise, Nina would have been quite a bit more upset when she would have found out that the lady had gone missing.

The large male’s comment about his leaders made her nod her head, trying to wrap her mind around the fact but couldn’t accept it. Something was off, but she still had the slight hope that she would come across the leaders once more. . .and soon. Her thick brown tail lashed behind her a few times, before she remembered something in the back of her mind, "Oh! I think I remember a female asking about you. Narimé?" Her voice raised slightly, as if she were curious as to how they knew each other, but otherwise didn’t say anything else.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/SloanTable.png);background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 255px;padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">His friend seemed to ponder his words, but accepted them. Hopefully all would be well. For now, hew was merely glad that she was home and seemed healthier than he'd ever seen her. Her leg appeared healed and she seemed well fed. Her time away had been put to good use. Perhaps she had heeded his earlier words about caring for herself, in order to be able to care for the others. She had nearly destroyed herself putting others first. It was in her nature, of course, but she would do the pack little good if she wasn't at her best, right?

Then she spoke and the name brought him to full attention. He stood even taller, ears perked and amber eyes lit with excitement. Narime'? His sweet blue-eyes rembered him still and had asked about him? He thought of her daily and could only have hoped that she returned the sentiment.

Suddenly, he was hit with a small bout of shyness, something the silver fae alone seemed able to bring out in him. "R-really? She asked about me? How did she know that you knew of me?" His voice was a tad higher than his normal deep pitch and heat crawled up his neck at the obvious show of nerves. He was embarassed, but eternally grateful that there was only NIna her to see his awkwardness.

Knight of Honor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;"> They stood in a comfortable silence for many short moments before Sloane broke it, his voice stuttering, high pitched, and shrill, giving her the impression that there was indeed something she did not know of. Her chest rumbled in laugher as she playfully butted Sloane on the shoulder with her muzzle, "There is nothing to be shy about, my dear friend. Quite honestly, I don‘t remember much. I was high on herbs in my time at Willow Ridge." Amusement laced her words heavily for what she said was true.

Her good eye watched him closely, unsure of how to approach the topic. He didn’t know much about her own personal life. . .like the fact that she was mates with Koda. . .the alpha of Willow Ridge. It was then she opened her mouth. . .she couldn’t keep secrets from him, "I do have to admit something though. . .its kind of weird." She awkwardly drew her paw out in front of her, brushing the ground with her own paw. How should she approach this with him?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/SloanTable.png);background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 255px;padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">Sloane smiled sheepishly at his friend as she butted him affectionately. Had there been any doubt that he both knew and cared deeply for Narime' he had effectively laid them to rest. Clearing his throat a couple of times to regain his proper voice and composure he finally replied to her reassurance. "Narime' and I met a long time ago, before either of us had actually joined our packs. She was so young then, and I had so much to learn... so we parted ways." The wistfulness that had crept into his voice with his words would likely tell Nina the rest of the story. That he cared for Nari as much more than a friend. She was a smart fae, after all!

Then it seemed that it was Nina's turn to get a bit nervous. There was something that she wished to tell him, but she appeared unsure of how to do so. He gave her an encouraging smile and a small bump on her cheek with his muzzle. "Nina. You can tell me anything, you know that right? We are great friends and I will always care for you." He furrowed his brows slightly in worry for what she might say. Whatever it was, it wouldn't affect his feelings for her. She was the only true friend that he had right now, since Narime' was so far away at the moment.

Knight of Honor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;"> The golden healer was glad to see that Sloane had found someone to catch his fancy. This brought a smile onto her face. The next matter of business brought an awkward beat in her heart to skip. It was odd for her to be talking about this since she had been trying so hard to keep it a secret from others. The only other wolf she had told had been Kashikoi. Her tail flicked behind her hesitantly as his words echoed in her head. Of course she could tell him, she was sure he wouldn’t think any less of her. . .if anything perhaps he would be happy for her. And with that fleeting thought, she took a deep breath and spoke, "I‘m am mated to the alpha of Willow Ridge."

Her words came out in a rush, a flush soon taking over her body. It was weird finally admitted something she had to keep secret for so long. She knew she couldn’t lie any more though. This was a crucial part in their friendship. . .trust. And if they didn’t have trust, then friendship could just be known as a part of speech. Nina’s tail wagged behind her silently as she watched Sloane for his reaction. She hoped that he understood her situation.